This week my sister Hannah came over to me, I sent her away in some hopes to help her about her house, and with some expressions of love, lord remember me and mine (and) hers in mercy. Aug: 20: being with my men when they laid the hall floor and [pulling] down the walls for the door, a hand-saw which was used against me, missed m[y] face very narrowly, Lord make me to praise that mercy, the plague continued and increased at (Col)chester, our town yet in safety Lord keep that destroying arrow from among us. / times now ve[ry] sickly Ed. Clarke my Christian friend taken sick and very near death, divers in our town and others sickly. Lord Sanctify thy hand to them, my wife suddenly ill, yet through mercy well again, Mr Nettles of Lexden carried through town in a coach deprived of his sense, and very mad as they reported. god good to me and mine yet in our health and senses oh that we might use them to his glory(,) leaping over the pales I scratched my face, but god be praised I had no further hurt though I might if providence had not preserved me, and also in our fall when my wife and I pulling down a tree with a rope with our pulling all fell together, but no hurt god be praised: such falls my children have many times and yet safe Mary fell out of the Parlour window with her face against the bench and had no hurt, a strange providence all the wit of the world could not have given such a fall and preserved from hurt to god be the praise. / all this week god was good to me in health, in family and in many mercies. pardon Lord my great sins, and heal my soul, make me more content and satisfied in my condition, more useful and profitable in my places, family, bless me and us all with your fear and favour.