n prescribed her. As she
before had had several such fits of cholick, Mr. Stevens did not
apprehend any immediate danger. I said, "If my mamma was not better
soon, I would send for a physician." To which he replied, "You are
much in the right of it; but stay a little, and see what effects the
physic will have." He called again in the evening, and found her
better, tho' nothing had yet passed through her. About twelve o'clock
at night my mother obliged me, who was then myself indisposed, to get
into another bed; and promised to send to me, if she found herself
worse. Soon after this, she grew much worse; but would not send to her
daughter, saying, "She would know her fate too soon." She farther said
in Mr. Norton, who was then with her, "My daughter loves me so well,
that I wish my decease may not be the death of her." Between five and
six o'clock in the morning, on Saturday Sept. 30th, 1749, my mother's
maid came up to me, and told me, that, "If I would see my mother
alive, I must come immediately into her chamber." I leaped out of bed,
put on my shoes, and one petticoat only, and ran thither in the
greatest confusion imaginable. When my mother saw me, she put out her
hand, and said, "Now, Molly, shew yourself a Christian, and submit to
what God is pleased to order. I must die, my dear: God will enable you
to bear it, if you pray to Him." On which I turned about in a state of
distraction, ran to my father's room, and said to him, "For God's
sake, sir, come to my mother's room: she is this instant dying." Then
I ran, with great inquietude, into the kitchen, where I found my
footman, and sent him immediately to Fawley for the Rev. Mr. Stevens,
my uncle, and his brother, Mr. Henry Stevens, of Doctors Commons, who
was then at his house in Henley. I also, at the same time, dispatched
a messenger to Dr. Addington, who lived at Reading. After which I went
upstairs, and found my father sitting by my mother's bedside. She took
him and me both by the hand, joining our hands together, and saying to
him, "Be both a father and a mother to her: I have long tried and
known her temper, Mr. Blandy. She is all your heart can wish for, and
has been the best of daughters to me. Use her with a generous
confidence, and she will never abuse it. She has set her heart upon
Cranstoun; when I am gone, let no one set you against this match." To
these last words Mr. Blandy immediately made answer, "It shall not be
my fault, if this does not take pla