Page:Life & prophecies of Mr. Alexr. Peden.pdf/47

 wright to his employment; his zeal was such against the superstitious worship, and keeping so many holidays, that when the people were going and coming by the shop door, he wrought most hard; for which he was excommunicate: when he told Mr. Peden, he said, "Rejoice John, that you are cast out of the devil's count-book." After this he was preaching privately in John's house; in his preface he said. 'Our Lord has been taking great pains on you in Ireland, to get you to learn your lesson per quire; and few of you have been brought to say your lesson off the book; He was gotton a goodly company in Scotland, that he is learning to say their lesson off the book; and they are brave scholars: But ere long he will try some of you with it also: He will say Come out, thou man in Armagh, and thou man in Benburb, and say your lesson off the book." The Bishop of Armagh (whereof the great Mr Usher was formerly Bishop) and his underling, were so enraged against the said John that he rode twenty miles to Dublin, to get an order of caption from the Lord-lieutenant for apprehending the said John, and also George Fleeming in Benburb, which he easily obtained; and came quickly back, and was in such haste to deliver his order, that upon horseback he called for the chief magistrate: When delivering his commission his horse cast up his head, and gave him such a stroke on the breast, that he died the 4th or 5th day thereafter. George Fleeming went out of the way; he was father to the late Mrs Fleeming, that Christian, motherly woman, who kept a school in the Castle-hill & died there.The foresaid John was immediately put in prison: His wife and other friends came to visit him, his wife said, "Now, my dear, learn to say your lesson of the book." He answered, "I am much obliged to you for your