Jane Smyth (1649-16—).
[971]Mris Jane Smyth borne at ... the 15th of April 1649, between fower and 5 a clock in the morning.—She was told on Venus's day, i.e. Fryday[972]: if not so, 'twas on a Tuesday. It was the April after the beheading King Charles the first. It thundered and lightened and the house was on fire then.
My almanac, 1676, says the natalis was the 14th April[973]—quod N.B.: but Mrs. J. S. tells me again 'twas the fifteenth.
About 7 yeares old she lived in Sussex, Redhill, neer which Mr. Bradshaw, schoolmaster, lived—uxores germanorum.
On her trunk is:—
1662,
I. Ƨ.
She came the second time to London halfe a yeare before the great plague in 1665.
She was sick of a feaver A.D. 1665; she sayd, not in London.
She was like to dye of St. Anthonie's fire about Michaelmas 1675. Mris Smyth fell sick dangerously of a pleurisie about the first weeke of October 1675. About the latter end of March 1675/6 she had a terrible chronicall disease[974], under which she laboured a 12 month or +. The first weeke in August 1683, in extreme danger of death by a suppression of urine, the ureters being stopped.
[975]Now I conclude with an earnest request that you would please to enquire for a colledge lease, as you did for Edward Shirbourne[976] (whom nobody can find[977]). It is for that obliging body, Mris Smith, that lives with Mr. Wyld. They cohabite, as Mary, countess of Pembroke, with Sir Martin Lister. I owe most of Mr. Wyld's civility from her goodness. And herein you will doe me the greatest kindness that you could imagine, for I am more obliged to her than to anybody. I beseech you, for God's sake, to mind this humble request of mine.