<![CDATA[Execution Ballads]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/browse?tags=Female&sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle&output=rss2 Fri, 29 Mar 2024 19:55:20 +1100 una.mcilvenna@unimelb.edu.au (Execution Ballads) Zend_Feed http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[Reuevolles und zur Warnung dienendes Abschieds-Lied von der Welt,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1276

Title

Reuevolles und zur Warnung dienendes Abschieds-Lied von der Welt,

Subtitle

der zum Tode verurtheilten Deliquentin Theresia K*** welche in Wien den 16. März 1809, wegen verübter Mordthat an ihrem eigenen Manne, mit dem Strange vom Leben zum Tode hingerichtet worden : Zum singen eingerichtet nach der bekannten Arie: Ich war kaum sechszehn Sommer alt

Synopsis

Theresia K. murders her husband in 1809, is executed.

Digital Object

Image notice

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

Image / Audio Credit

Pamphlet: VD Lied digitalWiener Liedflugschriften. ÖVLA Wien <ÖC Kotek 1240>


Set to tune of...

Ich war kaum sechszehn Sommer alt

Transcription

1. Hört, Freunde! hört mein Abschiedslied
Las un Arrest ich machte,
Da Re?ker von der Welt mich schied,
Das ich mir selbst zubrachte.

2. In dieser grauen Einsamkeit,
Mir selbst nun überlassen,
Muß ich des Rerkers Bitterkeit
Ertragen ganz gelassen.

3. Als ich noch dreyzehn Jahre alt,
Lebt’ ich in Jugendfreuden,
Und hüpste froh im grünen Wald,
Mich druckten keine Leiden.

4. Geführt durch meiner Eltern Hand,
War Unschuld meine Zlerde,
Es schmückte meinen Jugendstand
Nur Tugend, die ich führte.

5. Mit Jahren wuchs auch Leidenschaft,
Die mich zu Sünd verführte,
Daß ich durch ihre Wirkungstraft
Mich manchmal schwer verirrte.

6. Ich gab auf keine Lehren acht,
Die mir die Eltern gaben,
Und so fiel ich oft unbedacht
In Schlund, den Sünden graben,

7. Wie tief der Mensch nun fallen kann,
Der von der Tugend weichet,
Sey klar und deutlich jedermann
Mein Beyspiel dargereichet.

8. Seht Freunde! seht mein Elend an,
So schwer hab’ich gefehlet,
Weil ich nun statt der Tugendbahn
Das Laster hab gewählet.

9. Gemordet habe ich sogar
Den Mann, der mich geliebet,
Und der nur stets beforget war,
Daß er mich nicht beteübet.

10. Die That fühl ich nua Zentnerschwer,
Die ich begangen habe,
Weil ich geschäzet hab nicht mehr,
Sein’ mir ertheilte Gabe.

11. Den Tod, der mir bestimmet ist,
Leid ich nunmehr geduldig!
Denn jeder Mensch als mein Mitschrift
Bekennt mich dessen schuldig!

12. Ich scheide nun aus dieser Welt,
Auf der ich schwer gefehlet,
Zum Beyspeil bleibe aufgestellt
Mein Strafe unverhehlet!

13. Verlaßt in eurem Leben nicht
Den Tugendweg zu wandeln,
Und denkt allzet an eure Pflicht
Nach dem Gefez zu handeln!

14. Bleibt Gott und eurem Fürsten treu
In eurem ganzen Leben
Sonst reißt ever Glück entzwey,
Das Gott euch hat gegeben.

15. Gebt jener Stimme stets Gehör,
Die euch zum Guten leitet,
Damit euch werde mehr und mehr
Der Guadenweg bereitet.

16. Und so vermehret jederzeit
Dein Eifer, gut zu handeln,
Versäumet kein’ Gelegenheit
Als wahrer Christ zu wandeln!

17. Dann mag er kommen, wann er will,
Der Tod mit seinen Pfeilen,
Erhalten werd’t ihr stets das Ziel
In’s Himmelreich zu eilen.

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Printing Location

n.l.
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Mon, 02 Mar 2020 16:57:44 +1100
<![CDATA[[...] / For which fact, he, his wife, and the other woman, were executed at Lanceston, last Lent Assizes, [...]]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/834

Title

[...] / For which fact, he, his wife, and the other woman, were executed at Lanceston, last Lent Assizes, [...]

Subtitle

in chaines neere vnto the place where the murder was done.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Shelfmark: Pepys Ballads 1.360-361; EBBA 20169

Set to tune of...

The Ladies Daughter, also known as Bonny Nell

Transcription

A Cruell Cornish Murder,
I briefely will declare,
at your attention further, my Story wondrous rare,
[A]nd doe not thinke tis fayned, because it seemeth strange,
What hath not Satan gained, when men from God doe range?
[...]t Crowen in that County, an old blind man doth dwell,
Who by good peoples bounty, did live indifferent well,
By name he's ca'ld Carnehewall , his house stood all alone,
Where [ke]pt this d[ee]d so cruell, the like was scarce ere knowne.
He had a proper Damsell that liv'd with him, his daughter,
To whom some suiters came still, and in true wedlocke sought her,
Because the newes was bruited, how that the blind man would,
Though he were poore reputed) give forty pounds in gold.
Oh, then bewitching money, what mischiefe dost thou cause,
Thou mak'st men dote upon thee, contrary to Gods Lawes.
What Murder is so hainous, but thou canst find out those,
Tha[t] willingly for gaine thus, will venter life to lose.
Nay often soule and body, as in this Story rare,
By the sufferance of God, I will punctually declare:
The fame of this mans riches, a Vagrant chanc't to heare,
In haste his fingers itches, away the same to beare.
This bloody murderous Villaine, whose fact all manhood shames,
Did live long time by stealing, his name was Walter James ,
Who with his wife, and one more yong woman, and a boy,
Three Innocents in purple gore, did cruelly distroy.
The twenty sixth of July , when it was almost night,
These wanderers unruly, on this lone house did light,
The old blind man was then abroad, and none but his old wife,
And a little Girle, ith' house abode, whom they depriv'd of life,
At first they ask'd for Vittle: quoth she, with all my heart,
Although I have but little, of that you shall have part;
He swore he must have money, alas, here's none she sed;
His heart then being stony, he straight cut off her head.

And then he tooke her G[irl child?] about some seven yeer[s old?]
Which he (oh monster [revil'd?)] by both the heeles did [hold?]

And beate her braines o[n the bed?]
oh barbarous cruelty,
The like of this I never [read?] in any history.

When they those two ha[d murder'd?] and tane what they de[sired?]
Like people fully [...], with joy, they sate by t[he fire?]

And tooke Tobacco mer[rily?] without all feare or dr[ead]
Knowing no house nor to[...] and while these two l[ay dead?]

In came the blind mans d[aughter] who had beene workin[g ?]
And seeing such a slaught[er] she wondrously was s[...]

No marvell, when her M[other?]
lay headlesse on the floor
Her zeale she could not [smother?] but running out oth' doo[r]

His Sword which lay ot[...] with her she tooke, an[...]
As fast as she was able,
she ran to call some folk[...]
To come and see the murd[er?] but after her he stept,
And ere she went much fur[ther]
he did her intercept.
[...]
[...] (oh stony-hearted wretch)
And into th' house he brought her: (what sighes alas I fetch,
To thinke upon this Tragedy) for he with mischeife stor'd,
Cut off her head most bloodily, with th' piece oth' broken Sword.
Thus did three harmlesse innocents
by one vile Caitiffes hand
With both the counsell and consents, oth' woman of his band:
Their heads and bodies laid they all very close together;
And being gone a little way, they did at last consider,
That if the house were burned,
the murder might be hid,
With that they backe returned, and as they thought, they did,
Setting the house on fire, which burned till next day,
Full many did admire,
as they went on the way.
These murtherers suspected that people would have thought,
Those three ith house enclosed, unto their deaths were brought,
By accident of fire, but God did then declare
His power [...] let's admire his wondrous workes most rare.
The murdered corps remained, as if no fire had beene,
Their clothes with blood besmeared, not burnt, as might be seene:
The leg and arme oth' Maiden, were only burnt in sunder,
Full many people said then, ith' middest of their wonder.
That surely there were murdered, by some that robd them had,
And presently twas ordered, that for this deed so bad,
All Vagrants on suspicion,
should apprehended be,
And in this inquisition, one happened to see,
Some clothes upon the parties, that from this house we[re] tane
And some before a Justice, the little boy told plaine,
All things before that passed: also the boy did say,
James was ith mind to kill him, lest he should all betray,
They taken were at Meriwicke , forty five miles, or more,
From Crowen where the murth[er]er was about a moneth before, Where in the Jayle they lay,
Untill the Lend Assize did come, which tooke their lives away[.]
The little Boy was quitted,
and sent unto the Parish,
Where he was borne, well fitted,
with clothes and food, to cherish
Him, as he ought with honesty and leaves his wandering trade:
The other three were doom'd to dye, on that which he had said.
But Walter James denyed, that ere he did that act,
For swearing (till he dyed, and when he dy'd) that fact
His wife at her last ending, confest the bloody guilt,
So monstrously offending, when so much blood was spilt.
The other woman after confest more plainely all:
James tooke his death with laughter and nere to God did call:
Thus as he liv'd a reprobate, and did God great reject,
His soule with Christ bought at deare rate, in death he did neglect.
He was hang'd dead at Lancestone , among the rest that di'd,
Then carried where the deed was done, and by the high-way side,
He hangeth, for example, in chaines now at this time,
Thus have I shew'd the ample discourse of this foule crime.
Objection may be framed, where was the old blind man:
Whom I have never named since when I first beganne.
He was abroad ith' interim, when this mischance befell,
Or else the like had hapt to him, but he is living still.
And goes about the Country, to begge, as he before
Did use, among the Gentry, and now his need is more.
All you that are kind Christians, thinke on this bloody deed.
And crave the Lords assistance, by it to take good heed.

The names of certaine eminent men of the
Countrey, for confirmation of the verity
of this tragicall Story.
John Albon. John Coade.
William Beauchamp. Ezekiel Treureu.
William Lanyon. John Blithe.
William Randall. John Treyeene.

Composer of Ballad

Martin Parker

Method of Punishment

Hanging in chains

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Printing Location

London Printed for F. Coules
PepysC_1_360v_361v_2448x2448.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:18 +1000
<![CDATA[A BALLAD ON THE MURDER OF MR HAYES BY HIS WIFE]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/838

Title

A BALLAD ON THE MURDER OF MR HAYES BY HIS WIFE

Synopsis

Execution by strangulation and burning at the stake of Catherine Hayes on May 9 1726 for the murder of her husband Mr Hayes by beating and dismemberment with an axe.

Set to tune of...

Chevy Chase

Transcription

In Ty-burn road a man there lived
A just and honest life,
And there he might have lived still,
If so had pleased his wife.
Full twice a day to church he went,
And so devout would be,
Sure never was a saint on earth,
If that no saint was he!
This vext his wife unto the heart,
She was of wrath so full,
That finding no hole in his coat,
She picked one in his scull.
But then heart began to relent,
And griev'd she was so sore,
That quarter to him for to give,
She cut him into four.
All in the dark and dead of night,
These quarters she conveyed,
And in a ditch in Marybone,
His marrow-bones she laid.
His head at Westminster she threw,
All in the Thames so wide,
Says she, 'My dear, the wind sets fair,
And you may have the tide.'
But Heav'n, whose pow'r no limit knows,
On earth or on the main,
Soon caus'd this head for to be thrown
Upon the land again.
The head being found, the justices,
Their heads together laid;
And all agreed there must have been
Some body to this head.
But since no body could be found,
High mounted on a shelf,
They e'en set up the head to be,
A witness for itself.
Next, that it no self-murder was,
The case itself explains,
For no man could cut off his head,
And throw it in the Thames.
Ere many days had gone and passed,
The deed at length was known.
And Cath'rine, she confess'd at last,
The fact to be her own.
God prosper long our noble King,
Our lives and safeties all,
And grant that we may warning take,
By Cath'rine Hayes's fall.

Method of Punishment

strangulation; burning

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Tyburn

URL

Catherine Hayes Murderpedia entry
See also, Tales from the Hanging Court, by Time Hitchcock ad Roberk Brink Shoemaker (2006), pp. 48 ff
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:19 +1000
<![CDATA[A Cabinet of grief,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/951

Title

A Cabinet of grief,

Subtitle

or, The French midwife's miserable moan for the barbarous murther committed upon the body of her husband

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Reproduction of original in the Bodleian Library, Wing / 1611:04. Recorded in EEBO (institutional login required). 

Set to tune of...

The Pious Christians Exhortation

Transcription

A CABINET of Grief: OR, THE French MIDVVIFE'S Miserable mean for the Barbarous Murther committed upon the Body o[...] her Husband

With the manner of her Co[...]veying away hi[...] Limbs and of her Execution; She being Burnt to Ashes on the 2d. of March in Leicester-Fields.

For the better impressing of this Subject on your Hearts and Minds, take these following Lines, which may be Sung [H] to the Tune of, The Pious Christians Exhortation.

A Lack! my very heart does bleed,
to see my woful Destiny,
You that my Dying Lines shall read,
I pray you all to pitty me.

A Murder here I did commit,
for which I have deserved Death,
This Crime I never shall forget,
as long as I have life or breath.

With grief and sorrow am I slain,
to see the Race that I have run,
A thousand times I wish in vain,
this Wicked deed I had not done.

It was my Husband whom I kill'd,
and Mangl'd at so strange a rate,
The World may be with Wonder fill'd,
while I this Tragedy relate.

In sorrow here my hands I wring,
on Wrack of Conscience am I rowl'd,
What did provoke me to this thing,
in brief to you I will unfold.

With care and grief I was opprest,
e're since I did become his Wife,
And never could have peace or rest,
but led a discontented life.

No Tongue is able to express
what I with him did undergo,
He Cruel was and pittiless,
which now has prov'd our overthrow.

From time to time he Riffl'd me,
scarce leaving any Cloaths to wear,
Besides his Acts of Cruelty,
this drove me into deep Dispair.

My heart was ready then to break,
in private I shed many a Tear,
As knowing not what course to take,
my sorrows they were so severe.

Against me his whole heart he set,
and often vow'd my Blood to spill,
Morning and Night when e're we met,
confusion was our Greeting still.

When him I strove to Reconcile,
saying, thou know'st how 'tis with us,
Maliciously he'd me Revile,
and swear it should be worse and worse.

Though he to Wickedness was bent,
and show'd himself so cross and grim,
I own this was no Argument
that I, alas! should Murder him.

But Sin and Satan so took place,
by living so from time to time,
For want of Gods preventing Grace,
I did commit this horrid Grime.

When Man and Wife lives at discord,
they may expect both fear and dread,
For there's no Blessing from the Lord,
where such a Wicked life is led.

For coming from bad Company,
when I was in a sweet Repose,
He from the sleep did waken me,
with many cruel bitter Blows.

This did the height of Anger raise,
when he did such unkinkness show,
That I resolv'd to end his days,
altho' it prov'd my overthrow.

To Bed he straight ways did repair,
as soon as he these Blows did give,
Thought I thy life I will insnare,
thou hast but little time to live.

I vow'd no favour to afford,
to him that us'd me so amiss,
Straight he I Strangl'd with a Cord,
when as he little thought of this.

Altho' he strugl'd for his life,
as surely very well he might,
Yet I his cruel-hearted Wife,
resolved to expell my spight.

Thus him of life I did deprive,
then in his Bed some days he lay,
My greatest care was to contrive,
how to convey his Corps away.

To bear him forth my self alone,
I cut off Head, Arms, c'ry Limb,
Had I not had a Heart of Stone,
I could hot thus have Mangl'd him.

His Head into a Vault I threw,
his Carcass on a foul Dung-hill,
His other Limbs into the Thames,
and then I thought all things was well.

Safe was I then, as I did think,
yet seiz'd I was in a short time,
For Heavens Justice would not wink
at such a black and bloody Crime.

Then to a Prison was I sent,
there to bewail my wretched state,
And there in Tears I did lament,
but this was when it was too late.

To Justice was I brought indeed,
where Conscience in my face did flye,
Guilty was all that I could plead,
I knew I did deserve to Dye.

O then my sad and dismal Doom,
soon after this I did receive,
It was in Fire to Consume,
which made my very heart to grieve.

Alas! I knew not what to say,
'tis Death alone must end the strife,
Behold this dreadful dismal Day,
the which must end my dearest Life.

Altho' I Weep and make sad moan,
as being Wounded to the heart,
I cannot chuse but needs must own
it is no more then my Desert.

To see me go some Thousands throng,
and thus in shame and much disgrace,
Through many Crowds I past along,
unto the Execution place.

Lord, tho' my Body here must Burn,
for my sad Crime so gross and foul,
Yet when I shall to Ashes turn,
receive my poor Immortal Soul.

FINIS.

Method of Punishment

burning

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Leicester-Fields

Printing Location

Licensed accordin[...] to Order Blare, at the Looking-Glass on London-Bridge. 1688.

Notes

Ballad follows a prose account of the event
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:36 +1000
<![CDATA[A looking-glass for vvanton women by the example and expiation of Mary Higgs]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/952

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
A looking-glass for wanton women.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:36 +1000
<![CDATA[A Mirror of mans lyfe made by a modest virgine Fransisca Chauesia a Nonne of the cloyster of S. Elizabeth in Spaine burned for the profession of the gospell.]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/850

Title

A Mirror of mans lyfe made by a modest virgine Fransisca Chauesia a Nonne of the cloyster of S. Elizabeth in Spaine burned for the profession of the gospell.

Subtitle

[with separate but related verse following]

Synopsis

Axon reports that Francesca de Chaves was a nun of the order of St. Francis of Assisi who belonged to the convent of Santa Isabel in Seville, whereas the title of the broadsheet declares her to be of the cloister of St. Elizabeth. With twelve other victims, she was burned by the Inquisition on 22 Dec 1560, at the auto-da-fe in Seville.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Chetam's Library - Halliwell-Phillipps, Shelfmark: H.P.469; EBBA 36173

Transcription

THe onely God of Israell,
Be praysed evermore:
For that to gloryfie his name,
his sayntes he kepes in store.
And to declare his wonderous workes,
which past the witte of man:
How his most pure and sacred worde.
unto this virgine came.
Who closed was a cloyster Nonne,
and drownd in fylthy sinke:
By taking of the Romish cuppe,
and tasting of her drinke.
Through which both soule & body tread,
the beaten pathes to hell:
Be rent and torne in fylthy lake,
with Deviles ferce and fell.
But God in Christ our Saviour,
this Mayden toke to grace:
Who banisht quite all romish ragges,
and gods word dyd imbrace.
As in this mirrour you may see,
made by this martir bright:
Which is a lanterne to our steppes,
of pure and perfite light.
And to confirme the truth therof,
dyd seale it with her death:
With stedfast fayth in fiery flame,
dyd end her vitall breath.
O virgine pure thou art right sure,
with Christ to rayne, & grace obtaine:
Wherfore to pray, let us not staye,
our sinnes t'unfold, to God be bold.
Einis. quod. T.W.
This godly crosserowe, to christians I send with hartie desire there lives to amend.
A.
ALl faythfull hartes that feareth God,
drawe neare behold and see:
What fiery torments I abode,
for Christes most veritie,
For true it is the wicked hate.
the godly and their wayes:
with cruell deathes they bragge and prate,
whose spite right sone decayes.

B.
Beare not yourselves ye Papistes bold
In frutelesse hope to trust:
Thinking to mend whan ye ware olde,
that sinne is nert the worst.
Be rather wise and circumspecte,
repent while ye have space:
For those that be of God rejecte,
remayne in dolefull place.

C.
Consider well and call to mind,
what counsell Christ doth geve:
Unto all such as sekes to fynde,
how by his word to lyve.
Commaunding us ech one, to love,
and in him fire our fayth:
Who spent his bloud for our behoulfe,
as holy Scripture sayth.

D.
Disdayne not for to helpe the poore,
ye rich that may do so:
Who calles on you both day and night,
be wrapt in payne and woe.
For who so doth the poore despise,
and from their ayd refrayne:
From such the Lord wyll turne his eyes,
In their most nede and payne.

E.
Employe yourselves to eche intent,
that gods word doth amitte:
Obey your Prince whom he hath sent,
In Judgement seate to sitte.
Envye not ye the lowest sorte,
Nor strive not with the bande:
So shall ye winne a good reporte,
where that ye dwell on lande.

F.
Feare not those furious faythlesse sorte,
that dayly lye in wayte:
To shed your bloud they have a sporte,
and make your flesh their bayte.
For he, whose fayth you do profes,
hath promised you in dede:
For to destroye there cruelnes,
and be your helpe at nede

G.
Gape not gredely goods to gette,
the rich mans goods doth rest:
Remember flesh to be wormes meate,
from it departe we must.
Then lyve we heare whyles we abyde,
to profite our soules health:
For death he tarieth not the tyde,
but crepts on us by stealth.

H.
Hotnes of harte se that yee hate,
all ye that do love truth:
Which doth but move stryfe and debate,
eche where in age and youth.
Be poore in spirite, and meke withall,
In harte loke not aloft:
Who climmeth hyghe most lowe doth fall,
such sightes are sene full oft.

I.
Incline your eares to heare their cause,
that are with wronge opprest:

Ye ministers of Christian lawes,
to you I make request.
Let not the poore man be debarde,
to serve the riche mans turne:
If ye so do your just reward,
shall be in hell to burne.

K.
Kepe clene yourselves from fleshly deds
uncleanes put awaye:
For harlots breathes are stinking wedes
appeare they never so gaye.
Most poyson dartes they are iwysse,
that falles with such a breath:
Loke where they light they seldom misse
but strikes unto the death.

L.
Let godly love in you remaine,
and first and principall:
Above all thinges love God certayne,
your neighbour next of all.
If you so lyve without all stryfe,
then are you of that sorte:
Of whom S. John hath written ryfe,
and made a just reporte.

M
Measure by truth your graine & corne
all ye that selles the same:
Be not at any tyme forsworne,
In earnest or in game.
Nor covet for to sell more dere,
but as you may aforth:
Small tyme we have to tary here,
this lyfe is lytle worth.

N.
Note well the substance of this bill,
and what is herein pend:
Then shall ye not delite in yll,
nor yet therto attend.
Condemne it not though it be rude,
all doth not write lyke fyne:
With counsell good it is indued,
to it therfore incline.

O.
Offer to God the sacrifice,
that his word doth allowe:
Obey the powers in humble wise,
unto them see you bowe.
Who strives with them resisteth God,
as Scripture doth expresse:
They are the very skourge and rodde,
for such as do transgresse,

P.
Pitie the poore that faine would lyve
with labour of their handes:
With wrong do not your tenants greve,
you that be men of landes.
As Christian brethern ought to bee,
In fayth so to professe:
Leave of therfore your crueltie,
and practise gentlenes.

Q.
Quietly deale, quarell not yee,
that loves to lyve in rest:
This is most true to eche degree,
a quiet lyfe is best.
For quarells doth ingenger stryfe,
by stryfe oft tymes doth growe:
Such happe that some doth lose their life
they reape as they doe sowe,

R.
Ryote refrayne let reason guide
for ryote bringeth wracke:
For reason doe thou sure provide
before the time of lack.

And if in wealth you happe to flowe,
spend not away to fast,
Lest you come home by ragmans rowe,
with nifles at the last.

S.
Slaunder no weight therof beware,
evill tonges they are so vile,
That ofte they wrappe themselves in snare,
wherat their foe doth smile,
Commit your cause to god therfore,
vengeance saith he is myne.
His merry is also in store,
to those that trust in time.

T.
Trust not the trifeling talkers tale,
till truth the same have tried:
Such bringeth men oft times in bale,
this cannot be denied.
Nedes must he lye that bableth much,
note this for your discharge:
Avoyd therfore from you all such,
whose tongues doth runne at large.

V.
Vyle wanton wayes se you none use
at no tyme day nor night:
Thy fayth Christ may ne will refuse,
to speake the hartes delight.
The godly man from his good thought,
of godlines doth talke:
The wicked man in fancye nought,
his tongue doth ever walke.

X.
Christe graunt us all that do professe,
his faythfull flocke to be:
That our good works may show no lesse
but with our fayth agree.
Dead is that fayth as James doth say,
where good dedes wanteth place:
That we may dwell in Christ alwaye,
he graunt us of his grace.

Y.
Yeld laude and prayse to god above,
whose most high majestie
Sent downe his sonne for our behouf:
our saviour for to be.
Whose death hath done our sinnes away
as scripture doth record.
Let us therfore both night and daye,
geve thankes unto the Lord.

Z.
Zeale to the truth hath moved me,
this dittie to set forth:
Most humbly praying ech degree,
to take it in good worth.
None other thing is ment therby,
to witnes God I take:
But that we should lyve Christianly,
and Sathans wayes forsake.

&.
& for the same accomplishment,
with meekenes let us pray:
To God the Lord omnipotent,
that he with us alway.
Vouchsafe his holy spirite to dwel,
to guide our hartes aright:
That we may walke in his gospell,
as Children of his light.

Composer of Ballad

T. VV.

Method of Punishment

burning

Crime(s)

heresy

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Seville

Printing Location

London, Fletestrete at the signe of the Faucon by Wylliam Griffith.
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:21 +1000
<![CDATA[A New Ballad of Three Merry Butchers AND Ten High-Way Men,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/929

Title

A New Ballad of Three Merry Butchers AND Ten High-Way Men,

Subtitle

How three Butchers went to pay Five Hundred Pounds away, and hearing a Woman crying in a Wood, went to relieve her, and was there set upon by these Ten High-Way Men, and how only stout Johnson fought with them all, who kill'd Eight of the Ten, and last was kill'd by the Woman whom he went to save out of the Wood. To an Excellent New Tune.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Lobrary, Pepys Ballads 2.176 (cf. Roxburghe 3.496-497, EBBA 31196; Euing 1.235, EBBA 31733); EBBA 20793

Transcription

I'll tell you of a story of lovly Butchers three,
There's Wilson, Gibson, Johnson, mark well what I shall say,
For they took Five Hundred Pounds Sir for to pay it all away,
For they took Five Hundred sir for to pay it all away.

As they rid on the Road sir, and as fast as they could trig,
Strike up your hearts sayes Johnson for weel have a merry jgg
With a high ding ding, with a hoe ding ding,
with a high ding ding dee, and God bless all good people from evil company.

As they rid on the Road sir, as fast as they could hie,
Strike up your hearts says Johnson, for I hear a woman cry,
With that he steps into the Wood, and looks himself all round,
& there he spy'd a woman with her hair bound unto the ground.

O woman, O woman, quoth Johnson, hast thou no evil company
O no, O no, says the woman, and alack how can that be,
For there came ten swaggering blades by, and thus abused me,
For there came ten swaggering blades by, and thus abused me.

Johnson being of a valient heart, and he bore a valient mind;
He wrapt his Cloak about her, for to keep her from the wind.
with a high ding ding, with a hoe ding ding, with a high ding
ding dee, and God bless all good people from evil company.

Strike up your hearts sayes Johnson for its dark all in the sky
She put her finger in her Ear, and she gave a shreeking cry;
With that there came Ten swaggering Blades with their weapons ready drawn?
And they boldly came to Johnson, and bolder bid him stand;

I will not fight says Wilson, for I had rather dye,
Or I to fight sayes Gibson, for I had rather [fl]ie:
Come on, come on sayes Johnson, and fight a man so free,
Or stand you still behind my back, and I'le win the Victorie;

Then Johnsons Pistols they flew off, till five of them were slain,
And then he drew his Hanger with all his might and main,
And play'd it about so manfully, till Three more he had slain,
And play'd it about so manfully, till Three more he had slain.

Come on, come on, says the other two, and let us make away,
For if that we do hold him too't, our lives he takes away:
O no, O no, quoth the woman, and alack how can that be,
For if you do not hold him to't then hanged you shall be,

Johnson fighting these two thieves before, the woman he did not mind,
And a sighing these two thieves before, she knockt him down behind,
O woman, O woman, quoth Johnson, alack what have you done
You have kill'd the bravest Butcher that ever England won.

Just as she had killed him, there came one riding by
And saw the deed which she had done, and seiz'd her presently,
She was condemn'd for to be hang'd in Iron Chains so strong
At the place where she did Johnson that great & mighty wrong.

Method of Punishment

hanging in chains

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Printing Location

Printed for J. Bissel at the Bible and Harp in West-/ smith-field.

Tune Data

EBBA recording  to The Spanish Gypsies (Simpson 1966, pp. 675-77).
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:33 +1000
<![CDATA[A new song on the Mannings]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1137

Title

A new song on the Mannings

Synopsis

Marie Manning (1821–13 November 1849) was a Swiss domestic servant who was hanged outside Horsemonger Lane Gaol, London, England, on 13 November 1849, after she and her husband Frederick were convicted of the murder of her lover, Patrick O'Connor, in the case that became known as the "Bermondsey Horror." It was the first time a husband and wife had been executed together in England since 1700.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Bodleian Library - Shelfmark: Firth c.17(268); Bodleian Bod 9607

Set to tune of...

Transcription

Another shocking murder I have for to declare,
At Bermondsey, near London, number three, Minerva Square,
Master and Mistress Manning, if you'll listen here awhile,
For the murder of O'Connor, a man from Erin's Isle.

O'Connor was a Guager in the London Docks,
An invitation from Maria to dine with her he gets,
She desired him to attend at five the next day,
The Mannings were determined Patrick Connor for to slay.

O'Connor left his lodgings - to the Mannings went straightway,
But little did he think that night that they would him betray,
But those two barbarians, as you shall understand,
For a long time previous this horrid deed had planned.

They shot him with a pistol - with a crowbar bruised his head,
They stripped the clothes from off his back when that he was dead
His legs they doubled up and with a cord them tied,
They buried him in a hole by their kitchen fireside.

That evening after the murder, Maria Manning went
Unto O'Connor's lodgings - on robbery she was bent,
She took both cash and documents, and many other things,
From O'Connor's lodgings, at different times she brings.

She took the train from London to Edinburgh town,
There she was apprehended all for that murderous crime,
Then they conveyed her back again to London with all speed,
There to take her trial for that horrid barbarous deed.

Frederick George Manning to the Isle of Jersey went,
To shun the ends of justice, for America he was bent,
Then he was taken prisoner for the murder they had done,
He said, 'Is that wretch taken?' - meaning Mistress Manning.

They told him she was taken - they knew he meant his wife,
He said, 'Then I am satisfied, for that will save my life,
'Twas she who fired the pistol - gave O'Connor his death wound,'
But they brought Manning back with them to famed London town.

Their trial it is over and they are both condemned to die,
May the Lord have mercy on your souls, the judge to them did cry
And I hope this will a warning be unto both young and old,
Never to commit a murder for the sake of cursed gold.

