The History of the two children in the wood

THE

HISTORY

OF THE

TWO CHILDREN

IN THE

W O O D.

STIRLING:
Printed and Sold by C. Randall.

THE

HISTORY

OF THE

TWO CHILDREN in the WOOD.

---

CHAP. I.

How Pisaurus seeking a wife, accidently fell in love with fair Eugenia.

IN times past, there was a gentleman named Pisaurus, rich he was and endowed with those qualities that rendered him accomplished, wanting nothing to complete his earthly felicity, but a virtuous wife, by whom he might have children to heir his possessions, when the cold hand of death should seal his eyes, and such a one he sought for; but for a long time he found his enquiry ⟨in⟩ vain, or at least his fancy would not admit him to like any but the beautiful Eugenia, who in some sense might be destined for him, and whom as he was riding to take pleasure, he espied looking out of a window, he at the first sight both liked and loved, tho' then a stranger to him, yet for that time passed on to follow his recreation, but so powerful did his fancy move, that all things seemed dull to the beauty he had seen. Intent upon which his thoughts were wholly taken up by what means to get admittance in order to discover his passion; he knew not, neither was he satisfied whether she was single or married, but in pain, as lovers do, moved between hope and fear, flattering himself especially with what he wished, and so breaking off his pastime, he went home leisurely to consider how he might attain his desire.

CHAP. II.

How Pisaurus found means to discover his passion to Eugenia, and how she consented; also the marriage day appointed.

PISAURUS was eager to become acquainted with the beautiful Eugenia, in whose face, modesty was lively painted, he promised many things to himself, but liked none, till at last, being a melancholy mood walking in a pleasant grove, he contrary to his expectation, but as he wished, met Eugenia and her maid, who were retired, as it seems their custom was to shelter themselves from the heat of the day, and to hear the pleasant notes of the airy choristers; at the sight of whom he was greatly surprised, and debated within himself, whether he should then make his address, or find a fitter opportunity; but after a little recollection, he resolved not to loose so fair an advantage, yet waiting till they had placed themselves under a cool shade, and then accosting the blushing maid with an amorous address and courtly expressions, he obtained leave to tell his passionate story, whilst his eyes sparkled love and his winning behaviour gave life to the beautiful Eugenia, insomuch that she admitted his visits as often as he pleased, till in the end, love linked their hearts so firm, that they no longer stood at a distance, but appointed the happy day of marriage.

CHAP. III.

How the happy nuptials were celebrated and of the ominous presage.

TIME, which lovers think slow, when it interposes between them and their desires, having brought the wished-for day, the sun to grace it sent his golden beams in his utmost glory in the east, when the bridegroom, with a noble train came to usher in his lovely bride out of her chamber, and to convey her where their hancs as well as their hearts, might be united; she, as bright ⟨as the⟩ morning star, yet blushing at the thoughts of what approached, as virgins in that case, between fear and joy are won’t, yet attended by her virgins, she went resolved to place herself in the arms of him who had her heart; and great were the acclamations of joy they being every where pronounced the loveliest pair that eyes had seen, nor was it long ere they were made man and wife. Upon whose return great were the revels of dancing, music, wine and sumptuous dishes beyond expressing; so that guests except the brother of Pisaurus, who being of a malicious temper, and wonderful covetous, he not so much envied the happiness of his brother, in that he married so beautiful a bride, but children ensuing, he would be debarr'd of his expectations, in that he should lose his estate. Having before made many secret attempts to remove the right possessor into the other world, but in vain Yet at the feast, dissembling as well as he could, he forced now and then a smile, or laughter. Night, to the satisfaction of the lovers coming on the bridal chamber was prepared, and soft music ushered them on the alcove of delight, there in soft embraces and inexpressible endearments to consume their eager joys, whilst to a symphony of music, the following song was sung, supposed to be in the air.

SONG.

HAppy pair, whose love hath joined,
Happy, were long days designed:
But oh! I fear a love so great,
Will prove the envy of some fate;
Some sudden power will envy you,
Who to each other are so true.
Such beauty, love, and virtue join’d,
Short days on earth do mostly find:
For why, the reason doth appear,
A minute's true love is a year.
Then take your fill of joy and bliss,
And spend short days in happiness;
True to each other in all things,
Till to heaven you mount on angel’s wings.
Your offspring too are of a short-date,
A base vile wretch for their estate,
Shall by strange means send them on high,
To find you out above the sky.

This only being taken for a device of some of the revellers to quell their joy, the lovers minded it not, but possessing each other to the full of their longing desires, imagined they were happy, above the reach of misfortunes; in which extacy of imagination I will leave them at present, and say something on the brother, who was as much perplexed as they were overjoyed.

