BEcauſe Judgment is not executed ſpeedily (ſaith Holy Writ) therefore are the wicked hardened in their impieties. If we conſider the horrid Oaths, the abominable Curſes and Imprecations dayly practiſed and uſed in this ſinful Age, we might juſtly expect that the Earth ſhould open to ſwallow ſuch Miſcreants alive to the pit of Hell; or the Heavens dart down Thunder-bolts on their guilty heads: But there is mercy with our God, that he may be feared: He waits upon rebellious Mortals to be gracious, having ſworn that he delights not in the death of a ſinner, but rather that he return, repent, and live: Yet will he not always ſuffer his holy Spirit to be grieved with a froward and obſtinate Generation, but ſometimes, for manifeſtation and glory of his Juſtice, takes ſudden Vengeance (even in this life) on notorious Tranſgreſſors of his holy Laws, and ſuch as may make every ear to tingle, and heart to ake, that hears or conſiders it: For this is certain, though Divine Vengeance may ſeem to have leaden feet, yet it hath iron hands: Though Heaven ſtrikes ſlowly, it ſmites ſurely, and bruiſeth every ſtubborn Soul that ſtands out againſt it in rebellion, to powder, or everlaſting deſtruction.

Not to amuſe the Reader (who we hope is a better experienced Chriſtian than to need it) with a tedious Preamble to demonſtrate this apparent Truth, or quote (as we might do) various Hiſtories from worthy and credible Authors; as The Theatre of God's Judgments; Clarks Examples, &c. to parallel it; We ſhall only impartially relate what within very few days happened in our own Nation; and which is not only moſt notorious in all the neighbouring Countie • , but alſo ready to be teſtified by divers ſober perſons of unblemiſh'd Credit in this City for an undoubted Truth, too certain to be denied by any but an Infidel, too remarkable to be ſlighted by any but an Atheiſt.

We could tell you the Perſons Name and Abode which is the unhappy Subject of this Relation, but • hat our buſineſs is to make a Report of the Judgement, without blaſting the Perſon to whom God in his mercy may yet have granted the grace of a timely Repentance, for ought that is known to u • : So that ſince it hath pleaſed Providence to take her out of the Land of the Living, we ſhall pay that reſpect to the charitable Proverb, which adviſeth, Not to ſpeak ill of the dead, as not to blazon her Vices or Infirmities further than is neceſſary to the declaration of Truth, and cautioning of others ſurviving; the main and indeed only end of this Publication.

This unhappy Woman, then, keeping a ſmall Ale houſe, had too much addicted herſelf to lewd Speeches, ſometimes Oaths, and frequently Curſes, as well on herſelf as others: It hapned ſome few days ſince, being all alone in her Houſe, a woman, one of her Neighbours, came thither for ſome ſtrong Drink ſhe had occaſion for; which ſhe having drawn, and received Twelve Pence, or ſome ſuch piece of Money, inſtead of juſtly returning the full Change, ſtopt and abated two pence or three pence out of it, beſides what the preſent Drink came to, pretending there was ſo much formerly due and owing to her. Which the other reſolutely denying, the Hoſteſs began to Swear, and uſe ſeveral profane and abominable Wiſhes and Imprecations, ſaying, God damn me, and the Devil burn me if it be not ſo: which laſt words ſhe often repeated. However, the other, confident perhaps in the certainty of her knowledge to the contrary, ſtill perſiſting to deny it, and refuſing to be gone without the reſt of her Money; The Ale-wife at laſt violently thruſt her out of her houſe; and to prevent her coming in again, ſhut the Door, and lockt it againſt her.

Thus with many horrid ſinful expreſſions (if not down right perjuries) this poor Wretch made ſhift to wrangle her Neighbour out of this petty inconſiderable ſum, but is like to pay lamentable dear for the ſame. For, behold! by a ſtupendious and terrible Judgment from Heaven, as we cannot but ſuppoſe, ſhe was immediately called to an account, and burnt to Death, as ſhe had fooliſhly and wickedly wiſht, in a wonderful and unheard-of manner: For having ſo ſhut and lockt the door, the ſame was not opened, nor any further news heard of her, till ſeveral hours after, her Husband chanc'd to come home, and wondering to finde his Door faſt ſhut, in the middle of the day, without being able to make any body anſwer within, enquired amongſt his Neighbours, if they ſaw his Wife go forth? Which they all denied; adding, that they rather believed, having wearied herſelf with ſcolding and railing at Goody ſuch an one, ſhe was fallen aſleep; whereupon the man at laſt forc'd open the door, with one or two of his Neighbours: which was no ſooner done, but their Eyes encountred one of the moſt ſad and diſmal Spectacles that ever Mortal beheld; For in the midſt of the floor lay the Reliques of his Wife, one Side of her Body and the Cloaths thereupon, from the Soal of her Foot to the Crown of the Head being conſumed and burnt to Aſhes, and nothing left but the Skeleton, or part of the Bones; whereas the other Side remained whole, and the Cloaths there on not ſo much as toucht or ſindg'd; though it was obſerved, that the Fleſh and Skin there was all turn'd black, as if it had been blaſted with Lightning.