Selected quad for the lemma: woman_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
woman_n	child_n	mother_n	nurse_n	1,698	5	11.4284	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95242	A True relation of the most horrid and barbarous murders committed by Abigall Hill of St. Olaves Southwark, on the persons of foure infants; parish children, whom she undertooke to nurse, and her most deceitfull borrowing of other children of her poore acquaintance, whom on every quarter day she would bring to the over-seers of the parish, and receive her quarters pay for them, as if they had bin the same children which had bin committed to her charge to nurse. For which most cruell murders, being convicted and condemned at the sessions held at the Old-Baily. Wednesday Decemb. 15. Shee [sic] was accordingly executed on Wednesday, Decemb. 22. in Cheapside neare unto Woodstreet. Together with a true account of the strange and stubborn end she made, and her jeering of her executioner at the houre of her death. And a caveat to all other women that are suspected for the like unnaturall and most unmercifull practises.		1658 (1658)	Wing T3008; Thomason E1881_2; ESTC R209883	5,672	16

heady counselo This Report was entertained into the beliefe of all his Kinsmen and continued currant for certaine yeares At the last be caused it to be spred forth abroad that his Kinsman was dead beyond the Seas and being the only Heire that was left be for many yeares without any disturbance did inherite his Estate but not without some visible Judgment for his Children dyed It was the mit of Justice that he should be left Childless himself who had destroyed his brothers Child to enrich his own family In the processe of Time walking in the fields which so unjustly he had possessed and thinking himselfe secure and frée from all dangers whatsoever beheld where two Robens soaring over his head did stoope lower to it as they came nearer to him This sight was strange unto him but the noise they made was more terrible he used all the meanes that possibly he could to fright them from him but neither the shoutes which he made nor the noise of his Gun would prevaile for the Ravens still hovered over his dead or were neare unto him either on the one side of him or the other Eatring into house they made a great noise soaring upward they wheeled abrut the house and then pearched on the top of it He caused them to be shot at but they were not hurt if they rsse from the top of the house they presently again would alight upon it Night comming on the Master of the house entertained a hope that they wold be gone and commanding Horses to be made ready be withdrew himselfe with his ordinary trayne of Servants to ●nother place but all in vaine for these two dreadfull and black winged Summoners did still attend him On the morning following be offered a round summe of money to any one that could kill those Ravens which although it was often attempted as before yet could never be effected At the last his hope and his heart sainted and caving with dispaire be confessed the Murder he had committed Its words at the first were taken as procéeding from a Man that had lost his sences and his health But the place being searched where in the Wood be acknowledged that he had buried his Brothers Sonne after a little digging in the ground the Spade grated against the skull severall Bones were taken up which no sooner were brought unto the house where the Murderer was but the two Ravens having done the businesse in which the divine Providence did imploy them did By away and they were séene no more about the houses The Murderer being dragged to the Tayle was brought not long afterwards before the Court of Justice where being Condemned for his murder be answered for the guilt of his ●act with the forfeit of his life Sometimes we shall find that Dogs have béen made instruments to bring to light Murders that have been cōmited sometimes inanimate things have been made instrumentall in it and the judgment of GOD upon Murderers have amongst the Heathen been so remarkable that we shall find they have seldome escaped unpunished The censure of the Barbarians when they saw the Uiper to leape out of the fire and to hang on the hand of Paul is most considerable surely said they this man is a Murderer whom though hee hath escaped the Sea yet Vengeance will not suffer him to live But to procéed to our Subject in hand It is an ancient Proverb in this Nation That seldome any notorious Murder is committed but a Woman hath a hand in it To this the severall Jailes in this land and places of Execution have given many testimonies How mercilesse were those female furies who came over from Ireland with recruits for the late King Their Knives were more bloudy then were the Swords of their companions It is not much regarded but very true it is that the finest and softest Tempers being depraved doe grow most obdurate the purest Natures doe prove most vitions Had not Lucifer been the Son of the morning it id possible that he had never béen the Prince of Darkness had not the Complexions of some Women béen so tempting and their Inclinations so tender by Nature It is likely they had never béen such Devils as they are It is a Principle in Philosophy that Corruptio optima est possima The best Corruption is the worst and it holds true as well in the Intlinations of the mind as in the Constitutions of the Body Who would have thought that love and tendernesse should be corrupted into cruelty Who would have thought that the Nurse of Children should become the Murderer of Children O horrid fruits of unruly Avarice And O the wickedness of a Womans haart hardned into the practice of all manner of villany This woman Abigall Hill was look'd upon by all her Neighbours for a Woman inclined to much Compassion she seemed much to pitty young Children that were in distresse and according to bee power to relieve them She was therefore supposed to be a good nurse into whose charge and care the Nursing up of young Children should be committed She lived many yeares in the Parish of St. Olaves in Southwark with her Husband who to yet living and some Children she brought up carefully and returned them after the time was out unto the Parish who payed her for them thinking her to be a carefull and good Woman And this was the reason that many Children were brought uncover and if at any time any Child forsaken by the wicked Mother was left upon the Parish we would be ready to receive undertake to bring it up being a Nurse as wicked and more cruell then the Mother Seven years thus she lived no notice was taken of what became of her Children if any were missing it being blesesed that they dyed by sickness or having too many of them lying on her hands she thad delivered the charge of them to some oher poore woman to be carefull of them It was oftentimes murmured indéed amongst her Neighbours that such and such a Child was conveyed away and much suspition there was amongst them because they could not tell what was become of it and the sodennesse of the removall of the Child without anr noise of Sickness or discontent did adde much unto their jealousie At the last it pleased God that this wicked Woman and her Husband did fall out where in the beat of his passion bee did upbrain her with the Children she had made away This presently was taken notice of by the Neighbours who affirming it was pitty that such a wicked Creature should live upon the Earth did acquaint the Constable with it who carrying her before a Justice of the Peace she having but little to say for herselfe was sent to Newgate and at the Sessions following which began on Wednesday Decemb. 15. her Inditement was read for Murdering of foure Children and shee being not able to say any thing for her selfe as to give answer what became of the Children or if they were dead to satisfie where they were buried the Jury sound her guilty not only for that bortid murder but for the charge against her that she had made a Trade of it and that at the Quarter day she would borrow Children of her poore acquaintance and being them to the Masters of the Parish as if they were those shee had taken into her custody to Nurse and having received her pay for them she would returne them againe unto those of whom she had borrowed them All the Confession which she made at the Barre was that indeed once one of her Children lying sicke and but little h●pe of Life she did wring it by the neck and killed it to put it out of its paine For this and her other horrid Murders she was condemned to suffer Death and be hanged at Cheapside wch accordingly was performed on Wednesday December 22. 1658. Being come to the place of Execution either the stubbornness of her resolution or the desperatnesse of her condition had made her almost sencelesse for she made no Confession at all and being advised of the shortnesse of her Life and to méet with God by repentance she would returne no answer to the admonitions of the Divine nor of any other that did give her any saving Counsels It is observable that being on the Ladder as the Executioner was sitting the fatail Rose about her neck she turned sodainly unto him as if shee had béen in some passion and said unto him What! Doe you make account to choake me She had Time given on her to make her Confession but the people perceiving that she abused their expactation the Hangman at the last turned her off the Ladder and she dyed miserably as she dyed mercilesly Wée heare of some Women the one in Shoreditch and the other in Shoo-lane who although they have made no trade of kaine of it have brought their Children or their Apprentices to the like untimely ends These are sad Stories but I bopa not true But this Woman may be an Example unto all to take bées how they run into the same Onilf least they partake of the same paublike punishment The End