to me by one of the brethren. He told me he had summoned the principal witness, Mary Castle, on whose information the warrant was granted. She was setting out on horseback when the news came that I was not gone forward to London, as they expected, but had returned to Wakefield. Hearing this, she turned back, and declared to him that she did not hear the treasonable words herself, but another woman had told her So. Three more witnesses, who were to swear to my words, retracted likewise, and knew nothing of the matter. The fifth, Mr. Woods, an alehouse-keeper, is forth-coming, it seems, in the afternoon. I now plainly see what the consequence would have been of not appearing here to look my enemies in the face. Had I gone on my journey, there would have been witnesses enough, and oaths enough, to stir up a persecution against the Methodists. I took the witnesses' names, and a copy of the warrant which is as follows:

WEST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE.

To the Constable of Birstal, of the said Riding, or Deputy.

THESE are, in his Majesty's Name, to require and command you to summon Mary Castle, of Birstal aforesaid, and all other such person or persons as you are informed can give any information against one Westley, or any other of the Methodist Preachers, for speaking any treasonable words or exhortations, as praying for the banished, or the Pretender, &c. to appear before me, and other of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the said Riding, at the White Hart in Wakefield, on the 15th of March instant, by ten o'clock in the forenoon, to be examined, and to declare the truth of what they and each of them know touching the premises: and that you likewise make a return hereof, before us, on the same day. Fail not. Given under my hand, the tenth of March, 1744. E. BURTON.'

"Between two and three o'clock, Mr. Woods came, and started back on seeing me, as if he had trod upon a serpent. One of the brethren took hold of him, and told me he trembled every joint of him. The Justices' clerk had bid the constable bring Woods to him as soon as ever he came. But notwithstanding the clerk's instructions, Woods frankly confessed, now he was come, he had nothing to say, and would not have come at all, if they had not forced him.

"I waited at the door till seven in the evening, while they were examining the disaffected. I took public notice of Okerhousen, the Moravian teacher; but not of Mr. Kendrick. When all their business was over, and I had been insulted at their door from eleven in the morning till seven at night, I was sent for and asked, 'What would Mr. Wesley desire ?” ·

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"Wesley.—I desire nothing but to know what is alleged against me.—Justice Burton said, what hope of truth from him? Then addressing himself to me, Here are two of your brethren, one so silly it is a shame he should ever set ' up for a teacher; and the other has a thousand lies and equi' vocations upon oath. He has not wit enough, or he would 'make a complete Jesuit.'-I looked round, and said, I see none of my brethren here, but this gentleman, pointing to the Reverend Justice, who looked as if he did not thank me for claiming him.

"Burton.-Why, do you not know this man? pointing to

Kendrick.

"Wesley. Yes Sir, very well: for, two years ago, I expelled him from our Society in London, for setting up for a preacher. To this poor Kendrick assented; which put a stop to further reflections on the Methodists.-Justice Burton then said, I might depart, for they had nothing against me. Wesley-Sir, that will not satisfy me; I cannot depart till my character be fully cleared. It is no trifling matter: even my life is concerned in the charge.

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"Burton.-I did not summon you to appear.

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Wesley. I was the person meant by one Westley, and

my supposed words were the occasion of your order, which I read signed with your name.

“Burton.—I will not deny my orders; I did send to summon the witnesses.

"Wesley.-Yes; and I took down their names from the constable's paper. The principal witness, Mary Castle, was setting out; but, hearing I was here, she turned back, and declared to the constable, she only heard another say, that I should speak treason. Three more of the witnesses recanted for the same reason: and Mr. Woods, who is here, says he has nothing to say, and should not have come, had he not been forced by the minister. Had I not been here, he would have had enough to say; and you would have had witnesses and oaths enough; but I suppose, my coming has prevented theirs. -One of the Justices added, I suppose so too.' They all seemed fully satisfied, and would have had me to have been so too. But I insisted on their hearing Mr. Woods.

"Burton.-Do you desire he may be called as an evidence for you

Wesley. I desire he may be heard as an evidence against me, if he has aught to lay to my charge.

