%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Norfolk Gentleman's last Will and Testament. / [And how he] committed the Keeping of his Children to his own Brother, who dealt most wickedly with them; and how / God plagued him for it. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1675-1675 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 03/05/2012 31812

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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

R181034 1 Rogero Rogero Rogero NOw ponder well, you Parents dear, / these Words which I shall write, Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 256 The Norfolk Gentleman's last Will and Testament. / [And how he] committed the Keeping of his Children to his own Brother, who dealt most wickedly with them; and how / God plagued him for it. The Norfolk Gentleman's last Will and Testament. [And how he] committed the Keeping of his Children to his own Brother, who dealt most wickedly with them; and how God plagued him for it. The Norfolk Gentleman's last Will and Testament. And how he committed the Keeping of his Children to his own Brother, who dealt most wickedly with them; and how God plagued him for it. 1675-1675

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol Americas 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 groups royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 3/5/2012 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 3/5/2012 4:35:17 PM XBallad Lee, Jennifer J Created XML Version of Ballad 3/5/2012 4:35:17 PM Transcription Supervisor Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/5/2012 4:35:17 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Palmer Browne, Megan Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/5/2012 4:35:17 PM Transcriptionist Two Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/5/2012 4:35:17 PM Transcriptionist One Ross, Percy Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/26/2011 Checker Percy Ross Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 6/6/2011 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 5/20/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 5/20/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 3/8/2011 Checker Victoria Hernandez Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/2/2011 Bibliographer Charlotte Becker Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 2/17/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/17/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/17/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
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NOw ponder well, you Parents dear, these Words which I shall write, [A] dolful Story you shall hear, [i]n time brought forth to light: [A] Gentleman of good account, in Norfolk dwelt of late, Whose Wealth and Riches did formount, most Men of his Estate. Sore sick he was, and like to dye, no help that he could have, His Wife by him as sick did lye, and both possess one Grave: No love between these two was lost, each was to other kind, In love they livd, in love they dyd, and left two Babes behind. The one a fine and pretty Boy, not passing three Years old, The other a Girl more young then he, and made in Beautys Mould: [Th]e Father left his little Son, as plainly doth appear, [W]hen he to perfect Age should come, three hundred Pounds a year. And to his little Daughter Jane, five hundred Pound in Gold, To be paid down on Marriage day, which might not be contrould;
But if the Children chance to dye, eer they to Age should come, Their Unckle should possess their Wealth for so the Will did run. Now Brother said the dying Man look to my Children dear, Be good unto my Boy and Girl, no Friends else I have here: To God and you I do commend my Children night and day, A little while be sure we had: within this World to stay. You must be Father Mother both, and Unckle all in one, God knows what will become of them, when I am dead and gone, With that bespoke their Mother dear, O Brother kind, quoth she You are the Man must, bring my Babes to Wealth or Misery. If you do keep hem carefully, then God will you reward, If otherwise you seem to deal, God will your Deeds regard, With lips as cold as any stone, she kist the Children small.
God bless you both my Children dear, with that the tears did fall. These Speeches then their Brother spoke, to sick Couple their, The keeping of your Children dear, sweet 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 Grave. Their Parents been dead and gone, the Children home he takes, And brings them home unto his House, and much of them he makes. He had not kept these pretty Babes, a Twelve-month and a Day, But for their wealth he did devise to make them both away. He bargained with two Ruffians rude, which were of furious mood, That they should take the Children young and slay them in a Wood: And told his Wife, and all he had, he did the Childeren send To be brought up in fair London, with one that was his Friend,
Away then went these prety Babes, rejoyceing at that tide: Rejoyceing with a merry mind, they should on Cock-horse 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 prety speech they had, made Murthers hearts relent, And they that took the Deed to do, full sore they did repent: Yet one of them more hard of heart, did vow to do his Charge, Because the Wretch that hired him, had paid him very large. The other would not agree thereto, so here they fell at strife; With one another they did Fight, about the Childrens Life: And he that was of mildest mood, did Slay the other their, Within an unfrequented Wood, where Babes did quake for fear. He took the Children by the hand, when tears stood in their eyes; And bad them come and go with him, ond look they did not cry: And two long Miles he led them thus, while they for Bread complain, Stay here, quoth he, ill bring ye Bread, when I do come again. These pretty Babes with hand in hand, went wandering up and down, But never more they saw the Man, approaching from the Town: Their pretty Lips with Black-berries, were all besmeard and dyd, And when they saw the darksom Night, they sate them down and cryd,
Thus wandred these two pretty Babes. till Death did end their Grief, In one another Armes they dyd, as Babes wanting Relief: No Burial these pretty Babes, of any Man receive, Till Robin-red-brest painfully, did cover them with Leaves. And now the heavy wrath of God, upon their Unckle fell, Yea, fearful Feinds did hunt his House, his Conscience fellt a Hell: His Barns were fird, his Goods consumd, his Lands were barren made, His Cattel dyd within the Field, and nothing with him staid, And in the Voyage of Portugal, two of his Sons did dye; And to conclude, himself was brought unto much Misery: He pawnd and Morgagd all his Land, eer seven Qears came about; And now at length this wicked Act, did by this means come out: The Fellow that did take in hand, these Children for to kill; Was for a Robbery judgd to dye, as was Gods blessed Will: Who did confess the very Truth, the which is here exprest; Their Unckl dyd while he for Debt, did long in Prison rest. All you that be Executors made, and Overseeos eke, Of Childeten that be Fatherless, and Infants mild and meek, Take you Example by this thing and yeild to each his Right, Least God with such like Misery, your wicked minds requite.