Mary Ann Sate, Imbecile, page 16
He evr was a man see only the good
Thought perhaps the furniture had much value
Should be brought here to be examind
Afore a decision was made
Anyway they had other business in Gloucester
So twas agree they go cart harnessd
Could bring the chest back
All this despite the fact it were early December
The air cloud with rising frost
The jaws of the cold clamping hard
Nettie here take pause
She know the chest turnd out not a chest
But a large oak dresser the drawers lockd
Twas a difficult business to load it
On the cart and bring it back all the long way
Ovr the top at Painswick
Down the Valley
They drive off from Gloucester that morning
Took them all day to come
The dresser slipping sometime on the cart
Startd to freeze deep from Painswick
So that road as had been thick with mud
Running with water
Turn sudden cracking hard and slipping
Course they should never have gone
On such a wild venture
Nettie say to me
Yet you not a child Mary Ann
You know what is the situation here
A gentleman does not become involvd
In the shifting of furniture
But you see how this family is placd
A fine house this but hardly a shilling
If only he had not gone to Gloucester
If only he had done as she say
Sell the dresser there
It were evr like him though to be curious
To believe it might contain
Something to his advantage
Anyways they descend the Painswick Valley
Rough way for the new turnpike not finishd
The cold clench still the skye growd tar black
So they come down just below this farm
You know well how we are situate here
On the ledge above the way below
Tis pitifully steep to come
So Mr Harland Cottrell know as well
He should have takd the cart
The long way round up through Cally Well
Or even pass through Pakenhill
The way is better made there
Yet no he think to come up the hill
Tis no problem in fine weather
The Mistress say no
Tis best not the day is ending
The child Master Blyth tird and hungry
Yet Mr Harland Cottrell say No no
Scant trouble twill be
They can go up the twisting track
The horse is strong the cart well made
Tis a simple matter
So the cart turn up the track
Which goes cross the hill one way
Back tother again and again
Too steep to go up direct
The skye now is low and gatherd thick
The dark collied as a black wool cloak
At first they make good progress
The horse is sinuous strong
He dig in hoof and pull pull up
The dresser well tied on
The way it lie then
Fall of the hill favour
Then they turn the corner
Tis hard to get round
Wheels and hooves slatting on ice
Weight shift
Still Mr Harland Cottrell go on
Apply whip Come on Come on
Tis not so much trouble
We go up
In the cart the Mistress draind pale
Master Blyth sit gainst her
The two shuddering with the cold
Yet they say naught
The cart on the flat again
Cut sideway cross the hill
The horse pull on
No moon no stars ice thicken
The horse go on capital well
Pull strain groan creak
The cart go round
For a moment drop back
Mr Harland Cottrell apply the whip
Not like him that
He is always soft with all things living
The horse strain on
Yet a coming out of the bend the cart stick
Mr Harland Cottrell whip and whip
The horse strain and creak
Massy dresser rock and sway
High wind sweep down the hill
The horse panic sliding on the ice
Hooves scrape and flail squealing rear back
The coach begin to tip
Sliding slipping cracking
Goes sudden ovr the side
Crashing back down the hill
Mr Harland Cottrell thrown well clear
Also little Master Blyth jump far
They both land up hill
Master Blyth screaming
Mr Harland Cottrell slabberd in mud and ice
Shoulder bent pulld the socket
But he jump up
See the cart below
All break up
The horse down
Fighting in the harness
Trying still to gain a footing
Yet where is the Mistress
Mr Harland Cottrell hurry down feet slurry slip
As he come round look up from below
See then Oh a terrible sight
Her body he can see
Yet her head is under the fallen dresser
The brokd side of the cart
He climb up quick try free her
But in the chilling darkly light
He see the streams of blood running
He knows her head is broke
Clasp her china white hand
Still wear the ring he gave her
That hand already growing cold
The life retreating from her
There she is on the hillside
Her head smashd under the carriage
Yet her belly still lie proud and high
Where the unborn babe lie
I come down from the house by then
He shout to me Nettie Nettie
Get a knife from my Cabinet
The largest and sharpest
Run now Go quick I look at tiny Master Blyth
Stood on the high bank shaking screaming
Yet I must not stop for he
Just get the knife as I am told
I think he mean to cut harness
In that way perhaps lift the wood
That lie on her head
So I come back with the knife
By this time little Master Blyth
Has climbd down closy by his father
But that Mr Harland Cottrell shout at him
Stay back Come not near
Still the child see all
I watch wait for Mr Harland Cottrell
To start on the harness
Though I know there is no purpose
Yet still the horse must sometime be free
Though he kneel now in the crackd ice
Still and blowing heavy
So listen well now Nettie say
Believe what I say
I saw it all Tis as twas told
I never thought to see such a thing as this
Mr Harland Cottrell take the knife
But he not touch the harness
Instead he kneeling down
Beside the body of her his wife
Slit open first her bodice and chemise
Then draw no breath afore slit open her flesh
A long clean cut
A swathe of blood run thick
All cross the ground round
Cut her open all down the belly
Not hesitate or tremble
But clean strong and straight deep
Then pulls her open as you gut a fish
Fold back the flesh
Pulld her far right open
In goes his hands diving deep her ruind body
The arms in near to the elbow
Dig dig within
All his white shirt turnd wine red
His face calm certain
Sudden he holds up
Red and writhing screaming
The body of a living boy child
Full growd and strong
Twisting in his hand
Then he sit back in the mud
Lay the babe cross his knee
Cut the cord
Another clean fine sweep
Like slicing a piece of meat
He stoppd to take two deep breath
Shut his eyes a moment
Then held up the babe and shout to me
Take him in to the fire warm him through Nettie
I step down and seize the babe
Hold him gainst me despite all the blood
