Transcription
A Faithful NARRATIVE, OF The Cifcumstances of the Cruelty committed upon the Body of john Halden in the Abbay of Holy-Rood- House, on Tuesday the 7th of April Instant, who died next Day. THE Subject of this melancholly Narrative, raging in different Cor- ners of the Kingdom, with ad unparallel'd Violence as our Courants inform us, and making near Approaches to our Capital City, 'tis the Duty of ev'ry honest Man to expose the Actors, and give an ingenious Account of Facts. May this Rehearsal quicken Christians to Repentance and induce us to lay seriously to Heart our horrid Provocations, which tempts God to give up so many Persons to the Conduct of Satan and their own Lusts, and allows them to kill their fellow Creatures, and. render themselves in- sensible of the Terrors of the Almighty. On Saturday last John Halden a Boy of 13 Years, Son of Umquhile Ro- bert Halden Soldier in the Scots-Guards, left his Mother, an Indigent Wi- dow in the Town of Hamilton in the County of Clidsdale, to supplicate Charity, till Providence provided him Service ; and coming to Edinburgh, beg'd Alms at the Door of his Grace the Duke of Hamilton's Kitchen in the Palace of Holy-Rood-House, where he met with rough and threatning Lan- guage from Thomas Swinton the Butler : But the Cravings of an hungry Paunch,obliging the distressed Innocent young Man to repeat his Complaints, hoping to melt the. surly Man into Compassion, who's diabolick Passion, had so far the Ascendant of Reason and Charity, that he threw the miserable Mendicant (weak thro' Want of these Comforts of Life, which render'd the other fatally strong ) with a Violence manag'd by infernal Strength from the Posts of the Door, and his Head dash'd on a large Pillar of Stone, one of the Supports of the Royal Fabrick. The Earl of Ruther- glen's Coach-man with horror, beholding the nefarious Action, rais'd tho Boy's Body, and according to Skill administer'd Relief, and caus'd carry him to his Quarters at the Foot of the Canongate, where he groan'd his Ailments till Wednesday at 4 Afternoon, when he breath'd his last ; And Charity obliges us to. believe, went to our Father's House, where Misery is a Motive for Mercy, and there is Bread enough and to spare. The Surgeons who gave their charitable Attendance during his Malady, saw'd his Head when remov'd ; who report, that the Skull and Interiors were intire, so that they could not assert his Death was the effect of Srpinton's Usage, nor shall I, till either his Conserence declare it, or the penetrating Providence of GOD reveal it.
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Probable date published:
1724- shelfmark: Ry.III.c.36(077)
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