Wesley Corpus

15.--A gentleman desired me to visit his daughter. I found a lovely, sensible woman, in the bloom of youth, scarce one-and-twenty, in the last stage of a consumption. From that time I visited her every day. In two or three days she was considerably better. But, as I expected, when the hot weather came on, the sweet flower withered away. Sat. 18.--I dined at Mr. 's. Such another family I have not seen in the kingdom. He and Mrs. are in person, in understanding, and in temper, made for each other. And their ten children are in such order as I have not seen for many years; indeed, never since I left my father's house. May they never depart from the good way ! MAY 19. (Being Whitsunday.) The ground in the island being wet, I preached in the evening, near the new Custom House, on, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” I was not a little refreshed, observing so many who seemed to thirst for the living water. I preached there again the following evening, to nearly the same number of hearers. I should have thought it well worth while to have come to Limerick, were it only for these two evenings. Wed, 22.--After preaching at Balligarane, I rode to Ash 432 REv. J. WESLEY’s [May, 1771. kayton. There are no ruins, I believe, in the kingdom of Ireland to be compared to these. The old Earl of Desmond’s castle is very large, and has been exceeding strong. Not far from this, and formerly communicating with it by a gallery, is his great hall or banqueting-room. The walls are still firm and entire; and these with the fine carvings of the window-frames, (all of polished marble,) give some idea of what it was once. Its last master lived like a Prince for many years, and rebelled over and over against Queen Elizabeth. After his last rebellion, his army being totally routed, he fled into the woods with two or three hundred men. But the pursuit was so hot, that these were soon scattered from him, and he crept alone into a small cabin. He was sitting there, when a soldier came in and struck him. He rose and said, “I am the Earl of Desmond.” The wretch, rejoicing that he had found so great a prize, cut off his head at once.