MAY 1, Fri.- We went to Cappoquin. The rain preventing my preaching abroad, I accepted of a very large room which was offered me in the barracks. As we went up the street we had a very numerous retinue, hallooing and shouting with all their might; but, the sentinel keeping out the mob, we had a quiet congregation within. A Popish gentleman inviting me to lodge at his house, I spent a comfortable evening.

 

Sun. 3.[1] - The house was sufficiently filled with people, as well as with the power of God.

 

Mon. 4.[2]- So it was again at five, when I endeavoured to quench the fire which some had laboured to kindle among the poor, quiet people, about separating from the Church. In the evening I preached on Luke viii. 24, and the word was as fire; it pierced to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow.

 

Tues. 5. -Being not very well in the morning, I desired Joseph Bradford to preach. In the evening I preached on ‘Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.’

 

MAY 1, Friday

 

4 Prayed; 5 Eph. iv. 30! tea; 6.45 chaise, Trenck; 10.45 tea, prayer; 11.45 chaise; 4.45 Cap[p]oquin, dinner, read, prayed, tea; 6.30 Rev. xx. 12; 7.30 supper, conversed; 8.30 at Mr. Tethston, together; 9.30.

 

Saturday 2

 

4 Tea, prayer; 5 chaise; 7 Tallagh, tea, Jer. viii. 22! chaise, 11.15 Rath­corm[ack], James and E[sther] Rog[er]s; 1 chaise, within; 3.15 Cork; 4 dinner, conversed, prayer; 5 tea, prayed; 6 Psa. xxxiii. I! supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30

 

Sunday 3

 

4 Prayed, writ narrative, tea; 8 Heb. ii. I, letters; 12 prayers, communion; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer; 3.30 sleep, prayed, tea; 5 Psa. xv. i. 2, society, prayed; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30

 

Monday 4

 

4 Prayed, Eph. iv. 30 letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, writ narrative, dinner; 12 chaise; 2.15 dinner, conversed, tea, conversed; 5.30 prayed; 6 Luke viii. 18; within, meditated; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 5

 

4 Prayed, letters; 7.30walk, tea, [-]; 10 sermon; 2 dinner, con­versed, prayer; 2.45 sleep, prayed; 5 tea, conversed, prayer; 6.30 Rev. ii. 4, the bands; 8 at sister Bruce’s supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30

 

Many, I believe, are earnestly purposed so to do. May God give them the power!

 

Wed. 6. -I preached on that remarkable prophecy, Gen. ix. 27, which is so eminently fulfilled at this day, wherein God does ‘seize the servile progeny of Ham.’[3]

 

Thur. 7. -I went to Bandon[4] and finished the Life of Baron Trenck, the strangest I ever read. Was there ever such a fiend incarnate as the late King of Prussia? To inflict such unheard of torments for so many years, for no fault?[5]  Good had it been for him if he had never been born. Yet, what a wretch was Trenck himself! He made not the least scruple of adultery and murder, and does not appear to have had a jot more religion than an inhabitant of Otaheite. I think, therefore, this is a most dangerous book; I wish none that cares for his soul would read a page of it.

 

In the evening I preached in the new preaching-house, twice or thrice as large as the old. It was well filled both this evening and the next; but I did not find the same life in this people as in those at Cork. But God is able to cause all grace to abound here also.

 

Wednesday 6

 

4.30 Prayed, texts, within; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, writ to many; 1 walk; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer; 4 prayed; 5 tea, conversed; 6 Gen. ix. 26; 8 supper, at sister Bruce’s, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 7

 

4 Prayed, Gen. xix. [-], within to many, Trenck; 8 coffee, conversed, prayer; 9 chaise; 1 Bandon, writ Journal; 2.15 dinner, together; 3.30 Trenck, prayed; 5 tea, conversed; 6 1 Cor. i. 24, read, meditated; 8 supper, together, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 8

 

4 Prayed, sleep, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters; 11.30 chaise, [-], dinner; 2 conversed, prayer, meditated; 4.30 coffee; 5.30 prayed; 6 2 Cor. v. 19, etc., read narrative, supper, together, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sat. 9- I returned to Cork, and earnestly enforced ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.’

