ought to give all diligence and respect to this day as a day greatly valued prised and esteemed of by God himself Anno 1647. there was a deplorable accident a tremendous instance of the justice of God upon a person a â—armer in a Village called Little-â—allerton in the County of Northumberland about six miles distant from New-Castle The Relation is thus The Minister teaching upon that Scripture 1 Epist. Pet. 2. cap. 2. latter part Who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light and in the fore-noon Sermon insisting upon the spiritual darknesse and blindnesse of unregenerate men and aggravating the many evills attending upon that condition in this life and asserting the wofull condition period state and conditon of such as should die in that estate of spiritual darknesse how that to such is resreveâ— the blacknesse of darknesse which was occasionally improved to discoveâ— the miserable condition of the damned in hell by reason of their separation from God called utter darknesse Mat. 22.13 and 8.42 25 1â— At the ending of the first Sermon this miserable man accompanied others of his neighbours to the Alâ— house for refreshment the time of râ—paire to the second Sermon beinâ— come some of them moved him to return with them to whom he replyeâ— that the Minister was preaching upoâ— darknesse and he would not hear hiâ— till he should treat upon the light and so continued drinking in the Alehouse with some other profane souldiers and by having immoderately taken Ale and Hot Waters was in the height of his drunkennesse carried to bed in the Ale-house where after a short time he ended his miserable life dying in the very act of sin without any visible act of Repentance This Relation is inserted verbatim as I have it from a godly Minister of the Gospel in the same County and not farre from the same place and is indeed a sad example of Gods Judgement not only against the sin of profaning the Lords day but also of drunkennesse and contempt of the Gospel Now because I observe this day so greatly neglected by the generality of the Nation not onely neglecting to hear the Word preached which is able to save their soules but also violating of it by profanation give me a word and that only to such as professe the observance of it as lawfull for if such a slighting of this day grow we shall from it run to Atheisme by contempt of Gods holy Ordinances and Commandments Let us first consider the end of God in the Sabbath which is chiefly for sanctification of his name and what creature dare say he is not strictly tyed by all the obligations expressable It is a day of liberty not of bondage God can be sanctified without us he shineth not with borrowed lights these tapers that burne from mortall breach can adde no glory to God but as in his great mercy and condescention he is pleased to accept of us Then the intent of this day as to our advantages it 's for the eternall good of our soules that the Lord may by this occasion reach our slow understanding and with his Word preached that he may dwell with the humble and contrite spirit We are not only to avoyd profaning it by not Working Drinking Playing Idlenesse Travelling c but we ought to frequent the publick worship of God in the Assemblies of his people and there to hear his word with Godly reverence and fear The reasonablenesse of one day in seven for God and our own souls may convince us in a great measure of this day that is a sin less excusable that 's so reasonable that we may have the lesse to say for our excuse he gives us 6 for our outward affairs oh then who can grudge the 7th especially when God links in our immortal happinesse together with his own glory It was the custom of Christians in Trajan the Emperours time to meet on the Lords Day morning sing a Psalm receive the Sacrament and covenant to flie sin on that day and when Christians were summoned before the Heathen Governours and demanded Dost thou believe the Lords Day the answer was I am a Christian Take away the Sabbath sayes a Reverend Divine and Religion will soon wither and decay The Indians might as well have been chosen the subjects of this profitable Obedience and we in their conditions keeping instead of a Sabbath to God every day to the Devil It will be more tollerable I am afraid for them at that Great day than for us If we had been left to our own choice What squarer division of time could have been thought upon than one day for our souls and another for our bodies one for the World another for Heaven This had been the reasonable rule of proportion it s more grace than reason that God should desire but one day in seven and that day also to be for our eternal good Oh how inexcusable will it be for us that prophane it or neglect the advantages of it Is refraining from labour a toil to us Is to be eased of sin a burden Lord then let me be burdened for Lord thy yoke is easie and thy burden is light What is a more unspeakable mercy than for souls to have communion with God as well as our own hearts And as Divines say glory is but grace perfected So that eternal Sabbath of rest is but as I may say this perfected This sin is accompanied with many aggravations and this is none of the least that we have a will given us to refuse to prophane it Besides its a deliberate act of the mind it s not sudden as an oath or murder but in the very act it self thou canst not but know thou art sinning against the light