In Essex not farre from London in the parish of vp master , at a place called Corbetts Tie , dwelt on Iohn wright , who had married the widdow of one Chambers a Tanner : whose Sonne Thomas Chambers being a yong man of great towardnes , of condition gentle , of body well proportioned , was bereft of life euen when he began to liue , by the conspiracie of his vnkinde brother in law Iohn Graygoose of Epping husbandman , that had maried Chambers sister , & Iohn Wrights cruelty the vnnaturall husband of his mother . The cause that mooued these two this sinne to attempt , arose from hence Thomas Chambers being by his father left heire to 30. l. a yeare , and a portion of 200. l and vpwards in money , which money and land at christmas next was to come to his hande , or if he died vnder age a great part of it , then to fall vnto the wife of the aboue named Graygoose : Graygoose ( as at his death Wright protested ) about Candlemas last came vnto him and plotted murder , promising the benefit that by Chambers death to either of them might arise . O false temptation of deceiuing gaine : how blind are men to be so abused ? how fond to fall so fondly ? to beléeue the deuill so quickly ? when they can no sooner haue perfected so odious an ill , but vengeance like a théefe in the night seazeth on them : nay like a violent tempest beates downe their violence . But to our matter . Graygoose was the wicked tempter , Wright as willingly tempted , the one conceiues the mischéefe , the other consentes : many times they méeteplott , conspire , & in the end conclude , that about Epping or Wéeldside in Essex , in one of the Whitson holidaies he should be slaine : which of them could first méete him promised to be the murderer . So part these vile conspirators , eyther attending the dismall time of Chambers destruction . Wright being alwaies in the house , had fitter opportunity than his confederate , and on the sixt of Iune before the appointed time , knowing Thomas Chambers to be forth betwéene the howers of ten and twelue awaited at a place called Rushy gréene nere Barrow hill , in the parish of horne-church , and with a stake taken out of a style he there assaulted the vnmistrusting yong man , & at one blow giuen on the right side of his head stroke out his braines : which done dragd him into a bush , and there hid the murdred body : and with a bold face returned home . The youth being well beloued was in sundry places sought for , and no small suspition of his murder had by those of good conceipt . At length on whitson munday being the ix . of Iune a gray-hound found the murdred body , and neuer left baying till it was drawne forth . Oh wretched estate of blood guilty murderers , how often haue the foules in the ayre wonderfully bewraied your long concealed acts , how often haue bruite beastes wondered at you ? howe often haue your trecherous hearts betrayed you ? Though men see yée not God doth ? though men bewray yée not , birds may ? yf birdes doo not , beastes may , if neither doo , your own consciences shall , but if they be seared vp , God certainly wil find out a meane .

When Chambers body was thus found , a rufull sight it was to looke vpon , his faire countenance was discoulored , wormes cralled in his mouth , nose , eares , and his whole body was putrefied . The missing of Wright that euening the deed was done , some suspitious wordes , but chéefely Gods will made Wright to be suspected : and albeit , at the first he sought to face it out , yet before a Iustice he confessed it presently , in manner as is before recited : for which hee worthely suffered death on Munday the 14. of Iuly at Rumforde in Essex , and Graygoose is to abide his triall at Chelmesford . O that all stepfathers and mothers might possibly haue heard Wrights lamentation , how he exhorted them to beware , how he exclaimed on coueteousnes , how he desired forgiuenes , they woulde then remember the children that were orphanes committed to their patronage , were to be vsed as derely as their naturall children , but it séemed he knew his duity and forget it ; and if 〈◊〉 he not ( as he was ) giuen ouer , they will remember it .

OVr Second seene of this thréefold tragedy , was acted in Rislip a country towne in Middlesex . Two neighbors dwelt in that parish , Murdox the one an honest wealthy Farmer , Pets the other a carpenter though not rich , yet of honest reputation : Murdox had among diuers children a yong man to his yongest sonne , of body well proportioned , of face louely , a great company kéeper , giuen much to riot , yea giuen ouer as it proued , so that no allowance of his father , nor counsell of his mother preuailed with him : but will was to him a law , no profit seemed to him so pleasing as wanton pleasure : but as one sinne is father to another , so riot be got gréedy desire of getting to maintaine wast , & this youth ( being perswaded Pets was very rich ) on sunday the 22. of Iune , after his owne Father was rid to Hounslow , Pets & his wife being at church , entred the house , and found a sonne of Pets about 10. yeres of age in the house . The child knowing Murdox , had no feare : albeit Murdox in his sight had rifled the house , & missed foure pounds that was tied in the corner of a shéete , taking onely a little purse ( as was proued by euidence ) wherein fourtéene pence was . Finding no more , he called the boy , Iacke saith he , wilt thou not tell ? No indéed saith the child . Then come and bring a knife quoth Murdox , and wée will into the groue to cut whipstockes . The simple child tooke a knife & followed him , and beeing come through a close into the groue , hee with the knife the childe brought , gasht him about the throat but mist the weason , and so thinking the childe to bée dead left him , but hearing the boy crie , returned and 〈◊〉 him into the right brest then listening againe , he againe returnd and sta●● him againe : and the third time comming backe , stopping the childes mouth with 〈◊〉 , hee thinking him surely dead , and leauing him , went toward the Church , by which time neighbor Petshis . Thether the mother and her eldest sonne went to sée the cause : the yong sonne would not goe . When Murdox wife came there , they saw the house rifled , but onely the wofull mother cried for her sonne , her sonne . Some neighbors spied a footing towardes the groue followed it , and found the boy all to be weltred in gore . And perceiuing life to bee in him , two layde him on a cloke , and beetwéene them brought him home . Where murdoxes mother most of any other when hee had recouered speech ) sought to haue him tell who did the déed . At last with great feare he told , & presently yong Murdox was apprehended , and found bayle , denying the deed with many bitter curses . That day he carelesly followed his pleasure , but the childes constancie in his accusation , made the parents to bring him before the Lord Anderson , who so sifted him that he confessed the fact . For which he was condemned at the Sessions at newgate , and executed on munday the 14. of Iuly . The mone he made , that gréefe he had of his misspent life , too late too helplesse was lamentable , but such is the rewarde of ryot , where no regard is had of spending aboue the course of lawful getting , necessity must néedes follow : games , wantonnes , & ease , are not continued without excessiue cost . He died in his prime of youth , in the flower of his strength , in the blouming of his hopes , making his owne ende shamefull by wastfull ouersight . The child ( by Gods power ) is recouered , and at the barre gaue euidence against him .