https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=55&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1680&output=atom <![CDATA[Execution Ballads]]> 2024-03-29T10:36:15+11:00 Omeka https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1246 <![CDATA[Van drie Gesusterkens wilt verstaen, daer van den eenen most hangen gaen.]]> 2020-01-14T13:13:56+11:00

Title

Van drie Gesusterkens wilt verstaen, daer van den eenen most hangen gaen.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Pamphlet: Amsterdam MI: 3978 Gesloten Kast: B 14 (3). Nederlandse Liederenbank 

Set to tune of...

Op een rare Boere wijs om te singen

Transcription

DAer waren drie Gesusterkens,
Al in een Bos gaen plucken de Rosen,
Den eenen die hadder haer eertje verloren,
Al in een Bosch gaen plucken de Rosen.
O Dochter ick hebt u soo langh geseyt,
Laet u van geen Jonckmans bederven,
Want ’t is soo zaligh reyn maget te sterven.
Och Vader het isser nu veel te laet,
Ick drager een kintje alsoo kleyne,
Ick konder de Vader niet vinden: som deyne.
Ons vierde maget ten Boschwaert gingh,
Al onder de Loveren,
Daer sy haer kleynste kintje vermoorden.
De Bueren hadden dat soo haest verstaen,
Sy namen ons vierde maget gevangen,
Al op een Kamertje alsoo strange.
Des morgens vroegh en ’t was schoon dagh,
Daer quaemn drie Landsheeren gegangen,
Die wouden ons vierde maget sien hangen.
Ons vierde maget en is niet t’huys,
Ghy moet daer noch wel uertjes verlangen
Eer ghy ons vierde maget siet hangen.
Ons vierde maget de leer op klam,
Sy liet haer hoofje soo soetjes ter eerden,
Of sy haer soete lief niet en begeerden.
Sy ley haer hoofje soetjes in ’t groene,
Of sy haer moeder lief sagh komen,
En terstont sagh sy haer sonder schromen.
Och Dochter ghy hebter noch gelt en goet,
Komt laet ons dat geven aen de Heeren,
Dat ghy behout u jonge leven.
Och moeder behout mijn gelt en goet,
Het isser mijn eerste niet,
Het isser mijn tweede niet,
Ick heb vermoort het isser mijn derde.
Adieu groen lovertjes, adieu groen gras,
Adieu mijn Vader en mijn Moeder,
Adieu mijn Suster en mijn Broeder:
Wilt ghy een beetje mijnes gedencken,
Dat ick de doodt soo zaligh moet schencken.
 
There were three Sisters
[who] in the forest went to pluck the roses,
The one had lost her honour,
[when] in the forest [she] went to pluck the roses
O daughter, I have told you for so long,
Do not let a young man spoil,
Because it is so blessed to die a pure virgin.
Oh father it is now way too late,
I carry a child, so small,
I cannot find the father: some Deyne.
Our fourth virgin went to Boschwaert,
Already under the foliage,
Where she murders her small child.
The neighbours had so quickly understood,
They took our fourth virgin prisoner,
In a room, so strict,
The early morning, and it was a beautiful day.
There arrived three Lords of the land,
Who wanted to see our fourth virgin hang.
Our fourth virgin is not in the house,
You must be desirous for a few hours
Before you will see our fourth virgin hang.
Our fourth virgin climbed onto the ladder,
She let her head, so sweetly to earth,
If she did not desired her sweet love.
She softly lay her little head upon the green,
When she saw her sweet mother coming,
And then she saw her, without fear.
Oh daughter you have neither money nor possessions,
Come, let us give that to the Lords,
That you will keep your young life.
Oh mother, keep my money and possessions,
It is not my first,
It is not my second,
I have murdered, it is my third.
Adieu green lovers, adieu green grass,
Adieu my father and my mother,
Adieu my sister and my brother:
Would you think of me a little,
That I must give blessed death.

