The BABES in theWood.ONE OF R. CALDECOTT’S PICTURE BOOKSGeorge Routledge & Sons.The Babes in the Wood.SORE SICKE THEY WERE AND LIKE TO DYENow ponder well, you parents deare,These wordes which I shall write;A doleful story you shall heare,In time brought forth to light.A gentleman of good accountIn Norfolke dwelt of late,Who did in honour far surmountMost men of his estate.Sore sicke he was, and like to dye,No helpe his life could save;His wife by him as sicke did lye,And both possest one grave.No love between these two was lost,Each was to other kinde;In love they liv’d, in love they dyed,And left two babes behinde:The one a fine and pretty boy,Not passing three yeares olde;The other a girl more young than he,And fram’d in beautye’s molde.The father left his little son,As plainlye doth appeare,When he to perfect age should come,Three hundred poundes a yeare.And to his little daughter JaneFive hundred poundes in gold,To be paid downe on marriage-day,Which might not be controll’d:But if the children chanced to dye,Ere they to age should come,Their uncle should possesse their wealth;For so the wille did run.Now,Brother, said the dying man, LOOK TO MY CHILDREN DEARE.“Now, brother,” said the dying man,“Look to my children deare;Be good unto my boy and girl,No friendes else have they here:“To God and you I do commendMy children deare this daye;But little while be sure we haveWithin this world to staye.“You must be father and mother both,And uncle all in one;God knowes what will become of them,When I am dead and gone.”With that bespake their mother deare:“O brother kinde,” quoth shee,“You are the man must bring our babesTo wealth or miserie:“And if you keep them carefully,Then God will you reward;But if you otherwise should deal,God will your deedes regard.”WITH LIPPES AS COLD AS ANY STONE, THEY KIST THE CHILDREN SMALLWith lippes as cold as any stone,They kist the children small:“God bless you both, my children deare;”With that the teares did fall.These speeches then their brother spakeTo this sicke couple there:“The keeping of your little ones,Sweet sister, do not feare:“God never prosper me nor mine,Nor aught else that I have,If I do wrong your children deare,When you are layd in grave.”Their Parents being dead & gone, The Children home he takes.The parents being dead and gone,The children home he takes,And bringes them straite unto his house,Where much of them he makes.He had not kept these pretty babesA twelvemonth and a daye,But, for their wealth, he did deviseTo make them both awaye.He bargain’d with two ruffians strong,Which were of furious mood,That they should take the children young,And slaye them in a wood.He told his wife an artful tale,He would the children sendTo be brought up in faire London,With one that was his friend.Away then went those pretty babes,Rejoycing at that tide,Rejoycing with a merry minde,They should on cock-horse ride.Away then went the Pretty Babes Rejoycing at that TideThey prate and prattle pleasantlyAs they rode on the waye,To those that should their butchers be,And work their lives’ decaye:So that the pretty speeche they had,Made murderers’ heart relent;And they that undertooke the deed,Full sore did now repent.Yet one of them, more hard of heart,Did vow to do his charge,Because the wretch, that hired him,Had paid him very large.The other would not agree thereto,So here they fell to strife;With one another they did fight,About the children’s life:And he that was of mildest moodDid slaye the other there,Within an unfrequented wood,Where babes did quake for feare!AND HE THAT WAS OF MILDEST MOODDID SLAYE THE OTHER THEREHe took the children by the hand,While teares stood in their eye,And bade them come and go with him,And look they did not crye:And two long miles he ledd them on,While they for food complaine:“Stay here,” quoth he, “I’ll bring ye bread,When I come back againe.”These prettye babes, with hand in hand,Went wandering up and downe;But never more they sawe the manApproaching from the town.Their prettye lippes with blackberriesWere all besmear’d and dyed;And when they sawe the darksome night,They sat them downe and cryed.Thus wandered these two prettye babes,Till death did end their grief;In one another’s armes they dyed,As babes wanting relief.No burial these prettye babesOf any man receives,Till Robin-redbreast painfullyDid cover them with leaves.In one another’s arms they dyed.
