BESSIE AND THE KNIGHT GOING TO SEE HER FATHER.

The HISTORY of
The Two Children in the WOOD.

The most Lamentable and Deplorable
HISTORY
OF THE
Two Children in the Wood:
CONTAINING

The happy Loves and Lives of their Parents, the Treachery and barbarous Villany of their Unkle, the duel between the Murdering Ruffians, and the unhappy and deplorable death of the two innocent Children.

As also an Account of the Justice of God that overtook the Unnatural Unkle; and of the deserved Death of the two murdering Ruffians.

TO WHICH IS ANNEX'D

THE OLD SONG UPON THE SAME

London: Printed by and for W.O., and sold by the Booksellers.

The date given to this rare and most interesting Chap-book is 1700, but though the frontispiece apparently points to an earlier date, it seems to have been executed specially for this work, as the nearest approach to it, a ballad in the Bagford Collection

(British Museum,643 m. 10,
44.),

varies from it in some slight particulars, and this is undoubtedly the finest engraving of the subject extant. Almost all the ballads of the seventeenth, and the Chap-books of the eighteenth, century give a similar treatment: the duel between the ruffians, the birds covering the children with leaves, the deserved chastisement of the good robber, and the fearful punishment that fell upon the wicked uncle thus described in this book. "But tho' he had contriv'd all this so privately, yet Divine vengeance follow'd him; affrighting Dreams terrifying him in his Sleep, and the image of the murther'd children still staring him i' th' Face; and he that egg'd him on to all this wickedness, now in most horrid Shapes appear'd to him, and threat'ning every Moment to destroy him. Besides, most of his Cattle dy'd of the Murrain, his Corn was blasted, and his Barns were fir'd by Lightning; Mildews and Catter-pillars destroy'd all his Fruits; two of his Sons, for whom he coveted his Brother's Lands, were cast away at Sea. His company was hated by all honest Men, and he was forc'd to herd with Rogues and Villains out of meer necessity, amongst whom when he had profusely lavish'd his Estate, he run in Debt, and was cast into Prison, where through Despair and Want he dy'd unpitied."

"The Old Song upon the Same" is identical with the earliest (1640) in the British Museum (Rox. I. 284), and may be considered as the standard ballad. Indeed, another ballad (Rox. III. 588) in the same collection (1720) has been corrected in ink from this model.

"THE NORFOLK GENTLEMAN'S LAST WILL AND
TESTAMENT, ETC.

"Now ponder well, you Parents dear, these words which I shall write,

A Doleful Story you shall hear, in time brought forth to light;

A Gentleman of good account, in Norfolk dwelt of late,

Whose Wealth and Riches did surmount, most men of his Estate.

Sore sick he was, and like to dye, No help that he could have;

His Wife by him as sick did lye, and both possess'd one Grave,

No love between these two was lost, each was to other kind,

In love they liv'd, in love they dy'd, and left two Babes behind.

The one a fine and prity 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.

And to his little Daughter Jane, five hundred Pound in Gold,

To be paid down on Marriage day, which might not be controul'd;

But if the Children chance to dye, e're they to Age should come,

Their Uncle should possess their Wealth, for so the Will did run.

'Now, brother, (said the dying Man) look to my children dear,

'Be good unto my Boy and Girl, no Friends else I have 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.

'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 bespoke their Mother dear, O Brother kind quoth she,

'You are the Man must bring my Babes to Wealth or Misery.

'If you do keep them carefully, then God will you reward.

'If otherwise you seem to deal, God will your Deeds regard.

With lips as cold as any stone, he kist the Children small,

'God bless you both, my Children dear; with that the tears did fall.

These Speeches then their Brother spoke, to this sick Couple there,

'The keeping of your Children dear, sweet Sister, do not fear;

'God never prosper me nor mine, nor aught else that I have,

'If I do wrong your Children dear, when you are laid in Grave.'

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 those prity Babes, a Twelvemonth and a Day,

But for their Wealth he did devise to make them both away.

He bargain'd with two Ruffians rude, that 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 his friend.

