Page:Europe's warning-piece, or, Good to news Britain.pdf/2



EAR the town of Maidſtone, in the county of Kent, lived one William Edwards a farmer, who was a man of an upright life and converſation, and whom providence for his piety ſeemed to have a particular regard of, for he was bleſſed in a great degree, his lands producing every year corn more plentyful than his neighbours, which he like a good chriſtian, not forgetting the hand that gave it, as bountifully ſold it to the poor at low prices, when he might have diſpoſed of it, at a double advantage. In ſhort he was ſo proſperous, that heaven ſeemed to ſmile upon him, his corn was double fold, his cattle fed quietly by day, and nothing was diminiſhed by night, a wonderful increaſe was upon all his ſtore. Nevertheleſs, was not without his vexations, the greateſt was his wife; whoſe life and actions was contrary to that of her huſband’s, being of a peeviſh and churliſh nature, always craving and never content, no ways charitable, nor inclin’d to do good, but grudged at all things her huſband did for the relief of the poor. A poor widow who had three ſmall children, came to his houſe one day, deſiring the farmer to ſpare her a peck of corn, ſhe