Newes from Perin

1618

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[Woodcut of a coffin.]

An vnfortunate Murther

lately committed neere Perin

in Cornwall.

AT Perin a Towne in Cornwall, liv'd a man of honest life and ample possessions: Being in his youth blest with a vertuous Wife, who brought him many sweete and toward Children: that stood like so many Olive branches about his Table: And thus was he a long time blest, onely because he feared the Lord.

But as there is no day so bright and glorious, in which one cloud or other interposeth not itselfe, and no estate so firme but it is subiect to alteration: So it fell out with him, for amongst the rest, one of his Children, and (which augmented his griefe the more) the youngest prov'd so wilde and misgovern'd, as neither gentle admonitions of his Parents, nor sevearer correction of Maister or Tutor, could any way worke to good purpose vpon him, so wilde and rancke grew the weedes of disobedient stubbernnesse in him: that consorted with a crew of his owne condition, hauing made what spoyle they could a shore, they determin'd a voyage to Sea, and made what hauocke they could there also.

Which tooke effect: Being once at Sea (Dux omnium malorum as we terme it) they spare neither Spanish, French, Dutch, Scotch or English, but make good the Proverbe, and count all Fish that come to the net: And hauing (after many petty ones) taken one rich prize, thinking with the Fools in their hearts that there was no God but their golde, they determin'd to put a shore in Turkey, and there lewdly spend what was vnlawfully got:

But marke the Judgement of God vpon such, being within kenne of shore, they were suddenly becalm'd, and set vpon by the Turkish Gallyes, who after long and sharpe fight of both sides, got the better: yet such was their resolution, they fought it out to the last man, so as our English Gallant seeing no way to safety, tooke some of the best and wealthiest Jewels he had about him, and with his sword in his hand leapt into the Sea.

The Turkes men minding the booty, then our naked men boarded and fell to rifling, where they found much wealth, and accordingly enioyed it.

In the meane time our English caveliere, with much difficultie recouers the shore, where with colde comfort (we may imagin) seeing he could not saue those thinges, for which his soule and body were (without God's great mercy) quite lost, he began to looke back into the past course of his life, where finding much matter of griefe, but little or none of any comfort, he began to fall into serious meditation with himselfe, that if he with the rest of his comforts had been cast away at Sea, with all his bloody and vn-repented sinnes about him: viz Theft, Piracy, Murther, Drunkennes, Swearing, Lust, blasphemy and the like: In what a miserable and desperate estate his poore forlorne soule should have stood at the last great and terrible Day: when the sentence of dreadfull Ite, and comfortable Venite, shall be (by the great and most high Judge, and chiefe Justice of all Flesh) be pronounced.

But withall, hoping and confessing it was Gods mercy to giue him longer time for repentance, that the Sea had not swallowed him with the rest, he began to gather comfort, and make a Christian vse of his preseruation: in this manner determining to change those Jewels and Diamonds he had, into Golde, and with them turne petty Marchant, or some like honest and thriuing course.

But going to sell his Jewels, it happened that one of the richest was knowne to haue belonged to the Gouernour of the Towne, vnder whose Commaund he then was. The truth of the businesse examin'd, it fell out that the Ship which he and his Company had taken and rifled at Sea, (and in which that Jewell with others were found) belong'd to the Governour of Argiers.

In regard whereof, he was presently apprehended as a Pirate and so sentenc'd a slave to the Gallyes: To pleade Excuse, or beg for mercy was in vaine, into a Galley was our gallant conducted, where chayn'd amongst other Christians to the Bogaban't ¹⁾, he was inioyn'd to tugge at an Oare: his Dinner and Supper coarse Bran and water, his morning Breakfast and afternoone Beuer, ²⁾ the Buls pizle and the Bastinado. A good caueat for our fierce heads, whose running wits are some at Rome, some in Venice, and some in Spaine, before their heads be out of the shell.

Now he begins to call to minde his disobedience to his Parents: and thinke what a quiet life and full of pleasure it had beene for him, to haue sit in his Furd gowne at his study in the Universitie, or warme and dry at some honest Tradesmans shop in the Citty: to haue had warme dyet twice a day and welcome, and not have begg'd coarse Bran and water, and haue gone without it.

