me but blessed blessed blessed bee the Lord my God who hath not leâ—t me comfortlesse but like a good shepheard hath he brought mee into a place of rest euen to the sweet running waters of life that flow out of the Sanctuary of God and he hath lead me into the greene pastures where I am fed and exceedingly comforted yea hee hath restored my soule and lead me into the plaine and easie paths of righteousnesse The way that now I goe in is a sweet and easie way strowed with flowers and as a fine sandie way yea it is more easie and soft than the sand for I goe and tread vpon wheat euen vpon the finest flower of wheate Oh blessed be the Lord O blessed be the Lord that hath thus comforted me and hath brought me now to a place more sweet vnto me than the Garden of Eden Oh the ioy the ioy the delight some ioy that I feele Oh how wonderfull how wonderfull how wonderfull is this ioy O praise the Lord for his mercies and for this ioy which my soule feeleth full well praise his name for euermore And these praises of God she soundeth foorth like Dauids harmonie being indued with Dauids spirit to the praise of the eternall and mercifull God continuing all night in such like prayers and prayses to God except some small time that shee was silent and quiet Master Harrison prayed twice with her that euening as also in the morning being Whitsunday After hee had prayed once with her going then toward his publike charge shee sent for him to pray once more with her before he went which he did to the ioy and gladnesse of heart both of her and all that were present and so hee tooke leaue of her and departed Another faithfull man or two came presently in the morning and diuers other well affected who were with her at the time of her death and often prayed with her that forenoone shee still abounding in spirituall comforts and consolations sometimes as one awaking out of sleepe she would say the Lord was her keeper and deliuerer Againe one saying vnto her the Lord blesse you Yea said she and the Lord Iesus blesse vs all And so seeming to sleepe a little while and awaking againe shee said Lord I trust in thee haue mercy vpon me giue me strength to praise thee defend and preserue me in the houre of tentation and lay no more vpon mee than thou wilâ— enable me to beare Afterwards being asked if shee would haue them ioyne in prayer together againe with her O yes said shee for Christs sake I desire it saying thus to her selfe Heare O Lord and haue mercy vpon me Lord bee thou my helper thou hast loosed my sacke and girded me with gladnesse therefore will I praise thee O Lord my God I will giue thanks to thee for euermore With that all that were present did ioyne in prayer with her and in conclusion â—sing the Lords prayer which she said with them to thine is thy kingdome her strength then being gone her tongue failed her and so shee lay silent for a while euery one iudgeing her then to be neere death her strength and speech failing her yet after a while lifting vp her eyes with a sweet countenance and still voyce said My warfare is accomplished and my iniquities are pardoned Lord whom haue I in Heauen but thee and I haue none in earth but thee my flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer He that preserueth Iacob and defendeth his Israel he is my God and will guide me vnto death guide mee O Lord my God and suffer me not to faint but keepe my soule in safetie And with that she presently fell asleepe in the Lord passing away in peace without any motion of body at all and so yeelded vp the Ghost a sweet Sabbaths sacrifice about foure of the clocke in the afternoone on Whitesunday being the last of May 1601. This was the death of that vertuous Gentlewoman happily dying in the Lord and reaping the benefit of a holy profession wherein wee cannot but acknowledge and reuerence the mercie of God who in our greatest infirmitie makes his grace to shine most clearely A sure testimony of the truth of our profession seruing to incourage vs therein and to moue vs to a godly life It must 〈◊〉 be a diuine Religion and a truth comming from God that thus can 〈◊〉 the heart and mouth of a weake woman at the time of death with such admirable comfort And a wretched conceit and meâ—re Antichristian is that religion which so hateth and persecuteth this faith which is thus able to leade the true-hearted professors thereof with such vnspeakable peace vnto their graues Her funerall was accomplished at Childwall Church on Wednesday following being the third of Iune 1601. And now for conclusion seeing this blessed Gentlewoman is taken from among vs and receiued into the holy habitations of the heauenly Jerusalem there to remaine in ioy glory and blessednesse for euermore let vs lament for our losse but reioyce for her gaine and let vs pray that in heare wee could as willingly wish to bee with her as she is now vnwilling to be with vs. Salomon saith The memory of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Prou. 10. 