Europe's warning-piece, or, Good to news Britain

EUROPE’S WARNING-PIECE

OR

GOOD NEWS

TO

BRITAIN

Giving an account of one Willam Edwards a farmer, near the town of Maidſtone in Kent, who was charitable to the poor, his lands producing corn more plentiful than his neighbours, and like a good chriſtian ſold it to them at a low price. Nevertheleſs his wife was always grudging, what he did for the relief of the poor. On the 12th June laſt, coming home at night, he met a ſtranger cloathed in fine raiment, who deſired to lodge in his houſe, which being granted, he informed the farmer of many ſtrange wonders that would happen this year, that there would be a plentiful harveſt of corn, that blood battles would be fought, and then all Europe will enjoy a long expected peace.

Printed this Preſent Year, 1795.

EUROPE’S WARNING-PIECE.

OR

GOOD NEWS to BRITAIN.

NEAR the town of Maidſtone, in the county of Kent, lived one William Edwards a farmer, who was a man of an upright life and converſation, and whom providence for his piety ſeemed to have a particular regard of, for he was bleſſed in a great degree, his lands producing every year corn more plentyful than his neighbours, which he like a good chriſtian, not forgetting the hand that gave it, as bountifully ſold it to the poor at low prices, when he might have diſpoſed of it, at a double advantage. In ſhort he was ſo proſperous, that heaven ſeemed to ſmile upon him, his corn was double fold, his cattle fed quietly by day, and nothing was diminiſhed by night, a wonderful increaſe was upon all his ſtore. Nevertheleſs, was not without his vexations, the greateſt was his wife; whoſe life and actions was contrary to that of her huſband’s, being of a peeviſh and churliſh nature, always craving and never content, no ways charitable, nor inclin’d to do good, but grudged at all things her huſband did for the relief of the poor. A poor widow who had three ſmall children, came to his houſe one day, deſiring the farmer to ſpare her a peck of corn, ſhe knowing his charitable diſpoſition and that ſhe could have it cheaper than any where elſe, which the honeſt farmer meaſured out to her, and gave her three large handfuls over, ſaying, I know thou art poor, therefore, I give the theſe three handfuls over, that every child may take the better male at dinner. The poor widow with a thouſand thanks paid the corn: and praying for the proſperity of the farmer, that he might be bleſſed tripple old the next year, ſhe went home. No ſooner was ſhe gone, but the wife of the farmer began to ſcold at him, wiſhing that God might take her out of the world, if he continued to be ſo generous, he would undo himſelf, and the ſhe ſhould come to beg her bread. The goodman to avoid ſtrife walked out into his grounds, and pulling out the practiſe of Piety, which he always carried about with him, he read in it, that he might put the thoughts of diſturbance far from him. Walking and reading, at length he came to a large ſpreading oak, he ſat himſelf down under it, ruminating upon his paſt life, and the expectation of death and eternity: and leaning his head upon his hand, he fell aſleep and awaked not, till the moon had darted her beams upon his face, cauſed him to ariſe, and gueſſing it to be late bent his ſteps homeward: but coming within one field of his own houſe he ſpyed a perſon walking down another path, and they happened to meet together at the ſtyle; this ſtranger, who appeared to be young, was cloathed in white raiment, his hair was white as flax, his coat was a light colour, ſpangled with gold, his veſt of pure purple, his ſtocking of a delicate green, and every way nicely dreſſed, as made him appear more like a Divine than a human creature; and coming up, with the farmer, thus accoſted him. Honeſt father, If you live hereabouts, pray direct a ſtranger in his loſt way, where he may find a habitation to reſt his wearied limbs till morning, it being now the dead of the night. Pretty youth, ſaid the farmer, for ſo thou appear to me, you have about two miles to Maidſtone, where you may meet with Inns for your accomodation.

And to oblige a courteous ſtranger if you do go with me, I will ſend my ſervant to conduct you thither. I thank you kindly replied the ſtranger, I am weary, and would willingly find nearer reſt, which if you can procure me, I promiſe you ſhall not go unrewarded. Sweet youth, ſaid the farmer, I fear my habitation is too ordinary for ſuch a gueſt, but nevertheleſs, I’ll make you an offer of it, did I not fear my wife who is of a turbulent temper, would affront; or diſpleaſe you. Nothing ſhall diſpleaſe me, ſaid the ſtranger, ſo that I deſire I may be lodged in your houſe till morning when I muſt go about my maſter’s buſineſs. Why are you a ſervant? replyed the farmer, as for that ſaid the ſtranger, you ſhall know e’er we part. Then they went together, and the farmer gave him a hearty welcome to his houſe, offering him all the civilities the ſame could afford, he, the ſtranger refuſed eating or drinking, only deſired a little diſcourſe with the farmer, who granting the ſtranger’s requeſt, they both ſat down, and the farmer taking the firſt occaſion, and ſaid, I remember juſt now you was ſaying that you was a ſervant, I would deſire to know Who is your maſter? if it be no offence. The maſter I ſerve ſaid the ſtranger, is a good and gracious Lord, moſt holy righteous and juſt, his poſſeſſions are large, his tenants many, his ſervants numerous, his ſervice eaſy, his wages bountiful, his ways are wonderous, his love is immence, his mercy abounding, and goodneſs not to be parrallel’d.

So good and gracious a maſter, replied the farmer cannot be too much loved, or too faithfully ſerved. But may I not know this perſon’s name?

