The vnnaturall father, or, The cruell murther committed by [one] Iohn Rowse of the towne of Ewell, ten m[iles] from London, in the county of Surry, vpon two of his owne children with his prayer and repentance in prison, his arrai[gn]ment and iudgement at the Sessions, and his execution for the said fact at Croydon, on Munday the second of Iuly, 1621. Taylor, John, 1580-1653. 1621 Approx. 31 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 11 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A13515 STC 23808A ESTC S1148 21467899 ocm 21467899 24008 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A13515) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 24008) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1737:5) The vnnaturall father, or, The cruell murther committed by [one] Iohn Rowse of the towne of Ewell, ten m[iles] from London, in the county of Surry, vpon two of his owne children with his prayer and repentance in prison, his arrai[gn]ment and iudgement at the Sessions, and his execution for the said fact at Croydon, on Munday the second of Iuly, 1621. Taylor, John, 1580-1653. [21] p. Printed for I.T. and H.G., London : 1621. Attributed to John Taylor by STC (2nd ed.) and NUC pre-1956 imprints. T.p. cropped with loss of print; bracketed title information suggested by NUC pre-1956 imprints. Signatures: A⁴(-A1) B-C⁴. T.p. contains woodcut illustration. 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Great Britain -- History -- Early Stuarts, 1603-1649. 2002-07 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-08 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-09 Jennifer Kietzman Sampled and proofread 2002-09 Jennifer Kietzman Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE Vnnaturall Father : OR , The cruell Murther committed by IOHN ROWSE of the Towne of Ewell , ten miles from London , in the County of Surry , vpon two of his owne Children . With his Prayer and Repentance in Prison , his Arraignment and Iudgement at the Sessions , and his Execution for the said fact at Croydon , on Munday the second of Iuly . 1621. London printed for I. T. and H. G. 1621. THE VNNATVRALL FATHER . AS a chaine consists of diuers linkes , and euery linke depends and is inyoak'd vpon one another : Euen so our sinnes , being the Chaine wherewith Satan doth binde and manacle vs , are so knit , twisted , and sodered together , that without our firme faith ascending , and Gods grace descending , wee can neuer bee freed from those infernall fetters ; for Sloth is linked with Drunkennes , Drunkennes with Fornication and Adultery , & Adultery with Murder , and so of al the rest of the temptations , suggestions and actions , wherewith miserable men and women are insnared , and led captiue into perpetuall perdition , except the mercy of our gracious God be our defence and safegard . For a lamentable example of the Diuels malice , and mans misery , this party , of whom I treat at this time , was a wretch , not to be matched , a fellow not be fellowed , & one that scarce hath an equall , for matchlesse misery , and vnnaturall Murther . But to the matter . This Iohn Rowse being a Fishmonger in London , gaue ouer his trade , and liued altogether in the Towne of Ewell , neere Nonesuch , in the County of Surry , ten miles from London , where he had Land of his owne for himselfe and his heires for euer to the value of fifty pounds a yeere , with which hee liued in good and honest fashion , being well reputed of all his neighbours , and in good estimation with Gentlemen and others that dwelt in the adioyning Villages . Vntill at the last he married a very honest and comely woman , with whom hee liued quietly and in good fashion some six moneths , till the Diuell sent an instrument of his , to disturbe their Matrimoniall happinesse : for they wanting a Maidseruant , did entertain into their house a Wench , whose name was Iane Bl●ndell , who in short time was better acquainted with her Masters bed then honesty required , which in time was found out and knowne by her Mistris , and brake the peace , in such sort , betweene the said Rowse and his Wife , that in the end , after two yeeres continuance , it brake the poore womans heart , that she dyed & left her Husband a widdower , where he and his Whore were the more free to vse their cursed contentments , and vngodly embracements . Yet that estate of being vnmarried was