December. 20: This week my cold continued and was strong on me, yet through gods blessing it took not away my voice nor strength nor stomach, and by means also I was not much the unfitter for my Sabbath employment: I had a great pain on my left side; which went and came(.) in due time all sorrows and troubles shall fly away, the Lord was very merciful to the rest of my family in their health, my little Jane was ill two or 3 days with teeth, oh our mercies, when others are in their graves and so left empty of their comforts, god good in keeping me from many temptations and evils, you will in mercy to my soul restrain the rage of evil, oh continue this thy goodness, my dearest , and Mrs Mary were exceeding careful over me in this my distemper, let thy love oh father answer it, the lord was gracious and merciful unto me in the work of the Sabbath, in carrying me through the same, the good Lord in tender love pardon my unworthiness, and accept me, and enable me in every condition to live by faith on Christ to be my all, gave notice of an extraordinary Fast, in regard of the sad rains, which abated this week in a great part, now this day it rained again.
Ralph Josselin (1616–1683) was the vicar of Earls Colne in Essex from 1641 until his death in 1683. His
diary records intimate details of everyday farming life, family and kinship in a small, isolated rural community, and is often studied by researchers interested in the period, alongside other similar diaries like that of Samuel Pepys.
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