"two sommers to doe the field flowers. and at last all that I could come by
delighting much in there severall shaps and coullers. and though I was
somthing curious to please my selfe in doing them according to the life as
much as I could. whereby it was hard. yet the more pleasant. and I found the
more the labour was the more it kept me from those thoughts which was
hurtfull to mee according to the use many times of surgions and phisitions.
which divert the
humers
some other way that the may not spend themselves at
one accostamed place to endanger the health or soundnesse of the body. but
my sister delighted not to imploy her selfe this way.
but many times sat
musing whereby I suppose she suffered the more both in mind and body. though
my Brother and my selfe perswaded her by all meanes
wee could thinke of both
foule and faire. that she would
but after this a yere for now
she could not
strive
and not give way to make her selfe
worse by doeing. nothing therefore I
pleased [me]
prevaled
with her many times to doe
somthing and
which \yet/ other whiles
when she would be more ready to doe then myselfe and would goe faster.
I could heare her sing betimes in
mornings
'[at the orch]' deleted after
'mornings'.
before I was
up which rejoyced my hart to hear. walking in the orchard a year or 2
after this: my
mother sed to rise betimes and sing
*though she could not goe so well *praires
to walke abroad |
I so imployed my selfe with goeing a broad to
gather and worke the flowers. which I confesse made me the worse Neigbour.
and I omited both the pleasure and the profit of the company. not onely of
the good and des[c]ret which is the greatest benefit we \can/ make of wealth
to be better furnished with wisdome and goodnesse then others. but also of
the poore. for thy hand O Lord is not shortened towards them. who though they
have lesse in quantity have as much or more in content. and many times in
those poore cottages there inhabits as rich soules as in more statly
building. for these litle ones of good hope may be as deare in thy sight
though they have not that measure of knowledge as others, which though use
may be made of it yet without thy santifying grace
or neither can good use
be made of it without thy santifying grace etc which avileth to our [sol]
it
avileth not to our salvation.
and now doth come into my mind the saying of S paul. looke not every man
on his owne things, \only/ but every man also on the things of other men.
\phil. 2.4/ for \I find/ by goeing amongst the poore accation of good may
be offered. for wee see-ing there content. and what shift they make with
little \we/ may be \the/ more thankfull to thee for much. and that thereby
imparting to those that need praise may be given to thee and our selves
bettered by there praiers for us \II cor 9/ I remember one day being with
my Aunt Isham: she suffering many afflictions both
of poverty and \[with]/
loseing the strength of her limbes I told her for my part. I would not wish
my selfe young againe