of thy conscience it s the greatest sin that is accompanied with time to consider an enlightened mind to understand the evil to purpose to evil is an aggravation as high as the sin If aggravations face not this sin with a dreadful countenance consider and in reason think Is it not just with God to suffer thy frail composure of corruption to shrink under his heavy judgements that at night Gods protection should leave us as in our graves when we are in our beds Or canst thou expect any blessing upon thy outward estate when it is in the power of God to dispose of life being health estate and all Is it not just if we travel on this day that God should judge us with sudden death in the like severity as he hath made others examples of to all Ages Yet if God do suffer thy corn wine and oil to encrease fear a curse under the Strawberry leaves of thy enjoyments for a blessing is not the shadow of sin it will not follow thee in the wayes of wickednesse rather fear some judgement will overtake thy swift motion to impiety A word to two sorts First those that prophane it contemning not onely Gods Lawes but the Lawes of the Nation
Belshazar and used very much of long-suffering and patience to Pharaoh whose heart at last not taking warning he â—ardened what are examples of Gods Judgements upon others for if not to keep us from being the examples our selves And though Precepts inâ—eed are very binding yet they never shine so much as when set in examples We are all acquainted how little hold reproofs admonitions and exhortations from the Pulpit take of men therefore it is that I have great hopes that these examples may do good for as one in another case sayes A Verse may find him whom a Sermon flyes And turn delight into a Sacrifice So such as come not to heaâ— their sins ript open in a Soulâ— searching Sermon may by reading or hearing these examples be frightened at the voyce of Gods Judgements To consider the severity of God to those that fell may well make us think with our selves shall I that am guilty as much as others be yet in the land of the living will not the Patience Goodnesse and Long-suffering of God lead us to repentance I say examples are of more force to move nay to instruct then the Arguments and proofs of Reason or their precise Precepts for they shew things not onely â—n the Theory but in the practice and execution It 's reported of one Waldus in France that at the sight of Gods Judgement upon onâ— that was suddenly struck dead went home and admonished his friends to repent and turne from their evill wayes and waâ— himself a famous Christianâ— from whom also sprang the name of the Waldenses Examples mix so with the Apprehensions as they force the mind to a deeper understanding and search of the ends and causes of them What I have collected are not of common examples which daily present themselves before our eyeâ— but such as are the most notorious and remarkable and I question not but authentick those of modern and more late experience I have taken from such Authours as are living and who from their own knowledge have given testimony to the truth of them Now what am I that should undertake to direct others in that wherein I am to seek my self by walking below the strictnesse of what I prescribe to others and short of my own duty having it may be that found upon my trencher which I disswade others from as pernicious yet I consider the advantages of the undertaking and it may be this may be one to my self that these strict limits to others will girt me more straitly within the compasse of my own duty and though this hath been strugling for a Birth a long time yet now the truth and integrity of my intentions have prevailed to launch into a Sea of censures and if I aim at the good of others in the reformation of their minds and manners I am sure it cannot be any hurt to them or my self and this is the Rock on which I hope to stand against the proud assaults of envy or detraction for if any thing in the ayme or intention be good it 's made of more value by the diffusive Quality of it in disaffecting that humour of Aspendius who delighted to play on his Harp so that none should heare but himselfe I shall conclude in the words of the Apostle and pray That the love of God which hath appeared unto all men may teach us to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world W. L. THE CONTENTS of the whole THe Character of Drunkards Page 1.2.3 Drunkennesse a sin against the lawes of Temperance and Sobriety and the practice of Heathens against it 4.5 The strict lawes of Heathens against Drunnkennesse 6. The spiritual evils of Drunkennesse 7. Drunkennesse the fountain of other sins 8.9 The outward evils which accompany this sin of Drunkennesse consumption of estate ruine of relations losse of health a shame to friends scorn to servants derision to boyes losse of sences c. 10.11.12 c. A friendly exhortation to such Gentlemen as are tempted to this sin especially to the most learned and ingenuous persons 16.17 c. Gods threatnings aginst Drunkennesse 21.22 Gods righteous and terrible Judgements upon such as take not warning in a collection of the most choyce examples such only as bear the strongest remark of Gods displeasure 23.24 to 45. Some few disswasives from this sin of drunkennesse 46.47 Of profane taking the Lords name in vain by cursed oathes c. 51. The several aggravations of this sin of cursing and swearing 52. Swearing