%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Cruel STEP-MOTHER; / Or, The Unhappy Son. 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 06/19/2014 33943

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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

T196220 YOU most indulgent parents lend an ear, / And you a dismal story soon shall hear; Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 1417 The Cruel STEP-MOTHER; / Or, The Unhappy Son. The Cruel STEPMOTHER; Or, The Unhappy Son. ?-?

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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 6/19/2014 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America children death family marriage procreation punishment supernatural/ magic trickery/ deceit Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 6/19/2014 1:05:30 PM XBallad Russ, Theresa Created XML Version of Ballad 6/19/2014 1:05:30 PM Transcription Supervisor Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/19/2014 1:05:30 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/19/2014 1:05:30 PM Transcriptionist Two Koath, Jayne Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/19/2014 1:05:30 PM Transcriptionist One Keller Scotch, Grace Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/13/2013 Checker William Hildalgo Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/23/2012 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 11/18/2013 Checker Phillip Cortez Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/18/2013 Checker Phillip Cortez Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/18/2013 Checker Phillip Cortez Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
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YOU most indulgent parents lend an ear, And you a dismal story soon shall hear; A story strange, yet certain true indeed, Enough to make a heart of stone to bleed. In York, that famous city of renown, There liv'd a gentleman, one squire Brown, Whose wealth & riches were exceeding great, But yet he had no heir to his estate. He had a virtuous, kind, and loving wife, With whom he liv'd a comfortable life; The want of children was their only greif, But God was pleased to send them some relief. She did conceive and with a son we hear, Great was the joy when she deliver'd were, Much feasting, wich for many days did last Both rich and poor did of their bounty taste. It pleased God the child did live and thrive, Until it came unto the age of five; At five years old his sorrows sore begun, And so continued many years to run. The greatest pleasures that we here can boast, Suddenly fade, and are but short at most; When death approaches who can shun the dart, He has command, and strikes unto the heart. The squire's lady was took wond'rous ill, The doctors us'd in vain their best of skill. All would not do, the fatal stroke death gave, There was no man on earth her life could save. Her husband then he sent for out of hand, Her weeping friends did now around her stand. Her husband came, she said to him, my dear, The time is short I am to tarry here: Be carful of the darling child, your son, See that in virtue's paths he strive to run. That I in heaven may see him once again, And there in endless bliss with him remain. For the child's sake wed not again my dear, For if you do, I cannot rest I fear, Let no stepmother my dear child abuse, Whom I so tenderly did love and use. My jointure which is fifty pounds a year, I leave to him whom i love so dear; Be you a tender father to your son: Think of my words when I am dead & gone.
He said, dearest, thy words I'll keep in mind, And to the child will prove a father kind; To wrong my child I wrong myself; you know I love him better than to serve him so. Then for her child she strait way did call, While briny tears down from her eyes did fall, And kissing him with lips as cold as cold as clay; The child unto his mother thus did say. Mamma, why do you kiss me so and cry? I hope you will be better speedily. I hope I shall, sweet dear, she to him said, Then turn'd her self about & quickly dy'[d] She scarce two months in the grave was laid, E'er he forgot the promises he made; Which made the proverb true, as we do find, That out of sight is quickly out of mind. Unto a rich and wealthy widow old, He went a courting oft, as we are told; No rest nor quiet would he let her have, Untill unto him her consent she gave. She said, before she did to him engage, She had a daughter fair, ten years of age, And therefore she, for her dear daughter's sake, Was resolvd first a widow's will to make. He gave consent that it should be made, And in much triumph now this couple wed. But during these things were thus even done, He quite forgot his tender infant son. His new wife was cross and very proud, And his own son never was allow'd, With them to dine, but at her chair to stand, Just like a footman waiting her comman[d] Her daughter she must at the table sit, And pick and cull the best of what is eat; Besides a waiting maid miss too must have, While the poor lad is made a drudge & slave. Altho' he was thus scorned, yet we find, How fortune unto him did prove so kind, His mother's brother died, as we hear, And left to him two hundred pounds a year. His father then the interest was to have, For to maintain the child so fine and brave; But if he died e'er to age he came, his father then was to enjoy the same.
His mother finding things were ordered so, She was resolvd to work his overthrow, Criea she, when he is put away and gone, What's left to him will then bcome my own. She with the devil then did straiway think. And to her husband gave a sleeping drink, And as he within the garden lay, Unto the boy these words did say. Go watch your father as he sleeping lies, And if you see him wake, or going to rise. Come & tell me, make the best haste you can. And so she did this harmless youth trepan. The boy with watching long did go to sleep; Then softly she did to his father creep; Off from his finger she a ring did take, On purpose of this boy a thief to make. For aa the innocent boy a sleeping lay She in his pocket d[i]d the ring convey, Then with great joy into the house did come, And said, I hope his business I have done. The lad awaking soon did rub his eyes But seeing of his father going to rise, To inform his mother he straitway did run, Mean while his father in the house did come. And missing of the ring to her did say, My dear, what makes you take my ring away. Cr'd she, I took it not upon my life, You may believe me as I am your wife. But if you'd know what of it is becom, I'd have you to examine well your son, As in the garden you did sleeping dose, I saw him then a fumbling at your cloaths. He went to search his son, the ring he found, Then hand and foot straitway him he bound, And lashed him t[i]ll the blood did run, While she, hard hearted wretch, stood gazing on Cries she, now send this wicked rogue to sea, Lest that he should disgrace the family; I'll get a master soon for him she cry'd, For he no longer shall with me abide He gave consent, and she a m[a]ster got, And he was sent away, hard was his lot. Where we will leave him to cross the main, And to this wicked wretch return again. But God, who sees our actions here below, He did not let this wretch unpunish'd go: For the boy's mother to them did appear, As th[ey] in bed one night together were. The apparition told them of the ring, And how she serv'd the boy in every thing.
Then did it shake the bed wereon they lay, And then it vanished from them away. The squire he was very much surpriz'd; And finding that his wife had told him lies To make him send his poor boy away, He went into a strong despair they say. To add unto his grief, we understand, A letter from his son came to his hand: At Jamaica he was, the letter told, And to a captain there was basely sold. And as they sailing were upon the main, They by a Spanish privateer were tae'n: The ship condemn'd, and they all made slaves, This is kind sir, said he, my desperate case. The father seeing this swooned away, Crying unto his wife both night and day, Thou cursed wretch, what is it thou hast done, To make a father thus abuse a son. In grief from home he rambled that day, And to a lawyer went without delay, Strait made his will, and left his son his store, Then went & hang'd himself before his door. The lawyer finding what he had done, Did send away a letter to his son, For to advise him to come home with speed, And money sent to ransom him indeed. Which letter by good fortune he receiv'd, His ransom paid, and quickly was reliev'd, He got a ship, and he with speed home came, None but the lawyer did know of the same. He soon came home unto the great surprise Of his base mother, who with flatt'ring lies Would fain excuse herself: but all in vain: To law he went with her, and did obtain The cause of her; 500 l. Beside, Because he basely was by her belo'd. Which vex'd her so, it almost broke her heart To think she with her ill got gain must part. Her darling daughter being left alone, Despis'd by all, and pitied by none, She sold off all she had, and went away, And has not since been heard of to this day. To step mothers let this a warning be, Never to use poor children cruelly, For God will help the widow in distress, And be a father to the fatherless, Let parents all beg of the Lord to see, Their children all bred to maturity. Till for themselves they're able to provide, Lord send you may be their faithful guide.