That you ſhall before we part, ſaid the ſtranger, in the meantime, what do you think of the produce of corn this year? The cries of the poor have been ſo great thro’ the dearth of corn, and my Lord, thro’ his wonderful mercy, have relieved ſome thouſands that moſt otherwiſe have periſhed for want of bread; but he never fails in relieving thoſe who with a humble heart addreſs themſelves to him.

The good God be praiſed for all his mercies replied the farmer, I have no reaſon to complain having had laſt year a vaſt increase, whileſt other farmers come to great loſſes and as the lord was kind to me, I ſold it at a cheaper rate to the poor, and I find this year I’m like to have a terrible increaſe becauſe ſaid the ſtranger, I find you to be a man of an upright heart therefore, the bleſſing of the Lord is upon you. I ſhalt here reveal ſome things to you that will ſurely come to paſſ this preſent year, therefore ponder it well in your heart and make the ſame known to the world. This year, will be a year of wonders, all ſorts of grain will be ſo cheap, that the poor ſhall no more complain of the dearth of corn, for wheat ſhall be ſold in the market, for 3 ſhillings a buſhel, corn for 2 ſhillings, and, all other grain ſuitable, Like-wiſe, the earth ſhall abound in her fruits, the ſea and rivers in fiſh, ſo much that the poor tradeſman ſhall be able, comfortably to maintain their numerous families, the diſtreſſed widow, plentifully to pleaſe her crying babes, and the little children ſhall have their bellies full of the poor man’s complaint, the widow’s cries, children’s tears, for the want of bread ſhall be no more heard, the Lord ſhall ſend ſuch a plentiful harveſt as has not been here theſe many years. The farmers ſhall gather in their corn with content, the barns ſhall be filled, and the markets ſupplied in abundance. The heavens ſhall ſmile on the harveſt; the honeſt reaper and the mower ſhall chearfully eat the fruits of their labour; and the careful gleaner joyfully pick up the ſcattered corn: For the Lord hath heard the cries of the poor, and will plentifully feed them. Be not unbelieving for all theſe things ſhall come to paſs.

The ſtranger then deſired the farmer to be ſilent and thus proceeded. This ſign, yea, the happineſs of Europe will begin, by the enjoyment of a laſting peace: but before this comes to paſſ, we ſhall hear of much blood ſhed in the armies abroad; ſeveral great towns will be taken, after an obſtinate and bloody reſiſtance; after which, a mighty battle will be fought, which will lift ſome hours, and many thouſands will be ſlain; this being the laſt that will be fought, which will therefore be the more terrible in the end, the enemy ſhall be rooted, and moſt of their ſcattered army in their flight ſhall be cut off. For the Lord will give a compleat victory to the allies, and will cauſe his angel to go before them with a mighty power, till he drives their enemys before them, as the Philliſtines did before David, and that there is no more left to conquer: Then will the French tyrant cry for peace, which will accordingly ſoon follow; But be aſſur’d of this, he ſhall not long enjoy the ſame for the time of deſolation draweth near, when the dullneſs of his days ſhall be compleated, he in much perplexity and grief ſhall go to his place. Then will all Europe enjoy the felicity of long expected peace, the claſhing of ſwords, the noiſe of guns, and the cries of ſoldiers ſhall no more be heard. The merchants ſhall in ſafety traffick to forcing nations to bring home their commodities to enrich this land. All trading will flouriſh, and there will be a general joy in the face of all, for the plenty of all things for the Lord will bleſs the land once more, and try if the people will remember the Lord their God who relieved them in the day of trouble, even when there was a ſcarcity of corn, all trading dead, and the bloody ſword drawn in the field, threatning ruin and deſtruction to all the princes in Europe. Let Britain never forget its calamities, and the mighty arm that delivered them: This ſaid the farmer, will be the joyfulleſt time that Britiain ever yet ſaw.

The Lord of heaven be praiſed for his marvellous doings, ſaid the farmer, but gentle youth, now thou haſt told me this, pray give me a ſign, that I may know who is the matter you ſerve and grant me one teſtimony more, to ſatisty my yet doubting ſpirits.

As for the maſter I ſerve, ſaid the youth he has many names, but if thou wilt then look in the glaſs when I am gone, thou wilt find a ſign in thy forehead, by which thou may know who he is And further to confirm, that all that I have ſaid is true, go up ſtairs to thy chamber, and thou ſhalt there find thy wife dead in her bed, of the ſwelling diſtemper in her throat.

Upon which the farmer in great ſurprizes running up ſtairs, found it true as the ſtranger had ſaid, and coming down ſtairs again found he was gone, then being more ſurprized then before, he went to the glaſs and to his great aſtoniſhment, found a croſs upon his forehead, which, when he beheld he cried out. Lord I believe, help thy ſervants unbelief. This made him think this fair ſtranger was an angel, who had told him all theſe wonders, upon which he praiſed the Lord and bleſſed his name for evermore. Then he call’d his ſervant about him, and ſent for ſeveral of his neighbours, to whom he related all that happened to him and ſhewed the croſs on his forehead to confirm that what he had ſaid was true; what they endeavoured to wipe out, but it could not be done: nevertheleſs, in ſome few hours after many had ſeen it it dwindled away till it was inviſible.

This wonder happened the 12 of June laſt, at night, and the truth thereof, is atteſted by ſeveral of William Edward’s neighbours, whoſe names are hereunto annexed, vis-

William Gold, miniſter,
Andrew Hails.
Elias Hill.
Stephen Shepherd.
William Hunt.
John Perkins.

FINIS