Raymond A. Anselment is an emeritus professor of English at the University of Connecticut. He is the author and editor of several books, including The Realms of Apollo: Literature and Healing in Seventeenth-Century England, a Choice Outstanding Academic Book.

"This first modern edition . . . of Alice Thornton's autobiography is not just important to scholars of early modern history and literature; it is essential."—Catherine Loomis, author of The Death of Elizabeth I: Remembering and Reconstructing the Virgin Queen "A valuable addition to the discussion of how early modern people experienced and negotiated grief, loss, and illness."—Joe Eldridge Carney, author of Fairy Tale Queens: Representations of Early Modern Queenship

• PrefaceIntroductionEditorial Principles and DocumentationMy First BookeBpp Halls Obseruations in his booke of Meditations And VowesA PraierThe dedicationThe birth of Alice WandesfordeProuerbesA Preface to the bookeVppon my deliuerance from death, by a fall when I was 3 years oldA preseruation in the MeassellsA Preseruation in the smale-Pox, 1631The first dawning of Gods Spirit in my heartA deliuerance from a fire in London, 1631My Mothers goeing into Ireland, 1632, 33, 34, 35A great deliuerance from drowning In Ireland by a fall out of the CoachA great deliuerance from a 2d fall att Sr Robert Merideths in Dublin, 1637A deliuerance from a fire & other remarkablesA dreadfull fire in the Castle of Dublin, 1638A deliuerance from Ship-Rack in A Passage into IrelandA thankesgiueing for our deliuerances affter our dangerous passage by SeaObseruations vppon seuerall accidents happening in Ireland vppon the Earle of Strafford . . . and on his fatall murder, may 12, 1641A Relation conserning my Honoured Father, the Lord Deputy Wandesforde, & of his Death, December 3d 1640Account of the Lord Deputys DeathMeditations & Praier vppon the Death of my Honoured FatherA Praier vppon my fathers DeathA Prayer to be said before wee Receiue, Made by my father before he went into Ireland, 1628My Mothers Preseruation from the Irish Rebellion, October 23d 1641. A Thankesgiueing for our great deliuerationA thankesgiueing for preseruation from the Rebellion in Ireland, Octb 23, 1641Vppon my Mothers comming to Weschester from Ireland & of my haueing the Smale PoxA Thankesgiueing affter my recouery from the smale Pox in weschester, 1642A discourse of passages & deliuerances of my Mother & vs 3 ChildrenA deliuerance from a Surfett of Lobster att Richmond, 1643A Gratefull Remembrance of my beeing preserued from the fury of the warresA great deliurance from the violence of a Rape from Ierimy SmithsonMy deliurance from Drowning in the Riuer att Midlam . . . in the yeare 1644The death of My Sister Danby, September 30th 1645, att her house at ThorpeThe death of my Cosen Iohn Norton, 1646The death of Sr Edward Osborne, 1646The marriage of my Cozen Edmund NortonThe death of my Cosen Edmund NortonVppon the beheading of King Charles the Martyr Ian 30th 1648The death of my cozen Iulian NortonVppon the Death of my brother George Wandesforde, March 31, 1651, & of his Sequestration, & other troublesA Lamentation, & Prayer, vppon the death of my honoured brother George Wandesforde EsquireVppon the reconsileing of my two Brothers George & Christopher WandesfordAn Eligie vpon George Wandesford Esqr on his vnfortunate Death, by the Honourable Sr Christopher Wyuill BarronettObseruations of Gods goodnesse . . . in the time of the Warres & DistractionsThe Marriage of my Cosen Mary NortonThe Marriage of my brother Christopher WandesfordeThe Mariage of Alice Wandesforde, December 15, 1651A Relation of the Remarkable passages of my Life Since my MarriageA deliuerance from death that day on which I was married, December 15th 1651Meditations vpon my deliuerance of my first Childe, & of the great sicknesse followedA praier & thankesgiueing for my deliuerance of my first Childe August 6th 1652Vppon the Birth of my Second childe, & Daughter Alice ThorntonA praier & thanksgiueing for my deliuerance of my Second daughter Ian. 3d 1654Meditations vppon the