The wicked Midwife, the cruell Mother, and the harmelesse Daughter.
OR,
A cruell Murther committed upon a new-borne Childe
by the Midwife, whom the Grandmother of the Childe hyred to kill, but
unknowne to the Mother of the Childe: Now the Mother of this Infant being
falsely accused by her owne Mother, was executed at Lancaster Assize, at Midsum-
mer last. To the tune of, The bleeding Heart.
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KInd Country-men pray listen now,
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And Ile declare that all may know
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What chance in Lancashire befell,
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With teares of woe the same I tell.
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I well may speake in teares of woe,
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The like vile deed I near did know,
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But now in these our latter dayes,
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Many offend in wicked wayes.
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Forth from the North comes heavy newes,
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As all may thinke by this insues:
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My Pen must write of bloody crimes,
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Which hath beene acted of late times.
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There lived a Maiden young and faire,
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Which many young men loved deare:
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And him that she esteem'd of best,
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Did her most wrong of all the rest.
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He with alluring charmes beguild
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This Maide, till she was got with childe.
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Now here begins this Maidens woes,
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As the insuing verses showes.
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Now when she found she was defilde,
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And that he had got her with childe,
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Then unto him she made her moane,
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Desiring it might not be knowne.
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Quoth he, sweet Heart, Ile marry thee
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[?] as possible it may be,
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[?] will [?] me
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[?]
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Then to her Mother she did goe,
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Intreating her it might be so,
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But she vild woman it denide,
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And said she should not be his Bride.
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Daughter, quoth she, you are too young,
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Therefore I charge you hold your tongue.
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Seven yeeres longer you shall tarry
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Before any young man you marry.
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This answere still her Mother made,
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Untill she saw her Daughter sade,
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By perfect tokens she did find,
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What did torment her Daughters mind.
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And then she her examined,
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Who told the truth and near denide,
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Poore Maid, with sorrow, griefe, and care,
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Unto her Mother did declare,
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Desiring that she might be wed,
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To him that gain'd her maidenhead:
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But her vild Mother it denide,
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Quoth she, for thee I will provide.
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Thou shalt not come to any shame,
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For there is none shall know the same.
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You shall securely live with me,
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'Till that you safe delivered be.
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Her time expired that she must be
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Br[?]e of pain set free:
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[?]idwife [?]t,
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[?]
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The second part, To the same tune.
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QUoth shee I will give you five pound,
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So I may find you just and sound,
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To keepe my counsell in this case,
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And not declare't in any wayes.
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But first Ile have you for to sweare,
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Ere I to you will it declare,
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In this thing that I doe intend,
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That you will prove my secret friend.
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The Midwife made a solemne vow,
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That none from her the same should know,
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If you'l pay me well for my hire,
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Ile doe anything you require.
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Why then quoth she, the cause is this,
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My Daughter now in labour is,
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And I do crave your helpe and skill.
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My Daughter save, but her Child kill.
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Quoth the Midwife, I will doe so,
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Then homewards they made haste to goe,
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Where they found her in extreme woes.
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Instead of friends, they prove her foes.
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Now being come to this poore soule,
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Who durst not them for to controule:
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Yet thus her Mother still she pray'd
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For to have some more Womens ayde.
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But she would not thereto consent,
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Because of her devillish intent.
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They her delivered of a boy,
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The which the Midwife bore away.
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And as her Mother had decreed,
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The Midwife wrought this horrid deed,
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For she the pretty Babe did kill,
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And buried it in a Dunghill.
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They told the Mother of the Childe,
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That [s]he with it should not be toylde:
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And [?]rther for to shun all blame,
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[?]
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Mother, quoth she, pray have a care
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Of this my onely Child so deare.
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Daughter quoth she, be reconcil'd,
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For Ile be carefull of your Child.
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The Midwife now for money comes,
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Expecting to have the whole summes:
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But she that should have paid the same,
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Said, for her hire, she should have blame.
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Quoth she, how could you have the heart,
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To act so vile a bloody part:
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Ile give you nothing for your hire,
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Those speeches set her heart on fire.
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Away she went thence presently,
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Whereas the murdered Child did lie,
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She takes it up and brings it home,
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And laid it in a darksome roome.
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Then she to the old woman said,
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Looke in that roome the Child is laid:
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It will a witnesse be I doubt
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Against yourselfe when it comes out.
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Now hearing of her to say so,
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Into the roome she straite did goe,
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The Child from thence she did convay,
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Under the bed where her Daughter lay.
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And then her neighbours she call'd in,
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As though she had not guilty beene:
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Quoth she, my Daughter is most vild,
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For she hath murthered her Child.
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Her Daughter being thus betraid,
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Desired Heavens to be her ayd,
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She scarcely did the same deny,
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But she lamented bitterly.
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To prison she conveyed was,
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From thence unto the Judgement place,
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Where sentence was that she must die,
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[And] then th[es]e words she did re[?]
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She said that she was not [?]
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Yet she was willing for to [?]
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Because her Mother with[?]
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In such a horrid wicked [?]
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When she came to the pla[?]
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Where cruell pangs must [?]
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Unto her Mother she did [?]
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Craving her blessing the[?]
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Quoth she, I here die in [?]
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At which word many did [?]
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The world I freely do [?]
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Thus did she die, thus [?]
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Her Mother seeing of h[?]
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Began for to lan[?]
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Now she no longe[?]
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For all the truth sha[?]
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She told how all [?]
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And how the Midw[?]
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But money was [?]
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That brought them[?]
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Quoth she my Daught[?]
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But my money I [?]
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For love of that I [?]
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Which now brings [?]
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Her Mother now in[?]
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And there must lie [?]
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But then she may e[?]
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'Tis pitty that she e[?]
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The Midwife fearin[?]
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Because she kill'd th[?]
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Into a Well herself [?]
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Where she lay lo[?]
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Too many such [?]
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Before vild [?]
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And the[?]
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As [?]
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