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at his own house in Priest-hall, that singular Christian, upon Marion Weir, after marriage he said to the bride, Marion, you have got a good man to be your husband, but you will not enjoy him long. prize his company, and keep linen by you to be his winding sheet, for you will need it when you are not looking for it, and it will be a bloody one.
This came sadly to pass in the beginning of May 1685, as afterwards shall be made appear.
19. After this, in the year 1682, he went to Ireland again, and came to the house of William Steel in Glenwharry, in the county of Antrim, he enquired at Mrs. Steel if she wanted a servant for threshing victual? She said, they did, and enquired what his wages were a day or a week: He said, The common rate was a common rule; to which she assented. At night he was put to the barn to bed with the servant lad, and that night he spent in prayer and groaning up and down the barn. To morrow he threshed victual with the lad, and the next night he spent the same way; the second day in the morning the lad said to his mistress, This man sleeps none, but groans and prays all night, I got no sleep for him, He threshes very well, and is not sparing of himself, tho I think he has not been used with it, for he can do nothing to the botteling and ordering of the barn; and when I put the barn in order, he goes to such a place, and there he prays for the afflicted church of Scotland, and names so many people in the furnace. He wrought the second day, and his mistress watched & 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 to him. 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 the conversion of some, and civilizing of others, tho that place was noted for a rude wild people, and the fruits of his labour appear 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 byer reeking in your lusts, and sits down among us, we do not want you nor none such. At last he said to William Steel and his wife, Put away that unhappy
