Diary of Ralph Josselin (Private Collection)

10.8.1651 (Sunday 10 August 1651)

document 70005915

Aug: 10. This week past, the lord continued mindful of, and merciful to me and mine, my navel was a little but not much ill, it has not been dressed nearly a year, our family yet in health, blessed be god, and yet one family more in our town is visited with the smallpox, and Hatches children, it is also much at Halsted, the lord still continue his goodness to me and mine in our preservation. the season was very hot and dry, all harvest entered upon by men up and down, never was there such a poor crop of hops there being none in all the country as I could either see or hear of. matters went very well in Scotland, great expectations of crushing, and ruining that Scotch army some suppose they will for England. we lost about 90 men at Limbricke in Ireland, that army very sensible of gods stroke, and humbled for the same, Lord arise and help us(.) the Lord was gracious to me in keeping my heart, in some measure close to him, in helping me against old corruptions, sometimes they show their horns, but gods carpenters are ready to cut them off, the mercy of god to my wife was good, who held up her head with comfort, though with weakness, various rumours of great matters in Scotland but nothing of certainty, Mr Elliston preached for me this afternoon, we heard as if the Polanders had routed the Cossacks, and their accomplices slain and wounded on the place 48000: of them. 14000 slain. about 80000 slain and wounded on both sides if so it is the most memorable battle has been in Europe for a 100 years.