The vnnaturall Wife:

The vnnaturall Wife:

Or, The lamentable Murther, of one goodman Dauis, LockeSmith in Tutle-streete, who was stabbed to death by his Wife, on the 29. of Iune, 1628. For which fact, She was Araigned, Condemned, and Adiudged. to be Burnt to Death in Smithfield, the 12. Iuly 1628.

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Papys Ballads 1.122-1.123r; EBBA 20051

IF woefull objects may excite,

the minde to ruth and pittie,
Then here is one will thee affright

in Westminsters faire Citie:
A strange inhumane Murther there,
To God, and Man as doth appeare:

oh murther,

most inhumane,
To spill my Husbands blood.
But God that rules the host of Heaven,

did give me ore to sinne,
And to vild wrath my minde was given,

which long I lived in;
But now too late I doe repent,
And for the same my heart doth rent:

oh murther,

most inhumane,
To spill my Husbands blood.
Let all curst Wives by me take heed,

how they doe, doe the like,
Cause not thy Husband for to bleed,

nor lift thy hand to strike;
Lest like to me, you burne in fire,
Because of cruell rage and ire:

oh murther,

most inhumane,
To spill my Husbands blood.
A Locke-Smith late in Westminster,

my Husband was by trade,
And well he lived by his Art,

though oft I him ubbraide;
And often times would chide and braule,
And many ill names would him call:

oh murther,

most inhumane,
To spill my Husbands blood.
The second part. To the same Tune.
I And my Husband foorth had bin,

at Supper at that time,
When as I did commit that sin,

which was a bloody crime;
And comming home he then did crave,
A Shilling of me for to have:

oh murther,

most inhumane,
To spill my Husbands blood.
I vow'd he should no Money get,

and I my vow did keepe,
Which then did cause him for to fret,

but now it makes me weepe;
And then in striving for the same,
I drew my knife unto my shame:

oh murther,

most inhumane,
To spill my Husbands blood.
Most desperately I stab'd him then,

with this my fatall knife,
Which is a warning to Women,

to take their Husbands life;
Then out of doores I streight did runne,
And sayd that I was quite undon,

oh murther,

most inhumane,
To spill my Husbands blood.
My Husband I did say was slaine,

amongst my Neighbours there,
And to my house they straite way came,

being possest with feare;
And then they found him on the floore,
Starke dead all weltring in his goore,

oh murther,

most inhumane,
To spill my Husbands blood.
Life faine I would have fetcht againe,

but now it was too late,
I did repent I him had slaine,

in this my heavie state;
The Constable did beare me then
Unto a Justice with his men:

oh murther, etc.
Then Justice me to Newgate sent,

untill the Sessions came,
For this same foule and bloody fact,

to answere for the same;
When at the Barre I did appeare,
The Jury found me guiltie there:

oh murther, etc.
The Judge gave sentence thus on me,

that backe I should returne
To Newgate, and then at a Stake,

my bones and flesh should burne
To ashes, in the winde to flie,
Upon the Earth, and in the Skie.

oh murther, etc.
Upon the twelfth of Juely now,

I on a Hurdle plac't,
Unto my Excecution drawne,

by weeping eyes I past;
And there in Smith-field at a Stake,
My latest breath I there did take:

oh murther, etc.
And being chayned to the Stake,

both Reedes and Faggots then
Close to my Body there was set,

with Pitch, Tarre, and Rozen,
Then to the heavenly Lord I prayd,
That he would be my strength and ayde.

oh murther,

most inhumane,
To spill my husbands blood.
Let me a warning be to Wives,

that are of hasty kinde,
Lord grant that all may mend their lives,

and beare my death in minde,
And let me be the last I pray,
That ere may dye by such like way.

Oh Father

for thy Sonnes sake,
Forgive my sinnes for aye.

burning

murder

London for M. T. Widdow

Bragandary is a lost tune (Simpson 1966, p. 743).