Page:Life and prophecies of Mr. Alexr. Peden.pdf/15

 afflicted Church of Scotland, and names so many people in the furnace. He wrought the next day, and his mistress watched and overheard him praying, as the lad had said. At night she desired her husband to enquire if he was a minister, which he did, and desired him to be free with him, and he should not only be no enemy to him, but a friend. Mr. Peden said, he was not ashamed of his office; and gave an account of his circumstances. He was no more set to work, nor to lie with the lad, and he staid a considerable time in that place, and was a blessed instrument in converting some, and civilizing others, though that place was noted for a wild, rude people; and the fruit of his labour appears unto this day. There was a servant-lass in that house, that he could not look upon but with frowns; and sometimes, when at family-worship, he said, pointing to her with a frowning countenance, You come from the barn and from the byre, reeking in your lusts, and sits down among us, we want none such. At last he said to William Steel and his wife, Put that unhappy lass from your house, for she will be a stain to your family for she is with child and will murder it, and will be punished for the same. Which accordingly came to pass, and she was burnt at Craig Fergus, which is the usual punishment of murderers of children there. I had this account from one John Muirhead, who staid much in that house, and other Christian people, when I was in Ireland.

20. On the second of August. 1684, he was in a Christian Scots women's house, called Margaret Lumbernor: that day there was an extraordinary shower of big hail, such he he had never seen the like. She said, What can be the meaning of this great hail? He said, Within a few years there will be an extraordinary storm and shower of judgement poured out upon Ireland, but, Margaret, you shall not live to see it. And accordingly, she died before that rebellion; and the rest had a sad accomplishment of Derry, and the water of Boyne. B2