Composer of Ballad

J. Clark

Method of Punishment

hanging

Crime(s)

murder

Date

Execution Location

London, Horsemonger Lane Gaol
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Mon, 04 Jun 2018 09:51:55 +1000
<![CDATA[A true relation of one Susan Higges]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/862

Title

A true relation of one Susan Higges

Subtitle

dwelling in Risborrow a towne in Buckinghamshire, and how shee lived 20. yeeres, by robbing on the high-wayes, yet unsuspected of all that knew her; till at last, comming to Messeldon, there robbing a woman; which woman knew her and called her by her name: now when she saw she was betrayed, she killed her, and standing by her while she gave three groanes, she spat three drops of blood in her face, which never could be washt out; by which whee was knowne and executed for the aforesaid murder at the assises in Lent at Brickhill. To the tune of, The worthy London prentice.

Synopsis

Susan Higges, highway robber, blackmails young men whom she finds with the maids in her house and for 20 years robs people on the highway. Her final victim, a woman, recognises her and is killed for it, but spits blood in Higges' face that will not wash off. In fear, Higges confesses her crimes.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

British Library - Roxburghe, Shelfmark C.20.f.7.424-425; EBBA 30289

Set to tune of...

The worthy London prentice

Transcription

TO mourne for my offences, and former passed sinnes,
This sad and dolefull story, my heavy heart begins:
Most wickedly I spent my time. devoide of godly grace:
A lewder Woman never liv'd, I thinke in any place.

Nare Buckingham I dwelled, and Susan Higges by name,
Well thought of by good Gentlemen and Farmers of good fame:
Where thus.for xx. yeares at least, I liv'd in gallant sort:
Which made the Country marvell much, to here of my report.

My state was not maintained,
(as you shall understand)
By good and honest dealings, nor labour of my hand:
But by deceipt and couzening shifts the end whereof, we see
Hath ever beene repaide with shame and ever like to be.

My servants were young Countrey girles brought up unto my mind,
By nature faire and beautifull, and of a gentle kinde:
Who with their sweet intising eyes, did many Youngsters move
To come by night unto my house in hope of further love.

But still at their close meetings, (as I the plot had late)
I slept in still at unawares, while they the wantons plaid.
And would in question bring their names, except they did agree
To give me money for this wrong, done to my house and me.

This was but petty couzenage, to things that I have done:
My weapon by the high-way side, hath me much money wonne:
In mens attyre I oft have rode, upon a Gelding stout,
And done great robberies valiantly, the Countries round about.

I had my Scarfes and Vizards, my face for to disguise:
Sometime a beard upon my chin, to blinde the peoples eyes.
My Turkie blade, and Pistols good, my courage to maintaine:
Thus took I many a Farmers purse well cram'd with golden gaine.

Great store of London Marchants I boldly have bid Stand,
And showed my selfe most bravely, a Woman of my hand,
You rulsling Roysters, every one in my defence say then,
Wee women still for gallant minds, may well compare with men.

But if so bee it chanced, the Countries were beset,
With hue and cryes and warrants into my house I get:
And I so being with my Maides, would cloake the matter so,
That no man could by any meanes, the right offender know.

Yet God that still most justly, doth punish every vice,
Did bring unto confusion my fortunes in a trice:
For by a murther all my sinnes were strangly brought to light:
And such desert I had by law, as justice claim'd by right.

Upon the Heath of Misseldon, I met a woman there,
And robd her, as from market, home-wards she did repaire:
Which woman cald me by my name and said, that she me knew:
For which, even with her lifes deare bloud, my hands I did imbrew.

But after I had wounded, this women unto death,
And that her bleeding body, was almost reft of breath:
She gave a grone: and therewithall did spit upon my face,
Three drops of blood, that never could be wiped from that place:

For after I returned unto my house againe,
The more that I it washde, it more appeared plaine:
Each houre I thought that beasts, [&] birds this murther would reveale,
Or that the ayre, so vile a deede, no longer would conceale.

So heavy at my conscience, this wofull murther lay,
That I was soone inforced, the same for to beware,
And to my servants made it known,
as God appointed me:
For blood can never secret rest,
nor long unpunisht be.

My servants to the Justices,
declar'd what I had said:
For which I was attached,
and to the Jayle convaied,
And at the Sises was condemnd, and had my just desert:
Even such a death let all them have, that beare so false a heart.

So farewell earthly pleasure,
my quaintance all adue,
With whom I spent the treasure,
which causeth me to rue.
Leave off your wanton pastimes,
lascivious and ill,
Which without Gods great mercy,
doth soule and body kill.

Be warned by this story, you ru[s]sling Rosters all:
The higher that you climbe in sinne the greater is your fall:
For now the world so wicked is, in Maiden and in Wife
That few, or none, can finde the way to lead an honest life.

FINIS.

Method of Punishment

hanging?

Crime(s)

murder, highway robbery

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Brickhill Assises

Printing Location

London : for F. C[oles] dwelling in the Old-Baily, [ca. 1640?]

Tune Data

The worthy London prentice first appeard in the Elizabethan period as is tself is set to All You That Love Good Fellows (Simpson 1966, pp. 13-15).

Notes

Same text as 'The sorrowful complaint of Susan Higges...' with an extra stanza second from end, and set to a different tune 'London Prentice'. Contains two different woodcuts as well.
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:22 +1000
<![CDATA[A warning for all desperate VVomen.]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/930

Title

A warning for all desperate VVomen.

Subtitle

By the example of Alice Dauis who for killing of her husband was burned in Smithfield the 12 of Iuly 1628. to the terror of all the beholders.

Synopsis

One of two ballads about Alice Davis, convicted of petty treason for the murder of her husband and burned at the stake in Smithfield, London in 1628. Davis was one of a spate of executions of women for this crime in early seventeenth-century London, and the ballad's judgmental tone is meant to teach a lesson of subservience to all listening wives.

Digital Object


Image notice

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

Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Pepys Ballads 1.120-121; EBBA 20050.  Audio recording by Hannah Sullivan.

Set to tune of...

Transcription

UNto the world to make my moane,
I know it is a folly,
Because that I have spent my time,
which have beene free and jolly,
But to the Lord which rules above,
I doe for mercy crie,
To grant me pardon for the crime,
for which on earth I dye.

Hells fiery flames prepared are,
for those that live in sinne,
And now on earth I tast of some,
but as a pricke or pin,
To those which shall hereafter be,
without Gods mercy great,
Who once more calls us to account,
on his Tribunall Seate.

Then hasty hairebraind wives take heed,
of me a warning take,
Least like to me in coole of blood,
you burn't be at a stake;
The woman which heere last did dye,
and was consum'd with fire,
Puts me in minde, but all to late,
for death I doe require.

But to the story now I come,
which to you Ile relate,
Because that I have liv'd like some,
in good repute and state,
In Westminster we lived there,
well knowne by many friends,
Which little thought that each of us,
should have come to such ends.

A Smith my husband was by trade,
as many well doe know,
And divers merry dayes we had,
not feeling cause of woe,
Abroad together we had bin,
and home at length we came,
But then I did that fatall deede,
which brings me to this shame.

He askt what monies I had left,
and some he needes would have,
But I a penny would not give,
though he did seeme to crave,
But words betwixt us then did passe,
as words to harsh I gave,
And as the Divell would as then,
I did both sweare and rave.

The second Part, To the same tune.

And then I tooke a little knife,
and stab'd him in the heart.
Whose Soule from Body instantly,
my bloody hand did part,
But cursed hand, and fatall knife
and wicked was that houre,
When as my God did give me ore
unto his hellish power.

The deede no sooner I had don,
But out of doores I ran,
And to the neighbours I did cry,
I kil'd had my good man,
Who straight-way flockt unto my house,
to see that bloody sight,
Which when they did behold with griefe,
it did them much affright.

Then hands upon me there was lay'd,
And I to Prison sent,
Where as I lay perplext in woe,
and did that deede repent,
When Sizes came I was arraign'd,
by Jury just and true,
I was found guilty of the fact,
for which I have my due.

The Jury having cast me then,
to judgment then I came,
Which was a terrour to my heart,
and to my friends a shame,
To thinke upon my husbands death,
and of my wretched life,
Betwixt my Spirit and my flesh,
did cause a cruell strife.

But then the Judge me sentence gave
to goe from whence I came,
From thence, unto a stake be bound
to burne in fiers flame,
Untill my flesh and bones consum'd,
to ashes in that place,
Which was a heavie sentence then,
on on[e] so voyd of grace.

And on the twelfth of July now,
I on a sledge was laid,
To Smithfield with a guard of men
I streight way was conveyd,
Where I was tyed to a stake,
with Reedes was round beset,
And Fagtos, Pitch, and other things
which they for me did get.

Now great Jehovah I thee pray,
my bloudy sinnes forgive,
For on this earth most wretched I
unworthy am to live.
Christ Jesus unto thee I pray,
and unto thee I cry,
Thou with thy blood wilt wash my sinnes
away, which heere must dye.

Good wives and bad, example take,
at this my cursed fall,
And Maidens that shall husbands have,
I warning am to all:
Your Husbands are your Lords & heads,
you ought them to obey,
Grant love betwixt each man and wife,
unto the Lord I pray.

God and the world forgive my sinnes,
which are so vile and foule,
Sweete Jesus now I come to thee,
O Lord receive my Soule.
Then to the Reedes they fire did put,
which flamd up to the skye,
And then she shriek'd most pittifully,
before that she did dye.

The Lord preserve our King & Queene,
and all good Subjects blesse,
And Grant the Gospell true and free,
amongst us may encrease.
Betwixt each husband and each wife,
send lond and amitie,
And grant that I may be the last.
that such a death did dye.

[F]INIS.

Method of Punishment

burning

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Printing Location

Printed for F. Coules

Tune Data

The Ladies Fall (Simpson 1966, pp, 98, 104, 105, 248, 369-371, 368), is linked with In Peascod Time. Tune first appeared in 1597.
PepysC_1_120-121_2448x2448.jpg
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:33 +1000
<![CDATA[A warning for wiues,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/931

Title

A warning for wiues,

Subtitle

By the example of one Katherine Francis, alias Stoke, who for killing her husband, Robert Francis with a paire of Sizers, on the 8. of Aprill at night, was burned on Clarkenwell-greene, on Tuesday, the 21 of the same moneth, 1629.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Pepys Ballads 1.118-119; EBBA 20049

Set to tune of...

Bragandary

Transcription

ALas what wretched bloody times doe we vile sinners live in!
What horrid and what cruell crimes are done in spight of heaven!
What barberous murders now are done none fowler since the world begun!

Oh women, Murderous women. whereon are your minds?

The Story which I now recite, expounds you meanings evill
Those women that in blood delight,
Are ruled by the Devill,
Else how can th' wife her husband kill,
Or th' Mother her owne childs blood spill,
Oh women,
Murderous women, etc.

At Cow-crosse, neere to Smithfield-barres, adjacent to the City,
A man ands wife at houshold jarres long liv'd, the more's the pitty,
Like Cat and Dog they still agree'd;
Each small offence did anger breed:
Oh Women, etc.

She oftentimes would beat him sore, and many a wound she gave him,
Yet hee'd not live from her therefore, to stay ill fate would have him,
Till she with one inhumane wound,
Threw him (her husband) dead toth' ground,
Oh women, etc.

Upon the 8 of Aprill last, betweene this man and wife,
Some certaine words of difference past; and all their cause of strife,
Was but about a trifle small, yet that procur'd his fatall fall,
Oh women, etc.

This was about the houre of tenne, or rather more that night,
When this was done, whereof my Pen, in tragicke stile doth write;
The maner of's death most strange appeares
Being struck ith' neck with a pair of sheeres,
Oh women, etc.

As many of the neighbours say, that thereabout doe dwell,
This couple had most part oth' day beene drinking, so they tell,
And comming home at night so late,
She did renew her former hate.
Oh women, etc.

The second part To the same tune

ANother woman that was there, she out oth' doores did send,
And had her fetch a Pot of Beere, oh then drew nere his end,
For ere the woman came againe,
This wife had her owne husband slaine:

Oh women,
Murderous women, whereon are your minds?

She long had thirsted for his blood, (even by her owne confession)
And now her promise she made good, so heaven gave permission
To Satan, who then lent her power
And strength to do't that bloody houre.
Oh women, etc.

It seemes that he his head did leane toth' Chimney, which she spide,
And straight she tooke, (O bloody queane) her Sisers from her side,
And hit him therewith such a stroake
Ith necke, that (some thinke) he nere spoke.
Oh women, etc.

She having done that monstrous part, (woe worth her for her labour)
No power had from thence to start, but went unto a neighbour,
And told him, that she verily thought, that she her husbands death had wrought.
Oh women, etc.

The man amaz'd to heare the same, caught hold of her, and said,
Ile know the truth, and how this came, if such a part to be plaid,
No sooner had he said the same,
But neighbours did her fact proclaime.
Oh women, etc.

Then to New Prison was she sent, because it was so late,
And upon the next day she went (through Swithfield to New Gate,
Where she did lye untill the Session,
To answer for her foule transgression.
Oh women, etc.

Where she condemned was by Law, in Clarkenwell to be burned,
Unto which place they did her draw, where she to ashes turned,
A death, though cruell, yet too milde
For one that hath a heart so vlide.
Oh women, etc.

Let all good wives a warning take, in Country and in City,
And thinke how they shall at stake be burned without pitty.
If they can have such barbarous hearts,
What man or woman will take their parts,
Oh women,
Murderous women. whereon are your minds?

Composer of Ballad

Martin Parker

Method of Punishment

burning

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Clerkenwell

Printing Location

London for F. G. on Snow-hill.

Tune Data

Bragandary is a lost tune (Simpson 1966, p. 743).

Notes

'Middlesex Sessions Rolls: 1629', Middlesex county records: Volume 3: 1625-67 (1888), pp. 25-30.

8 April, 5 Charles I. - True Bill that, at Cowcrosse co. Midd. on the said day, Katherine Francis, late the wife of Robert Francis alias Katherine Francis late of the said parish spinster, assaulted the said Robert then her husband, and then and there murdered him by stabbing him with a pair of scissors in the neck, so that he then and there died instantly. G. D. R., . . . . April, 5 Charles I.
PepysC_1_118-119_2448x2448.jpg
A warning for wives, By the example of one Katherine Francis, alias Stoke.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:33 +1000
<![CDATA[An Excellent Ballad of George Barnwel an Apprentice in London,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/868

Title

An Excellent Ballad of George Barnwel an Apprentice in London,

Subtitle

who was undone by a Strumpet, who thrice Robbed his Master, and Murdered his Uncle in Ludlow.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Shelfmark: Pepys Ballads 2.158-159; EBBA 20778

Set to tune of...

Transcription

A LL Youths of fair England, that dwell both far and near,
Regard my Story that I tell and to my Song give ear:
A London Lad I was, a Merchants Prentice bound,
My name George Barnwel, that did spend my Master many a pound.

Take heed of Harlots then, and their inticing trains,
For by that means I have bin brought to hang alive in Chains.
As I upon a Day was walking through the street,
About my Masters business, I did a wanton meet,

A gallant dainty Dame, and sumptuous in attire,
With smiling looks she greeted me, and did my name require:
Which when I had declar'd, she gave me then a kiss
And said if I would come to her, I should have more than this:

In faith my Boy (quoth she) such news I can you tell,
As shall rejoyce thy very heart, then come where I do dwell.
Fair Mistris, then said I, if I the place may know,
This evening I will be with you, for I abroad must go

To gather Monies in, that is my Masters due,
And e're that I do home return, i'le come and visit you.
Good Barnwel , then (quoth she) do thou to Shoreditch come,
And ask for mistris Milwood there, next door unto the Gun.

And trust me on my truth, if thou keep touch with me,
For thy Friends sake, and as my own heart thou shalt right welcome be.
Thus parted we in peace, and home I passed right,
Then went abroad and gathered in by six a Clock at night.

An hundred pound and one, with Bag under my arm,
I went to Mistris Milwoods house, and thought on little harm:
And knocking at the door, straightway her self came down,
Rustling in most brave attire, her Hood and silken Gown.

Who through her beauty bright, so gloriously did shine,
That she amaz'd my dazling eyes, she seemed so divine.
She took me by the hand, and with a modest grace,
Welcome sweet Barnwel, then (quod she, unto this homely place:

Welcome ten thousand times, more welcome then my Brother,
And better welcome I protest than any one or other:
And seeing I have thee found as good as thy word to be,
A homely Supper e're thou part, thou shalt take here with me:

O pardon me (quoth I) fair Mistris I you pray,
For why, out of my Masters house so long I dare not stay.
Alas good Sir she said, are you so strictly ty'd,
You may not with your dearest friend one hour or two abide?

Faith then the case is hard, if it be so (quoth she)
I would I were a Prentice bound, to live in house with thee.
Therefore my sweetest George, list well what I do say,
And do not blame a woman much, her fancy to bewray.

Let not affections force, be counted lewd desire,
Nor think it not immodesty I should thy love require.
With that she turn'd aside, and with a blushing red,
A mournful motion she bewray'd, by holding down her head:

A Handkerchief she had all wrought with Silk and Gold,
Which she to stay her trickling tears, against her eyes did hold.
This thing unto my sight was wondrous rare and strange,
And in my mind and inward thoughts it wrought a sudden change:

That I so hardy was, to take her by the hand,
Saying, sweet Mistris why do you so sad and heavy stand?
Call me no Mistris now, but Sarah thy true friend,
Thy servant Sarah honouring thee until her life doth end:

If thou would'st here alledge thou art in years a Boy,
So was Adonis , yet was he fair Venus love and joy.
Thus I that ne'r before of woman found such grace,
And seeing now so fair a Dame give me a kind imbrace.

I supt with her that night with joys that did abound,
And for the same paid presently, in money twice three pound:
An hundred Kisses then, for my farewel she gave,
Saying sweet Barnwel when shall I again thy company have:

O stay not too long my dear, sweet George have me in mind:
Her words bewitcht my childishness, she uttered them so kind.
So that I made a vow, next Sunday without fail.
With my sweet Sarah once again to tell some pleasant Tale.

When she heard me say so, the tears fell from her eyes,
O George, quoth she, if thou dost fail, thy Sarah sure will dye.
Though long, yet loe at last, the 'pointed day was come,
That I must with my Sarah meet, having a mighty sum

Of Money in my hand, unto her house went I,
Whereas my Love upon her bed in saddest sort did lye,
What ails my hearts delight, my Sarah dear, quoth I ,
Let not my Love lament and grieve, nor sighing pine and dye,

But tell to me my dearest friend, what may thy woes amend,
And thou shalt lack no means of help, though forty pound I spend,
With that she turn'd her head and sickly thus did say,
O my sweet George my grief is great ten pounds I have to pay

Unto a cruel Wretch, and God knows quoth she,
I have it not, Tush rise quoth he, and take it here of me:
Ten pounds, nor ten times ten shall make my love decay,
Then from his Bag into her lap, he cast ten pound straightway.

All blith and pleasant then, to banquetting they go,
She proffered him to lye with her, and said it should be so:
And after that same time, I have her store of Coyn,
Yea, sometimes fifty pound at once, all which I did purloyn.

And thus I did pass on, until my Master then,
Did call to have his reckoning in cast up among his Men.
The which when as I heard, I knew not what to say,
For well I knew that I was out two hundred pounds that day.

Then from my Master straight I ran in secret sort,
And unto Sarah Milwood then my state I did report.
But how she us'd this Youth, in this his extream need,
The which did her necessity so oft with Money feed:

The Second Part behold, shall tell it forth at large,
And shall a Strumpets wily ways, with all her tricks discharge

The Second Part, to the same Tune.

Here comes young Barnwel unto thee sweet Sarah my delight,
I am undone except thou stand my faithful friend this night:
Our Master to command accounts, hath just occasion found,
And I am found behind the hand almost two hundred pound:

And therefore knowing not at all, what answer for to make,
And his displeasure to escape, my way to thee I take:
Hoping in this extremity, thou wilt my succour be,
That for a time I may remain in safety here with thee.

With that she nit and bent her brows, and looking all aquoy,
Quoth she, what should I have to do with any Prentice Boy?
And seeing you have purloyn'd & got your Masters goods away,
The case is bad, and therefore here I mean thou shalt not stay

Why sweet heart thou knowst, he said that all which I did get,
I have it and did spend it all upon thee every whit:
Thou knowst I loved thee so well, thou could'st not ask the thing,
But that I did incontinent the same unto thee bring.

Quoth she thou art a paultry Jack, to charge me in this sort,
Being a Woman of credit good, and known of good report:
A nd therefore this I tell thee flat, be packing with good speed,
I do defie thee from my heart, and scorn thy filthy deed.

I s this the love and friendship which thou didst to me protest?
Is this the great affection which you seemed to express?
Now fie on all deceitful shows, the best is I may speed.
To get a Lodging any where, for money in my need:

Therefore false woman now farewel, while twenty pound doth last,
My anchor in some other Haven I will with wisdom cast.
When she perceived by his words. that he had money store,
That she had gull'd him in such sort, it griev'd her heart full sore:

Therefore to call him back again, she did suppose it best.
Stay George quoth she, thou art too quick why man I do but jest;
Think'st thou for all my passed speech that I would let thee go?
Faith no. quod she, my love to thee I wis is more then so.

You will not deal with Prentice boys I heard you even now swear,
Therefore I will not trouble you, my George heark in thine ear.
Thou shalt not go to night quod she, what chance so e're befall,
But man we'l have a bed for thee, or else the Devil take all.

Thus I that was with wiles bewitcht and shar'd with fancy still.
Had not the power to put away, or to withstand her will.
Then wine and wine I called in, and cheer upon good cheer,
And nothing in the world I thought for Sarahs love too dear:

Whilst I was in her company in joy and merriment,
And all too little I did think, that I upon her spent.
A fig for care and careful thoughts, when all my Gold is hone,
I n faith my Girl we will have more, whoever it light upon.

My Father's rich, why then, quod I, should I want any Gold?
With a Father indeed, quoth she, a Son may well be bold.
I have a Sister richly wed, i'le rob her e're i'le want;
Why then, quod Sarah , they may well consider of your scant.

Nay more than this, an Uncle I have at Ludlow he doth dwell,
He is a Grasier, which in wealth doth all the rest excell:
E're I will live in lack, quoth he, and have no Coyn for thee,
I 'le rob his House, and murder him, why should you not, quoth she:

E're I would want were I a man, or live in poor Estate,
On Father, friends, and all my Kin, I would be Talons grate:
For without money, George, quod she, a Man is but a Beast,
And bringing Money thou shalt be always my chiefest Guest.

For say thou should'st pursued be with twenty Hues and Crys,
And with a Warrant searched for with Argus hundred Eyes:
Yet in my House thou shalt be safe, such privy ways there be,
That if they sought an hundred years they could not find out thee.

And so carousing in their Cups, their pleasures to content,
George Barnwel had in little space his money wholly spent.
Which being done, to Ludlow then he did provide to go,
To rob his wealthy Uncle then, his Minion would it so

And once or twice he thought to take his Father by the way,
But that he thought his master had took order for his stay.
D irectly to his Uncle then he rose with might and main,
Where with welcome and good cheer he did him entertain:

A Sennets space he stayed there, until it chanced so,
His Unkle with his Cattle did unto a market go:
His Kinsman needs must Ride with him, and when he saw right plain,
Great store of money he had took, in coming home again,

Most suddenly within a Wood he struck his Uncle down,
And beat his brains out of his head, so sore he crackt his crown:
And fourscore pound in ready coyn out of his Purse he took,
And coming into London Town, the Country quite forsook.

To Sarah Milwood then he came, shewing his store of Gold,
And how he had his Uncle stain, to her he plainly told.
Tush, it's no matter George, quod she, so we the money have,
To have good chear in jolly sort, and deck us fine and brave.

And this they liv'd in filthy sort, till all his store was gone,
And means to get them any more, I wis poor George had none.
And therefore now in railing sort, she thrust him out of door,
Which is the just reward they get, that spend upon a Whore.

O do me not this foul disgrace in this my need, quoth he,
She call'd him Thief and Murderer, with all despight might be.
And to the Constable she went to have him Apprehended,
And shew'd in each degree how far he had the Law offended.

When Barnwel saw her drift, to Sea he got straightway,
Where fear & dread & conscience sting upon himself doth stay:
Unto the Mayor of London then, he did a Letter write,
Wherein his own and Sarahs faults he did at large recite.

Whereby she apprehended was, and then to Ludlow sent,
Where she was judg'd, condemn'd and hang'd, for murder incontinent.
And there this gallant Quean did dye this was her greatest gains:
For Murder in Polonia, was Barnwel hang'd in Chains.

Lo, here's the end of wilful youth, that after Harlots haunt,
Who in the spoil of other men, about the streets do flaunt.

Method of Punishment

hanging, hanging in chains

Crime(s)

robbery, murder

Gender

Execution Location

Ludlow and Polonia

Printing Location

Printed for J. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passinger.

Notes

For more on this ballad and the tune it is set to, see Research by Una McIlvenna: ‘The Rich Merchant Man, or, What the Punishment of Greed Sounded Like in Early Modern English Ballads’, Huntington Library Quarterly 79, no. 2 (Summer 2016) Special Issue: 'Living English Broadside Ballads, 1550-1750: Song, Art, Dance, Culture', eds. Patricia Fumerton and Megan Palmer-Browne: 279-299
PepysC_2_158-159_2448x2448.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:23 +1000
<![CDATA[An Excellent Ballad of George Barnwel,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/954

Title

An Excellent Ballad of George Barnwel,

Subtitle

an Apprentice of London, who was undone by a Strumpet, who having thrice robbed his Master, and murdered his Uncle in Ludlow, was hanged in Chains in Polonia, and by the means of a Letter sent from his own hand to the Mayor of London, she was hang'd at Ludlow.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

British Library - Roxburghe, C.20.f.9.26-27; EBBA 30382; Also in Bodleian

Set to tune of...

Transcription

ALL youths of fair England, that dwell both far and neer,
Regard my story that I tell,
and to my song give ear:
A London Lad I was, a Merchants Prentice bound,
My name George Barnwel who did spend my master many a pound.

Take heed of Harlots then, and their inticing trains,
For by that means I have been brought, to hang alive in chains.
As I upon a day
was walking through the street,
About my masters business, I did a wanton meet:
A dainty gallant Dame, and sumptuous in attire,
With smiling looks she greeted me
and did my name require.
Which when I had declard, she gave me then a kiss,
And said, if I would come to her, I should have more then this.
In faith my boy, quoth she, such news I can thee tell,
As shall rejoyce thy very heart, then come where I do dwell.
Fair Mistris, then said I, if I the place may know,
This evening I will be with you, for I abroad must go,
To gather money in, that is my masters due,
And ere that I do home return, ile come and visit you.
Good Barnwel then, quoth she, do thou to Shoreditch come,
And ask for Mrs. Milwood there, next door unto the Gun.
And trust me on my truth, if thou keep troth with me,
For thy friends sake, as my own heart, thou shalt right welcome be.
Thus parted we in peace, and home I passed right,
Then went abroad and gathered in by five a clock at night:
A hundred pound and one, with bag under mine arm,
I went to Mrs. Milwoods house and thought on little harm:
And knocking at the door, straightway her self came down,
Ruffling in most brave attire, her Hoods and silken gown:
Who through her beauty bright, so gloriously did shine,
That she amazd my dazling eyes, she seemed so divine.
She took me by the hand, and with a modest grace,
Welcome sweet Barnwel than, quod she, unto this homely place:
Welcome ten th[o]usand times, more welcome then my brother,
And better welcome I protest, then any one or other:
And seeing I have thee found as good as thy word to be,
A homely supper er thou part, thou shalt here take with me.
O pardon me, quoth I, fair Mistris I you pray,
For why out of my Masters house, so long I dare not stay.
Alas, good sir, she said. art thou so strictly tyd,
You may not with your dearest friend
one hour or two abide?
Fath then the case is hard if it be so, quoth she,
I would I were a Prentice bound to live in house with thee.
Therefore my sweetest George, list well what I do say,
And do not blame a woman much, her fancy to bewray:
Let not affections force
be counted lewd desire,
Nor think it not immodesty, I would thy love require.
With that she turnd aside,
and with a blushing red,
A mournful motion she bewrayd, by holding down her head.
A Handkerchief she had,
all wrought with silk and gold,
which she to stop her trickling tears against her eyes did hold.
This thing unto my sight, was wondrous rare and strange;
& in my mind and inward thoughts it wrought a sudden change:
That I so hardy was,
to take her by the hand,
Saying, sweet Mistris, why do you so sad and heavy stand?
Call me not Mistris now, but Sara thy true friend,
Thy servant Sara honouring thee, until her life doth end.
If thou wouldst here alledge thou art in years a Boy,
So was Adonis, yet was he, fair Venus love and joy.
Thus I that ner before,
of Woman found such grace,
And seeing now so fair a Dame,
give me a kind imbrace:
I supt with her that night, with joys that did abound,
And for the same paid presently, in Money twice three pound.
A hundred Kisses then for my farewel she gave,
Saying, sweet Barnwel, when shall I again thy company have?
O stay not too long my dear, sweet George have me in mind,
her words bewitcht my childishness she uttered them so kind,
So that I made a vow, next Sunday without fail,
With my sweet Sara once again, to tell some pleasant tale.
When she heard me say I, the tears fell from her eyes,
O George, quoth she, if thou dost fail thy Sara sure will dye:
Though long, yet loe at last, the pointed time was come,
That I must with my Sara meet, having a mighty sum
Of money in my hand, unto her house went I.
Whereas my love, upon her bed, in saddest sort did lye.
What ails my hearts delight, my Sara dear, quoth he,
Let not my love lament and grieve nor sighing pain and dye.
But tell to me my dearest friend, what may thy woes amend,
& thou shalt lack no means of help, though forty pounds I spend:
With that she turnd her head, and sickly thus did say,
O my sweet George my grief is great, ten pounds I have to pay,
Unto a cruel wretch, and God he knows, quoth she,
I have it not, tush, rise, quoth I, and take it here of me:
Ten pounds, nor ten times ten, shall make my love decay,
Then from his bag into her lap, he cast ten pounds straight way.
All blith and pleasant then,
to banqueting they go,
She proffered him to lye with her, and said it should be so:
And after that same time, I gave her store of Coyn,
Yea, sometimes fifty pound at once, all which I did purloyn:
And thus I did pass on, until my master then,
Did call to have his reckoning in, cast up amongst his men.
The which when as I heard, I knew not what to say,
For well I knew that I was out, two hundred pound that day:
Then from my master streight, I run in secret sort,
And unto Sara Milwood then my state I did report:
But how she usd this Youth, in this his extream need,
The which did her necessity, so oft with money feed:
The second part behold shall tell it forth at large;
And shall a Strumpets willy ways
with all her tricks discharge.

The Second Part, to the same Tune.

