6. One night I was in company with a neighbour's fon, who had been in the Army fome time, and was now absent from it upon a Furlow, to fpend a few days with his friends. After we had been drinking till about eleven o'clock, he afked me, Whether I would not lift? I immediately anfwered, I would, and he gave me three guineas, and a crown to drink his Majefty's health: we continued drinking all night. In the morning one came in that knew me, who went and told my Mother. She came with one of my fifters and took me home, and put me to bed. Afterwards the went and returned the money which I had received, and with a little more bought me off. I then went home to my Master, who received me very kindly, and did not upbraid me with any thing that I had done.

7. But all this made not the leaft impreffion upon me. I felt no gratitude either to God or man. About eight days after, as I was one morning going out with my bread, I met the Serjeant and two more soldiers, and told them I wanted to lift. We went into an alehoufe together, and I received the money from them. I fent the basket back to my Master, and immediately went two miles to the Juftice's to take the oath. About a fortnight after, I left Sheffield. All my friends were in tears: but it made no impreffion on me: as I was not only fierce and paffionate, but alfo fullen and malicious, without any feeling of humanity. Inftead of weeping with thofe that wept, I even rejoiced in their forrow.

8. Hence we marched for Edinburgh. We arrived there on the 15th of the November preceding the great Frost. I was drafted into one of the companies that lay in the Cafle: there my hardships began. There were no barracks then, but we lay upon fraw in the vault, and throughout the winter had but one fire for seventy men. Through my own fin and folly, my little pay was foon gone; and generally two days in a week, Tuesday and Friday, being the days before the paydays, I had little or nothing to eat. But even this, together

with hard duty, made no manner of impreffion upon my heart. Nay, I became more hardened, and added profane fwearing to my other fins. From thence we marched to Glasgow, where I feveral times heard that dear Servant of God, Mr. Whitefield. But I had no conception of what he faid, nor any defire to profit by it. We next marched to Ayre, where a kind of Providence watched over me for good. For I and two more wild fellows took a boat, and rowed down toward the fea. But we had not skill to manage it, and the ebbing tide was carrying us down to the fea; when juft at the end of the pier, the boat gave a turn, and we caught hold of a poft. Here we held, till help came: otherwise we had probably gone to the bottom of the fea, and to the bottomlefs pit at once, as we were all finning with a high-hand, 'drinking in iniquity like water.

9. From this place we marched to Perth, and lay there : fome time. During our stay, I paid my addreffes to a young woman. But though fhe loved me, I did not behave to her with that honour I should have done. Juft at that time, the old Highland Regiment came to quarter at Perth: and I was remanded to the other side of the river, to a little village called Bridge-End: he had fome relations in this regiment, to whom she told what had passed between us. They fent for me, and for fome time, behaved with a deal of kindness, expecting that I would give them farther promises of fulfilling my engagement with her. She was present at the fame time. Finding I did not in any wife answer their expectations, they began talking together in their own language, and as I could not but obferve, with great warmth of fpirit. Though I did not, fhe understood what they said, and endeavoured to pacify them. A little after she rose up, called me out, told me, they were determined to kill me, and begged me, for God's fake, to return with all speed into my own quarters: I took her advice, and returned immediately. I came to town again. the next market-day. They heard of it, and were in search

of

of me, being fully determined upon revenge. But the found me out first, informed me of their fixt refolution to murder me, and infifted on my croffing the water without delay. I ran to the water fide. A boat was juft going off, into which I flept: but before we were half over the water, they came running down with their fwords drawn, to the river fide. But they durft go no farther, there being ftrict orders that none should pass the river.

10. We marched from Perth to Edinburgh, and thence to Shields, in order to embark with the reft of the Army for Flanders. I had now been three years and a half in the Army. We were eight days on our paffage, and landed at Oftend, in Spring, 1743. Thence we marched to Ghent, where we were joined by three Regiments more, to guard the King's baggage and the Army's cloathing. This was a long and fatiguing march, as well as a dangerous one. We had above four hundred waggons, with other carriages, and feveral pieces of cannon under our care; and expected every day to be attacked by a part of the French Army. So that we were obliged conftantly to march in order of battle, and had no fettled Camp, till we came to the grand Army, a few days after the battle of Dettingen.

11. We then marched to the Camp at Worms. There orders were read at the head of every regiment, That no foldier must be feen above a mile from the camp, upon pain of death; which was to be executed immediately, without the form of a Court-Martial. But this did not at all deter me. Although my life was in continual danger, I went on in the fame courfe all the campaign, neither fearing God, nor regarding man. One night in particular, as foon as we had pitched our tents, I fet out with fome of my comrades, to a little town which lay on the left of the camp. I was bufy in drinking, when the Captain with a Guard of horse was coming to take us up, being appointed to feize upon all who were found out of the lines, and to hang up the first man VOL. VI. without

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without delay. I looked back and faw the Captain and his guard, who had fhut all the gates. But I ran to the great gate, wherein was a wicket-door, which was only upon the latch. I flipt through, and before the gate could be opened for horfe-men to follow me, I ran fome distance from the town, and hid myself among the Vines. There I lay till they were paft, and then got into the camp, just as the roll was calling

12. After feveral marches, we came, toward the close of the year, to the camp near Spires. Before this, many grievous complaints had been made, of our foldier's plundering the country. To prevent this, it was again proclaimed at the head of every regiment, That the Captain with his guard would be out every night, and had exprefs orders, immediately to hang up the firft man that he took. I was close to the Officer who read this; and to fhew how little we regarded it, as foon as he was gone to his tent, I and ten more of our regiment fet out to plunder. We went to a village. about two miles from the camp, to fearch for money, but could find none: however we faw four bullocks, which we drove away before us. One of our Officers met me, and afked whose they were? I told him they were some that we had bought he faid, very well, and went away. We fold three of them, and killed the other. The next day the poor people came to the camp, and found the three which we had fold. They made their complaint to the Commanding Officer, who immediately gave orders to apprehend us. that very morning I had been fent to fome diftance from the camp on an out-party: fo the good Providence of God, though I knew him not, once more preferved me from a fhameful death.

13. Orders now came for our marching into Flanders, in which long march nothing material happened. The English Army quartered in Bruges and Ghent: our regiment was in Chent; where we had cold lodging, little fire and hard duty.

I lay here three months, ftill continuing in my ignorance and rebellion against God. Mean time I had many forrowful letters from my dear Mother, with frequent little fupplies of money. All the next fummer we lay quite inactive, only plundering all the country. When I look back on thofe times, I know not which to admire moft, God's goodness or my own wickedness: to compleat which, I was now engaged with a negro-man's wife, who was paffionately fond of me. But what is too hard for God? I was now about twentyfive years old and had never yet once faid, with any real defire, "Lord, have mercy upon me!" But better days were at hand. The manner of God's bringing me out of the horrible pit I am next to relate.

[To be continued.]

An Extract from the JOURNAL of Mr. GC,

FOR

Continued from Vol. V. page 641.

January 1, 1758.

OR feveral days I have been much affected with the love of God, my heart being truly contrite, and my confcience tender. I am convinced the Lord is carrying on his good work in my foul: and yet I am often ready to giveup the hope of loving him with all my heart.

Jan. 13. I met that good man, Thomas Walsh, who faid, "O George, how good a God have we?" My heart replied, To me he is a barren wildernefs: for fill the fiery trial continues. Yet do I ftrive to give myfelf up to the will of God. But I want the fpirit of fupplication. My foul feems pinioned. If I could pray with the Spirit, furely I fhould attain more liberty. Many fuppofe that I have fome idol, because 1 fpeak fo frequently of the piercing fenfe I have of