Born prematurely on 18 December 1707 in Epworth, he lay silent, wrapped in soft wool, for his first two months of life. When he was a toddler, the parsonage burned and the Wesleys narrowly escaped. Samuel Wesley divided his time between literary London and the parishes of Epworth and Wroot. In London he collaborated with his brother-in-law John Dunton on the "Athenian" projects and published long biblical works in Latin and English. Familiar with disasters and debt, in Epworth he relied heavily on the management and spirit of his wife. Susanna Wesley provided her many children with their early education and her absent husband's parishioners with spiritual guidance. Competent in Latin, she presided over the schoolroom for six hours each day and led Bible study and prayer meetings in the kitchen. The scholarship and piety of her children are to her credit.
When Charles Wesley was nine he was sent to Westminster School, where he lived with his eldest brother, Samuel. In 1721 he became a King's Scholar and, in 1725, captain of the school. The following year he joined his brother John at Christ Church, Oxford, placing first among the Westminster candidates and earning a studentship. Charles was a brilliant student, held in high regard by his contemporaries.
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