Berkshire History for Kids: An Horrific Night Out!

Terrified Midwife becomes Dangerous Witness

In Tudor times, a London midwife was called into the countryside in the middle of the night.
The old woman was very frightened as the grand man who collected her told her she must swear not to reveal what she was about to see.
They arrived at a huge mansion, which one of the servants let slip was called Hamstead Marshall Park. The midwife was taken to a room where a lady was giving birth to a baby.
The old woman did what she could to help and the lady gave birth to a fine baby girl. Then the grand man burst in and told the midwife to throw the baby into the blazing fireplace.
Of course, the old woman refused. "You’re Mad!" she cried, but the man seized the baby and did the wicked deed himself!
The midwife turned away in horror. She was given a drink to calm her nerves. It was poisoned!
6 days later, the midwife was dead, but first she told her story and identified the young lady as Queen Elizabeth I!