The
Virgins
Caveat
against
Infant-Murther
.
AS
the
Mercies
of
the
Almighty
are
to
a
Miracle
admirable
,
so
his
Judgements
on
some
Sinners
are
also
prodigious
;
for
though
we
commit
our
Sins
under
the
Covert
,
both
of
the
Night
and
the
Closet
;
though
with
our
Parents
we
sowe
Fig-leafes
before
our
shame
,
yet
ere
the
Evening
of
our
days
God
espies
our
Hypocrisie
,
and
through
that
thin
Veil
,
that
painted
Sepulchre
,
discerns
the
Rottenness
and
Corruption
within
;
for
although
in
respect
of
the
slender
capacity
of
mortal
man
,
the
Heart
is
deceitful
above
all
things
,
and
desperately
wicked
,
none
can
know
it
;
yet
the
glorious
Eye
of
the
divine
Providence
easily
dissipates
those
Clouds
,
makes
our
secret
Sins
as
palpable
as
the
Noon-day
Sun
,
and
not
only
proclaims
our
Offences
to
the
World
,
but
frequently
gives
our
Enormities
leave
to
shame
us
in
this
World
,
and
condemn
us
too
;
but
of
all
those
Sins
,
(
which
are
more
in
number
then
the
Hairs
of
our
Head
,
so
that
our
Hearts
may
upon
too
good
Grounds
)
none
are
more
provoking
then
the
Breach
of
the
sixth
and
seventh
Commandments
,
the
second
Coining
and
Imprinting
Gods
Image
without
his
Licence
,
nay
,
expressely
against
his
Consent
,
as
the
former
does
deface
it
in
despight
of
his
Command
;
And
as
he
did
not
spare
David
in
this
case
,
though
a
Man
after
Gods
own
Heart
,
but
Afflicted
him
with
temporal
punishments
as
he
would
have
done
with
eternal
,
if
his
timely
Repentance
had
not
interposed
;
so
in
the
like
circumstances
,
even
in
our
days
we
see
some
stormes
and
severities
,
some
dreadful
effects
of
the
Terrours
of
the
Lord
of
Hosts
,
and
none
in
our
late
days
has
bin
more
Remarkable
,
then
that
which
gives
Occasion
to
our
ensuing
Discourse
.
Mr.
Elizabeth
B
—
was
born
in
the
Bishoprick
and
City
of
Durham
;
and
when
the
wonderful
Instructions
and
exemplary
Piety
of
her
incomparable
Mother
,
had
added
th●se
two
most
precious
Jewels
of
Religion
and
Modesty
,
she
bade
the
World
Good-Night
,
in
an
Age
far
short
of
that
which
David
call
,
Trouble
and
Sorrow
;
However
,
her
Dissolution
was
no
whit
untimely
,
since
it
prevented
her
from
seeing
the
fairest
Blossom
that
ever
sprang
from
so
precious
a
Mother-Plant
,
blasted
by
a
lamentable
and
deplorable
Accident
.
The
First
fruits
she
had
brought
forth
in
the
yeares
immediately
succeeding
her
Mothers
Decease
,
were
suitable
to
the
good
Seed
which
had
been
sown
in
so
rich
a
Mould
;
None
of
her
Neighbors
(
though
many
very
admirable
)
struck
sail
to
this
Excellency
;
She
her self
was
her
only
Comparison
for
Beauty
.
Freighted
thus
with
this
inestimable
Cargo
,
by
the
Assent
of
her
Friends
,
but
hurried
rather
by
an
unhappy
Tempest
,
she
at
the
last
Arrived
at
the
most
Debauched
and
most
Civilized
Place
in
the
World
,
our
Magnificent
Metropolis
of
London
;
Her
Actions
at
her
Arrival
were
such
,
that
they
convinced
all
that
knew
her
,
that
she
had
the
most
unspotted
Soul
lodged
in
the
most
beautiful
Body
in
the
World
;
All
those
Summer-Flies
which
endeavour
to
sully
and
corrupt
our
choicest
and
most
perfect
Fruit
,
met
here
with
nothing
but
scorn
and
contempt
,
even
those
who
made
more
Noble
Addresses
,
could
discern
small
Grounds
of
obtaining
their
desired
Object
:
Had
our
Cherubim
here
pitched
her
non
Plus
ultra
,
and
shut
her
Ear
against
the
Insinuations
of
the
degrade
Angel
,
she
might
have
answered
those
excellent
Qualifications
she
was
endowed
with
.
But
from
the
first
Fall
,
our
Grand-Mother
Eve
has
Entailed
such
weakness
on
her
succeeding
Generations
,
since
Pleasure
,
Curiosity
,
Pride
and
Idleness
lay
claim
to
so
large
a
share
of
our
young
Ladies
time
,
since
the
delusions
of
Romances
,
and
Absurdities
of
the
Stage
,
dispose
of
almost
all
the
rest
of
their
most
serious
houres
;
What
can
we
look
for
but
Tares
among
the
Wheat
,
and
then
the
Inference
in
the
Gospel
will
be
very
fit
,
Inimicus
homo
fecit
hoc
.
