The History of Thomas Ellwood Written By HimselfEllwood, Thomas
History
The History of Thomas Ellwood Written By Himself
Ellwood, Thomas
Ellwood, Thomas, 1639-1713; Quakers -- Biography
This was but a small estate to enter upon an imprisonment with, yet was I
not at all discouraged at it, nor had I a murmuring thought. I had known
what it was, moderately, to abound, and if I should now come to suffer
want, I knew I ought to be content; and through the grace of God I was
so. I had lived by Providence before, when for a long time I had no
money at all, and I had always found the Lord a good provider. I made no
doubt, therefore, that He who sent the ravens to feed Elijah, and who
clothes the lilies, would find some means to sustain me with needful food
and raiment; and I had learned by experience the truth of that saying,
_Natura paucis contenta—i.e._ Nature is content with few things, or a
little.
Although the sight and smell of hot food was sufficiently enticing to my
empty stomach, for I had eaten little that morning and was hungry, yet,
considering the terms of the invitation, I questioned whether I was
included in it; and after some reasonings at length concluded that, while
I had tenpence in my pocket, I should be but an injurious intruder to
that mess, which was provided for such as perhaps had not twopence in
theirs.
Being come to this resolution, I withdrew as far from the table as I
could, and sat down in a quiet retirement of mind till the repast was
over, which was not long; for there were hands enough at it to make light
work of it.
When evening came the porter came up the backstairs, and opening the
door, told us if we desired to have anything that was to be had in the
house, he would bring it us; for there was in the house a chandler’s
shop, at which beer, bread, butter, cheese, eggs and bacon, might be had
for money. Upon which many went to him, and spake for what of these
things they had a mind to, giving him money to pay for them.
Among the rest went I, and intending to spin out my tenpence as far as I
could, desired him to bring me a penny loaf only. When he returned we
all resorted to him to receive our several provisions, which he
delivered; and when he came to me he told me he could not get a penny
loaf, but he had brought me two halfpenny loaves.
This suited me better; wherefore returning to my place again, I sat down
and eat up one of my loaves, reserving the other for the next day.
This was to me both dinner and supper; and so well satisfied I was with
it that I could willingly then have gone to bed, if I had had one to go
to; but that was not to be expected there, nor had any one any bedding
brought in that night.
Some of the company had been so considerate as to send for a pound of
candles, that we might not sit all night in the dark, and having lighted
divers of them, and placed them in several parts of that large room, we
kept walking to keep us warm.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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