Strange and true NEWS FROM Staffordshire, OR, A true NARRATIVE concerning a Young Man lying under Almighty Gods just Vengeance, for imprecating God's Judgement upon himself, and pleading his Innocency though he knew himself Guilty.  
Written by W. VINCENT Minister of God's Word at bednal, in the County of Stafford aforesaid; who saw and discoursed the said Person upon the 26. day of April, 1677.  
The saddest Spectacle that ever Eyes beheld.  
Licenced, May 11. 1677. Roger L'Estrange.  
LONDON, Printed for E. R. in the Year, 1677.   

Strange and true NEWS from Staffordshire.  
THough the sad Examples of God's Justice upon notorious Offenders have been many, in the several parts of the World, yet men are not deterred from but persist in perfidiousness and Villainy: When Satan has by his temptations got once an advantage, he never leaves tempting such Vanquished Sinners, till he has drawn them from less Sins to greater, and so brought them to shame and destruction either in this Life, or that which is to come; as by this sad Example, of which I am about to discourse, will more fully appear.  
One Mr. William Vincent, a Minister, hearing a Report that a man's hands and feet should Rot off, and yet the said man not at all sick, but could eat and drink and speak heartily, and having an account where this man lay, could not be satisfied, but made it his business to ride to the place, which was about 14 or 15 Miles distant from Bednal, where the said Minister liveth; and coming to some few Houses adjoining to a Heath side in the County of Stafford aforesaid, in a little Shed or Barn, there he finds this Subject of God's Wrath and Object of every Eyes pity that beheld him: And at that time there were a great many both Men Women and Children beholding of him. The Person so afflicted lying there upon a pad of Straw between a pair of Sheets, not being able to help himself, neither one way or other, more than what the Person that looked after him did for him; for there is a man hired only to tend him.  
As to the Miserableness of his condition it is this, several of his Members consume away and Rot; one Hand being rotten from the wrist that you may not only see through the Master Bones, but also the Bones for half a handful between the Knuckle-bone of the Wrist and upwards, towards the Elbow, hath neither Vein, Flesh, nor Sinew left, but is as bare as any Bone can be: One Hand is as black as a Beasts-Hoof, and drawn together in the form of the same, so that the said Minister upon the first sight of it, did conclude that it had been a Beasts-Hoof that had lain by him, till his Keeper showed him to the contrary, by moving his Arm; by which it did appear, that that was his Hand, and did join to his Wrist, that was bare to the Bone for above four Inches: The Flesh that next appeared towards his Elbow was ulcerous and in a rotten condition, and one of his Knees rotten, so that his Leg was ready to drop off; yet all this while the said afflicted person eating and drinking and speaking heartily.  
Now you have heard in what a miserable and dreadful condition this sad Subject of God's just Wrath now lies. Let us proceed to give you an account of his own Conjectures of the Cause of his so exemplary Punishment.  
The said Person stealing a Bible, being accused of the Fact, did absolutely and impudently deny it; not only so, but imprecating sad Judgements against himself, in these and such like words, saying, That he desired that God might make him an Example if he were any ways guilty of that Crime laid to his charge; and that his hands might Rot off if he stole it, and he might Rot alive if he had it, or meddled with it: notwithstanding he knew himself to be guilty of the stealing of it.  
All which you may more fully understand by this following Confession from his own Mouth to the said Minister, the Author of this present Narrative.  
This Minister when he came to him propounded several Questions to him, after he had bewailed the lamentable condition of the said Person.  
1. He asked him whether he did not look upon the Hand of Divine Vengeance to be upon him, in an extraordinary manner?  
He answered, He did.  
2. The said Minister asked him, whether he did apprehend for what that so sore a Judgement was for, that he than lay under; whether he were guilty of any particular Sin, (that his Conscience accused him withal) which did provoke God's Wrath in so high a nature against him.  
He said that his particular Sin was stealing a Bible, for which he apprehended this sore Judgement of God upon him.  
The said Minister said further to him, did you steal a Bible?  
He answered, Yes.  
The Minister told him, though he did, that was a sin pardonable upon Repentance; that God was a merciful God.  
But the afflicted person further added, That when he was questioned for it, he positively denied it, and wished that he might Rot alive, and that his hands might Rot off if he ever touched it; and all this while knew himself Guilty of the Crime.  
The Minister asked him how long since this Fact was committed?  
He answered, About six weeks.  
The Minister asked him how long after that he had wished those sad Wishes to himself, it was before he apprehended that hand of God's wrath to be upon him?  
He answered, Not long.  
The Minister asked him, after what manner he found himself alter, as to any Distemper that seized upon him?  
He answered, he was taken with an Aguish and Feverish condition, and immediately his hand began to Rot, and then he looked upon it to be the hand of God upon him, in punishing him for those sad Wishes he wished upon himself: And he further added, That he desired all good people to pray for him.  
Having given you an account of the Confession of this miserably afflicted person, without any alteration, as it was taken from his own mouth; give me leave to admonish the Reader seriously to consider, That if we by continuance in sin shall provoke God to withdraw his sustaining Providence, our flesh and bones presently consume and crumble into dust and rottenness.  
Hast thou not seen in a Charnel-house the unvailed mysteries of humane Nature, bones rudely thrown upon heaps, naked skulls with hollow eye-holes, yielding a dreadful and deformed Spectacle? Hast thou not beheld their grinning mouths, and ghastly looks, and the rest of their members carelessly dispersed and scattered? Such thou mayest consider will every person suddenly be, from whom God shall at any time withhold his providential supports.  
Let this sad Spectacle of Divine Vengeance move us to consider, with what a God we have to do: Be not deceived; God will not be mocked. Let every one consider and admire God's Free Grace and Mercy, that he hath not been made a subject of God's immediate wrath, instead of being a living Monument of God's long suffering and patience. Let no man presume to take God's Name in vain; much more not dare to challenge God's Vengeance upon himself. This sad Example (being well considered) may deter all that hear of it from such notorious sins. Let every man take the advice of Moses, Deut. 32. 29. To be wise, to understand, and to consider their latter ends: which being done, will bring us to the knowledge of God, ourselves, of Heaven and Hell, and prevent from being unhappy or miserable, either in Body or Soul. Which is the hearty desire of your humble Remembrancer.  W. V. 
FINIS.