HEre comes young Barnwel unto,
sweet Sara his delight,
I am undone, except thou stand my faithful friend this night:
Our Master to command accounts, hath just occasion found,
And I am come behind the hand, almost two hundred pound:
And therefore knowing not at all what answer for to make,
And his displeasure to escape, my way to thee I take:
Hoping in this extreamity thou wilt my succour be,
That for a time I may remain in secret here with thee.
with that she knit & bent her brows and looking all aquoy,
Quoth she, what should I have to do with any Prentice-boy?
And seeing you have purloynd and got your Masters goods away,
The case is bad, and therefore here,
I mean thou shalt not stay.
why sweetheart thou knowst, I said, that all which I did get;
I gave it, and did spend it all, upon thee every whit.
Thou knowst I loved thee so well, thou couldst not ask the thing,
But that I did incontinent the same unto thee bring.
Quod she, thou art a paultry Jack, to charge me in this sort,
Being a Woman of credit good, and known of good report;
And therefore this I tell thee flat, be packing with good speed,
I do defie thee from my heart, and scorn thy filthy deed.
Is this the love & friendship which thou didst to me protest?
Is this the great affection which you seemed to express?
Now fie on all deceitful shews, the best is I may speed,
To get a lodging any where, for money in my need:
Therefore false woman now fare-well while twenty pound doth last
My anchor in some other Haven I will with wisdom cast.
When she perceived by his words that he had money store,
That she had gauld him in such sort it grievd her heart full sore:
Therefore to call him back again she did suppose it best,
Stay George, quod she, thou art too quick why man I do but jest.
thinkst thou for all my passed speech that I would let thee go?
Faith no, quoth she, my love to thee
I wis is more then so:
you will not deal with prentice boys I heard you even now swear,
Therefore I will not trouble you my George herk in thine ear,
Thou shalt not go this night quod she what chance so er befall,
But man wel have a bed for thee, or else the Devil take all.
Thus I that was with Wiles be-witchd & snard with fancy still,
Had not the power to put away, or to withstand her will.
Then wine and wine I called in,
and cheer upon good cheer,
And nothing in the world I thought for Sarahs love too dear:
Whilst I was in her company, in joy and merriment,
And all too little I did think, that I upon her spent,
A fig for care or careful thought when all my gold is gone,
In faith my girl we will have more, whoever it light upon:
My fathers rich, why then, quoth I should I want any gold?
With a father indeed (quoth she) a Son may well be bold:
I have a Sister richly wed, that ile rob ere ile want;
Why then quod Sara they may well consider of your scant:
nay more then this an Uncle I have at Ludlow he doth dwell,
He is a Grasier, which in wealth, doth all the rest excell.
Ere I will live in lack (quoth he) and have no coyn for thee,
Ile rob the churl and murder him, why should you not (quoth she.)
Ere I would want were I a man, or live in poor estate,
On father, friends, and all my kin, I would my talents grate.
For without mony, George, (quod she) a man is but a beast,
And bringing money thou shalt be always my chiefest guest:
For say thou shouldst pursued be with twenty hues and cries,
And with a Warrant searched for with Argos hundred eyes:
Yet in my house thou shalt be safe, such privy ways there be,
That if they sought an 100 years, they could not find out thee.
And so carousing in their cups, their pleasure to content,
George Barnwel had in little space his money wholly spent.
Which being done to Ludlow then, he did provide to go,
To rob his wealthy Uncle then,
his Minion would it so:
and once or twice he thought to take his father by the way,
but that he thought his Master there took order for his stay.
Directly to his Uncle then, he rode with might and main,
where with good welcome, and good cheer he did him entertain:
A Sennets space he stayed there, until it chanced so,
His Uncle with fat Cattel did unto a Market go.
His Kinsman needs must ride with him and when he saw right plain
Great store of Money he had took, in coming home again,
Most suddenly within a Wood, he struck his Uncle down,
And beat his brains out of his head, so sore he crackt his crown:
And fourscore pound in ready coyn, out of his Purse he took,
And comming unto London strait, the Country quite forsook.
To Sara Milwood then he came, shewing his store of gold,
And how he had his Uncle slain, to her he plainly told.
Tush, tis no matter George, quod she so we the money have,
To have good cheer in jolly sort, and deck us fine and brave.
And thus they livd in filthy sort, till all his store was gone,
And means to get them any more, I wis poor George had none.
And therefore now in railing sort she thrust him out of door,
Which is the just reward they get that spend upon a Whore.
O do me not this vile disgrace, in this my need (quoth he)
She calld him thief and murderer with all the spight might be.
And to the Constable she went, to have him apprehended,
And shewd in each degree how far, he had the law offended.
When Barnwel saw her drift, to sea he got straightway,
Where fear and dread, & conscience sting, upon him still doth stay.
Unto the Mayor of London then, he did a Letter write,
Wherein his own and Saras faults he did at large recite.
Whereby she apprehended was,
and then to Ludlow sent,
Where she was judgd, condemnd & hangd for murder incontinent,
and there this gallant quean did die this was her greatest gains,
For murder in Polonia
was Barnwel hangd in chains.
Lo heres the end of wilful youth, that after Harlots haunt,
Who in the spoyl of other men, about the streets do flaunt.

Method of Punishment

hanging, hanging in chains

Crime(s)

robbery, murder

Gender

Execution Location

Ludlow and Polonia

Printing Location

Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere J. Wright, and J. Clarke

Notes

see also: (1780-1812) http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Harding+B+1%2818%29&id=00019.gif&seq=1&size=0

and: http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Firth+c.17%2872%29&id=18762.gif&seq=1&size=1

Cf. The Unfaithful Servant: 17. For George Barnwell as black-letter ballad see Coles, F, Vere, T and Gilbertson, W in Bodleian Allegro archive as Wood 401(77); for other printings, same source, Aldermary Church Yard as Harding B 1(17), from c.Brown in London as Douce Ballads 3(40a), J. Evans in London (41 Long Lane), same source, as Harding B. 1(18) and Keys in Devonport, same source, as Firth b. 25(503).
rox_3_26-27_2448x2448.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:36 +1000
<![CDATA[Anne VVallens Lamentation,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/869

Title

Anne VVallens Lamentation,

Subtitle

For the Murthering of her husband Iohn Wallen a Turner in Cow-lane neere Smithfield; done by his owne wife, on satterday the 22 of Iune. 1616. who was burnt in Smithfield the first of Iuly following.

Synopsis

Anne Wallen sings from the scaffold of her remorse at the stabbing death of her husband. However, spectators at her burning were convinced it was in self-defense against a violent attacker.

Digital Object


Image notice

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

Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Pepys Ballads 1.124-125; EBBA 20053. Audio recording by Hannah Sullivan. 

Set to tune of...

Transcription

Great God that sees al things that here are don
Keeping thy Court with thy celestiall Son;
Heere her complaint that hath so sore offended,
Forgive my fact before my life is ended.

Ah me the shame unto all women kinde,
To harbour such a thought within my minde:
That now hath made me to the world a scorne,
And makes me curse the time that I was borne.

I would to God my mothers haples wombe,
Before my birth had beene my happy tombe:
Or would to God when first I did take breath,
That I had suffered any painefull death.

If ever dyed a true repentant soule,
Then I am she, whose deedes are blacke and foule:
Then take heed wives be to your husbands kinde,
And beare this lesson truely in your minde,

Let not your tongus oresway true reasons bounds,
Which in your rage your utmost rancour sounds:
A woman that is wise should seldome speake,
Unlesse discreetly she her words repeat

Oh would that I had thought of this before,
Which now to thinke on makes my heart full sore:
Then should I not have done this deed so foule,
The which hath stained my immortall soule.

Tis not to dye that thus doth cause me grieve,
I am more willing far to die than live;
But tis for blood which mounteth to the skies,
And to the Lord revenge, revenge, it cries.

My dearest husband did I wound to death,
And was the cause h[e] lost his sweetest breath,
But yet I trust his soule in heaven doth dwell,
And mine without Gods mercy sinkes to hell.

In London neere to smithfield did I dwell,
And mongst my neighbours was beloved well:
Till that the Devill wrought me this same spight,
That all their loves are turnd to hatred quight.

John Wallen was my loving husbands name,
Which long hath liv'd in London in good fame.
His trade a Turner, as was knowne full well,
My name An Wallen , dolefull tale to tell.

Anne wallens Lamentation,
Or the second part of the murther of one John Wallen a Turner in Cow-lane neere Smithfield; done by his owne wife, on saterday the 22 of June 1616.
who was burnt in Smithfield the first of July following,
To the tune of Fortune my foe.

My husband having beene about the towne,
And comming home, he on his bed lay down:
To rest himselfe, which when I did espie,
I fell to rayling most outragiously.

I cald him Rogue, and slave, and all to naught,
Repeating the worst language might be thought
Thou drunken knave I said, and arrant sot,
Thy minde is set on nothing but the pot.

Sweet heart he said I pray thee hold thy tongue,
And if thou dost not, I shall shall doe thee wrong,
At which, straight way I grew in worser rage,
That he by no meanes could my tongue asswage.

He then arose and strooke me on the eare,
I did at him begin to curse and sweare:
Then presently one of his tooles I got,
And on his body gave a wicked stroake

Amongst his intrailes I this Chissell threw,
Where as his Caule came out, for which I rue,
What hast thou don, I prethee looke quoth he,
Thou hast thy wish, for thou hast killed me.

When this was done the neighbours they ran in,
And to his bed they streight conveyed him:
Where he was drest and liv'd till morne next day,
Yet he forgave me and for me did pray.

No sooner was his breath from body fled,
But unto Newgate straight way they me led:
Where I did lie untill the Sizes came,
Which was before I there three daies had laine.

Mother in lawe, forgive me I you pray,
For I have made your onely childe away,
Even all you had; my selfe made husbandlesse,
My life and all cause [I] did so transgresse,

He nere did wrong to any in his life,
But he too much was wronged by his wife;
Then wives be warn'd example take by me.
Heavens graunt no more that such a one may be.

My judgement then it was pronounced plaine,
Because my dearest husband I had slaine:
In burning flames of fire I should fry,
Receive my soule sweet Jesus now I die.

T: Platte.
FINIS.

Composer of Ballad

T. Platte

Method of Punishment

burning

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Printing Location

Printed for Henry Gosson, and are to be solde/ at his shop on London bridge.
PepysC_1_124-125_2448x2448.jpg
Anne Wallens lamentation.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:23 +1000
<![CDATA[Caveat for Cut-purses.]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/872

Title

Caveat for Cut-purses.

Subtitle

With a warning to all purse-carriers: Shewing the confi-
dence of the first, and the carelesnesse of the last; With necessary admonitions for them both, lest the Hangman get the one, and the Begger take the other. To the tune of, Packingtons pound.

Synopsis

A warning to the listener to beware of cutpurses - often sung while cutpurses would steal from unaware listeners of the ballad-singer. Ballad-singer asks not to be put in same category as thieves.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

British Library - Roxburghe, Shelfmark: C.20.f.8.46-47; EBBA 30274

Set to tune of...

Transcription

MY Masters and friends and good people draw near and look to your purses, for that I do say.
And though little mony in them you do bear,
it cost more to get then to lose in a day: you oft have been told both the young and the Old, and bidden beware of of the Cut-purse so bold: Then if you take heed not, free me from the curse,
Who both give you warning, for and the Cut-purse.

Youth, youth thou hadst better been starvd by thy Nurse
Then live to be hangd for cutting a purse.

It hath been upbraided to men of my Trade, that oftentimes we are the cause of this crime,
Alack and for pitty, why should it be said? as if they regarded or places or time, Examples have been Or some that were seen of Westminster hall yea the pleaders between: Then why should the Judges be free from this curse,
More then my poor self is for cutting the Purse,

Youth youth, etc.

At Worster, tis known well and even in the Jale, a Knight of good worship did there shew his fa[ce] Against the foule sinners in zeale for to raile, and so lost, ipso facto, his purse in the place: Nay once from the Seat Of judgement so great a Judge there did lose a fair purse of Velvet, Oh Lord for thy mercy how wicked or worse
Are those that so venture their necks for a purse!

Youth youth, etc.

At Playes and at Sermons, and at the Sessions, tis daily their practice such booty to make, Yea under the Gallows at Executions, they stick not the stare-abouts purses to take. Nay one without grace At a better place at Court and in Christmas, before the Kings fa[ce.] Alack then for pitty must I bear the curse,
That only belong to the cunning Cut-purse.

Youth youth thou hadst better been starved by th[y Nurse]
Then live to be hangd for cutting a pu[rse.]

BUt oh! you vile Nation of Cutpurses all, Relent and repent, and amend and be sound,
And know that you ought not by honest mens fall advance your own fortunes to dye above ground.
And though you go gay In Silks as you may, It is not the highway to Heaven as they say,
Repent then repent you for better for worse
And kiss not the Gallows for cutting a purse,

Youth youth thou hadst better been starvd by thy Nurse
Then live to be hangd for cutting a purse.

The Players do tell you in Bartholmew Faire what secret consumptions and Rascals you are,
For one of their Actors it seems had the fate by some of your Trade to be fleeced of late, Then fall to your prayers You that are way-layers,
theyre fit to chouse all the world, that can cheat Players
For he hath the Art, and no man the worse,
Whose cunning can pilfer the pilferers purse.

Youth youth etc.

The plain Country man that coms staring to London if once you come near him he quickly is undone,
For when he amazedly gaz[e]th about one treads on his toes, an[d] the other pulst out, Then in a strange place Where he knows no face, his mony is gone tis a pittiful case.
The Divel of hell in his trade is not worse
Then Gilter, and Diver, and Cutter of purse,
Youth etc.

The poor servant maid wears her purse in her placket
A place of quick feeling and yet you can take it,
Nor is she aware that you have done the feat
Untill she is going to pay for her meat. Then she cryes and rages Amongst her Baggages, and swears at one thrust she hath lost all her wa-ges
For she is ingaged her own to disburse,
To make good the breach of the cruel Cut-purse
Youth etc.

Your eyes and your fingers are nimble of growth.
But Dun many times he hath been nimbler then both
Yet you are deceived by many a slut,
But the Hang-man is only the Cut-purses cut, It makes you to vex When he bridles your necks and then at the last what becomes of your tricks
But when you should pray, you begin for to curse
The hand that first shewd you to slash at a purse,
Youth, etc.

But now to my hearers this Counsel I give,
And pray friends remember it as long as you live,
Bring out no more cash in purse pocket or wallet,
Then one single penny to pay for the Ballet, For Cut-purse doth shrowd Himself in a Cloud, theres many a purse hath been lost in a crowd
For hes the most rogue that doth crowd up & curses
Who first cryes my Masters beware of your purses.
Oh youth thou hadst better been starvd by thy Nurse
Then live to be hanged for cutting a purse.

Method of Punishment

hanging

Crime(s)

stealing

Gender

Printing Location

Printed for W. Gilbertson.
rox_2_46-47_2448x2448.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:24 +1000
<![CDATA[Chanson lamentable d'une fille de Dijon,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/972

Title

Chanson lamentable d'une fille de Dijon,

Subtitle

condamnee à mort, par son pere, Sur le chant du bel Adonis.

Synopsis

so far only have picture taken from van Orden, 'Female Complaintes'

Set to tune of...

Sur le chant du bel Adonis

Transcription

Fillez qui aymez honneur,
Escoutez ie vous supplie
En quelle peine & douleur
M'a mise ma grand' folie.
Ie n'avois passe quinze ans
Que m'oubliant en moy mesme
Me brusloit l'ame au dedans

rest is at BnF?

Gender

Date

]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:33 +1000
<![CDATA[Chanson nouvelle d'une servante de Laon laquelle a esté bruslee toute vive pour avoir empoisonné sa maistresse, pensant avoir son Maistre en Mariage.]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/973

Title

Chanson nouvelle d'une servante de Laon laquelle a esté bruslee toute vive pour avoir empoisonné sa maistresse, pensant avoir son Maistre en Mariage.

Subtitle

Sur le chant, Il y a un cler en ceste ville, &c.

Set to tune of...

Il y a un cler en ceste ville, &c.

Transcription

Escoutez un cas déplorable,
De moy chetive & miserable,
Qu'ay fait par trop aventureux
Par un conseil pernicieux.
Moy que estois pauvre servante,
Mal avisée & peu sçavante
Ay faict à ma maistresse tort,
la mettant du tout à mort.
C'est ennemy remply de rage,
Pour me tirer à son servage
M'est venu ainsi recevoir,
Pour mon âme excellente avoir.
Disant d'invention meschante,
Que plus je ne serois servante,
Si poison voulois acheter
Pour ma maistresse empoisonner.
Moy entant ainsi poursuivie
De ce faux Sathan par l'envie,
Je m'absenta de la maison
Pour acheter ceste poison.
Et puis par une folle rage
Je la vins metter en son potage
Dont ma maistresse par l'effort
De ce poison fut mise à mort.
Dequoy esmerveillé mon magister
Qui rien ne sçavoit du faict traistre
Que j'avois meschamment commis
Fut en grande tristesse mis.
Faisant soudain devoir extreme,
Pour donner remede à sa femme,
De courir aux Chirurgiens,
Pour y trouver quelques moyens.
Mia il n'ont seu en nulle sorte
Retarder ceste poison forte,
Dont ma bonne maistresse helas,
Fut tout soudain mise au trespas.
Mon maistre ignorant la furie
De la poison & maladie,
Fit subit ma maistresse ouvrir,
Pour le vilain faict descouvrir.
Aussi tost ma maistresse ouverte,
Ceste poison fut descouverte
Et fut tout averé le cas,
De sa mort subite & trespas.
Voyant la trahison meschante
Et que j'estois seule servante
Mon maistre s'en va au Prevost
Lequel me vient saisir bien tost.
Estant ainsi en prison mise
Et puis par la justice enquise
De ce meschant traistre forfait
Soudain j'ay confessé mon faict.
Disant que soubs espoir volage
D'avoir mon maistre en mariage
J'avois donné ceste poison
A ma maistresse en trahison.
Le cas confessé, la justice
Me condamne au dernier supplice
Et de passer par la rigueur
Du feu en tresgrande douleur.
Ainsi par ma faute insensée
Seray toute vive bruslée
Comme je l'ay bien merité
Par mon faict plein de cruauté.
Or entre vous autres servantes
Ne soyez comme moy meschantes,
Priez pour moy le doux Jesus
Conduire mon ame là sus.

Method of Punishment

burning

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Printing Location

Lyon: Simon Rigaud, 1606
'La Fleur du Rozier des chansons'
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:33 +1000
<![CDATA[Chanson nouvelle sur Madame Lescombat. Sur l’air du Danger.]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1184

Title

Chanson nouvelle sur Madame Lescombat.
Sur l’air du Danger.

Synopsis

On this date in 1755, Henri Mongeot was broken on the wheel for assassinating the husband of his adulterous lover, Marie.

Louis Alexandre Lescombat was a Paris architect; the betrayal of his flighty wife Marie Catherine Taperet was all the talk of Paris after her lover Mongeot slew the husband whilst out on a walk in December of 1754 — then summoned the watch to present a bogus self-defense claim.

This tactic has been known to work when the killer enjoys sufficient impunity; perhaps a respectable bourgeois like Lescombat could have done it to Mongeot — but when the horny 23-year-old busts up the family home with one blade and then the other, it’s La Mort de Lescombat, a tragedy.

For the widow, one good betrayal would deserve another: Mongeot faithfully avoided implicating her in the murder but when he discovered on the very eve of his death that she was already making time with a new fellow, he summoned the judge and revenged himself by exposing her incitement to the crime. His evidence would doom her to follow him many months later, after the sentence was suspended long enough for the widow Lescombat to deliver a son.

Joining Mongeot on the scaffold this date was a 15-year-old heir to the family executioner business apparently conducting just his second such sentence — Charles-Henri Sanson, the famed bourreau destined in time to cut off the head of the king and queen. Mongeot makes a passing appearance in the 19th century Memoirs of the Sansons; in it, Charles-Henri’s grandson remarks from the family notes that “Mdme. Lescombat … was confronted with him [i.e., her doomed lover] at the foot of the scaffold. She was remarkably handsome, and she tried the effect of her charms on her judges, but without avail.”

Set to tune of...

air du Danger

Transcription

O Mort, t’es trop cruelle,
Tu me livres un combat,
Et quoique je sois belle,
Faut y sauter le pas;
Sans différer,
Faut perdre la santé,
Chose assurée,
Au cabriolet j’irai.

Je partirai sans doute
Dans quelque jours d’ici:
Faut que je me résoude
A ne plus voir Paris;
C’est aujourd’hui
Qu’il me faut perdre la vie,
Sans plus tarder,
Je me vois condamnée.

Me voilà donc jugée,
La chose est décidée,
Et par mon Favori
J’ai fait tuer mon Mari,
Qui m’aimoit bien.
Ah! quel fâcheux destin
Que j’ai commis,
Pour plaire à mon ami.

Cela est tout abus,
Faut que je sois pendue.
Adieu, Ville de Paris,
Puisqu’il me faut partir
En mantelet,
Ayant un air coquet,
Tout le monde charmé
De me voir cabrioler.

Il me faut donc mourir
Pour vous faire plaisir.
Adieu, tous mes Amis,
Et mes Parens aussi.
Quel grand chagrin,
Moi qui vous aimois bien,
Dans votre coeur
Pour vous quel deshonneur.

Mon Pere, aussi ma Mere,
Je vous fais mes adieux.
Quelle douleur amere
De voir devant vos yeux
Un tel objet!
Que vous avez de regret
De votre enfant
Que vous aimiez tendrement.

Et le jour de ma mort
Tout Paris y viendra,
Les filles, aussi les femmes
S’empresseront pour cela
De tous côtés,
Ils seront étouffés
Pour contempler
Ma charmante beauté.


Au supplice arrivée;
A la Ville je monterai,
Sera pour faire pester
Ceux que seront charmés,
Sans plus târder,
C’est pour m’y voir danser,
Chose assurée,
Menuet & Passepied.

Avant de rendre l’ame,
Son coeur s’en va disant:
Priez pour moi, mes Dames,
Que Jesus tout-puissant,
Et que pour cette nuit
Je sois en paradis,
Je prierai Dieu
Pour vous dedans les cieux.

Et vous, jeunes fillettes,
Qui êtes à marier,
Ne prenez point un homme
Et sans que vous l’aimiez;
C’est que je vous le dis,
J’ai fait tuer mon Mari,
Ne l’aimant pas,
Me voilà au trépas.

FIN

Avec Permission

Method of Punishment

hanging

Crime(s)

murder

Date

Execution Location

Paris, Place de Greve

URL

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Catherine_Taperet
Chanson nouvelle sur Madame Lescombat 1.JPG
Chanson nouvelle sur Madame Lescombat 2.JPG
]]>
Thu, 14 Jun 2018 14:28:19 +1000
<![CDATA[Complainte de la Reine de France]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/976

Title

Complainte de la Reine de France

Synopsis

Marie Antoinette sings after her husband's execution

Transcription

Ce n'est donc fait o mon Epoux!
Philippe comblé sa vengeance
tu viens de tomber sous ses coups,
il n'est plus de vertus en France.
L'injustice et la cruauté
dans tous les coeurs on pris leur place,
Et la perfide lacheté
plus cruelle encore que l'audace.

Ma fille, helas! jamais tes yeux
Ne reverront ton tendre pere;
Ce parfait ouvrage des Cieux,
Elizabeth, n'a plus de frere.
Elizabeth, Elizabeth,
Models d'amour et constance,
Des barbares l'affreux projet
Accuse aussi ton innocence.

Toi qui souvent des assassins
Mon fils, as desarmé la rage,
Recois ce papier de mes mains*
Voila ton plus bel heritage.
Pardonne à tous nos ennemis
Comme ton pere leur pardonne,
L'august fils de Saint Louis*
En montant au Ciel te l'ordonne.

Vous qui souffrez, des coups du sort
N'accusez point la barbarie.
Pouriez vous bien vous plaindre encor,
En contemplant ma triste vie.
Pour vous il n'est plus de malheurs
J'en epuisai la coupe amere:
Ah! pour bien sentir mes douleurs
Faut être epouse, Reine, et mere.

Dans le chagrin mon coeur noyé,
N'a point d'azile en sa souffrance
On me refuse la pitié,*
Et Je regnois hier en France!
Ainsi quand tout me fait la loi,
Cher et tendre epoux, de te suivre
La gloire de mon jeune Roi
M'impose le tourment de vivre.

Mon fils, pour rendre à son devoir
Un peuple encore dans l'ivresse,
Pour faire cherir ton pouvoir,
Pour faire benir ta jeunesse,
Je te parlerai jour et nuit
Des douces vertus de ton pere:
Un autre y joindra le recit
Des infortunes de ta mere.

*Le Testament de Louis XVI
*Fils de St. Louis, vous montez au Ciel: Paroles prononcées par Edgeworth confesseur du Roi, aux pieds de l'echaffaud
*On a defendu aux commissaires du Temple de rendre compte de la situation des Augustes prisonniers de crainte que le peuple ne s'attendrit sur leur sort.

Composer of Ballad

words: M. Peltier, music M. Ferrari

Method of Punishment

guillotine

Crime(s)

treason

Gender

Date

Execution Location

guillotine

Printing Location

Se vend chez M. Fores, No. 3 Piccadilly et chez les Marchands de Musique
IMG_1503.jpg
IMG_1504.jpg
IMG_1505.jpg
IMG_1506.jpg
IMG_1507.jpg
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]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:33 +1000
<![CDATA[Complainte de Marie Antoinette veuve de L. Capet;]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1013

Title

Complainte de Marie Antoinette veuve de L. Capet;

Subtitle

Exécuté le 25me Jours du Ier Mois de la Seconde Année de la Republique Française à 11. heures du matin.
abrégé sur sa mort après avoir montré de l'audace et de la fermeté dans ses intérogatoires lorsqu'il fut question de la conduire à l'échafaud, elle demanda un carosse, ou du moins d'avoir la tête couverte d'un voile ; comme contraire à l'égalité l'on lui refusa...

Set to tune of...

O! ma tendre musette

Transcription

[...] tourmens que j'endure
[...] peindra les heurreurs?
J'ai trahi la Nature...
Et j'ai bravé ses pleurs...
Dès ma plus tendre enfance
Mon coeur dur et pervers
Brûlait d'impatience,
De perdre l'Univers.

2.
Ce n'est point la Couronne
Qui me flattait le plus....
Je regardois le Trône
Comme un rang superflus...
Mais le titre de Reine
Assurait mes forfaits
Et secondait ma haine
Pour le Peuple Français.

3.
Il me souvient encore
De ces temps de bonheur
Le Peuple entier m'adore
Et pour moi n'a qu'un coeur.
Quelle réconnoissance!
Français! Peuple Français!
Quelle est ta récompense?
Les plus infâmes traits!

4.
J'épuise tes finances,
Et je ris de tes maux:
Par mes folles dépenses
La France est un tombeau.
Hélas! le bout d'oreille
Echappe par malheur...
Le Peuple se reveille
[......................]

5.
Que faire? Que résoudre?
Je ne pouvais changer....
J'aurais bravé la foudre
Pour pouvoir me venger....
Le Clergé, la Noblesse
Méprisoient mon Epoux
La vengeance me presse...
J'ordonne un dix Août.

6.
O comble de ma rage
Et de mon désespoir!
J'appelle en vain l'orage
Il n'a plus de pouvoir...
Contre moi la Nature
S'élève en frémissant
Je dois à l'imposture
... que je ressens.

7.
Adieu charmant Versailles
Et mon cher Trianon
Adieu, cher Cornouailles
Adieu belle Malton.
Cruelle destinée!
Tu venges les Français....
Et je suis accablée
De mille mille traits

8.
Polignac dont les graces
Me plurent si longtemps
Ô évite mes traces
Auprès de ton Amant.
Adieu, belle Justine
Qui me fit tant plaisir
Ciel! par la Guillotine,
Je vais enfin mourir.

9.
Adieu, grandeur passée
Adieu tout mes plaisirs.
La Nature offensée
Veut mes derniers soupirs
Et toi cher la Fayette
Dont j'écoutai les feux...
Venges ton Antoinette
Et reçois ses adieux.

10.
Compagnes de mes crimes
Et de tous mes forfaits
Serés vous les victimes
Du courroux des Français
Destaing, Bailly, ma fille
Et toi, mon fils et toi
Ainsi que ma famille
Souvenez vous de moi.

11.
Enfers, Dieux, Peuples, flâme,
Serpens, chaines, horreurs.
Tout accable l'infâme
Et brave ses fureurs.
La chaux et le bitame
La font toujours souffrir
Le feu qui la consume
Ne put l'anéantir.

12.
Voilà donc cette Reine
Ce fléau des Français!
Qui payoit de sa haine
Leurs plus tendres bienfaits.
Cette Femme impudente
Etonne l'Univers
Et son âme arrogante
Brule dans les Enfers.

Gender

Date

Printing Location

A Paris : chez Le Fevre, [ca 1793]

URL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLbhW9qJwhU
Complainte de marie-Antoinette, veuve de L. Capet.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:39 +1000
<![CDATA[Complainte et epitaphe de Madame Lescombat]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1185

Title

Complainte et epitaphe de Madame Lescombat

Synopsis

On this date in 1755, Henri Mongeot was broken on the wheel for assassinating the husband of his adulterous lover, Marie.

Louis Alexandre Lescombat was a Paris architect; the betrayal of his flighty wife Marie Catherine Taperet was all the talk of Paris after her lover Mongeot slew the husband whilst out on a walk in December of 1754 — then summoned the watch to present a bogus self-defense claim.

This tactic has been known to work when the killer enjoys sufficient impunity; perhaps a respectable bourgeois like Lescombat could have done it to Mongeot — but when the horny 23-year-old busts up the family home with one blade and then the other, it’s La Mort de Lescombat, a tragedy.

For the widow, one good betrayal would deserve another: Mongeot faithfully avoided implicating her in the murder but when he discovered on the very eve of his death that she was already making time with a new fellow, he summoned the judge and revenged himself by exposing her incitement to the crime. His evidence would doom her to follow him many months later, after the sentence was suspended long enough for the widow Lescombat to deliver a son.

Joining Mongeot on the scaffold this date was a 15-year-old heir to the family executioner business apparently conducting just his second such sentence — Charles-Henri Sanson, the famed bourreau destined in time to cut off the head of the king and queen. Mongeot makes a passing appearance in the 19th century Memoirs of the Sansons; in it, Charles-Henri’s grandson remarks from the family notes that “Mdme. Lescombat … was confronted with him [i.e., her doomed lover] at the foot of the scaffold. She was remarkably handsome, and she tried the effect of her charms on her judges, but without avail.”

Set to tune of...

air des Pendus

Transcription

Complainte sur Madame Lescombat.
Sur l’Air des pendus.

Quelle nouveauté est-ce aujourd’hui!
Quel bruit entend-on dans Paris!
L’on voit le monde qui s’amasse
Dans les Carfours & dans les Places,
Qui s’entredisent, allons voir ça,
L’on va pendre la Lescombat.

Monsieur, faut que vous l’appreniez,
C’est une femme éfrontée
Qui fit assassiner son homme
Par son Faraut, elle en personne.
Aujourd’hui elle est condamnée
D’être pendue & étranglée.

