%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 English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 06/29/2014 33764

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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

1 NONE Rogero NOW ponder well, ye parents dear, / These words which I shall write; Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 899 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. ?-?

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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 Featured 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 6/29/2014 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 6/29/2014 2:21:37 PM XBallad Chow, Jeremy Created XML Version of Ballad 6/29/2014 2:21:37 PM Transcription Supervisor Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/29/2014 2:21:37 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/29/2014 2:21:37 PM Transcriptionist Two Yuen, Pui Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/29/2014 2:21:37 PM Transcriptionist One Gibbs, Natalie Transcription of ballad manuscript 8/1/2013 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/22/2013 Checker William Hildalgo Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/19/2012 Bibliographer Elizabeth Aguilar Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
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NOW ponder well, ye parents dear, These 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 was lost, Each was to th' other kind. In love they liv'd, in love they dy'd, And left two babes behind. The one a fine and pretty boy, Not passing five years old; And the other a girl, more young than he And fram'd in beauty's 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 controul'd. But if these children chanc'd to die, Ere they to age should 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 here. 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 kiss'd their children small: God bless you both, our children dear. Then down the tears did fall. These speeches then the brother spake, To this sick couple there: 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 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 bargain'd 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 their friend. Away 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 murderers hearts relent,
And 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 won't hereto agree; So here they fell to strife, And then together they did fight About the children's life. And he that was of 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, I'll bring you bread, when I come back again. These pretty babes went hand-in-hand, And wander'd up and down; But never more did see the man, Approaching from the town. Their pretty lips with blackberries were all besmear'd and dy'd; And when they saw the darksome night, they sat them down and cry'd.
Thus wander'd these two babes, Till death did end their grief, In one another's arms they dy'd, As babes wanting relief. No burial these two pretty babes Of any man receives, Till Robin-red-breasts painfully Did cover them with leaves. And now the heavy wrath of God Upon their children fell: Yea, frightful fiends did haunt his house, His conscience felt an hell. His barns were fir'd, his house consum'd, His lands were barren made; His cattle dy'd within the field, And nothing with him stay'd. And in a voyage to Portugal, Two of his sons did die: And, to conclude, himself was brought To want and misery. He pawn'd and mortgaged his land, Ere seven years were out. So now, at length, this wiched deed By this means was found out. The fellow that did take in hand The children for to kill, Was for a murder judg'd to die, As was God's blessed will. He did confess the very truth, The which is here express'd. Their uncle dy'd, where 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.
Printed and Sold in Bow Church Yard.