"Then Mr. Zouch asked Mr. Woods, what he had to say ? What were the words I had spoken? Woods was as backward to speak as they to hear him: but was at last compelled to say, 'I have nothing to say against the gentleman; I only • heard him pray, that the Lord would call home his banished ' ones.'

"Zouch.-But were there no words before or after, which pointed to these troublesome times?

"Woods.-No: none at all.

"Wesley. It was on February the 12th, before the earliest news of the invasion. But if folly and malice may be interpreters, any words, which any of you, Gentlemen, may speak, may be construed into treason.

"Zouch.-It is very true.

"Wesley-Now, Gentlemen, give me leave to explain my

own words. I had no thoughts of praying for the Pretender; but for those who confess themselves strangers and pilgrims upon earth; who seek a country,' knowing this is not their home. The scriptures,-yes, Sir, (to the clergyman,) you know that the scriptures speak of us as captive exiles, who are 'absent from the Lord, while present in the body. We are not

at home till we are in heaven.

"Zouch.-I thought you would so explain the words, and it is a fair interpretation.

"I asked if they were all satisfied?—They said they were; and cleared me as fully as I desired.—I then asked them again, to administer to me the oaths.-Mr. Zouch looked on my sermon, and asked who ordained me.—I answered, the Archbishop, and the Bishop of London, in the same week.-He said, with the rest, it was quite unnecessary, since I was a clergyman, and student of Christ Church, and had preached before the University, and taken the oaths before.-Yet I mentioned it again, till they acknowledged in explicit terms, That my loyalty was unquestionable.' I then presented Sir Rowland and Mr. Zouch, with the Appeal to men of Reason and Religion,' and took my leave."

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Mr. C. Wesley now returned to Birstal, where he preached, and then departed from Yorkshire. He came to Derby and Nottingham; at the last of which places, the mob was become outrageous, under the patronage of the Mayor. The Methodists presented a petition to the Judge, as he passed through the town; and he gave the Mayor a severe reprimand, and encouraged them to apply for relief if they were further molested. But the Mayor paid no regard to the Judge, any longer than while he was present.

On Friday, August 24, 1744, Mr. John Wesley preached for the last time at Oxford, before the University.* He had

• Mr. C. Wesley came to Oxford on this occasion, where he met his brother, the Rev. Messrs. Piers, Meriton, and others. He observes in his Journal, "My brother bore his testimony before a crowded audience, much increased by the races. Never have I seen a more attentive congregation: They did not suffer a word to

preached to them twice before, since the time he began to declare the truth in the fields and highways. Those sermons are printed in the first volume of his Works, and are well worthy of a serious perusal. "I am now," says he, "clear of the blood of those men. I have fully delivered my own soul. And I am well pleased that it should be the very day on which, in the last century, near two thousand burning and shining lights were put out at one stroke. Yet what a wide difference is there between their case and mine! They were turned out of house and home, and all that they had; whereas I am only hindered from preaching, without any other loss, and that in a kind of honourable manner; it being determined, that when my next turn to preach came, they would pay another person to preach for me. And so they did twice or thrice; even to the time that I resigned my fellowship."— They respected his general character, with which they were well acquainted.

Mr. Wesley's observation respecting the ejection of so many pious and able ministers, is affecting. It was an awful act, and an awful responsibility remains with those who exercised such an authority. But the Lord reigneth, and the fierceness of man shall turn to his praise.' I cannot but think, that the Lord, who is head over all things to his church,' saw that there was no other way of saving the nation from that deluge of Antinomianism which threatened to overwhelm it. How many children of light were thus called to walk in providential darkness! But he had a better dispensation in store for his people: A dispensation that never did, that never can, disturb the providential government; which was not given by might or power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."

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slip them. Some of the Heads of Colleges stood up the whole time, and fixed their eyes upon him. If they can endure sound doctrine, like his, he will surely leave a blessing behind him. The Vice-Chancellor sent after him, and desired his notes, which he sealed up and sent immediately."