7. FINIS 2 Sam. 18. 19 20. Gen. 37. 3. 1 Sa. 30. 4. Ioh. 1â— 19. Nazianz. Monod Baâ—ilii Ier. 9. 〈◊〉 Psal. 11. 2. Mat. 16. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Stapleford Gen. 34. 1. â—â—a 1. 9 1â— Psal. 84. 10. 2 Ki. 22. 19. Psal. 16. 3. Heb. 11. 25. 2 Tim. 3. 6 7. Act. 17 11 12. Anna Brettergh Ps. 120. 5. * Iohn Wright intoâ—â—squier Richard Orme Raph Heaton c. and many 〈◊〉 Mat. 5. 44. Iob. 1. 5. Gen. 33. 3 4. 1 Sam. 14. 17 18. Ge. 24. 63. Exo. 13. 13. Psal. 16. 4. Ephes. 5. 3. Iudg. 6. 31 32. Eccles. 4. 25. 28. Phil. 2. 20. 〈◊〉 Dâ—â— â—â—01 Isai. 54. 〈◊〉 May 23. May 25. M. William Brettergh Master Will. Fox M. Edward Aspinwall M. Iohn Brettergh Mistris Maâ—d Brettergh Mistris Scholastica Fox William Woodward Elizabeth Challoner Will. Fox Mark 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cor. 8. 12. William Brettergh Iohn Brettergh Edward Aspinwall William Woodwaad Isai. 40. 1 2. 28. 29 30 31. Isai. 41. 8 9 10. 13. 14. 17. 18. Isai. 4â— 1. 8. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 13. 14. 15. 16. Isai. 43. 1. 2. 5. 15. Mat. 11. 28. Iob 31. c. Ier. 20. 14. Iob 6. 4. 8. 9. Iob. 16. 9. Lament 3. c. Psal. 6. 3. Psal. 38. 4. c. Psal. 71. 7. Psal. 77. 1. 7. c. Psal. 51. 5. Psal. 102. 〈◊〉 c. Rom. 7. 24. Mat. 27. 46. Mat. 26. 38. Hob. 5. 7. May â—6 Fox Actâ— and Mon. p. 1â—04 61. pag. 19â—8 * Francis the Monke one of the ten popish persons conuerted in France An. Dom. 1601. See Hasen Miller historia Iesâ—itica who sets downe certaine examples of the Iesuites to this purpose Iohn Bruen Esquire William Brettergh Will. â—oâ— Iohn Brettergh William Woodward Iohn Holland Maud Brettergh Scholastica Fox 1 Pet. 4. 17. 18. Iohn Holland William Brettergh William Woodward * Richard Orme Iohn Holland William Brettergh Will. Woodword Will. Foâ— Reuel 21. 6 William Brettergh Will. Fox Psal. 119. 71. 72. William Brettergh M 〈…〉 Brettergh William Brettergh 〈◊〉 8. 15. Will. Fox Maij 30. William Brettergh Maud Brettergh Elizabeth Challoner Psal. 107. 8 9. â—â—ai â—7 1. Psalm 103. 1 〈◊〉 3 4. Psal. 144. 3. Psal. 8. 4. Isai. 54. 8. Psalm 16. 5. 9. 11. Iudg. 5. 3. Psal. 16. 6. Exo. 30. â—3 Râ—vel 8. 4. M. William Fox William Brettergh Will. Fox Will. Woodward Will. Fox Psal. 27. 1 3 Deut. 4. 31. Psal. 27. 13. Psal. 108. 1. Psal. â—2 1 2 William Brettergh Cant. 1. 1. Will. Fox Psal. â—7 8. 9. William Brettergh Psal. 31. 5. William Woodward Mat. 11. 25 William Fox Psal. 139. 1â— William Brettergh Iob 19. â—5 â—6 â—7 M. William Harrison William Brettergh Will. Fox Iohn Brettergh William Woodward Psalm 23. 2. 3. Psal. 147. 14. William Brettergh William Woodward M. Edward Aspinwall Will. Fox William Brettergh Iohn Brettergh William Woodward Mistris Maud Brettergh Mistris Scholastica Fox Elizabeth Challoner and diuers moâ— Psalm 30. 10 11 12. Isai. 40. 〈◊〉 Psalm 73. 25. 26.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND DEATH OF MISTRIS KATHERIN BRETTERGH LATE wife of Master WILLIAM BRETTERGH of Bretterghoult in the Countie of Lancaster Gentleman With the manner of a bitter conflict shee had with Satan and blessed conquest by CHRIST before her death to the great glory of God and comfort of all beholders MICHA 7. 8. Reioyce not against me O mine enemies though I fall I shall rise againe And when I sit in darkenesse the Lord shall be a light vnto me PSALM 37. 37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON 1634. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER grace and peace in IESVS CHRIST VVHen Achimaaz the sonne of Zadoc requested that he might be the messenger to bring Dauid word of Absoloms death Ioab would not suffer him Thou shall not saith he be the messenger to day but thou shalt carry newes another time but to day thou shalt carry none for the Kings sonne is dead He knew Dauids affection was such that the newes of his childes death would bee most heauie to him and the messenger himselfe not welcome for his message sake This is all our infirmity no tidings more grieuous to us then when wee heare of the death of those whom wee loue The Parent bewailes his Childe the Husband his Wife the Friend laments the death of his Friend and wee thinke it the losse of another friend to depart with this our griefe Iacob mourned for Ioseph his sonne that hee would not bee comforted of a long season but thought hee would weepe for him as long as he liued When the Amalekites had burned Ziklag and led away captiue the mens wiues and their children Dauid and his campany wept till they could weepe no more When Lazarus died his sisters Martha and Mary were much discomforted for him So heauie a thing wee see it is to bee seuered for a time from those that are deare vnto us One onely thing there is which is able in this case much to temper our affections when we see our