The Hartlib Papers

Gentelwoman having no freinds in London; was constrained to lie upon straw in Rosemary lane neere the Tower of London amoungst a rude company of Irish people: which did much sad her sad heart to see the rudnesse of the Company, & it was more greife to her then all her other miseryes; she was constrained to begg for her Living else she and her little child must famish; and soe it happened that she came in white Chappell parish to begg something and she came to one Mrs Harmar living[altered] in Catherin wheele Court in Aldgate street to begg something Mrs Harmar comes to the doore & knew her and called her by name but she <H: was> unwilling to bee knowne because she was in such meane posture of apparell having a poore linnen Clout about her head, a poore wascoate and petticoate, bare leged poore old shoos one tyed and the other untied yet the child was prety fat and battle which is a greatt providence of God and yet her breasts seemed wan and flaggy as Mrs Harmar told me. soe mrs Harmar tooke her in up in her chamber and [catchword: set]

set the best provisions befor her she had; they were glad to see one another, the one was poore & the other poorer for they had lived both together in Cork their houses Ioyned. Mrs harmars husband was slaine by the Rebelles about 2 yeares since, Mrs harmar told me of a Gentelman told me of Gentelman that had beene in her house at Corke knew her, and was sorry to see her in that meane condition, & caused his wife to give her a peticoate and a paire of stockins and shoos. Mrs Harmar tells me that she desires to bee a nurse to helpe maintaine her and her child