The LAMENTATION
Of MARY BUTCHER,
Now confined in WORCESTER-CITY-GOAL, on Suspicion of murdering her
Male Bastard Child, in April last.
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YE blooming Maids I pray give Ear
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To what I lay before ye,
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I am a young Woman, you shall hear
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A melancholy Story:
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I by a false Man was with Child,
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Which caused all my Woe;
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His treach'rous Tongue did me beguile,
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And prov'd my Overthrow.
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My new-born Infant I did destroy,
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In Grief I'm now surrounded,
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Likewise the Man that me betray'd,
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His Senses are confounded:
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Mary Butcher it is my Name,
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In Tears I now do own it,
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Being delivered by myself,
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I in a Dunghill threw it.
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So now observe, my pretty Maids,
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And mind the Application,
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And shun the base deceitful Man,
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Let what will be his Station;
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Some only court their Will to gain,
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Which oftimes prove our Ruin;
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Shame and Disgrace to all our Friends,
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And ends in our Undoing.
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Mind not their flattering fawning Tongues,
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Which make young Girls adore them,
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The honest Youth, tho' e'er so poor,
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Is a thousand Times before them.
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Your Parents mind for to obey,
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And what your Friends advises,
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For Trouble always come to those,
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Who good Advice despises.
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Young Maidens now a Warning take,
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By my unhappy Fate,
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No Presents from the Men accept,
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But shun the gilded Bait.
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I very soon did prove with Child,
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I knew it to my Shame;
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No Comfort then I e'er could get,
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And then myself did blame.
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Poor Wretch! I thought to hide my Shame
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For fear my Friends should know it,
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But by the Murder now you see
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To Multitudes I show it;
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So think of me young Women all,
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Who in Wor'ster City Goal's confin'd,
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Till the great Assize comes on,
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For to take my Trial I must be resign'd.
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Oh! think of this, ye youthful Maidens
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If e'er it's your unhappy Lot,
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To be seduc'd, on all Occasions,
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Then from your Friends pray hide it not;
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You surely will find some to pity,
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If that you act a Mother's Part,
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'Tis better with it go a begging,
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Than a Conscience to feel the Smart.
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So how can I expect to have,
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In this World any Favour,
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I've broke the Laws of God and Man,
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All through my Ill Behaviour.
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From Time to Time run on in Sin,
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But now at last I'm taken,
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And put in Prison where I lie,
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All Friends has me forsaken.
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