Selected quad for the lemma: child_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
child_n	john_n	sir_n	thomas_n	10,842	5	10.5020	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20917	A true discourse of the practises of Elizabeth Caldwell, Ma: Ieffrey Bownd, Isabell Hall widdow, and George Fernely, on the parson of Ma: Thomas Caldwell, in the county of Chester, to haue murdered and poysoned him, with diuers others Together with her manner of godly life during her imprisonment, her arrainement and execution, with Isabell Hall widdow; as also a briefe relation of Ma: Ieffrey Bownd, who was the assise before prest to death. Lastly, a most excellent exhortorie letter, written by her own selfe out of the prison to her husband, to cause him to fall into consideration of his sinnes, &c. Seruing like wise for the vse of euery good Christian. Beeing executed the 18. of Iune. 1603. VVritten by one then present as witnes, their owne country-man, Gilbert Dugdale.	Dugdale, Gilbert.; Armin, Robert, fl. 1610.	1604 (1604)	STC 7293; ESTC S110927	16,795	32

they wone this silly soule to their will and hauing so done the sayd Bownds insatiable desire could not bee so satisfied but perswaded her of himselfe and also by the sayd Isabell Hall to yeelde her consent by some meanes to murder her sayd husband the which she was though drawne to the other yet very vnwilling to agrée vnto that But by many and often assaults and incouragements their perswasions did worke with her and tooke effect the which being obtained then were they as busie as before deuising which way to set their deuillish and most hellish practises aworke preferring many deuises for the accomplishment thereof And shee often times entring into consideration with her selfe what a damnable part it was first to abuse her husbands bed and then in seeking to depriue him of his life was greatly tormented in her conscience and diuers times earnestlie intreated them to surcease in this practise laying before them the great and heauie punishments prouided for such offenders both in this world and in the world to come but their harts being so deeply possest by that filthy enimy to all goodnes that there was nothing to them more odious then such perswasions still perseuered in there former wicked inuensions and drew her to associate them in this villany laying many plots for the performing of it amongst which Isabell Hall as she was verie expert in such like actions beeing an ancient motherly woman and to all mens iudgements in her outward habite was farre from harboring such a thought yet as I was about to say she aduised Bownd to giue to a brother of hers namely George Fernley fiue pounds she would perswade him that he should vse some meanes to murder Caldwell the which Bownd agreed vnto being that to him all her motions were medicines and for that her house was the place that Bownd and Elizabeth Caldwell did resort for there meeting place and he hauing an intent to further this matter caused this Fernley to be sent for and conferred with him and hee being a man slenderly furnished with meanes agreed to this there motion affirming that he would delay no time till hee had effected their desire though in my conscience hee pretended nothing lesse but onely to sooth them with faire words for lucre of the money made a showe to Bownd as if he were verie dilligent about the execution thereof but still was preuented in so much that Bownd entered into a great rage with the poore fellow and swore most terribly if hee did not dispatch his busines withall expedition he would lay him by the heeles for his fiue pounds Notwithstanding hee made delaies so many that the old for I meane Halls wife deuised with her selfe of another course willed Bownd to buy some Ratsbane and she would minister it in Oaten-cakes for that she knewe Caldwell much affected them and they being made his wife should giue them vnto him and so procure his speedy dispatch Which deuise he verie willingly consented vnto and vsed no delay in the matter but presently repared to a towne in Cheshiere called Knutsforth there bought the poyson and brought it to Elizabeth Caldwell and wished her to send it to Isabell Hall with all speede wherevppon she receiued it and instantly vppon the receite thereof Halls wife sent her maide to Elizabeth and willed her to send the spice she spoke to her for so the maide innocently went as her dame commanded her and receiued the poyson and brought it to the sayd Isabell Hall her dame who presently did take it and minister it as I sayd before in oaten-cakes the which being done she sent them to Elizabeth Caldwell where she and her husband did soiourne wherevppon being in the euening she layd them in her chamber windowe In the morning next ensuing Caldwell as his accustomed manner was rose verie earlie and his wife still keeping her bed he