friend to die in the Lord that is in comfort of conscience and assurance of saluation through Christ. This blessed departure God giues to many for diuers good purposes First that the world may know that peace is the end of the iust and comfort in death is the portion of the righteous Secondly That his eternall truth in our holy profession may appeare to bee able to comfort us not only in our life but in our death also when all other comforts forsake vs. Thirdly that our enemies may see our faith is not in vaine Fourthly that the weake by their example may be encouraged to a holy life when they see it bring with it so happy a death and that they may be strengthened against the feare of death seeing it is alwayes comfortable to those that lead a godly life Fifthly and finally that the friends of the departed by their heauenly departure may be admonished not to mourne so much for their death as to reioyce for their life and to thanke God that euer it was their lot in any degree to be ioyned or matched with so blessed seruants of God This Gentlewoman Mistresse Katherine Brettergh was one of this number her life as long as God continued it was deere to those among whom she was as the life of a friend might be Her husband friends kinsfolks brethren sisters and all the godly that knew her enioyed a great blessing of God of her and her death no doubt was grievous to her husband as the death of a vertuous yokefellow This is the thing I thought with profit might bee presented to the view of other also that knew her not for when I had for my owne priuate vse and the vse of my friends faithfully collected out of the fresh memories of those that were present and eie-witnesses as well as my selfe and set downe the manner of her sicknesse and death I considered that the knowledge thereof could not but bee welcome to all those that desire to dye the death of the righteous And so the same causes that moued me to collect it gaue mee also occasion to publish it I remembred the saying of one That it is is great piety to set forth the vertues of the departed if they haue excelled therein yea it is a meanes to encrease grace in our selues I thought so great mercie of God shewed to one among vs ought not to be forgotten but should remaine to us and our children an example to teach vs how good God is to them that loue him and to assure vs that he will neuer forsake vs but in like manner as he did her helpe and comfort vs when we shall by death be called vnto him I considered the vngodly and vncharitable tongues of the Papists abiding in our Country who since her death haue not ceased to giue it out that she died despairing and by her comfortlesse end shewed that she professed a comfortlesse Religion Wherein they bewray their malice and madnesse and shew themselues of what generation they are euen a people saith Ieremie which bend their tongues like bowes for lies and as Dauid saith make ready their arrowes to shoot at them which are vpright in heart And lastly when I remembred the censure giuen by our Sauiour Christ of the woman that powred costly oyntment on his head a little before his Passion though some of his Disciples vniustly blamed her for the same saying What needed this wast yet he himselfe did not only excuse her for that fact saying shee did it to bury him but also commanded that wheresoeuer the Gospell should bee preached throughout the world there also that which shee had done should bee spoken of for a memoriall of her Euen so seeing this vertuous Gentlewoman hath been vniustly accused by some popish persons I thought it â—it that she should not onely be iustly excused but also that a true history of her holy life and Christian death should be now published in print as a briefe history to be seene and read for a memoriall of her I had no other odours wherewith to embalme her I am but the penman the thing it selfe was her owne wrought in her by the spirit of diuine prouidence the which God grant that we may all imitate Amen The holie Life and Christian Death of Mistris KATHERIN BRETTERGH THis Gentlewoman was borne in Cheshire the daughter of Iohn Breuen of Breuenstapleford Esquire well descended and of an ancient House Her education before her mariage was such as became the profession of the Gospell in godlinesse and purity of life and Religion and well beseemed the house where shee was brought up The Scriptures shee knew from a childe and by reading thereof gained such knowledge that shee was able readily to apply them when occasson was offered as we may see at the time of her death and that so fitly and effectually that shee seemed
