6 MEMOIRS OF PERIOD 7.0 very devout woman in-her way, and married to one Mr Peter Carwain, another churchman but I fuppofe childlefs. My father was a knowing man, having in his youth, I think, got good of the gofpel. Being a nonconformift during the time of Prelacy, he tattered upon that head, to imprifonment, and fpoiling of his goods. When I was a little boy, I lay in the prifon of Dunfe with him, to keep him company: the which I have often looked'on as an earneft of what might be abiding me; but hitherto I have not had that trial. My mother once paying, to one Alexander Martin fherifl=depute, the fum ofL. 50 as the fine of her imprifoned hufband, for his nonconformity, defired of him an abatement ; whereupon'he, taking up a pint-ftoup ftand- ing on the table, therewith broke in pieces a part of a tobacco- pipe lying thereon ; bidding the devil beat him as fmall as that pipe-(topple, if there thould be ought abated of the fum. And once walking through the ftreet, while my father was with the mafons that were building his houfe, he looked up, and faid to him, that he would make him fell that houfe yet. Neverthelefs he and his pofterity were not long after rootedout of the place; and that houfe was not fold, until I, not for need of money, but for my own conveniency otherwife, fold it thine years ago. May all my offspring be faved from ever embarking with that party ; t pf whom I fay from the:.heart, " O my foul, come not thou into their fecret mine honour, be not thou united with them." Thefchoolmiftrefs having her chamber in my father's houfe; I was,early put to fchool ; and having a capacity for learning, and being of a towardly difpofition, was kindly treated by her ; often expreffing her hope of feeing me in the pulpit. Neverthelefs, for a contiderable time, I wept inceffantly from the time they be- gan to put on my clothes till I was upftairs in the fchool. Thus my natural temper of fpirit appeared, being timorous and hard to enter on, but eager in the 'parfait when once entered. By the time I was fevenáyears old, I read the Bible, and had delight in reading it ; would have read with my fchoolmiftrefs in the winter-nights, when the reft of the children were not prefent ; yea, and got the Bible fometimes to the bed with me, and read there. Meanwhile I know nothing induced me to it, but the natural vanity of my mind ; andcurifity, as about force fcripture- hiftories. However, I am thankful, that it was at all made my choice early ; and that it hath been the ftudy of my ripeft years, with which I would fain dote my life, if it were his will. Sometime in the year 1684, or at fartheft 1685, I was put to the gram*nar-fchool, under Mr James Bullerwall fchoolmafter in the town, and continued at it till the harveft 1689, rave that one fummer I was kept at home, while the reft of my clafs were go- ing on in the grammar. When I was very young, going to a neighbour's houfe, with a halfpenny, or force fuch reward of divination, in my hand, to a fortune- teller ; after entering the outer door, I was fuddenly
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=