minding the same things, and using the same language as I did in every
chainge or place; this is the right place that God _would_ have me be
in, without one mormoring _thought_, or the leaste desire to be anywhere
else, _good_ is the will of the Lord, happy still from _moment_ to
moment. It was aboute the later end [...] it was imprest upon my mind to
make [...], as there was sume country men there tha_t was doing_ it, and
after, with prayer and suplication, _I made my_ request known unto God,
I begun to wo_rk. I went_ to bed still at ten, roase at three in the
m_orning, at_ four went to work until nine, pass a h_our in prayer
under_ the stairs, work until half past eleven, _and then dinner_; after
dinner pass a half hour u_nder the stairs_, and work untel four, pass a
half h_our again in prayer_, work until half past six; at seven _we had
supper_. The remainder of the evning spend in praying, walking, reading,
thinking, &c. So as the days shortend I could read but very little,
nither walk in the garden, but only on the Lord's day. But praise be
unto God, he was ever with me in a powarfull manner, sume times when the
walks was allmoste full of jent and lades, pass through them all, as if
allmoste there was no soul there but God and me only. That gardon was as
the gardon of Edon to my soul. Then, in the morning, I spent nearely
one hour to my self, and gitt at work as soon as I could see, minding
[...] the same stops under the stairs, and work as _long as_ I could see
in the evning. So as the weather _got_ coulder, I got myself to work in
a large _Room_, I suppose not less than 50 feet one way, and _I supos_e
aboute 30 the other; it was not finished, _neither p_lastard nor
floored; what was under foot was _the ground_, the top of the window
just to the level of _the roof_; and after suppar, evry evning, I passed
my _time there_ until bed time. I had a stool to seat un at _meals_, and
in the evnings seat on my stool, then _to_ pray, &c.; sume times,
without[73] it was _moonlight, stu_mble up again[74] the walls, as I had
_no light; but_ praise be to God for ever, for all it was so cold, a
solatry place, it was a paradice to my soul, it was sume thing like a
hermitage indeed. I was out of sight and hearing of all men and things.
So just aboute that the clock struck ten, my dear friend C. and me used
to meet just at the same time in our little, dark cornar of our lodging
room as cheerfull as two kings. I think it was in the medle of Dec^{r.}
1794, the good ladey and her brother's son was removed from us and put
to St. Paul's, into the prison that I was first put in. It was a day of
mourning and lamentation with her, indeed, to leave her two children
behind her, and it was a time of tryal to me likewayse, as she was
nearly so natural as a mother. But still the language of my heart was as
usual--good is the will of the Lord. She t_ook_ care to send us our
provisan from her _own_ house, so still dear C. and me was together
li_ke_ [...]. Aboute this time I had an account that Mr. and Mrs.
_Maccullock_ was labrated out of preson,[75] and they and all their
_family were_ then at Mr. Diott's, in Morlaix. It was a day of rejoicing
_to_ me, indeed, to think that the Lord was so graicous _to bring_ us so
near together again. And in the course _of a few_ weeks they had liberty
to come to see dear C. and _me in prison. We_ shorley had a happy
meeting together, as w_e had not seen_ each other for aboute fifteen
months, they receved _me as their_ own child, and I them as my father
and mother. _Praise God_ for so many dear friends.
Aboute the 10 _Jan_^{y.} 1795, Mr. Diott _sent for_ me to come to dine
with him. I went with much fear and trembling, as it was ever a great
cross to me to be with my great superiers, and so in every place I moved
at a solam awe of the presance of God resting upon me with a fear to
ofend him. There I meet with Mr. and Mrs. M., with all their loving
famely, and through the tender mercy of God, after all our tryals and
sufferings, being separated to nearley sixteen months from each other,
escaped, through mercy, all the lyons in France, not one hair of our
heads diminished. We staid there until evning, when Mr. Diot said, "I
will in the course of a few days gitt you out of preson and you shall
boath come to live at my house." We thanked him, wished good night, and
arived at home with our gard aboute seven. So the 23 Jany. 1795, in the
morning, we was boath librated. I went to Mr. Diot's, Mr. C. went with
Mr. Morrow in the same town. Still pervision at that time _ver_y scarce
to be had, the inhabitants of the town had all their _provisions_ sarved
out every day according to their famely. _Without_ we had money we
should not be able to gett board _on any_ account. I was received _into
t_hat famely as a king, treated as if I had been a noble_man, and_ being
the laste strainger was placed at the head of _the table_, where I
begged to be excused again and again, but _could not_ prevail. But to
the end of six or seven days I shifted _to the other_ end, where I
thought I was more in my place. _I thought_ it then, as I have many
times since, a piece of _bread be_hind the kitchen door was more
suitable for me. _Praise be_ to God, here was a chainge again indeed.
