leaders, and fixed upon the riot which they made on Sunday, July 10, when they put Mr. Adams and Williams into the fkin-pit and brook. But before this was done, I wrote a letter to one whom they called Captain, defiring him to inform his affociates, "That if they would acknowledge their fault, pay for curing a boy's arm, which was broken the night I was there, and mend the windows of Mr. Adams's houfe, we would readily pafs all by; but if they perfifted in their resolutions to riot, we thought it our duty to prevent their doing, and others receiving, further damage, by moving for an information against them in the King's-Bench." I also sent a copy of this letter to a minifter of the town, and to a justice of the peace, with a letter to each from myfelf: but all in vain. The rioters fent me a most infolent answer, wrote me word, "They were in high fpirits, and were refolved there fhould be no more preaching in Hampton." Finding them irreclaimable, we moved the next term for a rule of court in the King's Bench to lodge an information against five of the ring-leaders, for the outrage committed, violence offered, and damage done to Mr. Adams and Williams, on Sunday, July 10. The rioters were apprized of it, appeared by their council, and prayed the rule might be enlarged till the next term. It was granted. In the mean while they continued mobbing, broke into Mr. Adams's houfe one Saturday night at eleven o'clock, when there was no preaching, made those that were in bed get up, and searched the oven, cellar, and every corner of the house, to fee whether they could find any Methodists. Some time after, they threw another young man into a mudpit three times fucceffively, and abused the people in a dreadful manner. The next term came on. We proved our accufations by twenty-fix affidavits; and the defendants making no reply, the rule was made abfolute, and an information filed against them. To this they pleaded NOT GUILTY; and, according to the method in the crown-office, the cause was referred to the affize held at Gloucefter, March 3d.Thither I went, and on Tuesday morning laft the trial came on. It was given out by some, "That the Methodists were to lose the cause, whether right or wrong." And I believe the Defendants depended much on a fuppofition, that the gentlemen and jury would be prejudiced against us. We

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were eafy, knowing that our Saviour had the hearts of all in his hands. Being aware of the great confequences of gaining or lofing this trial, both in respect to us and the nation, we kept a day of fafting and prayer through all the focieties both in England and Wales. Our Scotch friends also joined with us, and chearfully committed our cause into his hands by whom kings reign and princes decree justice. We had about thirty witneffes to prove the riot and facts laid down in the information. Our council opened the caufe (as I heard, being not present when the trial begun) with much folidity and found reasoning: they fhewed, "That rioters were not to be reformers; and that his Majesty had no where put the reins of government into the hands of mobbers, or made them judge or jury." One of them in particular, with great gravity reminded the gentlemen on the jury of the advice of Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, recorded Acts v. 38, 39. " Refrain from thefe men, and let them alone; for if this council, or this work, be of men, it will come to nought: but if it be of GOD, ye cannot overthrow it, left haply ye be found even to fight against GOD." Our witneffes were then called. I came into court when the fecond witness was examining. Mr. Adams and four more (three of which were not called Methodists) fo clearly proved both the riot and the facts laid to the charge of the Defendants, that the Judge was of opinion there needed no other evidence. The council for the Defendants then rofe, and exerted a good deal of oratory, and I think faid all that could well be faid, to make the best of a bad matter. One urged," That we were enthufiafts, and our principles and practices had such a tendency to infect and hurt the people, that it was right, in his opinion, for any private person to ftand up and put a stop to us; and whoever did fo, was a friend to his country." He ftrove to influence the jury, by telling them, "That if a verdict was given against the Defendants, it would coft them two hundred pounds that the Defendants rioting was not premeditated; but, that coming to hear Mr. Adams, and being offended at his doctrine, a fudden 'quarrel arofe, and thereby the unhappy men were led into the prefent fray, which he could have wifhed had not happened; but however it did not amount to a riot,

a riot, but only an affault." Their other council then in formed the jury, "That they would undertake to prove that the Methodists began the tumult firft." He was pleafed alfo to mention me by name, and acquainted the court, "That Mr. Whitefield had been travelling from common to common, making the people cry, and then picking their pockets, under pretence of collecting money for the colony of Georgia; and knowing that Gloucestershire was a populous country, he at laft came there. That he had now feveral curates, of which Mr. Adams was one, who in his preaching had found fault with the proceedings of the clergy, and faid if the people went to hear them, they would be damned. He added, that there had lately been fuch mobbing in Staffordshire, that a regiment of foldiers was fent down to fupprets them; infinuating that the Methodists were the authors. That we had now another caufe of a like nature depending in Wiltshire; and that we were not of that mild pacific fpirit, as we would pretend to be."This, and much more to the fame purpose, though foreign to the matter in hand, pleafed many of the auditors, who expreffed their fatisfaction in hearing the Methodists in general, and me in particular, thus lafhed, by frequent laughing. The eyes of all were upon me. Our Saviour kept me quite easy. I thought of that verfe of Horace,

Hic murus aheneus efto,

Nil confcire fibi, nullâ pallefcere culpâ.

