Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	pray_v	prayer_n	time_n	3,922	5	4.3812	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46056	A just narrative, or account of the man whose hands and legs rotted off, in the parish of Kings-Swinford, in Stafford-shire, where he died, June 21, 1677 carefully collected by Ja. Illingworth ...	Illingworth, James, d. 1693.; Newey, Jonathan.	1678 (1678)	Wing I50; ESTC R4924	10,346	24

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 SIR Being requested by Mr. Illingworth to give you an account of what I am able to say concerning John Duncalf I apprehend the best way is by a bare and brief Narrative of that discourse that passed between us whilst I was with him if there is any thing worth your cognizance you may make use of it as you please Our Discourse was as followeth May 1st 1677. Quest SPeaking to him of the deplorableness of his Condition and that sure there was a more than ordinary hand of Gods Providence in it arising from some evil act or actions of his Answ Answered yes 't was for his sins Quest When I told him that sin was generally the procuring Cause of every mans sufferings but under such remarkable and dreadful sufferings as these were there is usually one or more special sins to be inquired after as the nearest procuring Cause or Causes Answ He answered yes so it was in his case He stole a Bible from a Woman and being charged with it denied it with this fearful wish That his Hands might rot off if he stole it Quest Then I asked him whether his hands began to blacken or change Colour or tingle c. presently after the imprecation or that fearful wish of his Answ Answer'd no but his Conscience tingled sadly Quest John how long was it e're your hands began to rot or had any signs of putrefaction upon them after the Curse Answ About a fortnight Quest Have you made your peace with God for so great an offence Answ Being a man not apt to speak and ignorant withal made little answer only shaked his head Quest Have you asked the Woman forgiveness and to your power endeavoured to make satisfaction or if the Bible were in your hands to make Restitution Answ Yes he did send for her and she came accordingly and prayed God forgive him for she did Quest John canst pray I have not found in thee any motions or inclinations thereunto since I came Shakes his head again and nothing he said Quest John dost thou know how at so great a distance as sin hath made thee to go to the Father Answ Yes by Jesus Christ whispering it softly yet so as I might hear him Quest Then fearing he did not understand what Christ hath done for the World I very briefly opened to him the Tenor and Conditions of the Covenant of Grace and so how he must expect Mercy at the hands of God Answ Then so far as I could guess he began somewhat to relent for the Tears trickled down his cheeks and many Symptoms of conviction and sorrow seemed to be upon him saying these words or to this purpose For Gods sake Sir pray for me Quest John I am glad to see some though the least tokens of penitence in thee The Lord enlarge thine heart and make thy Conscience tender I am willing John to pray for thee and so I perceive is this whole company But it would be great satisfaction to us if you would acquaint us what we should more particularly desire of God on your account Answ Good Sir that my sins may be pardoned as loss of Time neglect of Duty and the service of God Quest Is not Sabbath-breaking one Answ O yes yes Quest Have you any thing else to say Answ No. Then let us pray Ending with the Lords Prayer he repeated the Petitions after me saying Amen with somewhat an elevated voice being observed to weep several times whilst we continued prayer After which I parted with him making me to promise him the continuation of my Prayers About a fortnight after he sends a Messenger to me to tell me he desired my company again at which time I made it my business not so much to ask him Questions as to inform him of those Truths that as I thought had a necessary conducency to our eternal peace Spending some hours with him that day as I could bear the noysom stench that then came from him Before I came away that time which was the last time that I saw him his Keeper told me that a Popish Priest had been with him some few days before earnestly endeavouring to proselyte him to their Religion using this Argument That if he would turn Roman Catholick I will pawn my Soul to thy Soul thou shalt be saved But all he could obtain of the poor man was only this that he would consider of it Then asking John Duncalf whether this was true He answered Yes Praying with him I took my final leave and farewell This is all worthy Sir that I know concerning him I can only add that I am Your most humble Servant JONATH NEWEY Kinfare Aug. 17. 1677. WE whose Names are hereunto subscribed living in the Neighbourhood of Kings-Swinford where John Duncalf the subject of the preceding Narrative whilst Gods hand was so severely upon him for the most part resided and having most of us visited him and discoursed him in that condition and the rest of us received frequent Informations of the Passages herein mentioned from a multitude of credible Witnesses do in order to the rendring so useful a Relation more creditable so far as we are known attest that we judge it to be very exactly and impartially penned in all the particulars and especially in those Passages of it which contain the frequent serious acknowledgements of the mentioned John Duncalf That he did imprecate that Judgment upon himself which is here expressed and upon the occasion here related which he made not only in the hearing of the Author but also of most of us as also in the substance of those that relate the rotting off of his Hands and Legs before his death in the manner herein mentioned And this attestation we make with no other design but that God may have the glory and the world the benefit of so Exemplary a Providence For which end we as heartily accompany this Narrative with our prayers as with our hands Simon Ford D. D. Tho. Wilsby Amb. Sparry John Raynolds Samuel Mountfort Edward Paget

A Just NARRATIVE OR ACCOUNT Of the Man whose Hands and Legs rotted off In the Parish of KINGS-SWINFORD IN STAFFORD-SHIRE Where he died June 21. 1677. Carefully Collected by JA. ILLINGWORTH B. D. An Eye and Ear-Witness of most of the material Passages in it LONDON Printed by A. C. for Henry Brome at the Gun at the West-end of St. Pauls 1678. 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 fame 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 nor 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 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 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 Vncleanness 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 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