Hopkins and Stearne

Hopkins and Stearne 22.2.19

There's two men that I have watched, you may know they're names, 

But it's possible, that times forgot, the nature of their games, 

One that is called Hopkins, and the other is called Stearne, 

And they wreaked God-awful punishment, so let this history be learnt.

They had no real legality, they just weren't authorised,

But travelled from town to town, spreading those dreadful lies,

For each small place they charged a fee, a large amount in Olden times,

One single pound by twenty-three, to seek out women's crimes. 

Hopkins, he did make out, he was a legal man,

Which gave him ammunition, to carry out this plan,

For he had contrived a way, that he could reap reward,

And wreak his awful vengence, through-out the Civil War.

This all began in Manningtree in Sixteen - Forty Four, 

Where he says he heard some women, discussing dark saviour. 

Hopkins gave himself a name, that of Witchfinder General, 

Though he had no title officially, it was, infact, illegal.

Stearne became his collegue, and they set about their task, 

Of judging group of women, twenty-three of devil-craft, 

Before the trial was even set, only nineteen did survive, 

Those left were tied to heavy chairs, and into water they were dived. 

After this successful proof, once those women were all dead, 

They moved on through the county, awful judgement they did spread, 

They took on some more numbers, folk of the oddest skills, 

Some to prick the poor accused, the others to hold them still.

If the pricking of the holes did bleed, then not a witch they were,

Though unsatisfactory this seemed, to Stearne and his senior,

So the torture it did worsen, as they dug deep into flesh,

To seek out the Devil's mark, hoping victim's would confess.

The numbers of the women, put to death by these two men, 

Grew quickly and by '46, the dead, thirty by ten, 

Thankfully there came a time, questions from Government,

Of these two who had stated that they worked for Parliment.

But no such order had been made, So these awful acts did cease, 

And by '47 both men retired, letting women sleep in peace, 

Though I bet that you are thinking, where those death's avenged?

And that, my friend is where I come in, to wreak female revenge. 

For I am watching all the time, I'm known as Queen of Night, 

I bring most dreadful horror, darkness and the blight, 

As there's a special place in Hell, for men of this ill kind, 

Their awful crimes will be retold, upon their wicked hides.

As these men have left your plane, And their crimes become folklore,

They have become my property, and I'll keep them ever-more, 

Hopkins died at twenty-seven, though Stearne made seventy, 

But rest assured, I have them now, and they'll suffer, terribly.