Concerning Gods Judgments, Dedication – Part 1
To the Reverend S. FORD. D. D. Rector of Old-Swinford in Worceſterſhire.
SIR,
BEing importuned by divers (Gentlemen, Miniſters, and others of our Neighbourhood) to draw up a full Narrative and Account of that late ſad Providence (which hath filled the hearts and mouths of the Country round about us, the ſame whereof is alſo ſpread into remote parts) I was at laſt prevailed with to endeavour their ſatisfaction: And the rather becauſe of a general rumour in the Country, that the man had declared ſeveral things to me of near concernment to himſelf, which he concealed from all other Viſitants. That I might not therefore ſuffer ſuch Reports to paſs uncertain, nor be wanting in that which was by ſome urged as my duty; I did (by travelling, at ſeveral times, above ſixty miles in the parts adjacent) enquire into divers particular circumſtances, which I was not before fully clear in: and have now at laſt ſet all down in plain words (ſutable to ſuch an account) that the meaneſt concerned to know and make good uſe of the providence, might at firſt reading clearly underſtand it.
Sir, That I addreſs this to you, is, that I may take an opportunity to make my hearty acknowledgments for your learned and uſeful Diſcourſes in the Pulpit upon this occaſion, to the general ſatisfaction of your Hearers; and I muſt in my own name, and many of theirs, intreat, you would make the ſubſtance of them more publick from the Preſs, that the Readers may learn not to be too cenſorious in things of this nature, not yet to paſs by ſo ſignal a Providence without that juſt Obſervation it deſerves, and due reverence toward that God who is known by the Judgments which he executeth, as you have fully ſhewed us. I hope, Sir, I invite you to nothing, but what your own Judgment accounts worthy your labour; and I am confident it will be no mean addition to your former elaborate ſervices of God and his Church. In which that you may be long continued for his Glory, and the good of his People, ſhall be the hearty Prayer of (Reverend Sir)
Your moſt affectionate (though unworthy Friend) to honour and ſerve you, J. ILLINGWORTH.
A juſt Narrative or Account of the Man whoſe Hands and Legs Rotted off in the Pariſh of Kings-Swinford in Staffordſhire, where he Died, June 21. 1677.
RIchard Duncalf of Godſal Pariſh, not far from Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, dying many years ſince (and his Wife alſo) left behind them many Children, and but ſlender proviſion for them.
One of their Sons, John Duncalf, bound himſelf an Apprentice to Thomas Gibbons of Kings-Swinford in the ſame County, Wheelwright. When he had ſerved his Maſter two years and ſeven months (or thereabouts) he and his fellow Apprentice ſtealing from their Maſter a conſiderable quantity of Iron, delivered it to a third perſon, who promiſed to conceal it from their Maſter: but being all brought before the Right Honorable the Lord Ward of Dudley-Caſtle, upon examination ſeverally, they accuſed each other, and confeſſed the whole: By which means there was found concealed (as Tho. Gibbons ſaith) 26 pound of old Iron, beſides more that was wrought up, new Waggon-Nails, ends of Bars, &c. Upon their Confeſſion the Lord Ward ſent them to the Houſe of Correction, about October 14. 1675. But the other Apprentice being dangerouſly ſick there, and this John Duncalf pretending, at leaſt, to be ſick alſo, they two were ſet at liberty the week foll…ng. After which time this ſaid John Duncalf … to ☞ come again to his former ſervice (ſay…, he would never ſet his feet in Kings-Swinford whilſt he lived) but offering and engaging to pay to his Maſter each other: by which means this young man (who was then full twenty years of age, and at more liberty than formerly whilſt an Apprentice) gave himſelf up to licentious courſes, viz. (as he confeſſed to me, April 26.1677) to Idleneſs, Stealing, Lying, Curſing, Swearing, Drunkenneſs, and Ʋncleanneſs with Women. Which laſt, he ſaid, was not by committing actual Fornication or Adultery, but in the thoughts of his heart, and by laſcivious words, and geſtures, whereby he had endeavoured to tempt them to lewdneſs in divers places. I muſt therefore here clear my ſelf and him from an unjuſt rumour and report common (as I am informed) in the Country hereabouts, which many people yet believe, viz. [That he confeſſed