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predatory chieftain; who resided a little way off in Flintshire; to
come and set the town on fire; and slaughter the inhabitants; in
revenge for the wrongs he had suffered; and then proceeds to vent
all kinds of imprecations against the mayor and people of Chester;
wishing; amongst other things; that they might soon hear that the
Dee had become too shallow to bear their ships … that a certain
cutaneous disorder might attack the wrists of great and small; old
and young; laity and clergy … that grass might grow in their
streets … that Ilar and Cyveilach; Welsh saints; might slay them …
that dogs might snarl at them … and that the king of heaven; with
the saints Brynach and Non; might afflict them with blindness …
which piece; however ineffectual in inducing God and the saints to
visit the Chester people with the curses with which the furious
bard wished them to be afflicted; seems to have produced somewhat
of its intended effect on the chieftain; who shortly afterwards; on
learning that the mayor and many of the Chester people were present
at the fair of Mold; near which place he resided; set upon them at
the head of his forces; and after a desperate combat; in which many
lives were lost; took the mayor prisoner; and drove those of his
people who survived into a tower; which he set on fire and burnt;
with all the unhappy wretches which it contained; completing the
horrors of the day by hanging the unfortunate mayor。
Conversant as I was with all this strange history; is it wonderful
that I looked with great interest from the wall of Chester in the
direction of Mold?
Once did I make the compass of the city upon the walls; and was
beginning to do the same a second time; when I stumbled against a
black; who; with his arms leaning upon the wall; was spitting over
it; in the direction of the river。 I apologised; and contrived to
enter into conversation with him。 He was tolerably well dressed;
had a hairy cap on his head; was about forty years of age; and
brutishly ugly; his features scarcely resembling those of a human
being。 He told me he was a native of Antigua; a blacksmith by
trade; and had been a slave。 I asked him if he could speak any
language besides English; and received for answer that besides
English; he could speak Spanish and French。 Forthwith I spoke to
him in Spanish; but he did not understand me。 I then asked him to
speak to me in Spanish; but he could not。 〃Surely you can tell me
the word for water in Spanish;〃 said I; he; however; was not able。
〃How is it;〃 said I; 〃that; pretending to be acquainted with
Spanish; you do not even know the word for water?〃 He said he
could not tell; but supposed that he had forgotten the Spanish
language; adding however; that he could speak French perfectly。 I
spoke to him in French … he did not understand me: I told him to
speak to me in French; but he did not。 I then asked him the word
for bread in French; but he could not tell me。 I made no
observations on his ignorance; but inquired how he liked being a
slave? He said not at all; that it was very bad to be a slave; as
a slave was forced to work。 I asked him if he did not work now
that he was free? He said very seldom; that he did not like work;
and that it did not agree with him。 I asked how he came into
England; and he said that wishing to see England; he had come over
with a gentleman as his servant; but that as soon as he got there;
he had left his master; as he did not like work。 I asked him how
he contrived to live in England without working? He said that any
black might live in England without working; that all he had to do
was to attend religious meetings; and speak against slavery and the
Americans。 I asked him if he had done so。 He said he had; and
that the religious people were very kind to him; and gave him
money; and that a religious lady was going to marry him。 I asked
him if he knew anything about the Americans? He said he did; and
that they were very bad people; who kept slaves and flogged them。
〃And quite right too;〃 said I; 〃if they are lazy rascals like
yourself; who want to eat without working。 What a pretty set of
knaves or fools must they be; who encourage a fellow like you to
speak against negro slavery; of the necessity for which you
yourself are a living instance; and against a people of whom you
know as much as of French or Spanish。〃 Then leaving the black; who
made no other answer to what I said; than by spitting with
considerable force in the direction of the river; I continued
making my second compass of the city upon the wall。
Having walked round the city for the second time; I returned to the
inn。 In the evening I went out again; passed over the bridge; and
then turned to the right in the direction of the hills。 Near the
river; on my right; on a kind of green; I observed two or three
tents resembling those of gypsies。 Some ragged children were
playing near them; who; however; had nothing of the appearance of
the children of the Egyptian race; their locks being not dark; but
either of a flaxen or red hue; and their features not delicate and
regular; but coarse and uncouth; and their complexions not olive;
but rather inclining to be fair。 I did not go up to them; but
continued my course till I arrived near a large factory。 I then
turned and retraced my steps into the town。 It was Saturday night;
and the streets were crowded with people; many of whom must have
been Welsh; as I heard the Cambrian language spoken on every side。
CHAPTER IV
Sunday Morning … Tares and Wheat … Teetotalism … Hearsay … Irish
Family … What Profession? … Sabbath Evening … Priest or Minister …
Give us God。
ON the Sunday morning; as we sat at breakfast; we heard the noise
of singing in the street; running to the window; we saw a number of
people; bareheaded; from whose mouths the singing or psalmody
proceeded。 These; on inquiry; we were informed; were Methodists;
going about to raise recruits for a grand camp…meeting; which was
to be held a little way out of the town。 We finished our
breakfast; and at eleven attended divine service at the Cathedral。
The interior of this holy edifice was smooth and neat; strangely
contrasting with its exterior; which was rough and weather…beaten。
We had decent places found us by a civil verger; who probably took
us for what we were … decent country people。 We heard much fine
chanting by the choir; and an admirable sermon; preached by a
venerable prebend; on 〃Tares and Wheat。〃 The congregation was
numerous and attentive。 After service we returned to our inn; and
at two o'clock dined。 During dinner our conversation ran almost
entirely on the sermon; which we all agreed was one of the best
sermons we had ever heard; and most singularly adapted to country
people like ourselves; being on 〃Wheat and Tares。〃 When dinner was
over my wife and daughter repaired to the neighbouring church; and
I went in quest of the camp…meeting; having a mighty desire to know
what kind of a thing Methodism at Chester was。
I found about two thousand people gat