Bloody Miller 2- (Liv) c. 1815 Thompson broadside
[My date figuring between 1810-1820. From the broadside "Bloody Miller" dated 1789-1820; imprint: Thompson, Printer, no. 156, Dale-Street, Liverpool. This is not A, also Bloody Miller--it's a rewrite of Berkshire Tragedy.
One of the four standard rewrite titles, "The Cruel Miller," "The Cruel Miller, or, Love and Murder," "False-Hearted Miller," and "Bloody Miller."
"The Cruel Miller, or, Love and Murder," dated c. 1813 and "Bloody Miller," Imprint: Thompson, Printer, no. 156, Dale-Street, Liverpool between 1789-1820 are among the earliest printed. It's reasonable to assume all were printed by c. 1820. This short version was issued by many printers, both London with imprints by Disley; Such; Fortey; Pitts; Catnach and provincial with imprints by Birmingham; Worcester; Newcastle; Liverpool; North Shields; Manchester), plus several issues with no imprint[Pettitt].
R. Matteson 2016]
The Bloody Miller
My parents educated, and good learning gave to me,
They bound me 'prentice to a miller with which I did agree,
Till I fell a-courting a pretty lass with a black & rowling eye,
And I promis'd I'd marry her, if she with me would lie.
I courted her for six long months, a little now and then,
I being ashamed to marry her, I being so young a man,
'Til at length she prov'd with child, and she thus to me did say,
Ah Jonny dear do marry me, or else for you I die.
I went to her sister's house at eight o' clock one night,
But little did my fair maid know, I ow'd her any spight,
I asked her to take a walk, all thro' yon meadows gay,
And there we'd sit and talk awhile,and fix our wedding day.
I took a stick out of the hedge and hit her on the crown,
And soon blood from the innocent, came trickling to the ground,
She on her bended knees did fall and loud for mercy cried,
Saying Jonny don't murder me, for I am big with child.
I took her by her yellow locks and dragged her on the ground,
Till we came to the riverside, where I hove her body down,
With blood from the innocent my hands and feet were di'd[1],
And if you'd seen her in her bloom she might have been my bride.
I went unto my master's house, at ten o' clock at night,
My master getting out of bed, and striking of a light,
He asked me and question'd me what dy'd my hands & clothes.
I answer him as I saw fit, I'd bleeding in my nose.
I[2] now took up a candle and lighted me to bed,
And all the blessed live long night, my true love lay dead,
But all the blessed long night, no rest I could find,
For burning flames of torment all round my eyes did shine.
Now in two or three days after, this fair maid she was miss'd,
I was seized on suspicion, and in a prison cast,
Her sister persecuted me for my own awful doubt,
Her sister evidenc'd against me for asking of her out.
In two or three day[s] after, this fair maid she was miss'd,
Floating on by her brother's house, he liv'd near Wexford town,
And so now the Judge & Jury there quickly did agree,
For the murder of my own true love, that hanged I should be.
1. dy'd= dyed
2. this line begins "No I now"-- apparently it was to be "Now I took. . . "