_From_ a stable to a parlar, and from a parlar to a [...]. _I eat_
mostimes my three meals, _the_n for fear to be not_iced, I always eat_
sparingly. I think I can say I allwayse _rose up with a_ sharper apetite
then I had when I sat down. I lodged in a large house to myself next
dore to Mr. Diot's, where I had no person to desturb me day nor night.
This was a blessed chainge again, it was just the place I would wish to
be in. I was there aboute two or three weeks, when I saw sume things
wanting to be done aboute two vessels that was laid up before my door,
belonging to Mr. Diot. I spoak of it to Mr. Peter Diot, and went to
work, and when the season sarved, I washed the decks morning and
evening; and as I had a chest of carpentar's tools in the same room with
me, made boats' oars, ruddars, painted names in the starn of the small
boats, etc.; that I was mostly imployed all the week. But my wark not
hard, as I was my own master, and I did it all volentary. And on the
Sabbath day I went out of town evry morning and afternoon when the
weather was _fair_ in sume solatry place to read, pray, sing, and
_think_, as I did in other places. I think it was aboute _the_ midle of
March 1795, Mr. M. was taken sick with _fever_ and agas, and in the
beginning of May 1795 went _away_ with all his famely, leaving only the
two ma_idens and_ me behind him. It was the 10 or 12 of Ju_ne that_ I
went to S^{t.} Paul's and Roscoff to see my old f_riends, where_ I was
received like a king, and with[76] sum_e people_ I never had but very
little acquaintance _with. I had_ my time to my self as usual, only at
[...] meals. I found the same solatry place _as before_, where I was
brought to examine _myself_ whether I was growing in grace or _not_
[...] so I had a bl_essed_ t_ime_. I returned back again to Morlaix
aboute the 26 or 27 June, 1795, like a jiant refreshed with new wine.
There I was received again with that loving family with the greatest
afection. Praise be unto God for so many dear friends. It was nearley
aboute this time I went with aboute a half a score men to put a boat of
Mr. Diot's in a large building that was before a tobacko manefactry in
the shade, and after I had got the boat to the place I wanted, I went
from the people to gett a cornar to myself to pray, and looking aboute I
saw a large scales and weights close by me. I thought as no person saw
me I would way myself, and all the weight my weight was 6 score and 15
pound.[77] I was set to _won_der where all my weight was gone, as I did
for _many_ years before way 10 score, and when I came _home_ I tried un
a waistcoat that I had not worn for _several_ years before, and I found
it too big for me, _may_ be upon the round nine inches, and I never know
in all these years no not _one single day_ of sickness. I think it was
the 10 July, 1795, Capt^{n.} [...] _the_ Capt^{n.} of a frigat that was
taken, and Mr. Moress [...] _of_ the "Elazander" man-of-mar, came _to
Morlaix in_ order to gett a passage to England in a _vessel_, who dined
and supped at Mr. Diot's. _They_ made very free with me all _the same as
if I_ was their equal, and one day, by a friend, desired me to call at
their lodging, they wanted to speak with me. I went with fear and
trembling, and the business was as follows. They said, "Mr. C., we have
been talking about you, as you have been here so long a prisnor, wearing
your old clothes out, your time passing away, earning nothing. We think
you may go with us in safety. Put your clothes on board the evning
before we sail, gett on board in the night, you'l never be inquired
after, nither found wanting." I answerd to this purpas: "Jen^{t.}, I
thank you kindly, but first you'l give me leave to inform you I was
brought out of prison upon Mr. Diot's interest, tho' he never sined any
paper, nither gave his word that I should continue in the country.
Notwithstanding that, in these critical times, if I was to go without
his leave, he might be caled to an account for it after ward. If you
will be so good as to ask Mr. Diot, and with his leave, I will gladly go
with you." They commended me very much, and said _the_ first opertunity
they would ask him, and I should know of them again. In the course of
two or three days _I_ waited on them again. Mr. Morress said to me,
"_Well_, Mr. C., we have opend your case to Mr. Diot. Mrs. [...], him
long with you; he is a great fool to sto_p here_ so long as he have, I
wounder how he have _not gone_ long before now. But Mr. D. said you was
_best to_ stay a little longer," and added, "Mr. C., proveden_ce has_
presarved and provided for you in a mer_ciful manner_, so I would advise
you to wait with p_atience, and you_ will be deliverd in God's due
time." I th_anked them and_ took my l_eave of_ them, wondring w_here
that_ should come from, for it was the _words of a spir_itual man. I
went in one of my solatry cornars and there sung, and blessed and
praised God. I can almoste feel at this moment how happy and thankfull I
was, so well and contented equaly to stay as to go; and if it was the
will of God, I should stay there all my lifetime, still, good is the
will of the Lord, may His will be done.
