The Bloody Miller- (London) c.1863 P. Brooksby
[Broadside printed for P. Brooksby in Pye-Corner, London c. 1683; based on the murder of Anne Nicolas by Francis Cooper on Sunday February 10, 1683. Original spelling kept.
R Matteson 2016]
The bloody Miller
Being a true and just Account of one Francis Cooper of Hocstow near Shrewsbury, who was a Millers Servant, and kept company with one Anne Nicols for the space of two years, who then proved to be with Child by him, and being urged by her Father to marry her he most wickedly and barbarously murdered her, as you shall hear by the sequel
Tune, Alack for my Love I dye.
LET all pretending Lovers
take warning now by me,
Lest they (as I) procure their woe,
and work their misery:
For I my self have overthrown,
as you shall plainly see,
I for my transgression must dye.
I was a likely Country Youth,
and might have lived well,
But yet in sin and wickedness
mo[s]t Young-men did excell;
But mind what for my cruel deeds
to me at last befell:
I for my etc.
I was a Miller by my Trade,
it plainly doth appear,
Pretending love unto a Maid,
whose Father lived near,
But she for my acquaintance,
poor soule, did pay full dear:
I for my etc.
She was a fair and comely maid,
thought modest, grave, and wise,
And 'twas suppos'd all wickedness
did utterly despise
But my dissembling flattering tongue
did her poor Heart surprize:
I for my etc.
Tho' I was young and likely too,
I wanton was and wild,
And by my amorous carriage she
most strangely was beguil'd,
She did beleive my flattering tongue
till I got her with Child:
I to my etc.
At last she to her Father told
that she and done amiss,
Who seemed much astonished,
and wond[r]ed much at this;
But I false wretch, and Judas like,
betray'd her with a kiss:
I for my etc.
Her Father sent her to the Mill
to ask him her to marry;
Which he then seemed to refuse,
and told her she must tarry
but by my strange & treacherous tricks
I strangely did miscarry:
I for my etc.
There was another Maid beside
whom I kept company,
Which made me far more impudent
in my immodesty;
But my first Love I did forsake
and utterly deny:
I for my etc.
She told me I must marry her,
or for the Child provide;
Five pound I offer'd, which by her
was utterly deny'd;
She in the full conclusion
by me was mortified:
I for my etc.
One Sunday on an Evening tide
for her poor soule I sent
Who came to me immediately
not dreaming what I meant,
And so into a secret place
we sinful sinners went:
I for my etc.
There kissing and imbracing her,
my treachery appear'd,
I like a cruel bloody wretch,
whom she so little fear'd,
Did murther her in such a sort,
the like was never heard:
I for my etc.
From Ear to Ear I slit her mouth,
and stab'd her in the Head,
Till she poor soule did breathless lie
before her Butcher bled,
For which most cruel horrid fact
I now am punished:
And for my etc.
My bloody fact I still denied,
disown'd it till the last,
But when I saw for this my fact
just judgment on me past,
The blood in Court ran from my nose
yea; ran exceeding fast;
And for my etc.
So like a wretch my daies I end,
upon the Gallow-Tree,
And I do hope my punishment
will such a warning be,
That none may ever after this
commit such villany;
And for my transgression I die.