displeasing to him , so that he tooke to wife another woman , who for her outward feature , and inward qualities was euery way fit for a very honest man , although it were her hard fortune to match otherwise . With this last Wife of his he liued much discontented , by reason of his keeping his lewd Tr●ll in his house , so that by his dayly Ryot , excessiue drinking , & vnproportionable spending , his estate began to be much impouerished , much of his Land morgag'd and forfeited , himselfe aboue two hundred pounds indebted , and in processe of time to be ( as a lewd liuer ) of all his honest neighbours reiected and contemned . His estate and credit being almost past recouerie wasted and impaired , he forsooke his Wife , came vp to London with his Wench , where hee fell in new league with a corrupted friend ; who ( as he said ) did most courteously coozen him of all that euer he had , & whom at this time I forbeare to name ; because it was Iohn Rowse his request before his execution , that he should not be named in any Booke or Ballad , but yet vpon a Dye his name may be picked out betwixt a sinke & a trey . This false friend of his ( as he said ) did perswade him to leaue his Wife for altogether , and did lodge and boord him and his paramore certaine weekes in his house , and afterward caused him and her to be lodged ( hauing chang'd his name ) as Man and Wife in an honest mans house neere Bishopsgate , at Beuis Marks , where they continued so long , till his money was gone , ( as indeede he neuer had much , but now and then small petty summes from his secret friend aforesaid ) and he being fearefull to bee smoak'd out by his Creditors , was counselled to leaue his Country , and depart for Ireland ; and before his going ouer-Sea , his friend wrought so , that all his Land was made ouer in trust to him , and Bonds , Couenants , and Leases made , as fully bought and sold for a summe of two hundred and threescore pounds ; of all which money the said Rowse did take the Sacrament and his death , that hee neuer did receiue one penny , but hee said that now and then he had fiue or ten shillings at a time from his said friend , and neuer aboue twenty shillings , and that all that euer he had of him , being summ'd together , was not aboue three & twenty pounds , the which moneys his friend did pay himselfe out of his Rents . But some more friend to him , then he was to himselfe , did doubt that he was cheated of his Land : whereupon ( to make all sure ) he said that his false friend did so farre preuaile with him , that hee the said Rowse tooke an Oath in the open Court at Westminster Hall , that hee had lawfully sold his Land , and had receiued the summe abouesaid , in full satisfaction and paiment , and his said friend did vow and protest many times vnto him , with such oathes and vehement curses , that he neuer would deceiue his trust , but that at any time when hee would command all those forged Bonds and Leases , that hee would surrender them vnto him , and that hee should neuer be damnifide by them or him , to the value of one halfe-penny . Vpon which protestations ( hee said ) he was enticed to vndoe himselfe out of all his earthly possessions , & by a false oath to make hazard of his inheritance in Heauen . In Ireland he stayd not long , but came ouer againe , and was by his friend perswaded to goe into the Low Countries : which he did , neuer minding his Wife and two small Children which he had by her , hauing likewise a brace of bastards by his Whore ( as some say ) but he said that but one of them was of his begetting . But he , after some stay in Holland , saw that he could not fadge there , according to his desire , and withall , suspecting that he was cheated of his Land , and aboue all , much perplexed in his Conscience for the false oath that he had taken , pondering his miserable estate , and ruing his vnkindnesse to his Wife , and vnnaturall dealing to his Children , thinking with himselfe what course were best to take to helpe himselfe out of so many miseries which did incompasse him , he came ouer againe into England to his too deare friend , demanding of him his Bonds and Leas●s of his Land which hee had put him in trust withall . But then his friend did manifest himselfe what he was , and told him plainly , that he had no writings , not any Land of his , but what hee had dearely bought and paid for . All which ( Rowse replyed