The BABES in theWood.ONE OF R. CALDECOTT’S PICTURE BOOKSGeorge Routledge & Sons.
The BABES in theWood.ONE OF R. CALDECOTT’S PICTURE BOOKSGeorge Routledge & Sons.
The BABES in theWood.
ONE OF R. CALDECOTT’S PICTURE BOOKS
George Routledge & Sons.
The Babes in the Wood.
SORE SICKE THEY WERE AND LIKE TO DYE
SORE SICKE THEY WERE AND LIKE TO DYE
Now ponder well, you parents deare,These wordes which I shall write;A doleful story you shall heare,In time brought forth to light.A gentleman of good accountIn Norfolke dwelt of late,Who did in honour far surmountMost men of his estate.Sore sicke he was, and like to dye,No helpe his life could save;His wife by him as sicke did lye,And both possest one grave.
Now ponder well, you parents deare,These wordes which I shall write;A doleful story you shall heare,In time brought forth to light.A gentleman of good accountIn Norfolke dwelt of late,Who did in honour far surmountMost men of his estate.Sore sicke he was, and like to dye,No helpe his life could save;His wife by him as sicke did lye,And both possest one grave.
Now ponder well, you parents deare,These wordes which I shall write;A doleful story you shall heare,In time brought forth to light.
A gentleman of good accountIn Norfolke dwelt of late,Who did in honour far surmountMost men of his estate.
Sore sicke he was, and like to dye,No helpe his life could save;His wife by him as sicke did lye,And both possest one grave.
No love between these two was lost,Each was to other kinde;In love they liv’d, in love they dyed,And left two babes behinde:The one a fine and pretty boy,Not passing three yeares olde;The other a girl more young than he,And fram’d in beautye’s molde.
No love between these two was lost,Each was to other kinde;In love they liv’d, in love they dyed,And left two babes behinde:The one a fine and pretty boy,Not passing three yeares olde;The other a girl more young than he,And fram’d in beautye’s molde.
No love between these two was lost,Each was to other kinde;In love they liv’d, in love they dyed,And left two babes behinde:
The one a fine and pretty boy,Not passing three yeares olde;The other a girl more young than he,And fram’d in beautye’s molde.
The father left his little son,As plainlye doth appeare,When he to perfect age should come,Three hundred poundes a yeare.And to his little daughter JaneFive hundred poundes in gold,To be paid downe on marriage-day,Which might not be controll’d:
The father left his little son,As plainlye doth appeare,When he to perfect age should come,Three hundred poundes a yeare.And to his little daughter JaneFive hundred poundes in gold,To be paid downe on marriage-day,Which might not be controll’d:
The father left his little son,As plainlye doth appeare,When he to perfect age should come,Three hundred poundes a yeare.
And to his little daughter JaneFive hundred poundes in gold,To be paid downe on marriage-day,Which might not be controll’d:
But if the children chanced to dye,Ere they to age should come,Their uncle should possesse their wealth;For so the wille did run.
But if the children chanced to dye,Ere they to age should come,Their uncle should possesse their wealth;For so the wille did run.
But if the children chanced to dye,Ere they to age should come,Their uncle should possesse their wealth;For so the wille did run.
Now,Brother, said the dying man, LOOK TO MY CHILDREN DEARE.
Now,Brother, said the dying man, LOOK TO MY CHILDREN DEARE.
“Now, brother,” said the dying man,“Look to my children deare;Be good unto my boy and girl,No friendes else have they here:“To God and you I do commendMy children deare this daye;But little while be sure we haveWithin this world to staye.“You must be father and mother both,And uncle all in one;God knowes what will become of them,When I am dead and gone.”
“Now, brother,” said the dying man,“Look to my children deare;Be good unto my boy and girl,No friendes else have they here:“To God and you I do commendMy children deare this daye;But little while be sure we haveWithin this world to staye.“You must be father and mother both,And uncle all in one;God knowes what will become of them,When I am dead and gone.”