Maître Charlot vient d’arriver,
Sitôt il la fut saluer.
La corde au col, dit-il, Madame
Je vous jure dessus mon ame,
Aujourd’hui il nous faut danser,
Ma Salle est déjà préparée.

Pourquoi donc m’en vouloir, Charlot?
Tôt ou tard je ferai ton lot.
Si de quelques mois je differe,
Ne sçais tu pas qu’il est vulgaire,
Que quand on est prêt de mourir,
Adieu la joye & les plaisirs.

A ce discours aussi courtois
Charlot qui est un bon grivois,
Lui dit: dans quelque mois Madame,
Je vous ferai danser un branle
Je vous ferai cabrioler
Un Menuet & un Passepied.

Console-toi aussi Charlot,
Car cela ne sera pas de sitôt,
Remporte tout ton équipage;
Je ne veux point aller au Bal,
Ou bien par ma foi si j’y vas,
Ce ne sera que dans quatre mois.

Avant de danser un Menuet,
Tu sçais que les Cabriolets
Sont les voitures les plus commodes
Et même les plus à la mode,
Pour dedans ta Salle danser,
Il faut tous deux dedans rouler.

Mais sache que je suis appuyée
D’un puissant Seigneur étranger,
Comme il est Anglois sans doutance,
Et qu’il a beaucoup de finance,
Le bruit court par tous dans Paris,
Qu’il me pourra sauver la vie.

Allez vous, Madame, penser
Que vous serez pendu & étranglée.
Si l’on vous donne votre grace,
Ça seroit faire un grand outrage.
Ayant fait tuer votre Mari
Par Mongeot votre Favori.

Je veux, & cela sera fait,
Etre pendue en Mantelet.
Il est vraie, c’est chose assurée,
Que l’on dit à ma renommée,
Quand on pendra la Lescombat
Pour la voir tout Paris viendra.

Madame, il me le faut donc payer,
Est-ce ainsi que vous me renvoyez?
Ma foi je vous le dis sans honte,
Ce sera toujours pour votre compte,
Puisque près ou loin vous viendrez
Mes outils je vais remporter.

Avec Permission.

Method of Punishment

hanging

Crime(s)

murder

Date

Execution Location

Paris, Place de Greve

Printing Location

Paris

URL

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Catherine_Taperet
Complainte sur Madame Lescombat, sur l'air des pendus 1.JPG
Complainte sur Madame Lescombat, sur l'air des pendus 2.JPG
]]>
Thu, 14 Jun 2018 14:38:35 +1000
<![CDATA[Complainte et regret d'une jeune fille, laquelle a esté exécutée dans la ville de Aure de Grace]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1015

Title

Complainte et regret d'une jeune fille, laquelle a esté exécutée dans la ville de Aure de Grace

Subtitle

en Normandie pour avoir deffaict son propre enfant. Sur le chant, Demandez l[e] à votre père pareillement à vostre mère.

Set to tune of...

Demandez l[e] à votre père pareillement à vostre mère

Transcription

Or escoutez je vous en prie,
La complainte que je vas dire
D'une fille agée de vingt ans
Qui c'est gouvernée meschamment.
Sathan maudit tout plain de rage
Ma faict faire un grand outrage
Me conseillant de paillarder:
Et puis mon propre enfant tuer.
Ne suis je pas bien miserable
J'estoit d'un lieu tres-honorable
Avoir commis ce or peché
Helas qui ma d'es-honnoré.
Mon Pere avoit en abondance
D'or & d'argent & de chevance
Pour me marié richement,
A quelque honneste marchant.
Mais Cupidon trompeur infame
Ma enflambé le corps & l'ame
J'ay voulu prendre mes esbas,
Avec un jeune Advocat.
Comme n'ayant de Dieu la crainte
Quant je seu que j'estois ensainte
[J'ay] conclu une trahison:
Mais j'en resenty le guerdon.
Dans le grenier je suis montée
[?] celle fin de l'anfantée
Enfans que nul ne me verroit
Mais le bon Dieu point ne dormoit.
Soudain je l'ay pris par la gorge
Sans avoir de luy misericorde
D'une ache je l'ay tué
Puis l'ay jetté dans les privé.
Alors voicy venir ma Mere
Qui descouvry tout mon affaire
Estant faschée & courroussée
Elle mesme ma accusée.
Me voilla prise & liée
Et dedans la prison fut menée
Enserrée bien estroittement,
En attendant mon jugement.
La justice a ordonnée
Que j'aurois les deux point couppée
Et les mamelles tenaillé,
Car je l'ay fort bien merité.
Puis apres à une potence
Seray mise pour recompence
Je prie Dieu de paradis,
Qu'il face a mon ame mercy.
Entre vous autre jeune fille
Prenez example a ma follie
Gouvernez vous plus sagement
Las que je n'ay fait en mon temps.
A Dieu mon Pere a Dieu ma Mere
Auquel j'ay grand' vitupere
Je vous crie a tous mercy,
Priez Dieu pour moy mes amis.

Method of Punishment

mutilation, hanging?

Crime(s)

infanticide

Gender

Date

Printing Location

Lyon: Simon Rigaud, 1606
'La Fleur du Rozier des chansons'

URL

https://play.google.com/books/reader?printsec=frontcover&output=reader&id=zdg5AAAAcAAJ&pg=GBS.PA43
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:39 +1000
<![CDATA[Constance of Cleveland.]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/874

Title

Constance of Cleveland.

Subtitle

A very excellent Sonnet of the most faire Lady Constance of Cleveland and her disloyall Knight. To the tune of Crimson Velvet.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Shelfmark: Pepys Ballads 1.138-139 (EEBO has 3 other editions: BL 1660, BL 1675, Beinecke 1655-80); EBBA 20060

Set to tune of...

Crimson Velvet

Transcription

IT was a youthfull Knight, lov'd a gallant Lady,
Faire she was and bright, and of vertues rare:
Her selfe she did behave so courteously as may be,
Wedded were they brave, joy without compare.
Here began the griefe,
Paine without reliefe, her husband soone her love forsooke,
To women lewd of mind
Being bad inclin'd, he onely lent a pleasant looke:
The Lady she sate weeping,
While that he was keeping company with others moe:
Her words, my Love, believe not,
Come to me and grieve not,
Wantons will thee overthrow.

His faire Ladies words
nothing he regarded,
Wantonnesse affords such delightfull sport:
While they dance and sing, with great mirth prepared,
She her hands did wring in most grievous s[oo]rt.
Oh what hap had I
Thus to waile and cry, unrespected every day:
Living in disdaine,
While that others gaine all the right I should enjoy?
I am left forsaken,
Others they are taken, ah my Love, why dost thou so?
Her flatteries beleeve not, etc.

The Knight with his faire Piece, at length his Lady spied,
Who did him daily fleece of his wealth and store:
Secretly she stood, while she her fashions tried,
With a patient mood, while deepe the Strumpet swore:
O sir Knight, quoth she,
So dearely I love thee, my life doth rest at thy dispose,
By day and eke by night,
For thy sweet delight, thou shalt me in thy armes disclose.
I am thine owne for ever,
Still will I persever true to thee where ere I goe.
Her flatteries beleeve not, etc.

The vertuous Lady mild enters then among them,
Being big with child, as ever she might be.
With distilling teares she looked then upon them,
Filled full of feares, thus replied she:
Ah my Love and Deare,
Wherefore stay you here, refusing me your loving wife,
For an Harlots sake,
Which each one will take, whose vile deeds provoke much strife:
Many can accuse her,
O my Love refuse her, with thy Lady home returne:
Her flatteries beleeve not,
Come to me and grieve not, etc.

All in fury then the angry Knight upstarted
Very furious, when he heard his Ladies speech:
With many bitter termes his wife he overthwarted,
Using hard extremes, while she did him beseech.
From her necke so white,
He tooke away in spight her curious chaine of finest gold,
Her Jewels and her Rings,
And all such costly things, as he about her did behold.
The Harlot in her presence,
He did gently reverence, and to her he gave them all
He sent away his Lady,
Full of woe as may be, who in a sound with griefe did fall.

The second part, To the same tune.

AT his Ladies wrong
the Harlot fleer'd and laughed,
Inticements are so strong, they over-come the wife:
The Knight nothing regarded, to see the Lady scoffed,
This was her reward, for her enterprise.
The Harlot all this space
Did him oft imbrace, she flatters him, and thus doth say,
For thee Ile die and live,
For thee my faith Ile give, no woe shall work my Loves decay.
Thou shalt be my treasure,
Thou shalt be my pleasure, thou shalt be my hearts delight:
I will be thy darling,
I will be thy worldling, in despight of Fortunes spight.

Thus he did remaine in wastfull great expences,
Till it bred his paine, and consum'd him quite:
When his Lands were spent, troubled in his senses,
Then he did repent this his lewd delight:
For reliefe he hies,
For reliefe he flies, to them on whom he spent his gold,
They doe him deny,
They doe him defie, they will not once his face behold.
Being thus distressed,
Being thus oppressed, in the fields that night he lay,
Which the Harlot knowing,
Through her malice growing, sought to take his life away.

A young and proper Lad, they had slaine in secret,
For the gold he had: whom they did convey,
By a Ruffian lewd, to that place directly,
Where that youthfull Knight fast a sleeping lay:
The bloody dagger than,
Wherewith they kill'd the man, hard by the Knight he likewise laid,
Sprinkling him with blood,
As he thought it good,
and then no longer there he staid.
The Knight being so abused,
Was forthwith accused for this murther which was done,
And he was condemned,
That had not offended, shamefull death he might not shun.

When the Lady bright understood the matter,
That her wedded Knight was condemn'd to die,
To the King she went with all the speed that might be,
Where she did lament her hard destiny:
Noble King, quoth she,
Pitty take on me, and pardon my poore husbands life,
Else I am undone,
With my little son, let mercy mitigate this griefe.
Lady faire, content thee,
Soone thou wouldst repent thee, if he should be saved so:
Sore he hath abus'd thee,
Sore he hath misus'd thee, therefore Lady let him goe.

O my Liege, quoth she, grant your gracious favor,
Deare he is to me, though he did me wrong:
The King repli'd againe, with a sterne behaviour,
A Subject hee hath slaine, die he shall ere long,
Except thou canst find
Any one so kind, that will die and set him free.
Noble King, she said,
Glad am I apaid, the same person will I bee,
I will suffer duely,
I will suffer truely,
for my Love and husbands sake.
The King therefore amazed,
Though he her duty praised, he bade that thence he should her take.

It was the Kings command, on the morrow after,
She should out of hand, to the Scaffold goe:
Her husband pointed was, to beare the sword before her,
He must eke alas, give the deadly blow:
He refus'd the deed,
Shee bade him proceed, with a thousand kisses sweet.
In this wofull case,
They did both imbrace which mov'd the Ruffian in that place
Straight for to discover
This concealed murther, whereby the Lady saved was,
The Harlot then was hanged,
As shee well deserved,
this [did v]ertue bring to passe.

FINIS.

Method of Punishment

beheading

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Printing Location

Printed at London for I. Wright.

Tune Data

Crimson Velvet first appeared in 1596 (Simpson 1966, pp. 141-142).

Notes

invented story?
PepysC_1_138-139_2448x2448.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:24 +1000
<![CDATA[CRIMES DE MARIE-ANTOINETTE,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/985

Title

CRIMES DE MARIE-ANTOINETTE,

Subtitle

Veuve Capet, Guillotinée le 25 du premier mois de l'an 2 de la République française, une et indivisible (le 16 octobre, 1793. Vieux stile.
Air du malheureux Lisandre.

Set to tune of...

Air du malheureux Lisandre.

Transcription

DE peur que la race future,
D'Antoinette apprenant le sort,
Ne nous reproche un jour sa mort,
Des faux écrits par l'imposture,
Je veux montrer à l'univers
Ses crimes, ses desseins pervers;
Je veux que, du royaume sombre,
Elle entende le cri des loix:
Je veux interroger son ombre
Et qu'elle frémisse à ma voix.

Monstre échappé de Germania,
Toi qui dévastas no climats,
Ils n'ont cessé tes attentats
Que lorsqu'on fit cesser ta vie;
Par tes crimes & tes forfaits,
Vois les maux que tu nous a faits;
Non satisfaite, dans ta rage,
de ceux ou nous sommes plongés,
Nous devions tous, par ton ouvrage,
Périr l'un par l'autre égorgés.

Avant l'époque combinée
Du heureux & beau changement,
Qui rendit le français si grand
Et la france régénerée;
Par ton adresse & par le vin,
Charmant ton époux peu malin,
Oui, je vois tes mains sacrilèges,
L'endormant sur de vils excès,
Pour un frere que tu protèges,
Dépouiller l'empire francais.

Ce fut le premier de tes crimes:
Quand on débute comme toi,
On peut, sans honte & sans effroi,
Marcher d'abîmes en abîmes:
L'horreur ne quitte point tes pas,
Et, prodigue de tes appas,
De tes enfans coupable mere,
Ne retenant plus aucun frein,
Trois fois une flâme adultere
Fit germer ces fruits dans ton sein.

Je vois une femme en furie
Troubler le dedans, le dehors;
Des Flandrins & Gardes-du-Corps
Elle-même anime[r?] l'orgie.
Je la vois les encourager,
A ses yeux, faire profaner
Notre cocarde tricolore:
Par ses artifices adroits,
Je vois la blanche qu'on arbore,
Pour anéantir tous nos droits.

Mais quelles sont ces assemblées,
Que j'apperçois dans ce palais?
Qui, de ces criminels projets
Inspire les noires idées?
C'est toi, trop cruelle, c'est toi:
Contre nous & contre la loi.
C'est-là même que tu présides
Et fais, pour servir tes desseins,
Nommer des ministres perfides,
Agens de tes faits clandestins.

Tu nous fais déclarer la guerre,
Et, par tes mouvemens secrets,
De la Belgique, des franais
Se fait la retraite premiere:
Aux rois & brigands conjurés
Nos plans, par toi, sont envoyés:
Si, quelquefois, sur nos armées
Triompherent les ennemis,
C'est à tes perfides menées
Que, par eux, en est dù le prix.

Je t'accuse de cet orage
Que sur nous tu fis éclater,
Le jour où l'on vit tant briller
Des sans-culotes le courage,
C'est le célevre jour du dix,
Funeste à des peres chéris:
Et de cette trame infernale
Pour encourager les agens,
D'avoir mordu plus d'une balle,
Au milieu de tes partisans.

Si Capet se fouilla de crimes,
Et s'il fut digne de la mort,
S'il a trop mérité son sort
Et fait tomber tant de victimes,
C'est toi-mme qui le perdis,
Abusant d'un coeur trop épris:
Qui, profitant de sa faiblesse,
Fit servir son crédule amour,
Aux complots machinés sans cesse
Par ton noir esprit et ta cour.

Envain je cherche en ma mémoire
Le nom des êtres abhorrés,
Dignes de t'être comparés:
Je n'en trouve pas dans l'histoire,
Pour faire un fidele tableau,
Tu fus, on peut dire en un mot,
Plus scélérat qu'Agrippine,
Dont les crimes sont inouis,
Plus lubrique que Messaline,
Plus barbare que Médicis.

Par GOURIET, fils.

Method of Punishment

guillotine

Crime(s)

treason

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Paris, Place Louis Quinze

Printing Location

De l'Imp. de GOURIET, rue S.-Etienne-des-Grs, Nos. 20 & 22.

Notes

Marie Antoinette; baptised Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna (or Maria Antonia Josephina Johanna);2 November 1755 äóñ 16 October 1793), born an archduchess of Austria, was Dauphine of France from 1770 to 1774 and Queen of France and Navarre from 1774 to 1792. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa.

In April 1770, on the day of her marriage to Louis-Auguste, Dauphin of France, she became Dauphine of France. Marie Antoinette assumed the title of Queen of France and of Navarre when her husband, Louis XVI of France, ascended the throne upon the death of Louis XV in May 1774. After seven years of marriage, she gave birth to a daughter, Marie-Thérse Charlotte, the first of four children.

Initially charmed by her personality and beauty, the French people generally came to dislike her, accusing "L'Autrichienne" (meaning the Austrian (woman) in French) of being profligate, promiscuous,[2] and of harboring sympathies for France's enemies, particularly Austria, her country of origin.[3] The Diamond Necklace incident further ruined her reputation. Although she was completely innocent in this affair, she became known as Madame Déficit.

The royal family's flight to Varennes had disastrous effects on French popular opinion, Louis XVI was deposed and the monarchy abolished on 21 September 1792; the royal family was subsequently imprisoned at the Temple Prison. Eight months after her husband's execution, Marie Antoinette was herself tried, convicted by the Convention for treason to the principles of the revolution, and executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793.

1793: "Widow Capet," Trial, and Death
Marie Antoinette on the way to the guillotine. (Pen and ink by Jacques-Louis David, 16 October 1793)
Marie Antoinette's execution on 16 October 1793.

Louis was executed on 21 January 1793, at the age of thirty-eight.[118] The result was that the "Widow Capet", as the former queen was called after the death of her husband, plunged into deep mourning; she refused to eat or do any exercise. There is no knowledge of her proclaiming her son as Louis XVII; however, the comte de Provence, in exile, recognised his nephew as the new king of France and took the title of Regent. Marie-Antoinette's health rapidly deteriorated in the following months. By this time she suffered from tuberculosis and possibly uterine cancer, which caused her to hemorrhage frequently.[119]

Despite her condition, the debate as to her fate was the central question of the National Convention after Louis's death. There were those who had been advocating her death for some time, while some had the idea of exchanging her for French prisoners of war or for a ransom from the Holy Roman Emperor. Thomas Paine advocated exile to America.[120] Starting in April, however, a Committee of Public Safety was formed, and men such as Jacques Hébert were beginning to call for Antoinette's trial; by the end of May, the Girondins had been chased out of power and arrested.[121] Other calls were made to "retrain" the Dauphin, to make him more pliant to revolutionary ideas. This was carried out when the eight-year-old boy Louis Charles was separated from Antoinette on 3 July, and given to the care of a cobbler.[122] On 1 August, she herself was taken out of the Tower and entered into the Conciergerie as Prisoner No. 280.[123] Despite various attempts to get her out, such as the Carnation Plot in September, Marie Antoinette refused when the plots for her escape were brought to her attention.[124] While in the Conciergerie, she was attended by her last servant, Rosalie Lamorlire.

She was finally tried by the Revolutionary Tribunal on 14 October. Unlike the king, who had been given time to prepare a defence, the queen's trial was far more of a sham, considering the time she was given (less than one day). Among the things she was accused of (most, if not all, of the accusations were untrue and probably lifted from rumours begun by libelles) were orchestrating orgies in Versailles, sending millions of livres of treasury money to Austria, plotting to kill the Duke of Orléans, incest with her son, declaring her son to be the new king of France, and orchestrating the massacre of the Swiss Guards in 1792.

The most infamous charge was that she sexually abused her son. This was according to Louis Charles, who, through his coaching by Hébert and his guardian, accused his mother. After being reminded that she had not answered the charge of incest, Marie Antoinette protested emotionally to the accusation, and the women present in the courtroom äóî the market women who had stormed the palace for her entrails in 1789 äóî even began to support her.[125] She had been composed throughout the trial until this accusation was made, to which she finally answered, "If I have not replied it is because Nature itself refuses to respond to such a charge laid against a mother."
Funerary monument to King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, sculptures by Edme Gaulle and Pierre Petitot in the Basilica of St Denis

In reality the outcome of the trial had already been decided by the Committee of Public Safety around the time the Carnation Plot was uncovered, and she was declared guilty of treason in the early morning of 16 October, after two days of proceedings.[126] Back in her cell, she composed a letter to her sister-in-law Madame élisabeth, affirming her clear conscience, her Catholic faith and her feelings for her children. The letter did not reach élisabeth.[127]

On the same day, her hair was cut off and she was driven through Paris in an open cart, wearing a simple white dress. At 12:15 p.m., two and a half weeks before her thirty-eighth birthday, she was beheaded at the Place de la Révolution (present-day Place de la Concorde).[128][129] Her last words were "Pardon me sir, I meant not to do it", to Henri Sanson the executioner, whose foot she had accidentally stepped on after climbing the scaffold. Her body was thrown into an unmarked grave in the Madeleine cemetery, rue d'Anjou, (which was closed the following year).

Her sister-in-law élisabeth was executed in 1794 and her son died in prison in 1795. Her daughter returned to Austria in a prisoner exchange, married and died childless in 1851.[130]

Both Marie Antoinette's body and that of Louis XVI were exhumed on 18 January 1815, during the Bourbon Restoration, when the comte de Provence had become King Louis XVIII. Christian burial of the royal remains took place three days later, on 21 January, in the necropolis of French Kings at the Basilica of St Denis.[131]

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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:35 +1000
<![CDATA[Damnable Practises Of three Lincolne-shire Witches,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/876

Title

Damnable Practises Of three Lincolne-shire Witches,

Subtitle

Joane Flower, and her two Daughters, Margret and Phillip Flower, against Henry Lord Rosse, with others the Children of the Right Honourable the Earle of Rutland, at Beaver Castle, who for the same were executed at Lincolne the 11. of March last. To the tune of the Ladies fall.

Synopsis

The story of the Belvoir Witches, Joan Flower and her daughters Margaret and Philip, convicted in 1619 of killing the children of a noble family through witchcraft. The ballad conforms to English stereotypes of witches: a trio of women who consort with familiars and who take revenge for imagined slights.

Digital Object


Image notice

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

Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Shelfmark: Pepys Ballads 1.132-133; EBBA 20058. Prose pamphlet - EEBO (institutional login required). Audio recording by Molly McKew. 

Set to tune of...

Transcription

OF damned deeds, and deadly dole, I make my mournfull song,
By Witches done in Lincolne-shire, where they have lived long:
And practisd many a wicked deed, within that Country there,
Which fills my brest and bosome full, of sobs, and trembling feare.

[O]ne Beaver Castle is a place, that welcome gives to all,
[B]y which the Earle of Rutland gaines the loves of great and small:
[His] Countesse of like friendlinesse, [Do]th beare as free a mind:
[Al]so from them both rich and poore, [?] helps and succour find.

[Am]ongst the rest were Witches three, [th]at to this Castle came,
[...]Margaret and Phillip Flower, [An]d Joane their Mothers name:
[Whi]ch Women dayly found reliefe, [and] were contented well:
[Th]at the last this Margret was, [rec]eived there to dwell.

[...]oke unto such houshold charge, [...] unto her belongd,
[...] she possest with fraud and guile, [he]r place and office wrongd,
[...] [s]ecretly purloyned things [t]o her mother home:
[...] unlawfull howers from thence, [d]id nightly goe and come.

[...]en the Earle & Countesse heard, [...]r dealings knew,
[...]ved much that she should prove, [...] so untrue.
And so discharg'd her of the house, therein to come no more:
For of heer lewd and filching prankes, of proofes there were some store.

And likewise that her Mother was, a woman full of wrath,
A swearing and blaspheming wretch, forespeaking sodaine death:
And how that neighbours in her lookes, malitious signes did see:
And some affirm'd she dealt with Sprits, and so a Witch might be.

And that her Sister Phillip was well knowne a Strumpet lewd,
And how she had a young mans love, bewitched and subdued,
Which made the young man often say, he had no power to leave
Her curst inticing company, that did him so deceave.

When to the Earle and Countesse thus, these just complaints were made,
Their hearts began to breed dislike, and greatly grew affraid:
Commanding that she never should, returne unto their sight,
Nor back into the Castle come, but be excluded quite.

Whereat the old malitious feend, with these her darlings thought:
The Earle and Countesse them disgrac't, and their discredits wrought:
In turning thus despightfully, her daughter out of dores,
For which revengement, in her mind she many a mischiefe stores.

Heereat the Divell made entrance in,his Kingdome to inlarge.
And puts his executing wrath, unto these womens charge:
Not caring whom it lighted on, the Innocent or no,
And offered them his diligence, to flye, to run, and goe.

And to attend in pretty formes, of Dog, of Cat, or Rat,
To which they freely gave consent, and much rejoyc't thereat:
And as it seemd they sould their soules, for service of such Spirits,
And sealing it with drops of blood, damnation so inherits.

These Women thus being Divels growne most cunning in their Arts:
With charmes and with inchanting spells, they plaid most damned parts:
They did forespeake, and Cattle kild, that neighbours could not thrive,
And oftentimes their Children young, of life they would deprive.

At length the Countess and her Lord, to fits of sickness grew:
The which they deemd the hand of God, and their corrections due:
Which crosses patiently they bore, misdoubting no such deede,
As from these wicked Witches heere, malitiously proceeds.

Yet so their mallice more increast, that mischiefe set in foote,
To blast the branches of that house, and undermine the roote:
Their eldest sonne Henry Lord Rosse, possest with sicknesse strange,
Did lingring, lye tormented long, till death his life did change.

Their second sonne Lord Francis next, felt like continuing woe:
Both day and night in grievous sort, yet none the cause did know:
And then the Lady Katherin, into such torments fell:
By these their devilish practises, as grieves my heart to tell.

The second Part. To the same tune.

YEt did this noble minded Earle, so patiently it beare:
As if his childrens punishments, right natures troubles were:
Suspecting little, that such meanes, against them should be wrought,
Untill it pleas'd the Lord to have to light these mischiefes brought.

For greatly here the hand of God, did worke in justice cause:
When he for these their practises them all in question drawes.
And so before the Magistrates, when as the yongest came,
Who being guilty of the fact confest and tould the same.

How that her mother and her selfe, and sister gave consent:
To give the Countesse and her Lord, occasions to repent
That ere they turnd her out of dores, in such vile disgrace:
For which, or them or theirs should be, brought into heavy case.

And how her sister found a time, Lord Rosses glove to take:
Who gave it to her mothers hand consuming spels to make.
The which she prickt all full of holes, and layd it deepe in ground:
Whereas it rotted, so should he, be quite away consum'd.

All which her elder sister did, acknowledge to be true:
And how that she in boyling blood, did oft the same imbrew,
And hereupon the yong Lord Rosse, such torments did abide:
That strangely he consum'd away, untill the houre he died.

And likewise she confest how they, together all agreed:
Against the children of this Earle, to practise and proceed.
Not leaving them a child alive, and never to have more:
If witchcraft so could doe, because, they turnd them out of dore.

The mother as the daughters told, could hardly this deny:
For which they were attached all, by Justice speedily.
And unto Lincolne Citty borne, therein to lye in Jayle:
Untill the Judging Sizes came, that death might be their bayle.

But there this hatefull mother witch, these speeches did recall:
And said that in Lord Rosses death, she had no hand at all.
Whereon she bread and butter tooke, God let this same (quoth she)
If I be guilty of his death, passe never thorough me.

So mumbling it within her mouth, she never spake more words:
But fell downe dead, a judgment just and wonder of the Lords.
Her Daughters two their tryalls had, of which being guilty found,
They dyed in shame, by strangling twist, and layd by shame in the ground.

Have mercy Heaven, on sinners all, and grant that never like
Be in this Nation knowne or done, but Lord in vengeance strike:
Or else convert their wicked lives which in bad wayes are spent:
The feares of God and love of heaven, such courses will prevent.
FINIS.

Method of Punishment

strangling

Crime(s)

witchcraft

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Lincoln

Printing Location

Printed by G. Eld. for John Barnes, dwelling in the long Walke neere Christ-Church, 1619.

Tune Data

The Ladies Fall, is also known as, In Peascod Time
Damnable practices of three lincolnshire witches.jpg
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:24 +1000
<![CDATA[DIALOGUE DE LA TIGRESSE ANTOINETTE,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/987

Title

DIALOGUE DE LA TIGRESSE ANTOINETTE,

Subtitle

Avec la Guillotine, le jour de son exécution.
Air: Jeunesse trop coquette.

Set to tune of...

Jeunesse trop coquette.

Transcription

La Guillotine.
DéTESTABLE Antoinette,
C'est donc en ce moment,
Que l'on va voir ta tête
Tomber sous mon tranchant,
Pour prix de tes forfaits:
C'est là ta récompense,
Ayant par tes projets,
Voulu perdre la France.

Antoinette.
Cruelle guillotine,
Que tu me fais frémir,
Lorsque plus j'examine,
Que je m'en vais mourir,
Moi qui fus ci-devant,
Souveraine sur terre:
Faut-il donc maintenant,
Terminer ma carriere?

La Guillotine.
Maudite créature,
Des français le fléau;
Ton supplice, je jure,
N'est qu'un foible tableau
Des noires cruautés,
Qui, par ta manigance,
Furent tant exercés
Sur le peuple de france.

Antoinette.
Machine épouvantable,
Effroi du genre humain,
En quoi suis-je coupable,
Explique-toi soudain,
Veux-tu me reprocher
Mon trop d'indépendance;
Tu devrois m'en passer
J'avois tout en puissance.

La guillotine.
C'est justement, coquine,
Ce dont chacun se plaint,
Le mal par origine
Dans ton coeur est empreint,
Peux-tu me dêmentir,
Te retraçant tes crimes?
Combien fis-tu périr
D'innocentes victimes?

Antoinette.
J'avouerai sans mystère,
Qu'en quittant mon pays
Je reçus ma mère
De très mauvais avis;
Moi, pour la contenter,
Jalouse de lui plaire,
Je promis d'outrager
Le françois débonnaire.

La guillotine.
C'est donc cela, cruelle,
Qui te fit un sujet
Pour troubler la cervelle
A ton mari Capet,
Sot et mal avisé,
Sans foi ni sans justice,
Il fut en verité
De tes fautes complices.

Antoinette.
Il faut en conscience
Dire qu'au dix aout,
Je fus de connivence
Avec feu mon époux:
Les Suisses nous avons
Sut gagner par finesse,
C'étoit, nous conviendrons,
Agir avec adresse.

La guillotine.
Pétion te fut propice,
Quoiqu'en te donnant tort;
Aussi pour sa malice,
Il subira ton sort,
Et tous les scélérats
Qui formèrent ta clique,
Vont tous sauter le pas,
La chose est authentique.

Antoinette.
Je sens que je succombe,
Finissons ce discours
Et que ma tête tombe;
Il le faut en ce jour.
Recevez mes adieux,
Aimable république,
J'ai les larmes aux yeux,
Voilà ma fin tragique.

FIN.

Method of Punishment

guillotine

Crime(s)

treason

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Paris, Place Louis Quinze

Notes

Wikipedia: Marie Antoinette; baptised Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna (or Maria Antonia Josephina Johanna);2 November 1755 - 16 October 1793), born an archduchess of Austria, was Dauphine of France from 1770 to 1774 and Queen of France and Navarre from 1774 to 1792. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa.

In April 1770, on the day of her marriage to Louis-Auguste, Dauphin of France, she became Dauphine of France. Marie Antoinette assumed the title of Queen of France and of Navarre when her husband, Louis XVI of France, ascended the throne upon the death of Louis XV in May 1774. After seven years of marriage, she gave birth to a daughter, Marie-Thérse Charlotte, the first of four children.