wretched a forsaken woman and such like pitifull complaints against her selfe with teares continually trickling from her eyes She complained of grieuous thirst such as all the water in the sea could not quench and yet when drinke was giuen her sometimes refused it sometimes tooke a very little of it swâ—at burst out vpon her exceedingly and sometime her body burned extreamely So it seemed the sorrowes of death hemm'd her in and the griefes of hell laid hold vpon her Sometimes she was very dull in prayer and once when shee should haue said Leade vs not into tentation shee made a stop saying I may not pray I may not pray being interrupted as she said by Satan and so shewed much discomfort howbeit she was not â—â—fe till â—â—e could both pray and make confession of her faith with speciall application to her selfe Besides these â—â—ry darts of Satan she was once or twice troubled with vaine speeches as of her childe the killing of her husbands cattell that shee thought shee saw a â—â—re by her c. But euery one saw that these things proceeded of weaknesse emptinesse of her head and want of sleepe which her disease would not affoord her These â—its though they were for the time grieuous to her selfe and discomfortable to her friends yet were they neither long nor continuall but in the very middest of them would shee oftentimâ—â— giue testimony of her faith striuing and fighting against her tentations Many times when the â—landers by iudged her afflictions at the sharpest would shee call vpon God lifting vp her eyes and hands to heauen and desire him to giue her strength against her tentations Many times with a cheerefull countenance she would desire those that were by not to faint or to giue her ouer but constantly to pray and helpe her against the tempter Once in the midd'st of her tentation being demanded by Master William Fox whether she did beleeue the promises of God or no and whether she could pray she answered O that I could I would willingly but hee will not let me Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe which she pronounced with a still voyce And when he replied that if she had a desire to pray and beleeue she did pray and beleeue and that so effectually that hell gates should not ouercome her according to that of the Apostle God accepteth it according to that a man hath not according to that a man hath not she was much comforted thereby Once after a great conflict with Satan she said Satan reason not with me I am but a weake woman if thou haue any thing to say say it to my Christ he is my advocate my strength and my redeemer and he shall pleade for me Sometimes when she was afflicted with the accusation of her sinnes and want of feeling Gods mercy she would with many a pitifull sob and much weeping pray to the Lord Iesus Christ to helpe and comfort her a poore wofull distressed woman and requested others to pray for her And when shee was mooued to make confession of her faith she would doe it oftentimes saying the Apostles Creed and concluding the same with words of application to her selfe I beleeue the remission of my sinnes the resurrection of my body and eternall life to me Amen And hauing done shee would pray God to confirme her in that â—aith euer concluding with the Lords prayer as deuoutly and reuerently as any that were present A Christian friend who by his dayly attendance on her discharged the duty of a faithfull Christian standing by told her that no tentation had be fallen her but that which appertained to the childe of God and that God is faithfull and true and had promised to giue an issue with the tentation whereas she expressed great comfort Master Edward Aspinwall a faithfull professour of the truth and a true Israeliâ—e was much with her in the time of her sicknesse and ministred much heauenly instruction vnto her and comforted her at all times with apt places of Scripture meeting with her temptations and so put the sword of the spirit into her hand He propounded to her the most plentifull comforts of God vnto his Church in the 40 41 42 and 43. Chapters of Isaiah vttered in such speeches and phrases aâ— might most fitly answere her discomforts Also he directed her to consider the Passion and Prayer of our Sauiour Christ for all his Iohn 17. Matth. 26. Luke 22. 23. But especiall did hee often iâ—culcate that sweet inuitation of our Sauiour Come vnto me all you that trauell and be heauy laden I will â—ase you But the difficulty she had sometimes to apply these generals vnto her owne soule in particular made the ease more full of anguish to her felfe and fearefull and lamentable to the standers by Albeit shee acknowledged Gods Maiesty mercy faithfulnesse and truth yet still complained she of her owne weaknesse and vnworthinesse and could hardly appropriate each thing to her selfe To helpe her somewhat herein for properly otherwise it is the peculiar worke of the holy Spirit of God to perswade the heart and soule of her particular interest in these generall promises she was told that the Almighty who was mercifull as she had proued and faithfull as she confessed intended all these mercies to as many