Diary of Ralph Josselin (Private Collection)

8.8.1652 (Sunday 8 August 1652)

document 70006710

Aug: 8: god very gracious to me in outward mercies, in the recovery of my son out of a very dangerous illness, the lord accept my thankfulness, and give us a heart answerable to mercy, many die abroad, and some suddenly. many sick in our town, but none dead blessed be the name of god. my god, oh what are we that we are preserved, all my little ones have been looking into the grave this summer, and yet all preserved; the lord has abundantly refreshed the earth with rain, which makes the grass to spring upon the hills, the season grows also very cool, beyond what formerly: my thoughts I find still vain, oh lord when shall thy strength and grace free me from them that all my meditations may be sweet of god:

a wonderful sickly time, and dry and hot, many died very suddenly, the lord in mercy fit us for what he will do with us(.) at night 21: it rained a very gallant shower blessed be god, before this grass burnt away very much.