ſome things to me which he deſired might be concealed whilſt he lived, as, that he had committed a Rape upon a young perſon, and afterward murdered her: That he was guilty of Buggery, or lying with Beaſts, &c.] I do therefore openly declare to all, that theſe were groundleſs rumors or reports, and I do aſſure them he never deſired me to conceal any thing he ſaid or confeſſed to me, nor did he ever ſpeak to me of any ſuch things as theſe which ſome have reported and others believed. But the faults above-mentioned ſeemed to lie as an heavy burden upon his Conſcience, when he judged Gods hand was ſeverely chaſtizing him for them, and all his other impieties; among which his conſtant profaneneſs had not been the leaſt, in that, although he could both read and write, yet he had (as he ſaid to me) a long time neglected all manner of Service and Worſhip of God, as well on the Lords day as other days, and that both in private and publick. It is ſaid, he ſtole many things to ſupply his growing neceſſities (which his idleneſs and intemperance brought upon him) chiefly Bibles; and the rather becauſe they would ſooneſt be bought by others. About January the 6th. 1676/7 coming to the houſe of Humphrey Babb, living at the Grange-mill, about three miles from Wolverhampton, he begged of Margaret, the ſaid Humphrey's Wife, Victuals and ſmall drink. The Woman having formerly known him, and compaſſionating his preſent condition, gave him freely ſuch as ſhe had, but whilſt ſhe ſtooped to draw drink for him, he ſtole her Bible, (as he confeſſed to her afterwards.) This Bible he ſold for three ſhillings to a Maid of John Downings, who lives near the Heath-Forge, not far from the place where he ſtole it. By which means, not long after, Humphrey Babb's Wife heard of her Bible, demanded it of the Maid that bought it, and making her ſome allowance toward what ſhe paid for it, received it again long before either of them ſaw him, or heard what was become of him: But this being noiſed in the Country thereabouts, one Henry Evans told his Father Thomas Evans (commonly called Painter) who lives near Henly or Himley (they both knew him) what John Duncalf had done: at which the ſaid John Duncalf, when he heard of it, was very angry, and gave out threatning words againſt the young man; but being charged with it by them, he did not only deny it with ſome fierceneſs, but execrated and curſed himſelf, wiſhing his hands might rot off, if that were true (as the ſaid Thomas Evans teſtifies) and John Bennet his Keeper, ſaith, he often heard him ſay to Gentlemen that viſited him in his ſickneſs, that he did ſo curſe himſelf upon that occaſion to Thomas Evans. And this he acknowledged of his own accord, to me and many others, ſeveral times, when he ſeemed moſt ſerious and in earneſt [That he ſo curſed himſelf, and that immediately upon the execration or curſing of himſelf, he had an inward horror or trembling upon him, a dread and fear of the Divine Majeſty, and Juſtice of God, which fear and working of his Conſcience continued more or leſs many days after.]
When I asked him (upon this ingenious acknowledgment) why he did not confeſs his wickedneſs, and endeavour that the Bible might be reſtored to the owner? his anſwer was, [That the Devil and his own heart would not ſuffer him.] Yet this he acknowledged to me [That within a few days after that execration his fleſh began to look black at the wriſts of his hands, and ſo continued divers weeks before it did ſenſibly rot.] He went then and wrought with one Thomas Osborn a Joyner in Dudley, and (as Osborn ſaith) continued with him about a fortnight (Shrovetueſday being the laſt day as he well remembers) and that it was the laſt work that ever he did; which I cannot wonder at, conſidering what this poor man ſaid to me concerning himſelf in reference to that time, viz. [After I had curſed my ſelf about the Bible, I wrought with a Joyner at Dudley; but at that time I had a fear and trembling upon me, which frequently troubled me, and made me have no great mind to work; and ſo feeling my ſelf weak and faint, and fearing an Ague or Fever, I went towards my acquaintance, but in the way finding I was unable to go any further, I laid my ſelf down in a Barn (at Parton-Hall as I remember) belonging to Sir Walter Wroteſeley, and there continued two days and nights before I was found] (ſome ſay he ſaid (at other times) from Tueſday night to Friday morning.) Being found, he was kept at the charge of the Pariſh of Tettenhal (in which Parton-Hall ſtands) until the next monthly meeting of the Juſtices of the Peace, who (March 27. 