vnto him ) was false , as his owne Conscience knew . Then said the other , haue I not heere in my custody your hand and Seale to confirme my lawfull possession of your Land ? and moreouer haue I not a Record of an Oath in open Court , which you tooke concerning the truth of all our bargaine ? And seeing that I haue all these especiall points of the Law , as an Oath , Indentures , and a sure possession , take what course you will , for I am resolued to hold vvhat I haue . These ( or the like ) words , in effect passed betwixt Rowse and his Friend ( Trusty Roger ) which entring at his eares , pierced his heart like Daggers ; and beeing out of money and Credit , a man much infamous for his bad life , indebted beyond all possible meanes of paiment ; a periured wretch to coozen himselfe , hauing no place or meanes to feede or lodge , and fearefull of being arrested , hauing so much abused his Wife , and so little regarded his Children , being now brought to the pits brim of desperation , not knowing amongst these calamities which way to turne himselfe , hee resolued at last to goe home to Ewell againe to his much wronged Wife , for his last refuge in extremitie . The poore Woman receiued him with ioy , and his Children with all gladnesse welcomed home the prodigall Father , with whom he remained in much discontentment and perplexitie of minde : the Diuell still tempting him 〈◊〉 mischiefe and despaire ; putting him in minde of his 〈…〉 better estate , comparing pleasures past with present miseries , and hee re●oluing that hee had beene a man in that Towne had beene a Gentlemans companion , of good Reputation and Calling , that hee had Friends , Lands , Money , Apparell , and Credit , with meanes sufficient to haue left for the maintenance of his Family , and that now he had nothing left him but pouerty and beggery , and that his two Children were like to be left to go from doore to doore for their liuing . Being thus tormented and tost with restlesse imaginations ; hee seeing dayly to his further griefe , the poore case of his children , and fearing that worse would befall them hereafter , hee resolued to worke some meanes to take away their languishing liues , by a speedy & vntimely death , the which practise of his ( by the Diuels instigation and assistance ) he effected as followeth . To bee sure that no body should stop or preuent his diuellish enterprise ; hee sent his Wife to London in a friuolous errand , for a riding Coate : and she being gone somewhat timely , and too soone in the morning , both her Children being in bed and fast asleepe , beeing two very pretty Girles , one of the age of sixe yeeres , and the other foure yeeres old , none being in the house but themselues , their vnfortunate Father , and his ghostly Counsellor , the dores being fast locked , hee hauing an excellent Spring of water in the Seller of his house ( which , to a good minde that would haue imploy'd it well , would haue beene a blessing : for the water is of that Christaline purity , and cleerenesse , that Queen Elizabeth of famous memory would dayly send for it for her owne vse ) in which hee purposed to drowne his poore innocent children sleeping : for he going into the Chamber where they lay , took the yongest of 〈◊〉 named Elizabeth forth of her bed , and carried her 〈◊〉 the Stayres into his Seller , and there put her in the Spring of Water , holding downe her head vnder that pure Element with his hands , till at last the poore harmelesse soule and body parted one from another . Which first Act of this his inhumane Tragedy being ended , hee carried the dead corps vp three payre of stayres , and laying it downe on the floore , left it , and went down into the Chamber where his other Daughter , named Marry , was in bed ; being newly awaked , and seeing her father , demanded of him where her Sister was ? To whom he made answer that he would bring her where she was . So taking her in his armes , hee carried her downe towards the Seller : and as hee was on the Seller stayres , shee asked him what he would doe , and whither he would carry her ? Feare nothing , my Child ( quoth hee ) I will bring thee vp againe presently : and being come to the Spring , as before hee had done with the other , so hee performed his last vnfatherly deed vpon her , & to be as good as his word , carried her vp the stayres & laid her by her sister ; that done , he laid them