The Life of Mrs. Godolphin

📘 This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1847 edition. Excerpt: ... To assist her then in the disposeing of these and inumerable other Charityes, there was a poore religious Widdow, whome your Ladyshipp knew she had a more particular Confidence in. How she found her out, I never informed my selfe, but well remember a passage of something exterordinary that happened to her concerning a Voice which she solemnly affirmed had spoken to her, being once att prayers in the Church and in great distress. I shall say nothing as to that, but that it was this pious and humble Creature, whose diligence she vsed, to informe her of sick and miserable people, who accompanyed her to their Habitations, and brought them Cloathes, Mony and Medicines, and whereof they spent whole dayes in devotion togeather. By her it was she distributed weekly pensions, looked after orphan Children, put them to schoole, visitted the prisons, out of which (amongst diverse others,) she had redeemed a dissolute son of hers, that cost a very considerable summe, as she had paid the debts, and indeed wholly maintained the Mother to her dyeing day, tho' being taken with a dead palsy, and in a manner bed ridden, a year or two before. She survived her Benefactress, but not her bounty: thus when she went into Ffrance, she ordered me to continue many other pensions which she gave, and I could give you an account of what house rent she paid for indigent houskeepers, what Apprentices she put forth, and your Ladyshipp remembers, and I have allready touched, the little Child she kept allwayes with her, and cherished to the last. Soe sedulous was she in these acts of Charity, that from the tyme I could calculate, she had begun and persisted in this Course from a Child her seife: and for the last 7 Years of her life, I can speake of my owne knowledge, that...