as hee did call and make promise to And that hee called her shee must needes confesse both because that then shee not onely her selfe read but hard others reade those blessed words of God vnto her and also for that in former times she had been touched with the loue of God and that his truth and had well profited in the detestation of sinne and imitation of her Sauiour in a holy life And for the proofe thereof shee was wished to remember in former times her Baptisme her frequenting of Sermons and often receiuing the most comfortable repast of the holy Communion her dayly and almost continuall exercise of reading meditating and praying c. Also hee assured her that neither the present agony she was in nor the speeches thâ—n in that distresse tending to the signification of despaire extorted from her were any iust causes why either she or any that heard her should iudge fearefully of her because all might see the fault was not in her will as appeared by her prayers confessions plaints sighs teares and grones to God for mercie and full assurance in the blood of Christ but in her iudgement not able at that time to discerne the wayes of the Almighty And therein he told her she was made conformable not onely to many the holy Saints of God Iob Ieremy Dauid and others more but also to her head our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus of whom wee reade that some have cursed the day of their birth and called for their end and darknesse to couer them They haue beene as men without hope and swallowed vp in despaire They haue cried how the wrath of God hath torne
so you dishonour God and destroy your owne soule Againe shee said Let my little Childe bee brought vp among the Children of God and in the true feare and knowledge of his Maiesty so shall I meete her in heauen whom now I must leaue behinde me on earth Againe sometime she would pray with a low voyce to her selfe and that saying of Paul Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare any more but the Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba father was much in her mouth and the last words Abba father she would double oftentimes ouer She would sing to her selfe the last verse of the 13. Psalme I will giue thankes vnto the Lord and praises to him sing Because he hath heard my request and granted my wishing Finally in these and such like exercises and meditations did she spend the whole time of her sicknesse after the Lord had once enlarged her heart from the tentations of Satan But vpon Saturday about eleuen of the clocke in the morning the Lord disclosed himselfe in mercy to her more plentifully than euer before and as I may say hee dealt familiarly with his handmaid for from that time to her very death which ensued the next day the feeling of Satans tentations seemed quite to be banished from her so that she made no shew of them her thoughts were not occupied with the world husband childe or any thing else to our thinking neither was her sickenesse troublesome to her as before it had beene but as one raised from death to life or rauished in spirit so seemed shee to vs that stood by her countenance ioyfull her tongue flowing with the praises of God and her voyce as most heauenly musicke and melody of peace sounding praise and honour and glory to God in a wonderfull manner as followeth About eleuen of the clocke shee began to tremble and quake a little and withall shee asked her husband if he would helpe her with prayer to God against the tempter saying will yee neither pray with me nor bring some godly man that may put holy things into my minde whereby I may bee able to resist Satan hauing thus said shee vttered these words O Lord God of my saluation helpe my weaknesse plead thou my cause O God of truth for in thee doe I trust After this they prayed together and shee answered Amen to euery petition Then after this shee required him to reade some part of the Scripture whereupon hee read vnto her the 8. to the Romans the 91. Psalme and the 17. of Iohn the which as he read and came to the fourth verse I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to doe and now glorifie me She desired him to pause a while and then said Blessed be thy name O blessed Sauiour perfect the worke I humbly beseech thee which thou hast begun in me Then as he read the 9. verse I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me for they are thine she interrupted him againe saying O Lord Iesu dost thou pray for me O blessed and sweet Sauiour How wonderfull how wonderfull how wonderfull are thy mercies Reade on said shee the blessedst reading that I euer heard the comfort whereof doth sweeten my soule Then reading verse the 22. And the glorie which thou gauest me I haue giuen them that they may be one as we are one With maruellous ioy she vttered the words of Dauid many times ouer I confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men