The LEEDS Tragedy:
OR,
The BLOODY BROTHER.
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GOOD Christian people all I pray,
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a while to me draw near;
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And such a story I will tell,
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you neer before did hear.
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For ever since the world began,
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such a thing was never known,
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When you have heard it, you will say.
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twill melt a heart of stone.
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At Leeds in Yorkshire, as we hear,
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a noble Lord did dwell:
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He had a son and daughter fair,
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as many know full well.
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His lady happening to die,
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each was his chiefest care;
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His daughter he lovd best, they say,
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both dutiful and fair.
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Lords and knights they courted her,
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but she did them deny;
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Saying, I am resolved
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a maid to live and die.
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Her fame among the country rang,
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so dutiful was she;
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Her brother fell in love with her,
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which causd this tragedy.
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So was he struck in love with her,
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as to his bed he went;
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Hed many things, but all in vain,
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he could have no content.
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For to speak he was ashamd,
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and so he well might be;
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Sure such a thing was never known,
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nor heard by none but me,
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One day he to his sister sent,
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so up to him she came;
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Cries he, dear sister, tis for you
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Im in this burning flame.
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She hearing him say so, replyd,
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come, Brother, tell to me,
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What I can get to save your life,
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and I will get it free.
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Poor soul, she little thinking then
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what was his base intent,
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Kept urging him to tell her strait,
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what would give him content.
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At last this wicked rogue he said,
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If I could lie with thee,
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Of my pains I should be free,
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and satisfied well be.
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Your beauty has so charmed me,
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if you do me deny,
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By gazing at thy fair body,
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I instantly must die.
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Soon as these words to her he spoke,
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unto him she did say.
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You wicked, vile, and cruel wretch,
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forbear these words I pray.
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O brother, once I lovd you well,
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as any sister sure:
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But now my love is turnd to hate,
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I cannot you endure.
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You are the worst of creatures sure,
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And so deserve to burn;
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And was not you my brother dear,
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you out of doors should turn.
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For now youre hateful in Gods sight,
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and all will you disdain.
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How can you thus offend the Lord,
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in being so profane?
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So from him then she quickly goes,
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but yet lovd him so well,
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That of the thing which he had said,
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her father would not tell.
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When she was gone, he then did say,
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Revengd on her Ill be;
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For I will get my will of her
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the first opportunity.
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She hearing him for to say so,
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No rest at all could take;
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With grief and woe her tender heart
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was ready then to break.
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And to the Lord, poor soul, she prayd
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upon her bended knees,
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For to turn this ingrates heart,
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that she might be at ease.
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Niw he was plotting all the time,
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of her to get his will.
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And afterwards he was resolvd
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her precious blood to spill.
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Her father kept a noble park,
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one evening she did go,
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And as her brother was gone out,
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she walked to and fro
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Long in the park she had not been,
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before that he came in;
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And missing of his sister dear,
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he to the park did run.
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If she is there Im safe enough,
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revengd on her Ill be:
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When I have had my will of her,
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Ill murder her, said he.
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But as he came unto the place,
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where this poor creature sat.
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With a dissembling smile he said,
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my sister dear, well met.
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But when she turnd, and found him there,
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the rose her face forsook;
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And trembling to him she did say,
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I do not like your look.
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For you have mischief in your heart,
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as I can plainly see;
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But your desire you shall not have,
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I am resolvd, of me.
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He said, sister, you do guess right,
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to lie with you Im come;
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So this base wretch most eagerly
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unto her arms did run.
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But she cryd out with might and main,
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good Lord, look down I pray;
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She struggled till her strength was spent,
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and then swooned a way.
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This cursed stony hearted wretch,
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of her did get his will;
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And afterwards he was resolvd
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her precious blood to spill.
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As soon as ever she did revive,
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said he, Ill end the strife;
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For thou shalt neer tell what Ive done
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but here Ill end thy life.
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Crying, this knife shall end the smart,
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and none shall know the truth;
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Ill stab it in the strumpets heart,
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so pray make no dispute.
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His sister hearing him say so,
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unto the Lord she cryd.
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Oh had it been thy blessed will,
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that I before had dyd.
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Sure I should never then have felt
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the torments I go through;
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Sure thou canst neer my brother be,
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and thus to use me so.
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I that am your flesh and blood,
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dont use me so severe;
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Since youve defild me, spare my life,
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for Christs sake, brother dear.
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He said, these words will not prevail,
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but here Ill have your life:
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Then to her breast as white as snow,
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he put the hateful knife.
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The tears did trickle down her cheeks,
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her life of him she cravd;
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Oh dont forget the judgment day,
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how will you then be savd?
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No longer will I stay, he said,
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then gave the fatal blow;
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Her precious blood upon her breast,
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did like a fountain flow;
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This did not turn his stony heart,
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undaunted still was he;
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He straitway went and dug a grave,
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to hid her fair body.
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Now when that he this grave had dug,
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and laid her in the ground.
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He went and covered her blood,
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for fear it should be found.
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Such heinous things cannot be hid,
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from Gods most piercing sight;
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For in short this wicked crime
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was brought to open light.
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Her aged father long did mourn,
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for her, but could not hear,
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What was become of his sweet child,
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whom he did love so dear.
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The wicked wretch, her brother, he
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did with him seem [t]o mourn:
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His father little thought that he
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the wicked deed had done.
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His father said to him one day,
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we will a hunting go;
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Since thy dear sister cant be found,
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Ill strive to ease my woe.
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Full six months her body lay there,
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coverd with dust and mould;
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And most strangely, as you shall hear
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the murder it was told.
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Just as the sport it did begin,
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and in this place did come,
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The hounds all on a sudden stoppd,
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and would no further run.
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Now he then amazed stood,
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so did the nobles all;
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And the son turnd as pale as Death,
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and from his horse did fall.
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The lord he to the rest did say,
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what ails my dearest son?My heart doth flutter in my breast,
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sure some bad mischiefs done.
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The place was opend instantly,
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where they soon her found
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The body of his daughter dear
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laid in that spot of ground.
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At last, when they had him revivd,
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and to his senses came,
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His father said, I fear you have
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this cursed action done.
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So straitway to the corpse he went,
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and kissd her lips like clay;
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Saying, this is my child, of whom
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I took such care alway.
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He kissd htr lips till floods of tears
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down from his eyes did flow;
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Since her dear body now is found,
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I mean the truth to know.
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But when he taxd him with the same,
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he could it not deny;
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And when he had the story told,
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he made them for to cry.
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Father, where shall I go, said he? or whither shall I run?You shall to prison go, said he,
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And there receive your doom.
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No compassion at all you had
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Upon your sister dear.
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The worst of deaths you do deserve,
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For being so severe.
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She was to me as dear as you,
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nay, I did love her best.
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The Lord receive my soul, said he,
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for here I cannot rest.
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He orderd him for to be seizd,
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and unto prison sent.
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Until the Assizes there he lies,
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Lord send he may repent.
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His father instantly ran mad,
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and in his bed was tyd:
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None did expect him for to live,
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until his son was tryd;
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We hope this will a warning be,
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to wicked lustful Men;
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For such a thing sure neer was known,
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since first the world began.
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