RIchard Duncalf of Codsal 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 [Page 2] John Duncalf pretending, at least, to be sick also, they two were set at liberty the week following. After which time this said John Duncalf refused to come again to his former service (saying he would never set his feet in Kings-Swinford whilst he lived) ☞ but offering and engaging to pay to his Ma­ster forty shillings, his Master and he gave Releases to 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 profaness had not been the least, in that, although he could both read and write, yet he had (as he said to me) [Page 3] 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 [Page 4] 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 Tettenbal (in which Parton-Hall stands) until [Page 5] 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 [Page 6] 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. He then first promised, that if his Keep­er would cut them off and cleanse him, (he had long before cut off all the hair of his head) he would acknowledg the whole truth, which he then did in manner 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. [Page 7] 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 him 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, [Page 8] 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 of 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, [Page 9] 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.

[Page 10]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. [Page 11] 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 [Page 12] 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.