spied the cakes lie in the windowe and demaunded of her if he might take any of them she answered yea all if he would and therevpon he tooke some three or foure of them and went into the house and called for some butter to eate them with the which was brought him But let me tell you by the way so soone as he was departed the chamber with the cakes feare draue such a terror to her hart as she lay in bed as she euen trembled with remorse of conscience yet wanted she power to call to him to refraine them insomuch as he himselfe did not onely eate of them but the most part of the folkes in the house children and all yet God bestowed his blessing so bountifully on them as they were all preserued from daunger sauing one little girle which could not so wel disgest them which was a neighbours child of sixt or seauen yeares old and comming in by chance for fier to the which maister Caldwell gaue a peece of acake and she eate it and by reason she had beene long before visited with sicknes shee went home and died presently while the rest by way of vomit were saued But that which maistar Caldwell did vomit vp againe two doggs and a cat did eate and they died presently also Whether vppon the force of that poyson or no the childe died I cannot say but well I knowe they were all three brought within the compasse of murder for the death of it and were all executed at Chester for the same fact as you shall heareafter vnderstand Upon the death of this child Elizabeth Caldwell was apprehended and brought before three Iustices of the peace namely Sir Iohn Sauage Sir Thomas Aston and maister Brooke of Norton where before them she truly confessed all their practises and proceedings from the beginning euen till that day Upon which confession Bownd and Isabell Hall were apprehended and brought before the same Iustices and examined as touching the murder and they very stoutly denied all afferming that they were not guiltie to any such action although her confession in her Examination did manifest against them beeing layd to their charge all which would not mooue them to acknowledge their fault the deuill hauing so great a commaund ouer them Notwithstanding they were all committed to the Castell of Chester there to remaine with out Baill or Maineprise till they should be deliuered by due course of Lawe according to the tenure of warrants directed in such a case So the Assise approching within few dayes after theyr commitment their causes and tryall for that time was reiourned till the next great Assises holden there And whether it was by speciall meanes of Bownd made to the Iudge or for that Elizabeth Caldwell was with childe I cannot truly say but there they continued from that time beeing a senight after Easter till Michelmas following during which time they were not admitted one to speake to another And for Elizabeth Caldwell from her first entrance into prison till the time of her death there was neuer heard by any so much as an idle word

to procéede out of her mouth neither did shée omit any time during her imprisonment in seruing of GOD and séeking pardon for her sinnes with great zeale and industrie continually meditating on the Bible excluding her selfe from all companie sauing such as might yéelde her spirituall comforts as learned Diuines and such the faithfull seruaunts of God There was many of all sorts resorted to sée her as no fewer some daies then thrée hundred persons and such as she thought were viciously giuen shee gaue them good admonitions wishing that her fall might be an example vnto them Thus the deceitfull deuill who hath sometime permission from GOD to attempt the very righteous as lob was now an instrument to her sorrow but her feeling faith the more increased and no doubt ●o her comfort though in our eyes terrible for indéede so it ought béeing sent from God as an example to thousands For where so many liue one or two pickt out by the hand of God must serue as an example to the rest to kéepe thousands in feare of Gods wrath and the worlds terror But sée her constancie All the time of her imprisonment she vsed all possible meanes both of herselfe and by those good members that did visit her to conuert all the rest of the prisoners which good worke begunne in her did take good effect for she sent some dayes a dozen Letters to seuerall Preachers to be resolued as touching her fayth and the want of a sound resolution that GOD had parsoned her offences Where the Lady Mary Cholmsly of Cholmsly amongst others together with the comfortable reliefe of one Maister Iohn Battie no doubt both Gods Children so relieued as want neuer grieued her conscience but that shee continued in zeale without griefe of the worldes offences both in soule and body nay not onely her but also to the rest of the prisoners For note that death neuer feared or daunted her but onely fearing shée was