Unexplained death in Shrivenham

Bath Chronicle & Weekly Gazette, 21 June 1787

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Wednesday last an inquisition was taken at Shrivenham, Berks, before Mr Seymour Mundy, attorney at Hungerford, on the body of Samuel Vincent, who it was generally supposed had died by the violence of a foil he received in wrestling at Shrivenham revel on Monday last; but, after a long investigation, it appeared that the deceased had been in a weak state, with an incessant pain in his side, for three months before, insomuch that he was advised by his friends to forbear attempting the journey from Chisbury in Wilts, his place of residence, to Shrivenham, where he went intentionally to visit his two brothers at service in that neighbourhood, tho’ they never saw him ‘till he appeared upon the stage, for being a gamester he could not refrain exercising his skill, tho’ in that emaciated state, when being foiled out, he got off the stage, and retired to the church-yard, where after declaring that he was not hurt by his antagonist, he died in about an hour, through his extraordinary exertion in this rencounter. The coroner’s inquest brought in their verdict, Died by the visitation of God.