Evidence from Book 3 suggests that she had enough of her ‘book of my life’ to circulate in late 1668 (page 196); Thornton also notes that she was writing in that book, about her widowhood, in March 1669 (page 179). If the ‘scandal’ was a key prompt for the writing of Book 1, then a dating of c.1668-9 works for the majority of the volume. Some of the back matter was clearly added later, though, as Thornton notes the death of her brother, Christopher, in 1687 (page 292).
Bishop Hall's Observations
A Prayer
The Dedication
The Birth of Alice Wandesford, February 13th, 1626
Proverbs
Preface
A Preservation in the Measles, 1630
My having the Smallpox in Kent, 1631
Meditations on Psalm 147: 4 (year 1631)
A Preservation from a Fire in London (year 1632)
My First Passage into Ireland, 1632
Meditations on St Mathew, at 12 years old, 1638
A Deliverance from Shipwreck, 1639
A Thanksgiving thereupon
Observations upon Accidents in Ireland, 1640
A Relation of the Lord Deputy Wandesford's Death
Meditations, and Prayer thereupon, December 3rd, 1640
A Prayer made by My Father for the Communion
My Mother's Preservation and My Own from the Rebellion in Ireland, October 23 1641
A Thanksgiving for the Same
Upon Our Coming to Weschester from Ireland; Upon My Having the Smallpox the Second Time at Chester
A Thanksgiving upon My Recovery
Of My Mother's Removal to Snape and Kirklington
My Preservation from Death in a Sickness
The Death of My Sister Danby, September 30th, 1645
The Death of Sir Edward Osborne, My Dear Uncle
The Death of My Cousin Edward Norton, 1648
Upon the Beheading of King Charles the Martyr
Upon the Death of My Dear Brother George Wandesford
A Prayer and Lamentation on that Sad Blow, 1651
An Elegy upon His Death by Sir Christopher Wyvill
Observation of God's Goodness in My Dear Mother's Preservation and Her Child in the Time of the Wars and Distractions
The Marriage of My Cousin, Mary Norton
The Marriage of My Brother, Christopher Wandesford
The Marriage of Alice Wandesford, December 15, 1651. A Prayer on That Occasion and upon My Sickness
Several Remarkable Passages Since 1651
Meditations upon the Deliverance of My First Child and that Grand Sickness following
A Prayer and Thanksgiving
On the Birth of Alice Thornton, My Second Child, Born January 3rd 1653
A Prayer and Thanksgiving for That Mercy
On the Birth of My Third Child, Elizabeth Thornton
A Prayer and Thanksgiving for It
The Death of My Husband's Mother
The Death of My Husband's Father-in-Law
The Death of My Husband's Brother, Richard Thornton
A Prayer of My Dear Mother's before My Delivery of My Fourth Child, Katherine Thornton
My Deliverance
A Thanksgiving of My Mother's
The Death of My Third Child, Elizabeth Thornton
A Prayer upon Her Death
Meditations after My Great Fall of My Fifth Child
Upon My Deliverance of My First Son
A Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Same
My Cure of Bleeding, August 1659
A Thanksgiving thereon
Considerations on the Public Troubles
A Prayer for the Church and Restoration of King Charles, the Second, November 1659
A Relation concerning My Dear and Honoured Mother, the Lady Wandesford, and of Her Death December 10th, 1659
Three Prayers Concerning the Holy Communion by My Dear Mother
My Deliverance of My Sixth Child (My Son, William) and of His Death, with Prayer and Meditation
Verses upon the Uncertainty of Earthly Comfort
A Thanksgiving for the Restoration of the King
A Prayer, with Thanksgiving for Our Preservation from Destruction in This Church and State
A Discourse upon Mr Thornton's Removal from St Nicholas to Oswaldkirk
Upon My Great Sickness there, and of My Preservation from Spiritual Desertion, with Prayers and Meditations
A Thanksgiving after My Recovery
Upon Our Removal to Newton, June 10th, in the year 1662
Meditations on the Receiving the First Sacrament Delivered in the New House at East Newton by Dr Samways, August 1662
A Return of Thanks for That Inestimable Spiritual Mercy
Mr Covill's Settlement of Mr Thornton's Estate for My Children, 1662
Upon My Deliverance of My Son, Robert, My Seventh Child, September 19th, 1662
A Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Same
Mr Thornton's Preservation from Drowning, 1664
Upon the Birth of My Eighth Child, Joyce Thornton, September 23, 1665
A Relation of My Dear Husband's Dangerous Fits at Stearsby (of the Palsy), November 16, 1665
A Prayer and Thanksgiving after His Recovery, November 28, 1665, With My Own Preservation from Death by the Grief on His Sickness
On My Sweet Joyce, Her Death, January 26, 1665
On My Daughter, Alice, Her Deliverance
Of My Dangerous Sickness, August 16, 1666
Meditations and Prayers thereupon
Considerations upon the Disposal of My Daughter, Alice Thornton, in Marriage, 1666
The Great Fire in London, September 2nd, 1666
The Death of My Dear Brother, John Wandesford, December 2nd, 1666. Meditations thereon
My Son Robert Thornton's Preservation in the Smallpox, January 5th, 1667
My daughter Katherine Thornton's Preservation in the Smallpox, September 29, 1666
My Daughter, Alice, Her Deliverance in the Smallpox, January 25th, 1667
My Nephew John Denton's Smallpox
My Daughter, Alice, had a Pearl in Her Eye
My Daughter, Kate, Preserved from Choking
Her Preservation from Death by a Fall
The Murder of My Dear Nephew, Thomas Danby, August the First, 1667
The Birth of My Ninth Child (November 11, 1667) and of His Death, December 1st, 1667
My Trouble upon Several Accidents (Anne Danby)
Considerations upon Mr Thornton's Several Relapses and of the Signing the Children's Settlements for Portions, et cetera
Upon Mr Thornton's going to Spa
A Relation of Mrs Anne Danby's going to Howley and Several Other Passages Concerning Her, April 20, 1667
A Relation of My Sad Condition, and the Sickness that befell Me, upon the Lies and Slanders Raised on Me, July 20th, 1668
Lamentations and Prayers upon My Grievous Abuses and Wrongs, 1668
My Son, Robert, Preserved, July 25, 1668
A Relation of My Dear and Honoured Husband's Last Sickness at Malton, September 12th, 1668
A Description of Several Passages very Remarkable about His Comforts and Assurance before His Decease
A Relation of My Dear Husband's Death, the 17th of September, 1668
Of His Burial
Lamentations upon My Sad Loss
Prayers and Meditations upon This Heavy Dispensation, with Others upon Me
The Widow's Prayer for Herself and Children
Our Saviour's Command
Anagram upon Mr Thornton's Motto, and My Own
Verses upon Christ and the Church
Against the Fears of Death
A Farewell to the World
My Faithful Soul's Wish for God's Love
Verses upon Rash Censures
Upon My Great Deliverance at Three Years Old
On My Deliverance from Drowning in Ireland
A Great Deliverance from Death by Two Falls, Ireland
A Great fire in Dublin Castle, before My Lord Deputy
The Preservation of My Dear Father's Will
Deliverances at Hessom Battle and in the Wars
From Drowning in Middleham River and Swale
Upon the Reconciling My Brothers, George and Christopher
Anagram on George Wandesford
Verses upon the Fatal Loss of Dear Brother George Wandesford
Upon the Reconciling My Two Brothers George Wandesford and Christopher Wandesford before His Death