/ 
ACCOUNT OF BOOKS. ~ 
was not only to these, but to all the 
other prisoners that came into the 
Tower, as a mother. All the time 
she dwelt in the Tower, if any were 
sick she made them breths and res- 
toratives with her owne hands, vi- 
sited and tooke care of them, and 
provided them all necessaries; if 
any were aflicted she comforted 
them, so that they felt not the in- 
convenience of a prison who were 
in that place. She was not lesse 
bountifull to many poore widdowcs 
and orphats,whom officers of higher 
and lower rank had left behind 
them as Objects of charity. Her 
owne house was fill’d with distressed 
families of her relations, whom she 
supplied and maintain’d in a uoble 
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 principal! care. 
She, was a constant frequenter of 
weekeday lectures, and a great lo- 
ver and encourager of good minis- 
ters, and most dilligent in her pri- 
vate reading and devotions. 
‘© When my father was sick she 
was not satisfied with the attendance 
of all that were about him, but 
made herselfe his nurse, and cooke, 
and phisitian, and, through the bles- 
sing 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 pa- 
tience, 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 
yeare 1659. The privelledge of be- 
ing borne of and educated by such 
excellent parents, I have often re- 
4 
1109 
volv’d with greate thankfalnesse 
for the mercy, and humilliation that 
Ididno 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 tie 
nurse’s fancying, because I had 
more complexion and favour then is 
usuall in so young children, that L 
should not live, my mother becawe 
fonder of me, and more endeavour’d. 
to nurse me. As soone as I was 
wean’d a French woman was taken 
to be my die nurse, and I was 
taught to speake French and En- 
glish together. My mother, while 
she was with child of me, dreamt 
that she was walking in the garden 
with my father, and that a starre 
came downe into her hand, with 
other circumstances, which, though 
I haye often heard, I minded not 
enough to remember perfectly ; 
only my father told her, her dreame 
signified she should have a daughter 
of some extraordinary eminency 3; 
which thing, like such yain pro- 
phecies, wrought as farreasit could 
its own accomplishment : for my 
father and mother faucying me then 
beautifull, and more than ordinari- 
ly apprehensive, applied all their 
cares, and spar’d no cost to em- 
proove me in my education, which 
procur’d me the admiration of those 
that flatter’d my parents. by that 
time I was foure yeares old L read 
English perfectly, and having @ 
greate memory, 1 was carried to 
sermons, and while I was. very 
young could remember and repeate 
them so exactly, and being caress'd,, 
the love of praise tickled me, and 
made me attend more heedfully, 
When'I was about 7 yeares of age, 
T remember IL had att oye time 8 
4B3 tutors 
