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https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/files/original/d64181e5218f5774ccb83151ea43ce0a.tif
d292c3f8065d79b2d0a53a27ed541609
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
English Execution Ballads
Execution Ballad
Set to tune of...
Melody to which ballad is set.
<em><a href="https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/items/show/1134">Fortune my Foe</a></em>
Transcription
Transcription of ballad lyrics
I pray give eare unto my tale of woe,
Which Ile declare that all may plainly knowe.
Neare Harford lately was a murder done,
O twas a cruell one, as ever was knowne.
The good with evil herein was repaide,
Him that did good the evil hath betraid,
The world is lately growne to such a passe,
That one may feare another in this case.
This money is the cause of manies death,
As twas the cause that one late lost his breath,
The devill and the money workes together,
As by my subiect you may well consider.
With teares of woe I am inforst to write,
That which may cause a tender heart to sigh,
And sighing say, this was a wofull case,
That men should be so much voide of all grace.
Two brethren were there that did doe the same,
The first calld Robert Reeve, the others name
Was Richard Reeve, these did a horrid déed,
As in my following verses shall proceede.
Behold these lines, you that have any care,
And from bloodshedding alwayes doe forbeare;
Though murder be committed secretlye,
Yet for revenge to God it loud doth crye.
And that sinne goes not long unpunished,
Therefore let all men of this sinne take héede:
Many are daily for such crimes accused,
And yet alas too commonly tis used.
One of these brothers was in debt I heare,
Vnto that man, which was his neighbour néere,
But hée repaid him with a envious mind,
As in the story you shall plainly find.
Abraham Gearsie was his name, that was kild,
By those two brothers, as the Devill wild:
He on a day demanded mony due,
I pray give eare and marke what doth insue.
They wish'd him to come home for to be paid,
But for his life it s[ee]mes they wast had laid:
For one day twas his chance for to come there,
Not dreading that his death had bin so néere.
Now these two brothers kild him instantly,
No neighbour was there that did heare him cry:
And being dead floung him in a sawpit,
And coverd him with such as they could get.
Now having hid this murder in that kind,
Great search was made, but none this man could find
His friends lamented for him very sore.
And made inquiris all the country ore.
The second part, To the same tune.
SIx wéekes it was ere it was plainly knowne,
And many were examin'd herevpon:
But these two brothers much suspected were,
And at the last the truth it did appeare.
Some murmured and sayd that they did owe
Him mony, and desired for to know
Whether they had giuen him satisfaction,
Who said, they had, and they did owe him none.
About this mony all did come to light,
Now being put for to approue this right
They could in no wise iustifie the same.
When they to true examination came.
Now they were asked for a quittans made,
But they had none, then others present said,
Where is your bond or witnes of the same?
This must be prou'd, or you will suffer blame.
They being taxed on this wise confest,
How they in bloody murder had transgrest:
Then were they sent to Harford gaile with spéed,
Where they did answere, for this wicked déed.
This lent on sises last their fact was tri'd,
Where they were cast, condemnd and for it di'd,
Robert was prest to death because that hée
Would not bée tride by God and the country.
Richard was hangd by his owne Fathers dore,
Which did torment and grieue his friends full sore,
Now hée and's brother both do hang in chains,
This is a iust reward for murders gaines.
I would intreat all men sor to beware,
Of chue this crying sinne and still for beare,
Good Lord, me thinkes it is a cruell thing,
Of all sins else this may each conscience sting.
This being done, what is hée can forbeare,
With troubled conscience to shed many a feare?
'Tis fearefull sure for to be thought upon,
Although that it be ners so secret done.
Our God is love, and he doth charg us all,
To love each other, but we often fall
From love and unity, to envious evill,
Thus leave we God, and runne unto the Devill.
This may be warning for all other men,
That doe but heare of those vile bretheren:
And more consider 'tis a fearefull sight
To see them hang'd, it would our hearts afright·
Yet some there are that will not frighted be
At all, the warnings that they dayly sée:
Too many doe estéeme such things as nought,
Or else there would not be such murther wrought.
Thus to conclude, pray lets to God for grace,
And alwaies have his feare before our face:
Fly bloody murther, and such horrid sinnes,
Then God will kéep you from such shamefull ends.
FINIS.
R. C.
Language
Language ballad is printed in
English
Date
Date of ballad
1635
Printing Location
Location the ballad pamphlet was printed.
Printed at London : for John Wyright Junior, dwelling at the upper end of the Old Baily,
Method of Punishment
Method of punishment described in the ballad.
hanging in chains, pressing, hanging
Crime(s)
Crime or crimes for which the person in the ballad is convicted.
murder
Gender
Gender of the person being executed.
Male
Execution Location
Location the condemned was executed.