 

Sun. l0.[6] -After preaching, I administered the Lord’s Supper to about four hundred and fifty communicants. I was enabled to speak with power in the evening to more than the house could contain, and afterwards to the society. May God write it on all their hearts! I am now clear of their blood.

 

Mon. 11. -At half an hour after two we reached Kilfinane,[7] and at six I preached on ‘One thing is needful’ A few seemed to understand what I meant; as also at five in the morning, when I expounded ‘There is neither work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest’

 

Saturday 9

 

4 Prayed, 2 Cor. v. 19! conversed to Al[ice] Cambridge![8]  Trenck; 7.30 tea, within, prayer; 9 chaise with Ja[mes and] Es[ther] Rogers, Inishan[non]; 10 chaise; 1.30 Cork, on business, letter; 2.45 at sister Bruce’s, together; 3.15 dinner, within; 4.30 sleep, tea; 6 Deut. v. 7, on business; 8 supper, conversed, prayer, on business; 9.45.

 

Sunday 10

 

4 Prayed, letters, tea; 8 Deut. xxx. 6, communion; 10.30 letters; 2.30 dinner, conversed, prayed; 4 letter, prayed, tea, conversed, prayed, tea; 5 prayed, Heb. x. 31! society, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 11

 

4 Prayed, tea, prayer; 4.15 chaise; 10 Mallo[w], tea, within; 11 chaise; 2.30 Kilfinans, dinner, [-], Journal; 5 tea, prayed; 6 Lu. xix. 42, walk; 8 supper, within, prayer; 9.30

 

Tues. 12.-I felt myself a good deal out of order. However, I pushed on to Limerick, where the Rev. Mr. Ingram[9]  (one of the curates of the cathedral) gladly received me: so did Mrs. Ingram, and all the lovely family; where I wanted nothing which the kingdom could afford. At six the house would not contain the congregation. I preached on ‘There is one God’; and it seemed as if all under the roof were sensible of His presence.

 

Wed. 13.-I was not well able to preach in the morning; so Joseph Bradford took my place. But about eleven I preached myself at Pallas, about twelve miles from Limerick. All the remains of the Palatine families[10] came hither from Bal1ingarrane, Courtmatrix, and Rathkeale; in all which places an uncommon flame has lately broke out, such as was never seen before. Many in every place have been deeply convinced, many con­verted to God, and some perfected in love. Some societies are doubled in number, some increased six or even ten fold. All the neighbouring gentry were likewise gathered together, so that no house could contain them, but I was obliged to stand abroad. The people, as it were, swallowed every word; and great was our rejoicing in the Lord.

 

Thur. 14.[11]-I preached in the morning on Rev. ii.4, 5; in the evening on Luke iv. 18.

 

Tuesday 12

 

 4 Prayed, Eccl. ix. 10! chaise; 8 Bruff, tea, within; 9 chaise; 12 Limerick,           letters; 2 dinner, together; 4 walk; 5 prayed, conversed; 6 Mark xii. 32! society, supper, together; 9 prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 13

 

 4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea; 8.30 chaise; 11 Pallas, Isai. Ixvi. [-]! visited, dinner, conversed; 2 chaise; 5 Limeric[k], tea, conversed; 6 Eph. v. 14, the leaders, supper, conversed; 9 prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 14

 

 4 Prayed, Rev. ii. 4, 5! letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters; 2 at      C. L[-], dinner, conversed; 4 prayed, tea, prayed; 6 Lu. viii. 18!          society, ill; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

All the congregation were, for the present, much affected: with many, I trust, the impression will continue.

 

Fri. 15. -We set out at five; and between three and four reached Castleboy. In the evening I preached at Kilchreest, to so large a congregation that I was obliged to preach abroad, though it rained all the time. As I had not been well for some days, this did me no good[12]; but I held up till Saturday the 16th, when we came to Ballinrobe, and then gave up, and let another preach. After a very uneasy night, on Sunday the 17th I went on to Castlebar, and, finding myself much better, preached in the evening to a lovely congregation. But I was obliged to let Joseph Bradford preach in the morning, on Monday the 18th. Being stronger in the evening, I preached again, and met the earnest society, increasing both in number and grace.

 

[There is here the following duplicate entry.]

