exerciſe uſed ordinarily to be followed, with a flame of extraordinary aſſiſtance: ſo near neighbours are many times contraoy diſpoſitions and frames. He would many times retire to the church of Ayr, which was at ſome diſtance from the town, and there ſpend the whole night in prayer: for he uſed to allow his affections full expreſſion, and prayed not only with audible, but ſometimes, loud voice, nor did he irk, in that ſolitude, all the night over, which hath, it may be, occaſioned the contemptible ſlander of ſome malicious enemies, who were ſo bold as to call him no leſs than a witch.
There was in Ayr, before he came to it, an aged man a miniſter of the town called Porterfield, the man was judged no bad man, for his perſonal inclinations, but ſo eaſy a diſpoſition, that he uſed many times to go too great lenght with his neighbours in many dangerous parctices: and amongſt the reſt, he uſed to go to the bow-butts and archery, on Sabbath afternoon, to Mr. Welch's great diſſatisfaction. But the way he uſed to reclaim him, was not bitter ſeverity, but this gentle policy; Mr. Welch together with John Stewart, and uHtgh Kennedy, his two intimate friends, uſed to ſpend the Sabbath afternoon, in religious conference an prayer, and to this exercise they invited Mr. Porterfield, which he could not refuſe, by which means he was not only diverted form his former ſinful practice, but likewiſe brought to a more watchful, and edifying behaviour in his courſe of life.
He married Elizabeth Knox, daughter to the famous Mr. John Knox, miniſter at Edinburgh, the apoſtle of Scotland, and ſhe lived with him from his youth till his death. By her I have heard he had three ſons: the firſt was called Dr. Welch, a doctor of medicine, who was unhappily killed upon an innocent miſtake in the low countries, and of him I never hear more. Another ⟨son⟩ he he had moſt lamentably loſt at ſea, for when the ship in which he was, was ſunk, he ſwam to a rock in the ſea, but ſtarved there for want of neceſſary food and ⟨nouriſhment⟩, and when ſometime afterward his body was found upon the rock, they found him dead in a praying poſture upon his bended knees, with his hand
