You're right...it is, however, in "Folk out of Focus...being a brief resume of the little known folklore of the Black Country and Staffordshire"

You'll be hard pushed to find it, published by Wolverhampton Folk Song Club 1965...in which we learn:-

"Wesley had considerable impact on the Black Country and his visits to the area were numerous. Often he needed a bodyguard...provided from the ranks of local followers. Many of these meetings ended in full scale fights between the two factions. In 1742 he visited Wednesbury, where he preached to a large crowd of colliers....His 1742 visit led to serious repercussions in 1743 when the colliers of Wednesbury attacked the property and person of rich Methodists.

The connection between social conditions and the strength of their religious conviction is apparent in the anti-Wesley song "Bright Crowns Laid Up". It speaks first of the plight of the workers, but the third verse is levelling direct insults at Wesley"

There may be other references, but I'm pretty certain this is the first.

Any help?

Baz