Translation by Rena Bood
 

Crime(s)

infanticide

Date

Notes

Translation notes:
1. ‘deyne’ is a prominent last name in the southern-Netherlands (from 1280 onwards). ‘deine’ or ‘dene,’ however, would refer to ‘Danish.’ So it could be the daughter here refers to ‘some Dane’ as the father of her child or to ‘some Deyne.’
]]>
https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1229 <![CDATA[Een droevigh Liedt, van de Iustitie, die gedaen is binnen hoorn]]> 2020-02-04T15:59:28+11:00

Title

Een droevigh Liedt, van de Iustitie, die gedaen is binnen hoorn

Subtitle

over een seker Vrouws persoon, genaemt Mary van Rijswijck of in de wandelingh scheele Lijs, die om haer Stelen en verscheyden Huysbraken is opgehangen, op Donderdagh den 7. November 1680.

Translation: A sad song, of the justice which has been done in Hoorn, about a certain woman person named Mary van Rijswijk or in the hallways, cross-eyed Lijs, who for her stealing and several burglaries was hanged on Thursday 7 November 1680.

Digital Object

Image notice

Full size images of all song sheets available at the bottom of this page.

Image / Audio Credit

Pamphlet: Den Haag KB: 3 E 33, Nederlandse Liederenbank 

Set to tune of...

Hoe legh ick hier in dees ellende. - How I lie here in this misery.

Transcription

O Heere goet van grooter machten,
Waer in heb ick mijn tijdt verspilt:
Ick roep u aen met al mijn krachten;
Ick hoop dat ghy mijn helpen wilt:
En mijn o Heer genadigh wesen,
Al ghy den Moordenaer deed' voordesen.

Ick heb berouw van mijn misdaden,
Ick hoop 't niet wesen sal te laet,
Ick ben met veel sonden beladen,
O Heer, by u is altijdt readt.
O Godt wilt mijn sonden vergeten,
En schenckt mijn doch 't eeuwige leven.

Ick gingh van 't waelt Iaren dolen,
In 't soetste van mijn jonge tijdt,
De Hoer-huysen waren mijn Schoolen,
Daer in ick liep met groote:
En leerde daer veel boose streken,
Die mijn och lacy nu opbreken.

Daer na gingh ick met snoode Dieven,
Begaf mijn meed op avontuer,
Ick voeghde mijn na haer believen,
't Was somtijdts soet en somtijts suer,
Alwaer wy quamen ofte sochten,
Namen wy meerder dan wy brochten.

Soo dat geen Huys hoe seer gesloten,
Of ick wist daer te breken in!
't Heeft mij oock nimmermeer verdroten,
Ick lagh somwijlen in een Swingh,
En wist de Schilt wacht soo te houwen,
Dat mijn maets daer mochten op bouwen.

Ick heb soo menigh Huys gebroken,
Daer niemandt aen en wist,
En in gebroken fel gesproken,
't Sa smijt nu open kas en kist,
De Boer sal nu het Lagh betalen,
Daer wy de Wijn en 't bier voor halen.

Daerom ben ick al van de Heeren,
Geset met een Touw om mijn Bast,
Om mijn van Stelen af te keeren,
Smeten mijn in een Tucht-huys vast,
Ick socht daer raet om uyt te komen,
Als ick oock vonde sonder Schroomen

Ick sneed mijn haer oock van Vlechten,
En maeckte daer doen Baltjes van,
En nam een Tontel-doos met rechten,
En maeckte dat daer vuer quam an:
Om 't Tucht-huys in de Brand te steken,
Als 't Alckmaer wel is gebleken.

Noch heb ick op verscheyden Plecken
Veel Huysen in de lichte Brandt
Gestoken, en ging dan vertrecken,
Als ick dit met een boose handt,
Had uytgerecht al sonder schromen,
Dat nu soo qualijck werdt genomen.

Soo dat de wijse goede Heeren,
Mijn hebben aengeseydt de Doodt,
Om met een koordt 't mijnder oneeren,
Te sterven door benautheyt groot,
Daerom waerschouw ick man of Wijven,
Niet meer by Dievery te blyven.

Och had ick over veel Iaren,
Bedacht dat mijn nu weder vaerdt,
'k Had uyt mijn hooft gehaelt de Haren,
En had mijn liever toebedaert,
't Is nu te laet ick moet nu scheyden,
O Godt? wilt mijn Ziel nu geleyden.

