The Norfolk Gentlemans 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. To the Tune of Rogero..
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NOw ponder well, you Parents dear,
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these Words which I shall write,
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[A] dolful Story you shall hear,
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[i]n time brought forth to light:
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[A] Gentleman of good account,
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in Norfolk dwelt of late,
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Whose Wealth and Riches did formount,
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most Men of his Estate.
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Sore sick he was, and like to dye,
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no help that he could have,
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His Wife by him as sick did lye,
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and both possess one Grave:
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No love between these two was lost,
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each was to other kind,
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In love they livd, in love they dyd,
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and left two Babes behind.
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The one a fine and pretty Boy,
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not passing three Years old,
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The other a Girl more young then he,
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and made in Beautys Mould:
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[Th]e Father left his little Son,
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as plainly doth appear,
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[W]hen he to perfect Age should come,
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three hundred Pounds a year.
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And to his little Daughter Jane,
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five hundred Pound in Gold,
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To be paid down on Marriage day,
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which might not be contrould;
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But if the Children chance to dye,
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eer they to Age should come,
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Their Unckle should possess their Wealth
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for so the Will did run.
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Now Brother said the dying Man
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look to my Children dear,
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Be good unto my Boy and Girl,
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no Friends else I have here:
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To God and you I do commend
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my Children night and day,
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A little while be sure we had:
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within this World to stay.
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You must be Father Mother both,
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and Unckle all in one,
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God knows what will become of them,
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when I am dead and gone,
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With that bespoke their Mother dear,
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O Brother kind, quoth she
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You are the Man must, bring my Babes
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to Wealth or Misery.
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If you do keep hem carefully,
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then God will you reward,
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If otherwise you seem to deal,
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God will your Deeds regard,
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With lips as cold as any stone,
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she kist the Children small.
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God bless you both my Children dear,
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with that the tears did fall.
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These Speeches then their Brother spoke,
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to sick Couple their,
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The keeping of your Children dear,
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sweet Sister, do not fear:
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God never prosper Me nor Mine,
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nor ought else that I have,
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If I do wrong your Children dear,
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when you are laid in Grave.
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Their Parents been dead and gone,
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the Children home he takes,
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And brings them home unto his House,
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and much of them he makes.
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He had not kept these pretty Babes,
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a Twelve-month and a Day,
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But for their wealth he did devise
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to make them both away.
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He bargained with two Ruffians rude,
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which were of furious mood,
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That they should take the Children young
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and slay them in a Wood:
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And told his Wife, and all he had,
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he did the Childeren send
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To be brought up in fair London,
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with one that was his Friend,
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Away then went these prety Babes,
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rejoyceing at that tide:
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Rejoyceing with a merry mind,
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they should on Cock-horse ride
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They prate and prattle pleasantly,
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as they rode on the way,
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To those that should their Butchers be,
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and work their Lives decay.
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So that the prety speech they had,
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made Murthers hearts relent,
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And they that took the Deed to do,
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full sore they did repent:
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Yet one of them more hard of heart,
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did vow to do his Charge,
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Because the Wretch that hired him,
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had paid him very large.
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The other would not agree thereto,
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so here they fell at strife;
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With one another they did Fight,
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about the Childrens Life:
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And he that was of mildest mood,
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did Slay the other their,
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Within an unfrequented Wood,
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where Babes did quake for fear.
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He took the Children by the hand,
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when tears stood in their eyes;
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And bad them come and go with him,
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ond look they did not cry:
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And two long Miles he led them thus,
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while they for Bread complain,
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Stay here, quoth he, ill bring ye Bread,
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when I do come again.
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These pretty Babes with hand in hand,
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went wandering up and down,
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But never more they saw the Man,
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approaching from the Town:
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Their pretty Lips with Black-berries,
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were all besmeard and dyd,
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And when they saw the darksom Night,
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they sate them down and cryd,
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Thus wandred these two pretty Babes.
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till Death did end their Grief,
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In one another Armes they dyd,
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as Babes wanting Relief:
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No Burial these pretty Babes,
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of any Man receive,
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Till Robin-red-brest painfully,
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did cover them with Leaves.
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And now the heavy wrath of God,
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upon their Unckle fell,
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Yea, fearful Feinds did hunt his House,
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his Conscience fellt a Hell:
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His Barns were fird, his Goods consumd,
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his Lands were barren made,
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His Cattel dyd within the Field,
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and nothing with him staid,
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And in the Voyage of Portugal,
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two of his Sons did dye;
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And to conclude, himself was brought
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unto much Misery:
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He pawnd and Morgagd all his Land,
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eer seven Qears came about;
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And now at length this wicked Act,
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did by this means come out:
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The Fellow that did take in hand,
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these Children for to kill;
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Was for a Robbery judgd to dye,
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as was Gods blessed Will:
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Who did confess the very Truth,
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the which is here exprest;
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Their Unckl dyd while he for Debt,
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did long in Prison rest.
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All you that be Executors made,
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and Overseeos eke,
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Of Childeten that be Fatherless,
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and Infants mild and meek,
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Take you Example by this thing
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and yeild to each his Right,
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Least God with such like Misery,
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your wicked minds requite.
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