<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
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<REVDESCR>
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<DATE>2014-05-19</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>TCP Staff (Michigan)</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B140317.pdcc.</ITEM>
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<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B21276">
<STC T="W">D1703</STC>
<STC T="G">515.l.2[12]</STC>
<STC T="C">R226661</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99886836</BIBNO>
<VID>189506</VID>
</IDG><!-- alt.stc G515.l.2[12] --><!-- alt.stc CR226661 -->
<TEXT LANG="eng">
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<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<HEAD>The di&s;tre&s;&s;ed Mother: OR, Sorrowful WIFE in TEARS:</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P>Being a full and true Account of a mo&s;t horrid, barbarous and bloody MURTHER, committed at <HI>Chatham,</HI> in the County of <HI>Kent,</HI> on <HI>Tue&s;day</HI> the 16th of this in&s;tant <HI>September,</HI> by one Mrs. <HI>Katherine Fox,</HI> a Gentlewoman, on the Body of her own Hus|band, and two young Children, by cutting their Throats from Ear to Ear; with the manner of her Apprehending and Taking, Examination and Confe&s;&s;ion before the Wor&s;hipful Ju&s;tice <HI>Bourchier,</HI> and Commitment to <HI>Maid&s;tone</HI> Goal for the &s;ame.</P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>ONE Mr. <HI>Fox</HI> of a plentiful E&s;tate formerly in <HI>Chatham</HI> in the County of <HI>Kent,</HI> but trhough riotous Living had con&s;um'd it all in a few Years, in&s;omuch that he was reduced to a very low Ebb of Fortune, but on <HI>Tue&s;cay</HI> 6th of this in&s;tant <HI>Sep|tember,</HI> he went to a Publick Hou&s;e to drink with his old Cronies that had Ruin'd him, where being mo&s;t vehemently incen&s;ed by lo&s;s and mi&s;chief, in &s;o bitter and terrible a manner, did he Beat his poor Wife, who came to &s;eek Relief from his hands, for her, and her poor Children, in the fight of his drunken Companions, that as he thought, he had left her Dead, and pa&s;t Recovery.</P>
<P>This de&s;olate Wretch at la&s;t returning to her &s;elf, and repairing back again to her to her &s;ad &s;orrowful Hou&s;e, behold, two her young Babes, grievou&s;ly oppre&s;&s;ed with Hunger, with Tears in their Eyes, taught not to Speak by Age, but Mi&s;ery, required and de&s;ired Su&s;tenance of her; <HI>Mother,</HI> &s;aith one, <HI>a little Food, or I die, Mam,</HI> &s;aith the other, and with piercing Signs Speaks the re&s;t, <HI>Alas! poor Babes,</HI> &s;aith the Mother with bitter Sighs, <HI>Where &s;hall I get it? Your Father hath lo&s;t his Patience, with his Wealth, and we our Hopes, with his Mi&s;haps: Alas! alas! what &s;hall become of me, or who &s;hall &s;uccour you, my Children? Better it is to Die with one Stroke, than to langui&s;h in a continual Famine.</HI> So pre&s;&s;ed by the&s;e Mi&s;eries, and brought to this De&s;pair, &s;he took a Knife in her Hand, and cut her Childrens Throats from Ear to Ear, &s;etting her &s;elf down purpo&s;ely to Die, and peri&s;h in her Sorrows.</P>
<P>Now her Husband returning Home the &s;ame Evening, laden with Wine, and more fit to take re&s;t than examine the&s;e Tragedies, ca&s;t him&s;elf on his Bed, neither dream|ing on his Lo&s;&s;es, nor her Mi&s;eries: Whereupon &s;he being urged by her pre&s;&s;ing Nece&s;&s;ities, occa&s;ioned through his willful Extravagances, &s;eeing him fa&s;t A&s;leep, who regarded not her Afflictions, with the &s;ame Knife wherewith &s;he had Kill'd her Children, &s;he cut his Throat, the cau&s;e of her Confu&s;ion; &s;peaking likewi&s;e thus boldly during the time of her Execution: <HI>Thou &s;halt Die, thou negligent Man, &s;ince thy ill Government hath been the Ruine of me and my Children.</HI></P>
<P>But Day and Time di&s;covering the&s;e Murders, Mrs. <HI>Katherine Fox,</HI> was on <HI>Wedne&s;day</HI> Morning, being the 17th in&s;tant, Apprehended by &s;ome of her Neighbours, and being charged with a Con&s;table, &s;he was carried before the Wor&s;hipful Ju&s;tice <HI>Bourchier,</HI> by whom be|ing Examin'd, &s;he confe&s;&s;ed the bloody Fact; upon which &s;he was committed to <HI>Maid&s;ton</HI> Goal, in order to take her Tryal for the &s;ame the next A&s;&s;izes; and whither &s;he went with much Con&s;tancy, giv|ing all the way &s;he was going to Pri&s;on whole&s;ome Admonitions to the numerous Spectators, which tended, <HI>That Wives &s;hould beware of too much Fury, and Husbands to be more circum&s;pect in their Families.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P><HI>London:</HI> Printed for <HI>J. Beuvet</HI> near <HI>Billing&s;gate.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
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