ing word, or call me by any opprobrious name what-
Ocr. 1743
REMARKABLE ESCAPES
struck at me several times, with a large oaken stick ; with which if he had struck me once on the back part of my head, it would have saved him all farther trouble.
But every time the blow was turned aside, I know not how; for I could not move to the right hand or left.
"What Soft Hair He Has"
4. That another came rushing through the press, and raising his arm to strike, on a sudden let it drop, and only stroked my head, saying, '* What soft hair he has!"
5. That I stopped exactly at the mayor's door, as if I had known it (which the mob doubtless thought I did), and found him standing in the shop, which gave the first check to the madness of the people.
6. That the very first men whose hearts were turned were the heroes of the town, the captains of the rabble on all occasions, one of them having been a prize-fighter at the beargarden.
7. That from first to last, I heard none give a reviling word, or call me by any opprobrious name whatever ; but the cry of one and all was: "The Preacher !
The Preacher! The Parson! The Minister!"
8. That no creature, at least within my hearing, laid anything to my charge, either true or false; having in the hurry quite forgot to provide themselves with an accusation of any kind.
And, lastly, that they were as utterly at a loss, what they should do with me; none proposing any determinate thing ; only, "* Away with him! Kill him at once!"
By how gentle degrees does God prepare us for his will!
Two years ago a piece of brick grazed my shoulders.
It was a year after that the stone struck me between the eyes.
Last month I received one blow, and this evening two; one before we came into the
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
Ocr. 1743 town, and one after we were gone out ; but both were as nothing: for though one man struck me on the breast with all his might, and the other on the mouth with such a force that the blood gushed out immediately, I felt no more pain from either of the blows, than if they had touched me with a straw.
It ought not to be forgotten, that when the rest of the society made all haste to escape for their lives, four only would not stir, William Sitch, Edward Slater, John
Griffiths, and Joan Parks: these kept with me, resolving to live or die together ; and none of them received one blow, but William Sitch, who held me by the arm, from one end of the town to the other.
He was then dragged away and knocked down; but he soon rose and got to me again.
I afterwards asked him, what he expected when the mob came upon us?
He said, " To die for Him who had died for us": and he felt no hurry or fear ; but calmly waited till God should require his soul of him.
Wesley's Defenders I asked J. Parks, if she was not afraid when they tore her from me?
She said, "No; no more than I am now.
I could trust God for you, as well as for myself.
From the beginning I had a full persuasion that God would deliver you.
I knew not how; but I left that to Him, and was as sure as if it were already done."
I asked, if the report was true that she had fought for me.
She said, "No; I knew God would fight for His children."
And shall these souls perish at the last ?
When I came back to Francis Ward's I found many of our brethren waiting upon God.
Many also whom I never had seen before came to rejoice with us.
And
Ocr. 1743
"A GREAT CURIOSITY"
the next morning, as I rode through the town in my way to Nottingham, every one I met expressed such a cordial affection, that I could scarce believe what I saw and heard.
The Sleepy Magistrates' Proclamation I cannot close this head without inserting as great a Curiosity in its kind as, I believe, was ever yet seen in England; which had its birth within a very few days of this remarkable occurrence at Walsal.
"' Staffordshire.
To all High-Constables, Petty-Constables, and other of his Majesty's Peace Officers, within the said
County, and particularly to the Constable of Tipton " (near Walsal ) :
WHEREAS, we, his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the said County of Stafford, have received information that several disorderly persons, styling themselves
Methodist Preachers, go about raising routs and riots, to the great damage of his Majesty's liege people, and against the peace of our Sovereign Lord the King :
'' These are, in his Majesty's name, to command you and every one of you, within your respective districts, to make diligent search after the said Methodist Preachers, and to bring him or them before some of us his said
Majesty's Justices of the Peace, to be examined concerning their unlawful doings.
Given under our hands and seals, this day of October, 1743.
"J. LANE.
'6 W. PERSEHOUSE."
N.B.—The very justices to whose houses I was carried, and who severally refused to see me!
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
Ocr. 1743
Sat. 22.—I rode from Nottingham to Epworth, and on Monday set out for Grimsby: but at Ferry we were at a full stop, the boatmen telling us we could not pass the Trent; it was as much as our lives were worth to put from shore before the storm abated.
We waited an hour; but, being afraid it would do much hurt, if I should disappoint the congregation at Grimsby, I asked the men if they did not think it possible to get to the other shore: they said, they could not tell; but if we would venture our lives, they would venture theirs.
So we put off, having six men, two women, and three horses, in the boat.
Wesley Nearly Drowned Many stood looking after us on the river-side, in the middle of which we were, when, in an instant, the side of the boat was under water, and the horses and men rolling one over another.
We expected the boat to sink every moment; but I did not doubt of being able to swim ashore.
The boatmen were amazed as well as the rest; but they quickly recovered and rowed for life.
And soon after, our horses leaping overboard, lightened the boat, and we all came unhurt to land.
They wondered what was the matter I did not rise (for I lay along in the bottom of the boat), and I wondered too, till, upon examination, I found that a large iron crow, which the boatmen sometimes used, was (none knew how) run through the string of my boot, which pinned me down that I could not stir; so that if the boat had sunk, I should have been safe enough from swimming any further.
The same day, and, as near as we could judge, the same hour, the boat in which my brother was crossing the Severn, at the New Passage, was carried away by
Nov. 1743 METHODISM ON THE STAGE
the wind, and in the utmost danger of splitting upon the rocks.
But the same God, when all human hope was past, delivered them as well as us.
Methodism on the Stage Mon. 31.—We set out early in the morning, and in the evening came to Newcastle.
Wed. November 2.—The following advertisement was published :
FOR THE BENEFIT OF MR. ESTE.
By the Edinburgh Company of Comedians, on Friday, November 4, will be acted a Comedy, called,
THE CONSCIOUS LOVERS;
To which will be added a Farce, called,
TRICK UPON TRICK, or METHODISM DISPLAYED
On Friday, a vast multitude of spectators were assembled in the Moot Hall to see this.
It was believed there could not be less than fifteen hundred people, some hundreds of whom sat on rows of seats built upon the stage.
Soon after the comedians had begun the first act of the play, on a sudden all those seats fell down at once, the supporters of them breaking like a rotten stick.
The people were thrown one upon another, about five foot forward, but not one of them hurt.
After a short time the rest of the spectators were quiet, and the actors went on.
In the middle of the second act, all the shilling seats gave a crack, and sunk several inches down.
A great noise and shrieking followed ; and as many as could readily get to the door, went out, and returned no more.
Notwithstanding this, when the noise was over, the actors went on with the play.
In the beginning of the third act the entire stage suddenly sunk about six inches: the players retired