1677.) by examination finding Kings-Swinford to have been the laſt place of his ſettlement, made an order he ſhould be carried thither, and maintained by that Pariſh. There he was received, March 28. and John Bennet appointed to take care of him: firſt in a Barn belonging to the three Crowns, (an Inn ſtanding on the Road between Wolverhampton and Kidderminſter) and after one fortnight removed by the Overſeers for the Poor, to the dwelling houſe of the ſaid John Bennet his Keeper in Wall-Heath-ſide. His fleſh at firſt began to riſe in great lumps or knots at the wriſts of his hands, and at his knees (as his Keeper tells me) and after a little time to break and run, and ſhortly after to ſhrink from the bones at thoſe places, at which time, white putrid matter came out and ran abundantly, cauſing exquiſite pain and torment to this poor man: And ſo offenſive was the ſmell for ſeveral weeks together, that thoſe who came to viſit him who were not only many hundreds, but, 'tis believed, thouſands (his Keeper and Neighbours ſay many thouſands) were not able to abide in the room with him, nor ſtand near without the door, except they had herbs or other things at their mouths and noſes to ſmell to. The Viſitants being ſo numerous at all times of the day, eſpecially on the Lords-days, it ſeemed to give him great diſturbance, and made him very unwilling to talk many times, or anſwer them any thing. They moved him once ſo far to impatience, when they crowded about him each with a queſtion, having Herbs, and other things at their Noſes, that his paſſion made him to forget his own condition, and wiſh their Noſes might rot off (as divers there preſent aſſured me;) for which I gently, but ſeriouſly, reproved him at my next viſit. He ſeemed to take the reproof well, acknowledging the fault of his paſſionate expreſſions towards them (provoked as he ſaid, by their crowding, impertinent curioſity, and fooliſh queſtions; or to that effect:) But he had forgot, or would not confeſs, that he uſed thoſe words,—about their Noſes rotting off.]
But his Keeper tells me, he would often be very impatient towards the multitude, and call to him, ſaying, John, why doſt thou not daſh out their teeth? doeſt thou not ſee how they grin at me? and the like.
About the twentieth of April many little Worms came out of the rotten fleſh, ſuch as are uſually ſeen in dead Corpſes (as his Keeper told me) but after he was well waſhed and cleanſed, thoſe ceaſed, and the room and ſmell was nothing ſo offenſive as formerly: yet all that while (though it was rumor'd in the Country) he would never confeſs his execration, and wiſhes againſt himſelf, until his Keeper denied to eaſe him of the Vermin, Lice, &c. that filled his ſhirt and doublet, and continually tormented him. … promiſed, that if his Keeper … and cleanſe him, (he had long … all the hair of his head) he would ackno…, the whole truth, which he then did in ma… as is before related.
And now he began to beg inſtruction, and help to repent and that ſome Miniſters and others, who came to viſit him, would pray for and with him, which many did, both publick Preachers and others, at ſeveral times; and ſome who lived near him (as I did) often. Being asked by me what he deſired might be begged of God for him, he returned anſwer to this purpoſe: That God would give him repentance, and pardon his ſins above-mentioned, viz. Idleneſs, Stealing, Lying, Curſing, Swearing, Drunkenneſs, unclean Thoughts, and conſtant Prophaneneſs, &c. that he would ſave him for Chriſts ſake, and give him patience in the mean time.] I did accordingly endeavour to repreſent his caſe before God, and with humble earneſtneſs to pray for mercy for him; and he ſeemed at that time to be ſomewhat affected with the Prayer, &c.
It was about this time, if I miſtake not, that he ſent for Humphrey Babb's Wife, from whom he ſtole the Bible, ſhe came and brought the Maid he ſold it to, along with her: to them he confeſſed the wrong he had done, and deſired they would forgive him; which the Wife told me ſhe did heartily, and prayed God to forgive hin as ſhe did. The Maid ſeemed to be of the ſame mind and Chriſtian temper.