How Androgus, brother to Pisaurus, desirous of his estate, laid this project.

ANDROGUS, beginning to despair of possessing his brother's estate, cast about and considering many ways, how he might with reason renew his hopes, found all he could think dark and difficult; his brother's life at some time he proposed to invade by sundry stratagems, but those appeared hazardous upon second thoughts; he thought upon other expediments, as drugs to occasion abortion; but that prevailed not neither. Wherefore not enduring to cast his eyes on that happy pair, he betook himself for some years to travel in foreign lands where I shall leave him a while, and return to Pisaurus and Eugenia.

CHAP. V.

How Cassander and Jane being born, Pisaurus and Eugenia fell sick, and by what means.

THE fair Eugenia by this time had ventured so far among the secrets of love, that as ⟨she⟩ wished, she found

herself with child, the first news of it did not a little over joy Pisaurus, but more when he found his fair Eugenia delivered of a boy. Great was the congratulation and rejoicing of the gossips and neighbours, and the infant was brought up in the tenderest manner,

till it came by its prattling, to delight its parents, and dandle up and down, when to make their joy more compleat, the beautiful mother was two years after delivered of a fair daughter, who was named Jane, as the boy was named Cassander.

These blessings ⟨at⟩ home, and his many prosperities abroad, the great increase of their cattle, corn, and whatever they undertook, pronounced them the happiest pair in all the country; sudden turns, even when least expected, as it happened in this case, for having lived to see their children, the greatest comfort of a married life, the one ⟨arrived⟩ at five years of age, and the ⟨other⟩ at three, the father by what means ⟨is⟩ uncertain, felt into a consumption, which encreasing upon him, rendered him wondrous weak, insomuch that he was given over by the physicians, the grief of parting with whom made so deep an impression on the tender spirits of Eugenia, that she refused to be comforted either by her husband, who strove what in him lay to hush her sorrow nor by her own relations; no rules of divinity or morality had at that time force sufficient to work a moderation, all arguments being spent in vain seeing she must lose so good a husband, whom she loved so dear; so that through outward weeping and inward anguish of spirit, ⟨she⟩ at last cast herself into a violent fever, the prevalency of which ⟨distemper⟩ she was no ways able to resist; and therefore ⟨betook⟩ herself to bed with her ⟨dear⟩ husband, where they lay condoling each other, either being more sensibly afflicted for each other’s pain, than that each particular felt.

CHAP. VI.

How Androgus returned, visited his brother and sister; of his dissimulation.

ANDROGUS returned and hearing what distress the late flourishing couple were in, hastened to them and upon entering the chamber where they lay helpless expressed abundance of sorrow and not wanting the art of a true dissembler, shed a few crocodile tears to make this seeming grief to pass for current; and after some forced sighs, began to condole the deplorable state wherein he found them.

O! said he, that e’er I should live to see this unhappy day, that my eyes should behold so dismal a ⟨spectacle⟩, to see you here upon the bed of languishment, helpless and comfortless. Oh! that death with his icy hand, had sealed my eyes long since, and without the sense of so great sorrow, I ⟨might⟩ quietly have slumbered in my grave.

And thereupon leaning towards them, appearing more tenderly to weep, insomuch that Pisaurus and Eugenia in a manner forgetting their own pain strove with faint voices to comfort him, desiring him not to grieve and cast himself down, since their lives was a debt, they were born to die and that it was but a little sooner than they expected, if they went to their place of rest, entreating him to lead such a life, as when he died, that they might meet again in bliss, never more to be parted; and he being as they thought, the only person they could confide in, he, by out-living them, might be a support to their poor babes which they must otherwise leave behind destitute, to maintain them whilst they grew up, and after they grew up to maturity, if it should please God to bring them to it.

This did not a little inwardly rejoice Androgus, though yet a cloud of sorrows was artfully made to sit upon his countenance so that at that instant promising to do all that was desired and departed.

CHAP. VII.

How Pisaurus made his will, delivered his children to Androgus, and died, as did his wife.

THE languishing parents finding their end to be near, and that they must exchange this for another life, the physicians having assured them by their art, that they had not long to live Pisaurus resolved to set his house in order, and ⟨thereupon⟩ sent for a notary to ⟨set⟩ down his request, as likewise his neighbours and friends, that he might take his last farewell, because they all loved him exceedingly, and his virtuous spouse for their affability, courteous behaviour, charity, and in short every thing that was good who at length came weeping about them, and much deplored the ⟨approaching⟩ loss.