“Now, brother,” said the dying man,“Look to my children deare;Be good unto my boy and girl,No friendes else have they here:
“To God and you I do commendMy children deare this daye;But little while be sure we haveWithin this world to staye.
“You must be father and mother both,And uncle all in one;God knowes what will become of them,When I am dead and gone.”
With that bespake their mother deare:“O brother kinde,” quoth shee,“You are the man must bring our babesTo wealth or miserie:
With that bespake their mother deare:“O brother kinde,” quoth shee,“You are the man must bring our babesTo wealth or miserie:
With that bespake their mother deare:“O brother kinde,” quoth shee,“You are the man must bring our babesTo wealth or miserie:
“And if you keep them carefully,Then God will you reward;But if you otherwise should deal,God will your deedes regard.”
“And if you keep them carefully,Then God will you reward;But if you otherwise should deal,God will your deedes regard.”
“And if you keep them carefully,Then God will you reward;But if you otherwise should deal,God will your deedes regard.”
WITH LIPPES AS COLD AS ANY STONE, THEY KIST THE CHILDREN SMALL
WITH LIPPES AS COLD AS ANY STONE, THEY KIST THE CHILDREN SMALL
With lippes as cold as any stone,They kist the children small:“God bless you both, my children deare;”With that the teares did fall.
With lippes as cold as any stone,They kist the children small:“God bless you both, my children deare;”With that the teares did fall.
With lippes as cold as any stone,They kist the children small:“God bless you both, my children deare;”With that the teares did fall.
These speeches then their brother spakeTo this sicke couple there:“The keeping of your little ones,Sweet sister, do not feare:
These speeches then their brother spakeTo this sicke couple there:“The keeping of your little ones,Sweet sister, do not feare:
These speeches then their brother spakeTo this sicke couple there:“The keeping of your little ones,Sweet sister, do not feare:
“God never prosper me nor mine,Nor aught else that I have,If I do wrong your children deare,When you are layd in grave.”
“God never prosper me nor mine,Nor aught else that I have,If I do wrong your children deare,When you are layd in grave.”
“God never prosper me nor mine,Nor aught else that I have,If I do wrong your children deare,When you are layd in grave.”
Their Parents being dead & gone, The Children home he takes.
Their Parents being dead & gone, The Children home he takes.
The parents being dead and gone,The children home he takes,And bringes them straite unto his house,Where much of them he makes.
The parents being dead and gone,The children home he takes,And bringes them straite unto his house,Where much of them he makes.
The parents being dead and gone,The children home he takes,And bringes them straite unto his house,Where much of them he makes.
He had not kept these pretty babesA twelvemonth and a daye,But, for their wealth, he did deviseTo make them both awaye.
He had not kept these pretty babesA twelvemonth and a daye,But, for their wealth, he did deviseTo make them both awaye.
He had not kept these pretty babesA twelvemonth and a daye,But, for their wealth, he did deviseTo make them both awaye.
He bargain’d with two ruffians strong,Which were of furious mood,That they should take the children young,And slaye them in a wood.
He bargain’d with two ruffians strong,Which were of furious mood,That they should take the children young,And slaye them in a wood.
He bargain’d with two ruffians strong,Which were of furious mood,That they should take the children young,And slaye them in a wood.
He told his wife an artful tale,He would the children sendTo be brought up in faire London,With one that was his friend.
He told his wife an artful tale,He would the children sendTo be brought up in faire London,With one that was his friend.
He told his wife an artful tale,He would the children sendTo be brought up in faire London,With one that was his friend.
Away then went those pretty babes,Rejoycing at that tide,Rejoycing with a merry minde,They should on cock-horse ride.
Away then went those pretty babes,Rejoycing at that tide,Rejoycing with a merry minde,They should on cock-horse ride.
Away then went those pretty babes,Rejoycing at that tide,Rejoycing with a merry minde,They should on cock-horse ride.
