ABSTRACT
ItpleasedGod,inmuchmercy,torestoremetostrengthtogotomyfulltime, mylabourbeginningthreedays;butupontheWednesday,theninthofDecember [1657],Ifellintoexceedingsharptravailingreatextremity,sothatthemidwifedid believeIshouldbedeliveredsoon.Butlo!itfelloutcontrary,forthechildstayed inthebirth,andcamecrosswithhisfeetfirst,andinthisconditioncontinuedtill Thursdaymorningbetweentwoandthreeo'clock,atwhichtimeIwasuponthe rackinbearingmychildwithsuchexquisitetorment,asifeachlimbweredivided fromother,forthespaceoftwohours,whenatlength,beingspeechlessand breathless,Iwas,bytheinfiniteprovidenceofGod,ingreatmercydelivered.ButI havinghadsuchsoretravailindangerofmylifesolong,andthechildcominginto theworldwithhisfeetfirst,causedthechildtobealmoststrangledinthebirth, onlylivingabouthalfanhour,sodiedbeforewecouldgetaministertobaptize him,althoughhewassentfor.{Andwhereitwasnotneglectedbyus,andthe meanscouldnotbehad,ItrustinthemerciesoftheLordforhissalvation,he requiringnomorethanhegives.Andhisinfinitegracewastomeinsparingmy soulfromdeath.Thoughmybodywastorninpieces,mysoulwasmiraculously deliveredfromdeath.}
Iwasdeliveredofmyfirstsonandfifthchildonthe1OthofDecember,1657.He wasburiedinCatterickchurchthesamedaybyMrSiddall.Thissweetgoodlyson
was turned wrong by the fall I got in September before, nor had the midwife skill to turn him right, which was the cause of the loss of his life, and the hazard of my own. { . . . going over the hall at Hipswell, my gown skirt wrapped about my feet and so twisted that I could not loose it before it cast me a desperate fall, which I fell upon my hands and knees to save my child ... September 14, 1657. My case was so ill that Dr Witty was sent for, who used all his art to preserve myself and the child, saying that I was with child of a son, he was confident, but should have difficult labour. He having used all his skill to preserve the stock, by the blessing of God I was preserved from death and marvellously restored to health and strength, being let blood and other remedies, which made me go to my full time.}
[After the birth] the weakness of my body was exceeding great, of long continuance, that it put me into the beginning of a consumption, 154 none expecting for many days together that I should recover; and when I did recruit a little, then a new trouble seized on me by the loss of blood, in the bleeding of the haemorrhoids every day for half a year together. Nor did I recover the lameness of my left knee for one whole quarter of a year, in which I could not touch the ground with it. This I got in my labour, for want of the knee to be assisted. But, alas! all these miseries was nothing to what I have deserved from the just hand of God, considering the great failings of my duties ... both as to God and man. And though I am not given over to any sinful enormous crimes which thousands are subject to, yet am I not pure in the sight of God, for there is none man that liveth and sinneth not. What cause therefore have I to cry out, 'Oh the height, the depth, the breadth, the length of the love of God, which had great compassion upon the weak handmaid of the Lord which was des tina ted to destruction, and did show me mercy in the land of the living.'
