Wesley Corpus

Wed. 14.--I rode on to Bristol, and spent a week in great peace. -Thursday, 22.--About half-hour after twelve, I took horse for Wick, where I had appointed to preach at three. I was riding by the wall through St. Nicholas gate (my horse having been brought to the house where I dined) just as a cart turned short from St. Nicholas-street, and came swiftly down the hill. There was just room to pass between the wheel of it and the wall; but that space was taken up by the cartman. I called to him to go back, or I must ride over him; but the man, as if deaf, walked straight forward. This obliged me to hold back my horse. In the mean time the shaft of the cart came full against his shoulder, with such a shock as beat him to the ground. He shot me forward over his head, as an arrow out of a bow, where I lay, with my arms and legs, I know not how, stretched out in a line close to the wall. The wheel ran by, close to my side, but only dirted my clothes. I found no flutter of spirit, but the same composure as if I had been sitting in my study. When the cart was gone, I rose. Abundance of people gathered round, till a gentleman desired me to step into his shop. After cleaning myself a little, I took horse again, and was at Wick bv the time appointed. Feb. 1747. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 327 I returned to Bristol (where the report of my being killed had spread far and wide) time enough to praise God in the great congregation, and to preach on, “Thou, Lord, shalt save both man and beast.” My shoulders, and hands, and side, and both my legs, were a little bruised ; my knees something more; my right thigh the most, which made it a little difficult to me to walk ; but some warm treacle took away all the pain in an hour, and the lameness in a day or two.