But
to
return
from
a
Transport
that
would
give
an
Alarum
to
the
most
frozen
Zeal
.
This
Miracle
of
Women
who
hitherto
had
breathed
nothing
but
the
most
miraculous
Efforts
of
Vertue
and
Chastity
,
too
soon
alas
gave
credit
to
the
Oaths
and
Insinuations
of
a
beloved
Person
,
and
abandoned
her self
to
the
enjoyment
of
such
Pleasures
as
are
only
the
lawful
Concomitants
the
Marriage-Bed
;
This
pleasure
(
as
all
others
,
whose
Foundation
is
sin
)
did
at
the
length
sprout
up
into
Shame
;
She
by
her
daily
Qualmes
and
Sicknesses
too
late
perceived
and
repined
at
the
cause
of
her
Distemper
;
But
as
the
only
means
of
concealing
her
growing
shame
,
she
retired
into
the
Bishoprick
of
Durham
,
to
remove
,
if
possible
,
the
uncomfortable
Burthen
both
of
her
soul
and
body
.
The
rest
of
her
time
was
spent
in
a
privay
answerable
to
her
Condition
and
melancholy
Humour
,
nothing
was
wanting
in
that
accomplished
Place
which
might
not
have
retrived
Her
aclitus
himself
from
his
doleful
dumps
,
and
continued
weeping
;
She
only
,
I
believe
,
was
a
perpetual
Monument
of
her
own
Easiness
and
Shame
,
and
in
this
a
Miracle
that
very
few
have
ever
repented
so
much
of
this
sin
,
never
any
to
so
little
purpose
.
But
the
near
Approach
of
his
Delivery
did
necessitate
her
to
resolve
on
something
in
order
to
her
disposal
of
the
product
of
unpleasant
pleasure
;
None
need
question
but
her
thoughts
were
at
great
variance
,
fear
of
discredit
and
dishonour
from
without
,
and
Apprehensions
of
disquietness
,
vexation
from
within
,
a
long
time
,
did
equally
share
her
distracted
soul
;
But
wo
is
me
,
the
former
Passion
so
soon
obtained
the
Conquest
,
and
the
distance
of
the
latter
made
the
greater
Object
appear
the
less
,
and
she
resolved
(
with
the
Corps
of
her
Murthered
Infant
)
to
bury
her
Confusion
and
shameful
disgrace
;
☞
In
order
whereunto
,
being
privately
brought
to
bed
,
and
blinding
her
condition
under
pretence
of
indisposition
,
upon
her
delivery
she
stabbed
her
Body
in
into
it
under
its
left
Arm
,
and
put
a
Period
to
that
Series
of
Breathing
,
which
had
but
newly
begun
and
commenced
,
the
Infant
was
buried
with
the
greatest
Privacy
,
and
one
old
Woman
only
conscious
of
the
Secret
,
to
whom
it
was
necessary
to
communicate
it
,
she
being
employed
in
washing
her
Shifts
,
Sheets
,
and
what
Linnen
else
soever
,
she
was
fain
to
make
use
o●
on
so
sad
and
lamentable
occasion
;
Upon
the
Recovery
of
some
small
strength
,
(
under
the
Vizor
of
bettering
her
Health
)
she
privately
retired
into
Richmond-shire
,
to
the
House
of
a
faithful
Friend
,
where
she
lived
very
retiredly
,
oppressed
(
as
it
should
seem
)
with
some
inward
trouble
,
although
there
was
not
the
least
suspicion
or
whispering
of
her
Crime
,
so
that
she
might
upon
great
probabilities
cry
Peace
,
peace
,
as
the
Jews
did
,
when
a
terrible
destruction
hung
over
their
Heads
.
Whilst
all
things
seem'd
as
obscure
as
the
fatal
Night
,
and
her
guilt
deep
buried
in
the
Grave
of
her
Child
,
A
Report
was
buzzed
about
of
a
little
Infant
appearing
Nightly
to
some
or
other
;
but
there
was
one
Woman
it
more
especially
pitched
upon
,
who
lived
near
to
the
old
Woman
before-mentioned
,
which
washed
the
Cloathes
.
March
27.
it
appeared
to
this
young
woman
(
whose
Name
was
Mary
Coward
)
all
bloody
,
with
the
Marks
of
its
Mothers
cruelty
very
apparent
upon
it
;
and
the
All-powerful
God
,
who
out
of
the
Mouth
of
this
Babe
and
Suckling
ordained
praise
,
was
pleased
to
lend
it
an
Articulate
Voice
,
which
it
made
use
of
to
desire
Mary
Coward
to
declare
its
Murther
,
and
the
occasion
of
its
being
remanded
to
the
World
;
The
First
Time
of
its
appearing
she
imagined
her self
only
deluded
by
Melancholy
,
or
some
Enthusiastick
Fancies
;
But
being
sollicited
to
the
performance
of
this
Request
by
her
little
Petitioner
,
she
began
more
seriously
to
consider
the
Vision
,
and
with
a
more
serious
Eye
to
look
upon
that
,
which
till
then
she
looked
upon
as
only
idle
and
frivolous
.