These and the like considerations were his familiar discourse: hauing continued some while in the Galley, comming one day a shore, whilest the Captaine and other Officers fell to quaffing: he and other Christians with him (slaues) to the number of some Ten, by their industry fylde off their Irons, and hiding their legges in short strawe that was allow'd them in the night, their Captaine and Officers dranke so a shore and others in the Galley, they made a desperate and yet happy escape, and got a shore, where such luckie successe crowned their attempts, that in few monthes after (assisted by the charitable bounty of well disposed Marchants) they ariued vpon the coast of England.

In all this Time his Father and Mother hearing no newes of him, Imagined him to be dead, which was such a griefe to his mother, that it brought her (as was imagined) before her time to her end.

On the other side he calling to minde, his stubborne carriage, and wilfull disobedience, was ashamed to be knowne for their Sonne: But altogether loathing his former courses, bound himselfe Prentice to a Barber Surgeon farre off in the West, with whome hauing serv'd most of his Time, and well profited in his profession, his Master sent him Surgeon in a Ship to the Indyes.

Where such good liking was conceited of him, that after a voyage or two for his Maister, his Time expired, and some gratuitie receiued of his maister for his true and faithfull seruice, he went out againe for himselfe: Hauing thus wrought himselfe an Estate of some two hundred pound and better. Comming this last voyage from the Indyes, and longing as 'tis the nature of all men, at last to see and visit his Father, Countrey and acquaintance, from whome he had now for the space of fifteene yeares beene a stranger: and the Ship which he came in, staying in the Riuer being vnladen, and euery man honestly paide his wages and what he had in venter.

[Woodcut of Ship.]

A Ship being ready bound for Cornwall, he became a passenger in her, and no sooner put to Sea, but a gentle Calme vsherd the Ship, that seemed to dally and play the wanton on the curld bosome of the waues, a shoale of Porpisses that like actiue tumblers vauted ³⁾ in their watry progresse, made them such varietie of present pastime, they seem'd secure and free from all danger that misfortune could any way threaten.

But note the euent: being within kenne of the English shore, a pitchie Cloud so darke and palpable, as day and night were indistinguishable, Inueloped the Sunne, vnto this the Windes like great men bowed to one another, Raine brauld lowde and talkt roughly: In this night of horror now was the ship banded like a Ball against the roughest heaven, and in the same instant throwne downe as low as the Center: billow cuffes billow, and one waue buffets another, so full of disordered rudeness grew the Elements, as the world seem'd nothing else but like an Image of the first generall Chaos. In conclusion, so grosse and palpable grew this confusion, as had not the tongue of eternity cried fiat dies a second time, it had beene eternall night. During this mutenous insurrection of the waues, The Maister being a Stranger, and vnacquainted with the coast, split his Ship against a Rocke ; at which, imagine in what a confused clamour they were: some praying, some cursing, and others exclayming, which would haue rent a mans heart harder then the rocke they ran against. But in vaine, the storme like a cruell tyrant hauing predestined all their ruines, spared neither young nor old, but made a generall massacre of them all:

This young Factour onely escapt: who with many other the terrible tempests in action, ⁴⁾ cast divers plots for safety, and withall, as they were mindfull of their liues, so did they not altogether forget the means, and divers Jewels they had aboard; especially our young English Factour, who well experienced in swimming, loaded himselfe with so much golde, as he thought might be no wayes preiudiciall to his life.

Thus loaden with Jewels and Gold, by the will of heaven, and his owne carefull and painefull industry, sometime swimming, and other whiles catching hold of rent plancks and the like: For the Ship once wrackt, the Sea grew calme, and the windes (like tyrants) hauing done what hauock they could, flew [playing?] to the shore, and there sate smiling at the mines they had made.

Our young Gallant a shore, wet, and vnacquainted by reason of his discontinuance, enquired of the next Passenger ⁵⁾ he met the way to Perin, who accordingly directed him.

Being entred the Towne, he (without acquainting any man with his name or businesse) repaires to the house where some sixteene yeares since being an Inne, he had lefte his owne Father dwelling: where enquiring as a stranger for such a man, he heard that his first wife being dead, he had married a second, and given that house (being a well esteemed Inne) to the Maister of it, in way of dowrie with one of his daughters, being sister to this our distressed Travailler.