 

Sun. 17. -Having been a good deal out of order for some days, I had thoughts of returning straight to London; but I judged it best to try it a little longer, so I set out for Castlebar. In a moment I felt an entire change; only I felt a little feverish. But this did not hinder my preaching in the evening, nor God from giving us an uncommon blessing. The same attended us on the following evening; but more eminently on Tuesday, both morning and evening, as well as in the administration of the Lord’s Supper, in which two clergymen desired to partake with us.

 

Friday 15

 

4 Prayed, tea; 5 chaise; 8 Ralahine, tea; 9 chaise, Crusheen; 10 chaise; 3.30 Castleboy, prayed; 4 dinner, within, tea, chaise, Killchrist [Kil­chreest] ; 6 I Jo. v. 3! chaise, supper, prayer! 10.

 

Saturday 16

 

 4 Prayed, tea; 5.30 chaise; 8.15 Oranmore, tea, ill; 9.30 chaise, C [-]; 12.30 chaise; 3.45 Ballinrobe, ill, dinner, ill, [-]; 9 prayer, lay down ill.

 

Sunday 17

 

4 Prayed, [-]; 9 tea; 9.30 chaise, prayed; 12.30 Castlebar, walk 11 sleep; 2.30 dinner, conversed, prayer, sleep; 4 prayed, tea; 6 Psa. liii. I, together, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 18

 

4.45 Prayed, letters; 8 at brother Young’s, tea, conversed, prayer; 9 letters; 1 chaise, Rehins, within; 3 dinner, conversed, prayer; 4 chaise, con­versed; 5.30 at brother Stricket’s; 6.30 James i. 27! at brother Stricket’s, supper, conversed, prayer, chaise; 9.30.

 

Tues. 19. -Retiring to a friend’s house about a mile from the town, I took a full account of the late wonderful affair of Mr. Fitzgerald.

 

Mr. George Robert Fitzgerald,[13] at his first settling near Castlebar, about the year 1776, made himself very popular; but, meantime, his pride was excessive, affirming that, being the head of the Desmond family, he was the premier nobleman of Ireland. Therefore he expected that all the country should submit to him. Hence he fell into disputes with his father, and by turns with his brother, and kept his neighbours in perpetual alarm. In 1779, when volunteering began, he raised a company, which was wholly subject to him. Soon after he engaged

 

Tuesday 19

 

4 Prayed, Matt. xii. 43! letter; 7.30 chaise, at brother Gregory’s; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, writ account of Mr. Fitzg[erald]; 2 dinner, con­versed, prayer, chaise; 4 letter, tea, within; 6.30 Gen. ix. 27!

 

        com­munion, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Patrick Randal McDonald,[14] a relation, as a captain in his company; but not long after a dispute arose between them, relative to the driving of some cattle. Mr. M‘Donald, being informed that Mr. Fitzgerald intended violence to him, placed some men near his own house, and ordered them, if he approached the house, to fire. Mr. Fitzgerald approaching, one of them did fire, which killed his horse, and wounded him in the knee and leg. On this he prosecuted Mr. M‘Donald at the following Assizes; but, after a full hearing, he was acquitted.

 

Another matter of contention soon ensued: Mr. M‘Donald being an attorney, was employed against Mr. Fitzgerald, and carried the suit. This inflamed Mr. Fitzgerald beyond measure, of which Mr. M‘Donald was frequently informed. This continued, however, to the close of the year 1785; when Mr. M‘Donald, being at Castlebar one night, a blunderbuss, charged with eight or nine bullets and slugs, was discharged through the window of the room where he used to sit. Immediately after Christmas, the witness, Mr. R. G-, was sitting in Mr. Murphy’s cellar, bottling some wine, when he heard a very uncommon sound of a musket, and a loud shriek following it. Going out, the first thing he saw was Mr. M‘Donald, wounded in the leg. On his cry, three men ran out of the little house of Mr. Fitzgerald, whence the gun had been fired from a hole through the wall, which had been made on purpose.

