%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> A cruell murther committed lately upon the body of Abraham / Gearsy, 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 them were hang'd up in chaines, where now they doe remaine, to the affright- / ment of all beholders. Crimsal, Richard University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1635-1635 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/25/2011 30326

The University of California makes a claim of copyright only to original contributions made by Early Modern Center participants and other members of the university community. The University of California makes no claim of copyright to the original text. Permission is granted to download, transmit or otherwise reproduce, distribute or display the contributions to this work claimed by The University of California for non-profit educational purposes, provided that this header is included in its entirety. For inquiries about commercial uses, please contact:

Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

S108708 18 UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN Fortune my Foe Fortune my Foe Fortune My Foe the same tune Fortune my Foe The Same Tune I Pray give eare unto my tale of woe, / Which Ile declare that all may plainly knowe. SIx weekes it was ere it was plainly knowne, / And many were examin'd here vpon: Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 488 1: 489 A cruell murther committed lately upon the body of Abraham / Gearsy, 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 them were hang'd up in chaines, where now they doe remaine, to the affright- / ment of all beholders. A cruell murther committed lately upon the body of Abraham Gearsy, 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 them were hang’d up in chaines, where now they doe remaine, to the affrightment of all beholders. 1635. A cruel murder committed lately upon the body of Abraham Gearsy, who lived 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 pressed to death, on Monday the 16. of March, and the Tuesday following Richard was hanged; and after both them were hanged up in chains, where now they doe remain, to the affrightment of all beholders. 1635. Crimsal, Richard 1635-1635 Iohn Wright Iunior

This document follows the guidelines specified for TEI.

XML Generated Automatically at 4/25/2011 2:27:58 PM Using EMC

XBallad Parsing Engine developed by Carl Stahmer.

TEI Template developed by Gerald Egan and Modified by Carl Stahmer

All apostrophes are encoded as '.

Any dashs occurring in line breaks have been removed;

All dashs are encoded as ‐ and all em dashes as —.

 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic The New World travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/ crass humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 4/25/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America death economics/ commerce punishment religious concepts violence Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/25/2011 2:27:58 PM XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created XML Version of Ballad 4/25/2011 2:27:58 PM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/25/2011 2:27:58 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/25/2011 2:27:58 PM Transcriptionist Two Foley, Christopher Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/25/2011 2:27:58 PM Transcriptionist One Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/21/2008 Bibliographer Giles Bergel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 2/17/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/6/2008 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/4/2010 Checker Danielle Davey Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/4/2010 Checker Danielle Davey Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">A cruell murther committed lately upon the body of <hi rend="bold">Abraham</hi></hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="bold"><hi rend="italic">Gearsy,</hi> who livd in the Parish of <hi rend="bold">Westmill,</hi> in the County of <hi rend="bold">Harford;</hi> by one</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">Robert Reeve,</hi> and <hi rend="bold">Richard Reeve,</hi> both of the same Parish: for which fact <hi rend="bold">Robert</hi> was prest to</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">death, on Munday the 16. of March, and the Tuesday following <hi rend="bold">Richard</hi> was hangd; and</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">after both them were hangd up in chaines, where now they doe remaine, to the affright-</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">ment of all beholders. 1635. To the tune of <hi rend="bold">Fortune my Foe.</hi></hi></seg>
I Pray give eare unto my tale of wee, Which Ile declare that all may plainly knowe. Neare Harford lately was a murder done, O twas 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 subject 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 man 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 deed, 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 heede: Many are daily for such crimes accused, And yet alas too commonly tis used. One of these brothers was in debt I heare, Unto that man, which was his neighbour neere, But hee 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 wishd him to come home for to be paid, But for his life it seemes they wait had laid: For one day twas his chance for to come there, N[o]t dreading that his death had bin so neere. 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 inquirie all the country ore.
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The second part, To the same tune.</hi></seg>
SIx weekes it was ere it was plainly knowne, And many were examind hereupon: 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 given 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 approve this right They could in no wise justifie 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 provd, or you will suffer blame. They being taxed on this wise confest, How they in bloudy murder had transgrest: Then were they sent to Harford gaile with speed, Where they did answere, for this wicked deed. This lenton sises last their fact was trid, Where they were cast, condemnd and for it did, Robert was prest to death because that hee Would not bee tride by God and the country. Richard was hangd by his owne Fathers dore, Which did torment and grieve his friends full sore, Now hee ands brother both do hang in chains, This is a just reward for murders gaines.
I would intreat all men for to beware, Eschue this crying sinne and still forbeare, Good Lord, me thinkes it is a cruell thing, Of all sins else this may each conscience sting. This being done, what is hee can forbeare, With troubled conscience to shed many a teare? Tis fearefull sure for to be thought upon, Although that it be nere 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 hangd, it would our hearts afright: Yet some there are that will not frighted be At all, the warnings that they dayly see: Too many doe esteeme 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 keep you from such shamefull ends.
FINIS. R.C. Printed at London for John Wright JUNIOR, dwelling at the upper end of the Old Baily.