The Injured Children,
OR,
The Bloudy Midwife;
Being
A Discovery of Barbarous Cruelty to several Children that had
been made away, and buried privately in a Sellar, and two hid
dead in a Hand-basket.
Tune of, Russel's Farwell.
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OH! what a wicked Age is this,
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we Wretches do live in,
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How prone we are to Wickedness,
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and to commit each Sin;
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No day but does produce new Fact
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of Villainy I say,
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Some Thieve, some Murders basely act,
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this is done day by day.
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But of all Baseness none can tell
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a wickeder indeed,
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For when I think upon it well,
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it makes my Heart to bleed;
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A Midwife which at Poplar dwell'd,
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now Newgate is her doom,
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'Tis said she several Children kill'd,
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and hid them under Ground.
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She left a Boy and Girl at home,
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besides an infant small,
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And left them no Provision,
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which made the Children bawl:
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They cried so loud the Neighbours heard
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who went for their Relief,
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The Boy immediately declar'd
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their Misery and Grief.
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I'th' Sellar on a Shelf thats high
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a Basket there you'l find,
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And in it two dead Children lye,
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which terrifie[s] my Mind:
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They went and found it to be true,
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a dismal Spectacle,
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Oh wretched Woman, why did you
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these little Infants kill.
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I'th' Sellar by the Boys advice,
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they digged up and down,
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Where six poor Childrens carcasses
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immediately were found.
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Their Skulls and Bores were taken up,
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a dismal sight to see,
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Oh Midwife, Midwife, what mad'st thou
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bury them privately.
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Some say they're By-blows she did take,
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Or Bastards, which you will
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And all was for the Moneys sake,
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these infants must be kill'd;
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For 'tis supposed a sum for good
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she with a Child did take,
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But oh! such [?]n[?]rseries for Bloud,
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would makes one heart to ake.
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What Grief and Trouble there must be,
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to those that have put out
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Their Children to her Custody,
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since now the Murder's out;
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No less than eight poor Childyen found,
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thought to be made away,
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Six private buried under ground,
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two in a Basket lay.
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You Mothers that have Children sure,
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you nere will Money give,
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That you for that may never more
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your Child see while you live,
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For 'tis a comfort for to see,
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the Mother Nurse its Child,
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And then no Midwives Cruelty
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can ever you beguile.
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