Initially charmed by her personality and beauty, the French people generally came to dislike her, accusing "L'Autrichienne" (meaning the Austrian (woman) in French) of being profligate, promiscuous, and of harboring sympathies for France's enemies, particularly Austria, her country of origin. The Diamond Necklace incident further ruined her reputation. Although she was completely innocent in this affair, she became known as Madame Déficit.

The royal family's flight to Varennes had disastrous effects on French popular opinion, Louis XVI was deposed and the monarchy abolished on 21 September 1792; the royal family was subsequently imprisoned at the Temple Prison. Eight months after her husband's execution, Marie Antoinette was herself tried, convicted by the Convention for treason to the principles of the revolution, and executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793.

Louis was executed on 21 January 1793, at the age of thirty-eight. The result was that the "Widow Capet", as the former queen was called after the death of her husband, plunged into deep mourning; she refused to eat or do any exercise. There is no knowledge of her proclaiming her son as Louis XVII; however, the comte de Provence, in exile, recognised his nephew as the new king of France and took the title of Regent. Marie-Antoinette's health rapidly deteriorated in the following months. By this time she suffered from tuberculosis and possibly uterine cancer, which caused her to hemorrhage frequently.

Despite her condition, the debate as to her fate was the central question of the National Convention after Louis's death. There were those who had been advocating her death for some time, while some had the idea of exchanging her for French prisoners of war or for a ransom from the Holy Roman Emperor. Thomas Paine advocated exile to America. Starting in April, however, a Committee of Public Safety was formed, and men such as Jacques Hébert were beginning to call for Antoinette's trial; by the end of May, the Girondins had been chased out of power and arrested. Other calls were made to "retrain" the Dauphin, to make him more pliant to revolutionary ideas. This was carried out when the eight-year-old boy Louis Charles was separated from Antoinette on 3 July, and given to the care of a cobbler. On 1 August, she herself was taken out of the Tower and entered into the Conciergerie as Prisoner No. 280. Despite various attempts to get her out, such as the Carnation Plot in September, Marie Antoinette refused when the plots for her escape were brought to her attention. While in the Conciergerie, she was attended by her last servant, Rosalie Lamorlire.

She was finally tried by the Revolutionary Tribunal on 14 October. Unlike the king, who had been given time to prepare a defence, the queen's trial was far more of a sham, considering the time she was given (less than one day). Among the things she was accused of (most, if not all, of the accusations were untrue and probably lifted from rumours begun by libelles) were orchestrating orgies in Versailles, sending millions of livres of treasury money to Austria, plotting to kill the Duke of Orléans, incest with her son, declaring her son to be the new king of France, and orchestrating the massacre of the Swiss Guards in 1792.

The most infamous charge was that she sexually abused her son. This was according to Louis Charles, who, through his coaching by Hébert and his guardian, accused his mother. After being reminded that she had not answered the charge of incest, Marie Antoinette protested emotionally to the accusation, and the women present in the courtroom and the market women who had stormed the palace for her entrails in 1789, even began to support her. She had been composed throughout the trial until this accusation was made, to which she finally answered, "If I have not replied it is because Nature itself refuses to respond to such a charge laid against a mother."

In reality the outcome of the trial had already been decided by the Committee of Public Safety around the time the Carnation Plot was uncovered, and she was declared guilty of treason in the early morning of 16 October, after two days of proceedings. Back in her cell, she composed a letter to her sister-in-law Madame élisabeth, affirming her clear conscience, her Catholic faith and her feelings for her children. The letter did not reach élisabeth.

On the same day, her hair was cut off and she was driven through Paris in an open cart, wearing a simple white dress. At 12:15 p.m., two and a half weeks before her thirty-eighth birthday, she was beheaded at the Place de la Révolution (present-day Place de la Concorde). Her last words were "Pardon me sir, I meant not to do it", to Henri Sanson the executioner, whose foot she had accidentally stepped on after climbing the scaffold. Her body was thrown into an unmarked grave in the Madeleine cemetery, rue d'Anjou, (which was closed the following year).

Her sister-in-law élisabeth was executed in 1794 and her son died in prison in 1795. Her daughter returned to Austria in a prisoner exchange, married and died childless in 1851.

Both Marie Antoinette's body and that of Louis XVI were exhumed on 18 January 1815, during the Bourbon Restoration, when the comte de Provence had become King Louis XVIII. Christian burial of the royal remains took place three days later, on 21 January, in the necropolis of French Kings at the Basilica of St Denis.

 

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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:35 +1000
<![CDATA[Drey warhafftige newe Zeittungen]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1039

Title

Drey warhafftige newe Zeittungen

Subtitle

... Die Ander: Auß dem Niderland / zwo Meylwegs von Cöln / in einem Kloster zu S. Catharinen genennet / wie es einem Schaffner darinnen / sampt seinem Weib unnd Kindern / ergangen ist / wie sie alle umb das Leben kommen seynd. Im Thon:

Synopsis

A woman in a pact with a Landsknecht (a soldier) persuades him to kill her husband; she herself kills her children; in the night locals see lights on the roof of the building, and investigate the next morning. The soldier is put on the wheel, the flesh on his breasts pulled off with burning pliers, and his hands are chopped off; she is buried alive, and has a stake struck through her heart.

Digital Object

Image notice

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

Image / Audio Credit

Bayerische StaatsBibliothek Res/4 P.o.germ. 235,13. 

Set to tune of...

Ewiger Vatter in Himmelreich

Transcription

Hilff Gott was hört man Wunders doch
was gschehen ist unnd hört es noch
in diser Weltjetzunder:
Man sagt von widerwärtigkeit
in allen Landen weyt und breyt
in Teuschenland besunder.

Auff Wucher Gentz Hoffarth Finantz
thursich schier ein jeder besleissen
es tracht nun nach dem Zeitlichen gantz
der Arm mit dem Reichen
darauß erfolgt offt jammer und Noth
Schmerzen Elend unn groß Rummer
leztlich der bitter Todt.

Hört weitter zu ihr Menschen Kindt
schlagt dise Geschicht nicht in Mind
so newlich ist geschehen:
Im Niderland gantz wol bekandt
ein Kloster zu S. Cathrinen gnant
thu ich mit Warheith jehen.

Ein Schaffner allda wohnen thät
der hat mit seiner Frawen
vie kleine Kinder an der Stät
weytter sing ich ohn nawren
sie lebten in Frewd und Wollust groß
sechs gantzer Jar merckt eben
letzlich entstund groß Angst unnd Noth.

Das Kloster ein grossen Eingang hat
von Wein und Korn wol an statt
Von Zinz unn Stewr dergleichen:
Das kam dem Schaffner zu guren theyl
die sechs Jar versucht er selu heyl
unn wurd an gut sehr reiche.

Den armen Leuten in der not
thät er das jr abbrechen
den Arbeiternauch das täglich brot
letztlich thäts Gott an im rechen
das drauß erfolgt groß herzenleid
an im und seinen Kindern
deßgeischen an dem Weib.

Nun muß ich jetzund zeygen an
merckt auff ir Frawen und ir Mann
was sich da thät begeben:
Mit disem Schaffner und seim Weib
deßgleichen an den Kindern mit leyd
wie sie kamen umbs leben.

Die Fraw auß falschem herz unn Muth
thât irem Mann betriegen
bracht zusamen vil gele und gut
daran thu ich nit liegen
mit dem Knecht mach er sie ein Bund
heymich und gar verborgen
wie ichs will machen kundt.

Als nun der bund beschlossen ward
den ihn der böse Geist eingab
sie wolten auff von hinnen:
Das B?ut und Gelt namens mit ihn
ziehen inn frembde Lande hin
doch das mans nit wurd innen.

Das sie vom Kloster kommen zwar
heymlich und gar verborgen
die Fraw dem Knecht gab einen Rath
er solt ohn alles Sorgen
den Schaffner erschlagen unnd ermordt
ihn in das Hauß vergraben
an ein heymbliches Orth.

Der Knecht folget der Frawen rath
als er den Schaffner erschlagen hat
vergraub in die Kirchen:
Die Fraw auß Tyrannischem Scheyn
nam ir drey kleine Kinderlein
thäts jämmerlich erwürgen.

Henckt sie all drey an der stett
im Hauß an einen Balcken
das vierdt der Knecht ermörden thät
der Bößwicht und auch Schalcke
er stachs jämmerlich durch sein Herz
mit eim spitzigen Dochen
O jammer noth und schmerz.

Nun will ich jetzund zeygen an
wie sie das erste Kind hernam
unnd thets geschwind auffhencken:
Das ander es erschen haties
war ein Knäblein an der statt
lieff schnell und auch geschwindt.

Sucht seinen Vatter in dem Hauß
wolt im dasselbig sagen
lieff alle schlüpff und winckel auß
der Vatter war schon erschlagen
das wust das kleine Kindlein nit
doch meynt es sich zuretten
aber halffe alles nit.

Sie names grimmig bey der Hand
unnd henckt es hinden an die Wand
das dritt mit noch und klagen :
War ein Meidlein bey fünff Jar alt
weynet bitterlich in der Gstalt
und thet zur Mutter sagen.

Ach liebe Mutter thu mirs nit
wie dem Philipp dort hinden
ich bitt dich also fleissigklich
aber sie war verblendet
der Teuffel hät sie besessen gar
zu demselbigen male
kein Erbarmung bey it nicht war.

Sie bandt ihm Händt und Füß mit Leyd
unnd hänckt es zu den andern zwey
an den Balcken zur Stunden:
Das vierdt wolt sie auch hencken auff
da kam sie an ein Schräcken unnd grauß
verstocket und verstummet.

Fiel ob den Kindlein in ein Ohnmacht
die That wa? sie gerawen
der verzweyflet Bößwicht an der statt
erstachs ohn alleb trawren
das kleine Kinnlein an der statt
O Gott laß dichs erbarmen
die jämmerliche That.

Als nun die Kinder ein gantze Nacht
hiengen im Kloster mit Weh unnd Klag
hört was sich hat begeben:
Vil Liecher sah mann die gantz Nacht
in dem Kloster hoch auff dem Tach
hin unnd auch wider schweben.

Da nun das Volck im Flecken zwar
mit Schröcken hätt vernommen
wie dises Zeichen gsehen war
auff den Morgen thäten kommen
zehen gewehrter Mann zuhand
das Kloster thet man bschawen
hört weiter ihr Christen allsandt.

Da sie ins Kloster kamen zwar
die Fraw erschrack der grossen Gfahr
thät solchs dem Knecht verkünden:
Der Knecht wolt springen zum Ladennauß
sie namen ihn gfangen ohn Grauß
da sahen sie die Kinder
jämmerlich hangen wie ich sag

mit Schräcken unnd mit Klagen
O weht der jämmerlichen That
der Schaffner war auch erschlagen
man führts gen Cöln inn die Statt
da thäten sie bekennen
vor eim Ersamen Weisen Rath.

Das Urtheyl war gefället drat
das man solt richten mit dem Rad
den Knecht thu ich euch sagen:
Zween Griff mit glüenden Zangen schon
solt man nach seinen Brüsten thon
beyde Händt auch abschlagen.

Auff der Wahlstatt vor jedermann
thät man die Fraw herführen
kläglich als ich euch zeyge an
must sie ihr Leben verlieren
lebendigs mans begraben hat
ein Pfaal durch ihr Herz gschlagen
gelegt under das Rad.

Method of Punishment

breaking on the wheel, impalement

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Cologne/Cöln

Printing Location

Niclaus Schreiber, Cöln
Drey warhafftige newe Zeitungen...Auß dem Niderland pg 1.jpg
Drey warhafftige newe Zeitungen...Auß dem Niderland pg 3.jpg
Drey warhafftige newe Zeitungen...Auß dem Niderland pg 4.jpg
Drey warhafftige newe Zeitungen...Auß dem Niderland pg 5.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 14:57:56 +1000
<![CDATA[Ein warhafftiges newes Klaglied von einer Jungfrawen mit namen Dorothea]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1066

Title

Ein warhafftiges newes Klaglied von einer Jungfrawen mit namen Dorothea

Subtitle

wie sie umb der Augspurger Confession oder bekandtnuß des Christenlichen Glaubens jämerlich unnd erbermlich mit dem Schwerdt hingericht ist worden / und auch Christum mit mundt und herzen frey bekandt hat / biß um jr letstes endt / durch den Cardinal zü Triendt / welches geschehen ist in dism 1573 Jar.

Synopsis

A young woman named Dorothea is executed for her Protestant beliefs

Digital Object

Image notice

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

Image / Audio Credit

Zentralbibliothek Zürich PAS II 10/24.

Set to tune of...

Steh ich allhie verborgen [?]

Transcription

Es war ein Gott förchtiges
unn Christenliches Jungfrewelin
Gottes wort unnd Catechismus
hat sie gelernet fein.

Ir namm Dorothea
ist weit und breit bekandt
Mit fleiß in irer Jugend
wol zü der Predig gieng.

Schamhafftig und fein stille
Hielt sie sich alle zeit
Und lebt noch Gottes willen
Acht keiner uppigkeit.

Armen war sie geneiget
Und diener in mit fleiß
Ir hilff sie in erzeiget
Gott lob ehr und preiß.

Weh thet es dem alten Drachen
Und kund das leiden nit
Speiit fewr auß seinem Rachen
Verfolgung er anricht.

Das Megdtlin wolt man zwingen
Zü der Abgötterey
Dem feindt wol es nit gelingen
Christum bekandt sie frey.

Mit worten süß unnd sawre
Man sie bereden wolt
Sie stund fest wie ein Maure
Im fewr wie das gold.

Kein Marter pein noch schmerzen
Von Christo sie abwandt
Mit irem enundt und hertzen
den Glauben sie bekandt.

Ein urteil ward gefellet
Verdienet het sie den Todt
Gar ritterlich sie sich stellet
Unnd schreiet ernstlich zü Gott.

Herr Christ in deine hende
Mein seel befihlich dir
Bescher mir ein Seligs ende
Mit deim Geist steh bey mir.

Deinem name zü ehren
wie ein Christ sterb ich heüt
Ach hilff das sich bekehren
Die armen blinden leut.

Als nun das schötte Jungfrewelein
Durchs Schwerd gerichtet ward
Ins schöne Paradeiß
Kom ich nach meinem Todt.

Composer of Ballad

Berck, Wilhelm

Crime(s)

heresy

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Trent

Printing Location

Getruckt durch Wilhelm Berck von Cöln

Notes

Ein warhafftiges newes Klaglied von einer Jungfrawen mit namen Dorothea.jpg
1066 Ein warhafftiges.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 14:57:59 +1000
<![CDATA[Execution of the Mannings]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1136

Title

Execution of the Mannings

Synopsis

Marie Manning (1821–13 November 1849) was a Swiss domestic servant who was hanged outside Horsemonger Lane Gaol, London, England, on 13 November 1849, after she and her husband Frederick were convicted of the murder of her lover, Patrick O'Connor, in the case that became known as the "Bermondsey Horror." It was the first time a husband and wife had been executed together in England since 1700.

Digital Object


Image notice

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

Image / Audio Credit

Bodleian Library, Shelfmark: Firth c.17(267); Bodleian Bod9606. Audio recording by Hannah Sullivan. 

Set to tune of...

Lord Exmouth

Transcription

Sad was the awful moments,
And dreadful was the sight,
Upon last Tuesday morning,
To Manning and his wife.
When thousands did assemble,
That spectacle to see,
A man and wife suspended,
Upon the fatal tree.

CHORUS
What thousands did assemble,
Around that fatal tree,
The murderers of O'Connor,
That fatal morn to see.

Thousands from every quarter,
Before the break of day,
Towards Horsemonger's dreary gaol,
So swift did bend their way.
Frederick Manning and his wife,
One moment to behold,
Upon the fatal platform
How dreadful to unfold.

Just at the fatal moment,
The hour of eight o'clock,
Frederick Manning and his wife,
Appeared upon the drop.
The minister repeating,
May God receive your souls.
In the midst of life we are in death,
Then awful was the fall.

What numbers congregated,
That horrid sight to see,
Fred[erick] and Maria Manning,
Launched into eternity
In youth, in health and vigour
But nothing could them save,
And now they lie together,
Mouldering in the silent grave.

Manning in his dying moments,
Declared it was his wife,
Who planned O'Connor's murder
And took away his life.
It was her who with the pistol,
Her friend betrayed and shot,
When he her husband was not nigh
The sure and fatal shot.

Their heavenly Judge all secrets knows,
And marks what each does say,
And he will tell them to account,
Upon the judgement day.
May one all both great and small,
By their unhappy fate,
Consider and take warning,
Before it is too late.

Composer of Ballad

anon

Method of Punishment

hanging

Crime(s)

murder

Date

Execution Location

Horsemonger Lane Gaol, London

Notes

Prose on pamphlet, including quotes from letters by both
Execution of the Mannings.jpg
]]>
Mon, 04 Jun 2018 09:39:09 +1000
<![CDATA[Gewisser Bericht des Truten und Hexenbrennens Bambergischen Gebiets]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1221

Title

Gewisser Bericht des Truten und Hexenbrennens Bambergischen Gebiets

Subtitle

wie lang es gewehrt / Was für ubels / ihrer Außsag nach / sie viel Jahr hero an Menschen / Vihe / Früchten und andern verübet / was allbereit verbrennet / un vermög heiliger Göttlicher Schrifft (kein Zauberer man leben lassen) hingerichtet / Und in summa / wie sie von Teuffel betrogen un hinter das Liecht geführet worden. All frommen Christen zur sonderlichen trewherzigen Warnung in ein Lied gebracht / Im Thon: Es ist gewißlich an der zeit.

Synopsis

account of multiple witches and sorcerers burned in Bamberg region

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Set to tune of...

Es ist gewißlich an der zeit

Transcription

Dann man ansicht feßt unser zeit
in welche wir sind kommen
Findet man nichts denn Herzenleid
welch uberhand genommen
So gar daß wol nicht erger sein
fan auff Erden in aller gemein
steht es ubler alß ubel.

Wie wolt es auch nict ubel stehen
weil nicht nur sünd und schande
uber all heuffig im schwang gehn
daß fast in allen Landen
Krieg / Blutvergiessen / mord un brand
uber all auch de Oberhand
bekommen /Gott seys geklaget.

Sondern welchs zu erbarmen ist
wie auch schrecklich zu hören
daß der so sein wil ein guter Christ
sich lest so gar bethören
Daß er sich dem Teuffel ergibt
mit Leib und Seel durch ein gelübd
absaget seiner Tauffe.

Die heilige Dreyfaltigkeit
verleugnet auch dem Teuffel
sich mit Leib und Seel ganz ergert
stürzt sich ohn allen zweifel
nur schendlichen wollusts wegen
so sie mit dem Teuffel pflegen
der sie doch nur betrieget.

Ein Tausentkünstler allezeit
der Teuffel ist gewesen
welcher auch in der Christenheit
gestisstet groß unwesen
mit Hexerey und Zauberey
und durch die Unholden mancherley
zu seim Werckzeug gebrauchet.

Wie dann mehr alß denn wolbekant
im Bambergischen Lande
durch unterschiedliche Trutenbrant
solch Hexerey unn schande.
Jezund vermög heiliger Schrifft
außgerottet wird welche spricht:
Kein Zauberer solt lassen leben.

Weil sie bekennen so viel Mord
und unseglichen Schaden
gestisstel han an manchen ort
daß keine Frucht gerhaten
So viel Jahr her und ob sie wol
gerhaten sind auch etlichmal
haben sie alls verzaubert.

Daß Vieh und Menschen sind zu grund
gangen durch ihr beshweren
und bezaubert zu aller stund
des Teuffels sies thun lehren.
Verspricht ihnen darbey güldne Berg
geht doch endlich alls uberzwerg
mitbetrug sie bezahlet.

Zu Zeit sind unterschiedlich Brandt
jetzt in eim halben Jahre
gesechehen und nimmet uberhand
je mehr man brennt fürware.
Je mehr der Hexen finden sich
welchs erschrecklich und erbermlich
von Christen ist zu hören.

Die Großköpffin und Canzlerin
sampt dero beyde Töchter
der Großkopff selbst ist auch schon hin
zuin brennen sie all dochten
wegen ihrer Zauberey und Hexerey
so sie getrieben haben haben.

Die dicke Kandelgiesserin
hat auch herhalten müssen
welche lange zeit ein Trütnerin
und Zauberwerck bewiesen.
Da sie sebsten bekennet hat
sie sey froh daß man an diese stat
zum verbrennen sey kommen.

Sie sey vom Teuffel immer zu
gewesen hart geplaget
hab ihr gelassen kein rast noch ruh
ihr gewissen genaget.
Daß sie nach all dem willen sein
außstehen müssen Marter unnd Pein
die ganze zeit ihres Lebens.

Reiche Kramer ohn unterschied
wie auch fürnehme Herren
sampt dero Weibern sind dereit
verbrennt worden und werden.
Teglich mehr eingefangen viel
kein ansehen der Person gilt
Reich / Arm / Schön / Herr und Frawen.

Ein grosses Hauß mit viel gemach
ist allbreit erbawet
darein man teglich einfacht
vielen noch dafür grawet.
Doch geschict keinem kein unrecht
denn solchem zaubrischen Beschlecht
gehört mit ins Fewer.

Ein grosser Ofen ist erbawt
zu Zeilda man ein hauffen einwerffen kan
man hört und schawt
keine kan da entlauffen
Der Teuffel betrengt sie sehr
alß ob es Phantasey wer
mit den Truten verbrennen.

Uberredet die albern Leut
Er laß keinen verbrennen
Er errette sie zu rechter zeit
wie sies hernach bekennen.
Gibt ihnen ein die grosse Frewd
sey hinderstellig gar kein Leid
laß er den seinen wiederfahren.

Solch und dergleichen Ubelthat
sind abgeschaffet worden
Mit dem Schwerdt darnach man sie hat
geworffen an den orten.
Ins Fewer sie verbrant zu staub
etlichen wird auch abgehawt
die Händ werden gezwicket.

Mit glüend Zangen welche viel
und groß ubel verübet
wie denn der noch sehr viel im Spiel
welche manch Mensch betrübet.
Erkrummet / erlamt / erschreckt / getödt
Daß der es alles erzehlen thet
müst ein gantzen Tag haben.

Ach Gott erhör uns deine Kind
behüt uns fürs Teuffels listen
und vor dem zauberischen Gesind
dein recht gleubige Christen.
Gib O Heilig Dreyfaltigkeit
dir zu dinnen je und allezeit
wer das wil thun sprech Amen.

Method of Punishment

burning

Crime(s)

witchcraft

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Bamberg, Germany

Printing Location

Schmalkalden
1221 Gewisser Bericht 1.jpg
1221 Gewisser Bericht 2.jpg
1221 Gewisser Bericht 3.png
1221 Gewisser Bericht 4.png
]]>
Tue, 10 Dec 2019 14:31:34 +1100
<![CDATA[HORRIBLE SACRILEGE Commis par Barbe Guenpelle, dans l'Eglise S. Severin, à l'endroit du S. Sacrement de l'Autel, lors que le Prestre celebroit la Sainte Messe.]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1023

Title

HORRIBLE SACRILEGE
Commis par Barbe Guenpelle, dans l'Eglise S. Severin, à l'endroit du S. Sacrement de l'Autel, lors que le Prestre celebroit la Sainte Messe.

Synopsis

2 September 1693 between 5-6am
Elisabeth Chateauroux enters church of St. Sacrament and tips over chalice during mass.

Transcription

Chrétiens écoutez jeunes & vieux
Un grand sacrilege odieux
Arrivé dans la Sainte Eglise
De Saint Severin sans feintise
De Paris trés-assurément
Envers le tres-Saint Sacrement.
Une fille pour le certain
S'en vint des cinq heures au matin
Animée de l'esprit du diable,
Attaquant le Sang adorable
De JESUS que le Prestre offroit
Pour nos pechez comme l'on voit.
Ce saint Prestre devotieux
Disant la Messe dans ces lieux
Avecque grande reverence
En presence de l'assistance,
Cette fille icy se leva
Et le Calice renversa.
Comme le Prestre le tenoit
Entre ses mains & l'élevoit
Cette abominable tigress
Le Sang de Jesus elle renverse,
Qui est son Dieu, son Juge Puissant
Voilé dessous ces accidens.
Et alors tous les assistans
Ayant veu ce fait tres-méchant
Se levant si tost s'écrierent
Attestant cette temeraire
Pour savoir d'elle ce délit
Commis au sang de Jesus-Christ.
Le Commissaire du cartier
L'interrogea sans plus tarder,
De sa trop grande perfidie
Commis envers le Fruit de Vie,
connoissant son crime en effet
L'on la mena au Chastelet.
Elle declara ensuivant
Qu'il y avoit plus de deux ans
Qu'elle avoit eu envie faut croire
De faire cette action noire
Envers Jesus le Tout-Puissant
Qui repose au S. Sacrement.
Aprés luy avoir demandé
Son nom, son lieu pour assuré
Elle dit Barbe je m'appelle
Fille de M. Jean Quenpelle,
Qui demeuroit en son vivant
Ruö‚ Zacarie assurément.
Et méme qu'à S. Severin
Elle avoit esté pour certain
Dedans l'Eglise Baptisée,
Et qu'elle étoit chose assurée
De la Parroisse assurément,
Connuö‚ des petits & des grands.
La Justice ayant sceu son nom
Ont connue son méchant renom,
Faisant enqueste de sa vie,
Dont la voicy je certifie,
Comme l'on a sceu des voisins
Qui vivent en veritables humains.
Ils disent tous en verité,
Méchante fille elle a esté,
Libertine dés sa jeunesse,
Abandonnée au jeu sans cesse,
Des-obeö¿ssance en tout temps
A son pere, mere, parens.
Cette méchante, ce dit-on,
N'avoit Foy ny Religion,
Ne voulant nullement connoistre
Les Sacremens de Dieu son Maistre,
Et de son Curé se mocquoit,
Et de tout ce qu'il luy disoit.
Pour la corriger de son mal
L'on l'a fait mettre à l'Hospital,
L'enfermant chose tres certaine,
Estant là comme dans la géne,
Bien huit ans elle y a esté
Pour punir sa méchanceté.
Venant malade dans ce lieu
L'on la mena à l'Hotel-Dieu.
Elle en est sortie bien guerie,
Et pour faire sa tyrannie
S'en fut ainsi à S. Severin,
Accomplir son méchant dessein.
Aussi dans son aveuglement
Pousse de l'esprit de Satan
A fait ce sacrilege énorme
Envers JESUS devant les Hommes,
Et dit encor qu'elle le feroit
Si a recommancé estoit.
Et que c'est par méchanceté
Qu'elle a fait cette cruauté,
Et par ainsi son esperance
Est d'estre penduö‚ d'assurance.
Et aussi brùlée sur le champ,
Et les cendres jettées au vent.
Aussi pour reparation
De cette cruelle action,
Plusieurs bons Prestres venerables
Ont fait tous amande honorable
La corde au col se prosternant
Devant Dieu au S. Sacrement.
S'est-il jamais veu sous le Ciel
Un fait plus énorme & cruel
Que de s'adresser à son Maistre,
Celuy qui nous a donné l'estre,
Adorons-le avec amour
Au S. Sacrement a toùjours.

Crime(s)

heresy

Gender

Date

Horrible Sacrilege, chanson 1.JPG
Horrible Sacrilege, chanson 2.JPG
Horrible Sacrilege, chanson 3.JPG
Horrible Sacrilege, chanson 4.JPG
Registres 1.JPG
Registres 2.JPG
Registres 3.JPG
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:41 +1000
<![CDATA[Juanita, die Giftmörderin in Spanien]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1288

Title

Juanita, die Giftmörderin in Spanien

Subtitle

Eine wahre Begebenheit, welche sich in neuester Zeit daselbst zugetragen hat

Synopsis

Juanita Junaz, a young woman in Zaragosa, is seduced by the wealthy Don Clabrio and abandoned. With her father, she plots revenge and poisons his entire family. She is dragged to the town square on an oxhide, her flesh pulling with burning pliers, and beheaded with an axe. Her father commits suicide.

Digital Object

Image notice

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

Image / Audio Credit

Pamphlet: Deutsches Volksliedarchiv Freiburg i.Br. (Bl 13295). VD Lied digital.

Transcription

Das Lied.
Fern in Spanien’s schönem Lande,
Wo die gold’ne Traube reift
Und die Sonn’ mit heißem Brande
Ueber gold’ne Saaten streift,
Dort im schönen Lande eben,
Das ein Feder Dichter preis’t,
Hat sich Schreckliches begeben,
Das uns fast das Herz vereis’t.

Sie, der Mädchen schönste Blüthe,
Lebte mit dem Vater dort,
Unschuldvoll, sanft vom Gemüthe,
In des Waldes düsterm Ort.
Doch ein reicher Mann verführte
Dieses Mädchen, jung und schön;
Als er nahm, was einst sie zierte,
Ließ er sich nicht wieder sehn.

Da schwur wild der Vater Rache,
Und die Tochter schwur es mit,
Und so ging die grause Sache
Ihren festen, blut’gen Schritt.
Alles was ihm angehorte,
Ihm, der fulsch und treulos war,
Sann das Paar, wie es zerstörte
Dieses auf dem Rachaltar.

Alles, alles, mußt’ verderben
Ihn auch wild die Rache trifft,
Auch sein Weib, es mußte sterben,
Alles fiel durch heimlich Gift;
Doch das Mädchen auch traf Rache;
Denn die Rach’ gehöret Gott,
Und sie büßt’ die grause Sache
Schrecklich bald auf dem Schaffot.

Under der Vater endet plötzlich,
Denn er hat durch eigne Hand
In der Hütte sich entsetzlich
In Verzweiflungsangst verbrannt.
Und so endete ihr Lebe
Beide büßten im Berein,
Gott mög’ ihrer Seel’ vergeben,
Gnädig und barmherzig sein.

Method of Punishment

beheading, burning pliers

Crime(s)

murder (poison)

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Zaragosa

Printing Location

Hamburg : Kahlbrock, [1868]
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Thu, 05 Mar 2020 21:22:06 +1100
<![CDATA[L'Empoisonneuse Hélène JéGADO, Accusée d'avoir attenté à la vie de 37 personnes, dont 25 ont succombé.]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1024

Title

L'Empoisonneuse Hélène JéGADO, Accusée d'avoir attenté à la vie de 37 personnes, dont 25 ont succombé.

Synopsis

Hélne Jégado (1803äóñ1852) was a French domestic servant and serial killer. She is believed to have murdered as many as 36 people with arsenic over a period of 18 years. After an initial period of activity, between 1833 and 1841, she seems to have stopped for nearly ten years before a final spree in 1851.
Hélne Jégado was born on a small farm in Plouhinec (Morbihan), near Lorient in Brittany. She lost her mother at the age of seven and was sent to work with two aunts who were servants at the rectory of Bubry. After 17 years, she accompanied an aunt to the town of Séglien. She became a cook for the curé where an incident arose where she was accused of adding hemp from his grain house to his soup.

