after my hinds, providing carriage and tackle against reaping time and sowing.  What shall I say more? Venio ad voluptates agricolarum, which Cicero, you know, reckons amongst the most becoming diversions of old age; and so I render it.  This without:  now within doors, never was any matron more busy than my wife, disposing of our plain country furniture for a naked old extravagant house, suitable to our employments.  She has a dairy, and distaffs, for lac, linum, et lanam, and is become a very Sabine.  But can you thus hold out?  Will my friend say; is philosophy, Gresham College, and the example of Mr. Pepys, and agreeable conversation of York Buildings, quite forgotten and abandoned?  No, no! Naturam expellas furca tamen usque recurret.  Know I have been ranging of no fewer than thirty large cases of books, destined for a competent standing library, during four or five days wholly destitute of my young coadjutor, who, upon some pretence of being much engaged in the mathematics, and desiring he may continue his course at Oxford till the beginning of August, I have wholly left it to him.  You will now suspect something by this disordered hand; truly I was too happy in these little domestic affairs, when, on the sudden, as I was about my books in the library, I found myself sorely attacked with a shivering, followed by a feverish indisposition, and a strangury, so as to have kept, not my chamber only, but my bed, till very lately, and with just so much strength as to scribble these lines to you.  For the rest, I give God thanks for this gracious warning, my great age calling upon me sarcinam componere every day expecting it, who have still enjoyed a wonderful course of bodily health for forty years....

DAME DOROTHY BROWNE

1621-1685

TO HER DAUGHTER IN LONDON

Three interesting postscripts

[Norfolk, 28 June, c. 1679.]

DEARE DAUGHTER,

I have received all the things, to the great content of the owners, who returne you many thankes.  Thay ar indeed very well chose things of all sorts:  and I give you many thanks for the troble you have had with them:  I sent you Tomey’s scurt and long slevs of his ould cott; I hope you have them.  On Mr. Felden it seemes took it last Wadinsday, and sayd hee would deliver it him selfe.  Wee dayly wish for the new cloths; all our linen being worne out but shefts, and Tomey would give all his stock to see his briches.  I bless God wee ar all well as I hope you ar.  Tomey presents his dutty, your sisters all love and services.

[4 July.]

GOOD DAUGHTER,

I must troble you once more abought my cosen Tenoson.  She would macke a manto gown of the grene and whight silke you sent down for a peticot, but she wants two yards, and as much slit grene sarsinat as will line it in sight.  I pray send nurs to gett it and lett mee know what it com to, and I will send you the mony.  I sayes my Cossen Cradock might send it me by the choch for she would have it as sonne as possible.  I bless God wee ar all in helth, and Tomey much longing for his briches.