a sinne directly against God himself ibid. It 's a sin of high ingratitude 53 The sin of the Devils in Hell 54 No profit by it ibid Heathens detest it 55 Dissuasives from it 56.57 The severity of former lawes and time against wicked swearing 57. Gods threatnings against it 58. Gods severity in his just Judgements upon such as practised it in a few sad and doleful examples 59 60. to 59. The sin of profaningg the Sabbath day a great sin 83.84 The strict command of God himselfe to observe it 85. Gods own practice for our example to keep one day in seven from labour c. 84. Gods end in commanding us to observe it is for our own good 88. The reasonablenesse of Gods command for one in seven 89. The breach of this day a great sin by many high aggravations of it c. 90. A sin against Gods daily blessings and mercy to us 91. A word to such as sit idly at home on the Lords day 92. A word to such as profane it by playing drinking c. 91. Perswasions to hear the Word and attend Ordinances as the greatest advantages to our soules 93.94 Objections answered 95. Gods threatenings against Sabbath-breakers 96.97 Gods severe examples of Judgement and Justice upon the profaners of the Sabbath day 98.99 to 125. Conclusion 125.126.127.128 OF DRUNKENNESSE AND GODS JUDGEMENTS UPON DRUNKARDS THe sin of Drunkenesse being the womb of all others I chuse first to speak of by shewing What a loathsome creature a Drunkard is how it 's condemned by the lawes of Nature as well as Nations the sad consequences of it to soul to body by setting a full point to his life when nature hath not yet made a Comma Ruining his family and relations leaving himself at last a prey to necessity and scorne to fooles The Aggravation of this sin to the Gentry who by their Birth Estates Parts c. are seated above the reach of such vulgar rudenesse and therefore should soare so high with a Noble mind as to scorne to prey upon such garbage as is only fit to feed swine with The threatnings of God against this sin with his Judgements for it First then A Drunkard may be called a Monster such as entred not into the Ark unlesse you account Noah one who fell through temptation he made no practice of it yet smarted for his pregnant curiosity to make an assay upon the unruly spirit of wine but let
dayes of their youth unlesse by blaspheming and cursing it A Noble person of the City of Eflinghen at a losse by gaming began to swear and curse bitterly in which rage and madnesse he mounts his horse for home the Devil meets him pulls him off who with his servants was misguided all the night by evil spirits and in the morning finding themselves not lost they get their Master safe to Bethen-Hansen where in great torment for three dayes he yeilded Justice victor A woman in Marchia being a prophane curser and swearer was justly left by God to Sathan for in sight of many people she is snatched into the air and thrown down again which brake her neck God we see can break us from our sins and lives together if we do not from the first break off by repentance One Margret VVood of Allercleugh in the Parish of Stanhop in the County of Durham was notoriously known for many years upon every slight occasion to use this imprecation I wish I may sink into the earth Upon the last day of August 1655. she with one Elinor Mason of the same Parish being both washing of lead oare to fit it for the Lead-mill and standing upon the same spot of ground where many horses laden with Lead had passed the immediate day before the earth suddenly failed under them and swallowed them both up next day when their dead bodies were digged out Elinor Mason was found with her body erect but Margeret VVood was many yards deeper within ground and her head direct downwards One Elinor Short of the same Parish did frequently use this imprecation I wish my feet may rot off if this or that be not so or so It pleased the Just God about 20 years ago to visit her with a pain in her feet which by degrees did rot quite off as afterwards did her legs also and she is yet alive at this day as a Monument of Gods signal Judgement she creepes upon her hands and thighs and doth often acknowledge Gods just dealing with her Robert Durance Butcher in Carlisle was a known Swearer and Drunkard who about 30 years ago being playing at Cards with some of his companions and having lost all his money except 30 s began fearfully to swear he would be revenged upon himselfe whereupon he run out at the gates of the City towards the River Eden and though he was followed by divers some on Horse-back yet did he destroy himself by leaping into the River in which River hard by the place where he leapt in he lay for the space of four years at the end of which a Fisherman found the lower parts of his body only the other parts being consumed William Knot of Dalston in Cumberland being a common swearer when he was a servant to Alderman Grey of York he fell into a lead full of boyling liquor by which means in ten days he dyed John Prestman of Weighton in Cumberland A Sheriffes Bayliffe being accounted a common swearer one night when he was drunk at Carlisle went out in the night and notwithstanding the perswasion of his Landlord leapt over the Bridge with his horse and was drowned in the River Caude One Hudson of Dalston in Cumberland did wager with another man who should swear more oathes by God the other man was by the just judgment of God struck dead ere he parted