So much there was
Blood all down the hillside
Thick with the ice mud
I could not even look at her
Her fine young body
All split open and broke
He sitting beside her
Blood cover he face hands chest legs
What not coverd with blood soakd by ice
Wet with mud
Yet still does he clean off the knife
On his britch leg
Still Master Blyth sit on the hill
His hands pressd to his head
Screaming screaming
The sound so sharp and shrill and hurt
You would think he the one cut
It fill the entire Valley
Pray that the Almighty abide with us always
I then go to take he in with me
But Mr Harland Cottrell call out
No no You look to the babe
After that others come
News travel fast to White Hill
The men from Ruscombe Farm they come
Cross the Valley from Hammonds also
Still I hold the babe
Now swaddld well
While others bring Master Blyth in
Though they must hold tight
Pin his arms to his body
Keep clear his kicking legs
Screaming screaming for his mother
She never come more
May God hold tender her precious soul
Yet others cut the harness and get the horse up
He exhaustd and frightd
But otherwise unharmd
Were a good horse they say later
It were not he made the decision
To come up that hill
When the mud were ankley deeper
Fetlock the ice crackd ovr it
It were evr a treacherous spot
No not he
Men then try to pick up what piece they could
Though the dresser the cart all crackd to bits
Only so many pieces of wood and snappd shafts
One of the wheels roll off down the hill
All the time the Master sat there
Still beside her body
Even as they lift off wooden side
As crackd into her head
They could not make he come in
He would not do it
Master Blyth scream long into the night
Yet the babe Master Ned for course it were he
Not cry at all but settle down happy
Course know nothing of all that passd
Many come to the house to peer at he
They do not believe he live
They do not think it possible
See him there pure white and strong
Eyes watching sharp even then
Course they ask how such could happen
What is the meaning of it
What we could expect from a boy savd
From such a Devil wrought disaster
The Master when he come to his senses
Not stop the talk but only add to it
For what has he been savd
That is the question askd
Tis askd still
More than that folk know there was no wet nurse
No no Mr Harland Cottrell say We have no need of such
Make up chicken broth he say
The boy will do well enough on that
So he say though he take no meat hisself
Well well I did not like it
I will not Sir I will not
You will poison he that way
Give to me say Mr Harland Cottrell
So he start to feed he on chicken broth
No ill did come of it
People do not believe it now
But I was there and tis so
Mr Harland Cottrell after that night
He go on the same
Tell all the blessing of his son
Who is chosen and belovd of God
As the years go on
It were hard not to see the touch of God
On the burnish of his pallid skin
That thick straight hair
His smiling smirking sullen face
So say Nettie then purse up her mouth
I do not say Mr Harland Cottrell did not grieve
Yet you know how he is made
All is the will of God
Whatevr happen is His Grace
Though others say behind their hands
That God cannot be held responsible
For those as cannot drive a cart
Nettie stop her story wheeze and laugh then
Shake her head look ovr her shoulder
How the shadows creep in at the door
For we are come to edge of the night
Who has drawd his curtain now
All cross the Valleys
The air itself does draw in breath
As she finishes this her story
So that how they said it after she say
But I myself think nothing of that talk
I do not divine it that way
I see other things that night
I tell you all
You see it now for yrself
I do not know if twas Netties story
Made me think so much on Master Ned
Perhaps no
It were more he were everywhere in the house
Lift down books for me to look at
Knock my brush from my hand
Then pick it up again
Present it to me with a deep bow
Evr fool like that he
Yet anyway it soon come about
Many were expectd at the house
I knew not why
All were shrammd with cold then
Not long after Candlmass
A glitter snipple of frost
Sparkle ovr all and the Valley lost in white
Mr Harland Cottrell and Master Blyth
Engagd in preparation
Nettie and I set to clean well
Get all the dust of every fousty corner
Of which there were many
Mr Birch Nazareth told farm yard
Must be put straight
Though he did rumple and humple
Take little notice of this
Tis a farm yard he say
Course tis a full of muck
Master Ned was not hisself
A part of these preparations
That were evr so
Master Ned you see
He was intend for to be a lawyer
For only through the proper reform of the law
Can the world be brought to divine perfection
So tell us Mr Harland Cottrell
So Master Ned must keep up his studies
Though as I say he seldom in the school room
Til such time as he must go
For two years education afore he can begin
Master Ned not happy with that plan
For he wants to go to school now as others do
Oft dispute this with Mr Harland Cottrell
Yet Mr Harland Cottrell say Nay nay
You will get no knowledge in such place
Master Ned does not agree I know
Yet still think he glad he is not expectd
To take any interest in the study of healing
For that he talk of most contemptuous
Sometimes when he hear Mr Birch Nazareth say
How many has he killd today
He say Only one killd but a leg sawd off
Another gone stone blind
Not a bad day then
I thought it disrespectful
Though still I could not help but laugh
So anyway that was how all stood
That preparations were being made
When Mr Harland Cottrell say to me
You are a careful girl are you not
You have gentle hands You move quiet
I know you I can trust
I do not take his meaning but only say
I hope that I to be trust in all matters Sir
Good good say he
Usual I do not like my Cabinet be disturbd
But now tomorrow I have visitors
I do not want people take the wrong idea
You cannot know say he
The poisons and diseases
That may be wedgd tween the cracks in a tile
Or press down the gaps in the floor boards
This now we understand more fully every day
So you will clean Mary Ann Is that so
But touch nothing Make sure nothing fall
Only work with girt care
Yes Sir course I take good care
So I say though I think it a little contrary