Away then went these prity Babes rejoycing at that Tide,

Rejoycing with a merry mind, they should on Cock horse ride:

They prate and prattle pleasantly, as they rode on the way,

To those that should their Butchers be, and work their Lives decay.

So that the prity speech they had, made Murtherers 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.

The other would not agree thereto, so here 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.

He took the Children by the hand, when tears stood in their eye,

And bade them come and go 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 ye Bread, when I do come again.

These prity Babes with hand in hand, went wandering up and down,

But never more they saw the Man, approaching from the Town:

Their prity lips with Black berries, were all besmear'd and dy'd,

And when they saw the darksome night, they sat them down and cry'd.

Thus wandered these two prity Babes, till death did end their grief;

In one another's arms they dy'd as Babes wanting Relief;

No Burial these prity Babes of any Man receives,

Till Robin red breast painfully, did cover them with Leaves.

And now the heavy Wrath of God upon their Uncle fell,

Yea, fearful Fiends did haunt his house, his Conscience felt an Hell:

His barns were fir'd, his goods consum'd, his lands were barren made,

His Cattle dy'd within the Field, and nothing with him staid.

And in the Voyage of Portugal, two of his sons did dye;

And to conclude, himself was brought unto much Misery;

He pawn'd and mortgag'd all his land, e're seven years came about;

And now at length this wicked Act, did by this means come out:

The Fellow that did take in hand these Children for to kill,

Was for a Robbery judg'd to dye, as was God's blessed Will;

Who did confess the very Truth of what here is exprest;

Their Uncle dy'd while he for debt, did long in Prison rest.

All you that be Executors made, and Overseers eke,

Of Children that be Fatherless, and Infants mild and meek;

Take you Example by this thing, and yeild to each his Right,

Least God with such like Misery, your wicked Minds requite.

"FINIS."

In "The History of the Children in the Wood; or Murder Revenged," published in Aldermary Churchyard, and all other Chap-books, the name of the father is changed from Arthur Truelove to Pisaurus, the wicked uncle is called Androgus, and the children are named Cassander and Jane.

The three illustrations therefrom tell their own story.

THE
HISTORY
OF
Sir Richard Whittington
THRICE
Lord Mayor of London.

Printed and Sold in Aldermary Church Yard.
Bow Lane.

The common version of Whittington's story is well known, and not worth repeating at length. The headings of the chapters tell the tale succinctly, and are all that is wanted to explain the illustrations.

The two illustrations, one taken from a Chap-book published at Newcastle (1770?), show Fitzwarren receiving his servants' ventures.

This illustration shows the dreadful condition of the Court of Barbary as regards rats, and by the style the cat is killing her foes, the casket of jewels, valued at £300,000, was not too dear for her purchase.

As a matter of fact, the common story of Sir Richard Whittington is full of error. So far from being a poor obscure boy, he was the third son of Sir William Whittington, lord of the manor of Pauntley, in Gloucestershire, who died in 1360. He was sent to London to be a merchant, then a not unusual course to pursue with cadets of good families, and eventually became enormously rich. He was thrice Lord Mayor of London, in 1397, 1406, and 1419, besides having been named by Richard II. to succeed a Mayor who died in his year of office. He was a mercer, and enjoyed royal patronage, his invoices of the wedding trousseau of the Princesses Blanche and Philippa, daughters of Henry IV., being still in existence. He died, leaving no issue, in 1423. He rebuilt Newgate, founded the library in Guildhall, and the Grey Friars, repaired St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and materially contributed towards the rebuilding of the nave of Westminster Abbey. These are the bare facts of his life. His cat still remains a mystery. It has been said that he made money by carrying coals in vessels called cats or "cattes." Mr. Riley, who edited the famous "Liber Albus" (which compilation we owe to Whittington), suggests that his fortune was made by "achats," which was the French name for trading; and Mr. Lysons, in his charming book, "The Model Merchant of the Middle Ages," defends the ordinary story on these grounds:

The reader may decide which of the three theories he prefers.

THE
HISTORY
OF
WAT TYLER
AND
JACK STRAW.

Printed and Sold in Aldermary Church Yard.

