tn transport his family to Rochelle, whither he removed on the capture of the town.
3Ir Welch was at thig period seized with an illness which his physicians declared could be removed only by his returning to breathe the air of his native country. Under these circumstances he ventured, in 1622, to come to London, hoping that when there he should be able to obtain the king's permission to proceed to Scotland. This request, however, James, dreading Welch's influence, absolutely refused. Among those, and they were many, who interceded with the king in behalf of the dying divine, was his wife. On obtaining access to James, the following extraordinary, but highly characteristic conversation, as recorded by Dr M'Crie, in his Life of Knox,took place between the intrepid daughter of the stern reformer and the eccentric monarch of England: His majesty asked her, who was her father. She replied "Mr Knox." "Knox and Welch," exclaimed he, "the devil never made such a match as that." "Its right like, sir," said she, "for we never speired his advice." He asked her, how many children her father had left, and if they were lads or lasses. She said three, and they were all lasses. "God be thanked!" cried the king, lifting up both his hands, "for an they had been three lads, I had iicver bruicked my three kingdoms in peace." She again urged her request that he would give her husband his native air. "Give him his native air!" replied the king. "Give him the devil!" a morsel which James had often in his mouth. " Give that to your hungry courtiers," said she, offended at his profaneness. He told her at last, that if she would persuade her husband to submit to the bishops, he would allow him to return to Scotland. Mrs Welch, lifting up her apron, and holding it towards the king, replied, in the true spirit of her father, "Please your majesty, I'd rather kep his head there."
Although James would not permit Mr Welch to return to Scotland, he was prevailed upon by the friends of the latter, though not without much importunity, to allow him to preach in London. They had entreated this as an alternative in the event of his refusing him permission to return to his native country, and they eventually succeeded in obtaining from James a reluctant consent. On learning that this indulgence had been granted him, the dying preacher, for his complaint was rapidly gaining ground upon him, hastened to avail himself of it He appeared once more in the pulpit, preached a long and pathetic sermon; but it was his last. When he had concluded his discourse he returned to his lodging, and in two hours afterwards expired, in the 53d year of his age. It is said that Mr Welch's death was occasioned by an ossification of the limbs, brought on by much kneeling in his frequent, and long protracted devotional exercises. Like many of the eminently pious and well-meaning men of the times in which he lived, Mr Welch laid claim to the gift of prescience, and his Life, as it appears in the "Scots Worthies," compiled by Howie of Lochgoin, presents a number of instances of the successful exercise of this gift, but no one now who has any sincere respect for the memory of such truly worthy persons and sincere Christians as Mr Welch, can feel much gratified by seeing him invested, by a mistaken veneration, with an attribute which does not belong to humanity.
WELLWOOD, Sir Henry Moncrieff, Baronet, D.D., an eminent divine, was born at Blackford, near Stirling, in February, 1750. He was the eldest son of Sir William Moncrieff, Bart, minister of the parish just named; a man of singular merits and virtues, and who possessed an influence over his parishioners, and in the surrounding country, which these alone could bestow.
The subject of this memoir was destined from, an early age, as well by his
