The Somersetshire Wonder, Or. Late Dreadful Judgments which hath hapened upon the Family of Mr. Pope, of Wotton, near Glastenbury in the said Country.
To the Tune of,
the Bleeding heart.
GOOD People all that round about me stand,
Pray mind the strange afflictons in this Land,
Such wonders scarce before has ever been,
In
Somersetshire at
Wotten they are seen.
One Mr.
Pope, who did at
Wotten dwell,
Near
Glastenbury, where thousands can tell,
The dismal fate which lately did befall,
Upon the farmer by distroying all.
Now to begin, if you the truth would know,
One Sunday Mr.
Pope to Church did go,
his only Son at home he left behind,
who was to play and other things inclin'd.
During Church time this Lad did run about,
Looking for Hens nest and to find Eggs out,
For to boy! Eggs it was his main desire,
When he came in three Eggs were on the fire.
one of the same he took and straight did eat,
VVhich quickly put the Lad into a sweat,
And quickly fell to vomiting strange things,
As bits of Glass, stump Nails and crooked Pins.
A Pear stuch full of Thorns brought up likewise,
And now like one bewitch'd this young Man lies,
The Farther laid the other two Eggs by,
VVhich chang'd to Nails and Glass immediately.
Besides this great misfortune there does fall,
O
[...]t stranger VVonders still among them all,
A Neighbouring VVoman happen'd to be there
VVho saw this lad depriv;d of all his hair.
Tho neither hand nor Sizzars could she see,
Yet this lad's hair was clip'd immediately.
And plainly seen to move out of the room,
So with ths fright she fell into a swound.
There's other strange and various wonders more,
Stones Day and Night are thrown within the Door,
And the Windows which the Glass doth break,
VVith streaks of blood would make ones heart to ake
Some stones are cold, and other stones are hot,
They're crost with blood but Heavens
knows not what,
They rise out of the Ground and nought is seen,
To touch them, yet they swiftly do fly in.
And if they take these stones and throw them out,
They straigit rebound and make a fearful rout,
And when the troubled did degin to cease,
Then more vexatious plagues came on apace.
For in the Orchard, there the Apple Trees,
Vhere split from top to bottom with great eass,
A
[...]
to ones[?] sight, for one could scarce turn round,
But they were split and tumbled to the Ground.
And while the Son by the Fire-side did read,
Straight up the
chimmney something pull'd with
speed
The father and the servant scarce I say,
Could hold the son from being draw away.
And when the Doors were shut and bolted too,
they would burst open without more to do,
Nay locks nor Bars could no ways them secure,
Tho nothing seen yet open flys a Door.
None of the Family at night can rest
But each with some affliction sore opprest,
Sometimes the cords are cut and down they fall,
Sometimes out of the Beds too they are hall'd.
A Parson near to
Wotton coming in,
Receiv'd a deadly blow yet nothing se'en.
to strik, so strange these stories are and true,
their Reaping Hooks twisted like to a screw.
the Son when in a fit did thus delrae,
Oh Fatuher, of your house take special care,
Or this same Night by fire 'twill be consum'd,
Your house and Barns will be burnt to the Gound,
If nothing this Night, ith Morning it will be,
therefore now in the Barn go search and see,
the Father and a Servant straightways sought,
And from the Barn they lighted touchwood broun
[...]
For all their care and diligence that Nigt,
Their Barn next Morning was in fire light,
which quckly to the Dwelling house did blow,
And that by fire was consum'd also.
the
Farmer to another house i'th Town,
Did go to Dwell when his own was burt down,
And as the Son sat by the side,
Out of his Breeches flames of Fire fly'd.
The Family with all that they could strive,
Had much ado to save the Boy alive,
And since this both his Wheat Mows & his Hay,
By Flames of Fire are consum'd away.
Some Neighbours helping to remove the Wheat,
The very Sheaves which they remov'd did sweat,
With Crimson blood the Ears run truckling down
Some on their Cloath and likewise on the Ground.
Thus shall and Oxen, Barns, and Houses there,
Fy fatal Fire, come from, none knows where,
Have been consum'd and wh
[...]t amuses
more[?]
Blood often dropped at the very Door.
And thus these dreadfull I
[...]
still[?]
[...] ▪
Altho the Man aloft is q
[...]
Yet d
[...]y nor Night be
[...]t qui
[...]
Oh, Heavens, Mercy
send[?]
[...]
Printed for J. Jackson