Wesley Corpus

meantime was walking in the "Change, and giving orders to the town drummers and to his sergeants,--doubtless to go down and keep the peace! 'They accordingly came down to ‘the house, with an innumerable mob attending them. They continued drumming, and I continued preaching, till I had finished my discourse. When I came out, the mob immediately closed mein. Observing one of the sergeants standing by, I desired him to keep the king’s peace; but he replied, “ Sir, I have no orders to do that.” As soon as I came into the street, the rabble threw whatever came to hand; but all went by me, or flew over my head; nor do I remember that one thing touched me. I walked on straight through the midst of the rabble, looking every man before me in the face; and they opened on the right and left, till I came near Dant’s bridge. A large party had taken possession of this, one of whom was bawling out, “ Now, hey for the Romans!” When I came up, they likewise shrunk back, and I walked through them to Mr. Jenkins’s house ; but a Papist stood just within the door, and endeavoured to hinder my going in; till one of the mob (I suppose aiming at me,’but missing) knocked her down flat. I then went in, and God restrained the wild beasts, so that not one attempted to follow me. But many of the congregation were more roughly handled, particularly Mr. Jones, who was covered with dirt, and escaped with his life almost by miracle. The main body of the mob then went to the house, brought out all the seats and benches, tore up the floor, the door, the frames of the windows, and whatever of wood work remained ; part of which they carried off for their own use, and the rest they burnt in the open street. Finding there was no probability of their dispersing, I sent to Alderman Pembrock, who immediately desired Mr. Alderman Windthrop, his nephew, to go down to Mr. Jenkins, with whom I walked up the street, none giving me an unkind or disrespectful word.