%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Somersetshire Wonder, Or. / Late Dreadful Judgments which hath hapened upon the Fawi- / ly of Mr. Pope, of Wotton, near Glastenbury in the said Country. 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 07/10/2021 37322

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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

R221419 GOOD People all that round about me stand, / Pray mind the strange afflictions in this Land, British Library - Bagford Editor none none none none Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 112 The Somersetshire Wonder, Or. / Late Dreadful Judgments which hath hapened upon the Fawi- / ly of Mr. Pope, of Wotton, near Glastenbury in the said Country. The Somersetshire Wonder, Or Late Dreadful Judgments which hath happened upon the Family of Mr. Pope, of Wotton, near Glastonbury in the said Country. ?-? J. Jackson

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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 7/10/2021 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 7/10/2021 5:40:49 PM XBallad Fulmer, Elias Created XML Version of Ballad 7/10/2021 5:40:49 PM Transcription Supervisor McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/10/2021 5:40:49 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Stark, Nicole Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/10/2021 5:40:49 PM Transcriptionist Two McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/10/2021 5:40:49 PM Transcriptionist One Raychawdhuri, Anita Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/9/2019 Bibliographer Kristen McCants Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left">The Somersetshire Wonder, Or.</seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Late Dreadful Judgments which hath hapened upon the Fami-</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">ly of Mr. <hi rend="bold">Pope,</hi> of <hi rend="bold">Wotton,</hi> near <hi rend="bold">Glastenbury</hi> in the said Country.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">To the Tune of,</hi> the Bleeding heart.</hi></seg>
GOOD People all that round about me stand, Pray mind the strange afflictions in this Land, Such wonders scarce before has ever been, In Somersetshire at Wotten they are seen. One Mr. Pope, who did at Wotten dwell, Near Glastenbury, where thousands can tell, The dismal fate which lately did befall, Upon the farmer by distroying all. Now to begin, if you the truth would know, One Sunday Mr. Pope to Church did go, his only Son at home he left behind, who was to play and other things inclin'd. During Church time this Lad did run about, Looking for Hens nest and to find Eggs out, For to boyl Eggs it was his main desire, When he came in three Eggs were on the fire. one of the same he took and straight did eat, Which quickly put the Lad into a sweat, And quickly fell to vomiting strange things, As bits of Glass, stump Nails and crooked Pins. A Pear stuch full of Thorns brought up likewise, And now like one bewitch'd this young Man lies, The Fatther laid the other two Eggs by, Which chang'd to Nails and Glass immediately. Besides this great misfortune there does fall, Out stranger Wonders still among them all, A Neighbouring Woman happen'd to be there Who saw this lad depriv'd of all his hair. Tho neither hand nor Sizzars could she see, Yet this lad's hair was clip'd immediately. And plainly seen to move out of the room, So with the fright she fell into a swound. There's other strange and various wonders more, Stones Day and Night are thrown within the Door, And the Windows which the Glass doth break, With streaks of blood would make ones heart to ake Some stones are cold, and other stones are hot, They're crost with blood but Heavens knows not what, They rise out of the Ground and nought is seen, To touch them, yet they swiftly do fly in. And if they take these stones and throw them out, They straigit rebound and make a fearful rout, And when the troubled did degin to cease, Then more vexatious plagues came on apace. For in the Orchard, there the Apple Trees, Vhere split from top to bottom with great eass, As to ones sight, for one could scarce turn round, But they were split and tumbled to the Ground.
And while the Son by the Fire-side did read, Straight up the chimmney something pull'd with speed The father and the servant scarce I say, Could hold the son from being drawn away. And when the Doors were shut and bolted too, they would burst open without more to do, Nay locks nor Bars could no ways them secure, Tho nothing seen yet open flys a Door. None of the Family at night can rest But each with some affliction sore opprest, Sometimes the cords are cut and down they fall, Sometimes out of the Beds too they are hall'd. A Parson near to Wotton coming in, Receiv'd a deadly blow yet nothing se'en. to strik, so strange these stories are and true, their Reaping Hooks twisted like to a screw. the Son when in a fit did thus delrae, Oh Fatuher, of your house take special care, Or this same Night by fire 'twill be consum'd, Your house and Barns will be burnt to the Gound. If nothing this Night, ith Morning it will be, therefore now in the Barn go search and see, the Father and a Servant straightways sought, And from the Barn they lighted touchwood brount. For all their care and diligence that Nigt, Their Barn next Morning was in fire light, which quckly to the Dwelling house did blow, And that by fire was consum'd also. the Farmer to another house i'th Town, Did go to Dwell when his own was burt down, And as the Son sat by the side, Out of his Breeches flames of Fire fly'd. The Family with all that they could strive, Had much ado to save the Boy alive, And since this both his Wheat Mows & his Hay, By Flames of Fire are consum'd away. Some Neighbours helping to remove the Wheat, The very Sheaves which they remov'd did sweat, With Crimson blood the Ears run truckling down Some on their Cloath and likewise on the Ground. Thus stall and Oxen, Barns, and Houses there, Fy fatal Fire, come from, none knows where, Have been consum'd and what amuses more, Blood often dropped at the very Door. And thus these dreadful Judgments still go on, Altho the Man alass is quite undone, Yet day nor Night he cannot quiet be, Oh, Heavens, Mercy send in Misery
Printed for J. Jackson.