This woman he desired to see and conferre withall, who by reason of his long absence, had altogether forgot him: he notwithstanding asked if she neuer had a wilde Youth (concealing his owne name) to her Brother: She answered yes, and one that aboue all the rest her Father and Mother cockred and loved: But he was long since taken by the Turkes and died (as they were informed) a Gally slave: he laboured to perswade the contrary, and gaue many and certaine likelihoodes, that he was the same party: Telling the name of his Godfathers, and where they dwelt, as also with whom, and in what place he went to Schoole. But all to no purpose, so throughly was she grounded in the report of his death, as nothing could perswade the contrary.

Till at last she called to minde an infallible token, which was this, that if he were her brother, hee had a great red Moale growing in the bent of his left arme, by which, shee had often heard her Mother say, especially on her death bed, that if euer it were his fortune to come againe, they might easily know him amongst a thousand. And except he could shew her that, all other proofes in the world should never perswade her that he was her brother, but some cunning Impostore: whereupon, not willing to hold her longer in suspence, he opened his bosome, and gave her certaine testimony of the trueth.

At sight whereof shee fell about his necke and kissed him, not being able (for the violence of instant ioy) to refraine from shedding of teares. The young man demanded how his Father, Mother, and the rest of their kindred did: but when hee heard that his Mother was dead, and the chiefe cause of it proceeded from his disobedient stubbornnese and obstinate course, he fell into such Weeping, she had much labour to comfort him, requesting him to come in, and take such entertainement as her house could of the suddaine afford him.

To which he would in no wise consent, till had seene ⁶⁾ done his duty too, and crau'd pardon of his Father, who dwelt at a Countrey house of his wives, some three or foure miles distant.

From which by many forceable reasons she labour'd to diswade him, viz.. That their Mother in Law might haue no iust cause to hit their Father in the teeth with his Sonnes basenes, being poorely appareld, and newly Sea-wrackt, nor thinke he came for a stocke to set vp his Trade with, especially considering that by the marriages, and great portions giuen with his Children, his quiet life was much disturbed, and his estate more impoverisht: His answere was, that his comming should be a hindrance neither to her nor his Father: For though in that poore and thinne habit, he brought enough for himselfe, and if needs were, to be a helpe and supply to them, and the rest of their poore family.

Onely his request was, that shee would conceale his Name and comming, not onely from the houshold, but her Husband, to try if his Father (as she already had beene) could be deceived in his acquaintance, or not: And if he were, that then the next morning she would meete him there at Breakfast, with as many of their Kindred as was possible, because that besides his presence, hee had brought that home, that being seene and knowne, would make their Joy a great deale the more full: when the good olde man should not only finde of a stubberne and disobedient, a dutifull and penetent childe; and not so onely, but one that by his painefull industry, got that in his youth, which should relieue and comfort his Father in his declining estate.

These premises considered, she condiscended to his request, and onely tasting a cup of Beere, for that time parted: He iourneying towards his Father, and she to meditate vpon the passionate Joy would befall their whole Family the next day at Breakfast. So leaue we them and speake a worde or two of the good olde man their Father.

Who by good House keeping, associating himselfe with Knights and Gentlemen somwhat aboue his estate: As also by preferring his owne, and his second wiues Kindred to great and wealthy marriages, had brought himselfe much behinde hand in the world. To all this his wife being somewhat churlish, and more respecting her owne future estate, then his present welfare: And as it is common with all Mothers, to preferre the good of their owne children before them, to whome they are but mothers in Law. All these thinges put together, but especially seeing his supposed friends, and auncient company keepers, begin to thinke and draw their neckes out of the collers as the Proverbe is, was no little griefe to the heart of the good olde man.

To this a friend gaue him notice, of an Execution of Three hundred pound come out against him: that much disquieted him: His Sonne comes to the woman, demaunding Lodging and meate, being a poore Sea fairing man, and theire ship and all their goods lost at Sea.

She answered, she would aske her husbands consent: which she did.

He intreated her of all loue she would vse him well, vrging he had a sonne at Sea himselfe (if aliue at least) and knew not what want he might stand in: She sayes he is a poore knaue: so much more neede of reliefe, answered her Husband: She rayles at him, and tels him such Prodigalitie hath brought him so low: And such Charity he hopes will be a meanes to raise him as high as euer he was: Sent for him in, gets him a warme Caudle, caused a Pullet to be kil'd, and such fare as his present estate afforded prouided he.