Tertullus's accufing Paul came also to my mind, and I looked upon myself as highly honoured in having fuch things spoken against me falsly for CHRIST's great name's fake. To prove what the Defendants council had infinuated, they called up a young man, who was brother to one of the Defendants, and one of the mob. He fwore point blank, "That Mr. Adams faid, if people went to church, they would be damned; and if they would come to him, he would carry them to JESUS CHRIST. He swore alfo, that the pool in which Mr. Adams was thrown, was no deeper than half way up his legs. He faid firft, that there were about ten of them that came to the house of Mr. Adams; and then he swore that there were about threefcore. He faid, there was a low-bell, and that one of

the

the Defendants did afk Mr. Adams to come down off the flairs, but that none of them went up to him; upon which Mr. Adams willingly obeyed, went with them briskly along the street, and, as he would have reprefented it, put himself into the skin-pit and pool, and fo came out again." He faid also fome other things; but through his whole evidence appeared fo flagrantly falfe, that one of the counsellors faid, "It was enough to make his hair stand an end." The Judge himfelf wifhed, "He had had fo much religion as to fear an oath." So he went down in difgrace. Their fecond evidence was an aged woman, mother to one of the defendants. She fwore, "That her fon did go up the ftairs to Mr. Aaams, and that Mr. Adams tore her fon's coat, and would have broken his neck down ftairs." But fhe talked fo fast, and her evidence was fo palpably falfe, that she was fent away in as much difgrace as the other. Their third and last evidence was father to one who was in the mob, though not one of the defendants. The chief he had to say was, "That when Mr. Adams was coming from the pool, one met him, and said, "Brother, how do you do?" Upon which he answered, "That he had received no damage, but had been in the pool, and came out again." So that all their evidences, however contrary one to another, yet corroborated ours, and proved the riot out of their own mouths. The book was then given to a justice of the peace, who had formerly taken up Mr. Cennick, for preaching near Stroud, and had lately given many fignal proofs that he was no friend to the Methodists. But he intending to speak only about their characters, and the council and Judge looking upon that as quite impertinent to the matter in hand, he was not admitted as an evidence. Upon this, his Lordfhip, with great candour and impartiality, fummed up the evidence, and told the jury, "That he thought they should bring all the Defendants in guilty; for our evidences had fufficiently proved the whole of the information, and also that the riot was premeditated." He faid, "That, in his opinion, the chief of the Defendants evidence was incredible; and that, fuppofing the Methodists were heterodox, (as perhaps they might be) it belonged to the ecclefaftical government to call them to an account; that they

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were fubjects, and rioters were not to be their reformers.". He alfo reminded them of the dreadful ill confequences of rioting at any time, much more at such a critical time as this; that rioting was the fore-runner of, and might end in, rebellion; that it was felony, without benefit of clergy, to pull down a meeting-house; and, for all as he knew, it was hightreason to pull down even a bawdy-house. That this information came from the King's-Bench; that his Majefty's juftices there thought they had fufficient reason to grant it; that the matters contained in it had been evidently proved before them, and confequently they fhould bring all the Defendants in guilty."

Upon this the jury were defired to confider of their verdict. There feemed to be fome little demur amongst them. His Lordship perceiving it, informed them, "They had nothing to do with the damages, (that was to be referred to the King'sBench) they were only to confider whether the Defendants were guilty or not." Whereupon, in a few minutes, they gave a verdict for the profecutors, and brought in all the Defendants, guilty of the whole information lodged against them." I then retired to my lodgings, kneeled down, and gave thanks, with fome friends, to our all-conquering Emmanuel. Afterwards I went to the inn, prayed, and returned thanks with the witneffes, exhorted them to behave with meekness and humility to their adverfaries, and after they had taken proper refreshment sent them home rejoicing. In the evening I preached on those words of the Pfalmift, "By this I know, that thou favoureft me, fince thou haft not suffered mine enemy to triumph over me." GOD was pleafed to enlarge my heart much. I was very happy with my friends afterwards, and the next morning set out for London, where we have had a bleffed thanksgiving feafon, and from whence I take the firft opportunity of fending you as many particulars of the occafion, progress, and iffue of our trial, as I can well recollect. What report his Lordship will be pleased to make of the cafe, and how the Defendants will be dealt with, cannot be known till next term; when I know I fhall apprize you of it, as alfo of our behaviour towards them.In the mean while let me entreat

you