Replying to the original question on this thread first asked by musthaq in June, people may be interested to know the following. In the time of George Fox Quakers were real troublemakers. They refused to take oaths, serve in military forces or pay taxes to support the established church. The would not doff their hats or bow to any authorities or Lords of the Manor, being of the belief that each person in a community was of equal worth. So in using "thee" and "thou" they were showing how firmly they held to this principle. In the 17th century, "thou" was used when one was speaking to a person of a lower class and "you" when talking with equals or persons of superior rank. The terms thee and thou are sometimes used by Quakers today.