So I continued to my work aboute the boats and vessels as before,
walking in the same self-denial, until the 6 or 7 of Augst, 1795, when,
unexpected, on Saturday received a letter from Mr. M----h to meet him
at St. Paul's next monday, that he had obtained a pasport for himself,
famely, and me to go to England, and Mr. Clansee was then at Brest, who
had then got a nutral ship to take us home. Well, then, _this_ was a
great as well as unexpected news, and many _times_ before then thought
that I should be very glad and thank_ful_ if I ever lived to see such
chainge. But it answered the same efect as every other change I passed
through, a fear I should meet with anything that should obstruct my
communan with the Lord, and this is my mening when you read of any case
before, when I said I went in fear and trembling. So that on Munday
morn_ing I set out_ for S^{t.} Paul's _in_ C^{o.} with Mrs. Diot and
her two little _children and t_wo sarvants riding in a coach, and me on
horseback, where we arrived at S^{t.} Paul's at ten in the morning, and
there joind Mr. and Mrs. M. and their loving famely. Staid there untel
Tuesday morning with my dear old friend and Mother, Madam Esel le
Pleary, and set out for Landernau in C^{o.} with the two maidens. We
arrived at Landernau aboute three in the after noon. Wensday morning
breakfast with my two old friends, Mr. and Mad^{m.} Elel Renard, and old
jen^{t.} and young lady, who was his daughter. We was many months
prisonars togither, but then all librated, and they in their own house.
Same morning took a boat, and at four in the afternoon arrived on board
the ship _in_ Brest harbar, where we met all the fam_ily_ together, the
same ten of us that was stop_ped to_gether through a merical of mercy in
d_eed, and_ not one hair of our heads diminished. _Praise be_ to God,
here was another chainge. This ship was form_erly an Engl_ish frigate,
then under Danish coulars, _and_ the Capt^{n.} an English man. The
_first night_ I sleept on the cabin flooar covered _with a_ great coat,
then got a hammack [...] amongst the sailors. And when more _people
came_ on board, I went between decks, being [...] more quiat. I supose
the whole numbar of pasengars was aboute fifty offesars in the army and
navy, where I never was in such hurry and noise yet, in all the course
of my life, nither to sea nor land. I was allwayse imploid in reading,
in cooking, tending my famely to the table, etc. And there was a black
boy, the sarvant to one of the officers, very ill moste of the time, and
no person to do the leaste thing for him but myself onely. I had a quiat
place between decks to lodge in and pray, so that no person desturbed
me. I used the same self-denial as before. I have been often led to
wonder many times since of the goodness of God, for all they _were_ such
wild, distracted, disapated souls, I never _had the_ least tryal from
one of them, nither one _of the_ ship's company during the whole time. I
could _always_ bring any dish of meat from the cook to the _cabin to_
my famely, and no person set the least hand _on me; or_ if one of the
others did, they was ready allmoste _to kill_ one the other; and the
Captain would trust me _with the_ tea and shugar canestar, but not one
person _else_ on board. I have thought many times _since abou_te it,
more than at that time through [...] d favour with God and man. _We lay
in Brest_ Roade nine days _wind_ bound, and then _got a fair_ wind to
the Nor_thwa_rd and westward [...] etc., arived at Falmouth 22 August,
1795. Arived onshore aboute three o'clock in the afternoon with much
fear and trembling, where I meet with my dear little Bettsy, there
staying with her aunt, Mrs. Smythe, then between 8 and 9 years old. In
the evning went to prayer meeting in the great Chaple. I said sumething
to the people, but found but little liberty. I thought the cause might
have been after aboute three weeks exposed to so much noise and company,
and for want of composure of mind, and likewayse so long a time out of
the habit of exercising in that way. I have thought many times since,
if I was ever dead to the world and to myself, I was then in them days.