out , and couered them both with a sheete , walking vp and downe his house , weeping and lamenting his owne misery , and his friends treachery , that was the maine ground of all his misfortunes , & the death of his Children : and though there was time and opportunity enough for him to flye , & to seeke for safety ; yet the burthen and guilt of his conscience was so heauy to him , and his desperate case was so extreme , that hee neuer offered to depart ; but as a man weary of his life , would , and did stay , till such time as hee was apprehended and sent to Prison , where he lay till he was rewarded with a iust deserued death . What his other intents were , after hee had drowned his Children , is vncertaine ; for hee drew his sword and laid it naked on a Table , and after , he gate a poore woman downe into the Seller , and in the same place where the two Infants lost their liues , hee did helpe the woman to wring a Bucke of his clothes , and then he requested her to help to conuey his goods out of his house ; for hee said that hee feared that the Sheriffe of Surry would come and seaze vpon all . But the woman not thinking of any of the harme that was done , imagined that he had meant that his goods would be seazed for debt , and not for murther . But to returne to the miserable Mother of the murdered Children , shee said that her heart throbbed all day , as fore-boading some heauy mischance to come : and hauing done her businesse that shee came about to London , as soone as shee came home , she asked for her Children , to whom her Husband answered that they were at a neighbours house in the Towne . Then said she , I will goe thither to fetch them home . No quoth he , I will goe my selfe presently for them . Thē said his wife , let the poore woman that is heere goe and bring them home . But at last she saw such delay was vsed , she was going her selfe ; then her Husband told her that hee had sent them to a Kinsmans of his at a Village called Sutton , foure miles from Ewell , and that hee had prouided well for them , and prayd ▪ her to bee contented and feare nothing , for they were well . These double tales of his , made her to doubt somwhat was amisse : therefore shee intreated him for Gods sake to tell her truely where they were . Wherevpon he said , If you will needs know where they are , goe but vp the staires into such a Chamber , and there you shall finde them . But in what a lamentable perplexity of mind the poore woman was when shee perceiued how and which way they lost their liues , any Christian that hath an heart of flesh may imagine . Presently the Constable was sent for , who tooke him into his custody , who amongst other talke , demanded of him why and how hee could commit so vnnaturall a fact , as to murder his Children ? To whom he answered , that he did it , because he was not able to keepe them , and that hee was loth they should goe about the Towne a begging : and moreouer , that they were his owne , and being so , that hee might doe what hee would with them , and that they had their liues from him , and therefore he had taken their liues from them , and was contented to lose his life for them : for he was sure that their miseries were past , and for his part , he had an assured hope to goe to them , though they could not come to him . So being had before a Iustice , his Examination was very briefe ; for he confest all the whole circumstances of the matter freely ; so that he was sent to the common Prison of Surry , cal'd the White Lyon , where hee remained fourteene or fifteene weekes a wonderfull penitent Prisoner , neuer , or very seldome , being without a Bible or some other good booke meditating vpon ; and whon any one did but mention his Children , he would fetch a deep sigh , and weepe , desiring euery one to pray for him and vpon his owne earnest request , he was praide for at Pauls Crosse , and at most of the Churches in London , and at many in the Country , and at the Sessions holden at Croydon , the latter end of Iune last , he made such free confession at the Barre , declaring the manner of his life , his odious Drinking , his abominable Whoring , his cruell Murther , and the false dealing of his deceitfull friend , which was the cause of his finall wracke : with which Relations of his pronounced , with such vehemency and protestations , he moued all that heard him to commiseration and pitie . So , according to Law and Iustice , he was there condemned and iudged ( for the murthering of his two Children ) to be hang'd ; which Iudgement was executed on him at the common Gallowes at Croydon , on Munday the second day of Iune , 1621. where he dyed with great penitency and remorce of Conscience . This was the lamentable end of Iohn Rowse , a man of the age of fifty yeeres , and one that might haue liu'd and dyed in better fashion , if he had laid hold on the grace of heauen , and craued Gods protection and fatherly assistance : but of all that herein is declared , this one thing which I now declare , is most lamentable & remarkable ; which is , that Ewell being a Market Towne , not much aboue ten miles from London , in a Christian Kingdome , and such a Kingdome , where the all-sauing Word of the euer-liuing God is most diligently , sincerely , and plentifully preached ; & yet amidst this diligence , as it were in the Circle or Center of this sincerity , and in the floud of this plenty , the Towne of Ewell hath neither Preacher nor Pastor : for although the Parsonage be able to maintaine a sufficient Preacher , yet the liuing beeing in a Lay-mans hand , is rented out to another for a great sum , & yet no Preacher maintained there . Now the chief Landlord out of his portion , doth allow but seuen pounds yeerely for a Reader , and the other that doth hyre the Parsonage at a great Rent , doth giue the said Reader foure pound the yeere more out of his meanes and courtesie : and by this meanes the Towne is serued with a poore old man that is halfe blinde , and by reason of his age can scarcely read : for all the world knowes , that so small a stipend cannot finde a good Preacher Bookes , and very hardly bread to liue on ; so that the poore soules dwelling there , are in danger of famishing , for want of a good Preacher to breake the Bread of Life vnto them : for a Sermon amongst them , is as rare as warm weather in December , or Ice in Iuly : both which I haue seene in England , though but seldome . And as the Wolfe is most bold with the Sheepe , when there is either no Shepheard , or an impotent insufficient one , so the Diuell ( perhaps ) tooke his aduantage of this wretched man , seeing he was so badly guarded , & so weakely guided to withstand his force and malice : for where God is least known and called vpon , there Satan hath most power and domination . But howsoeuer , I wish with all my heart , that that Towne and many more were better prouided then they are , and then such numbers of soules would not be in hazzard to perish ; nor so many sufficient schollers that can preach and teach well , liue in penury through want of maintenance . I could runne further vpon this point , but that I doe shortly purpose to touch it more to the quick in another Booke . By this mans fall , we may see an example of Gods Iustice against Drunkennes , Whoredome , and Murder ; the Diuel being the first Author , who was a Murtherer from the beginning : who fil'd Cain with Enuy , that hee murdered his brother Abel : who tempted Dauid first to Adultery , and afterwards to Murther ; who prouoked Herod to cause the blessed Seruant of God Iohn Baptist to lose his head , because hee told him it was not lawfull for him to marry his brother Philips Wife ; and who was the prouoker of the aforesaid Herod to murther all the innocent male children in his Kingdome . And let vs but marke and consider the plagues and punishments that God hath inflicted vpon Murderers , Adulterers , and Incestuous persons : First , Cain , although by his birth hee was the first man that euer was borne , a Prince by his birth , and heire apparant to all the world ; yet for the Murther by him committed on his brother , he was the first Vagabond and Runnagate on the face of the earth , almost fearefull of his owne shaddow : and after he had liued along time terrifide in Conscience , was himselfe slaine ( as is supposed ) by Lamech . Simeon and Leu● the sonnes of Iacob were accurst of their Father for the slaughter of the Sichemites ; Ioab the Captaine of Dauids Host , was slaine for the murthering of Abner ; Dauid himselfe , for the death of Vrias , and the Adultery committed with Bethsheba , was continually plagued and vexed with the Sword of Warre , with the Rebellion of his owne sonnes , and with the vntimely deaths of Amnon , and Abs●lon . Baanah and R●chab , for the slaying of Ishbosheth the sonne of Saul , they were both by Dauids commandement put to death , who had both their hands and feete cut off , & were afterward hanged ouer the Poole in Hebron : Samuel 2. 