Hudston was struck dumb to his dying day and though he lived many years after yet could speak nothing but swear by God which he did upon every occasion Oh the justice of God to some and the patience and forbearance to others waiting to be gracious let such as swear by the name of God look upon this example this sad example On May Eve 1634. one Troe of Gloceâ—ter a Carpenter in the Parish of St. Michael being demanded by some whether he would go with them and fetch the May-pole swore by the Lords wounds he would go though he never went more But mark the justice of God on May day morning as he was working on the May-pole before it was finished he was by a Divine stroke of Justice smote with such a lamenesse and swelling in all his limbs that he could neither goe nor lift his hand to his mouth to feed himselfe but was forced to keep his bed for half a year together and to this day goeth lame May 4. 1636. OF THE SABBATH DAY WITH GODS JUDGEMENTS UPON THE PROFANERS thereof OF THE SABBATH DAY With GODS JUDGEMENTS upon the profaners thereof I Am now to treat with the Sabbath-breaker who for many reasons will appear to be lesse excusable before God for this sin then either the Drunkard or Swearer Here is a double sin profaneing it and neglecting that which is ordained by God for the eternall good of our soul besides it is a premeditated act and goes along with a great aggravation as we shall see in a word presently It is now become so great a custome to prophane the Lords day that he almost becomes a scoffe to others that offers to reform or punish it and that men may not so much slight it I have collected a few reasons to perswade men to observe it and disswade from the profanation of it for God will not be mocked That we may know this day is no mock-day The Lord that made heaven and earth That great Jehovah stiles himself Lord of the Sabbath and the Lord hath in a more speciall manner singled out this Commandement with a memento Remember by no meanes forget the Sabbath for the Lord rested that day and he blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it It 's a great consideration to make us weigh the duty of keeping it for six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth and when the seventh day came he rested on it The Lord as it were hasted to finish the world in six dayes that he might himself be an example to lead us to the understanding of the great weight which God himself put upon this day And that we may see it is no ordinary nor common thing to break this day see how strictly God in his holy Word commands it This is that which the Lord hath said To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord six dayes may work be done but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest Holy to the Lord he that works shall be put to death that soul shall be cut off from amongst the people it shall be observed throughout their Generations for a perpetual Covenant The Lord threatens sore Judgements and why Because they have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am prophaned amongst them Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it It 's called by the Prophet the Holy of the Lord Honourable there might be many more places quoted but these few are enough to let people see that it is not a trifling matter to profane the day and that we
Smiths Barn and though it grieved the holy man of God who was Minister of the place as the Sodomites did Lot yet he could not help it but in their profanenesse they proceeded not long after a fire kindles in the place of this impiety and burnes down not onely his House Shop and Barn but rages so vehemently as it reaches many other houses with ruin all being chief actors in this horrid profanenesse In the year 1634. upon a Lords day when the River Trent was frozen over fourteen young men were at foot-ball upon the Ice near Gainsborough and meeting all in a cluster together the wrath of God met with them and suddenly the Ice broke and they were immediately drowned Oh the justice of the Lord upon the prophaners of his Holy day The same painful and useful Author of Gods examples relates a sad one of Gods Judgements upon two fellows in Essex near Brinkely that were working in a Chalk-pit one of them boasting that he had vext his Mistresse by coming so late in from his Sabbath-dayes Sports and Recreations ◠but sayes he I will anger her worse next Sabbath day which words were no sooner out but Justice seizes upon him for the Earth falls upon him and he never stirred more to his Sabbath prophanesse his fellowes limbs were broken both being sharers in the sin of the Sabbath are made also to be so in their sufferings and punishments The Lord will be known in the paths and wayes of his Judgements to such as will not be led and allured by his tender mercies And of one Mr. Ameredith a Gentleman of Devonshire being recovered from a pain which he had suffered in his feet one of his friends saying he was glad to see him so nimble the Gentleman replies He hoped his hopes should not be frustrated of the great expectations he had to dance about the May-Pole the next Sunday But behold the Lord in a just punishment for such impious and wicked resolutions and no doubt also for his former prophanesse on that day smites him suddenly with feeblenesse and faintnesse of heart ere he stirred from the place and with such a strange dizzinesse in the head that he was forc't