Page:Wonderful progidies (sic) of judgment and mercy.pdf/41

Rh of his conſcience, continued many days after: and being aſked upon this ingenuous acknowledgement, Why he did not confeſs his wickedneſs, and endeavour that the Bible might be reſtored to the owner, he anſwered, The devil and his own heart would not ſuffer him; but acknowledged, That within a few days after his curſing himſelf, his fleſh began to look black at the wriſts of his hands, and ſo continued divers weeks before it did ſenſibly rot, when he finding himſelf weak and faint, and fearing an ague, was going to his acquaintance, but not being able to go further, he laid himſelf down in a barn, and there continued two days and nights before he was found, from whence he was removed to another barn near Wolverhampton, and had a keeper appointed him; his fleſh began firſt to riſe in great knots and lumps at his wriſts and knees, and to break and run, and after to ſhrink from the bones, at which time white putrid matter came out abundantly, cauſing exquiſite pain and torment, and the ſmell was to offenſive for ſeveral weeks together, that thoſe who came to viſit him (who were many thouſands) were not able to abide the place, nor ſtand near without door, except they had herbs, or other things to ſmell to: after this many little worms came out of his rotten fleſh, and ſoon after both his legs fell off at his knees, and then both his hands; he conſtantly acknowledging it to be the juſt judgment of God for this fearful curſing of himſelf, and for all his other ſins, deſiring the prayers of ſome reverend divines, who came to viſit him in his miſery, That God would give him repentance, and pardon his ſins of idleneſs, ſtealing, lying, curſing, ſwearing, drunkenneſs, unclean thoughts, and conſtant profaneneſs, and that he would ſave him for Chriſt's ſake, and give him patience in the mean time. Thus he continued a