A Covenanter's Narrative. 153 



an chamber when she came to my bed side, when she might 

 get access to wait upon me. For a christian gentlewoman 

 came to me in prison when I was sick, and offered me a 

 hartsome chamber if I obtained Hberty to come out ; so Pro- 

 vidence had maid it ready ; where I was well accommodate, 

 and had hartsome company, for all the family was like 

 brethrein together. The people of God came flocking to me 

 daily, both ministers and christian men and women, so altho 

 I was in an uncoth place where I had never been before, yet 

 the Lord provided me in kindly and christian company. So 

 all my dispositions smiled on me in me mercie and loving 

 kindness. And then my wife grew very sick, so that our 

 many beholders knew not whom of us would be first dead, but 

 I was feared myself that it would be she. But it pleased 

 the Lord our God to recover us both. But when I was 

 something recovered and had goten some strength so that I 

 would have risen ance a day and sitting up a while in the 

 afternoon, then the Lord laid his hand upon me again, upon 

 the second sabath of May in time of sermon, my wife being 

 at the Kirk ; so that I was sore pained in my bellie, back and 

 left side, so that I had no part I doucht ly on. But my wife 

 was wearied sitting up under my head. I feared to grow 

 impatient my pain was such, whereby the Lord my God gave 

 me to see what I was and what I would have done . 

 through all the rest of my sufferings and sickness, while the 

 Lord my God had not borne my weight and burthen and 

 helpit, strengthened, and supportit me both in spirit and body 

 under it ; and did let me see also my unthankfulness for the 

 same [when] so sma [a sickness] ... of short con- 

 tinuance, which lastit but five or six days, had almost made 

 me miscarry and be impatient ; whereas I felt nothing to call 

 pain all the rest of my former and long sickness, when Flesh 

 and Blood and vStrength went from me. 



" It pleased the Lord to ease my pain something and 

 would not break a bruised reed, when my wife went home 

 anent necessary business, and my daughter^'^ Helen was come 

 to wait on me. And when my wife had gone about some of 



47 The only child of his second marriage. 