4. The examples are infinite out of diuine and humane Histories , that God did neuer suffer Murder to goe vnrewarded : and this miserable man , of whom I haue heere related , is a most manifest spectacle of Gods reuenging vengeance , for that crying and hainous sinne . As concerning Lust and Incontinency , it is a short pleasure , bought with long paine , a hunnied poyson , a Gul●●● of Shame , a Pickpurse , a breeder of Diseases , a gall to the Conscience , a corrosiue to the heart , turning mans wit into foolish madnesse , the bodies bane , and the soules perdition : it is excessiue in youth , and odious in age ; besides , God himselfe doth denounce most fearefull threats against Fornicators and Adulterers , as the Apostle saith , that Whoremongers and Adulterers shall not inherit the Kingdome of Heauen , 1. Cor. 6. 9. And God himselfe saith , that he will be a swift witnes against Adulterers , Mal. 3. 5. And the Wise man saith , that because of the whorish woman , a man is brought to a morsell of bread , and a woman will hunt for the precious life of a man : For , saith he , can a man take fire in his bosome , and his cloathes not bee burnt ? or can a man goe vpon hot Coales , and his feete not be burnt ? So hee that goeth in to his neighbours Wife , shall not be innocent , Prou. 6. 27 , 28 , 29. Abimelech , one of the sonnes of Gedeon , murdered threescore and ten of his Brethren ; and in reward thereof ( by the iust Iudgement of God ) a woman with a piece of a Milstone beate out his braines , after hee had vsurped the Kingdome three yeeres , Iudges the 9. Our English Chronicles make mention , that Roger Mortimer , Lord Baron of Wallingford , murdered his Master King Edward the second , and caused the Kings Vncle , Edmund Earle of Kent , causelessely to bee beheaded : but Gods Iustice ouertooke him at last , so that for the said Murders hee was shamefully executed . Humphrey Duke of Glocester was murdered in the Abbey of Bury by William de la Poole Duke of Suffolke , who afterward was beheaded himselfe on the Sea by a Pyrat . Arden of Feuersham , and Page of Plimmouth , both their Murders are fresh in memory , and the fearefull ends of their Wiues and their Ayders in those bloudy actions will neuer bee forgotten . It is too manifestly knowne , what a number of Stepmothers and Strumpets haue most inhumanely murdred their Children , and for the same haue most deseruedly been executed . But in the memory of man ( nor scarcely in any History ) it is not to be found , that a Father did euer take two Innocent Children out of their beds , and with weeping teares of pittilesse pitie , and vnmercifull mercy , to drowne them , shewing such compassionate cruelty , and sorrowfull sighing remorcelesse remorce in that most vnfatherly and vnnaturall deede . All which may be attributed to the malice of the Diuell , whose will and endeuour is that none should be saued , who layes out his traps and snares , intangling some with Lust , some with Couetousnesse , some with Ambition , Drunkennesse , Enuy , Murder , Sloth , or any Vice whereto hee sees a man or a woman inclined most vnto , as hee did by this wretched man , lulling him , as it were , in the cradle of sensuality , and vngodly delight , vntill such time as all his meanes , Reputation , and Credit was gone , and nothing left him but misery and reproach . Then hee leades him along through doubts and feares , to haue no hope in Gods Prouidence , perswading his Conscience that his sinnes were vnpardonable , and his Estate and Credit vnrecouerable . VVith these suggestions , he led him on to despaire , and in desperation to kill his Children , and make shipwracke of his owne Soule , in which the diligence of the Diuel appeareth , that he labours and trauels vncessantly : and as Saint Bernard saith , in the last day shall rise in condemnation against vs , because he hath euer been more diligent to destroy soules , then wee haue been to saue them . And for a Conclusion , let vs beseech God of his infinite mercy to defend vs from all the subtill temptations of Satan . IOHN ROVVSE his Prayer for pardon of his lewd life , which hee vsed to pray in the time of his imprisonment . GOD of my Soule and Body , haue