The CRUEL STEP-MOTHER;
Or, the UNHAPPY SON.
Printed and sold by J. DAVENPORT, 6, George's Court, St. John's Lane, West Smithfield, London.
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YOU most indulgent parents lend an ear,
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And soon a dismal story you 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 liv'd 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 liv'd a comfortable life,
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The want of children was their only grief,
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But God was pleased 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 delivered 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 pleasure that we here 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 us to the heart.
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The Squire's lady was took wond'rous ill,
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The doctors us'd in vain their heft of skill;
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All cannot do, the fatal stroke death gave,
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And no man that's born h[e]r life can 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's paths he strives to run,
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That I in heaven my 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,
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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'm dead and gone.
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He said, Dearest, these words I'll keep in mind,
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I to the child will prove a father kind,
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To wrong the 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 straitway 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 turned herself and straightway died.
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She scarce two months in the grave had laid,
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Ere he forgot the promise he had 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 of quiet would he let her have,
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Until 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 daughter's sake,
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She was resolv'd a widow's will to make.
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He gave consent that it should so be made.
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And in much triumph now this couple wed;
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But during the time these things were done,
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He quite forgot his dear and only 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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Although he was scorn'd, yet we find,
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How fortune unto him did prove so kind,
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His mother's 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 order'd so,
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She was resolv'd to work his overthrow;
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Cries she, When he is put away and gone,
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What's left to him will soon become my own.
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She with the devil then did straightway think,
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And to their husband gave a sleeping drink;
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And as he sleeping in the garden lay,
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Unto the boy these words did say:
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Go watch your father as he sleeping lies,
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And if thou see'st him wake or going to rise,
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Come and tell me, make the best haste you can;
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And so she did this harmless youth trepan.
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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 into doors did come.
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Missing of his ring, he 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 believe me, as I am you wife.
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But if you'd know what is of it become,
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I'd have you examine well your son,
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As in the garden you did sleeping dose,
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I saw him fumbling at your clothes.
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He went to search his son, the ring he found,
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Then hand and foot strightway him he bound,
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And lash'd 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 your family;
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I'll get a master for him soon, she cry'd,
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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 unto this wicked wretch again.
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But God, who sees our actions here b[elo]w,
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He did not let this wretch unpunish'd go,
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For this boy's 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 serv'd the boy in ev'ry 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 surpris'd,
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And finding that his wife had told him lies,
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To make him send his poor boy away,
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He went into a strong despair, 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 land;
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At Jamaica he was, the letter told,
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And to a captain 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 ta'en;
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The ship condemn'd and they were made slaves,
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This is, kind sir, said he, my desperate case.
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The father, seeing this, then swoon'd away,
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Crying to his wife, both night and day,
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Thou cursed wretch, what hast thou now done,
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To make a father thus abuse his 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 will, and left his son his store,
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Then went and hanged himself before his door.
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The lawyer finding what he had done,
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Did straitway 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 receiv'd,
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His ransom paid and quickly was reliev'd;
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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 surprise
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Of his base mother, who with flattering 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 besides
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Because he basely was by her bely'd,
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Which vex'd her so, it soon 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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Despised 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 off 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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