THE Arraignment & burning of Margaret Ferneseede, for the Murder of her late Husband Anthony Ferneseede, found dead in Peckham Field near Lambeth, having once before attempted to poison him with broth, being executed in S. Georges-field the last of February. 1608  
LONDON Printed for Henry Gosson, and are to be sold at the Sign of the Sun in Pater-noster-rowe. 1608   


THE Burning of Margaret Ferneseede.  
THe grossest part of folly, and the most repugnant, even unto our own natural reason, is to think that our hidden abominations can be concealed from the eye of the Almighty, or that he seeing our bloody and crying sins, will not either reveal them before his Ministers of public justice, or in his best pleased time, power down sharp vengeance for such presumptuous and rebellious offences. Oh! the miracles in these Revelations are such, and so infinite, that the thought of man or his wisdom is but mere weakness, going about to comprehend such unspeakable judgements: & of this we have before our eyes a most notable example in this wretched woman, of whom my present discourse entreateth, named Margaret Ferneseede, a woman that even from her time of knowledge (if the general report of the world, according to the old adage, may be taken for an Oracle) was given to all the looseness & lewdness of life, which either unlawful lust, or abominable prostitution could violently cast upon her, with the greatest infamy, yea, and with such a public and inrespective unchastity, that neither being chaste nor caute, she regarded not either into what ear the loathsomeness of her life was sounded, or into what bed of lust her lascivious body was transported: in this more than bestial lasciviousness, having consumed the first part of her youth, finding both the corruption of her blood to check the former heat of her lust, and the too general ugliness of her prostitution, to breed a loath in her ordinary customers, being then confirmed in some more strength of years, took a house near unto the Iron-gate of the Tower, where she kept a most abominable and wild brothel house, poisoning many young women with that sin wherewith her own body long before was filthily bebotched. From this house at the Iron-gate, she was married unto one Anthony Ferneseede a Tailor, dwelling in Duck-lane, but keeping a shop upon Addle-hill near Carter-lane. This Anthony was amongst his neighbours, reputed to be both sober and of very good conversation.  
Now it happened that some few months ago in the fields of Peckham near London, there was found a man slain having his throat cut, a knife in his hand, gold rings upon his fingers, and forty shillings in money in his purse, his wounds of so long continuance that it was not only corrupted, but there was also Maggots, or such like filthy worms engendered therein, which gave testimony to the beholders, that he had not slain himself in that place, as well because the place was free from such a spectacle the day before, as also that such corruption could not proceed from a present slaughter. Again, what the person slain, no man knew, both because his phis●●omie was altered in his death, and because his acquaintance was little or none in those parts about Peckham: in the end, searching his pockets, and other parts of his apparel, amongst other notes and reckonings, they found an Indenture wherein a certain youth which did serve him was bound unto him: this Indenture gave them knowledge both of his name, and of the place of his dwelling, whereupon, certain discreet persons of Peckham, sent to Londdon to Duck-lane, and enquiring for the house of one Anthony Ferneseede, delivered to his wife the disaster and mischance which had befallen her husband, which her hardoned heart received, not as a message of sorrow, neither did the grudging of an afflicted countenance gall her remembrance, but as if it had been the report of some ordinary or vulgar news, she embraced it with an inrespective neglect and carelessness, & demanded instantly (before the message would tell her how he died) whether his throat were cut, or that he had cut his own throat, as either knowing or prophesing how he died, yet to observe a customary fashion, or (as the proverb is) to carry a candle before the devil, she prepares herself & her Servant, in all haste to go to Peckham to behold her husband: & in the way as she went, it was her chance to meet with one of her Husbands ancient acquaintance, who feeling that in charity which she ought to have felt in nature, began to complain her misfortune, telling her she had lost a most honest & good husband: she whom the devil now would not suffer to dissemble, (though his greatest art be in dissimulation) told him her fear was, she should not hear so well of him: he wondering at her ungodly carelessness, let her pass, when presently she met another of her acquaintance, who with like charity to the former, began to pity her griefs, (though grief was never further from her heart) and to wish her those comforts which are fit for affliction, but she as careless as before, gave him (by the neglect of her words) true testimony how far sorrow was from her heart, which when he noted, he said, why mistress Ferneseede, is the loss of a good husband so slightly to be regarded? for mine own part, had such a unschance feign to my fortune, I shoulder this have wept out mine eyes with true sorrow: but she quickly made him answore, tut six, mine eyes are ill already and I must now preserve them to mend my clothes not to mourn for a husband: after that, in her going, the wind blowing the dust in her face, she takes her skatff & wiped her eyes, & said she should scarce know her husband when she saw him, these courtesan like speeches made her