https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/browse?tags=pardon&sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle&output=atom <![CDATA[Execution Ballads]]> 2024-03-29T17:18:15+11:00 Omeka https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1262 <![CDATA[[EE]N WARE GESCHIEDENIS te Doornik in Brabant voorgevallen]]> 2021-03-26T09:46:38+11:00

Title

[EE]N WARE GESCHIEDENIS te Doornik in Brabant voorgevallen

Subtitle

hoe een militair, die gecondemneerd was om te sterven, op het oogenblik dat hij zoude doodgeschoten worden, van Z.M. den Koning pardon bekwam; door de trouwe liefde van zijn beminde. Op een Aangename Wys.

Translation: A new song about a true history in which happened in Doornik, Brabant; how a soldier, who was condemned to die, upon the moment that he would be shot dead; of his Royal Highness the King received a Pardon; by the loyal love of his beloved, who had done a prostration for him. On a pleasant tune.

Digital Object

Image notice

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

Image / Audio Credit

Den Haag KB: Lbl KB Wouters 03075. Nederlandse Liederenbank

Set to tune of...

Op een Aangename Wys

Transcription

1. Lend me your ear; bystanders! worthy friends,
Hear that which recently happened in Doornik,
This true event will make you discover
How drunkenness brings humanity into sorrow,
This painting shows you real life;
How that a virgin saves her lover’s life;
Love makes humanity boldly strive,
Here takes a lad from the grave to the nuptial bed.
 
2. The drunkenness causes many accidents,
She makes a human into a hideous beast,
And can repress a good virtue in the heart;
It has been the misfortune of many a person,
The drunkenness consumes body and soul; 
[It] is rash, and knows no rank nor state;
Such people can learn from this strange case
Of this lad; a Belgian soldier.
 
3. A true Belgian, a young one, will you hear,
Very neat in shape, good-looking in body and limbs.
Who had since long chosen martial service
And amongst his comrades set the gold standard,
He was beloved by his officers,
And comrades, but had a bad fault;
The strong spirits, when he went to celebrate bluntly,
He did a deed which would so sadly grieve him.
 
4. Upon a certain day he moved to his post
He arrived very neat and proper at the Guard;
But left in haste and unpetitioned,
Whilst he thus did not observe duty or the martial discipline,
He swirled and drank, and came back entirely drunk
And arrived lost, late at night,
His head running wild, clothes loose and open,
In short; in a very unsuitable state.
 
5. The Lieutenant, a man of good morals,
Asked this young man very calmly:
How he could transgress his duty so badly?
And have done this bad deed against justice;
A drunk lad, heated by strong spirits,
Gave an angry answer to his officer.
He provoked this gentleman with curses, cursing, stamping,
Making a terrible racket in the Guard.
 
6. He continued on, and became worse over time,[1]
Rashly grabs his officer by his head,
Tears the epaulet boldly from his shoulder,
And appeared frantic, entirely robbed of reason,
The Lieutenant finally becomes tired of it,
After long patience, gave him his punishment;
He drew from leather;[2] and in this anger, hewed
The drunken lad’s left arm off.
 
7. He sobered up out of shock and was bound,
Put in a small room where he bemoaned his deed,
Oh God, he called, forgive me my sins,
Whereto I was reduced by the drunkenness!
The Lieutenant went to make a report,
Of this instance to the General;
He stood abashed of such a strange case;
And instantly formulated a warrant.
 
8. There sat the lad, and continued to bemoan his fate,
The War council rendered his verdict for [his] death,
Then told him that in few days,
[He would] die in the open field by being shot,[3]
My judges! (says this fellow), I am worthy of them,
My sentence I very willingly accept;
The verdict you gave is very justified,
I am not worth it to be in the King’s service.
 
9. This soldier, he had devoted his heart and mind,
And loyal love to a girl,
[Whom] had been courted by him for a long time.
She soon came to hear this sad case,
Her sad eye then shed hot tears,
It sounded like a clap of thunder in her ears,
Her sad soul suffers formidable pains.
 
