Speech

Bloody News from Chattam

Or a true and impartial account of a most barbarous murder, committed upon the body of a widow and her son on Twelve-day last past, by her pretended sweetheart in a copse about half a mile from Beacon Hill within a mile of Chattam. With the manner how this murder (through the providence of God) was discovered by a dog, that was discovered by a dog that was with a boy gathering of sticks. A Relation of his apprehension, and what he confessed to the justice of the peace and some ministers, in the goal at Canterbury, where his is now in durance. Any man may be satisfied of the truth of this, at the Queen’s Head at Billingsgate, at the Star In  upon Fish Street Hall, by the Kentish Carriers, and other Gentlemen lodging there.

Printed for George Smith, 1675.

Bloody News from Chattam etc.

Where lust take up our desires, and revenge and murder seizes on our resolutions, it is the true way to make us wretched in this life, and our souls miserable in that to come.  For if chastity and charity (the two precious virtues and ornaments of a Christian) steer not our actions on Earth; how shall, nay, how can he arrive to the Harbour of Heaven, or if we abandon those celestial virtues to follow and embrace those infernal vices, what do we but take ourselves from felicity to misery, and consequently give ourselves from God to Satan, but we did seriously (and truly) consider that there is a Heaven to reward the righteous and a Hell to punish the ungodly?  We would neither defile our hearts and pollute our souls with the thoughts, much less with the actions of such beastly and inhumane crimes.  But in this sinful age of ours, there are too many lascivious and envious wretches, who make it their business to debauch themselves and others.  Among whom I here represent unto you a sad but true history: it’s bloody, and therefore mournful.  But if we detest the crime, we need not fear the punishment, for God is as gracious and propitious to protect the innocent, as just and severe to chastise the guilty.

In the town of Chattam in the county of Kent lately lived one _______ Ruttle, a lascivious debauched young man, being much addicted to company-keeping, having thereby wasted almost all his portion, begins to take into consideration how he might raise his fortune and redeem his credit.  First, reforms his life, and having put on  a civil garb, and Nature having endowed him with wit and comeliness, he resolves to seek after a Yoke-fellow, and such a one as might help him in this low estate which he had brought himself into.  He informs his friends of his intentions to marry, who informed him of a person living near him, that had they were sure enough to supply his present occasions (and would (no?) doubt if he pleased to make his mind known unto her) be willing to accept of him.  He having this encouragement resolves to give this person a visit, and upon the next day, which he thought long ere it came.  Now the morning being come, he puts his resolution into practice.  Being come into her presence, and having fixed his eye upon her, saw she was worthy to be beloved, and proceeds to make his mind known to her and seek her for his wife by his own solicitations, promises, attained her good will to marry her, but not without sighs, tears, and prayers and oaths, and by these false hypocritical tears and promises he gets the good will of this poor widow, being the mother of two children, and them both living, the one at nurse, the other at home with her about six or seven years old.  And now having got her good will for which he came, he doth proceed to confirm the business, and that by telling her what she desired to know, viz. what he had, and in what way he was to live, and whether able to maintain she and her two children in case she should grant him her good will.  He, knowing that he could not if he spoke the truth give her full satisfaction.  Therefore as he now says, he resolved to turn the best side outwards, and to tell her that he had a considerable living near Canterbury which was mortgaged, but if she had but so much money that would redeem it, then it would be worth so much a year, and that would be enough to maintain them, and if she had not so much, he did not doubt but he could borrow so much, and if she pleased but to go along with him he would show her what it is, and the writings, she gave credit to him, thinking his heart had been like his words, gave consent to go along with him, not only to see what he told her he had there, but also to see his friends, which dwelt there, being born at Faulston:  now the time being come what she was, according to promise to go along with him, in order thereunto she took cloths with her, and also her son, having none at home to leave him with, and with what money she had, she goes with him, not thinking that her journey had been so short as it proved to be.  For they were not gone above a mile, or thereabouts, but he considered with himself, what he should do in case he should have her to the place he had told her, it being but a false and a mere forged story, that he had made to delude her, and being now in abundance of care and trouble, the Devil, that Old Serpent, that lies in wait to devour, quickly laid hold of this opportunity, and having strong hold, and good footing before, intends to bring this his servant into his own bosom, that had so long and faithfully served him:  tells him that his best and only way was, if he could, to get her to be kind to him before the hand: this bait of the Devils was very pleasing to him: he there puts it into practice, and finding a convenient passage out of the road, running up and down.  And as God had appointed this dog was the first that revealed this horrid murder; who when he had found would not wag from thence, but howled more and more till that the boy came to him, and no sooner was he come but he was frightened almost out of his wits, and in this manner runs as fast as legs could carry him home to acquaint the town, which he quickly did, and many with speed as the boy directed them, went to see, where they quickly found it to be too true; and that which troubled them most, that it was one of their neighbours that had lived civilly and honestly with them many years; they quickly send hue and cry after him, and take him at Dover; and after examination by a justice of the peace, was committed to Canterbury Gaol.  Where several ministers have been with him, but as yet find him very little concerned, notwithstanding his acknowledging of his own guilt, but we must leave him to the mercy of the jury, and to the justice of God.

FINIS

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