Wesley Corpus

Journal, 1753 In the afternoon I walked to Carisbrooke Castle; or rather, the poor remains of it. It stands upon a solid rock on the top of a hill, and commands a beautiful prospect. There is a well in it, cut quite through the rock, said to be seventy-two yards deep; and another in the citadel, near a hundred. They drew up the water by an ass, which they assured us was sixty years old. But all the stately apartments lie in ruins. Only just enough of them is left to show the chamber where poor King Charles was confined, and the window through which he attempted to escape. Journal, 1753 In the evening the congregation at Newport was more numerous and more serious than the night before. Only one drunken man made a little disturbance. But the mayor ordered him to be taken away. He makes no allusion to his earlier visit to the island in 1735. Journal, 1753 -We set out early from Newport, and crossed over from Cowes to Southampton. In the afternoon we came to Salisbury, and on Saturday rode on to Shaftesbury. He preached at Bradford, Sarum, Frome, and Freshford in July. Journal, 1753 I preached in the new house in the evening, on Sunday afternoon at Longbridge Deverill; and on Monday the i6th, before noon, praised God with our brethren at Bristol. Journal, 1753 -At their earnest desire, I preached to the poor colliers confined in Newgate on account of the late riot. Provoked by the dearness of bread, the colliers arose. The riot was quelled by the Scots Greys. (Latimer's History, p. 303; Tyerman's Life of Wesley, vol. ii. p. 171; Pawlyn's Bristol Methodism, p. 48.) They would not hear the gospel while they were at liberty. God grant they may profit by it now! Journal, 1753 -We set out for the west, and on Friday the 2Oth came to Plymouth Dock. I found much hurt had been done here by the bitter zeal of two or three bigots for their opinion. Two years ago they promised, in the most solemn manner, to let all controversy alone; but quickly after the fire broke out anew, and has been devouring ever since.