Her first suspected poisoning occurred in 1833 when she was employed by another priest, Fr. Franois Le Drogo, in the nearby village of Guern. In the three months, between June 28 and October 3, seven members of the household died suddenly, including the priest himself, his aging mother and father, and her own visiting sister, Anne Jégado. Her apparent sorrow and pious behaviour was so convincing she was not suspected. Coming shortly after the cholera epidemic of 1832 the deaths may have been put down to natural causes.

Jégado returned to Bubry to replace her sister where three people died in the course of three months, including her other aunt, all of whom she cared for at their bedside. She continued to Locminé, where she boarded with a needleworker, Marie-Jeanne Leboucheräóîboth Leboucher and her daughter died and a son fell ill. It is possible that the son survived because he did not accept Jégado's ministrations. When in the same town, the widow Lorey offered Jégado a room, she died after eating a soup her new boarder had prepared. In May 1835, she was hired by Madame Toussaint and four more deaths followed. By this point in time, she had already put seventeen people in their graves.

Later in 1835, Jégado was employed as a servant in a convent in Auray, but rapidly dismissed after several incidents of vandalism and sacrilege.

Jégado worked as a cook in other households in Auray, then Pontivy, Lorient, and Port-Louis where she was employed only briefly in each one. Often, someone fell ill or died. Among her most infamous murders is of a child, little Marie Bréger, who died at the Château de Soye (Ploemeur) in May 1841, ten years and one month before her final arrest. Most victims died showing symptoms corresponding to arsenic poisoning, though she was never caught with arsenic in her possession. There is no record of suspected deaths from late 1841 to 1849, but a number of her employers later reported thefts; she was apparently a kleptomaniac and was caught stealing several times.

Her career took a new turn in 1849 when she moved to Rennes, the capital city of the region.
Arrest

In 1850, Jégado joined the household staff of Théophile Bidard, a law professor at the University of Rennes. One of his servants, Rose Tessier, fell ill and died when Jégado tended her. In 1851, one of the other maids, Rosalie Sarrazin, fell ill as well and died. Two doctors had tried to save Sarrazin and because the symptoms were similar to those of Tessier, they convinced the relatives to permit an autopsy. Jégado aroused suspicion when she announced her innocence before she was even asked anything, and she was arrested July 1, 1851.

Later inquiries linked her to 23 suspected deaths by poisoning between 1833äóñ1841, but none of these was thoroughly investigated since they were outside the ten-year limit for prosecution and there was no scientific evidence. Local folklore has attributed to her many unexplained deaths - some of which were almost certainly due to natural causes. The most reliable estimate is that she probably committed about 36 murders.
Trial

Jégado's trial began December 6, 1851 but, due to French laws of permissible evidence and statute of limitations, she was accused only of three murders, three attempted murders and 11 thefts. At least one later case appears to have been dropped since it involved a child and police were reluctant to upset the parents by an exhumation. Jégado's behaviour in court was erratic, changing from humble mutterings to loud pious shouting and occasional violent outbursts against her accusers. She consistently denied she even knew what arsenic was, despite evidence to the contrary. Doctors who had examined her victims had not usually noticed anything suspicious, but when the most recent victims were exhumed, they showed overwhelming evidence of arsenic and possibly antimony.

The defence lawyer, Magloire Dorange, made a remarkable closing speech - arguing that she needed more time than most to repent and could be spared the death penalty since she was dying of cancer anyway.

The case attracted little attention at the time, pushed off the front pages by the coup d'état in Paris.

Jégado was sentenced to death by guillotine and executed in front of a large crowd of onlookers on the Champ-de-Mars in Rennes on February 26, 1852.

Set to tune of...

Fualdès

Transcription

Qui pourrait, chrétiens fidles,
Ecouter, sans en frémir,
Un récit qui fait pâlir
Mille actions criminelles?
Pour des forfaits aussi grands
Est-il assez de tourments?

Chez un bon prtre de Guerne,
Nommé Monsieur Le Drogo,
La fille Hélne Jégado,
Qu'un mauvais esprit gouverne,
Vient demander humblement
De server pour de l'argent.

A l'église du village
On la voit soir et matin,
Cachant, sous un air benin,
Ses goùts de libertinage;
Pour un ange on la prendrait,
C'est un démon fieffé.

La mort, dans chaque demeure,
Va la suivre maintenant;
Le poison, souple instrument,
Pour elle tue à toute heure,
Aujourd'hui toi, lui demain;
Hélne assouvit sa faim.

Sept personnes innocentes
Meurent à ce premier coup;
Cela suffit pour un coup.
Hélne a les mains sanglantes;
Elle a pris un laid chemin,
Et le suit jusqu'à la fin.

Bubry verra trois victimes
Succomber au noir poison;
C'est dans la mme maison
Qu'elle accomplit tant de crimes.
Où donc est-il le vengeur,
Pour arrter sa fureur?

Déjà les gens la souponnent,
On la regarde passer,
On craindrait de l'aborder.
Des bruits à l'entour bourdonnent:
C'est un tre malfaisant;
Gardez-vous, son foie est blanc.

Dans un couvent elle cache
Ses traits qui causent l'horreur,
Mais où perce sa noirceur.
Le démon vient, qui l'arrache
Au remords, au repentir:
Les innocents vont souffrir.

Elle engage ses services
Dans Pontivy, dans Auray,
Dans Locminé, Plumeret,
Et reprent ses maléfices.
Partout le mortel poison
La suit dans chaque maison.

On la voit aux lits funbres,
Comme un gardien vigilant;
Elle veille à tout instant,
Comme un ange de ténbres.
Elle sent un doux plaisir
A voir les autres souffrir.

Le monstre sur eux se penche
Et jouit de leur douleur;
Elle y trouve son bonheur.
L'enfer prendra sa revanche.
Il y a un vengeur au ciel:
C'est le Dieu juste, éternel.

Le crime entraîne le crime,
Le faux pas suit le faux pas;
Ds lors on n'arrte pas
Qu'on n'ait roulé dans l'abîme,
Où les vices confondus
Rongent ceux qu'ils ont perdus.

Du meurtre Hélne lassée
Songe à voler son prochain;
Ce qui tombe sous sa main,
Elle le prend, empressée;
Pour embellir ses amours
Il lui faut de beaux atours.

A Rennes enfin elle arrive
Méditant d'autres forfaits:
Car dans ses desseins mauvais
Elle était fort inventive;
Mais la justice de Dieu
Devait la prendre en ce lieu.

Rose Tessier, domestique,
Bientôt succombe à la mort,
Et peut-tre un mme sort,
S'il faut en croire la chronique,
Frappait Franoise Huriaux
Qui fuit, échappe à ses maux.

Rosalie, ô pauvre fille,
La dernire tu péris;
Ta douceur, ton frais souris
Et ta figure gentille,
Non, rien ne peut adoucir
Le monstre; il faut mourir.

Mais la justice sévre
A la fin rend un arrt,
Hélne est prise au filet:
La loi la tient dans sa serre.
Misérable! il faut payer
La peine de tes forfaits.

On la saisit, on l'arrte,
On la traîne au tribunal:
Hélne, le jour fatal
Va faire tomber ta tte.
Tu voudrais bien nier,
Cent témoins t'ont accusé.

La coupable repentante,
Avant l'exécution,
A fait sa confession.
Mieux valait tre innocente.
Les juges doivent frapper;
C'est Dieu qui doit pardonner.

MORALITé

Si l'esprit du mal vous tente,
Chrétiens, sachez résister;
Car Dieu sait où retrouver
Le serviteur, la servante,
Qui se croyaient assurés
De voir leurs crimes cachés.

Method of Punishment

guillotine

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Rennes, Champ de Mars

URL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A9l%C3%A8neéJ%C3%A9gado
http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/Accused/00000016.htm

Notes

Meazey, Peter (1999), La Jégado: Histoire de la célbre empoisonneuse, Guingamp (22)and paperback (2006).

see Vincent Morel, p. 50 of thesis, and p. 56 of catalogue for two complaintes, one like this, the other to an unidentified tune.
L'empoisonneuse Helene Jegado.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:41 +1000
<![CDATA[L'orgueil de Marie-Antoinette, confondue par la guillotine.]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/995

Title

L'orgueil de Marie-Antoinette, confondue par la guillotine.

Subtitle

Air: Bonsoir ma jeune & belle amie. Par Ladré.

Synopsis

Marie Antoinette; baptised Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna (or Maria Antonia Josephina Johanna);2 November 1755 - 16 October 1793), born an archduchess of Austria, was Dauphine of France from 1770 to 1774 and Queen of France and Navarre from 1774 to 1792. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa.

In April 1770, on the day of her marriage to Louis-Auguste, Dauphin of France, she became Dauphine of France. Marie Antoinette assumed the title of Queen of France and of Navarre when her husband, Louis XVI of France, ascended the throne upon the death of Louis XV in May 1774. After seven years of marriage, she gave birth to a daughter, Marie-Thérse Charlotte, the first of four children.

Initially charmed by her personality and beauty, the French people generally came to dislike her, accusing "L'Autrichienne" (meaning the Austrian (woman) in French) of being profligate, promiscuous,[2] and of harboring sympathies for France's enemies, particularly Austria, her country of origin.[3] The Diamond Necklace incident further ruined her reputation. Although she was completely innocent in this affair, she became known as Madame Déficit.

The royal family's flight to Varennes had disastrous effects on French popular opinion, Louis XVI was deposed and the monarchy abolished on 21 September 1792; the royal family was subsequently imprisoned at the Temple Prison. Eight months after her husband's execution, Marie Antoinette was herself tried, convicted by the Convention for treason to the principles of the revolution, and executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793.

1793: "Widow Capet," Trial, and Death
Marie Antoinette on the way to the guillotine. (Pen and ink by Jacques-Louis David, 16 October 1793)
Marie Antoinette's execution on 16 October 1793.

Louis was executed on 21 January 1793, at the age of thirty-eight.[118] The result was that the "Widow Capet", as the former queen was called after the death of her husband, plunged into deep mourning; she refused to eat or do any exercise. There is no knowledge of her proclaiming her son as Louis XVII; however, the comte de Provence, in exile, recognised his nephew as the new king of France and took the title of Regent. Marie-Antoinette's health rapidly deteriorated in the following months. By this time she suffered from tuberculosis and possibly uterine cancer, which caused her to hemorrhage frequently.[119]

Despite her condition, the debate as to her fate was the central question of the National Convention after Louis's death. There were those who had been advocating her death for some time, while some had the idea of exchanging her for French prisoners of war or for a ransom from the Holy Roman Emperor. Thomas Paine advocated exile to America.[120] Starting in April, however, a Committee of Public Safety was formed, and men such as Jacques Hébert were beginning to call for Antoinette's trial; by the end of May, the Girondins had been chased out of power and arrested.[121] Other calls were made to "retrain" the Dauphin, to make him more pliant to revolutionary ideas. This was carried out when the eight-year-old boy Louis Charles was separated from Antoinette on 3 July, and given to the care of a cobbler.[122] On 1 August, she herself was taken out of the Tower and entered into the Conciergerie as Prisoner No. 280.[123] Despite various attempts to get her out, such as the Carnation Plot in September, Marie Antoinette refused when the plots for her escape were brought to her attention.[124] While in the Conciergerie, she was attended by her last servant, Rosalie Lamorlire.

She was finally tried by the Revolutionary Tribunal on 14 October. Unlike the king, who had been given time to prepare a defence, the queen's trial was far more of a sham, considering the time she was given (less than one day). Among the things she was accused of (most, if not all, of the accusations were untrue and probably lifted from rumours begun by libelles) were orchestrating orgies in Versailles, sending millions of livres of treasury money to Austria, plotting to kill the Duke of Orléans, incest with her son, declaring her son to be the new king of France, and orchestrating the massacre of the Swiss Guards in 1792.

The most infamous charge was that she sexually abused her son. This was according to Louis Charles, who, through his coaching by Hébert and his guardian, accused his mother. After being reminded that she had not answered the charge of incest, Marie Antoinette protested emotionally to the accusation, and the women present in the courtroom äóî the market women who had stormed the palace for her entrails in 1789 äóî even began to support her.[125] She had been composed throughout the trial until this accusation was made, to which she finally answered, "If I have not replied it is because Nature itself refuses to respond to such a charge laid against a mother."
Funerary monument to King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, sculptures by Edme Gaulle and Pierre Petitot in the Basilica of St Denis

In reality the outcome of the trial had already been decided by the Committee of Public Safety around the time the Carnation Plot was uncovered, and she was declared guilty of treason in the early morning of 16 October, after two days of proceedings.[126] Back in her cell, she composed a letter to her sister-in-law Madame élisabeth, affirming her clear conscience, her Catholic faith and her feelings for her children. The letter did not reach élisabeth.[127]

On the same day, her hair was cut off and she was driven through Paris in an open cart, wearing a simple white dress. At 12:15 p.m., two and a half weeks before her thirty-eighth birthday, she was beheaded at the Place de la Révolution (present-day Place de la Concorde).[128][129] Her last words were "Pardon me sir, I meant not to do it", to Henri Sanson the executioner, whose foot she had accidentally stepped on after climbing the scaffold. Her body was thrown into an unmarked grave in the Madeleine cemetery, rue d'Anjou, (which was closed the following year).

Her sister-in-law élisabeth was executed in 1794 and her son died in prison in 1795. Her daughter returned to Austria in a prisoner exchange, married and died childless in 1851.[130]

Both Marie Antoinette's body and that of Louis XVI were exhumed on 18 January 1815, during the Bourbon Restoration, when the comte de Provence had become King Louis XVIII. Christian burial of the royal remains took place three days later, on 21 January, in the necropolis of French Kings at the Basilica of St Denis.[131]


Image / Audio Credit

BnF Franois Mittérand, Recueil de chansons Ye 56375, 161-240

Set to tune of...

Bonsoir ma jeune & belle amie.

Transcription

JOUR fatal, on connait mon crime
Je croyais qu'il étoit caché (bis).
Aujourd'ui je me vois victime
De tous tes maux (bis) que j'ai cherché. bis

Faut-il donc que la guillotine
Aujourd'ui termine mes jours!
Moi qui croyais être divine,
On reconnait tous mes détours.

Quoi donc, moi, Marie-Antoinette,
Princesse & reine des français,
Aujourd'hui l'on veut ma défaite,
Pour punir mes sanglans forfaits.

Moi qui menais à la baguette
Ce peuple qui veut mon malheur!
Que ne viens-tu cher La Fayette
Me consoler dans ma douleur.

Je croyois un jour dans mon âme,
Nager dans le sang des français,
Mais de mon infernale flame
La mort confond tous les projets.

Que d'amis j'avais dans la france,
Mais il n'osent plus me parler;
La loi leur en fait la défense
Et son glaive les fait trembler.

Il faut donc que ce fatal glaive
Ote l'existence à mon corps!
J'imagine que c'est un rêve
D'être bientôt au rang des morts.

FIN.

Method of Punishment

guillotine

Crime(s)

treason

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Paris, Place Louis Quinze
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:36 +1000
<![CDATA[L’execution remarquable de Mme de Brinvilliers,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/994

Title

L’execution remarquable de Mme de Brinvilliers,

Subtitle

qui a esté condamnée à faire amende honourable devant nostre dame, et de la conduit à la grève pour y estre décolleté et ensuite jetée au feu, pour avoir empoisonné son Pere, ses frères, et quantité d’autres gens de condition

Transcription

Il faut mourir, ma sentence est rendue,
Mais ce seul mot me rend toute esperdue,
Me faut mourir dessus un echaffaut.
C'est pour punir mes trop cruels deffauts,
Et aujourd'huy on abrège ma vie
Pour expier mes grandes perfidies.

On n'a jamais veu femme dans le monde
Ainsi que moy faire crimes immondes;
J'ay irrité et la terre et le ciel,
Et j'ay commis de grands péchés mortels,
Car j'ai tué par poison mon cher frère
Lequel m'aimoit d'une amour singulière

J'avois en main certain apotiquaire
Que je payois d'une bonne manière,
J'avois aussi un fripon de laquais
Lequel faisoit à peu près mes souhaits,
Je leur donnois de l'argent grande somme,
Et eux passoient toujours pour honneste-hommes.

De ce poison le traistre apotiquaire
Me fournissoit de beaucoup de manière:
Il enfaisoit pour un an, pour six mois,
Il m'en donnoit ainsi que je voulois
Que je faisois prendre comme une infame
A ceux de qui je voulois ravir l'ame.

Dieu tout puissant permit que ce perfide
Lequel estoit devant luy homicide
Vint à mourir, et que ses héritiers
Parmi ses biens, richesses et papiers
Trouverent las! la maudite cassette
Là où estoit le poison manifeste.

On reconnut ma grande perfidie,
Comment j'avais las! abrégé la vie
A mon frère qui me chérissoit tant,
Dont à présent j'ay le coeur mal content;
Dans l'ame j'ay très-forte repentance:
Ma teste va servir de pénitence.

Mon laquais pris, en prison on le mene
Où on luy fit souffrir beaucoup de peines,
Il raconta toute ma trahison,
Comment j'usois de ce maudit poison;
Pour ce sujet il fut mené en Grève,
Où il mourut en peines très-grièves.

Moy je m'en fuis en grande diligence
Abandonnant le royaume de France,
Je fus roder de pays en pays
Bien éloignée de parens et amis,
Pour me sauver je fus en Angleterre,
En [la] Hollande et plusieurs autres terres.

Mais Dieu, lassé de mes crime et offence
A suscité un officier de France
Qui me connut et viste me saisit:
En sauve-garde [tout] soudain il me mit,
Et à Paris on m'ameine bien viste:
Pour m'amener j'avois fort bonne suite.

Mon procès fait, ce coup il faut paroistre
Sur l'echaffaut, c'est pour couper ma teste,
Auparavant je fais déclaration
De mes forfaits et mauvaises actions,
Car j'ay commis des actions si noires
Qu'il n'y a point d'écrites dans l'histoire.

Comme j'ay dit, j'ay fait mourir mon frère
Par le poison d'une mort très-amère,
Je croyois bien faire mourir mon mary,
Mais le poison n'eut pas pouvoir sur luy:
Diligemment il usa de remede,
Et son remede à mon poison succede.

J'ay bien pis fait, mais je ne l'ose dire,
J'ay fait mourir mon pere en [grand] martyre,
En luy donnant de ce maudit poison
L'ay fait pâtir longtemps dans ma maison
Et à la fin il est mort comme etique,
Par ma fraude et ma noire pratique.

Je demande pardon à mon cher pere,
Pareillement aussi à mon cher frère,
Je demande pardon à mes parens,
Je demande pardon à mes enfans,
Je demande pardon à l'assistance,
Je meurs, je meurs avec grand repentance.

Mon cher mary, pardon je vous demande
D'avoir commis une faute si grande;
Je croyois bien vous tuer par poison
Bien préparé par ma grand trahison,
Mais Dieu très-bon vous conserve la vie:
La mienne va ce coup estre finie.

Ce n'est pas tout que de perdre la vie,
Mes entrailles s'en vont estre rotties,
Et dans ce lieu on va brùler mon corps,
Encor qu'il soit déjà au rang des morts,
Contemplez moy, très-illustre noblesse:
Ma sentence me réduit en faiblesse.

Method of Punishment

beheading, burning of remains

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Paris, place de Greve

Notes

image is from another pamphlet, Musee Carnavalet, estampe HIST PC 001 TerG (in Bastien, execution publique a Paris)

Wikipedia: Marie-Madeleine-Marguerite d'Aubray, Marquise de Brinvilliers (22 July 1630 - 17 July 1676) conspired with her lover, army captain Godin de Sainte-Croix to poison her father Antonine Dreux d'Aubray in 1666 and two of her brothers, Antoine d'Aubray and Franois d'Aubray, in 1670, in order to inherit their estates. There were also rumors that she had poisoned poor people during her visits to hospitals. 

She appears to have used Tofana poison, whose recipe she seems to have learned from her lover, the Chevalier de Sainte Croix, who had learned it from Exili, an Italian poisoner, who had been his cellmate in the Bastille. Her accomplice Sainte-Croix had died of natural causes in 1672.

In 1675, she fled to England, Germany, and a convent, but was arrested in Lige. She was forced to confess and sentenced to death. On 17 July 1676, she was tortured with the water cure, that is, forced to drink sixteen pints of water. She was then beheaded and her body was burned at the stake.

Her trial and the attendant scandal launched the Affair of the Poisons, which saw several French aristocrats charged with poison and witchcraft.

 

Madame de Sevigné: Encore un petit mot de la Brinvilliers : elle est morte comme elle a vécu, c'est-à-dire résolument. Elle entra dans le lieu où l'on devoit lui donner la question ; et voyant trois seaux d'eau : Œ‚ C'est assurément pour me noyer, dit-elle ; car de la taille dont je suis, on ne prétend pas que je boive tout cela. Œé Elle écouta son arrt, ds le matin, sans frayeur ni sans foiblesse ; et sur la fin, elle le fit recommencer, disant que ce tombereau l'avoit frappée d'abord, et qu'elle en avoit perdu l'attention pour le reste. Elle dit à son confesseur, par le chemin, de faire mettre le bourreau devant elle, Œ‚ afin de ne point voir, dit-elle, ce coquin de Desgrais qui m'a prise : Œé il étoit à cheval devant le tombereau. Son confesseur la reprit de ce sentiment ; elle dit : Œ‚ Ah mon Dieu ! je vous en demande pardon ; qu'on me laisse donc cette étrange vue ; Œé et monta seule et nu-pieds sur l'échelle et sur l'échafaud, et fut un quart d'heure mirodée, rasée, dressée et redressée, par le bourreau : ce fut un grand murmure et une grande cruauté. Le lendemain on cherchoit ses os, parce que le peuple disoit qu'elle étoit sainte. Elle avoit, dit-elle, deux confesseurs : l'un disoit qu'il falloit tout dire, et l'autre non ; elle rioit de cette 1676 diversité, disant : Œ‚ Je peux faire en conscience tout ce qu'il me plaira : Œé il lui a plu de ne rien dire du tout. Penautier sortira un peu plus blanc que de la neige : le public n'est point content, on dit que tout cela est trouble. Admirez le malheur : cette créature a refusé d'apprendre ce qu'on vouloit, et a dit ce qu'on ne demandoit pas ; par exemple, elle dit que M. Foucquet avoit envoyé Glaser, leur apothicaire empoisonneur, en Italie, pour avoir d'une herbe qui fait du poison : elle a entendu dire cette belle chose à Sainte-Croix. Voyez quel excs d'accablement, et quel prétexte pour achever ce misérable. Tout cela est encore bien suspect. On ajoute encore bien des choses ; mais en voilà assez pour aujourd'hui.

L'execution remarquable de madame de Brinvillers.png
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:36 +1000
<![CDATA[La déclaration des crimes de madame de Brinvilliers,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/998

Title

La déclaration des crimes de madame de Brinvilliers,

Subtitle

faite par elle-même, estant prisonnière en la conciergerie du palais, au grand étonnement de tous les assistans avec les dernières parolles qu'elle a prononcée sur l'échaffaut.

Transcription

A vous, mon Dieu, je me confesse,
Comme méchante pécheresse,
Et vous prie de tout mon coeur
De prendre en gré ma pénitence,
Et me pardonner mes offences
Que je déteste avec douleur.

Je suis perverse créature,
J'ay abusé de la nature,
Plusieurs fois j'ay violé ma foy,
Je suis pleine d'ingratitude,
A mal faire j'ay fait étude
Contre vous, grand Dieu, et la loy.

Dedans ma plus tendre jeunesse
J'usois de ruses et finesses,
Je m'adonnois du tout au mal;
Quoy qu'on prit peine à m'instruire
Je ne m'amusois rien qu'à rire,
A danser et aller au bal.

Bref j'ay commis beaucoup de crimes,
De quoy je faisois peu d'estime,
Et mme par un grand effort
J'ay tant fait que mon trs-cher pre
J'ay réduit comme une mégre
Dessous l'étendart de la mort.

Un Godin et un La Chaussée
Savoient mes secrets et pensées
Comme complices de mes faits.
L'un faisoit le poison sans doute,
L'autre mettoit tout en déroute
Par les poisons les plus infects.

Godin introduit chez mes frres
La Chaussée par trop téméraire
Qui mes frres empoisonna;*
Le dernier mort sans nul doutance
Du poison donna connoissance:
La Chaussée on emprisonna.

On fit en grande diligence
Le procs sans nulle doutance
A La Chaussée trop criminel,
Qui déclara à la justice
Ses par trop détestables vices
Et son péché par trop cruel.

Godin sans nul doute il accuse,
Et point du tout il ne m'excuse:
Promptement il fut condamné
Par le sénat et la justice
Qui pour le punir de son vice
Ont commandé qu'il fut roué.**

Ce fut dans la place de Grve
Qu'il fut rompu sans nulle trve,
En présence des assistans;
Et moy sachant cette nouvelle,
Bien vite je bandé mes voiles
Pour me sauver bien loin aux champs.

Pourtant dans la ville de Liége ***
Ce caresme on me prit au piége,
Et à Paris on m'amena [april 1676]
Jusque à la Conciergerie
Pour faire enqueste de ma vie
Qui beaucoup de monde étonna.

Il y a déja quatre lunes
Qu'une prison trop importune
A renfermé mon chétif corps:
Plut à Dieu qu'une maladie
M'eust maintenant privé de vie
Et réduite au nombre des morts.

Je ne serois pas dans la crainte
De me voir mener sans nul feinte
A la mort trs-honteusement,
Quoy que mon advocat fidle [Nivelle avocat au Parlement]
Témoigne enverse moy un grand zle,
Plaidant pour moy éloquamment.

Mais ma trop maudite cassette
Cause que dessus la sellette
On m'a mis assez rudement,
Et ce qui choque plus mon âme
C'est qu'on m'a mis comme la femme
D'un berger ou d'un artisant.

Une fois j'y fus bien trois heures,
C'est pour moy piteuse demeure,
Je voudrois estre en Portugal,
Ou dans quelque autres estrange terre,
Car mes péchés me font la guerre
Et me cause un estrange mal.

Pourtant dans mes peine et souffrance
Il me faut piller patience;
Grand Dieu, ayez pitié de moy,
Je suis toute couverte de crimes,
Je suis la véritable abyme
De l'équité et de la loy.

Je perds beaucoup de personnages
Par mon poison et grand outrage,
Plusieurs sont dejà en prison
Qui pour moy souffrent grandes peines
Dans les cachots, couverts de chesnes,
En trs-grand tribulation.

De quantités je suis maudite:
On voudroit que je fus détruite,
Mon advocat tient toujours bon,
Et toujours il plaide ma cause:
Nonobstant tout cela je n'ose
Espérer sortir de prison.

De beaucoup je suis accusée
Quantités me nomme rusée
D'avoir fait ma confession.
Ma confession est écrite,
Mon advocat dessus médite,
Cherchant mon absolution.

Peut-on absoudre une personne
Qui à tout vice s'abandonne
Et délaisse son Créateur,
Qui defait pre, soeur et frre,
Et qui aux humains fait la guerre,
Les faisant mourir en langueur?

Mon poison, chose véritable,
Se pouvoit donner à la table,
A la promenade et au lit,
Aux gands, bouquets et aux épingles,
Aux médecines et seringues:
Partout il faisoit son délit.

Mais à ce coup faut que je meure;
Me voicy à ma dernire heure:
Je dis adieu à mes enfans,
A mes parens, à l'assistance,
Je meurs dans les peines et souffrance;
Mon sépulchre sera ardans.

Adieu, adieu, belle noblesse,
Toutes mes ruses et finesses
Ne m'ont servy aucunement:
Il faut paroistre en personne,
Et d'un seul coup que l'on me donne,
On me renverse au monument.

Notes:
Godin= Gaudin de Sainte-Croix, amant de la marquise, mort en juillet 1672.
La Chaussée= D'abord valet de Sainte-Croix, puis de la marquise et enfin du conseiller d'Aubray frere de cette derniere.

* en 1670

** l'arrt est du 24 mars 1673

*** she was arrested in the convent in Liege where she had taken sanctuary by the policeman Desgrais who disguised himself as an abbé








Method of Punishment

beheading, burning of remains

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Paris, place de Greve

Notes

Anne Somerset - The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV (St. Martin's Press (October 12, 2003)

The affair of the poisons

Strange revelations : magic, poison, and sacrilege in Louis XIV's France / Lynn Wood Mollenauer. Pennsylvania State University Press ; [London : Eurospan, distributor], c2007

Wikipedia: Marie-Madeleine-Marguerite d'Aubray, Marquise de Brinvilliers (22 July 1630 - 17 July 1676) conspired with her lover, army captain Godin de Sainte-Croix to poison her father Antonine Dreux d'Aubray in 1666 and two of her brothers, Antoine d'Aubray and Franois d'Aubray, in 1670, in order to inherit their estates. There were also rumors that she had poisoned poor people during her visits to hospitals.

She appears to have used Tofana poison, whose recipe she seems to have learned from her lover, the Chevalier de Sainte Croix, who had learned it from Exili, an Italian poisoner, who had been his cellmate in the Bastille. Her accomplice Sainte-Croix had died of natural causes in 1672.

In 1675, she fled to England, Germany, and a convent, but was arrested in Lige. She was forced to confess and sentenced to death. On 17 July 1676, she was tortured with the water cure, that is, forced to drink sixteen pints of water. She was then beheaded and her body was burned at the stake.

Her trial and the attendant scandal launched the Affair of the Poisons, which saw several French aristocrats charged with poison and witchcraft.

 

Madame de Sevigné: Encore un petit mot de la Brinvilliers : elle est morte comme elle a vécu, c'est-à-dire résolument. Elle entra dans le lieu où l'on devoit lui donner la question ; et voyant trois seaux d'eau : Œ‚ C'est assurément pour me noyer, dit-elle ; car de la taille dont je suis, on ne prétend pas que je boive tout cela. Œé Elle écouta son arrt, ds le matin, sans frayeur ni sans foiblesse ; et sur la fin, elle le fit recommencer, disant que ce tombereau l'avoit frappée d'abord, et qu'elle en avoit perdu l'attention pour le reste. Elle dit à son confesseur, par le chemin, de faire mettre le bourreau devant elle, Œ‚ afin de ne point voir, dit-elle, ce coquin de Desgrais qui m'a prise : Œé il étoit à cheval devant le tombereau. Son confesseur la reprit de ce sentiment ; elle dit : Œ‚ Ah mon Dieu ! je vous en demande pardon ; qu'on me laisse donc cette étrange vue ; Œé et monta seule et nu-pieds sur l'échelle et sur l'échafaud, et fut un quart d'heure mirodée, rasée, dressée et redressée, par le bourreau : ce fut un grand murmure et une grande cruauté. Le lendemain on cherchoit ses os, parce que le peuple disoit qu'elle étoit sainte. Elle avoit, dit-elle, deux confesseurs : l'un disoit qu'il falloit tout dire, et l'autre non ; elle rioit de cette 1676 diversité, disant : Œ‚ Je peux faire en conscience tout ce qu'il me plaira : Œé il lui a plu de ne rien dire du tout. Penautier sortira un peu plus blanc que de la neige : le public n'est point content, on dit que tout cela est trouble. Admirez le malheur : cette créature a refusé d'apprendre ce qu'on vouloit, et a dit ce qu'on ne demandoit pas ; par exemple, elle dit que M. Foucquet avoit envoyé Glaser, leur apothicaire empoisonneur, en Italie, pour avoir d'une herbe qui fait du poison : elle a entendu dire cette belle chose à Sainte-Croix. Voyez quel excs d'accablement, et quel prétexte pour achever ce misérable. Tout cela est encore bien suspect. On ajoute encore bien des choses ; mais en voilà assez pour aujourd'hui.