When Pisaurus had settled all his land, cattle, tenements, &c upon his son Cassander, he ordered his little daughter ⟨three thousand⟩ pounds to be paid her on the day of marriage, and that the rents, profits, and then proceeds to give the legacies and donations for charitable uses, named Androgus his ⟨executor⟩, to to whom he over and above left a large ⟨portion⟩, and the reversion to reward the pains and care he was to take.

Things being thus ordered, and nothing but weeping eyes ⟨about⟩ the sick bed, and seeing the fatal hour ⟨draw⟩ near, Androgus was sent for, and informed of all that had past, which was just as he could wish, at which with many solemn vows and imprecations, he promised to perform and discharge, and so the pretty babes were sent for, who, by reason of their tender age were in a manner insensible or what was going to befal them. Androgus being come, the father and mother took them in their arms, and weeping embraced them in order to take the last farewell of the world which having done, he gave them their blessings, with eyes full of tears. Pisaurus thus addressed himself to Androgus. "Dear brother," said he, to your charge I commit my innocent babes to be brought up by you in the fear of their Maker, and in learning ⟨such⟩ as are fit for their quality.

"As for myself, I am drawing to a period, my thread is almost wound off, my sand is in a manner run out, and I must change this life for another: therefore when I am laid in my grave, and covered with dust, let my babes renew my memory, by being before you and when you look upon them think on me, to induce you by obligation to a greater kindness towards them, whom I leave with you as a pledge of love."

He would have proceeded, but was prevented by faintness that obliged his tongue to faulter; and Androgus being about to reply, was prevented by languishing Eugenia, who in sighs and tears breaks forth, "O brother, you are the only man living, that by your promise to support my dear babes, can ⟨give⟩ me any kind of ease even in death. O be kind then, even for his sake that made us and all the world; be a father and a mother to them when we are gone, when we shall be so far seperated as not to know what happens unto them; and many thousand blessings fall upon you; but if you injure them in ought, know that there is a righteous judge." There she stop’d, when Androgus, with many imprecations wished that neither he nor his might prosper, if he did not nourish and regard them as his own; and thereupon the father being a little recovered from the faintness, delivered them into his hands, after having kissed them with his dying lips, ⟨blessed⟩ them again, the children at the same instant tenderly weeping, and so they took a farewell of each other, the parents dying immediately after.

CHAP. VII.

What thought Androgus had about putting to death his brother’s children, but could not put it in practice himself.

THE children being in the possession of Androgus, he for a while committed them to the care of Timesia, his wife, who had likewise children of ⟨her⟩ own, took nevertheless great delight ⟨in⟩ those of her brother in law’s, and would be often commending them for their beauty, pretty discourse, and the great hopefulness she saw in them to her husband, who gave her the hearing, although he began to look upon them with an envious eye, yet it hid from her, who was a woman of good nature, ⟨the⟩ design he had to make them away, which wickedness the devil put into his head, and now how to compass it was his chief study, many times he debated ⟨with⟩ himself to drown them or smother ⟨them⟩ with pillows, and had attempted ⟨it⟩ had not his heart smote him, and ⟨their⟩ innocent smiles ⟨baffled⟩ his wicked purposes, nor was the fear he had of ⟨the⟩ murder being discovered less terrible, ⟨so⟩ that continuing for some days in a melancholy dump, his wife reasoned with him about it, but not being able to get the secret from him, she urged it no further.

CHAP. IX.

How Androgus met with Rawbones and Wou'dkill and agreed with them to murder his brother’s children.

ONE day Androgus being very pensive, as he walked by a wood-side he met two sturdy fellows with grim looks who made acquaintance with him and required him to go with them to the next ale house, which he, after some repulse, consented to do, and there after a while drinking, one of them demanded the cause of his melancholy, who being a little mellow, told them the reason was, because there stood a quick hedge between him and his deceased brother’s estate. And is that the cause! said one of the bloody minded villains. Why man continued he, never let that grieve you, you know that a hedge may be removed; nay, grubbed up, and a free passage made Ah, ah, said the other, it may be well managed, without the least suspicion. Could it be, said the wicked Androgus, I would give an hundred marks. Upon these and the like discoures, they came to conclusion, that Androgus would give out that he intended to send them to London there to ⟨be⟩ educated by a cousin of his, and the two ruffians Rawbones and Wou'dkill, should have the conducting them in the habit of carriers; and as they passed by the great wood leading to London, they should kill them and cast them into a pit; and the better to blind Androgus’s wife, a ⟨letter⟩ was signed as from a pretended London cousin, which intimated that she was a sister to Eugenia, and was very desirous to entertain her little cousins. This plot of the wicked took not with Timesia, who infinitely loved them, and much opposed it, but the children were up betimes in the morning, put into the hands of those bloody villains who set ⟨them⟩ upon a horse before them, and ⟨pretended⟩ to set forth for London.

