Page:Brief historical relation of the life of Mr. John Livingston Minister of the Gospel.pdf/27

( 27 ) Blair and I and our families lay. For in the morning by that time that every one had been ſome while alone; and then at prayer in their ſeveral ſocieties, and then at publick prayer in the ſhip, it was time to go to dinner, and after that we would viſit our friends in the gunner-room, or thoſe between the decks, or any that were ſick, and then publick prayer would come, and after that ſupper and family-exerciſes. Mr. Blair was much of the time weakly, and lay in time of ſtorm; I was ſometimes ſick, and then my brother Mr. MacClellan only performed duty in the ſhip; ſeveral of thoſe between the decks being throng were ſickly. An aged perſon and one child died, and were buried in the ſea. One woman, the wife of Michael Colvert of Killinchie pariſh, brought forth a child in the ſhip, I baptiſed him on Sabbath following, and called him SEABORN. My wife went aboard with her ſon ſucking her breaſt, being about fourteen weeks old, yet ſhe had milk abundance for him, and to help others. Mr. Blair was much affected with our returning, and fell in a ſwoon that day we turned back, and altho’ we could not imagine what to make of that diſpenſation, yet we were confident, the Lord would let us ſee ſomewhat that would abundantly ſatiſy us. Our outward means were much impaired by this diſappointment, for we had put moſt of our ſtocks in proviſion, and ſomewhat of merchandiſe, which we behoved to fell at low rates at our return, and had provided ourſelves with ſome ſervants, for ſithing and building of houſes, whom we behoved to turn off. That which grieved us moſt was, that we were like to be a mocking to the wicked; but we found the contrary, that the prelates and their followers, were much diſmaid and feared at our return; but neither they nor we knew, that within a year, the Lord would root out the prelates out of Scotland, and after that out of England and Ireland. Mr. Blair went and dwelt at the Stoue in Belfaſt; others elſewhere, I came back and remained at my mother’s houſe, and preached each Sabbath that Winter, as I had done before.

In February 1637. One Frankhill of Caſtleraith, who yet uſed to come ſome Sabbaths, to hear ſermons at my Rh