(tithe?); and when that's in, to rebuild my house, having at last crowded my family into what's left, and not missing many of my goods."
There is a story concerning this part of Mrs. Wesley's life which, though it rests on the authority of her son John, must be either a mistake or an exaggeration; and, as the circumstance related occurred before his birth, he, of course, repeated it only from hearsay, and not of his own personal knowledge. It is to the effect that Mrs. Wesley, never having viewed William of Orange as the rightful Sovereign of England, did not respond to the prayer for the King as read by her husband at their family worship. He asked the reason why, and was favoured with a plain but full exposition of her political views; whereupon he retorted hotly, "Sukey, if that be the case, you and I must part; for if we have two kings we must have two beds," and declared that unless she renounced her opinions he would not continue to live with her. So much, runs the story, did he take her contumacy to heart that he left the room without another word, retired to his study, and in the course of the day rode off to Convocation without taking leave or holding any further communication with her. He remained in London for a year without corresponding, and only returned after Queen Anne's accession. There could be no dispute between the pair as to her right to reign, so the ordinary habits of life were resumed, and John Wesley was the first child born afterwards. So the story goes ; but it is manifestly wrong, for in the first place neither the dates given nor the events mentioned fit in; and in the second place, John Wesley was born on the 17th of June Old Style, or the 28th New Style, 1703, when
