Wesley Corpus

Fri. 12.--After preaching at Oakhill about noon, I rode to Shepton, and found them all under a strange consternation. A mob, they said, was hired, prepared, and made sufficiently drunk, in order to do all manner of mischief. I began preaching between four and five: none hindered or interrupted at all. We had a blessed opportunity, and the hearts of many were exceedingly comforted. I wondered what was become of the mob. But we were quickly informed, they mistook the place, imagining I should alight (as I used to do) at William Stone’s house, and had summoned, by drum, all their forces together, to meet me at my coming: but Mr. Swindells innocently carrying me to the other end of the Se they did not find their mistake till I had done preaching ; so that the hindering this, which was one of their designs, was utterly disappointed. However, they attended us from the preaching house to William Stone’s, throwing dirt, stones, and clods, in abundance; but they could not hurt us; only Mr. Swindells had a little dirt on his coat, and I a few specks on my hat. After we were gone into the house, they began throwing great stones, in order to break the door. But perceiving this would require some time, they dropped that design for the present. They first broke all the tiles on the pent house over the door, and then poured in a shower of stones at the windows. One of their captains, in his great zeal, had followed us into the house, and was now shut in with us. He did not like this, and would fain have got out; but it was not possible; so he kept as close to me as he could, thinking himself safe when he was near me: but, staying a little behind,--when I went up two pair of stairs, and stood close on one side, where we were a little sheltered,-- a large stone struck him on the forehead, and the blood spouted out . 416 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL.” [Feb. 1748.