birth of my 3d childe Eliz. Thornton, borne the 14th of February 1655A thanksgiueing affter the birth of my 3d childe BettyThe death of my husbands MotherThe death of my husbands father in LawThe death of my husbands brother Richeard ThorntonMeditation vppon the birth of my 4th childe Katherin Thornton Iune 12th 1656A prayer before the deliuery of my daughter Alice Thornton, Iune the 12th 1656, by Alice WandesfordA Thankesgiueing affter the deliuery of my Daughter Alice ThorntonElizabeth Thorntons death, the 5th of September 1656A Praier After the death of my 3d childe Betty ThorntonVppon my great fall I had, beeing with childe of my 5th, September 14th 1657Meditations on the deliuerance of my first Sonne and fifth Childe, Att Hipswell the 10th of December 1657A praier vpon my preseruation affter the birth of my first Sonn & his deathMy Cure of Bleeding at Scarbrough, August 1659A thanksgiueing affter my recouery1659. Considerations on the Publike TroublesA Praier to God for the Church & restoration of the King, Nouember 1659A Relation conserning my deare & honoured Mother the Lady Wandesforde & of her Death December 10th 1659The relattion of her sicknesse heere followesSeuerall Prayers made by my Mother proper for the time of the holy Sacrament as EiaculationsMy deliuery of my Son William, my 6th childe, & of his deathVerses vpon the incertainty of Earthly comfortA thankesgiuing for the restoration of King Charlesthe second of his Coronation, May 29th 1660A Praier & Thanksgiueing for deliuerance from destruction of the Kingdom, 1660Vppon my Husband & Families Remouall from St Nickolas to Oswold Church, neare Newton, Iune 10, 1660My greatt Sicknesse att oswoldkirke february 13th 1661Vppon our comeing to liue at Newton affter the house was built in the yeare 1662, Iune the 10thOf the grand mercy I had in the first Sacrament at Easte Newton affter we built the house, August 1662Mr Coluills Settlement of Mr Thorntons Estate, 1662Vppon my deliuerance of my Sonne Robert Thornton, my 7th Childe, . . . September 19th 1662A Thanksgiueing affter my deliuerance of my Son RobertMr Thorntons Preseruation from drowning, Oct. 1664Vpon the birth of my 8th Childe Ioyce Thornton Sept. 23d 1665A Relation of Mr Thorntons dangerous fitt of the Palsie at Steersby No. 16th 1665A Prayer after Mr Thorntons Recouery, No. 28th 1665Vppon my deare Ioyce her death Ian. 26, 1665Vpon my Daughter Alice preseruation in a sirfitt Iune 13th 1665Of my dangerous Sickenesse, August 16th 1666The great fire in LondonMy daughter Katherine Thorntons preseruation in the smale Pox the 29th of Sept. 1666The death of my Brother Iohn Wandesford, De. 2d 1666The murder of my Cosen William NortonMy Son Roberts haueing the smale Pox Ian. 5, 1667, and of his recouery perfectly againeMy daughter Alice Thornton her Smale Pox, Ian. 25, 67My nephew John Dentons smale PoxThe 8th of Aprill 1667 Nally had a Pearle on her EyeKate Thornton was preserued from choakeingHer preseruation from death by a fallThe Murder of my deare Nephew Thomas Danby August 1, 1667The birth of my Sonne Christopher, my 9th Childe, No. 11, 1667, & of his Death, Dec. 1st 1667My trouble vpon Seuerall accidentsConsiderations vpon Mr Thorntons Seuerall relapses & of the Signing the Childrens Settlement for PortionsOn Mrs Anne Danbys going to Hooly Ap. 20, 67Vppon my Sad condittion & Sicknesse that beffell me by the Slanders Raised against me, Iuly 20th 1668Vppon my lamentable abuses of fallse slanders raised against me, Iuly 20th 1668My Son Robert Thornton preserued Iuly 25, 1668A relation of the last sicknesse and Death of my deare & honoured husband Willm Thornton Esqr . . . September 17th 1668Prayers & Pettitions vpon this Sad Dispensation of the death of my deare & honoured husbandThe Widdowes Praieer for her self & ChilderenOur Sauiours commandMr Thorntons Motto & my owneVerces vpon Christ & the ChurchAgainst the feares of DeathAn inducement to loue HeauenA faire-well to the WorldMy faithfull Soules wishVppon Rash CensorersVerses vpon the loss of my deare brother George WandesfordAnagramAcrostickeNotesIndex