Three horrible Murthers,
OR,
[?] of the Lamentable and Bloody Murthers
[?]odies of the Family of Master George Roe, Keeper of Beare Parke
[?]day the ninth day of September 1646. Where they cut the Throates
[?]ne, and his Servant, and how his House was saved from robbing by the
[?]ers. To the tune of, Aime not too high: or Fortune my Foe.
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[?] your brests do beare,
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[?]ad Song give eare,
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[?] unfold,
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[?] never told.
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[?]e Winchester,
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[?] there,
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[?] Yeares did dwell,
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[?] wonderous well.
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[?]ame to passe,
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[?]me was,
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[?]e Woods to range,
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[?]ht his unhappy change.
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[?]hree Children, and his Maid,
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[?] thought were safely laid,
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[?] and takes the Key along,
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[?] or dreame of further wrong.
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[?]he Parke he walked round,
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[?]s there, within the same he found,
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[?] his Faulchan in his hand,
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[?] commanding them to stand.
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[?]? thus unto them he said,
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[?]resently they made,
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[?] which had lost their way,
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[?]s where they lay.
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With that the Keeper thus replyed then,
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Who said if they were honest Gentlemen,
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And that no losse thereby he might sustaine,
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He would derect them in their way againe.
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The Souldiers hearing this did both protest,
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As ever they desired to be blest,
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That they were free from any ill intent,
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So homewards with the Keeper both they went.
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At last when neare unto the Lodg they drew,
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The Keeper then his House began to view,
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Where he in every Roome beheld a light,
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By which he knew that all things were not right
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Quoth he alasse I'me utterly betraid,
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Sir not by us the Souldiers answer made,
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But raither we, to doe you any good,
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Will venture for your sake our dearest blood.
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If it be so kind Gentlemen said hee,
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That house is mine where all those lights you see
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When I came forth I left but onely one,
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To light me in, at my returning home.
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But now you may behold in every place,
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The lights are moving too and fro apace,
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My wife, my sonne, and servant were in bed,
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Which by this time God knows how they have sped.
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The second part, To the same tune.
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WIth that the Souldiers resolutly said,
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Good Sir we are your friends be not afraid,
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Two brase of Pistolls we have ready here,
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Wherewith we doubt not, but your house to cleare.
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Then to the house the Souldiers he did guid,
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Who through a window presently had spy'd,
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2 Vilains there which down the staires had brought,
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A Trunke which was with Linnin fully frought.
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The Souldiers they so rightly both did aime,
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Each other at his man and with the same,
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The Vilains they fell downe upon the ground,
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So deepe and deadly did their Pistolls wound,
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Then downe the staires the rest began to run,
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To aske the other two what had beene done,
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Which when they did perceive them to be slaine,
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They forced were to hast up Staires again.
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The Keeper he unlock't the Doore and then,
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Steps in with him these trusty Gentlemen,
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With Resolution and, with Courage bent,
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To find the rest up Staires they boldly went.
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Whereas they found them standing in the Roome,
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Each Vilain there expecting of his doome,
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Unto the Souldiers did for mercy call,
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Who did themselves no mercy show at all.
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The Souldiers then disarm'd them of their swords,
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And call'd the Keeper for to bring them Cords,
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Where hand and foot they did them strongly bind,
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Too good for Vilains of unhumaine kind.
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But now to shew what mischiefe they have done,
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This wofull Father first beheld his Sonne,
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Whom they had murthered there to have their prey,
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And cut his Throate as in his bed he lay.
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The next of all he view'd his murthered wife,
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Which also was deprived of her Life,
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Both her's and eke her maidens throate were cu[t]
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As in their beds they sleeping lay God wot.
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Three Children more which by their Mother la[y]
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Into another place they did convay,
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So that they thought, they all had murthered bee[ne]
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Which were not at that present to be seene.
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Then to the murtherers they went againe,
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To know if they had all the Children slaine,
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Who said they all within the Furnis were,
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And all alive but durst not speake for feare.
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Whereas they found them covered all with S[?]
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Which onely was to keepe them still in awe,
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And tell them where their Fathers treasure la[y]
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Or there to burne them ere they went away.
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But God in mercy did the same prevent,
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For they are taken and to Prison sent,
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The other two did by the Souldiers die,
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I'th height and midst of all their Vilainy.
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At Winchester untill the next Assize,
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Three of those bloody murderes there lies,
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Another Vilain as report doth say,
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Out of a window first did scape away.
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Which to conclude, God grant he may be [?]
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And that the like may never be againe,
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To be compared with this bloody deed,
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Which wofull object makes my heart to bleed
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