It matterd but little where my lott was cast, whether in prosperity or
adversity, whether sickness or health, take life or all my friends away,
I could trust boath soul and body, with every thing _that_ I had, in to
the hands of my great Creator with_out the_ leaste resarve. I have
thought many times since _in them_ days, tho' I did not know it then,
that I had no will, or rather, of my own, but my will w_as_ loste in the
will of God. It is now brought _into my_ remembrance as the ship lyed to
of _Falmouth_ harbar, there was not boats enuf to c_arry all the_
pasangers and bagage at once, and I _waited to_ the laste with two more,
staid untel _another_ boat should come, the wind blowing _fresh from_
the westward. The Captain grew v_ery impatient, looking_ out for a boat,
and at laste said, "_I shall not wait_ only a few minuts longer, and
ta_ke you with me_." One of these p_as_a_ngers was ma_king _such a_
noise, allmoste ready to jump overboard, for fear to be card up Channel.
I said to him, "Have a little patience, we shall have a boat in a
little time now." He turned unto me in a very sulky manner, and said,
"Who is like you, you are allwayse at home, you don't care where you are
car'd." I smiled, said nothing, but rejoiced within, and said to myself,
"You are saying the truth." And I thought if it was the will of the Lord
that I should be car'd to Copenhagen, that good is the will of the Lord.
So in the course of a few minits after saw a boate coming, and so all
was well again. I have thought since them days, I mean, since the day
that my soul was sanctified, that there did harley one thought pass
through me unperseeved in all my waking moments when I was in company
talking aboute the things of the world, or the things of God, when in
private by myself, or acting of business, my _spirit_, as it were, was
in a continual blaze of inward prayer. Well, then, I staid that night at
Falmouth, the next morning went to Penryn with my dear little Bettsey in
my hand, to see Mr. M----h and his loving family, who was then at Mrs.
Scot. The next morning, on Sunday, took a horse and arived at Breage
Church town[78] aboute eleven o'clock, where I meet my dear brother
Frank, then in his way to Church. As I first took him in surprise, at
first I could harley make him sensable I was his brother, being nearley
two years without hearing whether I was dead or alife. But when he come
to himself as it were, we rejoiced together with exceeding great joy
indeed. We went to his house in Rinsey, and after dinner went to see
brother John.[79] We sent him word before I was coming. But he could
harley believe it, with the voice of, "How can these things be?" But
f_irst_ looking out with his glass saw me yet a long way off. Ran to
meet me, fell upon my neck, and said in language like this, "This is my
brother that was dead, but is alive again; he was loste, but is found."
We passed the afternoon with him, and in the evning went to Keneggy to
see brother Charles, wh_ere we_ meet with many tears of joy, _and
afterwards_ returned again to Rinsey in _the evening_, where we had all
our conversation _about_ Hevenly things, _which_ was a treat indeed,
_after being_ so long _silent_ on the subject.
WILLIAM BYLES AND SONS, PRINTERS,
129 FLEET STREET, LONDON,
AND BRADFORD.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] It is said that this name is derived from the fact that John Carter,
a brother of Harry Carter, and the most famous of the smugglers, lived
there. He was nicknamed the "King of Prussia," and the house in which he
lived is still known as the "King of Prussia's House." The origin of
this nickname is explained by a story that when they were all boys
together, they used to play at soldiers, and John would always claim to
be the King of Prussia. Clearly an echo of the fame of Frederick the
Great had reached these boys about the time of the Seven Years' War.
[2] 17 Geo. III. c. 7.
[3] See Lecky. _History of Eighteenth Century_, vol. iv. ch. xiv.
[4] Carlyle. _French Revolution_, bk. iii. ch. iv.
[5] Spelt "yest" in the manuscript throughout.
[6] "Called." The spelling is the dialect pronunciation.
[7] A small village about half a mile from Prussia Cove.
[8] Spelt "fever" in the manuscript. The Cornish people do not
distinguish "v" and "w."
[9] "Bal" is a mine, tin or copper.
[10] This name is now lost.
[11] ? Folkestone, see p. 80.
[12] The sizes of all his vessels are given in old measurement. Before
1835 ships were measured by the following elaborate rule. Subtract
three-fifths of the greatest breadth from the length of the keel,
multiply this by the breadth, and the result by half of the breadth;
divide the result so obtained by 94, and the answer is the size of the
ship in tons (see 13 Geo. III. c. 26, § 74). They are now measured by
the cubical contents. It is difficult to render these figures in modern
measurement, but this sloop was probably about the size which would be
now called 10 tons.
[13] About 18 tons in modern measurement.
[14] About 30 tons in modern measurement.
[15] Spelt "oughten" in the manuscript. Daughter is still pronounced
"dafter" in West Cornwall.
[16] Conscience.
[17] "Felt," dialect pronunciation.
[18] "Carried," dialect pronunciation.
[19] About 60 tons in modern measurement.
[20] The treaty between France and the Americans was made on February 6,
1778.
