Round Chester Walls

Monday, 22.—We walked round the walls of the city, which are something more than a mile and three quarters in circumference. But there are many vacant spaces within the walls, many gardens, and a good deal of pasture ground; I believe Newcastle-upon-Tyne, within the walls, contains at least a third more houses than Chester.

The greatest convenience here is what they call “the Rows”; that is covered galleries which run through the main streets on each side, from east to west and from north to south; by which means one may walk both clean and dry in any weather, from one end of the city to the other.

I preached at six in the evening in the square to a vast multitude, rich and poor. The far greater part, the gentry in particular, were seriously and deeply attentive; though a few of the rabble, most of them drunk, labored much to make a disturbance. One might already perceive a great increase of earnestness in the generality of the hearers.

Tuesday, August 25.—I preached in the market place at Kinsale. The next morning, at eight, I walked to the fort.  On the hill above it we found a large, deep hollow, capable of containing two or three thousand people. On one side of this, the soldiers soon cut a place with their swords for me to stand, where I was screened both from the wind and sun, while the congregation sat on the grass before me. Many eminent sinners were present, particularly of the army; and I believe God gave them a loud call to repentance.

Saturday, September 23.—We reached Cork. Sunday, 24. In the evening I proposed to the society the building a preaching-house. The next day ten persons subscribed a hundred pounds; another hundred was subscribed in three or four days, and a piece of ground taken. I saw a double providence now in our not sailing last week. If we had, probably this house had never been built, and it is most likely we should have been cast away. Above thirty ships, we were informed, have been lost on these coasts in the late storm.

The wind being contrary still, on Monday, October 2, I rode once more to Bandon. But though I came unexpectedly, the house was too small to contain one half of the congregation; so I preached in the street, both this evening and at five on Tuesday morning; the moon gave us as much light as we wanted till the sun supplied her place. I then returned to Cork. On Friday, 6, the ship being under sail, we took boat and came to Cove in the evening. All the inns being full, we lodged at a private house; but we found one inconvenience herein: we had nothing to eat, for our provisions were on board and there was nothing to be bought in the town; neither flesh, nor fish, nor butter, nor cheese. At length we procured some eggs and bread, and were well contented.