The Cruel STEP-MOTHER
Or, The UNHAPPY SON.
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YOU most indulgent parents, lend an ear,
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And you a dismal story soon shall hear;
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A story strange, but certain true indeed,
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Enough to make a heart of stone to bleed.
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In York, that famous city of renown,
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There livd a gentleman, one squire Brown,
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Whose wealth and riches were exceeding great,
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But yet he had no heir to his estate.
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He had a virtuous, kind, and loving wife,
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With whom he livd a comfortable life;
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The want of children was their only grief,
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But God was pleasd to send them some relief.
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She did conceive, and with a son, we hear,
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Great was the joy when she deliverd were,
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Much feasting, which for many days did last,
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Both rich and poor did of their bounty taste.
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It pleased God the child did live and thrive,
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Until it came unto the age of five;
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At five years old his sorrows sore begun,
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And so continued many years to run.
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The greatest pleasures that we hear can boast
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So sudden fade, and are but short at most;
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When death approaches, who can shun the dart?
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He has command, and strikes up to the heart.
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The squres lady was took wondrous ill.
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The doctors usd in vain their best of skill.
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All cannot do, the fatal stroke death gave,
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And no man thats born her life c[an] save.
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Her husband then she sent for out of hand:
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Her weeping friends did now around her stand;
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Her husband came, she said to him, My dear,
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The time is short I have to tarry here:
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Be careful of the darling child your son,
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See that in virtue paths he strives to run;
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That I in heaven may see him again,
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And there in endless bliss with him remain.
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For the childs sake, wed not again, my dear,
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For if you do, I cannot rest, I fear.
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Let no step-mother my dear child abuse,
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Whom I so tenderly did love and use.
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My jointure, which is fifty pounds a year,
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I leave to him, whom I love most dear.
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Be you a tender father to my son,
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Think on my words, when I am dead and gone.
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He said, Dearest, these words Ill keep in mind;
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I to the child will prove a father kind:
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To wrong my child, I wrong myself, you know;
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I love the child too well to serve it so.
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Then for her child she straitways did call,
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Whilst tears from her cheeks down did fall;
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And kissing him with lips as cold as clay,
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The child did to his fainting mother say,
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Mamma, what makes you kiss me and cry?
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I hope you will be better speedily;
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I hope I shall, sweet dear, to him she said,
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Then turnd herself, and straitway dyd.
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She scarce two months in the grave w[a]s laid,
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Ere he forgot the promises he made;
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Which made the proverb true, as we do find,
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That out of sight is quickly out of mind.
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Unto a rich and wealthy widow old,
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He went a courting oft, as we are told;
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No rest or quiet would he let her have,
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Till her consent she unto him had gave.
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She said, before she to him did engage.
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She had a daughter fair, ten years of age;
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And therefore for her dear daughters sake,
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She was resolvd a widows will to make.
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He gave consent that it should be made,
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And in much triumph now these couple wed,
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But during these things were thus even done,
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He quite forgot his daughter and his son.
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His new wife was cross, and very proud,
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And his own son never was allowed
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With them to dine, but at her chair to stand,
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Just like a footman, waiting her command.
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Her daughter she must at the table sit,
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And pick and cull the best of what is eat:
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Besides a waiting maid too miss must have.
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While the poor lad is made a drudge and slave.
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Altho he was thus scornd, yet we find
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How fortune unto him did prove so kind,
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His mothers brother died, as we hear,
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And left this boy two hundred pounds a year.
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His father then the interest was to have,
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For to maintain the child so fine and brave;
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But if he died ere to age he came,
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His father then was to enjoy the same.
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His step-mother found things were ordered so,
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She was resolvd to work his overthrow,
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Cries she, When he is put away and gone,
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Whats left to him will soon become my own.
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She with the Devil then did straitway think,
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And to her husband gave a sleeping drink;
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And as he within the garden lay
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Unto the boy she these words did say,
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Go watch your father as he sleeping lies,
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And if thou seest him wake, or going to rise,
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Come and shew me, make the best haste you can.
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And so she did this harmless youth trapan.
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The boy with watching long did go to sleep,
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Then softly she did to his father creep;
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Off from his finger she a ring did take,
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On purpose of this boy a thief to make.
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For as the innocent boy a sleeping lay,
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She in his pocket did the ring convey;
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Then with great joy into the house did come:
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And said, I hope his business I have done.
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The lad awaking, strait did rub his eyes,
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But seeing of his father going to rise,
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To inform his mother he straitway did run,
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Meanwhile his father in a-doors did come.
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And missing of his ring to her did say,
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My dear, what makes you take my ring away
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Cries she, I took it not upon my life;
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You may blieve me, as I am your wife.
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But if youd know what is of it become,
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Id have you to examine well your son:
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As in the garden you did sleeping dose,
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I saw him then a-fumbling at your cloaths.
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He went to search his son, the ring he found,
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Then hand and foot straitway him he bound,
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And lashd him till the blood did run,
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Whilst she, hard hearted wretch! stood gazing on.
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Cries she, now send this wicked rogue to sea,
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Lest that he doth disgrace the family.
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Ill get a master soon for him, she cryd,
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For he no longer shall with me abide.
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He gave consent, and she a master got;
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And he was sent away, hard was his lot,
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Where we will leave him to cross the main,
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And turn to this wicked wretch again,
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But God, who sees our actions here below,
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He did not let this wretch unpunishd go
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For this boys mother to them did appear,
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One night when they in bed together were.
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This apparition told them of the ring,
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And how she servd the boy in every thing;
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Then did she shake the bed whereon they lay,
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And then it vanished from them away.
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The squire he was very much surprizd,
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And finding that his wife had told h[i]m lies,
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To make him send his poor boy away,
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He went into a strong despar they say.
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To add unto his grief we understand,
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A letter from his son came to his hand:
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At Jamaica he was, the le[t]ter told,
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And to a capt[a]in there was basely sold.
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And as they sailing were upon the main,
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They by a Spanish privateer were taen:
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The ship condemnd, and they were m[a]de slaves.
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This is, kind sir, said he, my desperate case.
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The father seeing th[i]s, swooned away,
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Crying to his wife both n[i]ght and day,
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Thou cursed wretch what hast thou now done,
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To make a father thus abuse h[i]s son?
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From home in grief he rambled that day,
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And to a lawyer went without delay,
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Made strait his w[i]ll, and left his son his store,
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Then went and hangd himself before his door,
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The lawyer finding what he had done,
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Did stra[i]tway send a letter to his son,
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For to advise him to come home with speed;
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And money sent to ransom him indeed.
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Which letter by good fortune he receivd,
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His ransom paid, and quickly was relievd;
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He got a ship, and home with speed he came.
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None but the lawyer did know of the same.
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He soon came home, unto the great surprize
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Of his base mother, who with flattring lies
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Would fain excuse herself; but all in vain:
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To law he went with her, and did obtain
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The cause of her; five hundred pounds beside,
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Because he basely was by her belyd.
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Which vexd her so, it almost broke her heart,
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To think she with her ill-got gain must part.
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Her darling daughter being left alone,
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Despisd by all, and pitied by none,
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She sold off all she had, and went away,
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And has not been heard of to this day.
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To step-mothers let this a warning be,
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Never to use poor children cruelly.
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For God will help the widow in distress,
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And be a father to the fatherless.
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Let parents all beg of the Lord to see
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Their children bred up to maturity.
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Till for themselves theyre able to provide.
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Lord send you may be their faithful guide.
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