%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> Save a THIEF from the Gallows, and he'll Hang Thee if he can: / Or, The Merciful FATHER and the Merciless SON. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 11/06/2018 35959

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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

R183248 1 Fortune my Foe Fortune my Foe Fortune My Foe YOu disobedient Children mark my fall, / And by my timeless end take warning all, Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. : Save a THIEF from the Gallows, and he'll Hang Thee if he can: / Or, The Merciful FATHER and the Merciless SON. Save a THIEF from the Gallows, and he'll Hang Thee if he can: Or, The Merciful FATHER and the Merciless SON. ?-?

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction / health alcohol Americas animals / nature Bible / biblical figures buildings / architecture catastrophe children class clothing / appearance country / nation crime death economics / commerce entertainments family Featured 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 groups royalty rural life servitude sex / sexuality supernatural / magic travel trickery / deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth / age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 11/6/2018 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Bible / biblical figures crime death family punishment Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 11/6/2018 3:29:13 PM XBallad McCants, Kristen Created XML Version of Ballad 11/6/2018 3:29:13 PM Transcription Supervisor McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 11/6/2018 3:29:13 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 11/6/2018 3:29:13 PM Transcriptionist Two Adkison, Katie Transcription of ballad manuscript 11/6/2018 3:29:13 PM Transcriptionist One Saylor, Colton Transcription of ballad manuscript 8/8/2018 Checker Minh Hua Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/8/2016 Bibliographer Rachel LevinsonEmley Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 11/6/2018 Checker Kristen McCants Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">Save a THIEF from the Gallows, and he'll Hang Thee if he can:</hi></hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Or, 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 have I done, A deed the like did never graceless Son. In blooming years I was intic'd to sin, E're I perceiv'd 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 seaven, 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 rob'd for more. Three times he sav'd me from the Gallow-tree, [Three ti]mes he cast himself in debt for me, [Three times h]e set me up in good estate, [In hope to keep me f]rom 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 life's 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 prepar'd 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 dy'd: And challeng'd it my Fathers knife to be, When people came the Murdered Corps to see. O homicide! O cursed viprous brood, Like Cain, to seek my fathers dearest blood; My own dear father being thus betray'd, I his own child the evidence was made. So judg'd to death for that he never did, The Lord in mercy did the same [forbid: F[or as] he [was to] Exe[cut]ion le[d 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 had done, And so confess myself a wicked son.]
GOds judgements 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 Father sav'd and I to Prison sent, Where I remain'd with many a sad lament, Which when you see, you cannot chuse but say, Repentance comes before my Dying day.