Sarah Ireson,

A fine 18th century sampler worked in classic English format, this is signed, “Sarah Ireson ended her sampler in the twelfth year of her age July the 14 1764.” Carefully worked tiny lettering forms the many registers of verse, transcribed here below. Horizontal bands of trees, sampler borders, baskets of fruit, strawberries and little birds and stars embellish her work as well. Sarah fit a great deal onto a relatively small sampler!

Transcription: 

If you desire to worship God arise first in the morning

pray and last at light crave for his blessing no your

labours all and in distress for his assistance call 

Some men get riches yet are always poor some get no

riches yet have all things sure they that are proud

and other men disdain do often meet with hate and scorn

See how the lilies flourish white and fair

See how the ravens fed from heaven are

Then neer distrust thy god for cloth and bread

Whilst lilies flourish and the ravens fed

Zaccheus short of stature fain would see

His saviour pass and climb into a tree

If we by faith would see this glorious king

Our thoughts must mount

on contemplations wing

The Desire

From my beginning may the almighty powers blessings bestown

In never ceasing showers oh may I happy be and always 

blest of evry joy of evry wish possessed may plenty dissipate 

All worldly cares and smiling peace bless my revolving years

If all mankind would live in mutual love this would 

Would much resemble that above greatness in virtue

Only’s understood none’s truly great that is not truly good

Worked in silk on wool, the sampler is in very good condition with a number of very minor areas of weakness or loss to the wool. The needlework is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a molded and black painted frame.