%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Children in the Wood: / OR, THE / Norfolk Gentleman's last Will and Testament University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1756-1756 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/29/2011 31290

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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

T30580 NOW ponder well, ye parents dear, / The words which I shall write, Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 588 3: 589 The Children in the Wood: / OR, THE / Norfolk Gentleman's last Will and Testament The Children in the Wood: OR, THE Norfolk Gentleman’s last Will and Testament The Children in the Wood: OR, THE Norfolk Gentleman’s last Will and Testament 1756-1756

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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 4/29/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America affliction/ health children death family punishment religious concepts trickery/ deceit violence Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/29/2011 11:20:44 AM XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created XML Version of Ballad 4/29/2011 11:20:44 AM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/29/2011 11:20:44 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/29/2011 11:20:44 AM Transcriptionist Two Fadel, Meghan Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/29/2011 11:20:44 AM Transcriptionist One Foley, Christopher Transcription of ballad manuscript 2/1/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/1/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/1/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/1/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/1/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/28/2009 Bibliographer Meghan Fadel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
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NOW ponder well, ye parents dear, The words which I shall write, A doleful story you shall hear, In time brought forth to light; A Gentleman of good account, In Norfolk dwelt of late, Who did in honour far surmount, Most men of his estate. Sore sick he was, and like to die, No help his life could save; His wife by him as sick did lie, And both possest one grave. No love between these two were lost, Each was to the other kind, In love they livd, in love they dyd, And left two babes behind. The one was a fine and pretty boy, Not passing five years old, The other girl more young than he, And framd in beautys mould. The father left his little son, As plainly doth appear, When he to perfect age should come, Three hundred pounds a year. And to his little daughter Jane, Six hundred pounds in gold, To be paid on the marriage day, Which might not be contrould.
But if these children chancd to die, Ere they to age did come, Their Uncle should possess their wealth, For so the will did run. Now, brother, said the dying man, Look to my children dear, Be kind unto my boy and girl, No friend else have they hear To god and you I recommend, My children dear this day; But little time we have, tis sure, Within this world to stay. You must be father and mother both, And Uncle all in one: God knows what will become of them, When we are dead and gone. And thus bespoke the mother dear, Oh! brother kind quoth she, You are the man must bring our babes, To wealth or misery. And if you keep them carefully, Then God will you reward, But if you otherwise should deal, God will your deeds regard. With lips as cold as any stone, They kissd their children small, God bless you both our children dear, Then down the tears did fall.
These speeches then the brother spoke, To this sick couple here, The keeping of your children dear, Dear sister, do not fear. God never prosper me nor mine, Nor ought else that I have, If I do wrong your children dear, When you are laid in the grave. The parents being dead and gone, The children home he takes, And brings them strait unto his house, Where much of them he makes. He had not kept these pretty babes, A twelvemonth and a day, But for their wealth he did devise, To take their lives away. He bargaind with two ruffians strong, Who were of furious mood, That they should take these children, And slay them in a wood. Then told his wife and all he had, He did the children send, For to be brought up in fair London, By one that was his friend. A way then went these pretty babes, Rejoicing at that tide, Rejoicing with a merry mood, They should on horseback ride. They prate and prattle pleasantly, As they rode on the way, To those that should their butchers be, And work their lives decay. So that the pretty speech they made, Made the murderers heart relent, They who undertook the deed, Full sorely did repent. Yet one of them most hard of heart, Did vow to do his charge, Because the wretch that hired him, Had paid him very large. The other wont thereto agree, So here they went to strife, And then together they did fight, About the childrens life. And he that was the mildest mood, Did slay the other there, Within an unfrequented wood, While babes did quake for fear. He took the children by the hand, While tears stood in their eyes, And bid them straitway follow him, And see they did not cry.
And two long miles he led them then, While they for bread complain, Stay here, quoth he, Ill bring you bread, When I come back again. These pretty babes went hand in hand, And wanderd up and down, But never more did see the man, Approaching from the town. Their pretty lips with blackberries, Were all besmeard and dyd, And when they saw the darksome night, They sat them down and cryd. Thus wanderd these two pretty babes, Till death did end their grief, In one anothers arms they dyd, As babes wanting relief. No burial these two pretty babes, Of any man receives, Till Robin red breast painfully, Did cover them with leaves. And now the heavy wrath of God, Upon their Uncle fell: Yea frightfull fiends did haunt his house, His conscience felt in hell. His barns were fird, his house consumd, His lands were barren made, His cattle dyd within his field, And nothing with him stayd. And in a voyage to Portugal, Two of his sons did die, And to conclude himself was brought, To want and misery. He pawnd and mortgaged his land, Ere seven years were out, Sorrow at length this wicked deed, By this means was found out. The fellow that did take in hand, The children for to kill, Was for a murder judgd to die, As was Gods blessed will. He did confess the very truth, The which is here exprest, Their Uncle dyd when he for debt, Did long in prison rest. You that executors be made, And overseers eke, Of children that be fatherless, And infants mild and meek. Take you example by this thing, And yield to each his right, Lest God, for such like cruelty, Your wicked minds requite.
London: Printed and Sold in Stonecutter-street Fleet Market.