Away then went the Pretty Babes Rejoycing at that Tide
Away then went the Pretty Babes Rejoycing at that Tide
They prate and prattle pleasantlyAs they rode on the waye,To those that should their butchers be,And work their lives’ decaye:
They prate and prattle pleasantlyAs they rode on the waye,To those that should their butchers be,And work their lives’ decaye:
They prate and prattle pleasantlyAs they rode on the waye,To those that should their butchers be,And work their lives’ decaye:
So that the pretty speeche they had,Made murderers’ heart relent;And they that undertooke the deed,Full sore did now repent.Yet one of them, more hard of heart,Did vow to do his charge,Because the wretch, that hired him,Had paid him very large.
So that the pretty speeche they had,Made murderers’ heart relent;And they that undertooke the deed,Full sore did now repent.Yet one of them, more hard of heart,Did vow to do his charge,Because the wretch, that hired him,Had paid him very large.
So that the pretty speeche they had,Made murderers’ heart relent;And they that undertooke the deed,Full sore did now repent.
Yet one of them, more hard of heart,Did vow to do his charge,Because the wretch, that hired him,Had paid him very large.
The other would not agree thereto,So here they fell to strife;With one another they did fight,About the children’s life:
The other would not agree thereto,So here they fell to strife;With one another they did fight,About the children’s life:
The other would not agree thereto,So here they fell to strife;With one another they did fight,About the children’s life:
And he that was of mildest moodDid slaye the other there,Within an unfrequented wood,Where babes did quake for feare!
And he that was of mildest moodDid slaye the other there,Within an unfrequented wood,Where babes did quake for feare!
And he that was of mildest moodDid slaye the other there,Within an unfrequented wood,Where babes did quake for feare!
AND HE THAT WAS OF MILDEST MOODDID SLAYE THE OTHER THERE
AND HE THAT WAS OF MILDEST MOODDID SLAYE THE OTHER THERE
AND HE THAT WAS OF MILDEST MOOD
DID SLAYE THE OTHER THERE
He took the children by the hand,While teares stood in their eye,And bade them come and go with him,And look they did not crye:
He took the children by the hand,While teares stood in their eye,And bade them come and go with him,And look they did not crye:
He took the children by the hand,While teares stood in their eye,And bade them come and go with him,And look they did not crye:
And two long miles he ledd them on,While they for food complaine:“Stay here,” quoth he, “I’ll bring ye bread,When I come back againe.”
And two long miles he ledd them on,While they for food complaine:“Stay here,” quoth he, “I’ll bring ye bread,When I come back againe.”
And two long miles he ledd them on,While they for food complaine:“Stay here,” quoth he, “I’ll bring ye bread,When I come back againe.”
These prettye babes, with hand in hand,Went wandering up and downe;
These prettye babes, with hand in hand,Went wandering up and downe;
These prettye babes, with hand in hand,Went wandering up and downe;
But never more they sawe the manApproaching from the town.
But never more they sawe the manApproaching from the town.
But never more they sawe the manApproaching from the town.
Their prettye lippes with blackberriesWere all besmear’d and dyed;
Their prettye lippes with blackberriesWere all besmear’d and dyed;
Their prettye lippes with blackberriesWere all besmear’d and dyed;
And when they sawe the darksome night,They sat them downe and cryed.
And when they sawe the darksome night,They sat them downe and cryed.
And when they sawe the darksome night,They sat them downe and cryed.
Thus wandered these two prettye babes,Till death did end their grief;In one another’s armes they dyed,As babes wanting relief.
Thus wandered these two prettye babes,Till death did end their grief;In one another’s armes they dyed,As babes wanting relief.
Thus wandered these two prettye babes,Till death did end their grief;In one another’s armes they dyed,As babes wanting relief.
No burial these prettye babesOf any man receives,
No burial these prettye babesOf any man receives,
No burial these prettye babesOf any man receives,
Till Robin-redbreast painfullyDid cover them with leaves.
Till Robin-redbreast painfullyDid cover them with leaves.
Till Robin-redbreast painfullyDid cover them with leaves.
In one another’s arms they dyed.
In one another’s arms they dyed.