Now ponder well, you 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 other kind;
In love they liv´d, in love they dies,
And left two babes behind.
The one a fine and pretty boy,
Not passing three years old;
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,
Five hundred pounds in gold;
To be paid down on marriage-day,
Which might not be controll´d.
But if the children chance 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 good unto my boy and girl,
No friends else have they here.
To God and you I recommend,
My children dear this day;
But little while be sure we have,
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 I am dead and gone.
With that bespake their mother dear,
O 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 kist their children small;
God bless you both, my children dear,
With that the tears did fall.
These speeches then their brother spake,
To this sick couple there;
The keeping of your little ones,
Sweet sister, do not fear.
God never prosper me nor mine,
Nor aught 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 make them both away.
He bargain´d with two ruffians strong,
Which were of furious mood;
That they should take these children young,
And slay them in a wood.
He told his wife an artful tale,
He would the children send;
To be brought up in fair London,
With one that was his friend.
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Away then went thos pretty babes,
Rejoicing at that tide;
Rejoicing with a merry mind,
They should a cock-horse ride.
They prate and prattle pleasantly,
As they ride on the way;
To those that should their butchers be,
And work their lives´ decay.
So that the pretty speech they had,
Made Murder´s heart relent;
And they that undertook the deed,
Full sore did now 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 won´t agree thereto,
So here they fall to strife;
With one another they did fight,
About the children´s life.
And he that was of mildest mood,
Did slay the other there;
Within an unfrequented wood,
The babes did quake for fear!
He took the children by the hand,
Tears standing in their eye;
And bad them straitway follow him,
And look they did not cry.
And two long miles he led them on,
While they for food complain;
Stay here, quoth he, I´ll bring you bread,
When I come back again.
These pretty babes, with hand in hand,
Went wandering up and down;
But never more could see the man,
Approaching from the town.
Their pretty lips with black-berries,
Were all besmeared and dyed;
And when they saw the darksome night,
They sat them down and cried.
Thus wandered these poor innocents,
Till death did end their grief;
In one another´s arms they died,
As wanting due relief.
No burial this pretty pair,
Of any man receives;
Till Robin-red-breast piously;
Did cover them with leaves.
And now the heavy wrath of God,
Upon their uncle fell;
Yea, fearful fiends did haunt his house,
His conscience felt an hell.
His barns were fir´d, his goods consum´d,
Hi lands were barren made;
His cattle died within the field,
And nothing with him stayd.
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 all his land,
Ere seven years 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 judg´d to die,
Such was God´s blessed will.
Who did confess the very truth,
And here hath been display´d;
Their uncle having died in goal,
Where he for debt was laid.
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 with such like misery,
Your wicked minds requite.
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