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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:37 +1000
<![CDATA[La Mort de Marie-Antoinette]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1000

Title

La Mort de Marie-Antoinette

Subtitle

ci-devant reine des français, condamnée et exécuté à mort, le 16 octobre, 1793.
Air connu. Par Ladré

Synopsis

Marie Antoinette; baptised Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna (or Maria Antonia Josephina Johanna);2 November 1755 äóñ 16 October 1793), born an archduchess of Austria, was Dauphine of France from 1770 to 1774 and Queen of France and Navarre from 1774 to 1792. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa.

In April 1770, on the day of her marriage to Louis-Auguste, Dauphin of France, she became Dauphine of France. Marie Antoinette assumed the title of Queen of France and of Navarre when her husband, Louis XVI of France, ascended the throne upon the death of Louis XV in May 1774. After seven years of marriage, she gave birth to a daughter, Marie-Thérse Charlotte, the first of four children.

Initially charmed by her personality and beauty, the French people generally came to dislike her, accusing "L'Autrichienne" (meaning the Austrian (woman) in French) of being profligate, promiscuous,[2] and of harboring sympathies for France's enemies, particularly Austria, her country of origin.[3] The Diamond Necklace incident further ruined her reputation. Although she was completely innocent in this affair, she became known as Madame Déficit.

The royal family's flight to Varennes had disastrous effects on French popular opinion, Louis XVI was deposed and the monarchy abolished on 21 September 1792; the royal family was subsequently imprisoned at the Temple Prison. Eight months after her husband's execution, Marie Antoinette was herself tried, convicted by the Convention for treason to the principles of the revolution, and executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793.

1793: "Widow Capet," Trial, and Death
Marie Antoinette on the way to the guillotine. (Pen and ink by Jacques-Louis David, 16 October 1793)
Marie Antoinette's execution on 16 October 1793.

Louis was executed on 21 January 1793, at the age of thirty-eight.[118] The result was that the "Widow Capet", as the former queen was called after the death of her husband, plunged into deep mourning; she refused to eat or do any exercise. There is no knowledge of her proclaiming her son as Louis XVII; however, the comte de Provence, in exile, recognised his nephew as the new king of France and took the title of Regent. Marie-Antoinette's health rapidly deteriorated in the following months. By this time she suffered from tuberculosis and possibly uterine cancer, which caused her to hemorrhage frequently.[119]

Despite her condition, the debate as to her fate was the central question of the National Convention after Louis's death. There were those who had been advocating her death for some time, while some had the idea of exchanging her for French prisoners of war or for a ransom from the Holy Roman Emperor. Thomas Paine advocated exile to America.[120] Starting in April, however, a Committee of Public Safety was formed, and men such as Jacques Hébert were beginning to call for Antoinette's trial; by the end of May, the Girondins had been chased out of power and arrested.[121] Other calls were made to "retrain" the Dauphin, to make him more pliant to revolutionary ideas. This was carried out when the eight-year-old boy Louis Charles was separated from Antoinette on 3 July, and given to the care of a cobbler.[122] On 1 August, she herself was taken out of the Tower and entered into the Conciergerie as Prisoner No. 280.[123] Despite various attempts to get her out, such as the Carnation Plot in September, Marie Antoinette refused when the plots for her escape were brought to her attention.[124] While in the Conciergerie, she was attended by her last servant, Rosalie Lamorlire.

She was finally tried by the Revolutionary Tribunal on 14 October. Unlike the king, who had been given time to prepare a defence, the queen's trial was far more of a sham, considering the time she was given (less than one day). Among the things she was accused of (most, if not all, of the accusations were untrue and probably lifted from rumours begun by libelles) were orchestrating orgies in Versailles, sending millions of livres of treasury money to Austria, plotting to kill the Duke of Orléans, incest with her son, declaring her son to be the new king of France, and orchestrating the massacre of the Swiss Guards in 1792.

The most infamous charge was that she sexually abused her son. This was according to Louis Charles, who, through his coaching by Hébert and his guardian, accused his mother. After being reminded that she had not answered the charge of incest, Marie Antoinette protested emotionally to the accusation, and the women present in the courtroom äóî the market women who had stormed the palace for her entrails in 1789 äóî even began to support her.[125] She had been composed throughout the trial until this accusation was made, to which she finally answered, "If I have not replied it is because Nature itself refuses to respond to such a charge laid against a mother."
Funerary monument to King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, sculptures by Edme Gaulle and Pierre Petitot in the Basilica of St Denis

In reality the outcome of the trial had already been decided by the Committee of Public Safety around the time the Carnation Plot was uncovered, and she was declared guilty of treason in the early morning of 16 October, after two days of proceedings.[126] Back in her cell, she composed a letter to her sister-in-law Madame élisabeth, affirming her clear conscience, her Catholic faith and her feelings for her children. The letter did not reach élisabeth.[127]

On the same day, her hair was cut off and she was driven through Paris in an open cart, wearing a simple white dress. At 12:15 p.m., two and a half weeks before her thirty-eighth birthday, she was beheaded at the Place de la Révolution (present-day Place de la Concorde).[128][129] Her last words were "Pardon me sir, I meant not to do it", to Henri Sanson the executioner, whose foot she had accidentally stepped on after climbing the scaffold. Her body was thrown into an unmarked grave in the Madeleine cemetery, rue d'Anjou, (which was closed the following year).

Her sister-in-law élisabeth was executed in 1794 and her son died in prison in 1795. Her daughter returned to Austria in a prisoner exchange, married and died childless in 1851.[130]

Both Marie Antoinette's body and that of Louis XVI were exhumed on 18 January 1815, during the Bourbon Restoration, when the comte de Provence had become King Louis XVIII. Christian burial of the royal remains took place three days later, on 21 January, in the necropolis of French Kings at the Basilica of St Denis.[131]


Set to tune of...

Air connu. Par Ladré

Transcription

AH, quel moment terrible,
Fatale nation,
De mon coeur insensible,
C'est la punition
Qu'il faut subir,
Hélas, je vais mourir,
Ah! quelle horreur,
Moi fille d'empereur.

Moi qui jadis fut reine,
L'on me condamne à mort,
Ayant brisé la chaine,
Le peuple voit mon tort,
Ma trahison,
Me fit mettre en prison,
Et mon orgueil
Me conduit au cercueil.

Pour soutenir l'empire
Contre la liberté,
Aujourd'hui si j'expire,
Je l'ai bien mérité,
Par mes forfaits
J'ai trahi les franais,
Mon grand desir
Etoit de réussir.

Autrefois à mes ordres
Le peuple était soumis,
Par mes sanglans désordres,
Des millions d'ennemis
Sont contre moi,
Par eux, Louis, leur roi,
Perdit le jour,
Aujourd'hui c'est mon tour.

Moi qui, comme une idole,
Fut du peuple adorée,
Par une libre école
Il fut trop éclairé.
A mon égard,
Sur moi jette un regard
plein de mépris,
Et sur-tout à Paris.

J'avais grande espérance
Que les rois, mes parents,
Rétabliraient en france
La puissance des grands,
Mais je vois bien
Que malgré ce soutien,
Les franais forts
Vaincront tous leurs efforts.

Madame Guillotine
Est ma dame d'honneur.
Pour moi plus de cuisine,
Adieu l'appât flatteur
Des courtisans;
Adieu tous mes amans;
Je meurs, hélas,
Par un rude trépas.

Method of Punishment

guillotine

Crime(s)

treason

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Paris, Place Louis Quinze
IMG_2209.jpg
IMG_2210.jpg
IMG_2211.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:58:37 +1000
<![CDATA[Lamentation of Margaret Bell,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/882

Title

Lamentation of Margaret Bell,

Subtitle

at present under Sentence of Death in Paisley Jail.

Synopsis

Margaret Bell murders her baby, is brought to Paisley to be executed by hanging. This song ends with her awaiting her death. But as we discover in a related ballad, 'Margaret Bell's Lament' she would be reprieved by the appeals of the people of Paisley and would be banished instead.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Copy of original in Bodleian Library, Universit of Oxford, Shelfmark: 2806 c. 14(159); Bodlein Ballads Online Bod1370;  Original available in the Murray Collection, Glasgow University Library

Transcription

From my dungeon in Paisley I send you this warning,
To shun paths of vice which leads on to crime.
too long I have run in the broad path of ruin,
But now I must die in the height of my prime.
O! col dis my cell and my chains they are weighty,
But the weight of my sins are heavier on me,
For I murdered my child, how can I look for mercy;
Oh! no, I must die upon the gallows tree.

Cold was the night on the sixteenth of November,
As straight with my child close press'd to my breast;
My bosom was swelling, my tears fast were falling,
As hush, hush, I cried, to lull my baby to rest.
By the Crofthead Bleachfield I careless did wander
To the edge of the pond where I thought none did see,
There I murdered my babe, and threw it in the water,
For which I must die upon the gallows tree.

That night with my cousin I slept at the bleachfield,
And early next morning prepared to depart;
I was told by the workers a child was found murdered,
And, oh! how the words pearc'd my poor guilty heart.
Then to Bogshaw I fled for to join my service,
But the stern hands of justice soon laid hold of me;
I was brought back to Paisley for to stand my trial,
Now my sentence is pass'd -- I must die on a tree.

The grey morn will dawn on the 26th of January
'Tis the last in this world that's allotted for me,
From my dark dreary dungeon I'll be taken that morning.
To face a gazing multitude, when hanged I shall be.
When I think of my childhood and my poor aged mother,
And the precepts she taught as I knelt at her knee;
Oh, little she thought as I lay on her bosom,
That her child Margaret Bell was to die on a tree.

And now, in conclusion, I give you all warning,
To shun evil company before its too late;
If e'er vicious thoughts should arise in your bosom,
O think on Margaret Bell and her untimely fate.
Now, farewell, vain world, and all thy false pleasures,
Your bright show of vanity is no more for me,
My days they are numbered and the moments are flying,
On the 26th of January I must die on a tree.

Method of Punishment

hanging

Crime(s)

infanticide

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Paisley

Printing Location

James Lindsay, 9 King St, Glasgow

Notes

From National Records of Scotland:
Accused: Margaret Bell, Verdict: Guilty, Verdict Comments: Guilty - recommendation for leniency, Sentence: Death - hanging by public executioner, Petition: Remission of sentence granted under the Great Seal at High Court, Edinburgh, 7 February 1853 (see JC8/60, f.13v).. Note: Pannel drowned infant in a bleachfield dam and was sentenced to hang at Paisley on 26 January, 1853.
Victim Unnamed, female infant

ulf_19_Lamentation of Margaret Bell.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:25 +1000
<![CDATA[Life Confession & Execution, of Mr. & Mrs. Manning, for the murder of Mr. O'Conner [sic], with copies of the letters.]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1138

Title

Life Confession & Execution, of Mr. & Mrs. Manning, for the murder of Mr. O'Conner [sic], with copies of the letters.

Synopsis

Marie Manning (1821–13 November 1849) was a Swiss domestic servant who was hanged outside Horsemonger Lane Gaol, London, England, on 13 November 1849, after she and her husband Frederick were convicted of the murder of her lover, Patrick O'Connor, in the case that became known as the "Bermondsey Horror." It was the first time a husband and wife had been executed together in England since 1700.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Harvard Law School Library Special Collections, Rare Trials Broadside 122, Record ID: 990080893890203941

Transcription

Attention give, both old and young
Of high and low degree;
Think, while this mournful tale is sung,
Of our sad misery.
We've slain O'Connor, both good and kind,
Who oft to us has been a friend,
For which we must our lives resign,
Our time is near an end.

Oh! hark, what mean that dreadful sound?
It sinks deep in our souls.
It is the bell that sounds our knell,
How solemn is the toll.
See, thousands are assembled
Around the fatal place,
To gaze on our approaching fate,
And witness our disgrace.

Let pilfering passions not intrude,
For to lead you astray,
From step to step it will delude,
And bring you to dismay.
Think of the wretched guilty Mannings,
Who thus die on a tree,
A death of shame, we've nought to blam
But our own base infamy.

Mercy on earth we'll not iimplore,
To crave it would be vain.
Our hands are dyed with human gore,
None can wash off the stain.
But the merits of a Saviour,
Whose mercy alone we crave,
Good Christians pray, so thus we die,
We may has pardon have.

Method of Punishment

hanging

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Horsemonger Lane Gaol, London

Printing Location

Paul, Whitechapel
(printing details partially torn)

Notes

First person voice of Mannings at their execution
Life Confession and Execution.jpg
]]>
Mon, 04 Jun 2018 10:22:50 +1000
<![CDATA[Life of the Mannings executed at Horsemonger Lane Go[...] on Tuesday 13th Nov 1849]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1139

Title

Life of the Mannings executed at Horsemonger Lane Go[...] on Tuesday 13th Nov 1849

Synopsis

Marie Manning (1821–13 November 1849) was a Swiss domestic servant who was hanged outside Horsemonger Lane Gaol, London, England, on 13 November 1849, after she and her husband Frederick were convicted of the murder of her lover, Patrick O'Connor, in the case that became known as the "Bermondsey Horror." It was the first time a husband and wife had been executed together in England since 1700.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Harvard Law School Library Special Collections, Harvard University; Rare (Trials Broadside 286), Record ID: 990095439080203941

Set to tune of...

Just Before the Battle Mother? [no indicated tune]

Transcription

See the scaffold it is mounted,
And the doomed ones do appear?
Seemingly borne wan with sorrow,
Grief and anguish, care and pain.
They cried the moments [sic] is approaching,
When we together must leave this life,
And no one has the least compassion,
On Frederick Manning and his wife.

Maria Manning came from Sweden,
Brought up respectable we hear,
And Frederick Manning came from Taunton
In the county of Somersetshire.
Maria lived with noble ladies,
In ease, and splendour, and delight.
But on one sad and fatal morning,
She was made Frederick Mannings wife.

She firtt [sic] was courted by O'Connor,
Who was a lover most sincere,
He was possessed of wealth and riches,
And loved Maria Roux most dear.
But she preferred her present husband,
As it appeared, and with delight,
Slighted sore Patrick O'Connor,
And was made Frederick Manning's wife.

And when O'Connor knew the story,
Down his cheeks rolled floods of tears,
He beat his breast, and wept in sorrow,
Wrung his hands and tore his hair,
Marie dear how could you leave me,
Wretched you have made my life,
Tell me why you did deceive me,
For to be Frederick Manning's wife.

At length they all were reconciled,
And met together night and day,
Maria by O'Connor's riches,
Dressed in splendour fine and gay.
Though married yet she corresponded
With O'Connor all was right,
And oft he went to see Maria
Frederick Manning's lawful wife.

At length they plann'd their friend to murder
And for his company did crave,
The dreadful weapons they prepared,
And in the kitchen dug his grave.
And as they fondly did caress him,
They slew him - what a dreadful sight.
First they mangled, after robbed him,
Frederick Manning and his wife.

They absconded, but was apqrehended [sic],
And for the cruel deed was tried,
When placed at the bar of Newgate,
They both the crime strongly denied,
At length the jury them convicted,
And doomed them for to leave this life,
The judge pronounced the awful sentence,
On Frederick Manning and his wife.

Return he said to whence they brought you
From thence unto the fatal tree,
Fnd [sic] there together be suspended,
Where multitudes your fate may see.
Your hours recollect is numbered,
You betrayed a friend and took his life.
For such there's not one spark of pity,
As Frederick Manning and his wife.

See what numbers are approaching,
To Horsemonger's fatal tree,
Full of bloom in health and vigour,
What a dreadful sight to see.
Old and young pray take a warning,
Females lead a virtuous life,
Think upon that fatal morning,
Frederick Manning and his wife.

Method of Punishment

hanging

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Horsemonger Lane Gaol, London

Printing Location

Hodges (from Pitt's) Wholesale Marble Warehouse, 31 Dudley St, 7 Dials

Notes

Lots of printing errors in this pamphlet. Appears that printer did not have enough correct type.
Life of the Mannings executed.jpg
]]>
Mon, 04 Jun 2018 10:46:22 +1000
<![CDATA[Margaret Bell's Lament]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/886

Title

Margaret Bell's Lament

Synopsis

Margaret Bell murders her baby, is brought to Paisley to be executed by hanging, but is reprieved by the appeals of the people of Paisley and is exiled.
The Word on the Street:
'Margaret Bell's Lament' is narrated by a woman who is being transported for the murder of her illegitimate child. There are many broadsides on this subject. Due to the social stigma attached to illegitimate motherhood, infanticide among deperate single mothers was more common in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries than it is today. The usual sentence for the crime was death, but in this case the petitioning of the people of Paisley persuaded the Crown to commute Margaret Bell's sentence to transportation. This suggests that the was a great deal of sympathy and understanding among ordinary people for the plight of such women.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

National Library of Scotland, L.C.Fol.178.A.2(028); National Library of Scotland Digital Gallery

Set to tune of...

Braes of Strathblane

Transcription

Adieu unto Barrhead, and to Neilston also
Where the river Levern it sweetly does flow,
My poor aged mother, forever farewell,
An exile for life is your poor Margaret Bell.

That perfidious young man. the cause of my pain,
For he was the first that brought me to shame ;
The cause of my misery and sad poverty,
Which causes me now a poor convict to be.

A long time we courted, his words they were mild,
At length unto him I did prove with child.
When I to this young man my state I did tell,
He treated with scorn his poor Margaret Bell.

When my child was born I was in poverty's grasp,
And adversity blew with her cold bitter blast,
While he proved false that I loved so well,
The mind became frantic of poor Margaret Bell.

My sad situation, nought but misery in my view,
And he proving false that vowed to be true ;
I could see no way for me, but beg, starve, or steal,
And satan whisper'd to me, your baby go kill.

Unto his dictation, alas, I did give way,
Which will haunt my mind till my dying day ;
The thoughts of my badness my tongue cannot tell,
Kind heaven pardon me, poor Margaret Bell.

I was tried and found guilty of base cruelty,
And received my sentence to die on a tree ;
But the people in and round Paisley did much for me ,
And petitions forwarded to the Queen's Majesty.

Now all you good people that took my cause in hand.
I'll think on your kindness when in a foreign land;
For with grateful sensations my bosom does swell,
Accept the humble thanks of poor Margaret Bell.

Run on you sweet Lever, that gentle does flow,
The blue bell and violent on your banks will grow,
The primrose and daisy will bloom on each dell,
When far from those beauties is poor Margaret Bell.

You blooming young maidens that roam free of care,
Of false-hearted young men I'd have you beware,
They may flatter and vow and fine tales may tell,
And may leave you in sorrow, like poor Margaret Bell.

Method of Punishment

hanging, transportation

Crime(s)

infanticide

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Paisley

Printing Location

James Lindsay, 9 King St, Glasgow

Tune Data

Recording of The Braes o' Strathblane by Ossian

Notes

Trial papers relating to Margaret Bell for the crime of murder near bleachfield, Crofthead, Neilston parish, Renfrew. Tried at High Court, Glasgow 5 Jan 1853 Accused Margaret Bell, Verdict: Guilty, Verdict Comments: Guilty - recommendation for leniency, Sentence: Death - hanging by public executioner, Petition: Remission of sentence granted under the Great Seal at High Court, Edinburgh, 7 February 1853 (see JC8/60, f.13v).. Note: Pannel drowned infant in a bleachfield dam and was sentenced to hang at Paisley on 26 January, 1853. Victim Unnamed, female infant (http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue/JC26/1853/586)
ulf_22_Margaret Bell's Lament.jpg
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:26 +1000
<![CDATA[Pietoso lamento che fece la signora Prudenza anconitana prima che fosse condotta alla giustizia]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1099

Title

Pietoso lamento che fece la signora Prudenza anconitana prima che fosse condotta alla giustizia

Subtitle

coll'aggiunta di tutto il caso successo di nuovo, quanto disse, e scrisse di propria mano

Synopsis

Prudenzia Anconitana

Set to tune of...

terza rima and sonnet

Transcription

Fuggir non si puö_ mai quel che'l Ciel vuole,

Gender

Date

Printing Location

In Lucca : presso Francesco Bertini, 1818

URL

http://opac.sbn.it/opacsbn/opac/iccu/scheda.jsp?bid=IT\ICCU\RMLE\057249
]]>
Thu, 24 May 2018 15:02:09 +1000
<![CDATA[Sal]isbury Assizes. [?]ard of Witchcraft.]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1218

Title

Sal]isbury Assizes. [?]ard of Witchcraft.

Subtitle

Being a true Relation of one Mistris Bodnan living in Fisherton, next house but one to the Gallowes, who being a Witch seduced a Maid, called by name, Anne Stiles, to the s[a]me abominab[le] and detested action of VVitchcraft; which VVitch for that action was executed the 19 day of March 1653.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Manchester Central Library, BR f 821.04 B49, EBBA 36038

Set to tune of...

Bragandary

Transcription

WHen men and Women leave the way
of God, and goodnesse quite,
They practice mischief every day
and therein take delight
The Divel then is nye at hand
When these things he doth understand,
You that will goe,
High or low
Resolve upon this doubt.

As by the Story you shall heare
if you will list a while
The Divell lately did appeare;
and a Woman did beguile
But she did make the way before,
And in her heart did him adore
You that will goe, etc.

In Fisherton this dame did dwell
of conversation bad
She did converse with the Divell of Hell,
which made her friends all sad,
Unto the Divell she gave her soule
Sealed in a bloudy scroule,
You that will goe, etc.

Mistris Bodnam was her name,
who daily undertooke
To helpe men to stolne goods againe,
even with her cunjuring booke
A looking glasse she had likewise,
To shew the Theeves before their eyes
You that will goe, etc.

Amonge the rest a Maid then went,
her name was Annis Stiles
About stolne goods in discontent
but the Divill her beguiles
The Divill did the Witch perswade
For to seduce this silly maid
You that will goe, etc,

She gave the Maid a Looking glasse
on which she looked on
But at the length it came to pas
she was to soone undone,
For want of wisdome and true grce,
She was undone in little space,
You that will goe, etc.

Sweetheart quoth she if that you please,
I will teach you my art,
So you may live in wealth and ease
according to your heart
If you your Soule the Divell will give
In health and wealth you then may live,
You that will goe, etc.

To soone alas she did consent
and seald it with her blood,
Which made her afterwards repent,
when as she understood
That she must loose the joyes of heaven
For some Toyes unto her given
You that will goe,
High or low,
Resolve upon this doubt.

[The secon]d part to the same tune.

AT length it came for to be known,
how she had simply run
Then to the Witch she made her mone.
and said she was undone
She said to London she would flye,
For feare least both of them should dye,
You that will goe
High or low,
Resolve upon this doubt.

The Witch was willing thereunto,
and bid her fly with speed
She was at Stockbridge taken though,
for that notorious deed,
The Divill cast her to and froe
As all the company did know
You that will goe, etc,

When in the chamber she came in,
the Divell tost her about
She askt the divell where heed bin
to give her such a floute,
Then all the standers by amaz'd,
Upon each other then they gaz'd,
You that will goe, etc,

A Gentleman great paines did take,
with her the people say,
And she to him her minde did breake
and for her he did pray,
She told him the old witch was cause
That she had broke Gods holy lawes
You that will goe, etc.

Foure dayes together she was vext
tormented grievously
And in her mind was sore perplex[t]
that some thought she would d[?]

The Divell like a Snake apeard
Which all the country people feard
You that will goe, etc,

But when the old Witch came in sight,
then did she take her rest,
And she did sleepe well all that night
as plainly is exprest,
She said when as she walkt againe,
She praised God she felt no paine
You that will goe, etc.

She told the Gentleman that she
would tell him all her art
And that he should inriched be
by what she should impart
She told him that she knew full well,
She should be a great Lady in hel.
You that will goe,etc.

The old Witch executed was,
this moneth the 19. day.
She ever had a face of Bras
as all the people say,
Insteed of pensivenesse and prayer
She did nought but curse and sware,
You that will goe, etc,

God nothing had to do with her
she said most desperately
She swore and curst and kept a stur
and desperately did dye
Let all good people therefore say
[?]their hearts with me and pray,
[You that w]ill goe
High or low,
Resolve upon this doubt.

Lond[on ?]

Method of Punishment

hanging

Crime(s)

witchcraft

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Salisbury
Salisbury Assizes.jpg
]]>
Mon, 09 Dec 2019 10:11:40 +1100
<![CDATA[Some Luck Some Wit]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/956

Title

Some Luck Some Wit

Subtitle

Being a Sonnet upon the merry life and untimely death of Mistriss Mary Carlton, commonly called THE German Princess. To a new Tune, called the German Princess adieu.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

British Library - Roxburgh C.20.f.9.35; EBBA 30388

Set to tune of...

The German Princess adieu

Transcription

Farewel German Princess the Fates bid adieu whose fall is as strange as her story is true,
Her peddigree she from a Fidler does bring

and Fidlers do commonly end in a string,
How many mad pranks has she plaid on the Earth

which equally moves us to pitty and mirth,
But now for a Gamball at Christmas the fool

must shew us a trick on a three-legged Stool.
The first of her tricks was a Freak into France

to learn the French language to sing and to dance,
And who but a Taylor should lye in the lurch

to cut out her work and to lead her to Church,
He plyd her to with Gold but when all was prepard

to measure the Princess about with his yard,
She bobd off the Taylor and made him a Goose

but for all her mad pranks she must dye in a Noose.
Next after to Holland she steered her course

and there she abused a Jewelor worse,
For when he so many rich jewels had brought

seald up in a box, she another had wrought,
And thus he was chevld by the wit of the Girl

with pebbles for diamonds and Glasses for pearl,
Who after his gelding most sadly bemoans,

he quite was undone for the loss of his stones
The next that she shewd was on English-Mans jest

and though there was wit int twas none of the best
Then who but the Princess, and happy were they,

that could but obtain this so welcome a pray:
As eagerly she at the Collies did catch,

but when she was married she met with her match;
For at last an Atturney did fall in her way

who gave her his Bond and had nothing to pay.
A Brick-maker then as a Suitor did go

whose news was as strange as the news from Soho
For when he came up to his Tenement door

he found there was one in possession before,
To furnish this Room he sold all that he had

and now not to enter it made him stark mad,
But she had the money and kept him in awe

by bidding him make up his Brick without straw.
And now the young gallant that next was trappand

was a kind of a Drugster as I understand,
He thought her so rich that the prodigal fop

to gain her sold all that he had in the Shop,
But when to this prize he began to draw near

he found he had bought his Commoditie dear,
His fore-head did bud and such pains he indurd

as would not by Balsoms or Plaisters be curd
A Limner at length who had heard of her fame

would needs draw her Picture and give it a frame,
With couler and varnish she cheated the Elf

and provd that she painted as well as himself,
He made her a Face and a Robe like a Queen

and swore twas as like her as ever was seen,
But when at the Tavern she left him in paw[n]

he swore for a Princess a Beggar hed drawn
A thousand such pranks she did daily invent

and yet with her money was nevey content,
But spent it apace for the proverb you know

says wealth that comes lightly as lightly does go.
At Masques and at Revels by day and by night

with Toryes and gallants she took her delight,
She fancyd alass, it would nere be day

and so never thought of a reckoning to pay.
But what was long lookd for is now come at last

and the sentence of death on the Princess is past
Nor could she be tryd by her peers for no doubt

there was not her peer the whole nation throughout
But if any more of the gang should be found

they are born to be hangd they shall never be dround
When people must cheat to encourage their pride

it is a Dutch trick which we cannot abide.

Method of Punishment

hanging

Crime(s)

returning from penal transportation without permission

Gender

Printing Location

London Printed for Philip Brooksby near the Hospital-gate in West-smith-field.

Notes

Wikipedia: Mary Carleton (11 January 1642 - 22 January 1673) was an Englishwoman who used false identities, such as a German princess, to marry and defraud a number of men.

Carleton was born Mary Moders in Canterbury. According to later accounts she married a journeyman shoemaker named Thomas Stedman and gave birth to two children who died in infancy. She later left her husband to move to Dover where she married a surgeon, prompting her arrest and trial in Maidstone for bigamy.

After the trial she visited Cologne where she had a brief affair with a local nobleman. He gave her valuable presents, pressed her for marriage and began the preparations for a wedding. She, however, slipped out of Germany with all the presents and most of her landlady's money, returning to England through the Netherlands.

She returned to London in 1663 and took on the persona of an orphaned Princess van Wolway from Cologne. She claimed that she was born in Cologne and that her father was Henry van Wolway, Lord of Holmstein and that she had fled a possessive lover. She used this guise to marry John Carleton, brother-in-law of the landlord of the Exchange tavern which she frequented. After the wedding, however, an anonymous letter exposed her.

Her trial in 1663 was the first recorded appearance of Mary Carleton. She was charged for masquerading as a German princess and marrying John Carleton in London under that name. She claimed that John Carleton himself had claimed to be a lord and was trying to extract himself from marriage as he had discovered there was no money in it. Divorce would have been an unheard of scandal in those times. Both sides of the conflict published pamphlets to support their own story. Mary Carleton was eventually acquitted.

Afterwards Mary Carleton wrote her own account, The Case of Madam Mary Carleton, possibly through a ghostwriter. She also acted in a play about her life and gained a number of admirers who gave her more valuable gifts. She eventually married one of her admirers. Predictably she left him too, taking with her his money, valuables and keys while he was drunk.

Carleton next pretended to be a rich virgin heiress fleeing an undesirable suitor whom her father had arranged for her. She even arranged that someone would send her letters that supposedly contained updates of family news. When her new landlady found and read them, she was convinced and became a matchmaker between Carleton and her nephew.

Carleton arranged a new letter that claimed that her brother was dead and he had left her all he had, including her father's forthcoming inheritance. However, her father was even more determined to marry her to a suitor she detested. Her lover invited her to live with him but Carleton and an accomplice, disguised as a maid, stole his money.

Over the following ten years Carleton used similar methods to defraud various other men and landlords, often with the aid of her maid. Some of the men were too embarrassed to reveal they had been duped. She was many times accused of theft but was jailed only briefly.

She was once arrested after stealing a silver tankard, and was sentenced to penal transportation and sent to Jamaica. However, after two years she returned to London, again pretending to be a rich heiress and married an apothecary at Westminster. Naturally, she stole his money and left him.

In December 1672 Carleton was captured when a man who was searching for stolen loot recognized her. On 16 January 1673 she was tried in the Old Bailey. Because she had returned from penal transportation without permission, she received a sentence of death. She was executed by hanging on 22 January.

