heaven to deliver me, and that the whole transaction seemed to be a chain of wonders; that such things as these were the testimonies we had of a secret hand of Providence governing the world, and an evidence that the eyes of an Infinite Power could search in the remotest corner of the world and send help to the miserable whenever he pleased; and I forgot not to return thanks to God for all his mercies. Finally, having left those who chose to remain in possession of all my property — excepting a few valuables, I went on board ship, in company with my man Friday. We weighed anchor the following morning, namely, the 19th of December, 1686. I arrived in England on the 11th of June, the ensuing year, after an absence of twenty-eight years, two months, and fourteen days.

Defoe.

Ballads.

BALLADS.

THE BABES IN THE WOOD.

THE LEGACY.†

Now ponder well, you parents dear,
These wonders which I write;
A doleful story you shall hear,
In time brought forth to light.
A gentleman of good account
In Norfolk dwelt of late,
Who did in honor far surmount
Most men of his estate.

Sore sick he was, and like to die,
No help his life could save;
His wife by him as sick did lie,

And both possess'd one grave.
No love between these two was lost;
Each was to other kind;

In love they liv'd, in love they died;

And left two babes behind:

* This ballad is supposed to have been written about the year 1600. The words are, of course, the same as in the original: the orthography, however, has been modernised, in order to make it easily comprehensible to young readers.

† Legacy, money or property left (bequeathed) by persons who have died.

Ere they of age

should come,

Their uncle should possess their wealth;

For so the will did run.

THE DECOY.

The parents being dead and gone,
The children home he takes,
And brings them straight into his house,
Where much of them he makes.

He had not kept these pretty babes
A twelvemonth and a day,

When for their wealth he did devise
To make them both away.

He bargain'd with two ruffians strong,
Who were of furious mood,

That they should take these children young

And slay them in a wood.

He told his wife an artful tale,

He would the children send

To be brought up in fair London',
With one that was a friend,