Richard Braithwaite tells the following story of a “Useresse” as though this occupation were perfectly usual for women. “Wee reade in a booke entituled the _Gift of Feare_, how a Religious Divine comming to a certaine Vseresse to advise her of the state of her soule, and instruct her in the way to salvation at such time as she lay languishing in her bed of affliction; told her how there were three things by her to be necessarily performed, if ever she hoped to be saved: She must become _contrite_ in heart ... _confesse_ her sins ... make _restitution_ according to her meanes whereto shee thus replyed, _Two of those first I will doe willingly: but to doe the last, I shall hold it a difficulty; for should I make restitution, what would remaine to raise my children their portion?_ To which the Divine answered; _Without these three you cannot be saved. Yea but_, quoth shee, _Doe our Learned Men and Scriptures say so? Yes, surely_ said the Divine. _And I will try_, (quoth shee) _whether they say true or no, for I will restore nothing_. And so resolving, fearefully dyed ... for preferring the care of her posterity, before the honour of her Maker.”[42] Footnote 42: Braithwaite, (Richd.), _The English Gentleman_, p. 300, 1641. The names of women often occur in connection with the shipping trade and with contracts. Some were engaged in business with their husbands as in the case of a fine remitted to Thomas Price and Collet his wife for shipping 200 dozen of old shoes, with intention to transport them beyond the seas contrary to a Statute (5th year Edward VI) on account of their poverty.[43] Others were widows like Anne Hodsall whose husband, a London merchant, traded for many years to the Canary Islands, the greatest part of his estate being there. He could not recover it in his lifetime owing to the war with Spain and therefore his wife was left in great distress with four children. Her estate in the Canary Islands is likely to be confiscated, there being no means of recovering it thence except by importing wines, and it would be necessary to take pipe-staves over there to make casks to bring back the wines. She begs the council therefore “in commiseration of her distressed estate to grant a licence to her and her assignes to lade one ship here with woollen commodities for Ireland, To lade Pipe staves in Ireland (notwithstanding the prohibition) and to send the same to the Canary Islands.”[44] Footnote 43: Overall _Remembrancia, Analytical Index to_, p. 519, 1582. Footnote 44: _Council Register_, 8th August, 1628. Joseph Holroyd employed a woman as his shipping agent; in a letter dated 1706 he writes re certain goods for Holland: that these “I presume must be marked as usual and forward to Madam Brown at Hull ...” and he informs Madam Hannah Browne, that “By orders of Mr. John Whittle I have sent you one packe and have 2 packes more to send as undʳ. You are to follow Mr. Whittle’s directions in shipping.”[45] Footnote 45: