Bloody News from Dover. BEING A True RELATION OF The great and bloody Murder, committed by Mary Champion (an Anabaptist) who cut off her Child's head, being 7. weeks old, and held it to her husband to baptise. Also another great murder committed in the North, by a Scottish Commander, for which Fact he was executed. Mary Champion holding her child's bloody head out to her husband Presbyterian Anabaptist Printed in the Year of Discovery, Feb. 13. 1647, 1646 BLOODY NEWS FROM KENT AMongst the innumerous bloody acts, and desperate Designs which hath been committed in this sinful Land, the like hath seldom been seen or heard of, which this ensuing Relation hath here to unfold, being a most sad and much-lamented story, of the late bloody murder committed at DOVER, within the County of Kent; which I shall briefly recite: But (by reason of diversity of Opinions, which are now held and maintained by too many sorts of people within this Kingdom) I shall desire to spend some few lines of former Examples, by instancing some inhuman acts, much reflecting upon this doleful story, viz. In the beginning of the Reign of our Royal Sovereign, King Charles, there happened near P●ntefract is Yorkshire, a great and bloody murder, upon a little Boy about four years of age, committed by its own Parents. For near the aforesaid Town, there lived a man and his wife, who were of two several Religion, and having a ltitle son of some years of maturity, the goodman (being a Protestant) desired to have him put to School, and to be brought up in the Protestant Profossion: but his wife denved the same, saying, she would havee hrm brought no in the Catholic Faith, or else he should be of no Religion at all, which (indeed) fell out so: For, this bloody woman watching her opportunity, murdered the Boy; but was afterwards apprehended, and suffered death for her bloody Fact. Divers other examples might be instanced, but I will no longer detract time, and therefore proceed to the ensuing story, which we are now to treat upon. At the famous town of Dover, within the county of Kent, it so fell out, that one john Champion, an honest Tradesmad, having mairyed a wife from Feversham, and living some certain years at Dover, his place of habitation, it pleased God to send them tissue, and being delivered of a Child, after some few days expired, her husband desired to have it Christened (according the ancient Custom of the Kingdom) but she would by no means condescend to it, which much perplexed her husband. But six or seven weeks being past and gone, this wicked minded woman took her opportunity; and on a day when her husband was abroad, took a great knife and cut off the Child's head. And when her husband came in, she called him into a little Parlour, where the poor Infant lay bleeding, uttering these words. Behold husband, thy sweet Babe without a head. now go and baptise it, if you will, you must christian the head without a body: for here they lie separated. At the 2ight of which, her husband were astonished, saying. O thou bloody and inhuman wretch, what haste thou done. Whereupon, some of the Neighbours hearing him immediately came in, and seeing this foul misdeed, sent for the Offieers of the Town, where she was apprehended, and forth with sent to prison, there to remain until the next Assize, where by justice she must be tried according to the Laws of this Realm. Many woeful expressions are heard to proceed from her, being very penitent for her unhappy Crime, her Conscience being much troubled, and her eyes sad and distracted, by beholding such strange Visions. For, she can no ways fix her eyes upon any thing, but presently (she conceives) the poor Bubo to appear before her without a head. Thus may we see, that where division and cootrover sie doth arise, sad effects will suddenly follow: for no sooner can there a breach appea; but presently Satan is ready to stop it up, by infusing his deluding spirit into their hearts, for the increasing of variance, discord, and contention, and when once it hath taken possession, it is a hard matter to remove it, but stall lieth open to the deluding snate of the Devil, being ready to Be entrapped upon any occasion. And it is apparent, that when once the foot is in, the whole body will endeavour to creep in after; and where the least clause of reproach, there will immediately arise a strong argument, for the final confuting of it; even so is it now, there being one breach laid open to the public view; a great Crime I confess) yet not so great as to have a generass Gensure, for one particular person; for, the best may do amiss, and the greatest Professor (sometimes) that liveth, may commit high mildemeanours, contrary to his Profession; for, is it not apparent, & probable, that there is knaves of all trades. Another Relation of the late Murder committed in the North, upon the Scots advance from Newcastle. UPon the Scots advance from Neweastle towards their own Country, one of the Scots Officers killed a woman, for which he were apprehended, and at a Council of War condemned to die. For, so full of Power and Justice, are the Scottish Commanders, that they do not only carry the Sword in one hand, but Justice likewise in the other. These, and such like Heretical Actions might be a great means to move the honourable houses of Parliament, to proceed on in a Parliamentary way, for the putting down of all Sectaries whatsoever; and thersore thought fit to insist upon this ensuing Order, viz. Ordered, that the Ordinance for observing the Tenth Day of March next, a Day of Humiliation against spreading of Heresies and Schisms, was ordered to be carried down into the respective Counties of this Kingdom by the Sheriffs, and that it be published by the Ministers of every Parish, within the respective Counties of this Kingdom, and Dominion of Wales in their Church or Chapels. It was ordered that M. Hodges be desired to preach before the Commons the next Fast Day, in stead of Mr. Calamy who desired to be excused. FINIS.