This Chap-book gives a very fair account of the domestic troubles of Richard II.'s reign, especially of the poll-tax rising of 1381; but it stigmatizes as "scum," "rake shames," and "rake hells" those poor men who then rose against oppression.

The frontispiece represents Sir William Walworth, and gives due prominence to the famous dagger, with which he is said to have killed Wat Tyler, and which is still shown at Fishmonger's Hall.

There was a play, "The Life and Death of Iake Straw, a notable Rebell in England; who was kild in Smithfield by the Lord Maior of London—Printed at Lond. by Iohn Danter and are to be sold by William . Barley 1593;" and a tract, which was taken from the "Chronicle of the Schoolmaster of St. Albans," called "The just Reward of Rebels, or the Life and Death of Jack Straw and Wat Tyler 1642." There was also another little book, of which two editions appeared in 1654, called "The Idol of the Clownes or Insurrection of Wat the Tyler."

THE
History
OF
JACK OF NEWBURY
CALLED
THE CLOTHIER
OF ENGLAND.

Printed and Sold in London.

Of Jack of Newbury, as he is familiarly called, very little is known certainly. He lived in the reigns of Henry VII. and VIII., and was said to be the largest clothier or clothmaker in England. He sumptuously entertained Henry VIII. and Queen Catherine on their visit to the town, and built the vestry to the church, besides having liberally contributed towards its improvement. He also left £40 for the same object. In his will he describes himself as "John Smalwoode the Elder al͂s John Wynchcombe." He was twice married, and left his wife Joan behind him. There is a brass to him and his first wife: "Off yo charitie pray for the soule of John Smalwode als Wynchcom & Alys hys Wyfe. John dyed the 15 day of February Ao Dm. MoCCCCCoXIX."

The Chap-book version is, that he was apprenticed to a rich clothier at Newbury, and married his master's widow, and a great portion of the book is taken up with their courtship. "Shortly after the king had occasion to raise an army against the Scots, who were risen against the English, Jack of Newbury raised at his own expense one hundred and fifty men, and cloathed them with white coats, red caps and yellow feathers, and led them himself." This was to the famous battle of Flodden.

Jack's wife died, and he married one of his maids, whose father came to see her, and was astonished at Jack's magnificent establishment, making a speech which would delight the Philological Society. "Sir, quoth the old man, I wize you be abominable rich, and cham content you should have my daughter, and God's blessing and mine light on you both. I waith cham of good exclamashon amongst all my neighbours, and they will as soon ask my 'vize for any thing as rich men. So thick I will agree. You shall have her with my very good will, because we hear a very good commendation of you in every place, therefore besides thick, I will give you twenty marks and a weaning calf that's a year old, and when I and my wife die then you shall have the revolution of our goods."

Jack, however, gave the old man twenty pounds and other things. The book ends with Jack's death, and an imaginary epitaph.

Thomas Deloney wrote a novel called "The Pleasant History of John Winchcomb, in his younger yeares called Jack of Newberie, the famous and worthy clothier of England," which was licensed to three several persons in 1595 and 1596; but the earliest known edition is the eighth, published in 1619.

THE
Life and Death
OF
FAIR ROSAMOND
CONCUBINE TO
King Henry the Second
Shewing her being poisoned by
Queen Eleanor.

Printed and sold in Aldermary Church Yard, London

Perhaps the earliest book about this frail beauty is "The Life and Death of Fair Rosamond, King Henry the Seconds Concubine, and how she was Poysoned to death by Queen Elenor. Printed for F. Coles" (circa 1640); but afterwards her story became very popular, and numerous editions were published. She has more than once been made the subject of a drama. There is one, however, by John Bancroft, which is replete with historical recollections. It is called "Henry the Second, King of England; with the death of Rosamond. A Tragedy Acted at the Theatre Royal, by their Majesties Servants. Printed for Jacob Tonson, at the Judges Head in Chancery Lane near Fleet Street 1693." Thackeray's "poor Will Mountfort" wrote the "epistle dedicatory;" Dryden wrote the epilogue. Betterton played King Henry II.; Doggett took the part of Bertrand, a priest; whilst Queen Eleanor and Rosamond were respectively represented by Mrs. Barry and Mrs. Bracegirdle!

