THE BABES IN THE WOOD  

NOW ponder well, you Parents dear,  
the words which I shall write,  
A doleful Story you shall hear,  
in time brought forth to Light:  
A Gentleman of good account  
in Northfolk dwelled of late,  
Whose Wealth & Riches did surmount  
most Men of his Estate.   

2  
Sore sick he was, and like to die,  
no help then could he have;  
His Wife with him as sick did lie,  
and both possessed one Grave:  
No Love between these two was lost,  
each was to other kind:  
In Love they lived, in Love they died,  
and left two Babes behind:   

3  
The one a fine & pretty Boy,  
not passing three years old:  
The other a Girl more young than he,  
and made 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:   

4  
And to his little Daughter Jean,  
Two hundred Pounds of Gold,  
To be paid down on Marriage-day  
which might not be controlled;  
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.   

5  
Now Brother, said the dying Man,  
look to my Children dear,  
Be good unto my Boy and Girl,  
no Friends else have I here,  
To God and You I do commend  
my Children night and day,  
A little while be sure we have  
within this World to stay:   

6  
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 then spoke their Mother dear,  
O Brother kind, quoth she,  
Thou art the Man must bring my Babes  
to Wealth or Misery:   

7  
If you do keep them carefully,  
than GOD will you reward;  
If otherways you seem to deal,  
GOD will your deeds regard:  
With Lips as cold as any Stone,  
they kissed those Children small,  
GOD bless you both my Children dear,  
with that the Tears did fall.   

8  
These speeches than the Brother spoke  
to the sick Couple there,  
The keeping of your Children dear,  
sweet Sister do not fear;  
GOD never prosper me nor mine,  
or aught else that I have,  
If I do wrong your Children dear,  
when you are laid in Grave.   

9  
Their Parents being dead and gone,  
the Children home he takes,  
And brings them home unto his House,  
and much of them he makes.  
He had not kept these pretty Babes,  
a Twelve-mouth and a Day,  
But for their Wealth he did devise  
to make them both away.   

10  
He bargained with two Ruffians rude,  
which were of furious mood,  
That they should take the Children young  
and slay them in a Wood:  
And told his Wife and all he had  
he did the Children send  
To be brought up in fair London,  
with one that was a Friend.   

11  
Away then went these pretty Babes,  
rejoicing at the Tide,  
Rejoicing with a merry Mind  
they should on Horseback ride.  
They prat and prattle pleasantly,  
as they road on the way,  
To those that should their Butchers be,  
and work their Lives decay:   

12  
So that the pretty speech they had  
made Mnrtherers Hearts relent,  
And they that took the deed to do,  
full sore they did 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.   

13  
The other would not agree thereto,  
so there they fell at 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,  
where Babes did quake for fear.   

14  
He took the Childeen by the Hand,  
when tears stood in their Eye;  
And bade them come along with him;  
and look they did not cry.  
And two long Miles he led them thus;  
while they for bread complain,  
Stay here quoth he, I'll bring you Bread  
when I do come again.   

15  
The pretty Babes with hand in hand,  
went wandering up and down,  
But never more they saw the Man  
appoaching from the Town:  
Their pretty Lips with black Berries  
were all besmeared and died,  
And when they saw me darksome Night,  
they sat them down and cried.   

16  
Thus wand'red these two pretty Babes  
till Death did end their Grief,  
In one another's Arms they died.  
as Babes wanting relief;  
No Burial these pretty Babes  
of any Man receives,  
Till Robin-red-breast painfully  
did cover them with Leaves.   

17  
And now the heavy Wrath of GOD  
upon their Uncle fell;  
●●ea fearful Fiends did haunt his House;  
his Conscience felt an Hell:  
His Barns were fired, his Goods consumed,  
his Lands were barren made,  
His Cattle died within the House,  
and nothing with him stayed.   

18  
And in a Voyage to Portugal,  
two of his Sons did die:  
And to conclude, himself was brought  
unto much Misery:  
He pawned and mortgaged all his Land,  
ere seven Years came about;  
And now at length this wicked Act  
by this means did come out:   

19  
The Fellow that did take in hand  
these Children for to kill,  
Was for a Robber judged to die,  
as was GOD's blessed Will,  
Who did confess the very truth,  
the which is here expressed,  
Their Uncle died while he for Debt  
did long in Prison rest.   

20  
All you that be Exec'tors 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 Miseries  
your wicked Minds requite.   
FINIS   

THE RAINY BOW  
OR  
A sweet Dialogue betwixt CHRIST and the SOUL, very pleasant and comfortable to all good CHRISTIANS: newly corrected and amended.  
To its own proper sweet Tune,  SOUL. 
THrough and throw the Rainy-bow.  
Which shines both red & green, Lord,  
The heavenly Colours that we see,  
Shows us the Seas between, LORD.  SOUL. 
Then help me through thy Sea, O LORD,  
Thy Firmament above, LORD,  
That I may meet with JESUS CHRIST,  
He is my only Love, LORD.  SOUL 
Send down thy Boat with Angels float,  
Be Ferriour to me, LORD:  
My sweet Redeemer, refuse me not,  
Because I trust in thee, LORD.  CHRIST. 
I hear thy call, tho' ne'er so small,  
Thy thoughts I know right well, Man:  
Thy sighing Groans, thy heavy Moans,  
Thou needs not them conceal, Man.  CHRIST. 
Then leave ill life, & wicked Strife,  
And turn to ME with Zeal Man;  
And thou shalt have that blessed Life,  
My Favour thou shalt feel, Man.  CHRIST. 
Still must thou strive whilst thou'rt alive;  
Against these Enemies three, Man,  
The Devil, the World and wicked Flesh,  
If thou wouldst dwell with ME, Man.  CHRIST. 
And Sin abhor for evermore,  
Hate Fraud continually, Man,  
If thou wouldst have that heavenly Glore,  
That is prepared for thee, Man.  SOUL. 
Fain would I strive whilst I'm alive,  
My Enemies are strong, LORD:  
I may not bide another tide,  
For fear I tarry long, LORD.  SOUL. 
Wilt thou send down thy blessed Spirit,  
Then with thy helping Hand, LORD:  
And help me through that Jordan Flood,  
Unto that promised Land, LORD.  SOUL. 
The Land of Life which ends our strife,  
This Land fain would I see, LORD:  
That I who am thy spoused Wife,  
May gladly meet with thee, LORD.  SOUL. 
Thou for to reign and I to sing  
In Glore continually, LORD:  
Thou art our Priest, both Head & King,  
Therefore I'll dwell with thee, LORD.  CHRIST. 
Yet you must bide another tide,  
Or else thou shalt not win, Man.  
My Captain Death must cut thy Breath,  
Before thou enter in, M  CHRIST. 
My holy Spirit, thy Guide is sweet,  
Must purge thee from all Sin, Man:  
Thou must have beetter washen Feet,  
Before thou enter in, M  SOUL. 
Then make me clean, to GOD I mean,  
For that is my desire, LORD;  
And thou shalt have this Soul of mine,  
Then take it for thine Hire, LORD.  SOUL. 
To reign in Glore for evemore,  
Into the Heaven's Empire, LORD:  
Alas my Soul is deeply snared,  
Drowned in sinful mire, LORD.  
FINIS