Supper being ended, the good olde man tho desirous of newes, (and rather if he could heare any of his Sonne) yet in regard of the young mans late sea-wracke, and sharpe travaile, hee put off their discourse till the next morning, and so taking leaue, betooke him to his bed, requesting his wife (for other seruants all that time were not in their house) to light the young man to his lodging.

The Olde man gone, his wife (as the custome of most Women is) desirous of newes, fell into a serious discourse with him, of meny, and (as the young man thought) frivolous matters: and imagining (perhaps iustly) that she feared he might in the night steale somewhat, or offer them being lone people some discourtesie: To cleare all manner of suspect, he pluckt out divers baggs of Golde, to the value of some foure hundred pound, vsing these or the like words: Mrs. that you may know your kindnesses are not cast away vpon some base or vngratefull Peasant, ill nurtured in the rules of requitall, keepe this for me till to morrow: when before some good frinds of mine, which I purpose to send for, I will shew my selfe a willing and bountifull debter, and acquaint them and you with the discourse of my whole trauailes, which I make no doubt will be both pleasing and acceptable to all: with these or the like wordes, giuing her the golde to lay by till morning she lighted him vp to bed, where we leaue him to his rest, and returne to the couetous Step-mother.

Who thinking of her present wants, and looking of the golde, cast about twenty wayes, how to inioy it for her owne, when presently the Deuill, that is alwayes ready to take hold of the least aduantage that may be to increase his Kingdome, whispered this comfort in her eare, shewing her the golden temptation: saying, all this will I giue thee, if thou wilt but make away a poore stranger that sleepes vnder thy mercy.

She like her first Grandam, seeing the golde faire to looke too, and the taske easily and without much danger to be affected, tooke the Deuill at his worde, and tyed herselfe to him with an oath, that if she might peaceably inioy the Gold, the true owner of it should neuer wake.

Here now were fit occasion to talke of Golde: the paine, labour and danger a man takes to compasse it, and the infinite vexations, troubles, and casualties a man vndergoes to keepe it: so that I may speake of gold, as the Macedon did of a Kingdome, it is more difficult to keepe then conquer: but of that at some other time and in fitter place: She resolued to keepe the gold, tho for it she looses her life, and forfeits her soule: For where the Deuill playes the Lawyer thats his ordinary fee.

First therefore, she goes vp to her husband, whome after she had wak'd, she questions how and what course he will take to auoyde the Execution come out against him: He requests her to be quiet, and that it was now no fit time of night to dispute of such businesse: If the worst came that could, he had ⁷⁾ friends and Children would not see him sinke vnder so sleight a burthen.

She answered, trusting to friends and relying vpon children, (into whose hands he had put his whole estate) had brought them so much behinde hand as they were. Telling him that if he would be rul'd by her, he should rid himselfe of all debt and danger, without helpe either of friends or children: to whom, whosoever trusteth shall finde that he leanes on a broken staffe, or a shiuered reede: he requests to know how: She tels him by meanes of the poore Saylor that lodged there acquainting him with what store of Golde he had about him, and how easily without danger (comming in late and vnseene the same night) they might make it all theirs.

He seeing her thoughts set all on murther, mildely diswaded her, laying before her the ineuetable dangers, and strange Judgements of God, show'd vpon people in the like kinde of offending: But when all that preuail'd not, he concluded his speech with that part of Scripture: What will it auayle a man or a woman to get the whole world, and loose his owne soule, and so settled himselfe to sleepe.

But all in vaine, for such deepe Impression of gaine, and palpable reasons of safety, had the Deuill granted ⁸⁾ in her thoughts, 'twas impossible to rub them out: and therefore in stead of desisting from her tended practise, she began to make it good, and shew deuilish arguments to approue the lawfulnes of it: Insomuch, that to conclude her deuilish perswasions, drew the good olde man out of his bed, with an intent to doe a murther, which, murther it selfe would haue blusht to haue committed: Twice by her deuillish inticements did he attempt it, and twice his better Genius counseld him to the contrary. At last, the Deuill, for the more valiantly he is resisted growes the more malicious: by whose perswasion, the olde man the second time in bed, hauing biterly denyed the bloody act, and given her and the Deuill (whose aduocate she was) theire answere as hee well hopt: she comes the third time to his bed side, and to make her temptation the more forcible, poures out the gold, fetching her hellish arguments a minore ad maius, thus: how easily and with what little or no danger such a huge masse of wealth might be purchased: which when he refeld by vrging the vnlawfulnesse of it, she burst out into bitter [execrations ?] and cursings, calling him faint hearted coward, and wished, that if he did let slip that occasion, hee might lye and rot in a Gaole, vowing that she would not onely animate and set on all his Creditors to his bitter vndoing but dishearten and drawe all her and his friends from helping and releeving him.