Respecting Rosamond's tomb, there is no doubt she was buried at Godstow, for her father, Walter de Clifford,[*] granted the nuns there certain property at Frampton-on-Severn (which tradition says was the birthplace of the fair one), "pro salute animæ meæ, et pro animabus uxoris meæ Margaretæ et filiæ nostræ Rosamundæ." And in another document (same page) Osbertus, son of Hugh, gave to the convent a certain saltpit at Wich, at the instance of the said Walter de Clifford, "pro salute animæ uxoris suæ Margaretæ et animæ filiæ suæ Rosamundæ quarum corpora ibidem requiescunt."

The history of the "Rosa Mundi" is not told to advantage in this Chap-book, but its facts are mainly in accordance with the popular tradition; and probably the stratagem used by Queen Eleanor to effect an entrance into her rival's bower, i.e. by sending a sham postman, may be as correct as the generally received notion of the ball of silk being dropped and unrolled, thus betraying the place of her seclusion.

The bowl and dagger scene so vividly given in the frontispiece, is in accordance with tradition, although among nearly contemporary writers there is no mention of her dying a violent death, nor was such suggested till long afterwards. In fact, we have no evidence at all in support of Eleanor's jealous violence. As before mentioned, Rosamond was buried at Godstow, a convent near Oxford, of which a very ruined portion still exists; but her remains were not suffered to remain undisturbed, for Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln, coming to Godstow in 1191, asked whose tomb that was, and was told it was the tomb of Rosamond, "some time Lemman to Henry II." Then said the stern bishop, "Take out of this place the Harlot, and bury her without the Church." Tradition says her poor bones were then laid in the nun's chapter-house, but at the Reformation they were taken up and her tomb destroyed. Hearne[†] says, "After this Removal, it continu'd at rest 'till about the time of the Reformation, when 'twas taken up, as Mr. Leland himself acquaints us, and at the same time a Stone was found with it, on which was this Inscription 'Tumba Rosamvnda' which is a different Inscription from this common one:[‡]

'Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa Mundi, non Rosa Munda

Non redolet, sed olet, quæ redolere solet.'

But the latter possibly is the Epitaph that was fix'd in the Quire of the Church before the Body was remov'd. Mr. Leland, I think, saw the Stone himself, and he tells us that when her Coffin was open'd they found her Bones in it, and a very sweet smell came from it."

[*] Monasticon, vol. ii. p. 884, ed. orig.

[†] Leland's "Itinerary" (2nd edit.), p. 101.

[‡] In Corio's "History of Milan" (vol. i. p. 47) this epitaph is stated to have been placed on the tomb of Rosamunda, queen of the Lombards, who died by poison, in the sixth century.

THE
Story of King Edward III
AND THE
COUNTESS OF SALISBURY

"Know this plain Truth (enough for Man to know)

"Virtue alone is Happiness below."

Printed by J. Briscoe, in the
Market Place Whitehaven.

This Chap-book seems the only edition extant. It is no great loss in a literary point of view, for the supposed history is pure fiction. The countess is represented as the daughter of Earl Varuccio, and the whole novelette is about the endeavours of the king to seduce her. He tries when her husband is alive, and when she is a widow he still presses her to be his mistress, and is firmly but respectfully repulsed. He makes her father and mother sue to her, without success; and finally, being overcome by the sight of such immaculate virtue, marries her amid the plaudits of the people. The episode of the garter only occupies a paragraph at the end of the book.

THE CONQUEST OF FRANCE
With the Life and Glorious Actions of
Edward the Black Prince

Son to Edward the Third King of England, his Victory, with about Twelve thousand Archers and Men at Arms, over Philip of France, and an hundred thousand Frenchmen; his Vanquishing King John of France, and taking him and his Son Prisoners; his Love to the Earl of Kent's fair Daughter, and Marriage with her; Being a History full of great and noble Actions in Love and Arms, to the Honour of the English Nation.

London: Printed and Sold by C. Dicey, in Bow Church Yard;
Sold also at his Warehouse in Northampton.

