out of Leicestershire: before he left us, my deare Uncle had gained the Love and Esteeme of all. I may here write an Inscription to the Memory of the late Mistresse Hampden, which my Lord did copy from her Tomb in the Church at Great Hampden, when he was last at that Place, the same appearing to me particularly suited to the Subject of the last pages of this Diary, wherein my Pen would faile, were I to attempt to describe her Excellence, or my own great Losse. To the eternal Memory of the truely Vertuous and Pius Elizabeth Hampden, Wife of John Hampden, the tender Mother of an happy Offspring in 9 hopefull Children: In her Pilgrimage the Staie and Comfort of her Neighbours, the Love and Glory of a well-ordered Family, the Delight and Happinesse of tender Parents, but a Crowne of Blessings to a Husband: In a Wife, to all an eternal Paterne of Goodnesse, and Cause of Joye whilst she was: In her dissolution a Losse unvaluable to each, yet herselfe blest, and they recompensed, in her Translation from a Tabernacle of Claye and fellowshipp with Mortalls to a celestiall Mansion and Communion with Deity, The 20th Day of August 1634. John Hampden, her sorrowful Husband, in perpetuall Testimony of his conjugal Love, hath dedicated this Monument. My Mother in a special manner did walke by Faith. In all Trouble she could say, It is good for me to be afflicted, it is the Lord, let him do what seemeth to him good: and in time of Prosperity and Gladnesse she forgot not the Giver of all Mercies, the Song of Thanksgiving and Prayse was in her Heart and on her Lippes: Scrupulous in the exact Performance of all her Duties, she regarded none as too insignificant to be done well: to the Poore she was a kind and bountifull Friend; and as Hampden sayth of his Wife, she was a Paterne 2 of Goodnesse, and Cause of Joy to all who knew her and the Lord permitted his aged Servant to depart in Peace. Blessed be his name! This Morning arose somewhat earlier than usuall, and felt the Benefit of so doing throughout the day: Mind comMarch 11, posed and strengthened. At five of the Clock my Thursday. Cousins Anne and Margaret arrived: seem warmhearted young Women, Anne grown into more Comelinesse than she appeared likely to do, two yeares since; Margaret lovely as a bright Morning in May, the calme Truthfulnesse of her Countenance brings to mind Spenser's Verses to the Memorie of his beloved Friend, A sweet attractive kind of Grace, The Lineaments of Gospell Bookes: the two last Lines escape my Memory. We sate round the Fire for the most part of the Evening: family News and country Gossip: and Anne eager to relate sundry Tales of Robin Hood, and marvellous Stories of Witch-craft and Fairielore, drawing down upon herselfe the grave Rebuke of the Chaplaine, to which she gave little heed. When retired to my Closet, could not forbeare contrasting my present State with that of these light-hearted Maidens: I have not seene many more Yeares than these have, and yet such Gaiety of Spirit is mine no more, the Hand of Care presseth heavily on the young Heart, which enters upon the troubled and carefull Path of domestic Life, and upon the Duties which appertaine unto the Mistresse of a Household, before it hath had time to enure itselfe to Hardships and Disappointments, or hath had Experience of its owne Weaknesse or its owne Powere: yet I would not repine; a deeper Well-spring of Joy hath beene open'd to me, though its Waters are mingled with Drops of Bitternesse. Some one sayth, our best Blessings are bought with Paine, as our highest Virtue through Sin and Sorrow: this may seeme a Mystery; but my Thoughts are not your Thoughts, nor my Ways your Ways, saith the Lord. Raise up and strengthen within me, O mercifull Father, that Faith in thy perfect Wisdom and Love as shall enable me to trust in thee to direct my Ways and lead me to obey thy Will as a little Child: blesse and protect my deare Husband, and keep him in the Way of Truth and Liberty: keep in Health and safety, O Lord, my precious little Ones, and uphold me in the Fulfillment of the several Duties committed to my Charge. The Nurserie a Scene of much Merriment this Morning. Anne at high Play with Di and Fanny, and MarMarch 24, garet with the Baby, who clapp'd her Hands and Wednesday. screamed with Delight. My Cousins are both good-tempered, lively Creatures, and I am vastly fond of them already, and they no lesse so of me and the Children. I tooke them over the House, and left them in the Long Gallery. They