acquaintanceleave her, & wished her more grace, so she & her boy came where the body was, where more for awe of the Magistrate than any terror she felt, she made many sour faces, but the dryness of her brain would suffer no moisture to descend into her eyes: many questions were asked her, to which she answered with such constancy, that no suspicion could be grounded against her: then was her boy taken and examined, who delivered the abomination of her life, and that since her marriage with his master, she had lived in all disquietness, rage, and distemperature, often threatening his life and contryving plots for his destruction: that she had ever since her marriage, in most public and notorious manner, maintained a young man, with whom (in his view) she had often committed adultery: that the same young man since his masters loss was fled he knew not whether, and that his mistress had even then before the message of his masters death, sold all his goods (as he supposed) to fly also after him whom she loved: all these speeches were not only seconded, but almost approved by some of her neighbours, which lived near unto her, insomuch that she was the second time taken into a more strict examination: wherein albeit she could not deny any of her general assertions, yet touching the death of her husband, that she forswore & renounced the fact or practise thereof to be hers, with such a shameless constancy, that ●●ee struck amazement into all that heard her: in the end by authority of justice she was committed to the white Lion in Southwark: during the time of which imprisonment, till her time of trial, thinking to out face truth with boldness, and sin with impudence, she continued out all her examinations taken before several justices in her former denials, and whereas the Rod of imprisonment laid upon others, is received as a gentle correction, whereby to look into themselves, it was to her rather the bellows of indignation than a temperer to patience: rather a kind of frenzy, than a cooler of fury, & rather a pruoker to evil than a persuader to goodness, for she was seldom found to be in charity with any of her fellow prisoners, nor at any time in quiet with herself, rather a provoker then an appeaser of dissensions, given to much swearing, scarce praying but continually scolding, so that she was as hateful to all them that dwelled with her in that her last home the prison, as she was to people of honest conversation, having deserved the name of a Bawd) while she lived abroad.  
In this uncivil order, spending her hours, the time of trial coming on, (when such offenders were to appear before the earthly judge, to give account of their lives passed) amongst many others, this Margaret Fern-seed was one and at the assizes last, according to the order of law, she was indited, & arraigned, the purpose of which indictment, was to have practised the murder of her late husband Anthony Ferneseede, who as before was found dead in Peckham field near Lambeth: to the indit●●ment she pleaded not guilty, putting her cause to God and the Country, which were a credible jury paniled, and had there made their personal appearance for that purpose: then were these several witnesses produced against her, namely of the incontinentnes of her life past, her attempt to poison her husband before this murder, as also to prepare broth for him, and put powder in it, her slight regard of him in his life, and her careless sorrow for him after death: with other circumstances, as the flight of the fellow whom she had lived long in adultery with all, her present sale of her goods upon her husband's murder, as it may be justly thought, with purpose to fly after him: on which lawful evidence, she was convicted, & after judgement given her to be burned: and from thence she was conveyed back to the White Lion, till the time appointed for her execution.   

How Margaret Ferneseede spent her time in prison, from Saturday, the day of her conviction, till Monday the last of February, when in S. George's fields she was executed.  
BEing come back to the prison, for the first night she disposed herself according to her ancient habit, being as it were so rooted, and accustomed to evil, that as even death itself had not power to make her forget it, and endeavour a better course: but being at the same time in the prison with her, three Gentlemen who likewise were condemned, and who, through the course of their lives had not taught them to live well: yet the care of theirs souls remembered them to die well these Gentlemen having heard how ill her life past had been, and that her countenance was as resolute, importuned the keeper that they might have her company, partly to instruct her, but especially that she might see them, & by the reformation of their lives she might learn to amend her own and as they did, to prepare herself fit for death: whose porsuasion and wholesome counsels of their own, with comfortable promises of our merciful Saviour jesus Christ to them that unfeignedly believe in him, and by unfeigned repentance make way to their salvation, as also with threatening her with the terrible judgements of Hell which are prepared for them that perish through lack of grace, they so wrought in her, she was at last drawn to make a confession of her former life passed, and to repent her of the same. The form of which was in this manner.   

The Confession and repentance of Margaret Ferneseed, after her condemnation in the White Lyon.  
TO prepare the reader for this confession of hers, know that I was credibly satisfied, that when the heat of her fury was past, to which she was much subject unto) she a woman well spoken, offaire deliverance, and good persuasion: and so to her confession.  