CHAP. X.

How the Ruffians fell out about the disposal of the children and how Rawbones killed his partner, and covered him in a pit.

THESE villains having got the children and the promised reward, kept on their way while the glad infants not knowing what wicked hands they were in, smiled and discoursed after their pretty manner. crying dad, dad, and playing with the beards of those dreadful monsters and telling them stories of their nurse’s kindness, and the many playthings they had, till coming near the wood, they rode with them across the way, that none might see them enter, till they had covered themselves among the thicket of trees, and there alighting they took down the pretty babes who still with a smiling cheer held on their tattle, which so moved Rawbones that he began to persuade Wou'dkill to spare their lives; for why said he, should we shed the blood of those innocent creatures, who never offended us, or any else; Come brother, seeing we have got what we shall get, let us not further satisfy their wicked uncle but leave them to try their fortunes: nay said the other, I ⟨will⟩ not consent to that, my bargain was to murder them, and murdered they shall be. That shall not be so, said Wouldkill, and to prevent discovery, you shall bear them company, if you oppose it; that shall be tried, said Rawbones, and thereupon they drew their ⟨swords⟩, and many wounds were given, on both sides; Wouldkill was thurst ⟨into⟩ the heart and fell down dead, then Rawbones drew him into a deep pit, and covered him with earth and stones.

CHAP. XI.

How Rawbones left the children in an unfrequented wood where they died.

RAWBONES having ⟨killed⟩, and hid his companion, took the children, who trembled to behold the ⟨fray⟩, and then led them about two miles into the wood, bidding them be of good cheer, and when they cried for bread and butter, (for by this time it was ⟨noon⟩) he told them, they should sit down upon a bank he shewed them, ⟨and⟩ he would go to nurse and fetch ⟨them⟩ some, which the poor babes ⟨believing⟩, were a while contented, and passed the time in calling to each other, but it growing late, and he they looked for not returning, they began to grow ⟨pensive⟩, yet comforting each other as well as they could until it was dark,⟨and⟩ then cried ⟨till⟩ they fell asleep; but waking up the ⟨next⟩ morning, they got up, ⟨and⟩ wandered up and down to seek ⟨their⟩ way out, or find food, but could find none but blackberries, dew-barries, corvels, and wild apples, and upon these they lived, wandering from place to place for the space of three days, and then laying themselves down on a mossy bank they died with grief and hunger and the bones of them were found many years after, covered with leaves by the Robin Redbreast, singing a mournful ditty.

CHAP. XII.

How God plagued Androgus, and how after many afflictions, he died in prison.

ANDROGUS being informed by Rawbones that the children were murdered, inwardly rejoiced, seiz’d on the estate which was ⟨theirs⟩, and within six months after produced a letter from a pretended cousin, that they were dead of the small pox at London, for whose deaths many lamented, nor was Timesia, who loved them dearly behind in sorrow, blaming her husband for suffering them to leave her, shedding many ⟨tears⟩ and often crying out, O my dear children, why did I part with you, thus to be bereft of a great part of my comfort.

Long these infants had not been dead but affrighted dreams terrified Androgus and he often ⟨fancied⟩ that spirits and deamons were dancing before him in horrid shapes, and pushing at him with flaming weapons every moment ready to destroy him, nor was this all for a murrain fell amongst his cattle, of which most of them died, his corn was blasted, and the earth refused to yield its increase, wherever he had any thing to do, mildews and catterpillars spoiled his fruits, and his barns were fired by lightning, two of his sons ⟨were⟩ cast away in a sea storm and drowned, and being by his insolence hated of all men, he spent at a lavish rate his estate among villains and vagabonds, and running largely into debt he was cast into prison, where through want and ⟨despair⟩, he died unpitied, and left his wife in great poverty.

CHAP. XII

How the murder came to be ⟨discovered⟩ at the gallows.

THIS being the miserable end of the wicked Androgus, it not long happened that Rawbones being taken in a notorious robbery, upon full proof and conviction of it when finding sentence of death passed upon him he desired to speak with a divine, which being admitted, he not only confessed the crime which he was convicted, but the murder of Wouldkill his companion, and his leaving the innocent children in the wood, where they perished, and at the instigation of whom, as likewise for what reward, and upon what occasion, saying he would not die peaceably before he made that discovery, nor was it long after before he was executed, and the bones of the children were found near the place where he directed the auditors. And thus God punished the shedding of innocent blood, the terror of which may be a means to hinder others from running into wicked designs either for gain or revenge.

FINIS.