THE BLOODY LOVER: OR, Barbarous News FROM GLOUCESTER.  
A full and true Relation how an Inhuman Villain Named William Hall, did on the 16th. of October last, most cruelly Murder a Maid, whose Name was Sarah Butt, that was his Sweetheart, as she was Milking, cleaving her skull in three places with a Hedging-bill, cutting off one of her hands, and giving her several other mortal Wounds.  
As also how he endeavoured to have killed a little Child that was with her, and formerly attempted to Murder both her and her Mother, wounding the latter in several places.  
If monstrous Love such bloody scenes create,  
What Tragedies may we expect from Hate?  
Printed for P. Brooksby, 1673.   

THE Bloody Lover, etc.  
IT is a sad, yet wholesome Speculation to consider into what a woeful condition the disobedience of our First Parents has plunged their unhappy Posterity; Man's whole estate (by Nature) being too truly umed up by the sacred Historian in this miserable total Evil, wholly Evil, and that Continually; our understandings muffled up in thick gloomy Clouds of ignorance or Error, our Judgements blear-eyed and depraved, our wills headstrong and false-biased infinitely more ready to follow the destructive Allurements of vice, than the sober Dictates of Virtue, all our Senses but so many Traitorous inlets of Sin, and our imaginations Seed-plots of vanity and wickedness, Reason designed by Heaven, as King to moderate the Extravagancies of the inferior faculties, is utterly dethroned by rebellious Passions, and unruly Affections, so that Exorbitant desires hurry us to the ruin of ourselves and others, and we are led Captives at the Devil's pleasure, by the Tyranny of every domineering Lust; hence the world becomes imbrued with blood, and each day alarms us with Deplorable Relations of some mischievous and Tragical Events.  
Love is certainly the noblest of our Passions, the Bond of the Universe, the Business of Heaven, and the Glory of Earth, yet this too suffers in the general Depravity, whilst each Kitchinstuff-flame, and brutish Irregular heat usurps its Livery, and shrouds its own deformity under the covert of that Illustrious Name, as unhappily it happened in our present case, which (without amusing the greedy Reader with further Preamble) was briefly and plainly thus.  
There was an ordinary Servant to Husdandry came some years since to live with a sufficient Yeoman at a place called Bishops-Norton in Glocestershire, and not far from Gloucester City: He was a fellow of very poor obscure birth, and worse conditions; a sullen surly temper, Choleric, and revengeful, very sparing of his speech, but of a humour close and covetous; his Master had then a Daughter named Sarah, a young Maid, very handsome, and sweet-conditioned, of about eighteen years of Age, and on whom he intended to bestow a considerable Portion, which invited several young men of equal rank thereabouts to Court her: amongst the rest, this poor Servant of her Fathers must needs be hers, and pretends a great Love for her, whether it were her good Conditions, (which we scarce believe, since few men now adays regard them) or her beauty (which is most probable) the hopes of her money (which all adore) that was the Ground of his good will we know not, but in short time being in the same House with her, he easily found an opportunity to declare his mind to her, who having an equal a version to his person and quality, at first answered him with a flat denial, and afterwards endeavoured to Check his insolence by a deserved contempt and disdain, but finding that she should still be persecuted with his foolish importunities, though she had often given him warning to desist his vain Addresses; concluded she had no way to be rid of them, but by acquainting her Parents; who very Gravely checked him for his boldness, and told him that not only their care for their daughters future welfare, but her own inclinations did forbid him to entertain any thoughts of ever being her Husband. To this he answers little at present, but falls into a sullen melancholy, (the fittest Ground in Nature for the Devil to sow his Tares in) and taking counsel of Hell; resolves since she would not accept of his Love she should feel the effects of his Hate, whereupon taking his advantage he rushes into the house one day soon after with a Pitch-fork in his hand, with an intent (as is beleieved) to murder both her and her Mother, but the Maid being then happily on some occasion in another Room, he falls first on the Good woman wounding her in the Arm, who crying out and othrr Servants coming in, immediately they at that time prevented his bloody purpose. This caused much disturbance, but the fellow pretending himself very sorry for what he had done, and laying all the blame on his passionate affection, which he said had transported him almost to frenzy, they willing to be quit of him, took no further course to punish him but only dismissed him their service, who promised very solemnly never more to trouble them or their daughter, and accordingly being gone, to colour his black designs; soon after he courted another person, and married her: in whose embraces no body could doubt but he would have buried all thoughts of his former Mistress, who some time afterwards being willing to see somewhat more of the world than she could learn by being always at home with her parents, voluntarily put herself to service.  
But our monstrous Love's rage is not yet over, the Devil and he have made a bargain together, that nothing shall satisfy his revenge but her Blood: For the effecting of which premeditated villary as this poor harmless Maid on the twenty sixth of Octob. last, was a Milking some fields off from her Master's house, unaccompanied by any but a Child of her Masters about nine years old, and her own Innocent thoughts, this inhuman bruit (waiting his opportunity) meets her, and violently taking her by the arm, with a look ghastly as Death, and voice terrible, as that of Thunder, thus accosts her: Now you proud Huswife, I will be even with you for all your scorns, your disdains shall cost you your Life, and your Blood answer my revenge. Saying thus (or words to that effect) with a Hedging-bill he had in his hand he strikes at her Head, but the first stroke missing, gave her opportunity to fall on her knees, begging of him for Christ's sake to spare her life, but he more barbarous than the wild Savages continues deaf to her Cries, and repeating his blow, at the next stroke cuts her into the skull, when seeing the little child standing at some distance, amazed at his Cruelty, he resolves to dispatch him too, but the dying Maid crying out: Run Child for thy Life, for he has Murdered me, The Child betook himself to his Heels so nimbly that the Murderer that pursued him a good way could not overtake him, but turning back that he might be sure to complete his Hellish Work, falls afresh a hacking the poor Maid, cutting her twice more into the skull, and giving her several other mortal wounds, and so betook himself to flight, leaving his bloody weapon upon the place.  
The Child being got home, first with his Ghastly looks, and afterwards with his Tongue, soon as his lost breath and fright would give him leave, declares the bloody news, which alaraming the family, they instantly repair to the place, where they find (a sight that would melt the most flinty heart into tears) the poor mangled Creature weltering in her Virgin Blood, and filling the Air with dying Groans, when they arrived she was ready to expire, and only continued so long a live, as with her fainting voice to declare the name of her barbarous Murderer.  
Strict search was forthwith made, and Hue and Cry sent forth to all parts for apprehending the Author of this horrid fact. But as if the black Prince of Darkness that hurried him on to so Wicked a Deed had assisted him too in his escape, he cannot as yet be heard of: But we doubt not but the most Just and Blood-revenging providence of Heaven (that never suffers Murders to go unpunished) will in due time bring him to light, and that punishment which is most due to all that perpetuate such Cruel and Bloody Villainies.  Sera sed certa vindicta dei. 
Though Heaven seems slow in such offender's Dooms, Its stroke is sure, and dreadful when it comes.  
FINIS.