Page:Life and prophecies of Mr. Alexander Peden (3).pdf/46

 the priſoners preſſed him to preach, the wind blowing very hard: in that ſermon he ſaid, "Up your hearts, lads, and be not diſcouraged, for this man thought he had got a prize, when he got the gift of us from the wicked, bloody council; but, in a few days, he ſhall be as glad to be quit of us, as ever he was to get us."—A little time ago, I had a long ſcroll of many accounts about Mr. Peden, from an old Chriſtian Engliſh gentleman, who was much in his company; and gave me many notes of bishis [sic] ſermons: and aſſerts the truth of many things I have ſaid about him, that he was witneſs to, and ſome other perſons of great integrity He aſſured me, the only inſtrument the Lord raiſed up for the relief of Mr. Peden, and theſe ſix priſoners with him, was my Lord Shafteſbury, who was always friendly to Preſbyterians: He went to Charles II and, upon his knees, begged the releaſe of theſe priſoners, but could not prevail. Then he went to the maſter of the ſhip, and told him, that if he did not ſet theſe priſoners at liberty, he ſhould never ſail in Engliſh ſeas At length he came down to Graveſend, and ſet them at liberty. After that, the Scots and English ſhewed more than ordinary kindneſs to them; which ſhould be kept in remembrance with thankſgiving to the Lord for favouring our outcaſts.

6. After they were ſet at liberty, he ſtayed at London, and through England, until June 1679. Upon the 21ſt of June, he was come to the South of Scotland, being Saturday, the day before the Lord's people fell and fled before the enemy at Bothwel-bridge; in his exerciſe in a family, he cried out, "I will tell you, ſirs, our deliverance will never come by the ſword. Many thought, when the biſhops were first ſet up, that they would not continue ſeven years; but I was never of that mind: it is now near three ſevens, but they willl not ſee the fourth ſeven, but I fear they will come near to it." Which ſadly came to paſs

7. He went that night to the fields, and came in on Sabbath-morning, about the ſun-riſing, weeping and