not fully purged from her sinnes till at the end as by her words at her execution appeareth This foresaide Maister Battie well deserues a due remembrance for his clemencie and charitie shewed to that distressed and deceased poore soule by whose good meanes which in méere compassion by him extended did not onely receiue comforts for her bodily reléefe but also great satisfaction for her soule hee oft imployed such industry to the Learned both to repare vnto her themselues as likewise daily in sending vnto her good and learned instructions Surely he deserues to be registred in the harts of all well disposed persons and his demerits no doubt will finde restitution at the handes of him who is the Pay-Maister for all such charitable deserts It is also to be noted that after these thrée aforenamed persons had remained in prison all the whole Summer at Michelmas then ensuing the Assises were holden and Elizabeth Caldwell had her triall where shee openly before the Iudges and the rest of the Worshipfull Audience acknowledged her offence for the which shee first demaunded pardon at the hands of God then of her husband lastly of all the world and desiring as it was euer her prayer that she might be as a Looking-glasse to all that eyther did sée or heare of her fall that by her they might sée into theyr owne frailines and the infirmities which are subiect to the flesh And hauing as I said acknowledged her guiltines was condemned And by reason shee was not then deliuered of child still repriued and at y e same Assise Bownd was indited and whether by euill counsell giuen him or for his owne obstinacie I cannot truly report but he would not answer to the Articles obieced against him nor refer his cause to GOD and the Country but stoode mute though the Iudges very earnestly mooued him to put his cause to triall all which would not perswade him and therefore according to the Law he was adiudged to be prest receiuing his iudgement on the Saturday to be executed on Munday following And for Isabell Hall her matter that Assise was not called in question which yéelded her such incouragement that shee was altogether regardlesse of the good of her soule But Bownd euer before he perceiued how hee should spéede pleaded to euery one whom he had any communion with of his innocencie till he saw no hope of life then hée before two or thrée Preachers and others did manifest the whole truth and affirmed that flesh and blood was not able to endure the often assaults that Elizabeth Caldwell had of him and Isabell Hall and vppon the Munday about nine of the clocke was prest where to euery mans iudgement there present hee made a very penitent end béeing hartily sorrowfull for his offences and very deuoutly craued pardon of GOD and all the world and so died I trust the true seruaunt of Iesus Christ. Then that night next after his death Elizabeth Caldwell was deliuered of a boy which child is yet as I take it still liuing with another boy she had before her impresonment the which are at the keeping of Caldwell their father and as it was generally reported hee made sute to the Iudge to procure a warrant to haue his wife executed within a certaine time after her deliuerie but how true it was that he made such meanes I cannot truly affirme but sure I am a warrant was granted and sent the keeper for to haue her executed within 13 daies or thereabouts after she was deliuered the which was conuented by reason the Cunstable of the castle did mistake the deliuerie of the warrant to the Sheriffe till the date was out Though she a senight before the time had prepared her selfe only to receiue the mercy of God and terror of death yet it pleased God otherwise a while to prolong her daies which time giuen her she did not vainely spend but imploy her vttermost indeuors to obtaine mercie and forgiuenes in such rare sort as if I should discribe the perticulers thereof it would not only be endlesse and tedious but I doubt to the hearers and readers it would be though incredable for in her might be seene the true image of a penitent sinner as the like hath not often in these daies beene seene God showing his glory so aboundantlie working her penitency as to me and many more was most admirable For if she espied in any one of what calling or degree soeuer that they wilfully or carelesly abused Gods holy ordinaunces shee would reproue them for it and curtiously intreate them to amend such and such abuses though some disdained she should seeme so to doe in regard of her owne former offence though indeede none might better doe it then shee hauing smarted euen at her soule for her sinnes This is the frailnes of our flesh we only disdaine not our afflicted bretheren but also there good admonitions God of his mercy I beseech him giue vs grace that we may sée into our fickle estates and receiue willingly any reprofe that may tend