 

He then took a lodging in Castle bar; but on the 20th of February, 1786, accompanied by Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Hipson, and Murphy, went to his house in the country. They had been but a while there, when they found it surrounded by many armed men; on which Mr. M‘Donald’s friends made their escape to a neighbouring village. Mean­time they broke into his house; and, not finding him, broke into several houses. At length they came to the house where he was, and fired several balls through the doors and windows. Then they broke in, and made M‘Donald, Gallagher, and Hipson, prisoners; and one Fulton said he had a warrant against them. They desired he would bring them before Sir Neal O’Donnell, a magistrate, then within five miles; but, instead of this, they were tied, and dragged to Fitzgerald’s house, in Turlough, where they continued all night.

 

On Tuesday, February 21, about six, they were marched out with a large company, under pretence of carrying them before a magistrate. Gallagher and Hipson were tied together, M‘Donald being suffered to ride, because of his wound,[15] a ruffian holding his bridle. When they

 

got about half a mile from Turlough, a shot was fired from the rear, which wounded one of the ruffians; Fitzgerald contriving it so, that they might cry a rescue; on hearing of which they were ordered in­stantly to dispatch the prisoners. Immediately several shots were fired at the prisoners. Hipson was shot dead, and Gallagher wounded: M‘Donald had both his arms broke; but his horse took fright, and broke from the ruffians. Gallagher had crept a little way, but they soon found him. Some were for dispatching him instantly; but others moved to carry him to Mr. Fitzgerald’s. At his house he was kept prisoner all the night.

 

On Wednesday the 22nd, the news coming to Castle bar, Mr. Ellison, the magistrate, went up with a large party of the army to Turlough. They rushed in, but, after searching all the house, could not find Fitzgerald; till two young men went into a room where was a large trunk, on touching the hasp of which, he jumped up like a harlequin, fell upon his knees, and begged they would not kill him. He was then carried out, and committed to Castlebar jail, where he remained till the June following. He was found guilty on June 6, and executed the 12th. After drinking a bottle of port, he went out of prison with the air of one going to a ball. He gave a spring off the ladder, which snapped the rope into two. He fell down, but instantly leaped up. All his courage was gone, and none could die more penitent.

 

Wed. 20.[16]-We set out between three and four, and in just twelve hours reached Sligo. There I met S. Penington once more, with her lovely daughter and son-in-law.[17] I never before saw such a congregation in Sligo, so numerous and so serious. Does there yet another day of visitation appear even for this desolate place?

 

Thur. 21.[18]-I was constrained, by the earnestness of the people, to preach at five, though with much difficulty, my tongue literally cleaving to the roof of my mouth through extreme dryness.

 

Wednesday 20

 

3 Tea; 3.45 chaise, Swineford, tea, chaise, Tob[er]curry chaise; 3.45 [p.m.] Sligo; 4 Barracks, dinner, within, tea; 6 Mark iii. 35! communion; 8 supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 21

 

4 Prayed, 2 Cor. v. 19! 6 chaise; 9 Manorh[amilton], tea, Matt. xx. 16! ix. chaise; 5.45 Annadale, dinner, conversed, tea; 6.45 Heb. ix. 27! 9 supper; prayer; 10.30.

 

Between nine and ten I was agreeably surprised at Manorhamilton, where I expected little good; but the power of God fell upon the congregation in a very uncommon degree, so that scarce anyone was unaffected. We then hobbled on, through wonderful roads, to Annadale, where we soon forgot all the labours of the day, for which the amiable family[19] and the earnest congregation made us large amends.

 

Fri. 22. - We went on to Ballyconnell, where I was nothing glad that the rain drove us into our melancholy house. However, we had a comfortable meeting, and I believe many found their desires increased of worshipping God in spirit and in truth.

 

Sat. 23. -Between ten and eleven I preached at Killashandra, in a pleasant meadow, to a large and attentive congregation, though we had a few light showers of rain. Hence we went through a most beautiful country, equal to any in England, to Kilmore. After dining at Mr. Creighton’s,[20] we took a walk to see the remains of the venerable castle where Bishop Bedell was confined.[21] It stands in a fine lake, being built exactly round, with walls nine feet thick. It is remarkably high, but has been for many years without inhabitant, one side of it being beaten down by Oliver Cromwell. A very large con­gregation from all parts assembled in the evening, to whom I proclaimed ‘Jesus Christ, made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.’

