WOW ponder well you Parents dear,
Thefe Words which I fhall write,
A doleful Story you shall hear,
In time brought forth to light:
A Gentleman of good Account,
In Norfolk dwelt of late,
Who did in Honour far furmount
Moft Men of his Estate.
Sore fick he was, and like to dye,
No help his Life could fave;
His Wife by him as fick did lye,
And both poffefs'd one Grave.
No Love between these two was loft,
Each was to other kind,
In Love they liv'd, in Love they dy'd,
And left two Babes behind:
The one a fine and pretty Boy,
Not paffing three Years old,
The other a Girl more young than he,
And fram'd in Beauty's Mould:
The Father left his little Son,
As plainly doth appear,
When he to perfect Age fhould come,
Three hundred Pounds a Year.
And to his little Daughter Fane,
Five hundred Pounds in Gold,
To be paid down on Marriage-day,
Which might not be controul'd ;
But if the Children chanc'd to dye,
E're they to Age should come,
Their Uncle should poffefs their Wealth
For fo the Will did run.
Now Brother (faid the dying Man)
Look to my Children dear,
Be good unto my Boy and Girl,
No Friends elfe I have here:
To God and you I recommend
My Children Night and Day,
But little while be fure we have
Within this World to flay.
You must be Father and Mother both,
And Uncle all in one;
God knows what will become of them,
When I am dead and gone.
With that bespoke their Mother dear,
O Brother kind, (quoth fhe)
You are the Man muft bring our Babes
To Wealth or Mifery.
If you do keep them carefully,
Then God will you reward;
But if you otherwife fhould deal,
God will your Deeds regard.
With Lips as cold as any Stone,
They kiss'd their Children small, God bless you both my Children dear; With that the Tears did fall.
These Speeches then their Brother spoke,
To this fick Couple there,
The keeping of your Children dear,
Sweet Sifter do not fear;
God never profper me nor mine,
Nor ought elfe that I have,
If I do wrong your Children dear,
When you are laid in Grave.
The Parents being dead and gone,
The Children home he takes,
And brings them ftrait unto his House,
Where much of them he makes.
He had not kept these pretty Babes
A Twelvemonth and a Day,
But for their Wealth he did devise,
To make them both away.
He bargain'd with two Ruffians strong,
Which were of furious Mood,
That they should take the, Children young,
And flay them in a Wood:
And told his Wife, and all he had,
He did the Children fend
To be brought up in fair London,
With one that was his Friend.
Away then went these pretty Babes,
Rejoycing at that Tide,
Rejoycing with a merry Mind,
They should on Cock-horse ride :
They prate and prattle pleasantly,
As they rode on the Way,
To those that should their Butchers be,
And work their Lives decay.
So that the pretty Speech they had,
Made Murtherers Hearts relent,
And they that undertook the Deed,
Full fore did now repent.
Yet one of them more hard of Heart,
Did vow to do his Charge,
Because the Wretch that hired him,
Had paid him very large.
The other won't agree thereto,
So here they fell to ftrife,
With one another they did fight,
About the Childrens Life:
And he that was of mildest Mood,
Did flay the other there,
Within an unfrequented Wood,
Where Babes did quake for fear.
He took the Children by the Hand,
When Tears stood in their Eyes,
And bad them ftraitway follow him,
And look they did not cry :
And two long Miles he led them thus,
While they for Bread complain,
Stay here, quoth he, I'll bring ye Bread,
When I do come again.
These pretty Babes with Hand in Hand
Went wand'ring up and down,
But never more did fee the Man
Approaching from the Town:
Their pretty Lips with Black-berries,
Were all befmear'd and dy'd,
And when they faw the darkfome Night,
They fat them down and cry'd.
Thus wander'd these two pretty Babes,
Till Death did end their Grief,
In one another's Arms they dy'd,
As Babes wanting Relief:
No burial these pretty Babes
Of any Man receives,
Till Robin Red-breast painfully
Did cover them with Leaves.
And now the heavy Wrath of God,
Upon their Uncle fell;
Yea, fearful Fiends did haunt his House,
His Conscience felt an Hell;
His Barns were fir'd, his Goods confum'd,
His Lands were barren made,
His Cattle dy'd within the Field,
And nothing with him ftaid.
And in the Voyage of Portugal,
Two of his Sons did dye;
And to conclude, himself was brought
Unto much Mifery :
He pawn'd and mortgag'd all his Land,
E'er seven Years came about;
And now at length this wicked Act,
Did by this Means come out.
The Fellow that did take in hand, .
Thefe Children for to kill,
Was for a Robbery judg'd to dye,
As was God's blessed Will:
Who did confefs the very Truth,
The which is here express'd;
Their Uncle dy'd, while he for Debt
Did long in Prison reft.
You that Executors be made,
And Overfeers eke,
Of Children that be Fatherless,
And Infants Mild and Meek;
Take you Example by this thing,
And yield to each his Right,
Left God with fuch like Misery,
Your wicked Minds requite.
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