1639.] LADY BRILLIANA HARLEY. 47 you take in 2 spounefulls of cordus watter, when you finde yourself not well. xxxvII. To my deare sonne Mr Edward Harley, in Magdeline Hall, in Oxford. Deare Ned-On saterday last I reseued your letter by Mr. Braughtons man; it was wellcome to me. I hope this day Jones will be with you. My prayers are for your health, and I hope the Lord will be mercyfull to me in you, and as I may so say, to spare my Joseph to me. My deare Ned, nothinge can more pleas me then to haue a simpathy with you, thearefore not to knowe how it is with you would be a torter to me ; and when you are not well, sorrow is a thousand times more pleasing to me then to be merry. My deare Ned, if it pleases the Lord that you are still not well, looke vp to your God ; consider why He corrects ; it is to better vs, that we may see the euill of our ways, and finde how bitter sinn is, that has brought suchbitter thinges vponus, andhas, as we may say, altered Gods dealeing with vs; for the Lord delights to sheawe mercy; and we haue changed His tours, so that we infors the Lord to correct vs for our good; and deare Ned, this comfort we finde in afflictions, that then we tast howe good the Lord is, He then heares our prayers, and giues vs ease, and casts vs not of, howe weake, howe fainte, howe poore or misrabell so euer we are. To the glorry of my God be it spoken, such haue I founde Him to the poorest of all His seruants. My deare Ned, be carefull of yourself for my sake, and I hope your tutor will take care of you, or ells he deceaufs me. I long to heare of, you, and I pray God I may heare well of you; but, deare Ned, rwite me the truth, still howe you doo, or ells I can neuer be in any aschurance. Your father came well home on saterday last. I thanke God, he is very well. I am not sartaine wheather he will rwit to you or no. Your brothers and sisters are well. Mrs, Gower is brought to beed
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