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- 3 - Anon we came neere the cott, which did look as others in the place. We did open the gaite and Mistress Prue did walk up boldly to the door and bang on it with her styck. My legges did shake much and my teeth did rattel with feare. No answer cummen, Mistress Liwy did say to open the door, which Mistress Prue did, I feeling verrie skeert theratt. Noebody saying nay, we all inside; and, la, there was naute to fear, it being onlie a pore gipsie boddie there for shelter, and his wiffe, who was lying sick on sum rubbishy sacks in a corner. Mistress Prue did say what were they doing, and the man did say they were verrie poor, and no home, and seeing the cott empty they in it one wet night and had stopt there. I to the pore woman, who did look verrie ill; to find out that they had no food, onlie what the man did get in the fields at night; and they verrie skeert ofbein turned therfrom, did keep quiet At this we do look to one another, where uppon I do say can we do anything to help? And the man do say if he can get to his brothers place, he sure of sum work there. But says he how can he do so with a sicke wiffe? At this I do think quick, and takeing Mistress Prue oute-door do say if we could get her to Sarahs sisters cottage, we could feed her and send her man off about his work, and she later when well. Mistress Prue says the verrie thing to do, if we can without all village knoeing. Going in, we to tell them we will get sum food and help them all we can. They do say God Bless us. Then we back to Ivy Cottage to arrainge things, and me home, where I did take Sarah to my bedd chamber, and did tell her all, knoeing well she is to be trusted; and did tell her if her sister would look to the pore woman for a while, I would pay her a pennie a day and find her some food and wood for her fire. Sarah saying she was sure it can be done, I back to Mistress Prue, after telling Sarah to be secrett, taking a basket ofbredde, butter and bakon, as well as a jugge of milk. Then we go to Gunns Cot, verrie braive now we do knowe, and did tell them what we will do. Then I to Sarah's sister who sayes she will do all she can and glad. So bein settled, tomorrow night we do hope to get the poore wretch there in cumfurt. April Ye 30 - Today verrie bussie, and John at work in the forgrounde and not at dinner till late. I did send Sarah home with sum sheetes and a blankit, and divers things reddie for this nights work; then to maken ofmaye-daye cakes reddie for who shall cum amaying tomorrow, it being maye day. Sarah back to say all be reddie for the pore woman to go, so I do send her to Mistress Prue to tell her I will be at her hous as soon after 6 of the clocke I can. Then me to getting John a good meal for his cumfurt, and thinking it wiser, do think I will tell him. Then I do mix the pigges food all reddie and put the cowes in the byres for the milking. He be pleased, and it did make him fare-minded then. He to a good tee. Me having his pipe all reddie and a good glass of my elderberrie wine, I did tell him what is agaite, and did make to ask his counsel, not saying oute we had done. He did say not to interfere with them. Then I verrie sly did say it would be verrie kind if he would say Sarah's sister could nurse the pore wretch, it being well known he bein a goodly man and kind. To this he did saye verrie well, that he would help us. This pleased me, and I did say to keep it quiet, and not let the village know; to which he agrees, not liking us to be in such cumpanie. At nite when all reddie, John and me to Mistress Prue. She bein verrie surprised to see John, I did wisper to her what to do, were uppon she did thank John verrie prettie for his kindenesse for his thought for a poore sowle; so letting him think that he hav done all, which did pleese him, and he did say he would do what he coulde. .../4