10. She instantly had a sad plea written,
And threw herself down before the King’s feet,
The good Monarch always wants to remain compassionate
Though does not answer her with much on this occasion,
She returns full of sad mourning thoughts,
Her youthful eye pours many a hot tear;
She suffers full of fear the sleepless nights,
And is affected by hope and fear.
 
11. Now came to meet at the last moment,
That this lad had to suffer his punishment,
Death awaited him with spread jaws,
Every mortal was sympathetic to his fate,
A young man reluctantly treads forward,
The dull drum makes a mournful sound,
His hanging head shows his sorrows,
Whilst his heart keeps expressing sad sighs.
 
12. He came upon the field and says: my comrades!
Fare well eternally; I die entirely prepared;
My bad behaviour also does not deserve mercy,
I bid you farewell to eternity;
Just one request you must promise me,
If you meet my worthy love here
When my death will rob my life,
That you will greet her for the last time in my name.
 
13. Then he kneeled down! The blindfold over his eyes,
The priest has done his final duty,
The platoon (though moved by his fate),
It already aims their guns;
But sees a liaison officer galloping [here],
Calls: halt! Pardon! This young man is free;
Soldiers! Will you appreciate your good Monarch,
His goodness helps this young man out of suffering.
 
14. The joyful cheers rose up to Heaven,
And with applause they call: Long live the King!
The loyal young woman pushes through the busy swarm,
And presses, moved, her lover to her chest,
The General had the priest brought there,
United through matrimony the young pair,
Both their joy knew no limits now,
His coffin became the marriage altar.
 
15. What joy! After so much suffering and objections,
The young man he received a pension;
Which in the future loyally all years
Could support them in domestic life;
Now he thanked his beloved King too;
Especially his beloved young woman,
And tasted then, in his quiet abode,
A true happiness and satisfaction.
 
16. So people see that loyal love can give,
When one is in need and in danger of death,
Love granted this young man life,
And has kept him from an early death,
This young woman is worth to be praised,
Every thinking human honours her in memory,
May love be a leader to this pair,
Preserve them continually from disaster and sadness.

 

Date

Notes

[1] ‘hoe langs hoe stouter’ literally translates to ‘the longer, the worse.’
[2] i.e. unsheathed his sword.
[3] ‘door het lood’ refers to the lead bullet used to shoot him in the open field.
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https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1202 <![CDATA[L'assassinat de Saint-Geniez]]> 2020-01-14T13:15:18+11:00

Title

L'assassinat de Saint-Geniez

Synopsis

On 5 November 1881, two young men, Basile Mézy and Etienne Astruc, left Campagnac where they lived, to go to the Saint-Geniez fair. En route, they met an 18-year-old man, Joseph Carrière, who that morning had left the service of his master, the sieur Ferragut, for whom he had been a shepherd. During the conversation he mentioned that Ferragut had paid him a hundred francs in final wages. They robbed and murdered him, and Mézy was shortly thereafter arrested, convicted and sentenced to death. He named his accomplice Astruc, who appeared before the Aveyron assizes on 10 December 1882. Up to the final moment he claimed his innocence, but was also condemned to death. Eventually they were both pardoned by the President of the Republic, and their sentences commuted to perpetual hard labour.

Image / Audio Credit

Collection Archives départementales de l'Aveyron, Crimino Corpus record

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Transcription

D'un récit bien lamentable
Nous racontons les horreurs.
Vous frémirez de terreur
C'est horrible, épouvantable;
Les pleurs vont mouiller vos yeux,
Écoutez, jeunes et vieux.

C'était un beau jour de foire
À Saint-Geniez d'Aveyron
Que se passa cette histoire
Où Carrière, pauvre garçon,
Fut lâchement assommé
Et de cent francs dépouillé.

Quand il recontra Mézy
Il lui dit: "J'ai de l'argent:
Je m'en vais de Soulayri,
Et on m'a payé comptant!"
Puis Astruc les rejoignit,
Cet effroyable bandit.

