15 she comforted them, so that they felt not the inconvenience of a. prison who were in that place. She was not ]esse bountifull to many poore widdowes and orphans, whom officers of higher and lower rank had left behind them as obj ects of charity. Her owne house was fill'd with distressed famili es of her relations, whom she supplied and maintain'd in a nobl e way. The care of the worship and service of God, both in her soule and her house, and the education of her children, was her principall care . She was a constant frequenter of weekeday lectures, and a greate lover and encourager of good ministers, and most dilligent in her private reading and devotions. "When my father was sick she was not sa tisfied with the attendance of all that were about him, but made herselfe his nurse, and cooke, and phisitian, and, through the blessing of God and her indefatigable labours and watching, preserv'd him a greate while longer then the phisitians thought it possible for his nature to hold. out. At length when the Lord tooke him to rest she.shew'd as much humility and patience, under that greate change, as moderation and bounty in her more plentifull and prosperous condition, and died in my house at Owthorpe, in the county of Nottingham, in the yearc 1659. The privelledge of being borne of and educated by such excellen t parents, I have often revolv'd with greate thankfull-- nesse for the mercy, and humilliation that I did no more emproove it. After my mother had had 3 sons she was very desireous of a daughter, and when the weomen. at my birth told her I was one, she receiv'd me with a greate deale of ioy ; and the nurses fancying, because I had more complexion and t~wour then is usuall in so young children, that I should not live, rn y mother became fonder of me, and more endeavour'd to nurse me. As soone as I was wean'd a F rench woman was taken to be my dric nurse, and I was taught to speake French and English toge ther. My mother, while she was with child of me, dreamt that she was 1ralking in the ga rden· with my father, and that a starre came down into her hand, with
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