Ann Willoughby (1722-1755)
Reading version
Ann Willoughby, Was born at Robert Town,
In the Parish of Birstal Janry ye 21st 1722
about the year 1739 She was Stir'd up by reading
a Penny Pamphlet, and from that time Grew so
Uneasy, Concerning her Salvation, that it greatly
Affected her Body, Which her Mother, & others
of her Relations Observing; insisted upon her
taking the Advice of a Physician: This she
out of Obedience Comply'd with being notwith-
standing convinc'd that as her Disease was of a
Spiritual nature; it could not be Remov'd by
human means, She attended on Mr. Ingham's
Preaching, from his first begining and after-
wards adher'd for the Brn as Soon as They Came
to Yorkshire; and Visited & Convers'd With those
of them who Resided at New house, about ye year
1742. Br & Sr Ockershousen being then settled
at Mirfield. She having now receiv'd Grace
and Chearfulness from our Saviour, and being in
Consequence thereof restor'd to her Bodily Health;
She was also of a Remarkable good Understanding
and Ready of Apprehension Whereby She was
Employ'd in Visiting the Single Women in that
Plan, on ye 5th Janry 1744 She Was Receiv'd
into the Congregation & Was admitted to the
Sacrament ye 31st of July in ye same Year, about
this time it was intended that She Should Change
Her State But When it was Propos'd to her, she
made some Objection; So the matter was Intirely
dropt by the Labourers, & they were also Satisfied
With her; X But she however could not give it
up herself, and When the thing was now over, She
Declar'd herself in a different manner than she
had done before, after this she went on heavily for
a Considerable time, But at length she gave it up, and
and was better Satisfied + she had an extraordinary
gift for Oconomical affairs, and Was very diligent
and exact in ye like Undertakings, of which many
were Commited to her Care, her Labours were not
without Blessing X But yet (from what cause we
Will not Possibly determine) they were frequently
Intermingled with Disappointments and disagreeable
circumstances to the disatisfaction of others, but
particularly to the grief of her own heart and to
the detriment of her Bodily health X Yet She was
By many heartily Beloved and generally acknow-
ledged as an Honest Heart, In ye begining of June
1746 she came to live at the Single Srs
Oconomie at Pudsey; she was one of the Hourly
Intercessers and also visiter in the Plans, in this
year was also for a short time at Oxheys and
Holm, and had the Care of Each of those Oconomies
And May 1747 She made also the begining of that
at Clegheaton, as well as the first School of the
girls, Which she kept at the Same Place
From thence She went to Tyrsal in Augt 1750 and
Began an Oconomie there where she continued
till December 1752 when She with the Said
Oconomie Came to Live In the Choir House of
the Single Sisters, Where she Perform'd the
Office which she had there of Accountant and
Inspecter of outward affairs as also of vorgasety
of a Room with that Punctuality and exactness
So Peculiar to her and to the Satisfaction of the
Whole House, and this She carried on even in
her Sickness, Which Begun In the month of Novbr
1754 When She first complain'd Whereby We
Plainly Perceiv'd that She fell away, and was
troubled with a Certain Cough, Which We thought
Would turn out to be a Consumption; and the
12th of February She Retir'd to the Sick Room
Where by many Persuasions We got her to Use Some
thing from the Doctor in hopes that She might
soon be better, all things possible was done for her
In Regard to her health But she often Believ'd that
The Physicians did not Rightly understand her
Disorder & therefore Resolv'd to Leave of taking
Medcines & to Give herself over into the Hands of
our Saviour, But as her Sickness Seem'd to be of
a lingering disorder she had some small hopes of
Recovering again, During her Sickness the Congren
Partook 4 times of the Holy Sacrament, and the
third time which was the 20th of April Our Dear
Johannes brought it to her; Which Was attended
With a very Particular Sweet feeling, He sung
her that verse, the Soul of Christ her Sanity &c
After Which she laid herself happily Down to rest
The 23d She Long'd very much to speak With Sister
Mary; Where she told she Plainly Perceiv'd She
grew Weaker and Beliv'd She Should go to our
Saviour, and Because She felt herself not capable
of Performing her Office of Writing & Reckoning
as She Us'd to do, Therefore her desire was to
Give it over, That she Might Spend those Days
Which she had yet to Live, In Pleasure & Satis-
faction; and in the Closest Nearness of her Bride-
groom & Lover, Without the care of outward
Matters, Which was approv'd on, then she said,
This Was a Point Which I have long'd for to be
Settled While I had Strength to Speak, Now the
Second is, Concerning My own Heart, Which will
take Up a Considerable Time, But I Would
desire you to hear me Patiently & not be grievd
after I have told you all, and then I only beg you
To forgive you me & Love me Still, Some of them
are oft matters, Which I know our Saviour has forgiven
me for, But I thought I could be more fully, satisfied
If I accquainted you With them; and how those matters
stood, So I have Wish'd very much to have a hearty
Conversation With you, Which accordinly Was done
Between them With many Tears, Then She declar'd
Her Heart was quite Satisfied, and now she had but
one thing more to mention, Which Was concerning
Her Burial, What thoughts She had about it, and
made some Proposals, Which was Agree'd to
May ye 14th She Spoke With Concern, that to Day it
was 15 Weeks since she came in the Sick Room
and She thought the time very long before our Savr
fetch'd her to himself, the 18th She had that
Favour to Partake once more of our Dear Savrs
Body & Blood in the Holy Communion of Which
Her Poor Hungry & Thirsty Soul was very glad
She also continued quite happy & Chearful, & the
21st We Observ'd a Particular Alteration In her
Which We Perceiv'd to be Convulsions, so that we
Believ'd she would soon go home, But She grow-
ing a little Better continued ye 22d all Day in a
Cold Death Sweat Tho' Exceeding Ill, yet She spoke
often about her own Heart & others, to our great
Surprise, & upon being Ask'd if She would kiss
our Saviours Feet for us, She answer'd; not only
That, but I will tell Him Ev'ry thing let me but
first come to him, ye 23d Stronger convulsions
and that with more continuance Which Seiz'd on
her Memory very much, so that We thought Ev'ry
Breath She Drew would be the last, But yet
We could Perceive that she often spoke in Stillness
Whereupon we ask'd her Who she spoke with, she
Immediately Replied With our Saviour, that He
May manifest himself to me till the last moment
as he always has hitherto Done ever Since I Was first
acquainted with him & his Wounds at 1 o Clock
In the afternoon, She desird to have a couple of hours
To herself alone, with our Saviour, and at 3 for
With a Smiling Countenance, her Soul flew into the
Pleura of her Everlasting Bridegroom & Lover
Under those words, His Body Torn With many a
Wound, That makes thy Soul & Body Sound;
and, so go then go Dear Heart & hide &c.
After having liv'd 33 years 4 months
And two Days