Very many (as I hinted before) hearing of him, came from all parts adjacent, and ſome from places far diſtant, to ſee this ſad ſpectacle of Divine Juſtice: and amongſt the reſt, ſome of the Romaniſts, one of which, he and his Keeper ſuppoſed to be a Prieſt of that profeſſion, who was earneſt with him to renounce his Religion, and become a Catholick (as he called it) and they would remove him, take care to heal his Sores, and (ſaid the man, whom they ſuppoſed to be the Prieſt) I will pawn my ſoul for ☜ thine, that thou ſhalt be ſaved: which I am informed, is an ordinary form of ſpeech amongſt the Papiſts of this Countrey, when they would perſuade men to their party. When I enquired of this poor man (to try him) why he did not accept of their offers? he anſwered to this purpoſe, [To what end? How can he pawn his ſoul for mine? none can ſave me but Chriſt.]
Others who had occaſion to travel this way from London, and other parts far off, Weſt and North, viſited him, we hope not to ſatisfie their curioſity ſo much, as to behold a monument of Divine ſeverity, and that they might bear witneſs, that although ſentence againſt an evil work is not always executed ſpeedily, yet, God leaves not himſelf without witneſs, in this, as well as former ages, againſt Atheiſm and grand impiety.
Upon the eighth of May following, both his legs were fallen off at the knees, which the poor man perceived not until his Keeper told him and ſhewed them to him, holding them up in his hands, and his right hand, hanging only by ſome ligament, by a little touch of a knife, was taken off alſo: The other hand at the ſame time being black as a ſhooe, and not much unlike, in the fancy of ſome, for roughneſs and hardneſs, to the outſide of a dried Neats-tongue. This hand hanged on a long time afterwards by ſome ſuch thing as the former, and might ('tis poſſible) have continued in that manner until his death, if he had not deſired his Keeper to take that away alſo as the former, becauſe it was troubleſome to him. Now although putrid matter frequently iſſued out at thoſe places, yet he had not ſo much pain as he had formerly for a month or ſix weeks, as he freely confeſſed; and acknowledged that his ſtomach was good, and did digeſt ſuch meats as he took, and that he had evacuations by ſiege and urine, as heretofore in his health.
So that, continuing in this condition ſome weeks, many began to think the Iſſues might be ſtopped, and his life preſerved many years, if regularly ordered. Some the Pariſhioners were moved in it, that Phyſicians and Surgeons might be conſulted, and good advice taken in the caſe; but I cannot learn that any thing was done about it, being judged, by ſome, incurable. It is ſaid that he expreſſed himſelf to ſome that viſited him in this manner. [That now the curſe wherewith he had curſed himſelf being fully come to paſs (in that his hands were rotted off) he was perſuaded it would go no further.] But he forgot that God puniſhed him, not for that ſin only, but, for all his great tranſgreſſions (though for that chiefly) as he formerly confeſſed to me, he believed. At laſt his fleſh began to waſt, and his ſpirits to fail; ſo that viſiting him again, and obſerving ſome change in his fleſh and countenance more than formerly, I laboured to convince him more fully of his condition, and to perſuade him to look up to the great Phyſician, in whoſe hands are the iſſues of life and death, &c. He ſeemed to give diligent attention, and earneſtly deſired me to pray with him; after prayers, when I was about to leave him for that time, he deſired I would not forget him in my prayers; making it alſo his earneſt requeſt, that I would come again when ever he ſhould ſend for me, which I promiſed I would at any hour day or night. This was June 16. and on the 19. (as his Keeper acknowledgeth) he was in great anguiſh and trouble of mind, crying out [What ſhall I do to ſave my poor ſoul?] with many other expreſſions to the ſame purpoſe; being very ſick, and fearing his approaching death. But upon what account his Keeper would not ſend for me (in whoſe hearing he ſo earneſtly deſired me to come to him) he knows beſt, and muſt anſwer it, if it was his fault for private reſpects, as is conjectured. On June 21. in the morning, I went again to viſit him, unſent for, but found him unſenſible, and paſt any further advice. I ſtaid by him until almoſt noon. He lay ſtill, with his eyes fixed, as a dying man, moved not at any thing we ſaid to him, but upon pouring into him a little drink with a ſpoon at ſeveral times, he coughed a little, and groaned, and then lay as before. When I ſaw there was no probability he would underſtand any thing I ſaid, I left him (after prayer made for him with the company there preſent, in the houſe) and had notice brought me, that he died about two hours after my departure from him.
