OF MY MISTRESS'S DEATH, AND OCCASION THEREOF BY MEANS OF A CANCER IN HER
BREAST.
In 1622 she complained of a pain in her left breast, whereon there
appeared at first a hard knob no bigger than a small pea; it increased
in a little time very much, was very hard, and sometimes would look very
red; she took advice of surgeons, had oils, sear-cloths, plates of lead,
and what not: in 1623 it grew very big, and spread all over her breast;
then for many weeks poultices were applied to it, which in continuance
of time broke the skin, and then abundance of watery thin stuff came
from it, but nothing else; at length the matter came to suppuration, but
never any great store issued forth; it was exceeding noisome and
painful; from the beginning of it until she died, she would permit no
surgeon to dress it but only myself; I applied every thing unto it, and
her pains were so great the winter before she died, that I have been
called out of my bed two or three times in one night to dress it and
change plaisters. In 1624 by degrees, with scissars, I cut all the whole
breast away, I mean the sinews, nerves, &c.
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