to be led home and from thence to his last home before the Lords Day shined upon him Now tell me any that can what little hopes the poor souls thus ushered to the chambers of death have to keep an eternal Sabbath with God that will not keep his Sabbath from prophaning on earth Truly these are sad symptoms of Gods heavy displeasure against soul as well as body his mercy if any be in such dismal dispensations are occult and hidden the Lord in mercy warn poor sinners to avoid the wrath of such an Infinite God that such as will not be intreated to keep the Lords day as they ought may be terrified from prophaning of it Another as severe he relates which together with the three former are attested by sufficient witnesses At Walton upon Thames in Survey upon a great frost in the year 1634. three young men having in the forenoon heard a Sermon from 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgement-seat of Christ c. they went over the Ice into an house of disorder and gaming where they prophanely spent away the rest of the Lords day and night also in revelling and drinking the one of them next day boasting merrily of his pleasure upon the Sabbath day and his adventure over the Ice All three on Tuesday return the way they went and upon the Ice suddenly sunk to the bottom like stones one of them onely miraculously preserved These judgements may be mercies to some that are yet prophaners of the Lords day if God please At Burton upon Trent Mr. Abberly a godly Minister often took occasion to reprove and threaten such as make no conscience of the Lords day by prophaning it in a more peculiar manner such as bought and sold meat upon this day which it seems was a sin as great and as commonly practised in this place as it was lately at Buntingford where in my journey some Gentlemen of Newcastle being my fellow-travellers we took occasion after Sermon to acquaint the Minister withal I pray God it may not be so still lest such a judgement befal the place as did this prophane wretch which was thus A Taylor being a nimble and active man dwelling at the upper end of the Town must needs in a bravado go to the further end to buy some meat before morning-prayer but coming home with both his hands full in the midst of the street he fell down stark dead I was sayes Doctor Teate an eye-witnesse both of his fall and burial and that it wrought a reformation in the place both among the Butchers and others It was a remarkable Providence and I wish I say that other places may be reformed of this bold and impudent sin or truly they may repent of it when it s too late A Pious Divine sayes he The Lord hath spoken so loud from heaven against Sabbath-sinners that I cannot be silent We hereabout have had in a short time terrible tokens of God severe vengeance upon such as mind not the service of his Day amongst our selves a sad example A Townsman going to gather Cherries on the Lords Day fell from the tree and in the fall was so battered and bruised that he never spake more but lay groaning in his blood until the next day and then died Another man not far from this place in Cherry-time as he was gathering fruit fell from the tree and with the fall was so hurt that he lay in anguish and dreadful dolour all the week till Sabbath day and then ended his miserable life And of a young man that on the Lords Day in a place nigh unto Mr. Goodwins scrambling with others for Peares thrown out in the Church-yard broke his main thigh-bone and the bone of his leg on the same side which was so miserably and strangely broken as that the Bone-setter who was a godly man told Mr. Goodwin though he had seen many yet he never saw the like God here dealt in mercy as well as in judgememt in that he 〈◊〉 him space to repent and see his sin The Lord warn us all by these examples A company of prophane young men in 1635. near Salisbury upon the Lords Day morning went to Clarington Park to cut down a May-Pole and having loaden the Cart with the tree and themselves with the bitter fruits of sin they are severely punisht by the hand of God For entring into the City of Salisbury through a place called Milners Bars unawares the Cart gives a turn and the end of the tree struck one of the Sabbath-breakers such a mortal blow that his brains flew out and there on the place he yeilded himself a conquered sinner by the Just hand of the Lord lying there as a sad spectacle of Gods indignation and sayes Mr Clark I enquired of
the truth of this at my first coming to Sarum and very many godly persons in my hearing attested it to be true upon their own sight and knowledge And further Doctor Teate he gives a second example upon his knowledge thus To my knowledge at Compton-Chamberlin in VViltshire at the house of Sir J. Penruddock a dancing match was held on the Lords Day where a stranger ushers in to act his part and after a few turns about and a few capers he in the midst of the sin falls dead to the ground before all the company Here was a sad dispensation of Providence from Gods immediate hand as many else besides are here was no instrument to take off any of the most severe vengeance of God and such examples in my mind should be taken as pregnant testimonies to let all men know this day ought to be kept as Holy Oh take heed of slighting this day that God so severely punishes in his sore displeasure And Mr. Clark upon his own testimony brings in a sad relation thus When I lived in