render without a fight—as mere passengers they should not have had a voice in the matter—and in the engagement which took place, one half were killed, almost all the remainder wounded, and they were obliged to surrender.
When the sad news reached us, I returned thanks to God with my whole heart for his having refused to me and mine what had been so ardently desired. Oh! my dear children, learn to place your trust in that Providence which will preserve you, even in spite of ourselves, if you will only trust in it. What a comfort it is to be able to realize that we are under the especial care of so wise, so powerful and so benevolent a Guide, one who only refuses to our prayers that which he knows would be prejudicial to us.
In the month of June, 1711, Peter was ready to enter college. Dr. Hall was to be his tutor, and he with the greatest kindness and generosity declined receiving the usual fees with him. He did the same by Moses and Francis when they went to college, by which I consider he made me a present of £35 or £36. In addition to this he procured a room for them free of rent and charges, which would have amounted to £27 more, and all this from pure benevolence and generosity, for we had never done any thing to deserve such kindness at his hands.
About this time. Lord Wharton being now the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, an order was received instructing him to dispatch all the regiments that were in Ireland to Spain. In examining the troops, it was found that a great many sons of officers had been entered, who were mere children, therefore, before sending the regiments abroad, the Lord Lieutenant struck off the roll all under sixteen years of age, as too young for service. He was a little too fond of money, and he availed