In 1673 Francis Kirkman wrote, and issued under his own name, The Counterfeit Lady Unveiled, a fictional autobiography.
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:37 +1000
<![CDATA[The Araignement of John Flodder and his wife,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/896

Title

The Araignement of John Flodder and his wife,

Subtitle

at Norwidge, with the wife of one Bicks, for burning the Towne of Windham in Norfolke, upon the xi. day of June last 1615. Where two of them are now executed, and the third reprived upon further confession. To the tune of Fortune my foe.

Synopsis

After the town of Windham, Norfolk, is burned, three people are convicted of arson: John Flodder and his wife, and a Mrs. Bicks, all known vagrants. Bicks repents before her execution, but Flodder is unrepentant. He is hung in chains, while his wife is given a temporary reprieve due to pregnancy. Because of this, she confesses that a second fire was planned and that Bicks' husband was party to the plan. The audience is advised to exile beggars and vagrants from their towns.

Digital Object


Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Pepys Ballads Pepys 1.130-131r; EBBA 20056

Set to tune of...

Transcription

BRave Windham late, whom Fortune did adorne,
With Buildings fayre, & fresh as Sommers morne:
To coale-blacke Ashes now, quite burned downe,
May sorrowing say, I was a gallant Towne.
Yea all my state and glory is put by,
For mourning on the ground my Buildings lye:
My Goods consum'd, my Dwellers brought full low,
Which now goe wandring up and downe in woe.
Three hundred dwelling Houses of account,
Which did to fourtie thousand pounds amount,
Are all consumd and wasted quite away,
And nothing left, but ruine and decay.
Woe worth the causers of this blacke misdeed,
That makes a thousand hearts with sorrow bleed:
A thousand hearts with wringing hands may say,
In Windham towne this was a wofull day.
The deed was done by such unhallowed hands,
Whose rigour card not for a thousand Lands,
The Earth it selfe, if that it flam'd with fier,
Were as these damned harlets did desier.
One Flodder and his cursed wife, were those,
Which wrought this famous towne these sodaine woes:
Confederate with one Bickes wife; which three,
Unto this cursed action did agree.
As Rogues and Beggars wandring up and downe,
They went to seeke reliefe from towne to towne:
And lived by the usage of bace sinne,
As custome trayneth all such livers in.
[?] sure the Divell or else some Feend of his,
[?] aved them unto this foule amisse,
With Fire to wast so brave a Market towne,
That florisht faire, with Riches and Renowne.
A Fier that was devised of the Divell,
A Fier of all the worst, and worse then evill:
Wilde fier it was, that could not quenched bee,
A Ball thereof [la]y kindling secretly,
Within an Eaves, not seene of any man,
A Match gave fier, and so it first began:
In Service time, when people were at Prayers,
As God required, and not on worldly cares.
A time that such a chaunce could hardly bee
Prevented by mans helpe, as man might see:
For on a sodaine kindled so the flame,
That mazed people could not quench the same.
Within two howers the towne was burned quite,
And much good Wealth therin consumd outright:
The Free-schoole house, with many a gallant Hall
With Aged people, and poore Children small.
Such woes were never seene in any place,
Nor never men remaind in heavier case:
Strange doubts were made how first the fire begun
That hath so many good mens states undone.
At last this Flodder, with his wandring Mates,
Which daily beg'd for food at rich mens Gates,
Examined were, where soone their guiltie tongues
Confest the chiefe occasions of these wronges.
And so with hearts bespotted with blacke shame,
They were araigned, and judged for the same,
To suffer death, a recompence to make,
For this offence, they thus did undertake.

The Second part of the Araignement of Flodder and his wife etc.
To the same tune.

ANd when their day of death drew neere at hand,
According to the Judges just commaund,
Before ten thousand peoples wondring eyes,
This Flodder like a damned monster dyes,
A selfe-wild Papist, of a stubborne heart,
That would but small submission from him part:
But boldly died as though he had done well,
And not been guiltie of this fact of Hell.
His hated body still on Earth remaines,
(A shame unto his kin) hangd up in Chaines:
And must at all no other Buriall have,
But Crowes & Ravens mawes to make his grave
But Bicks his wife in signe of penitence,
With weeping teares bewayled her offence:
And at her death, confest with grieved minde,
This deed beyond the reach of Woman-kind.
And how most leawdly she had lived long,
A shamefull life, in doing deeds of wrong:
And trode the steps of Whoredome day by day,
Accounting sinne and shame, the better way.
And how that shee, was will'd to put her hope
At last, to have a Pardone from the Pope
For all her sinnes: for which, she did repent,
And sayd, no Pope, but Christ was her content.
And as for Flodders wife, the chiefe herein,
And damded leader to this wilfull sinne,
Being bigg with child, reprived was therefore,
To give that life, which in her Wombe she bore.
But having now deliverance of her Child,
All further hopes of life, are quite exild.
Yet hope of life, hath made her now confesse,
The Townes proceeding dangers and distresse.
And how the rest should all have burned beene,
So with a second Fire to waste it cleane:
And how the Husband of the woman dead,
Had given consent to have this mischiefe spread.
Likewise one Hicks, a fellow of good age,
She sayd, his credite and his word did gage,
To be a furtherer to this damned deed,
That now hath made a thousand hearts to bleed.
But let no such accursed wretch as this,
The course of Law and Justice looke to misse:
But with repentance true prepare for death,
As most unworthy of a minuts breath.
And now let Englands Townes both farre & neere
With wisedome still prevent like chance, & feare,
And weed away from every place and Cittie,
Such idle Drones, you cherish with your pittie.
Yet in your hearts let Charitie remaine,
And freely give, to buyld this Towne againe.
And in your Prayers desire the Lord of heaven,
That bountious guiftes may thereunto be given.
Our royall King, with good and gracious hand,
Have graunted them, the bounties of our Land:
In every Church that gathering there may bee,
As by his Letter patents we may see.

Method of Punishment

hanging in chains

Crime(s)

arson

Gender

Date

Printing Location

Imprinted at London for John Trundle, dwel-
ling in Barbican at the signe of the No body.
The names in the Kings Letters Pattents, to
gather up the mony, are these following.
John Moore.
Steven Agas.
Robert Carre.
John Doffeelde.
William Horsnell.
Esa Freeman.
Robert Agas.
William Rowse.
The Countries and Cities, graunted for these
men to gather in, are these following.
London and Westminster: Middlesex, Essex, Kent,
Hartford, Surry, and Sussex: with the Cities of
Canterburie, Rochester, and the Cinque Ports,
with the Citie of Chester.
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:27 +1000
<![CDATA[The Bloody Butcher, And the two wicked and cruel Bawds:]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/899

Title

The Bloody Butcher, And the two wicked and cruel Bawds:

Subtitle

Exprest in a woful Narrative of one Nathaniel Smith a Butcher, who lived in Maypole-Alley near the Strand; his Wife having been all day in the Market selling of Meat, in the evening went with her Husband to an Alehouse, where they stay'd till ten of the clock. and then went home together, and being in their lodging, demanded of her the Money she had taken that day, but she (being great with child and peevish) refused to give it him, he taking his Butchers-knife in his hand stabb'd her in the back, whereof she instantly dyed, for which he was Apprehended, Condemned, and Executed at Tyburn, April the 24th. 1667. As also another Relation of a Ravisher, who in a Bawdy-house (assisted by two Women) ravished a Girle.

Synopsis

2 stories: one of domestic violence ending in murder, the other of the rape of a child with two women as accessories.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Glasgow University Library - Euing, Shelfmark: Euing Ballads 20; EBBA 31663

Set to tune of...

Transcription

What horrid execrable Crimes,
Possess us in these latter Times;
Not Pestilence, nor Sword, nor Fire,
Will make us from our Sins retyre.

Two sad Relations that befel
Us in this Month, I shall you tell,
As dismal dreadful Deeds they be,
As ever you did hear or see.


One was the Murther of a Wife,
By wrathful Hand, and bloody Knife;
T'other declares those that defil'd,
The Virgin body of a Child.

A Butcher, as we understand,
Liv'd near the May-pole in the Strand;
Nathaniel Smith, who lost his life,
For the sad slaughter of his wife.

After so many years their hands,
Had been conjoyn'd in wedlock bands,
Whereby came many Children small,
One wretched hour confounds them all.

This Butchers Wife did keep a Seat
I'th Market-place to sell her Meat;
And was by all report that's made,
A careful house-wife in the Trade.

One fatal Evening being come,
From Market, to her latest home,
She and her Husband both went then,
To a Victualling-house and staid till ten.

The second part, to the same tune.

Then went together home, where when
A little season they had been;
He in a bold imperious way,
Demands the Coin she took that day.

She being with Child, and fretful too,
What he commands she would not do;
Which, with his drink begat a rage,
Nothing but Murther could asswage.
Words made his passion mount up higher
She was the bellows, he the fire:
Words are but wind, buy yet they do,
Pierce through the Soul and Body too.

The Devil had subdued him there,
And whisper'd Murther in his ear;
Which he impatient of delay,
Doth perpetrate the readiest way.

With a strong long sharp-poynted knife,
Into the back he stabs his wife:
Flesh of his flesh, bone of his bone,
With one dead-doing blow is gone.

She faltred, fainted, fell down dead,
Upon the ground her bloud was shed;
The little Infant in the womb
Received there both Life and Tomb.

Then was he Apprehended, by
Some Neighbours that did hear her cry
But Murther, murther, and for this,
He judgd and Executed is.

Let this a warning be to those,
Whose Passions are their greatest Foes:
And let all Women have a care,
To stir those that impatient are.

Ten angry words with wrath and knife,
Has kil'd a husband and a Wife;
An Infant too, which makes up Three,
And ruin'd a whole family.

But mischiefs seldome come alone,
My Muse hath yet another Groan;
A sigh, a tear, and much of moan,
To tell a Deed but lately done.

There was one Mary, a grand Bawd,
That liv'd by Lechery and Fraud;
Assisted by her Daughter Bess,
Did keep a house of wickedness.

They liv'd at Westminster, where they,
Many a Virgin did betray:
Those wicked actions made them rue,
This fact they did, which I'le tell you.

It seems a fellow thither came,
To pacifie his lustful flame;
Having a fire of Drink before,
Came to be quenched by a Whore.

They being destitute, did meet,
A Neighbours Daughter in the street;
A pretty Child, and as 'tis told,
By many, but of Ten years old.

Yet she is tempted in by them,
To serve their turn in that extream,
And then deliver'd up to One,
Was more a Devil than a Man.

Unto this weak unwary Child,
That was unfit to be defil'd;
In order to their base Design,
They give it Brandy, Ale, and Wine.

Their hot Guest for a Wench doth call,
They brought him One, but very small;
It serv'd his turn, and he did fly,
At his small Game, they standing by,

The Child resisted and cryed out,
The old Bawd choak'd her with a Clout
Stop'd in the mouth; the Fellow spoil'd,
With furious lust the fainting Child.

The Fellow having Ravished,
This tender Child, away he fled:
But what he was, or who, is known
Not as I hear, to any one.

The two that held, and stopt her breath,
Most justly now have suffer'd Death;
Such pitty 'tis that he is free'd,
By flight, that did the filthy Deed.

Thus have I told you Two sad Crime,
Committed in these worst of Times;
Let all that hear me now, by this,
Take warning not to do amiss.

Return to God, reform your Lives,
Men be not bitter to your wives:
Wives love you Husbands, for bad words
Have drawn a hundred thousand swords.

Let Love and Patience both agree,
To keep us all in Amity;
Then all our bloody Broyls will cease,
God save the King, and send us Peace.


Method of Punishment

hanging

Crime(s)

murder, rape

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Tyburn

Printing Location

London, Printed by E. Crowch, for F. Coles, / T. Vere, and J. Wright.
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:28 +1000
<![CDATA[THE Chamberlain's Tragedy:]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/937

Title

THE Chamberlain's Tragedy:

Subtitle

OR, The Cook-Maid's Cruelty;
Being a true Account how she in the heat of Passion, murder'd her Fellow-servant (the Chamberlain) at an Inn, in the Town of Andever. Tune, Bleeding Heart. Licens'd according to Order.

Synopsis

A chamberlain is stabbed by a cook's maid with whom he regularly quarrels. She bemoans her fate in prison.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Pepys 2.178; EBBA 20795

Set to tune of...

Transcription

You that have melting hearts to grieve,
This mournful Ditty pray receive,
'Tis of a bloody Tragedy,
Unheard of Matchless cruelty.
The which I shall in brief unfold,
Therefore dear People, pray behold,
The manner of this wicked deed,
It needs must make your hearts to bleed.
Two Servants in one house did dwell,
At Andever, 'tis known full well;
A Cook-maid and a Chamberlin,
Now the relation I'll begin:
The one of them was most moross,
The other was exceeding cross,
So that with heat or passion they,
Were still at parlance Day by Day.
They acted both, like Tygers wild,
They never wou'd be reconcil'd
By any admonition, no,
Till passion prov'd their overthrow.
Behold it happen'd on a day
The Chamberlin, he took his way
Unto the fire-side, where she
Was busie at her Cookery.
To make a Toast was his intent,
But she his purpose wou'd prevent,
With Knife in Hand, but still he cry'd,
He valu'd not her haughty Pride.
This rais'd her passion more and more,
So that at length she vow'd and swore,
That she wou'd stick him to the Heart,
If he did not the Room depart:
Quoth he, Are you so resolute,
Is Blood the heat of your dispute?
Yes, that it is, you Slave, quoth she,
Be gone or I shall hang for thee.
The Chamberlin reply'd again,
Your swelling words are all in vain;
I do not fear you in the least
And thus their passion still increas'd.
Quoth she, I'll not disputing stand,
To him she ran with Knife in Hand
And wounded him in woful case,
Across his Head and down his Face.
The wreaking Blood began to run,
But still the Cook-maid had not done;
Till through his Ribs, she thrust the Knife,
And so bereav'd him of his Life.
When she beheld him on the floor,
In woful streams of wreaking gore;
She then bemoan'd her dismal state,
But this repentance come too late.
Thus having his destruction wrought,
Before a Justice, she was brought,
Who soon committed her to Goal,
Where she the Murder does bewail.
Often with Tears she does reply
Why did my passion rise so high,
As for to take his Life away,
Alas! this is a dismal Day?
How shall I answer for my crime,
Who gave him not a Minutes time;
To beg a Pardon for his Soul,
In sorrow I his Death condole:
I can expect no favour here,
Who was so cruel and severe,
That for a trifle I should be,
The auther of his Tragedy.
I needs must suffer for the same,
And leave this wretched World in shame;
But woe is me, that is not all,
His Blood does for just vengance call.
The time I have to live, I'll spend,
In making God my special friend,
That when this painful life I leave,
He may in love my Soul receive.
You Serants all both far anear,
That does my sad relation hear;
Labour to live in Love I pray,
Least passion should your Lives decay.

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Execution Location

Andever

Printing Location

LONDON: Printed for J. Deacon, at the Angel, in Guiltspur-street.
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:34 +1000
<![CDATA[The Clippers execution,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/902

Title

The Clippers execution,

Subtitle

or, Treason justly rewarded manifested in the fearful example of two Women who were Notorious offenders, and tryed at the Old-Bayly the 13th of this present April, 1678. for clipping and defacing his Majesties Coyn, where they were found Guilty of High Treason, and received Sentence to be Drawn on a Hurdle to the place of Execution, and there their Bodies to be Burnt. One of them being accordingly Executed in Smithfield upon the 17th of the said Moneth; as a warning for all others to avoid the like Dreadful Punishment. To the tune of, In summer time.

Synopsis

'Coin-clipping' was a kind of forgery: the practice of taking small chunks of gold coins in order to melt them down and make new coins. It was considered treasonous, and so these women were burned for it.

Digital Object


Image notice

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

Image / Audio Credit

Image: Bodleian Library, Wing / C4716. Recorded in EEBO (institutional login required). Audio recording by Hannah Sullivan.

Set to tune of...

In summer time

Transcription

Lament, lament, good Christians all,
who now draw near unto this place,
To see a wretched Sinners fall,
who here doth die in great disgrace:
Although the Laws are ne'r so strict,
some daily do the same transgress,
And warnings all they do neglect;
they'r rooted so in wickedness.

As by this sad example here,
it is confirm's to every one,
Now that the Devil lays his baits,
to bring us to destruction:
For every one he hath a snare,
to please, and satisfie their mind,
And for their ruine doth prepare,
according as they are inclin'd.

This woman being Covetous,
for to grow rich it was her aim,
She did not value by what means,
which did procure her lasting shame:
Some of them did a practice make,
our Soveraigns Coyn for to deface,
Not thinking at the last to come,
To end their lives in foul disgrace.

But though they for a time did Raign,
and prosper in their wickedness,
They now are brought to open shame,
their heinious crimes for to confess:
This wretched woman being one,
who having not the Fear of God,
Now for her Crime is hither come,
to feel his dreadful heavy Rod.

Her Clipping and her Fileing Trade
in private she long time did use,
Hoping she should not be betraid,
the King and Country did abuse:
A little Girl she us'd to send
unto the Shops her Coyn to change,
And so convei'd it to her friend,
who put it off in manner strange.

At length the same suspected was,
by one that liv'd neer Temple-Barr,
who watcht the Girl when home she went
she being not of him aware:
With Officers the House they searcht,
and there one woman they did find,
With Clippings in a Handbaskit,
which did appear of the same kind.

In breaking ope another door,
they likewise plainly did perceive,
Clippings and Fileings on the floor
which carelesly they chanc't to leave;
A File, and Shears, likewise there was,
and Melting-pot, which they did use,
And all things for their purpose fit,
the blinded world for to abuse.

For which to Prison they were sent,
until their Tryal for to lye,
And time they had for to repent,
to make their peace before they dye:
Two of them Sentence did receive,
upon a Hurdle drawn to be,
And Burnt to Ashes in the Flames,
where people all the same might see.

This wretched woman being one
which here is brought unto your view,
To pay for her transgression,
because she proved so untrue:
A Spectacle of misery,
she doth appear in this same place,
Being bound the Law to satisfie,
and end her life in great disgrace.

All you good Christians who are here,
and see her sad and woful fall,
Pray that with patience she may beat,
and unto Christ for mercy call:
Who knows but that the Lord on high,
In mercy may her her soul receive,
And free her from all misery,
if firmly she in him believe.

Let her Example warn you all,
to have the Lord still in your mind;
Least to such crimes you hap to fall,
and unto Sin you be inclin'd:
Beware of filthy averice,
and strive your lives for to amend,
Do not presume to follow vice,
least you come to untimely end.

A dreadful thing it is you see,
her body in the flames to burn,
But worse when soul, and body both,
into eternal Flames shall turn.
Therefore once more I say beware,
and strive Gods mercy to imbrace,
And let it be your onely care;
to find a Heavenly resting place.

Method of Punishment

burning

Crime(s)

clipping gold coins

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Smithfield

Printing Location

London[?] : Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, J. Wright and J. Clarke

Tune Data

Recording is another song in that tune
Anon-The_Clippers_execution_or_Treason-Wing-C4716-1648_07-p1.tif
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:28 +1000
<![CDATA[The complaint and lamentation of Mistresse Arden of Feversham in Kent,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/959

Title

The complaint and lamentation of Mistresse Arden of Feversham in Kent,

Subtitle

who for the loue of one Mosbie, hired certaine Ruffians and Villaines most cruelly to murder her Husband; with the fatall end of her and her Associats.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

British Library - Roxburghe, C.20.f.9.156-157; EBBA 30458

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Transcription

AY me, vile wretch, that ever I was borne,
Making my selfe unto the world a scorne:
And to my friends and kindred all a shame,
Blotting their blood by my unhappy name.
Unto a Gentleman of wealth and fame,
(One Master Arden, he was calld by name)
I wedded was with joy and great content,
Living at Feversham in famous Kent.
In love we livd, and great tranquility,
Untill I came in Mosb[i]es company,
Whose sugred tongue, good shape, and lovely looke,
Soone won my heart, and Ardens love forsooke.
And living thus in foule adultery,
Bred in my husband cause of jealousie,
And lest the world our actions should bewray,
Wee did consent to take his life away.
To London faire my Husband was to ride,
But ere he went I poyson did provide,
Got of a Painter which I promised
That Mosbies sister Susan he should wed.
Into his Broth I then did put the same,
He likt it not when to the boord it came,
Saying, Theres something in it is not so[un]d,
At which inragd, I flung it on the ground.
Yet ere he went, his man I did conjure,
Ere they came home, to make his Master sure,
And murder him, and for his faith and paine,
Susan, and store of gold that he should gaine.
Yet I misdoubting Michaels constancy,
Knowing a Neighbour that was dwelling by,
Which, to my husband bore no great good will,
Sought to incense him his deare blood to spill.
His name was Greene; O Master Green (quoth I)
My husband to you hath done injury,
For which I sorry am with all my heart,
And how he wrongeth me I will impart.
He keepes abroad most wicked company,
With whores and queanes, and bad society;
When he comes home, he beats me sides and head,
That I doe wish that one of us were dead.
And now to London he is rid to roare,
I would that I might never see him more:
Greene then incenst, did vow to be my friend,
And of his life he soone would make an end.
O Master Greene, said I, the dangers great,
You must be circumspect to doe this feat;
To act the deed your selfe there is no need,
But hire some villaines, they will doe the deed.
Ten pounds Ile give them to attempt this thing,
And twenty more when certaine newes they bring,
That he is dead, besides Ile be your friend,
In honest courtesie till life doth end.
Greene vowd to doe it; then away he went,
And met two Villaines, that did use in Kent
To rob and murder upon Shooters hill,
The one calld Shakebag, tother namd Black Will.
Two such like Villaines Hell did never hatch,
For twenty Angels they made up the match,
And forty more when they had done the deed,
Which made them sweare, theyd do it with al speed
Then up to London presently they hye,
Where Master Arden in Pauls Church they spy,
And waiting for his comming forth that night,
By a strange chance of him they then lost sight.
For where these Villaines stood & made their stop
A Prentice he was shutting up his shop,
The window falling, light on Blacke-Wills head,
And broke it soundly, that apace it bled.
Where straight he made a brabble and a coyle,
And my sweet Arden he past by the while;
They missing him, another plot did lay,
And meeting Michael, thus to him they say:
Thou knowst that we must packe thy Master hence
Therefore consent and further our pretence,
At night when as your Master goes to bed,
Leave ope the doores, he shall be murthered.
And so he did, yet Arden could not sleepe,
Strange dreames and visions in his senses creepe,
He dreamt the doores were ope, & Villaines came,
To murder him, and twas the very same.
The second part. To the same tune.
HE rose and shut the doore, his man he blames,
which cunningly he strait this answer frames;
I was so sleepy, that I did forget
To locke the doores, I pray you pardon it.
Next day these Ruffians met this man againe,
Who the whole story to them did explaine,
My master will in towne no longer stay,
To morrow you may meete him on the way.
Next day his businesse being finished,
He did take horse, and homeward then he rid,
And as he rid, it was his hap as then,
To overtake Lord Cheiney and his men.
With salutations they each other greet,
I am full glad your Honour for to meet,
Arden did say; then did the Lord reply,
Sir, I am glad of your good company.
And being that we homeward are to ride,
I have a suite that must not be denide,
That at my house youle sup, and lodge also,
To Feversham this night you must not goe.
Then Arden answered with this courteous speech,
Your Honours pardon now I doe beseech,
I made a vow, if God did give me life,
To sup and lodge with Alice my loving wife.
Well, said my Lord, your oath hath got the day,
To morrow come and dine with me, I pray.
Ile wait upon your Honour then (said he)
And safe he went amongst this company.
On Raymon-Downe, as they did passe this way,
Black-will, and Shakebag they in ambush lay,
But durst not touch him, cause of the great traine
That my Lord had: thus were they crost againe.
With horrid oathes these Ruffians gan to sweare,
They stampe and curst, and tore their locks of haire
Saying, some Angell surely him did keepe.
Yet vowd to murther him ere they did sleepe.
Now all this while my husband was away,
Mosby and I did revell night and day;
And Susan, which my waiting maiden was,
My Loves owne sister, knew how all did passe.
But when I saw my Arden was not dead,
I welcomd him, but with a heavy head:
To bed he went, and slept secure from harmes,
But I did wish my Mosby in my armes.
Yet ere he slept, he told me he must goe
To dinner to my Lords, heed have it so;
And that same night Blacke-will did send me word,
What lucke bad fortune did to them offord.
I sent him word, that he next day would dine
At the Lord Cheinies, and would rise betime,
And on the way their purpose might fulfill,
Well, Ile reward you, when that you him kill.
Next morne betimes, before the breake of day,
To take him napping then they tooke their way;
But such a mist and fog there did arise,
They could not see although they had foure eyes.
Thus Arden scapd these villaines where [?]
And yet they heard his horse goe by that way,
I thinke (said Will) some Spirit is his friend,
Come life or death, I vow to see his end.
Then to my house they strait did take their way,
Telling me how they missed of their pray;
Then presently, we did together gree,
At night at home that he should murdered be.
Mosby and I, and all, our plot thus lay,
That he at Tables should with Arden play,
Black-will, and Sakebag they themselves should hide
Untill that Mosby he a watchword cride.
The word was this whereon we did agree,
Now (Master Arden) I have taken ye:
Woe to that word, and woe unto us all,
Which bred confusion and our sudden fall.
When he came home, most welcome him I made,
And Judas like I kist whom I betraide,
Mosby and he together went to play,
For I on purpose did the tables lay.
And as they plaid, the word was straightway spoke,
Blacke-Will and Sakebag out the corner broke,
And with a Towell backwards puld him downe,
which made me think they now my joyes did crowne
With swords and knives they stabd him to the heart
Mosby and I did likewise act our part,
And then his body straight we did convey
Behind the Abbey in the field he lay.
And then by Justice we were straight condemnd,
Each of us came unto a shamelesse end,
For God our secret dealings soone did spy,
And brought to light our shamefull villany.
Thus have you heard of Ardens tragedy,
It rests to shew you how the rest did die:
His wife at Canterbury she was burnt,
And all her flesh and bones to ashes turnd.
Mosby and his faire Sister, they were brought
To London for the trespasse they had wrought,
In Smithfield on a gibbet they did die.
A just reward for all their villanie,
Michael and Bradshaw, which a Goldsmith was,
That knew of letters which from them did passe,
At Feversham were hanged both in chaines,
And well rewarded for their faithfull paines.
The painter fled none knowes how he did speed,
Sakebag in Southwarke he to death did bleed,
For as he thought to scape and ran away,
He suddenly was murdered in a fray.
In Kent at Osbridge, Greene did suffer death,
Hangd on a gibbet he did lose his breath:
Blacke-Will at Flushing on a stage did burne,
Thus each one came unto his end by turne.
And thus my story I conclude and end,
Praying the Lord that he his grace will send
Upon us all, and keepe us all from ill,
Amen say all, ift be thy blessed will.

Method of Punishment

burning, hanging, hanging in chains,

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Execution Location

Various: Canterbury (burning), Smithfield (hanging), Feversham (hanging in chains), Osbridge in Kent (hanging)

Printing Location

Printed at London for C.W.

Notes

Wikipedia:  Thomas Arden, or Arderne, was a successful businessman in the early Tudor period. Born in 1508, probably in Norwich, Arden took advantage of the tumult of the Reformation to make his fortune, trading in the former monastic properties dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538. In fact, the house in which he was murdered (which is still standing in Faversham) was a former guest house of Faversham Abbey, the Benedictine abbey near the town. His wife Alice had taken a lover, a man of low status named Mosby; together, they plotted to murder her husband. After several bungled attempts on his life, two ex-soldiers from the former English dominion of Calais known as Black Will and Loosebag (called Shakebag in the play) were hired and continued to make botched attempts. Arden was finally killed in his own home on 14 February 1551, and his body was left out in a field during a snowstorm, hoping that the blame would fall on someone who had come to Faversham for the St Valentine's Day fair. The snowfall stopped, however, before the killers' tracks were covered, and the tracks were followed back to the house. Bloodstained swabs and rushes were found, and the killers quickly confessed. Alice and Mosby were put on trial and convicted of the crime; he was hanged and she burnt at the stake in 1551. Black Will may also have been burnt at the stake after he had fled to Flanders: the English records state he was executed in Flanders, while the Flemish records state he was extradited to England. Loosebag escaped and was never heard of again. Other conspirators were hanged in chains. One - George Bradshaw, who was convicted by an obscure passage in a sealed letter he had delivered - was wrongly convicted and posthumously acquitted.
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:37 +1000
<![CDATA[The Injured Children,]]> https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/945

Title

The Injured Children,

Subtitle

OR, The Bloudy Midwife; Being A Discovery of a Barbarous Cruelty to several Children that had been made away, and buried privately in a Sellar, and two hid dead in a Hand-basket.

Synopsis

Mary Compton was found guilty of the murders of several children, some her own, some she was paid by the churchwardens to take in. Her maid was acquitted, as she knew nothing of the dead children (in the cellar) and was left with only cheese to feed the babies. Ann Davis was convicted of being an accessory to the murders and was burned in the hand.

Digital Object

Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Pepys Ballads 2.193; EBBA 20808

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Transcription

OH! what a wicked Age is this, we Wretches do live in,
How prone we are to Wickedness, and to commit each Sin;
No day but does produce new Fact of Villainy I say,
Some Thieve, some Murders basely act,
this is done day by day.
But of all Baseness none can tell a wickeder indeed,
For when I think upon it well, it makes my Heart to bleed;
A Midwife which at Poplar dwell'd, now Newgate is her doom,
'Tis said she several Children kill'd, and hid them under Ground.
She left a Boy and Girl at home, besides an infant small,
And left them no Provision, which made the Children bawl:
They cried so loud the Neighbours heard who went for their Relief,
The Boy immediately declar'd their Misery and Grief.
I'th' Sellar on a Shelf thats high
a Basket there you'l find,
And in it two dead Children lye, which terrifie[s] my Mind:
They went and found it to be true, a dismal Spectacle,
Oh wretched Woman, why did you these little Infants kill.
I'th' Sellar by the Boys advice, they digged up and down,
Where six poor Childrens carcasses immediately were found.
Their Skulls and Bores were taken up, a dismal sight to see,
Oh Midwife, Midwife, what mad'st thou bury them privately.
Some say they're By-blows she did take, Or Bastards, which you will
And all was for the Moneys sake, these infants must be kill'd;
For 'tis supposed a sum for good she with a Child did take,
But oh! such [?]n[?]rseries for Bloud, would makes one heart to ake.
What Grief and Trouble there must be, to those that have put out
Their Children to her Custody, since now the Murder's out;
No less than eight poor Childyen found, thought to be made away,
Six private buried under ground, two in a Basket lay.
You Mothers that have Children sure, you nere will Money give,
That you for that may never more your Child see while you live,
For 'tis a comfort for to see,
the Mother Nurse its Child,
And then no Midwives Cruelty
can ever you beguile.

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Printing Location

Printed and Sold by T. Moore,
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Thu, 24 May 2018 13:43:35 +1000