And to conclude, himself was brought
To want and misery:
He pawned and mortgaged all his land
Ere seven years came about.
And now at last this wicked act
Did by this means come out,

The fellow that did take in hand
These children for to kill,
Was for a robbery judged to die,
Such was God's blessed will:
Who did confess the very truth,
As here hath been displayed:
The uncle having died in jail,
Where he for debt was laid.

You that executors be made,
And overseers eke,
Of children that be fatherless,
And infants mild and meek,
Take you example by this thing,
And yield to each his right,
Lest God with suchlike misery
Your wicked minds requite.

The Hobyahs

Once there was an old man and woman and a little girl, and they all
lived in a house made of hempstalks. Now the old man had a little dog
named Turpie; and one night the Hobyahs came and said, "Hobyah! Hobyah!
Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and
carry off the little girl!" But little dog Turpie barked so that the
Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, "Little dog Turpie barks so that
I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off
his tail." So in the morning the old man cut off little dog Turpie's
tail.

The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said, "Hobyah! Hobyah!
Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and
carry off the little girl!" But little dog Turpie barked so that the
Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, "Little dog Turpie barks so that
I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off
one of his legs." So in the morning the old man cut off one of little
dog Turpie's legs.

The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said, "Hobyah! Hobyah!
Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and
carry off the little girl!" But little dog Turpie barked so that the
Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, "Little dog Turpie barks so that
I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off
another of his legs." So in the morning the old man cut off another of
little dog Turpie's legs.

The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said, "Hobyah! Hobyah!
Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and
carry off the little girl!" But little dog Turpie barked so that t