'k Waerschouw nu yder niet te Stelen,
Of anders gaet ghy mee de gangh,
Dit moet nu niemandt niet vervelen,
Op dat ghy singht een ander Sangh,
En Rasphuys Boeven algelijcke,
Siet ghy daer noch vry wat te kijcke.

Vergeeft het mijn vrome Huys-luyden,
Al 't gene dat ick heb misdaen,
ick moet nu van de Aerde Vlieden,
Als een Schim die men heeft sien staen,
Vergeeft soo wordt u weer geven,
Ghy meed het Eeuwigh leven.

Adieuw voor 't laetste vriend en magen,
Adieu tot in der eeuwigheyt,
Adieuw alle die na mijn vragen,
Ick ben tot Sterven wel bereydt,
Godt wil mijn Ziel genadigh wesen,
Daer op soo Sterf ick sonder vreesen.

Roemwaerde Engelin,
Gy die door u soete loncken
Menigh Hartje hebt ontstoncken,
En gelockt tot uwe min.
Uwe nette bruyne,
En u sarp soete mont,
Hebben menigh gast bewoogen,
En sijn jeughdigh hart gewont.

Oh good Lord of higher power,
Wherein I have wasted my time:
I call to you with all my strength;
I hope that you will help me:
And be merciful to me, oh lord,
Like you were to the murderer before me.

I have remorse for my misdeeds,
I hope that it will not be too late,
I am loaded with many sins,
O lord, with you there is always wisdom/council,
O God will you forget my sins,
And grant me still the eternal life.

I wandered by the water [for] years,
In the sweetest of my young time,
The whore-houses were my schools,
Therein I walked with the great:
And learned there many evil tricks,
Which, alas, break me up now.

After that I went with nefarious thieves,
Went myself along on adventure,
I accommodated myself after her believes,
It was sometimes sweet and sometimes sour,
Wherever we came or sought,
We took more than we brought.

So that no house, no matter how closed,
Or I knew how to break into it!
It has nevermore saddened me,
I sometimes danced a swing,
And knew to keep the sentry such
That my rhythm could build on it.

I so broke into many a house,
That no one knew about,
And broken in heartlessly spoken,
Go on, now fling open till and chest,
The farmer shall now pay for all,
For which we get the wine and the beer.

That is why I am of all the Lords,
Set with a rope around my chest,
To steer me away from stealing,
Flung me into a discipline-house,
I sought council there to escape,
Which I found without scruples.

I cut my hair too from braids,
And made that into little balls,
And took a flammable-box with justice,
And took care to start a fire there,
To set the discipline-house on fire,
Like it happened in Alkmaar.

So too have I, in different places, set many houses on fire and then I went away

As I did with bad intent
Had done without scruples,
That which is now being resented.

So that the wise good Lords,
Have assigned Death to me,
To die with a cord, because of my dishonour,
By great suffocation,
That is why I warn man or wives,
Not to stay with thievery.

Oh had I over many years,
Figured out what has now come back to me,
I would have pulled the hair from my head,
And had rather tucked myself in,
It is now too late, I must divorce [from life],
O God? Will you now guide my soul.

I now warn all not to steal,
Or else you will go the same way,
This must now not bore anyone,
When you sing a different song,
And thieves of a discipline-house alike,
See you there still free to watch.

Forgive my pious house-people,
All that I have misdone,
I must now flee from the earth,
Like a shade which people have seen standing,
Forgive so you shall be given,
You with the eternal life.

Adieu for the last time, friend and virgins,
Adieu until eternity,
Adieu all who ask after me,
I am prepared to die,
God be merciful to my soul,
Thereby so I die without fear.

Glorious Angel,
You who by her sweet looks,
Ignited many a heart,
And lured to your pleasure,
Your burning net,
And your sharp sweet mouth,
Have moved many a man,
And hurt his youthful heart.