To excuse myself O Lord before thee, who knows the conspiracies of our thoughts even to the utmost of our actions, (how ever so private or publicly committed,) were folly, or to justify myself were sin, since no flesh can appear pure in thy sight: I here therefore, with prostrate knees, & dejected eyes, as unworthy to look up unto thy divine Majesty, with a contrite heart and penitent soul, also here voluntariely confess, I am the greatest of sinners, which have deserved thy wrath and indignation: In this good manner she proceeded, and withal satisfied all that came, & desired to have private conference with her, of the whole course of her life, that in her youth, even from the age of aptness, she had been a prostitute, whore but growing into desabled years, to please the lose desires of such customers, she after turned bawd, a course of life more hateful in tempting and seducing youth, than the other in committing sin: the one makes but spoil and ruin of herself, and the other of a multitude, for (quoth she) I myself have had ten several women retaining to my house for that purpose: some were men's wives, which repaired thither both by appointment, and at convenent hours, when their husbands might least suspect or have knowledge of their absence: and these women did I first tempt to their fall, some, by persuading them they were not beloved of their husbands, especially if I could at any time have note of any breach or discontent between them: others, that their husbands maintained them not sufficiently to express their beauty, and according to their own deserts: of these, them having brought my purpose to effect, & that I knew they had offended, I made this booty that they were as fearful to offend mes, as their husbands should have knowledge of their offences: and these allowed me a weekly pension for coming to my house, and durst not at all times but find opportunity to come whensoever myself or such lose friends, whom either they had been familiar withal, or now desired to be acquainted with them, should send for any of them, to supply my house, and make spoil of young maids who were sent out of the country by their friends, herewith hope to advance themselves: I went weekly to the Carriers, where if the maid liked me, I so wrought with the Carrier that she Aldomeleft me till I had brought her to be as had as I purposed, which effected, every one of them I compelled to give me ten shillings a week out of their get: having as I said seldom less than ten whose bodies and souls I kept in this bondage: Besides I confess I was a continual receiver of theft stolen: but in all this, as it was badly got, so was it worse consumed for nothing of it did prosper with me, whereby (quoth she) I acknowledge I have deserved death, and in the highest degree, but for this which I am condemned, Heaven that knoweth best the secrets of our hearts, knows I am innocent.  
But who knows not that in evil, there is a like impudence to deny, as there is a forwardness to act: in which we will leave here whom the law hath found guilty, and having thus truly related her own confession, we proceed to thee manner of execution.  
First only touching the evidence of two Sailors, given to the jury at her arraignment: Among other circumstances that was availablest to condemn her, this was one and the chiefest: during the time while she kept a bad house about the Iron-gate: by Tower-ditch, there happened a couple of Bargemen to come to revel at her house with such Guests as she kept to entertain lose customers, and having spent the whole day in large riot and much expense, the night being late, for that time they made their lodging there, they being a bed, it happened that night (which was seldom) her husband came to make his lodging there also, and being chambered with his wife, but a wall between where these Bargemen lay, they could expressly hear them every word that passed between them, the effect of which: was, the reproving of her for her had life, his persuading her to amendment, which she not willing to listen unto fell a scolding at him, and so left both his bed and chamber some time passing.  
At last Master Ferneseede heard these Bargemen cough, & wondering to have strangers lodged in his house (for it was not common to his knowledge) arose out of his bed, and demanded of them what they were? who asked of him also wherefore he questioned them? mary (quoth he) for if you be honest men, and have a care either of your bodies or souls, avoid this house as you would do poison, lest it be the undoeing of you all, they seeing him of a comely parsonage: and that his words tended to some purpose, demanded of him what he was that gave them such wholesome counsel? I am (quoth he) the master of this house (if I had my right) but I am bard of the possession and command thereof, by a devilish woman, who makes a stews of it to exercise her sinful practices: so with some other admonishment left the room, when these Bargemen told mistress Ferneseed what they had heard of her husband, to which she replied: hung him slave and villain: I will before God be revenged of him (nay ere long) by one means or other, so work, that I will be rid of him, which making good in the judgement of the judge, to gather with her life & practices, she as aforesaid was condemned.  
On Monday being the last of February; she had notice given her, that in the afternoon she must suffer death, and a Preacher commended unto her to instruct her for her soul's health, who laboured much with her for the confession of the fact, which she still obstinately denied, but made great show of repentance for her life past, so that about two of the clock in the afternoon she was stripped of her ordinary wearing apparel, and upon her own smock put a kirtle of Canvas pitched clean through, over which she did wear a white sheet, and so was by the keeper delivered to the Shreve, one each hand a woman leading her, and the Preacher going before her. Being come to the place of execution, both before and after her fastening to the Stake, with godly exhortations he admonished her that now in that minute she would confess that fact for which she was now ready to suffer, which she denying, the reeds were planted about, unto which fire being given she was presently dead.   
FINIS.