The Cruel Miller- (Lon) c. 1820 Pitts broadside
[From the broadside "The Cruel Miller," 1819-1844; Pitts, Printer, 6, Great St. Andrew Street, 7 Dials, London.
One of four standard titles, "The Cruel Miller," "The Cruel Miller, or, Love and Murder," "False-Hearted Miller," and "Bloody Miller" (not A, also titled "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 Cruel Miller
My parents educated me, good learning gave to me,
They bound me apprentice to a miller with whom I did agree,
Till I fell courting a pretty lass with a black and a rolling eye,
I promised for to marry her if she with me would lie.
I courted her for six long months a little now and then,
I was ashamed to marry her being so young a man,
Till at length she proved with child by me and thus to me did say,
Ah Johnny do but marry me or else for love I die.
I went unto her sister's house at 8 o' clock at night,
And little did this fair one know I owed her any spite,
I asked her if she would take a walk thro' the meadows gay,
And there we'd sit and talk awhile upon our wedding day.
I took a stick out of the hedge and hit her on the crown,
The blood from this young innocent came trickling on the ground,
She on her bended knees did fall and aloud for mercy cried,
Saying Johnny dear don't murder me for I am big with child.
I took her by her yellow locks and dragged her to the ground,
And we came to the river's side where I threw her body down,
With blood from this young innocent my hands and feet were dyed,
And if you'd seen her in her bloom she might have been my bride.
I went unto my master's house at 10 o' clock at night,
My master getting out of bed and striking of a light,
He asked me and questioned me what dyed my hands and clothes.
I made a fit answer I'd been bleeding at the nose.
I then took up a candle to light myself to bed,
And all that blessed long night my own true love lay dead,
And all that blessed long night no rest at all could find,
For the burning flames of torment all round my eyes did shine.
In two or three days after this fair maid she was miss'd,
I was taken on suspicion and into prison cast,
Her sister prosecuted me for my own awful doubt,
Her sister prosecuted me for taking of her out.
In two or three days after this fair maid she was found,
Came floating by her mother's door near to Wexford town,
The judge and the jury they quickly did agree,
For the murder of my true love that hanged I must be.