[A cruel Cornish murder] ... to the tune of The ladies daughter / M.P.

〈…〉 For which fact he , his wife , and the other woman , were executed at Lanceston , last Lent Assizes , 〈◊〉 in chaines neere vnto the place where the murder was done . To the tune of the Ladies daughter .

A Cruell Cornish Murder , I briefely will declare , ●●t your attention further my Story wondrous rare , And doe not thinke t is fayned , because it séemeth strange , What hath not Satan gained , when men from God doe range ? At Crowen in that County , an old blind man doth dwell , Who by good peoples bounty , did liue indifferent well , By name he 's ca'ld Ca 〈…〉 wall , his house stood all alone Where ●●pt this déed so cruell , the like was scarce ere knowne . He had a proper Damsell that liu'd with him , his daughter To whom some suiters came still , and in true Wedlocke saught her , Because the newes was bruited , how that the blind man would , Though he were poore reputed giue forty pounds in gold . Oh , thou bewitching money , What mischiefe doth thou cause , Thou mak'st men dote upon thée , contrary to Gods Lawes . What Murder is so hainous , but thou canst find out those , Who willingly for gaine thus , will venter life to lose . Nay often soule and body , as in this Story rare , By the sufferance of God , I will punctually declare : The fame of this mans riches , a Uagrant chanc't to heare , In haste his fingers itches , away the same to beare . This bloody murderous Uillaine , whose fact all manhood shames , Did liue long time by stealing , his name was Walter Iames , Who with his wife , and one more yong woman , and a boy , Three Innocents in purple gore , did cruelly distroy . The twenty sixth of Iuly , when it was almost night , These wanderers vnruly , on this lone house did light , The old blind man was then abroad , and none but his old wife , And a little Girle , i th' house abode , whom they depriu'd of life , At first they ask'd for Uittle : quoth she , with all my heart , Although I haue but little , of that you shall haue part ; He swore he must haue money . alas , here 's none she sed ; His heart then being stony , he straight cut off her head . And then he tooke her G 〈…〉 about some seuen yéer 〈…〉 Which he ( oh monster b 〈…〉 by both the héeles did 〈…〉 And beate her braines o 〈…〉 oh barbarous cruelty , 〈…〉 The like of this I neuer 〈…〉 in any history . When they those two ha 〈…〉 and tane what they de 〈…〉 Like people fully filled , 〈…〉 with ioy , they sate by t 〈…〉 And tooke Tobacco mer 〈…〉 without all feare or dr 〈…〉 Knowing no house nor to 〈…〉 and while these two 〈…〉 In came the blind mans d 〈…〉 who had beene workin 〈…〉 And séeing such a slaught 〈…〉 she wondrously was 〈…〉 No maruell , when her B 〈…〉 lay headlesse on the floor Her zeale she could not s 〈…〉 but running out o th' doo 〈…〉 His Sword which lay all 〈…〉 with her she tooke , an 〈…〉 As fast as she was able , she ran to call some folk To come and sée the murd 〈…〉 but after her he stept , And ere she went much fur 〈…〉 he did her intercept . 〈…〉 ( oh stony-hearted wretch ) And into th' house he brought her : ( what sighes alas I fetch , To thinke vpon this Tragedy ) for he with mischiefe stor'd , Cut off her head most bloodily , with th' piece o th' broken Sword . Thus did thrée harmlesse innocents by one vile Caitiffes hand With both the counsell and consents o th' woman of his hand : Their heads and bodies laid they all very close together , And being gone a little way , they did at last consider , That if the house were burned , the murder might be hid , With that they backe returned , and as they thought , they did , Setting the house on fire , which burned till next day , Full many did admire , as they went on the way . These murtherers suspected that people would haue thought , Those thrée i th house enclosed , vnto their deaths were brought , By accident of fire , but God did then declare His power 〈◊〉 let 's admire his wondrous workes most rare . The murdered corps remained , as if no fire had beene , Their clothes with blood besmeared not burnt , as might be séene : The leg and arme o th' Maiden , were only burnt in sunder , Full many people said then , i th' middest of their wonder . That surely there were murdered , by some that robd them had , And presently t was ordered , that for this déed so bad , All Uagrants on suspicion , should apprehended be , And in this inquisition , one happened to sée , Some clothes vpon the parties , that from this house were tane And soone before a Iustice , the little boy told plaine , All things before that passed : also the boy did say , Iames was i th mind to kill him , lest he should all betray , They taken were at Meriwicke , forty fiue miles , or more , From Crowen where the murther was about a moneth before , 〈…〉 Where in the Iayle they lay , Untill the Lent Assize did come , which tooke their liues away ▪ The little Boy was quitted , and sent vnto the Parish , Where he was borne , well fitted , with clothes and food , to cherish Him , as he ought with honesty and leaues his wandering trade ▪ The other thrée were 〈…〉'd to dye , on that which he had said . But Walter Iames denyed , that ere he did that act , Forswearing ( till he dyed and when he dy'd ) that fact His wife at her last ending , confest the bloody guilt , So monstrously offending when so much blood was spilt . The other woman after confest more plainely all : Iames tooke his death with laughter and nere to God did call : Thus as he liu'd a reprobate , and did God great re〈…〉 t , His soule which Christ bought at deare rate , in death he did neglect . He was hang'd dead at Lancestone , among the rest that 〈…〉 , Then carried where the déed was done ▪ and by the high-way side , He hangeth for example , in chaines now at this time , Thus haue I 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 discourse of this foule crime . Obiection may be framed , where was the old blind man , Whom I haue neuer named since when I first beganne . He was abroad i th' interim , when this mischance befell , Or else the like had hapt to him , but he is liuing still , And goes about the Country . to begge , as he before Did vse , among the Gentry , and now his néed is more . All you that are kind Christians , thinke on this bloody déed ▪ And craue the Lords assistance , by it to take good héed .