Wesley Corpus

To his Brother Charles LONDON, Saturday, July 31, 1742. Yesterday, about three in the afternoon, as soon as Intercession was ended, I went up to my mother. I found her pulse almost gone and her fingers dead; so that it was easy to see her spirit was on the wing for eternity. After using the Commendatory Prayer, I sat down on her bedside, and with three or four of our sisters sung a requiem to her parting soul. She continued in just the same way as my father was, struggling and gasping for life, though (as I could judge by several signs) perfectly sensible, till near four o'clock. I was then going to drink a dish o' tea, being faint and weary, when one called me again to the bedside. It was just four o'clock. She opened her eyes wide and fixed them upwards for a moment. Then the lids dropped, and the soul was set at liberty without one struggle or groan or sigh. My heart does not, and I am absolutely assured God does not condemn me for any want of duty toward her in any kind, except only that I have not reproved her so plainly and fully as I should have done. Absurdum, iniquum, injustum, supra omnem modum mihi videtur, quod quis isto modo me lacessat. 'Absurd, unfair, unjust beyond all measure it seems to me, that any one should attack me in that way.' Now, I would have you send me word immediately whom I shall take into the house, to keep the Accounts, c. c. c., in the room of T. Meyrick, and what woman as hired girl or a lady in place of Betty Brown. I wait your answer. I will carry the books to Evesham, He was at Evesham on Aug. 17. The books were probably Charles Wesley's Hymns and Sacred Poems, published that year. if I do not send before. The day of my setting out hence (if I have life and health) is Monday fortnight, and on Thursday fortnight I hope to be at Bristol.