for hee hath satisfied my soule and filled my hungry soule with goodnesse When he came to the 24. verse Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen mee Stay said shee and let mee meditate on the goodnesse of the Lord for this is the sweetest saying that euer came to my soule for now I perceiue and feele the countenance of Christ my redeemer is turned towards me and the bright-shining beames of his mercy is spread ouer me Oh happie am I that euer I was borne to see this blessed day Praise O praise the Lord for his mercies for hee hath brought mee out of darkenesse and the shadow of death he hath deliuered my soule from the snare of the hunter aâ—â— hath taken me out of the denne of Lions euen from the iawes of Leuiathan that piercing and crooked serpent and hath set me in a place of rest and sweet refreshing Oh praise the Lord O my soule all that is within mee praise his holy name my soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits which forgiueth all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities which hath redeemed thy life from the graue and crowneth thee with mercy and compassion This shee often repented And then againe remembring the 21. and 22. verses of the 17. of Iohn shee said O my sweet Sauiour shall I be one with thee as thou art one with thy Father And wilt thou glorifie mee with that glory which thou haddest with the Father before the world was And doest thou so loue me which am but dust and ashes to make me partaker of glory with Christ What am I poore wretch that thou art so mindefull of me Oh how wonderfull how wonderfull how wonderfull is thy loue Oh thy loue is vnspeakable that hast dealt so graciously with mee oh I feele thy mercies and oh that my tongue and heart were able to sound forth thy praises as I ought and as I willingly would doe oh that you all would helpe me to praise the holy one of Israel the God of all consolations And thus for the space of fiue houres together at the least she continued praising and lauding the Lord with such a gladsome and heauenly countenance testifying such inward ioy from a comfortable feeling of the mercies of God in her soule and vsing such sweet sentences and sugred phrases of perfect and holy eloquence as the truth thereof if it could haue beene taken were admirable continuing so many houres together some part whereof was this O my Lord oh my God blessed bee thy name for euermore which hast shewed me the path of life Thou didst O Lord hide thy face from me for a little season but with euerlasting mercy thou hast had compassion on me And now blessed Lord thy comfortable presence is come yea Lord thou hast had respect vnto thy handmaid and art come with fulnesse of ioy and abundance of consolations O blessed be thy name O Lord my God Then shee repeated part of the 16. Psalme saying The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth Thou wilt shew mee the path of life In thy presence is fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore Oh that I could therefore praise the Lord as he is worthy to be
to haue made them her dayly meditation For the things of this world shee was moderate and sober and by her Christian life and death shee might teach many Gentlewomen how vaine the pleasures and fashions of this World are and how farre vnable to bring that peace to a distressed heart that the embracing of true Religion can Shee used not to gaâ— abroad with wandring Diâ—ah to â—â—ncing grâ—enes markets or publike assemblies but rather with Hannah did chuse to tread vpon the dust of the Sanctuary and walke in the waies of Sion yea with Dauid rather to be a doore-keeper in the house of God than to haue society with the wicked or to dwell in the tents and tabernacles of the vngodly The Sabbath day was alwaies deere and welcome to her what time shee would not be without the Word preached though many times she went farre for it Her delight was still to consecrate it glorious to the Lord. And as it is said of Iosiah his heart melted when hee heard the Law so may it be said of her her heart was so tender and full of compassion that oftentimes she was scene to heare Sermons reade pray and meditate with teares Shee made conscience of all slaue yea of the least sinne such as worldlings count no sinne shee neuer vsed to sweare oath great nor small nor yet to abuse her tongue with vaine or vnseemely speeches no not so much as a iest-lye or immodest word neither durst shee name the Name of GOD or take his titles in her mouth without great reuerence In priuate speech where shee might speake with profit shee did it so well that her speeches might haue beene deliuered by a stronger vessell then her selfe her words being so well seasoned and proceeding from such a sanctified heart did alwaies minister grace to the hearers To reade to pray to sing to meditate was her dayly