THE
HISTORY
OF
JANE SHORE,
Concubine to King Edward IV.
GIVING

An account of her Birth, Parentage, her Marriage with Mr. Matthew Shore, a Goldsmith in Lombard Street, London. How she left her Husband's bed to live with King Edward IV. And of the miserable End she made at her Death.

Newcastle: Printed in this present year.

According to this Chap-book version (and it is as reliable as any other), this lovely, but erring, woman was the daughter of Mr. Thomas Wainsted, a mercer in Cheapside, whose business lay among the ladies of the Court, whither his daughter frequently accompanied him. Her conduct seems to have been of extreme levity, and her father rejoiced when she was married to Matthew Shore, a rich goldsmith in Lombard Street. Lord Hastings, having in vain tried to seduce her, and being forbidden the house by her husband, told the king, Edward IV., of her; who went to Shore's house, disguised as a merchant, and saw her. By the contrivance of Hastings and a go-between named Mrs. Blague, Jane was enticed to a Court ball, where the king discovered himself and told her of his affection for her. This was too much for the weak woman, and next day she left her husband's home. Shore, finding where she had gone, was heartbroken, and went abroad; returned in poverty, took to evil ways, and was executed for clipping coin in the reign of Henry VIII. Jane lived in great splendour until the death of Edward, and then Lord Hastings took her; but at his death she was apprehended, and had to do penance in a white sheet, with a cross and wax taper in her hand, walking barefoot and bare-headed through Cheapside. The Chap-book gives a graphic account of her sad fate: "Richard, not content with this, put out a severe proclamation to this effect; That on pain of death, and confiscation of goods, no one should harbour her in their houses or relieve her with food and raiment. So that she went wandering up and down to find her food upon the bushes and on the dunghills, where some friends she had raised would throw bones with more meat than ordinary, and crusts of stale bread in the places where she generally haunted. And a baker who had been condemned to die for a riot in King Edward's reign and saved by her means, as he saw her pass along in gratitude for her kindness would trundle a penny loaf after her, which she thankfully took up and blest him with tears in her eyes. But some malicious neighbour informing against him: he was taken up and hanged for disobeying King Richard's proclamation; which so terrified others, that they durst not relieve her with anything, so that in miserable rags, almost naked, she went about a most shocking spectacle, wringing her hands, and bemoaning her unhappy circumstances." After Bosworth Field and Richard's death, she hoped for help from Henry VII.; but receiving only fresh persecution, "she wandered up and down in as poor and miserable condition as before, till growing old, and utterly friendless, she finished her life in a ditch, which is from thence called Shore Ditch adjoining to Bishopgate St."[*]

There is a very lugubrious and classical poem of nearly two hundred verses, or twelve hundred lines, called "Beawtie dishonoured written vnder the title of Shore's wife" (London, 1593).

[*] It is needless to say that this derivation is utterly erroneous. It was probably called so because the ditch was a shore or sewer, or from Sir John de Soerdich, lord of the manor, temp. Edward III.

THE
HISTORY
Of the most Renowned
QUEEN ELIZABETH
And her great Favourite
THE EARL OF ESSEX.

ELIZABETHA REGINA

Newcastle: Printed by J. White.

More than half this book is taken up with an elaborate confession by Elizabeth, to the Countess of Nottingham, of her love for the unfortunate Earl of Essex; and, historically speaking, it has many blunders, such as making him privately marry the Countess of Rutland, instead of Sir Philip Sidney's widow, etc. It is mainly taken from "The Secret History of the most renowned Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex. By a Person of Quality London 1695;" and, like that book, was sometimes published in two parts.

THE
HISTORY
OF THE
ROYAL MARTYR
King Charles the First
WITH THE

EFFIGIES of those WORTHY PERSONS that Suffered; and the Time and Places where they lost their Lives in his Majesty's Cause, during the Usurpation of OLIVER CROMWELL

Sold in Bow Church Yard, London.

Of this book there are two parts, and it is interesting, as it gives portraits of the celebrated men in Charles I.'s reign, with brief biographical notices of each, out of Clarendon. Space will only admit of the portraits out of the first part.

WILLIAM LAUD, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.
Beheaded 10th January, 1644.

DR. HEWIT.
Beheaded 8th June, 1658.