In conclusion, the Diuell and she prevailed, and on hee goes the third time to attempt this deede of darknesse, and entred the chamber, so deadly was her intent, she thrust the knife in his hand, and stood hartning of him on at the dore: he comming to the bed side, found him fast a sleepe, and looking stedfastly vpon him, a drop of blood fell from his nose vpon the young mans breast, and seemed to blush and looke red, as if it had in dumbe signe disswaded him from that diuellish intent. To conclude the bloodie deede is done, an innocent sonne slaine by a guilty Father: his life blood shed by him from whom both life and blood were received. A cruell Murther, and so vnnaturall, as time hath not in all his Recordes one more horrid and detestable: to see what a pitteous groane and ruthfull looke the dying sonne cast vpon the murtherous Father. I leaue to their considerations, that either knew the loue of a father to a sonne, or a sonne to the father: onely this one note worthy remembrance I here credibly recite, that iust as the knife was entering his throat, the screech-owle beat her pineons against the window, and gave a fearefull shrieke at the beds head, as if she had said Awake young man awake, but all in vaine, the Innocent is dead, and the guilty possest his gold.

The next morning very early, the sister according to promise lights at the gate, and after her duty done to her Father, desires to see and speake with her brother: the old man amazed at this kind of visitation, askes what brother she meant: she replies: the young man that in the habite of a poore Saylor came the last night, to demaund lodging, promised as that morning to meete her and diuers other of their kindred, which she had brought to Breakefast, and that he had brought home store of gold, with which he purposed to pay his Fathers debts. The olde man hearing this discourse, betwixt feare and horrour, looked pale and trembled, yet seeing no remedy, hee demaunded how she knew that young man to be her brother: after many other probable likelihoods, she naimed the moale in the bent of his left arme: at hearing of which, without further wordes, as if he had beene strucke with a sodaine extasie: he runnes vp to the Chamber where this hainous murther was committed, and finding the token true, with the same knife he had kild his Sonne, he murthered himselfe: his Wife seeing her Husband stay somewhat longer then she expected, runnes vp after him to see the event, where finding her husband dead in his Sonnes armes, the Deuill on one side, and her owne guilty conscience on the other, telling and vrging her to be the cause of all this: her conscience perswading she had deserued death of body in this world; and the Deuill assuring her, she could not escape damnation in the world to come, Tooke the same knife (yet reeking with the blood of her breathlesse husband) and with it ript vp her owne bosome: the Daughter staying below, wondering neither Father, Brother nor Mother came downe (great with childe as she was) went by the staires: where she became a witnesse to the most lamentable (and worthiest to be pittied) Spectacle that ever eye saw.

The couetous Step-mother not yet altogether dead, as well as she could in broken accents excused her husband, and acknowledged her selfe the ground & Author of all this: which hindred the good woman from doing instant violence vpon herselfe: but such was her extreame griefe, to see a Father murther his owne Sonne first, then himselfe, and a couetous step-Mother author of all this: she grew franticke, and threw herselfe first into the Armes of her Father, then of her Brother, kissing the one, and showring teares vpon the other, with such ardor of affection and violence of passion, it made all the standers by with a generall voyce cry out: It was the Bloodiest and most Inhuman murther, the Countrey was euer guilty of.

And so to the end it may be a warning, to all couetous step-Mothers and a content for all easie Fathers to auoyde the like hereafter: At the entreaty of diuers Gentlemen in the Countrey, It is as neare the life as Pen and Incke could draw it out, thus put in Print.

FINIS.

[Woodcut: arabesque.]

――――――――

1) Rowing bench. 

2) Slight repast, usually between meals. 

3) Vaulted: original, hauted 

4) Who, with many other, the terrible tempests being in action, cast divers plots? 

5) Passer-by. 

6) Till he had seene? 

7) Original: have 

8) grafted?