Sad and Dreadful News from
Horsly-Down, in the Parish of St. Mary Magdalen Bermondsey;
OR,
A Warning to Brokers, Tally-men, and such like unconscionable Catter-pillars; by the sad Example of Dorothy
Winter-bottom, Alias Dirty-Doll, late of Horsly-Down, who according to her own Report, as 'tis Credibly
attested, by contending with the Devil, received such mortal Bruises, as occasioned her death, she dying on
the 27th. of August, and war buried at St. Olives Southwark, on the 28th. of the same month, 1684.
Reader, behold what Mortals are, when sin
Opens the Gate and lets the Tempter in,
As by this Story may too plain be seen.
To the Tune of, Now now the Fights Done; Or, Packingtons Pound.
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A Story most strange I shall to you declare,
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The like in past ages will hardly appear,
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So sad and so dreadful that but to relate,
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May fear in the hearers and wonder create:
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'Tis of a wretched woman that lately did dwell,
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In Horsly-Down as thousands know full well;
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Who upon the Tally's put Money to use,
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Which oft the poor ruines when turn'd to abuse.
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And Dorothy-Winterbottom was her name,
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Though by Dirty Doll she was known most to Fame,
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Her vices were many as people express,
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Being given to curse and to drink to excess:
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Which gave the foul Tempter a way to get in,
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And still urge her on for to multiply sin:
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To covetousness she was likewise inclin'd,
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For though she had store, yet she griev'd in her mind,
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That she had no more, and so sparing was seen,
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That victuals she'd begg, where abroad she had been,
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Or Candles, or Shooes, or what else she could get,
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For her heart on her money was wholy now set:
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Which in her extravagant talk she would say,
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The Devil had lent her, and she must repay,
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But one day with her Tally's abroad having been,
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And not to her mind her extortion got in,
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She wish'd as 'tis said, if she then did fail,
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To arrest them and lay them to rot in a Jale:
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The Devil might mortifie her at his will,
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Not minding that God does rash wishes take ill:
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And oft in his anger lets Satan prevail,
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O're those that before he'd no power to assail,
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When almost at midnight sometime after that,
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She staggering home at last to her house got.
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But scarce was she entred when with doleful cries,
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She call'd out for help, when strait at the sad noise,
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And murthers repeating her daughter came there,
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But being surpriz'd and amazed with fear,
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Her self durst not enter, till other did hast,
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To know what the matter was, but found all fast,
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So that the sad cry still increasing the more,
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With instruments fit they broke ope the back-door.
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When entring with lights they might plainly perceive
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Beneath the old Lumber poor Dorothy heave,
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For o'rewhelm'd with its weight she was strugling for life,
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Yet threatning as if she had then been at strife,
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With some dreadful foe, and no sooner reliev'd,
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But as one distracted she flounc'd and she reav'd;
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And in an extravagent manner 'tis said,
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She confess'd an encounter with Satan she had
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And that she two Devils had worsted, but then
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A third coming in, had o'recome her again,
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And that the sad Quarrel for money was made,
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Which she had borrow'd and lent in her trade:
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That they came in humane shapes she did confess,
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Two in mens cloathing, the third in womans dress;
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Nor would she be perswaded that it was a dream,
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But angry with those that so told her did seem.
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When neglecting the bruises, and using no art,
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The gangreen increasing, soon reach'd to her heart,
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In spight of Chirurgeons who came all to late
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But could not reprive her from death and sad fate;
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Though raveing she lay and oft ideley she talk'd,
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As if Hells black spirits about her had walk'd:
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Not minding advice though many it gave,
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In hopes her poor soul from the Tempter to save.
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Her talk of her money was mostly her care,
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Still asking those absent the time they wou'd pay her,
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When falling asleep she soon fainted away,
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And groaning her last she no more had to say:
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When dead her own daughter to her husband did send,
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Who long had absented him, but in the end,
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He refusing to Bury her, her Daughter seiz'd
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On what there was left, to dispose as she pleas'd.
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And for her Funeral straight did provide,
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As Duty enjoyn'd her, when hundreds beside,
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Attended the Corps to the Church-yard, and there,
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The Sexton did decently Old Doll Interr:
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To rest in her Grave now in spight of the Fiends,
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Until the great day comes, in which the world ends:
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Then by her take warning you that Tally's keep,
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Least Satan chastise you, and make you to weep.
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FINIS.
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