Wesley Corpus

In the evening I was surprised to see, instead of some poor, plain people, a room full of men, daubed with gold and silver. That I might not go out of their depth, I began expounding the story of Dives and Lazarus. It was more applicable than I was aware ; several of them (as I afterward learned) being eminently wicked men. I delivered my own soul; but they could in no wise bear it. One and another walked away, murmuring sorely. Four stayed till I drew to a close: they then put on their hats, and began talking to one another. I mildly reproved them; on which they rose up and went away, railing and blaspheming. I had then a comfortable hour with a company of plain, honest Welshmen. In the night there was a vehement storm. Blessed be God that we were safe on shore! Saturday, 31.--I determined to wait one week longer, and, if we could not sail then, to go and wait for a ship at Bristol. At seven in the evening, just as I was going down to preach, I heard a huge noise, and took knowledge of the rabble of gentlemen. They had now strengthened themselves with drink and numbers, and placed Captain Gr (as they called him) at their head. He soon burst open both the outward and inner door, struck old Robert Griffith, our landlord, several times, kicked his wife, and, with twenty fullmouthed oaths and curses, demanded, “‘ Where is the parson ?”” Robert Griffith came up, and desired me to go into another room, where he locked me in. The Captain followed him quickly, broke open one or two doors, and got on a chair, to look on the top of a bed: but his foot slipping, (as he was not a man made for climbing,) he fell down backward all his length, He rose leisurely, turned about, and, with his troop, walked away.