Before I ſum up the whole of this Narrative, and account of his condition, I judge it may be acceptable to the Reader to inſert ſome ſhort Obſervations, communicated to me by an ingenious Gentleman, our Neighbour, who ſeveral times viſited him in his affliction. Take them therefore in his own words.
When I firſt ſaw this young man (which was quickly after he was brought into Kings-Swinford) he appeared to me to be of a vigorous ſtate of body, and of an healthy conſtitution, ſaving the ſtrange defect under which he laboured, his hands and legs being then deprived of ſenſe and motion. I obſerved them, and handled him: They were from both wriſts and knees blackiſh and dying; and I took notice, that about each wriſt and knee there was as it were a Circle at the joynt that divided the ſound from the dying parts, and ſeemed like a ligature, prohibiting any nouriſhment to paſs thoſe bounds; ſo that the blood and ſpirits being wonderfully ſtopped in their circulation, it muſt neceſſarily follow, that the parts thus deprived of their wonted ſupply, muſt wither and die as a leaf in Autumn: which ſad progreſs they made till both hands and legs from the wriſts and knees became dead and dried, black and hard, like Mummy, before they fell off at the joynts, which they afterward did. I alſo obſerved, that at the firſt, above each of the forementioned circles, there brake out a ſore, at which the nouriſhing juyce (deſigned by nature to have fed thoſe parts) emptied it ſelf (now in thoſe ſores corrupted) in a quitture or ſanies, ſo horribly ſtinking, that few of his Viſitants could well endure the room without ſome ſtrong ſmelling defenſative. But viſiting him after thoſe dead limbs were fallen from the body (all but one hand which was almoſt ſevered) I ſaw the joynts with the fleſh look well and healthy They ſeemed to me free and untouch'd by the former mortification, being quick and ſenſible, that now the fellow complained upon the leaſt touch thereof, yet ſeeming to promiſe an eaſie cure, for that ichorous ſtinking humor was gone; the fleſh was raw, but ſweet, and here and there beſmeared with a thick corrupt pus, an encouraging ſign (ſay Artiſts) that ſores incline to healing: But this poor creature wanting all help from Art or Medicine, ſave what the application of the leaves of Mullein afforded, which by his Keeper were uſed to defend the raw parts; in ſome weeks there iſſued the like thin and ſtinking humor as before, which ſoon put a period to his life. So far my Friend.
As to the young man himſelf, he was (as he told me a few days before he died) about twenty two years of age. It was eaſie to obſerve, he had been a ſtrong young man, naturally of a ſtubborn temper, much hardened by evil courſes; yet he ſeemed ſometimes to be affected with his condition, the diſcourſes made to him, and prayers with him; and I wiſh I might have had from him as clear an evidence of a comfortable change wrought in him, as I would gladly have told the world. I muſt in charity leave his final condition to God, who thus afflicted and chaſtized him for the ſpace of near about four months, that he might be a ſignal ſpectacle to thouſands, of Gods diſpleaſure againſt impiety.
The ſum of all is this, That a ſtrong, luſty, young man, as moſt in the County where he was born, being unfaithful to God and his Maſter, and giving himſelf to licentiouſneſs and wickedneſs, was brought to a morſel of bread; and by doing evil and denying it with execrations, had a ſting and ſecret remorſe in his conſcience, by which, and want (the fruit of his idleneſs and intemperance) he grew faint and weak, and his hands waxed feeble: not being able to work, deſigned to betake himſelf to his Friends, but was ſtopped by the way, forced to lie down under the hand of God, that the Curſe wherewith he had curſed himſelf might come upon him; and ſo by the ſtupendious providence of God he was made a ſpectacle to the world of Divine ſeverity many weeks, that others might ſee, and hear, and fear, and do no more wickedly. And I wiſh, God may have no reaſon to ſay to any, (as by the Apoſtle in another caſe,*Acts 13.41.)—Behold ye deſpiſers, and wonder and periſh: for I work a work in your days, which you ſhall in no wiſe believe, though a man declare it unto you.
FINIS.