Westmill, Harford
Composer of Ballad
Richard Crimsal
Digital Object
<iframe src="https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/files/fullsize/d64181e5218f5774ccb83151ea43ce0a.jpg" frameborder="0" scrolling="yes" width="600" height="500"></iframe>
Image / Audio Credit
Reproduction of the original in the British Library , STC / 5418, Wing / 2123:488-489. <a href="http://eebo.chadwyck.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/search/full_rec?SOURCE=var_spell.cfg&ACTION=SINGLE&ID=99835349&ECCO=&FILE=../session/1547773526_15533&SEARCHSCREEN=CITATIONS&DISPLAY=AUTHOR&SUBSET=2&ENTRIES=4&HIGHLIGHT_KEYWORD=default" target="_blank">EEBO record</a> (institutional login required).
Subtitle
who liv'd in the Parish of Westmill, in the County of Harford; by one Robert Reeve, and Richard Reeve, both of the same Parish: for which fact Robert was prest to death, on Munday the 16. of March, and the Tuesday following Richard was hang'd; and after both of them were hang'd up in chaines, where now they doe remaine, to the affrightment of all beholders. 1635. To the tune of Fortune my Foe.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
A cruell murther committed lately upon the body of Abraham Gearsy
hanging
hanging in chains
Male
murder
pressing
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https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/files/original/9183b308609a30d96f259404ee2fb0e6.jpg
661a58da4ea40adf8b84979ad8669783
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
English Execution Ballads
Execution Ballad
Transcription
Transcription of ballad lyrics
TRue Preachers which God liketh well,
To you I runne wyth all my hart,
Your wordes with me are like to dwell,
Vntyll thys lyfe I shall depart.
As for the rest whose tounges are tyde,
To them who runs, he runs far wyde.
Œ_What so doth best commend the truth,
All falshood lykewyse discommendes,
I know you Preachers tender youth,
And visits them lyke faythfull frendes.
Yet if there hap a dismoll day,
The Wolues would teare your liues away
Œ_But they that humbly do you beare,
And eke well beare your woordes away,
Hauing their vnderstandinges cleare,
Needes neuer feare the dismoll day.
Nor wyll seek[Single illegible letter] peace here in this lyfe,
Where nought is found but war and strife.
Œ_So they that do, nor yet wyll beare,
When they be cald, and truth is told,
Ill haps to them vnwares is neare,
Yet blindnes maketh Bayardes bold.
But they that warned are in tyme,
Halfe armed are gainst daungerous crime.
Œ_A tryall iust I found of late,
Where Preachers dyd them selues addresse,
To spend the day within Newgate,
To comfort two whom Law bad presse.
There did I see that comfort great,
Whereof our Preachers oft intreat.
Œ_There saw I more, do what they might,
Sharpe iudgement pass, the Presse at hand,
The one would not remyt hys spight
But doth the same to vnderstand,
By blasphemies most horrible,
And countenaunce most terrible.
Œ_[Illegible word] would beleue that he should dye,
Which playnly dyd to vs appeare,
By [...]yish countenaunce smylingly,
Which seemed very monstrous geare.
And yet he was of perfect mynde,
But thus he shewed hys diuelish kynde.
Œ_Wyth hym perswasions would not serue,
In all my lyfe I saw none sutch:
He sware great othes he would not sterue,
If ought there were within the hutch.
And to it he went full egerly,
As one that thought he should not dye.
Œ_Anon there came a prisoner in,
That yrons had clapt on good store.
Gods hart quoth Wat, you wyl not lyn,
These partes you playd lyke slaues before.
And vp he snatch hot coales in hand,
To throw at one that by did stand.
Œ_This stander by a Keeper was,
That hardly handled him alwayes:
Wherefore if he myght bring to pas,
That Keeper should now end hys dayes.
Though he did burne in hell therefore.
Sutch Keepers should keepe there no more.
Œ_This desperate foole intreated was,
By Master Yong and others there,
To pray for them that dyd trespas,
And to forgeue, sithe death is neare.
Gods woundes quoth he, it is shame for ye,
That cry not agaynst this tyrannye.
Œ_Why wyll not bolts or fetters serue,
Thinke you (quoth Wat) to hold this man?
He hath no money though he sterue,
Hys hos[Single illegible letter] and doublet must trudge than.
If bell there be, or plages to fall,
These Villains wyll be plaged all.
Œ_For my part if I boyle in lead,
I cannot hold but brawle this out.
Would I might [Single illegible letter]ight how euer I sped,
Chuld course that Ore and fl[...]ring Lout.
No more good Wat, quoth Master Yong,
Thou hurt[Section of illegible text] thy selfe most wt that tong.
Œ_Thus parted he and Master Yong,
Much greued for hys senceles soule.
But I remayned and vsed my tong,
As God dyd force vice to controle,
But-Wat no chaungeling would not rest,
But fell a fresh vnto a [Single illegible letter]est.
Œ_As I might then I did exhort,
Them both with me to go and pray,
Where I would speake to their comfort,
If that the Lord dyd not say nay.
The time is short, therefore quoth I,
Let vs seeke the Lord whiles he is nye.
Œ_I pray you be content quoth Wat,
The Lord hath mercy inough in store,
I may yet haue my part of that,
As he to others hath geuen before.
You must repent and cal for grace,
(Quoth I) els neuer looke to see Gods face.