Cheshire there was one Sir T. S. a Papist and at that time a Favorite at Court who at his appearance in the Country was very much feasted and entertained by the Gentry once amongst the rest he was invited to a Knights house on the Lords day where many accompanied him towards evening the proper time for the deeds of darknesse they fell to dancing but look to the finger of God and see what fell upon their sinful prophanesse In the midst of their sport there was one Sir J.D. had a blow given him on his leg by some invisible hand for none was seen to touch him as was attested by all the company and thus he went lame for a good while after It may be it set him upright in his practise and conversation ever after if it did it was a good providence that saved him from a more severe Judgement One Sabbath day in the afternoon a match at Football was made in Bedfordshire as two of the company was tolling a Bell to summon the rest together some that sat in the Porch of the Church suddenly hear a terrible clap of Thunder and saw a flash of Lightning coming through an obscure lane which flasht in their faces to their great terrour and fear so passing on to these that were tolling it trips up the heels of the one and leaves him stark dead the other so blasted that he died also in few dayes These are the swift Messengers of God which overtake poor sinners in the way of their sins before resolution can be proud of any actions God will be seen in his wrath and terrour to all wilfull and impenitent sinners At Tidworth on the Lords day many were met in the Church-yard to play at football where one of this wicked company had his legge broken which by a secret judgment of the Lord so fester'd that it turned to a Gangrene in despight of all means whereof he speedily died Stratford upon Sluon was no lesse then twice consumed by the fire of Gods wrath for this sin of Sabbath-breaking and on one and the same day twelve-moneth besides they were great contemners and slighters of the Word of God by his Minister A sin that is commonly followed with hardnesse of heart if no visible judgement get before it It is recorded of Pompey that he shrunk under the depression of Gods sore displeasure for profaning Gods Sabbath and Sanctuary That which God consecrates must be kept holy or woe to the profaners of it And of Herod who profaned Gods name by his wickednesse and that when for some treasure which he supposed to be hid he caused the Sepulcher of Gods Saints to be pluckt up The Lord in Judgement caused a fire to breake forth of the earth and destroyed those that he imployed which when he saw he desisted and durst go no further Nov. 26. 1621. One Richard Bourn servant to Gasper Burch of Ely was so accustomed to travell on the Lords day that he made no conscience of it seldom or never coming to the Assembly to hear the Word of God on that day but went to St. Ives Market where he stayed and spent the day wher being drunk he was overtaken by Gods Justice for coming home fraught with commodities he fell into the River and was drowned a just reward of other sinnes in the punishment of one In the year 1635. A Miller at Church-down nigh Gloucester would needs make a Whitsun-Ale notwithstanding the private and publick admonitions of the Ministers and of his Christian friends large provision was made and musick was set out as the Minister and people in the afternoon went to Church when prayer and Sermon was ended the Drum beat up Musick played and the people fell a dancing till evening at which time they all resorted to the Mill but O the Justice of God! before they had supped at 9 of the clock a sudden fire seized on the house which was so sharp that it burned down his House and Mill and the most of all his other provision and houshold-stuffe At Baunton in Dorcetshire some being at Bowles on the Lords day one threw his Bowle at his fellow and hit him on the ear whereupon blood issuing out at the other ear he died he that threw it fled At Simsburg in Dorsetshire one rejoycing at the erection of a Summer-pole on the Lords day said He would go see it though he went through a quickset hedge A Proverb here Going with wood in his arms to cast into the Bonfire profanely uttered these words Heaven and earth are full of thy glory O Lord He was immediately smitten by the stroak of God and in two or three days died and his wife also At Dover the same day that the Book of sports was read in St. James Parish one profanely went to play upon a Kit which drew a rude multitude of the younger sort together But oh the terrour of the Lord He was struck with a divine hand and in two dayes died Two Boyes of St. Albans going into Verolans pond to swim upon the Lords day one of them was drowned the other narrowly escaped as a warning to others Two young men of St Dunstans in the West London going to swim on the Lords day in September 1635 were both drowned A fellow in Sommerset-shire being to make a Tent on the Lords day for a Fair which was to be on the day following said on the Satterday that he would make it on the morrow which was the Lords day and being drunk he died the same day roaring One Mr. Prince Chyrurgion of the of the Tower of London did on the Lords day ride upon his horse to pace him for a Chapman but see the justice yet mercy of God he broke his leg and lay in great pain and anguish eight weeks His son had disswaded him from so great a sin which now he acknowledged as