light along the stream, Sudden Lord William heard a cry Like Edmund’s drowning scream. The boatman paus’d, methought I heard A child’s distressful cry! ’Twas but the howling wind of night Lord William made reply. Haste haste—ply swift and strong the oar! Haste haste across the stream! Again Lord William heard a cry Like Edmund’s drowning scream. I heard a child’s distressful scream The boatman cried again. Nay hasten on—the night is dark— And we should search in vain. Oh God! Lord William dost thou know How dreadful ’tis to die? And can’st thou without pity hear A child’s expiring cry? How horrible it is to sink Beneath the chilly stream, To stretch the powerless arms in vain, In vain for help to scream? The shriek again was heard. It came More deep, more piercing loud, That instant o’er the flood the moon Shone through a broken cloud. And near them they beheld a child, Upon a crag he stood, A little crag, and all around Was spread the rising flood. The boatman plied the oar, the boat Approach’d his resting place, The moon-beam shone upon the child And show’d how pale his face. Now reach thine hand! the boatman cried Lord William reach and save! The child stretch’d forth his little hands To grasp the hand he gave. Then William shriek’d; the hand he touch’d Was cold and damp and dead! He felt young Edmund in his arms A heavier weight than lead. The boat sunk down, the murderer sunk Beneath the avenging stream; He rose, he scream’d, no human ear Heard William’s drowning scream. 

 

A Ballad, Shewing how an old Woman rode Double, and who rode before her.

 A.D. 852. Circa dies istos, mulier quædam malefica, in villâ quæ Berkeleia dicitur degens, gulæ amatrix ac petulantiæ, flagitiis modum usque in senium et auguriis non ponens, usque ad mortem impudica permansit. Hæc die quadam cum sederet ad prandium, cornicula quam pro delitiis pascebat, nescio quid garrire coepit; quo audito, mulieris cultellus de manu excidit, simul et facies pallescere coepit, et emisso rugitu, hodie, inquit, accipiam grande incommodum, hodieque ad sulcum ultimum meum pervenit aratrum. quo dicto, nuncius doloris intravit; muliere vero percunctatâ ad quid veniret, affero, inquit, tibi filii tui obitum & totius familiæ ejus ex subitâ ruinâ interitum. Hoc quoque dolore mulier permota, lecto protinus decubuit graviter infirmata; sentiensque morbum subrepere ad vitalia, liberos quos habuit superstites, monachum videlicet et monacham, per epistolam invitavit; advenientes autem voce singultiente alloquitur. Ego, inquit, o pueri, meo miserabili fato dæmoniacis semper artibus inservivi; ego omnium vitiorum sentina, ego illecebrarum omnium 

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