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Save a Theefe from the Gallowes and hee'l hang thee if he can:
Or, The mercifull Father, and the mercilesse Sonne.
To the tune of, Fortune my Foe.
[illustration] gallows scene
I am Giltles.
Save my Father▪ I am Gilty.
YOu disobedient children marke my fall,
And at my timelesse end take warning all.
Against my owne deare Father haue I done
A déede the like did neuer gracelesse Sonne.
In blooming yeares I was intic'd to sinne,
Ere I perceiu'd what danger lay therein:
And so from day to day, unto this houre,
To leaue the same I had not any power.
My Mother dead, my Father cockered me,
As men will doe when motherlesse we be,
And nothing then he thought for me too deare,
Which brought me thus into a gracelesse feare.
And when as I to elder yéeres did grow,
By wicked courses got I timelesse woe:
Each vaine delight belonging to young men,
Deceiued me, and brought my ruine then.
The deadly sinnes that are in number seuen,
Without more grace hath lost my joyes in heauen:
From first to last of those most cursed crimes,
Haue made me now a wonder of these times.
For wanting meanes to nourish up delight,
I went the wrong, and left the waies of right:
••••ich to maintain, my father being grown poore,
〈…〉〈…〉 getting God, I daily rob'd for more.
〈◊〉〈◊〉 times he sau'd me from the Gallow trée,
〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••••es he cast himselfe in debt for mée,
〈…〉〈…〉 he set me up in good estate.
〈…〉〈…〉 ••éepe me from ••ntimely fate.
〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••rouerb is fulfilled here,
〈◊〉〈◊〉 from gallows finds it deare:
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So wanting meanes still to relieue my néede,
Put me in mind to doe a hatefull déede,
And séeke by blood the highway unto sinne,
Who wanting grace I soone grew perfect in.
My Fathers brother of good liuings knowne,
Being dead, as next of kin they were mine owne:
The which I wrought with these accursed hands,
To be the heire of all mines Vncles lands.
With mind prepar'd for murder, thus I went
Into the field which he did much frequent:
Where méeting him with mine own fathers knife,
Which I had stolne I tooke full soone his life.
And laid it then all bloudy by his side,
That all might sée my Vncle therewith dide,
And challeng'd it my Fathers knife to be,
When people came the murthered corps to sée.
O homicide, O cursed viprous brood,
Like Caine, to séeke my dearest Fathers bloud:
My owne deare Father being thus betraide.
I his owne childe the euidence was made.
So judg'd to death for that he neuer 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 sée him stand vpon the Gallow trée,
From which before (good man) he saued me,
I could not chuse but tell what I had done,
And so confesse my selfe a wicked sonne.
Gods judgement now is rightly showne, said I,
Deare Father I haue 〈…〉〈…〉
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