mercy vpon mee : the one I haue cast away by my Folly , and the other is likely to perish in thy Fury , vnlesse in thy great mercy thou saue it . My Sinnes are deepe Seas to drowne mee ; I am swallowed vp in the bottomlesse Gulph of my own transgressions . With Cain I haue beene a Murderer , and with Iudas a Betrayer of the Innocent . My body is a Slaue to Satan , and my wretched Soule is deuoured vp by Hell. Blacke haue beene my thoughts , and blacker are my deeds . I haue beene the Diuels instrument , and am now become the scorne of men ; a Serpent vpon earth , and an Out-cast from Heauen . What therefore can become of mee ( miserable Caitiffe ? ) if I looke vp to my Redeemer , to him I am an Arch Traitor , if vpon Earth , it is drowned with Blood of my shedding , if into Hell , there I see my Conscience , burning in the Brimstone Lake . God of my Soule and Body haue mercy therefore vpon mee : Saue mee , O saue mee , or else I perish for euer : I dye for euer in the world to come , vnlesse ( sweet Lord ) thou catchest my repentant Soule in thine Armes ; O saue me , saue me , saue me . IOHN ROVVSE of Ewell his own Arraignment , Confession , Condemnation , and Iudgement of himselfe , whilst he lay Prisoner in the White Lyon , for drowning of his two Children . I Am arraign'd at the blacke dreadfull Barre , Where Sinnes ( so red as Scarlet ) Iudges are ; All my Inditements are my horrid Crimes , Whose Story will affright succeeding Times , As ( now ) they driue the present into wonder , Making Men tremble , as trees struck with Thunder . If any askes what Euidence comes in ? O'Tis my Conscience , which hath euer bin A thousand witnesses : and now it tels A Tale , to cast me to ten thousand Hels . The Iury are my Thoughts ( vpright in this , ) They sentence me to death for doing amisse : Examinations more there need not then , Than what 's confest heere both to God and Men. The Cryer of the Court is my blacke Shame , Which when it cals my Iury , doth proclaime Vnlesse ( as they are summon'd ) they appeare , To giue true Verdict of the Prisoner , They shall haue heau 〈…〉 set , Such , as may 〈…〉 uens debt . About me round sit Innocence and Truth , As Clerkes to this high Court ; and little Ruth From Peoples eyes is cast vpon my face , Because my facts are barbarous , damn'd , and base . The Officers that 'bout me ( thicke ) are plac't , To guard me to my death , ( when I am cast ) Are the blacke stings my speckled soule now feeles , Which like to Furies dogge me , close at heeles . The Hangman , that attends me is Despaire , And gnawing wormes my fellow-Prisoners are . His Inditement for Murder of his Children . THe first who ( at this Sessions ) lowd doth call me , Is Murder , whose grim visage doth appall me , His eyes are fires , his voice rough windes out-rores , And on my head the Diuine Vengeance scores : So fast and fearfully I sinke to ground , And wish I were in twenty Oceans drownd . He sayes I haue a bloudy Villaine bin , And ( to proue this ) ripe Euidence steps in , Brow'd like my selfe : Iustice so brings about , That blacke sinnes still hunt one another out : 'T is like a rotten frame ready to fall , For one maine Post being shaken , puls downe all . To this Inditement , ( holding vp my hand , ) Fettered with Terrors mor● then Irons stand , And being ask'd what to the Bill I say , Guilty I cry . O dreadfull Sessions day ! His Iudgement . FOr these thick Stygian streams in which th' ast swom , Thy guilt hath on thee laid this bitter doome ; Thy loath'd life on a Tree of shame must take A leaue compeld by Law , e're old age make Her signed Passe-port ready . Thy offence No longer can for dayes on earth dispense . Time blot thy name out of this bloudy roule , And so the Lord haue mercy on my Soule . His speech what hee could say for himselfe . OWretched Caytiffe ! what perswasiue breath Can call back this iust Sentence of quicke death ? I begge no boone , but mercy at Gods hands , ( The King of Kings , the Soueraigne that commands Both Soule and Body ) O let him forgiue My Treason to his Throne , and whilst I liue , Iebbits and Racks shall torture limme by limme , Through worlds of Deaths I le breake to fly to him . My Birth-day gaue not to my Mothers wombe , More ease , then this shall ioyes , when e're it come . My body mould to earth , sinnes sinke to Hell , My penitent Soule win Heauen , vaine world farewell . FINIS .