Sad and Lamentable From RUMFORD, Being a true and dreadful RELATION Of the sad and Dreadful end of one WILLIAM STAPELER, A Drover, who committed a Rapt, or Ravish, ment, upon the Body of a young Girl, that lodged in his house.  
For which he was brought before a Justice of the Peace, on Tuesday last being the 15. of this instant September, who after his Examination hanged himself.  
London, Printed for B, W, 1674   

Sad and lamentable NEWS from Rumford: Being a Sad and True RELATION of one William Stapeller a Drover, who was carried before a Justice, and being Examined, was put to find bail, but coming home to his House, he hanged himself upon a Horses Rack or Manger; upon Tuesday last, being the 15th. of this Instant September, 1674.  
STrange and dreadful now adays, are the Actions of poor sinful Mortals, no sooner can the sinful and dreadful Action of one be past, but that another appears: No sooner can the dreadful Action of Theft be mentioned in the Mouth of a Man, but peradventure he shall presently hear of the like Action of Theft committed by another: If Reports fly abroad of murder, committed upon the Body of Man or Woman; no sooner can the Fire of that be kindled, but that another presently appears, springs forth and is presently heard of: We can hardly sleep in our Beds but that we shall quickly hear of one sad Accident or other.  
If you hear not of Theft, it is a thousand to one if you don't hear of Murder, if you don't hear of Murder, peradventure but that you shall hear of dreadful matters, committed by one wretch or other, either Murder, Theft, Rape, or such like sad Transactions. So that if a man had the Wisdom of Solomon, who writ so many Proverbs, and Cautions, and Admonitions, whereby the Sons of Men might be( if grace were, which they so much slight, given to them, to be) as a Guide to their feet, and a lantern to their Paths, to prevent and shun those damnable Courses of the Devil, who is the chief Instrument, and contriver of the lost and undone estate of poor Mankind.  
But alas, my poor genius is too weak, as to speak one word in a proper sense of these things; neither is this our Age sufficient to blazon forth so public view the sad Transactions of this our Age, committed by the Sons of men: How dreadful is it to hear that at one Sessions, that one and twenty should be justly Condemned, most shamefully to suffer by the hand of Justice, for their sad and dreadful Murders and Thefts, by them committed. God in mercy grant that those who were lately Executed, may be an Example, and a Cause to make them yet remaining in Newgate, and all others, to be fore-warned at the hearing of the cutting of, off the Nine of those their Companions, whose lives were then justly Sacrificed by the hand of Justice for their just deserts: that so they may fear and dread the just hand of God, who over-sees the ways of all men; and rightly judges and takes an Account of all that Men shall do, whether it be good or evil: As does appear even in this our days, for the dreadful News from the Sessions House, which ended but on friday last, would affright one, but would not in the least move the heart of this our sad Object, of whom we intend now to speak of: We say, could not in the least move him to Repentance; but like Judas, went and hanged himself. In the Town of Rumford in Essex, ten miles from London, lived a poor sinful wretch who regarded not the Law of God in the least; neither gave he heed to his just hand of Revenge, upon those that obey not his Commandments.  
Let all good Christian People'● beg of God for Saving Grace, that may deliver them in the day of evil, and in the hour of Temptation.  
This sinful Wretch William Stapeler, by name was a man that by outward view and appearance, was a sad sinful Wretch, and a wicked and loose Liver, so that by the report of his Neighbours, h● lived by little else but by pilfering and stea●ing: Some reports, that he got his living altogether that way; some says, it h●th been his practise all his live time, to rob and steal from his poor Neighbours, and others; Others say and reports, that if he had had his just due, he had been hanged a year ago for stealing; others reports, him to be as sad a Wretch, for whoring, drinking, swearing, stealing, and such like as lived in those parts: And yet although the Mercy of God was such, as that his sins went a long time unpunished, and that his notorious faults escaped without punishment.  
Yet this poor Wretch, who was a Drover so called, and usually brought cattle to Smithfield Market, and else where in London, would not forbear his sinful courses, but having a Girl, about thirteen years of age, coming to his house to lodge, and continuing in his house; upon a time the Devil put it into his heart, to commit uncleanness with this tender Bud, and making his attempt, he was by Gods Providence, and the good education of the young dansel, hindered of his Hellish purpose: But he still going on in his unbridled Lust, he takes an advantage upon a time, when his Wife, and Children where out of the way, and deluding the poor Girl into a private room, where he most barbarously, and most filthyly, and a abominably, committed rape, or ravishment, upon the Body of this young Girl; who endeavoured with loud shriks, and outcrys, to have made this unhuman Wretch to be discovered; although for a time it seemed to little purpose, but at length, before his deporture, she was hard to cry out and immediately Company came in, and understanding the matter, and circumstance of the business, of this beastly rape, and ravishment, he was laid hold on, and was carried before a Justice; and evidence coming against him, he was found guilty of his accusation, for which the Justice was sending him to Goal, but he pleading to go under Bail, it was at length granted him.  
And going home with the Constables, to provide good security, he was admitted to go into his own hoose without the Constable, but was as thought severely watched by them; but he coming into his house,  told his Wife, that he had been before a Justice, and that he was to find Bail, or else to go to Gaol; and moreover he  told her, that if that he was accused for, should be proved against him at the assizes, he should be hanged; therefore he would get away from the Constables, and shift for himself, whereupon he gave her five shillings in money, and kissed her, and his Children, and went out at his back door, as though he had gone quiter away from them all.  
But goes immediately into a Stable, where he takes a line, and fastening it to the Horses rack, he most desperately hangs himself: In the mean time the Constable comes for him, and his poor sorrowful Wife tells them, that she knows not of him, but great search was made, but he could not be found. But after it was over, a Neighbouring woman came, and  told his Wise, that she see him go into such a Barn; but the Woman would not believe her for a long time, hoping that he had been further off then so.  
But at length going to that Stable, where the Woman  told her, she found him hanging dead upon the Horses rack; and coming out, she shriked, and cried out in a most dreadful manner, tairing her hair, and wringing of hands, and begging that he may be a warning to all loose Liver.  
And that he so may, let every good Christian power out their Prayers to God Almighty, that he may give wisdom to the foolish, and grace to the graceless, that so they be prevented, from those evil, and dreadful ends, as this poor Wretch of whom we have spoken.  
Which he committed upon his own Body, upon the 15. of this instant September.   
FINIS.