%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> Save a thief from the Gallows, and he'l hang thee if he can: / or, The merciful Father, and the merciless Son. [printed with Roxburghe 3.31] University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 03/07/2012 32059

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

R216003 1 Fortune my Foe Fortune my Foe Fortune my Foe YOu disobedient Children mark my fall, / And by my timeless end take warning all, GOds judgments now, are rightly seen, said I / Dear father, I have slain him, let me dye, Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 28 Save a thief from the Gallows, and he'l hang thee if he can: / or, The merciful Father, and the merciless Son. [printed with Roxburghe 3.31] Save a thief from the Gallows, and he'l hang thee if he can: or, The merciful Father, and the merciless Son. Save a thief from the Gallows, and he'll hang you if he can: or, The merciful Father, and the merciless Son. ?-?

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<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="bold"><hi rend="italic">Save a thief from the Gallows, and hel hang thee if he can:</hi></hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="bold"><hi rend="italic">or,</hi></hi> <hi rend="italic">The merciful Father, and the merciless Son.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the Tune of, <hi rend="bold">Fortune my Foe.</hi></hi></seg>
YOu disobedient Children mark my fall, And by my timeless end take warning all, Against my own dear father I have done, A deed the like did never graceless son. In blooming years I was inticd to sin, Ere I perceivd what danger lay therein: And so from day to day, until this hour, To leave the same, as yet I have no power. My mother dead, my father cockered me, As men will do when motherless we be, And nothing for me then he thought too dear, Which brought me thus into a graceless fear. And when as I to elder years did grow, By wicked courses got I timely woe; Each vain delight belonging to young men, Deceived me, and wrought my ruine then. The deadly sins that are in number seven, without more grace have lost my joys in heaven, From first to last of these most cursed crimes, Have made me now a wonder of these times. For wanting means to nourish my delight, I went the wrong, and left the ways of right: Which to maintain, my father growing poor, Forgetting God, I daily robd for more. Three times he savd me from the Gallow-tree, Three times he cast himself in debt for me, Three times he set me up in good estate, In hope to keep me from untimely fate. By me the Proverb is fulfilled here, Who saves a thief from Gallows finds it dear.
For saving me, I sought his dear lifes woe, My gentle fathers timeless overthrow. For wanting means still to relieve my need, Put me in mind to do a woful deed, And seek his blood, the high way unto sin, Who wanting grace, I soon grew perfect in. My fathers brother of good living known, Being dead, as next of kin they were mine own: The which I wrought with these accursed hands, To be the heir of all my Uncles Lands. With mind prepard for Murder thus I went, Unto the field where he did much frequent: where meeting him with mine own fathers knife Which I had stoln I took away his life. And laid it down all bloody by his side, That all might see my Uncle therewith dyd: And challengd it my fathers Knife to be, When people came the murdered corps to see. O homocide! Oh cursed viprous brood, Like Cain to seek my fathers dearest blood: My own dear Father being thus betrayd, I his own child the evidence was made. So judgd to death for that he never did, The Lord in mercy did the same forbid: For as he was to execution led, A World of torments in my bosome bred. To see him stand upon the Gallow-tree, From which before poor man he saved me: I could not chuse but tell what I have done, And so confess my self a wicked son.
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Confession and Repentance of <hi rend="bold">George Sanders G</hi>ent.</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">late of <hi rend="bold">Sugh,</hi> in the County of <hi rend="bold">Hertford,</hi> who killed his own Uncle, and accused his</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">own Father for the Murther, but by <hi rend="bold">Gods</hi> providence being discovered, dyed for the</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">same, where he wrote this Song with his own hand.</hi></seg>
GOds judgments now, are rightly seen, said I Dear father, I have slain him, let me dye, O let me dye, and set my father free, Or else like Judas damned shall I be. Whereat the People in that very place, They praised God that gave me so much grace, To quit my father from that crying sin, which I with-blood-red streams am drowned in. My fathers savd, and I to prison sent, Where I remaind with many a sad lament; Which when you see, you cannot chuse but say, Repentance comes before my dying day. His Repentance in Prison. To the same Tune. MOngst Lyons fell in Daniels Den am I, In lowest prison cast with Jeremy, Fed with Elias by the Ravens fell, And placd with Judas in the maw of hell. Naked with Esau fearful do I walk, Dumb with old Zachary silent do I talk: Afflictions bread, with Micha is my food, And with the Prophet drink I sorrows flood. As poor as Job, even now so poor am I, Despisd with Lazarus in great misery: Banishd with David from my native land, Cast up with Jonas on the Ninivites sand. Made blind with Toby by the Swallows dung, And wi[t]h poor Joseph cast in Prison strong: [?] weep with Mary who had lost her Master, And run with Peter who should run the faster.
I sinned have, for sin God curst the ground. I sinned have, for sin the world was drownd, I sinned have, sin Sodom set on fire, Also for sin did AEgypt feel Gods ire. I sinned have, for sin did Adam dye, I sinned have, sin caused Davids cry, I sinned have, and for sin Satan fell, From an high Angel to a devil in hell. Did David weep, and shall not I then cry? Did Mary weep, and shall mine eyes be dry? Did Esau weep, and shall not I weep more? Did Peter weep, such tears let me have store. Did Mary weep for loss of Master dear, Did Martha weep, with sorrow touch her neer, Spring eyes with tears to wash his sacred feet, That for my sin did shed his blood so sweet. Lark like I flye unto the living Spring, Desiring pardon of my Heavenly King, Past worldly hope, now like the thief on tree, I onely fix my faith and hope in thee. Look back on me, as thou didst unto Peter, Speak to my soul, as to the thief most sweeter; O spy me out with Zache on the tree, And with sweet Bartholomew call me Lord to thee. O let me now with holy Abraham spy, A saving Ram that Isaac may not dye, O let me live for to sound forth thy praise, That I may shew thy mercy in my days. M[a]ke me a Swallow in thy house, O King, That Swallow like I may sit there and sing, O let me in thy Temple keep a door, That I may praise thy name for ever more.
FINIS, Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, J. Wright and J. Clarke.