 

Friday 22

 

4 Prayed, Col. iii. 1-4, tea, communion; 9.15 chaise, tea, prayer, chaise; 1.30 Ballicon[ne]l; 2 on business; 2.30 dinner, letters; 5 tea, con­versed; 6 Jo. iv. 24, chaise, letters; 8.30 supper, conversed; 9 prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 23

 

4 Prayed, letters, tea; 7.15 chaise, Killishandra, writ letters; 10.30 Heb. vii. 25, chaise; 1.30 Killmore, letters; 2 dinner, conversed, walk; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6 I Cor. i. 30, letters, supper, con­versed, prayer, on business; 9.30.

 

Sun. 24. –At seven I preached in the town-hall at Cavan to a very large and well-behaved congregation. As I went through Ballyhaise the poor people flocked round me on every side, and would not be contented till I came out of the chaise and spent some time with them in prayer. I expected, being a fair morning, to see a huge congregation at Clones; but while we were at church the rain came on, so all I could do in the evening was to let Joseph Bradford preach to as many as the house would contain, and to administer the Lord’s Supper to our own society.

 

Mon. 25.[22] -I preached to a multitude of people in the Old Camp, on ‘All things are ready; come ye to the marriage.’ The congregation seemed ready to receive every word.[23] I hardly saw, since I left Cork, such congregations, either for number or seriousness, as is this at Clones.

 

Tues. 26. - The rain prevented my preaching abroad at Brookeborough[24] although the congregation was abroad at exceeding large.

 

Sunday 24

 

4 Prayed, letter, tea, chaise; 7 Cavan, Acts xi. 26! chaise; 11 Clones; 11.30 on business; 12 prayers; 2 writ narrative; 2.30 dinner, con­versed; 3.30 prayed, tea; 5 letters; 6.30 communion; 8 supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 25

 

5 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, letters; 11 writ narrative, 2.15 dinner, conversed, sleep, writ narrative; 4 prayed, tea, conversed, writ narra­tive; 6.30 Matt. xxii. 4! society, read; 8.15 supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 26

 

4 Prayed, Deut. xxx. 6, sermon; 7.30 tea, conversed, within to many; 9 chaise; 12 Brook[e]borough, sermon; 1 dinner, conversed, sermon; 4 tea, conversed; 4.45 Psa. xc. 12! 6 sermon, prayed; 7.30 supper, conversed, [-], prayer; 9.30.

 

Part of them were sheltered by a spacious turf-house, and the rest little regarded the rain, for the Lord watered us in an uncommon degree with the dew of His blessing; and a more affectionate family than Mr. M‘Carthy’s[25] I have not found in the kingdom. This appeared more particularly in the morning, Wednesday the 27th. When we were talking together, one and another fell upon their knees all round me, and most of them burst out into tears and earnest cries, the like of which I have seldom heard, so that we scarce knew how to part. At noon I preached to an unwieldy multitude in the market-house at Enniskillen; and, I am persuaded, not in vain. God was there of a truth. I concluded the day by preaching at Sidaire to the old, steady congregation.                                              .

 

Thur. 28. -I went on to Kirlish Lodge,[26] through storms of wind and rain; yet we had a large congregation of serious people, though divers came from far. In the morning, Friday the 29th, we spent an hour at Lord Abercorn’s seat, three miles from Newtown Stewart. The house is elegant in the highest degree, both within and without. It stands on a little eminence over a fine river, in a most beautiful park; but the owner was not so much as the beholding it with his eyes, spending all his time in England.

 

Wednesday 27

 

4.30 Prayed, sermon; 8 tea, conversed, prayer! chaise; 10 Lisbellaw, tea, conversed, chaise; 11.30 Enniskillen; 12 Isa. Iv. 6; 1.15 chaise; 2.45 Sida[i]re, dinner, sleep; 4 tea, conversed, prayed; 5 Deut. xii. 10! society, letters, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 28

 

4 Prayed, letters; 6.30 tea; 7 chaise, Kirlish Lodge, sermon; 1.30 dinner; 2.30 prayed; 3.30 I Jo. iv. 19! society, sermon; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 29

 

5 Prayed, sermon; 8 tea, sermon; 10.30 conversed, prayer; 11 Lord Abercorn’s; 1.30 read; 2 at Dr. Wilson’s; 5 dinner, Mark iii. 35, tea together, prayed, supper; 9 prayer; 9.30.