[21] "Kept," dialect pronunciation.
[22] The "King of Prussia."
[23] Cf. note 12.
[24] About 50 tons in modern measurement.
[25] Newlyn, near Penzance.
[26] The collector of the Customs, presumably at Penzance.
[27] Spelt "feve" in the manuscript. Cf. note 8.
[28] About 45 tons in modern measurement.
[29] ? Cawsand near Plymouth.
[30] Burtons, a small tackle of two pulleys to be fastened anywhere at
pleasure (Phillips' _Dictionary_, 1706). Now obsolete.
[31] Near Cuddan Point. It was built about 1775 by Mr. John Stackhouse,
of Pendarves.
[32] It is said that the doctor who attended him at this time was always
met on the road about a mile away by two men, who blindfolded him; and
in this way he was brought to the Castle, and so led back to the road
again. A precaution to prevent him from giving information as to Harry
Carter's hiding place.
[33] Spelt "oughten" in the manuscript. See note 15.
[34] Glazier.
[35] Thomas Coke, LL.D.; he was ordained Bishop or Superintendent of the
American Methodist Societies by John Wesley in 1784.
[36] This expression, which occurs several times in the following pages,
is common in West Cornwall in the sense of "although."
[37] This is one of Dr. Watts' hymns. It was not included by John Wesley
in the Hymn-book which he published in 1790.
[38] Francis Asbury. He was sent to America by John Wesley in 1771, and
was elected Joint Superintendent with Dr. Coke at the Conference held at
Baltimore in 1784. He was the only English preacher who remained in
America during the War of Independence.
[39] This is one of the "Olney" hymns by Cowper and Newton.
[40] Spelt "worps" in the manuscript, which is dialect pronunciation.
Cf. "sharps" for "shafts" (of a cart), and "vycicle" for "bycicle,"
which are both common.
[41] Spelt "feve" in the manuscript. Cf. note 8.
[42] Spelt "youmping" in the manuscript. Cf. "yest" for "just," note
5.
[43] ? "Bustle."
[44] Ordinances.
[45] "Carry"; dialect.
[46] 'Bedstead.' 'Stead' would be pronounced 'steed' in West Cornish
dialect.
[47] "Further"; dialect.
[48] Spelt "laght" in the manuscript. Cf. note 8.
[49] The ordinary word for "a valley" in West Cornwall.
[50] A well; dialect pronunciation.
[51] Old measurement.
[52] _I.e._, in their reckoning as to the position of the vessel.
[53] ? Folkestone (see p. 4).
[54] On the Fal.
[55] Near Prussia Cove.
[56] Intending; dialect.
[57] A small village about a mile from Prussia Cove.
[58] Lazarus.
[59] Spelt 'oughten' in the manuscript. See note 15.
[60] Referring to the Government reward for his capture.
[61] Cliffs; dialect.
[62] Actions.
[63] Spelt "oft" in the manuscript. See note 15.
[64] War was declared on the 1st February, 1793.
[65] Guillotine.
[66] Farthing; dialect.
[67] Carhaix.
[68] "Chair"; dialect.
[69] Guillotine.
[70] ? Carmelites.
[71] Meaning "by"; dialect.
[72] A common expression in West Cornwall. It is a forcible way of
saying that his means were fully occupied.
[73] Meaning "unless"; dialect.
[74] Meaning "against"; dialect.
[75] Robespierre was executed on 28th July, 1794. Soon after his death
the Convention decreed that "Prisoners and other persons under
accusation should have a right to demand some 'Writ of accusation' and
see clearly what they were accused of."--Carlyle: _French Revolution_,
Book vii. ch. i. This decree was followed by the release of great
numbers of "Suspect" and other prisoners.
[76] Meaning "by"; dialect.
[77] The Cornish people always measure weight in scores (20 lbs). The
stone (14 lbs) is unknown.
[78] In West Cornwall every collection of houses is called a town. The
village in which the parish church stands is called "Church town."
[79] He lived at Prussia Cove.
Transcriber's notes:
The following is a list of changes made to the original.
The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one.
"from this it is evident," says Dr,
"from this it is evident," says Dr.
19, 1829, The last thirty years of his life
19, 1829. The last thirty years of his life
may prizes, manned and commanded chiefly
many prizes, manned and commanded chiefly
same part of the the town, went in company
same part of the town, went in company
so happy in all my life as I was at that _time_,
so happy in all my life as I was at that _time_.
in God my Saviour, To the end of this
in God my Saviour. To the end of this
must go with him, he would not be denied,
must go with him, he would not be denied.