%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> A Warning for Swearers, / By the Example of God’s Judgments shewed upon a Man Born near the Town of Wolver- / hampton, in Stafford-shire, who had Stolen a Bible; and being Examined before a Justice, deny’d the / Fact, and falsly forswore it; wishing he might Rot, if he were Guilty of the Theft; which (accor- / ding to his Desire) immediately fell upon him; and is at this time, a sad Spectacle to Hundreds / that have beheld him: / Also, A Relation of God's Judgments shewed upon a Woman, who Lived in Worcester-shire; who / falsly forswore her self, and [?] in a short time after, Being immediately struck Dumb. C., J. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1678-1678 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/20/2011 30391

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

R216011 2 UNKNOWN Aim not too High Fortune my Foe Aim Not Too High ALL you that do desire to hear and know, / of wonders strange, the which the Lord doth show, Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 38 3: 39 A Warning for Swearers, / By the Example of God’s Judgments shewed upon a Man Born near the Town of Wolver- / hampton, in Stafford-shire, who had Stolen a Bible; and being Examined before a Justice, deny’d the / Fact, and falsly forswore it; wishing he might Rot, if he were Guilty of the Theft; which (accor- / ding to his Desire) immediately fell upon him; and is at this time, a sad Spectacle to Hundreds / that have beheld him: / Also, A Relation of God's Judgments shewed upon a Woman, who Lived in Worcester-shire; who / falsly forswore her self, and [?] in a short time after, Being immediately struck Dumb. C., J. 1678-1678 W. Thackeray, T. Passenger, and W. VVhitwood

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic The New World travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/ crass humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 4/20/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America advice affliction/ health punishment religious concepts vice Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/20/2011 12:25:30 PM XBallad Mellon, Gillian Created XML Version of Ballad 4/20/2011 12:25:30 PM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/20/2011 12:25:30 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Zusky, Catherine Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/20/2011 12:25:30 PM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/20/2011 12:25:30 PM Transcriptionist One Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/23/2008 Bibliographer Giles Bergel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 10/26/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 10/25/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 10/13/2008 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
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ALL you that do desire to hear and know, of wonders strange, the which the Lord doth shew, Give good attention to what I shall declare, the strangest thing that ever man did hear. My heart doth tremble, and my hand doth shake, to think what I at present undertake, For to declare what here I have begun enough to melt a heart as hard as stone: To see how people take delight in Sin, and for to mend their lives will not begin, Until Gods Judgments do them overtake, they never strive their Sins for to forsake. We rather seek to run in Sin the more, while Satan seekes our Souls for to devour; Lets strive in time to break his subtil snare, and of our Souls and Bodies have a care. To see how many they do swear and curse, surely they think not of a God so just, That hears or sees, their actions that are done; yes, at the last, besure he will strike home. As for example now in Stafford-Shire, theres a sad Judgement, as it doth appear On forsworn wretches: there a man doth ly in woful state and grievous misery.
He stole a Bible as it is well known, and being taxt, the same he did disown: He prayd unto God his hands might Rot and so a Judgment on himself he brought. In a small time he had his full desire, and what he of the Lord did then require, His hand-wrists rot away most wofully: his hands are dead and black as black may be. The joynts ofs knees do rot in the same sort, as several hundred people can report, That daily goes to see and take a view, and witness can, the same for to be true. Upon the ground he stinks, as he doth lie, none can endure for to stand him nigh: Lord grant that each good Christian may take care, how they themselves, so falsly do forswear. He doth declare, and also doth confess, its Gods just Judgment for his wickedness, For stealing of this holy Bible book and following Sin, and so Gods laws forsook. But now alas within this world theres few, theyl ask and question if this same be true: But God is witness of his misery, let us poor Sinners warning take hereby.
You men that hear these lines, I pray forbear, take heed how wilfully you Curse and Swear, Too many use it now in every place: more is the pitty, tis for want of grace. ANd now you maids and wives take notice all see that you serve the Lord, and on him call: Take heed of worldly pride and vanity, for often-times no good doth come thereby. And at a certain place in Worcester-shire of late there livd a woman as I hear, In prime of youth she livd in height of pride, which in this world doth now too many abide. And what of her, I here have to declare, I do desire all women to give eare, And not to scorn at what I shall unfold, for why? good counsels better far than gold. She being married, as it doth appear, perhaps for want, she chanct to sell her hair, A friend did tax her with it presently, and she the same most stoutly did deny. But flesh is frail, her faith it being weak, she prayd to God that she might never speak: But in so doing she did not do well: Then see your smallest hair you do not sell. These words being spoke, she went home presently, where as tis said, she no long time did lie, But dyd, and never after spake one word: Oh, these are judgments sent down from the Lord! To let us Sinners rightly understand, tis he that with one word can us command To live or perish to Eternity, let all poor Christians warning take hereby. And now my Song, for to conclude, and end, abroad into the world I do it send, That all poor Sinners may in time amend, and have a care how they the Lord offend.
London Printed for W. Thackeray, T. Passenger, and W. Whitwood.