Page:Life and prophecies of Mr. Alexander Peden (1).pdf/33

 39. After this, two days before Argyle was broken and taken, he was near Wigtown in Galloway; a considerable number of men were gathered together in arms, to go for his assistance; they pressed him to preach, but he positively refused, and said, he would only pray with them: where he continued long, and spent some part of that time in praying for Ireland, pleading that the Lord would spare a remnant, and not make a full end in the day of his anger; and would put it in the hearts of his own to flee over to this bloody land, where they would find safety for a time. After prayer they got some meat, and he gave every one of his old parishoners, who were there, a piece out of his own hand, calling them his bairns. Then he advised all to go no further: But, said he, for you that are my bairns, I discharge you to go your foot-length, for, before you can travel that length, he will be broke: and though it were not so, God will honour neither him nor Monmouth to be instruments of a good turn to his church, they have dipt their hands so far in the persecution. And that same day that Argyle was taken, Mr. George Barclay was preaching, and persuading men in that country to go to Argyle's assistance: After Sermon, he said to Mr. George, Now Argyle is in the enemy's hand, and gone! Tho' he was many miles distant. I had this account from some of these his bairns, who were present; and the last from Mr. Barclay's self.

39. After this he was to preach at night, at Pengaroch in Carrick: but the mistress of the house was too open-minded to a woman, who went and told the enemy, and came back to the house, that the might not be suspected: Mr. Peden being in the fields, came in haste to the door, and called the mistress, and said, Ye have played a bonny sport to yourself, by being too loose tongued; now the enemy is informed that I was to drop a word this night in this house, and the person who has done it, is in the house just now, and you will repent it; for to-morrow