not to such as made a trade of begging, though they used never so moving expressions, knowing they were profane, and would take no other course of life, from such she would receive many a hard word, when they saw her give to others ⟨p. 125⟩and not to them, and her servant hath been fain to defend her sometimes from their affronting her, by not giving her way enough to pass. Now as she walked London streets, she would carefully observe, if she could see any poor old people, whom she would call to her, or command her servant to go and call them to her; and would ask them if they were very poor, and if they were careful to serve God, and did go to Church, and what hopes they had to be saved, to which they would answer as they were able, and some would say, I bless God Mistress I am not so poor, but the Lord doth provide for me, that I am not driven to beg, nor extremely want, to whom she would then give; if she had been in hast, and gone by any poor people, and saw they did not beg she would send her servant sometimes with something ⟨p. 126⟩to them, whilst she kept on her way: She would not walk London streets long but one or other would come to her begging for an alms, and she would ask her servant if he knew them to be common beggars, if he thought no, she would be sure to give. At Lectures, if she saw any that were old or in poor habit attending the word, then she would be sure to give them. In cold seasons when it was hard with poor people she would be always a speaking of the sufferings of the poor, that had no fire, or scarce any bread, much sympathizing with them, asking her servant if he knew any that it went hard with, that she might relieve them, sending her benevolence: her charity was so well known, that seldom a day, if at home, but she had petitions from one or other for the same, many under the notion ⟨p. 127⟩of distressed Ministers, because they knew they should receive the greater alms, and that they might be sure not to miss of the same, they would get a testimonial of their godly lives, sufferings, and necessities, with the names of some godly Ministers, she knew or had heard of, and then hath she given the more, when she thought their condition real, but give it so privately her self, as none should know how much but the receivers.
not to such as made a trade of begging, though they used never so moving expressions, knowing they were prophane, and would take no other course of life, from such she would receive many a hard word, when they saw her give to others ⟨p. 125⟩and not to them, and her servant hath been fain to defend her sometimes from their affronting her, by not giving her way enough to passe. Now as she walked London streets, she would carefully observe, if she could see any poor old people, whom she would call to her, or command her servant to go and call them to her; and would ask them if they were very poor, and if they were carefull to serve God, and did go to Church, and what hopes they had to be saved, to which they would answer as they were able, and some would say, I blesse God Mistresse I am not so poor, but the Lord doth provide for me, that I am not driven to beg, nor extreamly want, to whom she would then give; if she had been in hast, and gone by any poor people, and saw they did not beg she would send her servant sometimes with something ⟨p. 126⟩to them, whilst she kept on her way: She would not walk London streets long but one or other would come to her begging for an almes, and she would ask her servant if he knew them to be common beggers, if he thought no, she would be sure to give. At Lectures, if she saw any that were old or in poor habit attending the word, then she would be sure to give them. In cold seasons when it was hard with poor people she would be alwaies a speaking of the sufferings of the poor, that had no fire, or scarce any bread, much sympathizing with them, asking her servant if he knew any that it went hard with, that she might relieve them, sending her benevolence: her charity was so well known, that seldome a day, if at home, but she had petitions from one or other for the same, many under the notion ⟨p. 127⟩of distressed Ministers, because they knew they should receive the greater almes, and that they might be sure not to misse of the same, they would get a testimoniall of their godly lives, sufferings, and necessitys, with the names of some godly Ministers, she knew or had heard of, and then hath she given the more, when she thought their condition real, but give it so privately her self, as none should know how much but the receivers.
