Page:Life and prophecies of Mr. Alexander Peden (3).pdf/44

 Scotland, who was a wheel-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 his 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 has gotten 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, was ſo enraged againſt the ſaid John, that he rode twenty miles to Dublin, to get an order of caption from the Lord Lieutenant there, 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 horſe-back 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 on the 4th or 5th day thereafter. George Fleeming went out of the way, who was father to the late Mrs Fleeming, that Chriſtian, motherly woman, who kept a ſchool in the Caſtle-hill, and died there -- The aforeſaid 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 off the book.' He anſwered, 'I am much obliged to you for your kindneſs, that minds me of that note.' The jaylor, at night, ſaid, John, you are called an honeſt man, if you will promiſe to return to-morrow, I will let you home to your bed." John ſaid, "That I will not do." The