followed me after a while, bringing their Needlework, and I tooke my Embroidery, which has got on but slowly of late their lively talk made the Day passe pleasantly. After Dinner we walked down to the Village, calling at blind Betty's as we return'd. Lady Day. In the Steward's Room two or three Houres, paying out Wages and so forth, and looking over March 25, Armstrong's Bookes. The last yeare's Wool was Thursday. sold, the greater part thereof, to the Baize-maker at Colchester, at 24 Shillings the Tod, a better price than hath been payed of late. The Great Hall with its blazing Fire and the Women busy at their Spinning, ever and anon singing to the hum of the Wheels, was a Sight pleasant to look upon. Nancy did desire she might have a Wheel taken to the Parlour, much preferring making of Thread to using the same. Margaret is a notable Needle-woman: her Sister brought a bright blush to her Cheeke by some Query respecting a particular Piece of Needle-work in hand; and added, on perceiving the Effect she had produced, she had heard Sr. Erasmus de la Fountain much commend the delicate Paterne whereat poore Margaret attempted to look up unconcern'd, but was obliged to smile at her Sister's Pleasantry. I was discreet, and led the conversation back to the Spinning. The Days passe smoothly, yet Time seemeth very long since my deare Lord departed on his Journey. We heare no News. Armstrong will perchance gain some Tydings at Colchester and I must await his Return with such Patience I can Since my little Fanny's long Sicknesse I have continued the Habit of remaining by her at night, sometime after she is in Bed: these are seasons peculiarly sweet and soothing; there seemeth something holy in the Aire of the dimly lighted Chamber, wherein is no sound heard but the soft breathing of the sleeping Infant. I feel at such time as if brought nearer to the Divine Presence, and with every Care and busy Thought gathered into Silence, almost seeme as though admitted to the Company of the Angels who keepe their appointed Watch around the little Child: one desire only filling my Soul that my Children may grow up to walk in the Way of the Righteous: at such Moments too how clearly is perceiv'd and acknowledg'd the Claim of the Creator over the young Creature he hath formed: He hath breathed into it the Breath of Life, and made it a living Soule, and hath given it to a Mother's Keeping: she boweth herselfe before him, and receiveth from his hand this Pearle of great price, when the Lord maketh up his Jewels to be required of her againe. Sanctifie, O Lord, I beseech thee, these Houres of Stillnesse and Meditation to my Soule's eternal Good, and to the Fulfillment of thy holy Purpose towards us. Sitting with my two little Maidens in the Nurserie to-day, Baby asleep in the Cradle, and the Time drawing March 30, nigh for them to go to Bed, the way opened of sayTuesday. ing a few words to them on the subject of Prayer, and methought it strengthened my owne Faith as I brought to their Remembrance that Jesus Christ himselfe pray'd, and had told us to do so, and had taught us in what manner we should pray, also giving us Assurance that God would alwayes heare our Supplications, if offered in Humility and Faith: Herein should we find abiding Comfort and occasion of Thankfullnesse: Diana I thought, from the Expression of her Countenance, understood what was sayd. Fanny look'd and smiled and made some childish Remark, but possibly tooke some notion of what was meant. It is a teaching Lesson, the loving Sorte of Trust with which our Children listen: how carefull should we be that Nothing destroy this Confidence. When I came downe staires, met John in the Hall: he brought me a Letter, and had heard divers Reports. He had the good hap to fall in with Messengers on their road to the North, and accompanied them a mile or two on their. Way to gaine what Intelligence he could. When the Earle of Strafford was brought from the Tower, he was guarded by 200 of the Trainband on his way to Westminster Hall. Every day of the past weeke he was brought thus to and fro to the Triall. The King and Queene and the Prince proceeded to Westminster about 9 of the clock.: they sat in their private Closet, one being enclosed on each side of the Throne with Boards and hung with Arras, in order that the King might be present without taking Parte, untill such time as he should choose: neverthelesse he shortly brake downe with his own Hand the Trellis, and so sate in the eyes |