Broadside concerning body-snatching in Edinburgh in 1711

Transcription

    An Account of the most Horrid and Unchristian Actions of the Grave
             Makers in Edinburgh, their Raising and Selling of the Dead, abhor-

red by Turks and Heathens, found out in this present Year 1711,
in the Month of May,               .                                       

DEar Friends and Christians, What shall I say,
Be held the dawning of the Latter Day .
in to this place most bright casts forth its Rays,
The like was never seen by Mortal Eyes.
Me think I hear the Latter Trumpet sound,
When emptie Graves, into this place is sound.
O   Young and Old,which is most strange to me,
What kind of Resurrection this may be,
I thought GOD had reserv'd this Power alone
Unto Himself, till He Erect,d His Throne.
In to the clouds with his attendance by
That He the World might Judge in Equity.
But now I see the contrary In our land,
Since Men do raise the Dead at their own hand ;
Aid for to p'ease their Curiosities,
they them Disstinct and make Anatomies.
Such Monsters of Mankind was never knows,
As in this place is daily to be shown:
Who lot to, 'gain some Worldly .Vanities,
Are guilty of such Immoralities.
The Turks, and Pagans, would amazed stand,.
To see such crimes, committed in a Land,
As among Christians, is to be found,
Especially in Edinburgh, doth abound.
Sins of all kind, do cry aloud to Heaven,
that God's Vengeance, may on this place be seen.
As Swearing.Whoreing,Clinking and much more,
which for to put in verse do abhore
There is a Rank of persons in this place,
That strive to run with speed a Wicked race,
They trample Rudely, on GOD's, Holy Law,'
And of his Judgments they stand not in awe:
And when that cannot satisfie the rage
Of satan, that rules in this graceless Age:
The Law of Nature also they trode down,
by such Unnatural Crimes as do abound,
of there that are laid in thier Graves to rest,
This wicked Crew they do their dust Molest;
Dead Corps out of their Graves, they steal at night,
Because such Action do abhore the light,
The Heathen Nations, for aught I Read,
Was never found for to molest the Dead;
That was their Kindred, and among them born,
But we to Nations all may be a seen :
In that such crimes is perpatrated here,
At both the living and the dead. do Dear      
The set mensters of Mankind that made the Graves
To the Chirurgions, became Hired slaves

They rais'd the dead again out of the Dost,
And fold to them, to satisfie their Lust,
As I'm inform'd the Chirurgions did gave
Fourty Shillings for each they receive;
And they their Flesh and Bones assunder part,'
Which wounds their living Friends into the heart
To think that any of their Kindred born,
Unto the Nations, should become a scorn:
For they their Bones, together Nations send
As I'm inform'd, this is their very end.
How may now all the Nations us deride,
And call us Poor, since that we .Sell our Dead;
Some Coyn get, the living to mantain,
The like in any Nation; ne're was seen.
The Godly sow their dust on such cold ground,'
As do our Kirks and Chappels compass round.
That they may get their dust in such a Field
So well refin'd that it to them may yield
A Crop most plentiful at the last Day,
When they from Dust must haste and come away;
But now their dust they take out of the ground.
So that nothing but empty Graves is found
I'm very forty that such things should be
Practis'd by folk Prosessing Piety.,
And the Religion should be wounded so.
By any who under a Name do got
But still I see Profession is no Grace;
As does appear into this present Case,
But more especially at the last Day
When all the World shall be put in a sray
When Stars shall fall out of the Firmament
And Sun and Moon out of their O bs be sent;
And all this Earth into a Flame shall burm
And Eliments like liquid Mettals run.
And all Mankind before God's Throne shall come
That He may Justice into each one
Then shall the separation be made
Between them that are good and that are bad
The Good receiv'd to Everlasting Glore:
The Bad cast down to Hell for evermore.
All who to wrong the Saints do still desire
Dead or alive, shall have Hell for their Hyre:
Unless With speed they do repent of Sin
And do another course of Life begin :
But I shall say no more upon this head.
Hoping henceforth they will not raise the dead.
But suffer them to rest into their beds.
And win their Bread by following other Traders.

F I N I S.

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