%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The LEEDS Tragedy: / OR, / The BLOODY BROTHER. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/27/2011 31129

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

T37705 GOOD Christian people all I pray, / a while to me draw near; Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 454 3: 455 The LEEDS Tragedy: / OR, / The BLOODY BROTHER. The LEEDS Tragedy: OR, The BLOODY BROTHER. The LEEDS Tragedy: OR, The BLOODY BROTHER. ?-?

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic The New World travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/ crass humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 4/27/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America crime death family law punishment religious concepts sex/ sexuality Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/27/2011 2:53:07 PM XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created XML Version of Ballad 4/27/2011 2:53:07 PM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/27/2011 2:53:07 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/27/2011 2:53:07 PM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/27/2011 2:53:07 PM Transcriptionist One Zusky, Catherine Transcription of ballad manuscript 1/21/2009 Bibliographer Meghan Fadel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 1/15/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/15/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/15/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The LEEDS Tragedy:</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">OR,</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The BLOODY BROTHER.</hi></seg>
GOOD Christian people all I pray, a while to me draw near; And such a story I will tell, you neer before did hear. For ever since the world began, such a thing was never known, When you have heard it, you will say. twill melt a heart of stone. At Leeds in Yorkshire, as we hear, a noble Lord did dwell: He had a son and daughter fair, as many know full well. His lady happening to die, each was his chiefest care; His daughter he lovd best, they say, both dutiful and fair. Lords and knights they courted her, but she did them deny; Saying, I am resolved a maid to live and die. Her fame among the country rang, so dutiful was she; Her brother fell in love with her, which causd this tragedy. So was he struck in love with her, as to his bed he went; Hed many things, but all in vain, he could have no content. For to speak he was ashamd, and so he well might be;
Sure such a thing was never known, nor heard by none but me, One day he to his sister sent, so up to him she came; Cries he, dear sister, tis for you Im in this burning flame. She hearing him say so, replyd, come, Brother, tell to me, What I can get to save your life, and I will get it free. Poor soul, she little thinking then what was his base intent, Kept urging him to tell her strait, what would give him content. At last this wicked rogue he said, If I could lie with thee, Of my pains I should be free, and satisfied well be. Your beauty has so charmed me, if you do me deny, By gazing at thy fair body, I instantly must die. Soon as these words to her he spoke, unto him she did say. You wicked, vile, and cruel wretch, forbear these words I pray. O brother, once I lovd you well, as any sister sure: But now my love is turnd to hate, I cannot you endure.
You are the worst of creatures sure, And so deserve to burn; And was not you my brother dear, you out of doors should turn. For now youre hateful in Gods sight, and all will you disdain. How can you thus offend the Lord, in being so profane? So from him then she quickly goes, but yet lovd him so well, That of the thing which he had said, her father would not tell. When she was gone, he then did say, Revengd on her Ill be; For I will get my will of her the first opportunity. She hearing him for to say so, No rest at all could take; With grief and woe her tender heart was ready then to break. And to the Lord, poor soul, she prayd upon her bended knees, For to turn this ingrates heart, that she might be at ease. Niw he was plotting all the time, of her to get his will. And afterwards he was resolvd her precious blood to spill. Her father kept a noble park, one evening she did go, And as her brother was gone out, she walked to and fro Long in the park she had not been, before that he came in; And missing of his sister dear, he to the park did run. If she is there Im safe enough, revengd on her Ill be: When I have had my will of her, Ill murder her, said he. But as he came unto the place, where this poor creature sat. With a dissembling smile he said, my sister dear, well met. But when she turnd, and found him there, the rose her face forsook; And trembling to him she did say, I do not like your look. For you have mischief in your heart, as I can plainly see; But your desire you shall not have, I am resolvd, of me. He said, sister, you do guess right, to lie with you Im come; So this base wretch most eagerly unto her arms did run. But she cryd out with might and main, good Lord, look down I pray; She struggled till her strength was spent, and then swooned a way.
This cursed stony hearted wretch, of her did get his will; And afterwards he was resolvd her precious blood to spill. As soon as ever she did revive, said he, Ill end the strife; For thou shalt neer tell what Ive done but here Ill end thy life. Crying, this knife shall end the smart, and none shall know the truth; Ill stab it in the strumpets heart, so pray make no dispute. His sister hearing him say so, unto the Lord she cryd. Oh had it been thy blessed will, that I before had dyd. Sure I should never then have felt the torments I go through; Sure thou canst neer my brother be, and thus to use me so. I that am your flesh and blood, dont use me so severe; Since youve defild me, spare my life, for Christs sake, brother dear. He said, these words will not prevail, but here Ill have your life: Then to her breast as white as snow, he put the hateful knife. The tears did trickle down her cheeks, her life of him she cravd; Oh dont forget the judgment day, how will you then be savd? No longer will I stay, he said, then gave the fatal blow; Her precious blood upon her breast, did like a fountain flow; This did not turn his stony heart, undaunted still was he; He straitway went and dug a grave, to hid her fair body. Now when that he this grave had dug, and laid her in the ground. He went and covered her blood, for fear it should be found. Such heinous things cannot be hid, from Gods most piercing sight; For in short this wicked crime was brought to open light. Her aged father long did mourn, for her, but could not hear, What was become of his sweet child, whom he did love so dear. The wicked wretch, her brother, he did with him seem [t]o mourn: His father little thought that he the wicked deed had done. His father said to him one day, we will a hunting go; Since thy dear sister cant be found, Ill strive to ease my woe.
Full six months her body lay there, coverd with dust and mould; And most strangely, as you shall hear the murder it was told. Just as the sport it did begin, and in this place did come, The hounds all on a sudden stoppd, and would no further run. Now he then amazed stood, so did the nobles all; And the son turnd as pale as Death, and from his horse did fall. The lord he to the rest did say, what ails my dearest son?My heart doth flutter in my breast, sure some bad mischiefs done. The place was opend instantly, where they soon her found The body of his daughter dear laid in that spot of ground. At last, when they had him revivd, and to his senses came, His father said, I fear you have this cursed action done. So straitway to the corpse he went, and kissd her lips like clay; Saying, this is my child, of whom I took such care alway. He kissd htr lips till floods of tears down from his eyes did flow; Since her dear body now is found, I mean the truth to know. But when he taxd him with the same, he could it not deny; And when he had the story told, he made them for to cry. Father, where shall I go, said he? or whither shall I run?You shall to prison go, said he, And there receive your doom. No compassion at all you had Upon your sister dear. The worst of deaths you do deserve, For being so severe. She was to me as dear as you, nay, I did love her best. The Lord receive my soul, said he, for here I cannot rest. He orderd him for to be seizd, and unto prison sent. Until the Assizes there he lies, Lord send he may repent. His father instantly ran mad, and in his bed was tyd: None did expect him for to live, until his son was tryd; We hope this will a warning be, to wicked lustful Men; For such a thing sure neer was known, since first the world began.