 

Between Newtown [Stewart] and Moyle we had such rain as I never saw in Europe before. In two minutes the horsemen were drenched from head to foot. We dined at the rector’s, Dr. Wilson,[27] a man of very uncommon learning, particularly in the Oriental tongues. At six he took me in his coach to the Castle-yard, where a numerous congregation soon assembled. Almost as soon as I began to preach the rain began. Observing the people begin to scatter, I prayed aloud that God would ‘stay the bottles of heaven.’ He did so; the people returned, and we had a comfortable, refreshing shower of heart-reviving love.

 

Sat. 30. -I took a view of the improvements round the house, which are wonderfully pleasant. I have seen few comparable to them in the kingdom, except Dr. Leslie’s at Tanderagee.

 

Sun. 31[28] (being Whit-Sunday). -I preached at Londonderry at ten (two hours before the church service began), on ‘They were all filled with the Holy Ghost.’

 

I found an agreeable prospect here: a neat, convenient preaching-house just finished, a society increasing and well united together, and the whole city prejudiced in favour of it. 

 

Saturday 30

 

4 Prayed, sermon, garden; 8 tea, together; 8.45 chaise; 11 Strabane; 11.45 chaise; 2.45 Derry, 

 

         within, dinner; 4 letter, sleep, tea, within; 7.30 Mark xii. 32, supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sunday 31 (Whit Sunday)

 

5 Prayed, letters; 7.30 tea, letters; 10 Acts ii. 4!  letters; 12 prayers, within, dinner, sleep; 5 prayed, letters, tea, letters; 6 Jo. xix. 22! prayed, within, supper, prayer; 9.30.

  

---

 

[1] Wesley was the guest at Cork of Mr. and Mrs. James Rogers (Works, vol. xiii. p. 86).

 

[2] He wrote from Cork to Mr. W. Churchey about his book of Poems, shortly to be published. (New ed. Wes­ley Letters.)

 

[3] Quoted from Charles Wesley’s hymn ‘For the Heathen,’ No. 444, verse 3 in the collection of 1874; Hymns of Intercession, 1758.

 

[4] Here he was the guest of Thomas Bennett, and on this day conducted the opening services of the new chapel there.

 

[5] Save that an attachment sprang up between the King’s sister and the Baron, for which Trenck was imprisoned at Glatz. He died of the guillotine in France as a secret emissary of the Prus­sian King in 1794. See W.H.S. vol. iv. p. 237.

 

[6] He wrote from Cork to Jonathan Crowther. John Pawson having been ordained as a presbyter, and believing he had the right to ordain others, temporarily lost his common sense and created, in Glasgow, a new form of Methodism, ordaining seven elders, who forthwith set up an ecclesiastical court in which the preachers might sit but could not vote. Jonathan Crowther, though only in the fifth year of his itinerant life, saw the peril threatening Methodism, wrote to Wesley, and received from him a decisive answer: ‘Sessions! Elders! We Methodists have no such custom. . . . I require you, Jonathan Crowther, immediately to dissolve that session (so called) at Glasgow,’ &c. (Tyerman’s Life of Wesley, vol. iii. p. 582.)

 

[7] Not Kilkenny, as in former edi­tions. Kilfinane lies between Cork and Limerick.

 

[8] See Memorable Women of Irish Methodism, pp. 191-203.

 

[9] The Rev. Jacques Ingram, one of the clergy of Limerick, was married to a sister of the Rev. Edward Smyth. His daughter, Mrs. Morton, became a Metho­dist and one of Wesley’s correspondents. See an interesting memoir of Mrs. Morton in the W.M. Mag. J855, p.769. 

 

[10] See above, vol. iv. p. 397.

 

[11] He wrote from Limerick to Mrs. James Armstrong, of Athlone, whom he commends for avoiding controversy (new ed. Wes/ey Letters).

 

[12] See Moore’s Life of Wesley, vol. ii. p. 379.

 

[13] George Fitzgerald, of Turlough, married Lady Mary Hervey, sister of the second Earl of Bristol. The marriage did not prove a happy one. Lady Mary was separated from her husband, and her separate maintenance was supplemented by an annuity from the Earl of Bristol, who died a bachelor.