One
Night
among
the
rest
she
being
very
much
pressed
by
that
pretty
Sollicitor
,
was
at
length
so
bold
as
to
ask
Who
was
its
Mother
,
the
Occasion
of
its
Death
and
Walking
,
and
who
were
privy
to
that
hainous
Offence
?
But
when
she
heard
the
Name
of
the
beauteous
Elizabeth
,
and
had
well
considered
the
Reputed
Vertue
of
that
person
,
her
Curiosity
was
at
an
end
,
and
she
no
longer
look'd
upon
that
little
Angel
of
Light
,
but
as
an
Imp
of
the
Father
of
Lies
;
but
being
incessantly
both
urged
and
threatned
in
case
of
neglect
,
she
at
last
communicated
her
trouble
to
a
Friend
,
her
Friend
to
another
,
that
to
a
third
,
till
the
City
Rang
of
it
,
and
the
Maid
was
in
great
danger
of
suffering
something
of
persecution
from
her
Alliance
.
And
now
being
greatly
afflicted
at
her
too
too
easie
Credulity
,
and
blaming
her self
for
thus
burning
her
Lips
in
other
Folks
pottage
,
she
had
Recourse
to
two
of
the
surest
Stays
of
this
Life
,
her
Heavenly
Father
,
and
her
own
Innocency
;
But
as
she
was
retired
to
her
Apartment
,
the
little
Babe
comes
,
and
comforts
her
,
acquaints
her
with
the
place
of
its
Burial
,
and
that
her
Aunt
was
privy
to
its
Birth
,
if
not
to
its
Murther
:
Going
next
day
with
some
of
her
Intimates
to
see
that
Sepulchre
,
they
,
according
to
the
Information
given
them
,
found
a
most
beautiful
Corps
,
in
all
things
suitable
to
the
Fairest
,
the
most
deluded
Mother
in
the
World
▪
whereupon
having
Recourse
unto
John
Morland
Esquire
,
one
of
His
Majesties
Justices
of
the
Peace
for
the
City
and
County
of
Durham
,
he
granted
out
a
Warrant
to
apprehend
the
suspected
persons
,
and
with
all
possible
speed
and
secrecie
to
bring
them
before
him
;
The
old
Woman
denied
not
,
but
that
she
had
observed
all
the
Marks
of
a
Woman
in
Child
bed
on
the
Linnen
of
the
fair
Elizabeth
,
but
how
she
had
disposed
of
the
Child
she
pretends
to
be
wholly
ignorant
.
The
beautiful
Unfortunate
was
the
next
who
was
enquired
after
,
but
though
the
Officers
went
to
the
place
of
her
Residence
,
yet
she
was
denied
strongly
,
so
that
they
were
forced
to
get
a
Reinforcement
of
their
Authority
from
some
Justices
in
Richmond-shire
,
and
upon
search
they
found
her
out
in
the
place
of
her
Retirement
,
and
being
brought
before
Authority
,
she
could
not
deny
that
of
which
there
were
so
many
and
irrefragable
proofs
;
Whereupon
she
was
April
5.
committed
into
Custody
,
where
she
now
remains
in
expectation
of
a
Trial
,
the
Event
thereof
next
Lammas
Assizes
will
acquaint
us
with
;
She
now
living
unfortunately
in
having
the
fairest
Table
in
the
World
sullied
with
the
two
grievous
blemishes
of
Fornication
and
Murther
:
I
desire
God
to
give
her
a
true
sight
and
sense
of
her
offences
,
and
a
Repentance
answerable
to
the
greatness
of
them
,
This
sad
Example
may
serve
for
a
Caveat
to
all
young
Ladies
and
Maids
,
not
to
yield
up
their
Virgin
honour
to
any
,
though
upon
the
most
specious
pretence
,
not
to
give
Ear
to
the
Oaths
and
protestations
of
the
most
passionate
Pretenders
,
since
all
their
Rhetorick
and
Eloquence
has
no
other
end
then
the
utter
destruction
of
the
Object
of
their
desires
.
And
if
any
has
been
so
imprudent
and
easie
,
as
already
to
have
given
way
to
such
exorbitant
desires
,
let
them
not
,
as
they
tender
the
welfare
of
both
soul
and
body
,
ever
propose
to
themselves
even
a
possibility
of
concealing
their
shame
by
the
addition
of
a
sin
;
for
though
our
blessed
Saviour
did
deny
to
send
one
from
the
dead
to
convince
the
Brothers
of
Dives
,
Luke
16.
yet
this
Example
,
and
many
others
,
may
sufficiently
convince
us
,
that
if
we
be
guilty
of
such
grievous
sins
,
he
will
send
one
from
the
dead
to
detect
us
in
this
World
,
and
condemn
us
too
.
FINIS
.