Alors Astruc et Mézy
Conduisirent Carrière
Au ravin de Puechberty
Ils le frappent par derrière,
Lui enlèvent son argent,
Et le laissent tout sanglant...

Des enfants le lendemain
Trouvent le corps tout meurtri.
On cherche les assassins,
Mais tout désigne Mézy;
Et statuant sur son sort
La cour le condamne à mort!

Les conseils de la Paresse
Conduisent à l'Échafaud!
Mais la crainte du bourreau
Doit inspirer la jeunesse
De fuir la route du mal
Qui conduit au sort fatal!

Composer of Ballad

H. Jaffus

Method of Punishment

guillotine; hard labour

Crime(s)

murder

Gender

Date

Execution Location

Aveyron, France

Printing Location

Rodez, France

URL

https://complaintes.criminocorpus.org/complainte/lassassinat-de-saint-geniez/
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https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/942 <![CDATA[THE VVhipster of VVoodstreet, ]]> 2021-02-23T16:21:28+11:00

Title

THE VVhipster of VVoodstreet,

Subtitle

OR, A True Account of the Barbarous and Horrid Murther committed on the Body of Mary Cox, late Servant in Woodstreet LONDON.

Synopsis

Elizabeth Deacon tortures her maid to death.

Digital Object


Image / Audio Credit

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Pepys Ballads 2.190 (cf. HEH Miscellaneous 80079, EBBA 32182); EBBA 20805

Set to tune of...

Grim King of the Ghosts

Transcription

Assist me some mournful Muse,
while I a sad Story relate;
Let all that these Lines peruse,
lament a poor maids hard fate;
Who Guiltless and Innocent fell,
by the hands of a barbarous Dame:
As fierce as a fury of Hell,
her sexes eternal shame.

Her husband to Bristol went,
his Trade to advance at the fair:
Whilst she was on mischief bent,
such mischief she can't repair:
for suspition o're clouding her mind,
bred a tempest within her breast:
her soul like a sea with rough wind,
was ruffled and rob'd of rest.

ALl jealous she taxed her maid,
and falsly did her accuse,
With theft she did her upbraid,
and shamefully did abuse:
While the maid in her own defence, undaunted and boldly stood,
Which made the fierce Dame commence,
a Tragedy full of Blood.

she caus'd her to be fast bound
to the post of her husbands bed,
where she did her body wound,
and whipped her almost dead:
thus did she a Confession extort,
of Crimes which the Maid never knew,
tormenting her in such a sort,
as wou'd make ones heart for to rue.

This monster not satisfied yet,
tho' the blood run from every part,
Made an Iron red hot in a pet,
resolving to give her more smart,
she burnt her in shoulders and thighs,
and sev'ral times under her ears,
she wou'd not come near her Eyes,
lest th'iron shou'd be quench'd with her tears.

Her body was blister'd and whail'd,
she was burnt from the head to the heel,
her skin was so parch'd that it scal'd,
no pain like to what she did feel:
she kept in her Chamber three days, unwilling the fact shou'd be known,
And turn to her Masters dispraise,
if her cruel stripes shou'd be shown.

As soon as down stairs she came,
her Mistress was in the old mood,
The merciless savage Dame,
did thirst for her very heart's blood:
she caus'd her two Prentices then,
neck and heels the poor Creature to bind,
No tigress within her Den,
e're shew'd a more savage mind.

She kick'd her and spurn'd her about,
and bid the young Lad do the same:
Resolving to act her part out,
thus ended the tragical game,
she catch'd up a hammer in haste,
and pierc'd the maids brains at a blow,
for which, of the hemp she must taste,
old Tyburn must have her I trow.

