She says, "My dear laddie, I'll buy your discharge, I'll free you from the soldiers and set you at large; I'll free you from the soldiers, if your heart be true, And you'll ne'er wear a stain on that bonnet so blue." He says, "My dear lady, you'll buy my discharge, You'll free me from the soldiers and set me at large; For your kind offer I'm obliged to you, And I'll ne'er wear a stain on that bonnet so blue. "I have a dear lass in my own country, I'll ne'er forsake her for her poverty; To the girl that I love I will always prove true, And I'll ne'er wear a stain on that bonnet so blue." I'll send for a limner from London to Hull, To draw my love's picture out in the full, Set it in my chamber, keep it close in my view, And I'll think on the lad, for his heart it is true. FOOTNOTE: [Footnote 140: Mr. Halliwell's copy reads, "Kingston upon Woolwich, a town in Yorkshire." The above copy is from Mr. Hailstone's collection, and reads throughout more correctly.] THE CHILD IN THE WOOD; OR THE CRUEL UNKLE. In the town of Beverley, in Yorkshire, about two years ago [1703], there lived one squire Somers, a very honest gentleman of about three hundred per ann.; his wife dying, by whom he had one little daughter, about two years of age, he continued some months a sorrowful widower; he could not well enjoy himself after the loss of his dear spouse. And it so happened that, partly out of grief, partly from a violent fever, he was brought to his bed of sickness, where he continued not long, for he died within a fortnight after he was taken by that fever. He expressed a great concern for his little girl, and therefore called his brother, a gentleman that lived about fourteen miles from him, and begged him to take the care of his daughter upon him. "Brother," said he, "I leave with you the dearest thing that I have in the world--my little daughter, and with her to you I intrust my estate; manage it for her use, and take care of her education in virtue and religion; use her as if she were your own, and, for my sake, see her married to an honest country gentleman." All which was faithfully promised by the brother. Thus, when all things were settled, the gentleman dies, and the brother takes home the child to his house, and for some time used her kindly. But at the last, the devil of covetousness possessed him; nothing run in his mind so much as making away with the child, and so possess the estate. After many ways, he at last concluded to take her with him, and hide her in a hollow tree; which one morning he effected, and left the poor infant with her mouth stopped that she might not cry. For he had so much grace not actually to murder her, therefore he left her alive in the hollow of the tree; and, the better to hide the matter, gave out that the child was dead, and, therefore, caused an effigy of wax to be made, laid it in a coffin, and a shroud, and made a great funeral for the child. Thus the