In 1760, Lee was appointed to Epworth, the Anglican parish where John and Charles Wesley grew up.
"This winter we were invited to Newark-on-Trent. But we met with great opposition from riotous mobs encouraged by important men. On the 24th of March they took the pulpit out of the preaching house and burned it in the market place. I went back there on the 7th of April, with Mr and Mrs Pool. The preaching was to begin at 2 o'clock, but a large mob was there before I began. I prayed and preached a short sermon. Toward the end of my preaching, they threw a large quantity of eggs filled with blood, and sealed with pitch, which had a startling effect wherever they landed. when they had thrown all of them, they got even more agitated. We judged it best to send for the mayor. But instead of stopping the riot, he ordered me to appear before him. On our way to the main street, there was a deep, muddy drain. They attempted to push me into it. But I grabbed one of the mob and held him so tight they could not throw me in without him. When we got to the mayor's, he sent for the town-clerk. I showed them the Act of Toleration [An act of Parliament which allowed for dissenters--those who did not belong to the Church of England-- to worship without persecution; thus, Methodists, who DID belong to the Church of England, were definitely free to preach], and the certificate of my license, observing that I had done nothing which the law did not allow. After much discussion, our friends gave evidence agains three of the rioters, who were bound over to the assizes [quarterly criminal court for serious crimes].
"As there were thousands of the mob in the streets, I asked the mayor to send an officer to guard me. He said he would go himself. He did, but only as far as the gate and when I stepped out, he retreated back inside. I was immediately surrounded, and they began to throw mud, dirt clods, and stones. They kept this up until we got back to the preaching house. Our friends decided that we would not be safe there, so they advised me to mount my horse and gallop through the mob, which I tried to do. But some of the mob held the gate shut and others beat my horse so violently that I thought it would be best to dismount and go the back way. But the mob was there also and beat me and the mare, and when I tried to mount, they pulled me back and the mare got away from me. Then they dragged me along, sometimes on my feet and sometimes on the ground, to bank of the Trent, swearing they would throw me in. But they could not agree on this and so they dumped water all over me. A painter then came with his pot and brush and laid it on me thick. They still surrounded me, throwing dirt and beating me until I could barely move. They told me they would let me go if I would agree nevre to return, but I could not do that. Just then a man came, cursing, swearing, and threatening, offended it seemed by their actions. Most of them then left me and ran off."
Part 6 will be the last of Thomas Lee, and will deal with the trial of those responsible for this disturbance.
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