Elizabeth Bury facts for kids
Elizabeth Bury (born 1644, died 1720) was an English woman who kept a detailed diary. Her writings give us a peek into her life and thoughts during the 1600s and early 1700s. She was known for her strong beliefs and her generous spirit.
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Elizabeth Bury's Early Life
Elizabeth Bury was born around March 2, 1644, and was baptised on March 12 in Clare, Suffolk. Her father was Captain Adams Lawrence from Linton, Cambridgeshire. Her mother was Elizabeth Cutts. Elizabeth had three brothers or sisters.
When Elizabeth was just four years old, in 1648, her father passed away. In 1661, her mother married again to Nathaniel Bradshaw. He was a minister.
Her Education and Beliefs
Around 1664, Elizabeth felt a strong personal change in her beliefs. She became very thoughtful about her inner life. She studied many subjects, including Hebrew, French, music, heraldry (the study of coats of arms), mathematics, and philosophy. She also learned about philology (the study of language), anatomy, medicine, and divinity (religious studies).
Her stepfather, Mr. Bradshaw, was one of the "ejected ministers" in 1662. This meant he was forced to leave his church because of new laws. After this, the family moved to Wivelingham, Cambridgeshire. In 1664, Elizabeth started writing about her experiences in her Diary. She first wrote it in shorthand, a quick way of writing.
Elizabeth Bury's Adult Life
On February 1, 1667, Elizabeth married Griffith Lloyd. He was from Hemingford Grey, Huntingdonshire. Sadly, Griffith died on April 13, 1682.
Life as a Widow
Elizabeth was a widow for fifteen years. During this time, she spent some of her time in Norwich. She later married Samuel Bury, a nonconformist minister, on May 29, 1697. Before marrying Samuel, she had turned down three other men who were churchmen. She explained that she "could not be easy in their communion," meaning she felt uncomfortable joining their church.
Her Generosity and Later Years
Mrs. Bury had a good amount of money and was very generous. She often kept a supply of Bibles and helpful books. She would give these out to people who needed them. She also knew a lot about materia medica, which is the study of medical substances.
She had a special saying written in Hebrew in her private room: "Thou, Lord, seest me." This showed her deep faith. After 1712, Elizabeth became less healthy. She passed away on May 11, 1720, at the age of 76.
Her funeral sermon was given in Bristol on May 22, 1720, by Reverend William Tong. This sermon was printed and became very popular. A book called The Account of the Life and Death of Mrs. Bury was also published in 1720. This book included parts of her diary, the funeral sermon, a story of her life written by her husband, and a poem called an elegy by Isaac Watts.
