Page:History of the two children in the wood (1).pdf/23

23 and he often that spirits and deamons were dancing before him in horrid shapes, and pushing at him with flaming weapons every moment ready to destroy him, nor was this all for a murrain fell amongst his cattle, of which most of them died, his corn was blasted, and the earth refused to yield its increase, wherever he had any thing to do, mildews and catterpillars spoiled his fruits, and his barns were fired by lightning, two of his sons  cast away in a sea storm and drowned, and being by his insolence hated of all men, he spent at a lavish rate his estate among villains and vagabonds, and running largely into debt he was cast into prison, where through want and, he died unpitied, and left his wife in great poverty.

XII

How the murder came to be at the gallows.

HIS being the miserable end of the wicked Androgus, it not long happened that Rawbones being taken in a notorious robbery, upon full proof and conviction of it when finding sentence of death passed upon him he desired to