 

The children of this marriage were George Robert, whose story Wesley heard at Castlebar, and Charles Lionel. The atrocious exploits of George Robert Fitzgerald, the elder son, are referred to by Lecky in his History of Ireland in the Eighteenth Century (vol. ii. p. 367), and by Froude in his English in Ireland (vol. ii. p. 381). Lady Mary’s husband died in 1785; in 1779 George Robert’s wife died, and in 1786 George Robert, after a career of unparalleled ruffianism, was exe­cuted, for procuring a murder.

 

Lady Mary Fitzgerald was highly esteemed both before and after her son’s execution. She held a high position in the Court of George III, as Lady of the Bedchamber to Princess Amelia, the king’s favourite daughter. She sought and found the gospel of salvation, and was first known to the Methodists through Fletcher of Madeley. When her second son, Charles Lionel Fitzgerald, became owner of Turlough, he introduced a number of Protestant settlers. Amongst these were Methodists, for whom a small chapel was erected, chiefly at the expense of Lady Mary Fitzgerald. Her death, at the age of ninety years, was sad and sud­den. Her servant left supper with her in her room. About five minutes afterwards her bell rang; the servant ran upstairs and met his mistress a pillar of fire! She gradually sank under the shock, but died in great peace. A mural tablet to her memory was placed within City Road Chapel by her grandson, Lieut.-Colonel Thomas George Fitzgerald. See W.M. Mag. 1899, p. 681, and Stevenson’s City Road Chapel, p. 352. It must be remembered that Wesley did not pub­lish this last Extract from his Journal. Had he been able to edit the little volume it is certain he would not have published the lurid story of Lady Mary’s eldest son during the mother’s life-time.

 

[14] The Case of George Robert Fitzgerald (1786) spells the name ‘M‘Donnell,’ and states that he was, not a relative, but an under tenant.

 

[15] The Case gives as the reason for his being allowed to ride that he was a magistrate.

 

[16] He wrote to Mrs. Freeman (W.H.S. vol. ii. p. 212).

 

[17] Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Burgess. See Memorable Women of Irish Methodism, p. 5. Wesley was their guest here. Cf. above, p. 72; and, for an anecdote re­ferring to this visit, Crookshank’s Meth. in Ireland, vol. i. P. 457.

 

[18] He wrote from Killashandra to Alex­ander Suter (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[19]             The Slacks. See Arm. Mag. 1798, p.557.

 

[20] See above, p. 84.

 

[21] See above, p. 280. Wesley was here twenty-seven years before. The Castle of Lochwater, or Cloughoughter, was a little tower in the midst of a lake, and though there had been a small island 

 

about it anciently, the water bad so gained on it that there was not a foot of ground above water, but only the tower itself. Mr. Cullum was the keeper of the castle when Bedell and his two sons were con­fined there. See, for Bishop Bedell’s imprisonment, Lives of Eminent Chris­tians, vol. ii. p. 296, and Burnett’s Life of Bishop Bedell.

 

[22] He wrote to Walter Churchey (Works, vol. xiii. p. 168).

 

[23] One of the hearers was William Ferguson, who in the following year entered the itinerancy (W.H.S. vol. ii. p. 144).

 

[24] Formerly Aghalun.

 

[25] An account of Mr. M‘Carthy is given in the Prim. Wes. Mag. 1845, pp. 234-6.

 

[26] The residence of Mr. Alexander Boyle.

 

[27] On the following morning, shortly after family worship had been conducted by Wesley, Dr. Wilson said to him: ‘My wife was so delighted with your prayer that she has been looking for it in the Prayer-book, but cannot find it. I wish you would point it out to me.’ ‘My dear brother,’ said Wesley, ‘that prayer came down from heaven, and I sent it up there again.’ See Meth. Rec. 1879, 

 

p. 122; W H.S. vol. ii. p. 144; Crookshank’s Meth. in Ireland, vol. i. p. 459.

 

[28] 2He wrote to Mrs. Mullis of Hackney (Works, vol. xii. p. 523). On June 1 he was the guest of Mr. Alexander Knox, who invited a number of clergymen, including the Rev. J. Pitt Kennedy, a son of the gentleman with whom Wesley dined in 1765, and who was then mayor of the city. See Crookshank’s Meth. in Ireland, vol. i. p. 459, and Tyerman’s Life of Wesley, vol. iii. p. 577.