Bio 09b Nehemiah Wallington

Here are two extracts from Nehemiah Wallington found on the net

One night I dreamed I was dead, and the day of Judgement was come and I was raised and stood betwixt heaven and hell, but whither I should go I knew not. Heaven I did see was a glorious place, and as it might be to my apprehension a very spacious large room, and there sat in the midst of it our Saviour Jesus Christ, [so] very glorious I cannot express it, and round about heaven sat all the saints that ever was. And on the left hand I saw hell, a large deformed place, only a kind of burning there, and the damned spirits facing one another. Then, thought I, Oh whither shall I go, and I thought I had one foot in heaven. One while I did think I should go into heaven, and another while I thought I should not, and Oh! that I would I were on the earth again, I would live better than ever I have done.

By reason that my son Samuel did not thrive but consumed and wasted after that he had the fits of the convulsions, we were counselled to put him forth to nurse into the country, and so we did send him to Peckham in January (1632). And on the 6 of October 1632 we heard our son Samuel was well, and I and my wife went to see him the Tuesday following, being the 9 day of October. And on the next Thursday at night word was brought that my son was very sick, and I went to see him the next morning betimes and one met me by the way and told me my son was dead. Then I returned back again with this heavy news, and we went to the burial of our sweet son Samuel on the 13 day of October being Saturday, which was a very wet day; and we went a mile and half from their house to his grave, and we were wet to the very skin, for it was a very wet and doleful day...