Wesley Corpus

1763. number of people attended, to whom God enabled me to speak strong words; and they seemed to sink into the hearts of the hearers. Sat. OCTOBER 1.--I returned to London, and found our house in ruins, great part of it being taken down, in order to a thorough repair. But as much remained as I wanted: Six foot square suffices me by day or by night. I now received a very strange account from a man of sense, as well as integrity:-- “I asked M. S. many questions before she would give me any answer. At length, after much persuasion, she said, “On old Michaelmas-Day was three years, I was sitting by myself at my father's, with a Bible before me; and one, whom I took to be my uncle, came into the room, and sat down by me. He talked to me some time, till, not liking his discourse, I looked more carefully at him: He was dressed like my uncle; but I observed one of his feet was just like that of an ox. Then I was much frighted, and he began torturing me sadly, and told me he would torture me ten times more, if I would not swear to kill my father, which at last I did. He said he would come again, on that day four years, between half-hour past two and three o’clock. “‘I have several times since strove to write this down; but when I did, the use of my hand was taken from me. I strove to speak it; but whenever I did, my speech was taken from me, and I am afraid I shall be tormented a deal more for what I have spoken now.’ “Presently she fell into such a fit as was dreadful to look upon. One would have thought she would be torn in pieces. Several persons could scarce hold her; till, after a time, she sunk down as dead. “From that Michaelmas-Day she was continually tormented with the thought of killing her father, as likewise of killing herself, which she often attempted, but was as often hindered. Once she attempted to cut her own throat; once to throw herself into Rosamond’s Pond; several times to strangle herself, which once or twice was with much difficulty prevented.