exercise and her chiefest delight was in the holy society of the Saints vpon earth which I say not for any cause but only to shew the fountaine from whence her godly end flowed and that the World may see some there be which chuse rather to bee ioyned with the people of God than to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and these I doubt not haue chosen the better part Finally the precepts of the Lord were precious vnto her for from her childehood she feared God and walked before him both knowledge and sanctification did ioyne in her the fruites and effects whereof did appeare in her life and was seene at her death to the glory of God and comfort of all beholders She was not like the simple Popish women of our dayes which are euer learning and neuerable to come to the knowledge of the truth but rather like the Noble men and women of Berea which receiued the Word of God with readinesse and were able to discerne of Paul and Silas preaching But why doe I speake of Popish women whose vnderstandings are darker than the darkenesse of Egypt Let vs come and examine many other which seeme to detest Poperie and aske them a reason of their faith they can tell you a tale of their ruffes and their pride and their vanity but for Religion it is the least thing they regard or seeke to know which I speake not so much to solace my selfe in the sinnes and simplicitie of others as earnestly desiring all Gentlewomen that either knew this holy Saint of God or hereafter shall heare of her in stead of your glasses at home wherein you pricke and prune and pinne your selues to looke into this glasse before your eyes that so her life and death may bee an example for you to follow When she was about twenty yeeres old by the consent of her selfe and her friends she was married to a young Lancashire Gentleman Master William Brettergh of Bretterghoult neere Liuerpoole one that likewise embraced Religion sincerely and for the same indured many grieuances at the hands of Papists Two yeeres and more she liued after she was married and had issue onely one daughter during which time this couple liued together in such mutuall ioy and comfort as well beseemed the children of God which make profession of his truth And although this Gentlewomen came from the inhabitants of Abraham to dwell in Sodome amidst the tents of Kedar that is to say among inhumane hands of bruâ—ish Papists induring many temporall grieuances from them yet her knowledge patience milde inclination and constancie for the truth was such as that her husband was farther builded vp in Religion by her meanes and his face dayly more and more hardened against thâ— deuill and all his plaguie agents the Popish Recusants Church Papists prophane Atheists and carnall Protestants which swarmed together like â—ornets in those parts It is not vnknowne to Lancashire what Horses and Cattell of her husbands were killed vpon his grounds in the night most barbarouslie at two seuerall times by Sâ—miâ—ary Priests no question and Recusants that lurked thereabouts And what a lâ—sse and hinderance it was vnto him being all the stocke hee had on his grounds to any purpose This fell out not long after shee was married to him yet this was so farre from dismaying her or working such passions in her as are common to her sex that shee rather rejoyced then sorrowed turning it into matter of praising God and submitting her selfe to his good prouidence Oft shee would haue said It is good that such things bee but woe bee to them that doe them It is good in God thereby to chasten his children and preuent some sinne which he saw vs like to fall into It is good in respect of Gods Church that the weake may be confirmed in the truth and that Papistry may bee disgraced when the World shall see such wickednesse flow from it It is good in GOD that so the wicked may bee without excuse at the day of iudgement when their conscience shall tell them that howsoeuer GOD suffers them to doe such villanie for some iust cause knowne to himselfe yet they commit it only of malice and reuenge Oftentimes also in these vexations shee would haue said the mercies of God are infinite who doth not onely by his Word but also by his Justice make vs fit for his Kingdome Little doe our enemies know what good by these things they doe vnto vs and what wracke they bring to their owne Kingdome while they seâ— forth the wickednesse thereof Many times shee would pray that God would forgiue them which had done them this hurt and send them repentance and shee would call vpon her husband that hee would doe the like and blesse them that cursed him And for feare lest her husband should faile in that point through infirmity and weakenesse as it is said of Iob who offered sacrifice for his sonnes lest peraduenture they should sinne and blaspheme God in their hearts so shee neuer failed but dayly prayed vnto the