Œ_Then was the tother glad of me,
And gaue to God great thankes and prayse,
That he might haue my companye,
With hym for to remayne alwayes.
Wherein such comfort great he found,
That teares of ioy dropt to the ground.
Œ_I see now God is good (quoth he)
And wyll not haue my soule be lost,
But hath prouided you for me,
Not sparing any payne nor cost.
You come from God, your words arswete,
I feele Gods grace my hart doth mete.
Œ_I would I had knowen you befor[Section of illegible text]e,
But now it is in ryght good tyme:
For though my carcas be forlorne,
My soule to God I feele doth clyme.
Oh beare me (sayth he) to the rest,
Ill haps to me is for the best.
Œ_Heare how this misery hath wrought,
The taming of my flesh so proud:
My soule to God that hath it bought,
I do commend with voyce so loud.
Knowing that he doth heare my cry,
And pardons me immediately,
Œ_Would God the world dyd heare my voyce
And would be warned by my death,
Then would they not in euyll reioyce,
But prayse the Lord whyles they haue breath.
And loue hym that hath loued them well,
Who hath redeemed their soules from hell.
Œ_O God (quoth he) is thys thy kynde,
To care for hym that knew not thee?
I neuer had thee earst in mynde,
Yet now thy grace hath healed me.
Due thankes to thee I cannot geue,
That hast now made me to beleue.
Œ_O tell me I pray, what is your name,
Sayth he to me vnknowen you are:
To you lykewyse I am the same,
But God that knowes vs is not far.
He wyll reward you this I trust,
Sith I cannot that dye needes must.
Œ_So God dealt with me yester day,
A frend be sent vs in Limbo:
Whose good estate God blesse alway,
For that good [Single illegible letter]ore that came him fro.
Hys name was Draper Alderman,
Which was my comfort great as than.
Œ_He prayed wyth vs most earnestly,
No scorne was in hys v[Single illegible letter]luet cote,
Wyth teares he kyst vs louingly,
And went with mourning there God wote.
So doth the power of the Lord,
Make diuers men in truth accord.
Œ_Thus God hath found me out at length,
And stayed me of my wicked race
And me indu[...] with perfect strength
No [Single illegible letter]ong can rightly prayse such grace
I would my death were much more vile
That others might beware ther while.
Œ_So then we prayed ech one for other
Wyth trickling teares of ioye and greefe
In truth I tooke him for my brother
Though neuer so much he were a theefe.
Then death to him could not come ill,
For of Gods grace he had his fill.
Œ_Then foorth we went and made a fyre,
I dyned there wyth bread and cheese:
To sing some Psalmes was his desyre,
So ech man soonge in their degrees.
O Lord turne not away thy face,
From hym that lyes prostrate in place.
Œ_But Watson fell vnto hys foode
As one that hungry was in deede
And merely eate that he thought good,
But threw the rest the dogs to feede.
I saw no thought that he did take,
Nor lykelyhoode from sinne to wake.
Œ_Then vp came Maister Yong agayne
Their deathes now being at the doore
But Watson could not yet refrayne,
But laughes it out still more and more.
Still all in vayne to hym was sayd,
Yet all the rest downe kneeling prayde.
Œ_Then Skarlet tooke hym by the hande
And preached, though small to his regarde
Yet all the rest might vnderstande,
Hys woordes deserued to be harde.
And yet he could not [Single illegible letter]olde but smyles,
In deede he was begylde therwhyles.
Œ_A Prisoners tale that he dyd trust
Made hym that way to loose hys lyfe
So there the matter was discust,
The presse at length did end their stryfe.
He trusted that which was vntrue,
Vntill it was to late to rue.
Œ_Lo thus much I thought good to wryte
For those that warned yet will be
That they in euill no more delyght,
Nor to such councell do agree.
Who dyd this yll one so peruarte,
That heauy presse burst Watsons harte.
Language
Language ballad is printed in
English
Date
Date of ballad
1569
Synopsis
Account of events that are the subject of the ballad
Preacher recounts attempts to comfort two prisoners; one, alderman Draper, repents; the other, Watson, believes falsely that he will be reprieved and thus does not repent
Printing Location
Location the ballad pamphlet was printed.
London by Iohn Awdely, dwellyng in litle Britaine streete without Aldersgate
Method of Punishment
Method of punishment described in the ballad.
pressing
Gender
Gender of the person being executed.
Male
Execution Location
Location the condemned was executed.
Newgate
Image / Audio Credit
Pamphlet Location: Huntington Library - Britwell, no 60/ HEH18321, <a href="https://ebba.english.ucsb.edu/ballad/32408/image">EBBA 32408</a><br />Recorded in CM Simpson 1966, <em>The British Broadside Ballad and its Music</em>, Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, pp. 323-4.
Digital Object
<iframe src="https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/execution-ballads/files/fullsize/9183b308609a30d96f259404ee2fb0e6.jpg" frameborder="0" scrolling="yes" width="600" height="500"></iframe>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Of the endes and deathes of two Prisoners lately pressed to death in Newgate. 1569.
Male
pressing