Thursday, 4.—I rode to Falmouth. About three in the afternoon I went to see a gentlewoman who had been long indisposed. Almost as soon as I sat down, the house was beset
on all sides by an innumerable multitude of people. A louder or more confused noise could
hardly be at the taking of a city by storm. At first Mrs. B. and her daughter endeavored to
quiet them. But it was labor lost. They might as well have attempted to still the raging of the
sea. They were soon glad to shift for themselves and leave K. E. and me to do as well as we
could. The rabble roared with all their throats, “Bring out the Canorum! Where is the
Canorum?” (an unmeaning word which the Cornish generally use instead of Methodist).
No answer being given, they quickly forced open the outer door and filled the passage. Only a wainscot partition was between us, which was not likely to stand long. I immediately took down a large looking glass which hung against it, supposing the whole side would fall in at once. When they began their work with abundance of bitter imprecations, poor Kitty was utterly astonished and cried out, “O sir, what must we do?” I said, “We must pray.” Indeed at that time, to all appearance, our lives were not worth an hour’s purchase. She asked, “But, sir, is it not better for you to hide yourself? to get into the closet?” I answered, “No. It is best for me to stand just where I am.” Among those without were the crews of some privateers which were lately come into harbor. Some of these, being angry at the slowness of the rest, thrust them away and, coming up all together, set their shoulders to the inner door and cried out, “Avast, lads, avast!” Away went all the hinges at once, and the door fell back into the room.
The Journal of John Wesley
No answer being given, they quickly forced open the outer door and filled the passage. Only a wainscot partition was between us, which was not likely to stand long. I immediately took down a large looking glass which hung against it, supposing the whole side would fall in at once. When they began their work with abundance of bitter imprecations, poor Kitty was utterly astonished and cried out, “O sir, what must we do?” I said, “We must pray.” Indeed at that time, to all appearance, our lives were not worth an hour’s purchase. She asked, “But, sir, is it not better for you to hide yourself? to get into the closet?” I answered, “No. It is best for me to stand just where I am.” Among those without were the crews of some privateers which were lately come into harbor. Some of these, being angry at the slowness of the rest, thrust them away and, coming up all together, set their shoulders to the inner door and cried out, “Avast, lads, avast!” Away went all the hinges at once, and the door fell back into the room.
The Journal of John Wesley
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