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Francis Beauchamp, (1702-74)
1702 - 1774 (72 years)Attempts to impress John Wesley - summer 1745
spring and summer of 1745 proved to be trying times for British nation: Spanish war of 1739 had expanded into the War of Austrian Succession; intended invasion of England by Comte de Saxe's fleet in March 1744 had been repulsed only by stormy seas;
July 1745, Charles Edward landed in Scotland. Thus, people of Cornwall and adjacent counties, obviously on edge and never really friendly toward Methodism, required little encouragement to turn on John Wesley and his followers.
John Wesley
and the Press-Gangs
by Samuel J. Rogal
extracts
The spring and summer of 1745 proved to be trying times for the
British nation: the Spanish war of 1739 had expanded into the War of
the Austrian Succession; intended invasion of England by Comte de
Saxe's fleet in March 1744 had been repulsed only by stormy seas;
and in July 1745, Charles Edward landed in Scotland. Thus, the
people of Cornwall and adjacent counties, obviously on edge and
never really friendly toward Methodism, required little encourage
ment to turn on John Wesley and his followers. On Tuesday, June 25,
1 745, at the completion of a sermon at St. Just, Wesley witnessed the
impressment of Edward Greenfield, a 46-year-old tinner with a wife
and seven children. On July 2, Wesley, himself, was arrested by a
constable of St. Just; however, when on the next morning the
impressment officer attempted to deliver his prisoner to the
magistrate, he found that the jurist had gone off to church. "Well, sir,
I have executed my commission. I have done, sir; I have no more to
say."11 And so, Wesley proceeded on his way! That very afternoon
(July 3), at Gwennap, the sheriff of Cornwall led the press-gang into
the midst of the Methodist service, at which point the congregation
struck up a hymn. In a fit of temper, the sheriff ordered his men to
"seize the preacher for his Majesty's service. 12 For whatever reason,
the men were unwilling to lay their hands on Wesley, whereupon the
sheriff "leaped off his horse, swore he would do it himself, and caught
hold of my cassock, crying, 'I take you to serve his Majesty.13
Instead of delivering his prize to the magistrate, the sheriff took
Wesley for a walk; after three-quarters of a mile, he set the Methodist
leader free. We may note, finally, another instance during this period
concerning the impressment of a Methodist. In its issue of Saturday,
June 8, 1745, the Westminster Journal; or, New Weekly Miscellany
an organ of Anglican clerical opinion hostile to Methodism —
29
11 Journal, III, 187-188
12 Journal, III, 188.
13 Journal, III, 188
via https://place.asburyseminary.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1638&context=asburyjournal
| Owner of original | John Wesley and the Press-Gangs by Samuel J. Rogal |
| Date | 1745 |
| Linked to | [Event] John Wesley when preaching at Gwennap Pit 3 July 1745, Gwennap Pit, Gwennap, Cornwall; [Event] John Wesley arrested by Constable of St Just 2 July 1745, St Just in Penwith; Francis Beauchamp, (1702-74) ; [Position] High Sheriff of Cornwall; Reverend John Wesley |