Page:History of the life and sufferings, of the Reverend John Welch.pdf/2

 R. John Welch was born a gentleman, his father being laird of Colieton, an etate rather competent, than large, in the hire of Nithdale about the year 1570, the dawning of our reformation being then but dark. He was a rich example of grace and mercy, but the night went before the day, being a mot hopeles extravigant boy: it was not enough to him, frequently when he was a young tripling to run away from the chool and play the trowant; but after he had pat his grammar, and was come to be a youth, he left the School, and his father's houe, and went and joined himelf to the thieves on the Englih border, who lived by robbing the two nations, and amongt them he tayed till he pent a uit of cloaths. Then he was cloathed only with rags, the prodigal's miery brought him to the prodigal's reolution, o he reolved to return to his father's houe, but durt not adventure, till he hould interpoe a reconciler. So in his return homeward, he took Dumfries in his way, where he had an aunt, one Agnes Foryth, and with her he diverted ome days earnetly entreating her to reconcile him to his father. While he lurked in her houe, his father came providentially to the houe to alute his couin Mrs. Foryth; and after they had talked a while, he aked him whether ever he had heard any news of his on John; to her he replied with great grief, O cruel woman, how can you name his name to me? The firt news I expect to hear of him, is, that he is hanged for a theif. She anwered, may a profligate boy had become a virtuous man, and comforted him. He inited upon his ad complaint, but aked whether he knew his lot on was yet alive. She anwered, Yes, he was, and he hoped he hould prove a better man than he was a boy, and with that he called upon him to come to his father. He came weeping and kneeled, beeeching his father, for Chrit's ake, to pardon his mibehaviour, and deeply engaged to be a new man. His father reproached him an threatened him. Yet, at length, by the boy's tears, and Mrs. Foryth's importunities, he was peruaded to a reconciliation. The boy entreated his father to