Child says nothing about any historical incidents connected to the ballad. However, I just recently put together a 17th century broadside ballad and it's 18th century and traditional versions to show that "The Wexford/Oxford/Lexington/Knoxville Girl" (Laws P35) was originally Anne Nicols. The date of her murder is given with the text of "The bloody Miller" in Scarce Songs 2 on my website.