Translation by Rena Bood
 

Crime(s)

Burglary

Gender

Date

Notes

Translation Notes:
1. ‘voordesen’ literally translates as ‘before this’ or ‘beforehand.’
2. The literal translation for this phrase would be ‘I lay sometimes in a swing’ (like swing-dancing, as two lines down the speaker uses ‘maets’ i.e. ‘rhythm’).
3. ‘Sa’ is a general encouragement, so ‘go on’ is not a direct translation.
4. ‘het Lagh’ refers to the costs made by a group of people in, for example, an inn. It can also refer to the costs made by a gathering of a merry company who go out drinking.
5. ‘rechten’ is a bit tricky. It can mean ‘justice,’ but also ‘straight,’ ‘foundation,’ ‘erect,’ and ‘restore to a good condition.’
6. Literal translation would be ‘with an angry hand’ which in Dutch means with bad intent.
7. ‘gangh’ is actually ‘hallway’ so literally the speaker says that the spectator will ‘go along the hallway’
]]>
https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/952 <![CDATA[A looking-glass for vvanton women by the example and expiation of Mary Higgs ]]> 2021-06-23T09:38:01+10:00

Title

A looking-glass for vvanton women by the example and expiation of Mary Higgs

Subtitle

who was executed on Wednesday the 18th of July 1677 for committing the odious sin of burgery with her dog who was hanged on a tree the same day neer the place of execution shewing her penitent behaviour and last speech at the gallows, tune of In summer time.

Synopsis

Mary Higgs, executed for 'buggery' with her dog. It was a genuine case, recorded here in the Old Bailey Proceedings. The dog was also hanged alongside her.

Digital Object


Image notice

Full size images of all ballad sheets available at the bottom of this page.

Image / Audio Credit

Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, Wood E 25 fol. (145), Wing / 2852:09. EEBO record (institutional login required). Audio recording by Hannah Sullivan. 

Set to tune of...

In Summer Time

Transcription

To a sad story now give ear,
of one who lived in this Land,
It may make the stoutest heart to fear,
and all vile Sinners trembling stand.

A wicked woman liv'd of late,
who did all honesty didain;
All Modesty she much did hate,
and to her death did so remain.

Lasciviousness she much did love,
and Buggery was her delight,
To wantonness she still did move,
not thinking it would come to light.

A Mungril Curr which she did keep,
and us'd to do that beastly act,
In Court on her did fawn and leap,
but now hath suffered for the fact.

Near Cripple-gate her dwelling-place,
where she did act this beastly sin,
Which now hath brought her to disgrace
that she long time hath wallowed in.

She took delight in drunkenness,
and as a Common Woman ?,
When she had drunk unto excess,
then God above she would defie.

Her chief desire was after mirth,
and hearing of sweet Melodies,
Thus while? she lived upon the earth,
gods holy Laws she did despise.

No precepts that could her controul,
so wicked was her wretched life,
She like a Swine in mire did rowl,
which with her Husband caus'd some strife.

Gods Holy word she much abus'd,
and did profane his Sabbath day,
The company of those refus'd
who urg'd her to Repent and Pray.

There's scarce a sin that can be nam'd,
but what she striv'd for to commit,
Her Lustful lmind was so inflam'd,
that by no means she could quench it.

But being now Condemn'd by Law,
on her past life she did reflect,
The Worm of Conscience did her gnaw,
'cause Gods Commands she did neglect.

O World, said she, thou canst not save,
this soul of mine from pain and woe,
No joys of heaven I e're shall have,
unless my sins I can forgo.

O eyes of mine that us'd to see,
and take delight in Objects fair,
Must now behold where Devils be,
poor Souls tormented in dispair.

I that was wont to sport and play,
most wantonly in many a place,
Must now depart from them away,
the Flames of hell for to imbrace,

Now unto you that stand me by,
and hear what case my soul is in,
See that you never guilty be,
of any sad and heinous sin.

Let Prayer be your meat and drink,
your cloathing be humilitie,
On Gods just Laws be sure to think,
that you the joys of Heaven may see.

When this sad wretch her speech had done
and tears in streaks run down her face;
Would melt a heart of steel or stone,
to think upon her woful case.

The Dog was hang'd with her just by,
a sad example let it be,
To all that do Gods laws defie,
and live as wickedly as she.

Strive more & more Gods ways to love,
that you may here live happily;
Then you'l not miss sweet joys above,
nor never be afraid to dye.

FINIS.

Crime(s)

buggery with dog; bestiality

Gender

Date

Printing Location

[S.l.] : Printed for P. Brooksby at the Goldene Ball in West-Smith-Field neer the Hospital Gate
]]>