Method of Punishment

pardon

Crime(s)

murder, torture

Gender

Date

Printing Location

Printed for W. Thackeray at the Angel in Duck-Lane; J. Millet at the Angel in Little-Britain; and Alex. Milbourn at the Stationers-Arms in Green-Arbour-Court in the Little-Old-Baily. Where any Chapman may be Furnished with all Sorts of Small BOOKS

Tune Data

Reference: Grim King of the Ghosts (Simpson 1966, pp. 280-282)

Date Tune First Appeared

1682

Notes

From The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Online: London's Central Criminal Court, 1674 to 1913

Elizabeth Deacon , Wife of Francis Deacon , of the Parish of St. Michael Woodstreet Whipmaker, was arraigned and tried for the murther of her Servant maid one Mary Cox , aged about 17 years . The Tryal lasted very long, and abundance of Witnesses were called for the King, amongst which were two Apprentices, viz. Edward Newhall , and Thomas Albrook , &c. The former of which declared, that, on Monday the 20th of January last, his Mistris found the Maid to have a Shilling about her, and demanded how she came by it? The Maid confest at first, that she had one 6d. of one Mrs. Baker, and the other of one Susannah Middleton ; which her Mistriss being doubtful of, she ty'd her to the Beds-post, and whipt her very sorely, and on Wednesday following she deny'd it. Upon which, her Mistriss grew extreamly enraged at her, and struck her two or three Blows with a Whip, and proceeded further in her passion, even in causing him to tye her to the Beds-post, where she whipt her in a most violent manner, until the cry'd out Murther. To prevent which, her Mistriss stopt her Mouth with her Hand, but then on the Saturday following, she tyed her Neck and Heels, and afterwards tyed her to the Beds post, burning her with the Fire-Poker upon the Neck, Shoulders, and Back, after a most inhuman manner, and then gave her a Blow on the Head with a Hammer, until she made her confess to have been confederate with some Thieves who intended to Rob her Master's House while he was at Bristol Fair. Then she had the Maid before a Justice on the next Monday, being the day before she dyed, where she confessed the like, &c.

After which, her Mistriss grew careless of her; For when she fell sick upon it, she would not let her have those Accommodations that were fit for a person in that deplorable Condition, but was heard to say, Hang her, Hang her; And that if she had not confest, she would have kill'd her. She could no ways be prevail'd upon to take any pity upon her Servant, nor give her any sustenance: But, on the contrary, cry'd out, Who can do any thing for such a Wretch? Telling them, that she had the Pox, &c. The Surgeon said, that the Stripes and Wounds did contribute towards her Death, together with a Surfeit she had taken before.

The prisoner strived to Extenuate her Crime, saying, That her Maid had wronged her several times, by making away her Goods, and Money, and had Conversation with a parcel of Thieves, and was a Girl of a very sullen, obstinate, temper; and the reason why she Whipt her, was, for opening her Dressing-Box. She called some Witnesses, who gave a favourable account of her former Education, but none that could contradict or invalidate the King's Evidence; only one of them said, that the Maid complained of a stoppage at her stomach, and a great pain in her head, before she was so used; and that she surfeited her self by eating Ice Cakes, and Apples, &c. all which did not avail her any thing; but the Jury looking upon the Heinousness of the Fact, brought in her guilty of wilful Murther.

*** The Tryals being over, the Court proceeded to give Sentence as followeth, viz. ... Received Sentence of Death Eleven. Richard Merridy, George Cox, William Harvey, Robert Hillgrave, John Anderson, (convicted about four sessions ago) Thomas Williams, Thomas Fox, John Longstaffe, Edward Richardson, Jane Smith, and Elizabeth Deacon, who pleading her Belly, a Jury of Matrons were Empannelled, whose Verdict was, that she was with quick Child. 

Supplementary material, 27th May 1691. Elizabeth Deacon , the Whip maker's Wife in Wood street, pleaded Their Majesties most Gracious and Free Pardon .

Tim Hitchcock, Robert Shoemaker, Clive Emsley, Sharon Howard and Jamie McLaughlin, et al.The Old Bailey Proceedings Online, 1674-1913 (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 7.0, 15 January 2019). Reference Number: t16900226-1 
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