Transcription
RESPITE FOR William Grieve. An Account of a Respite for Fourteen Days having
arrived for WILLIAM GRIEVE, who lies under sentence
of Death in Edinburgh for Rape, and who was to
have been Executed this day (Wednesday); to-
gether with a copy of original VERSES on the occa.
sion. THIS unfortunate man WILLIAM GRIEVE, now under sen tence of Death for Rape, and who was to have been executed
this day, (Wednesday, the 3d April, 1833,) has been respited for
fourteen days, until certain facts which have transpired since his
condemnation shall be investigated. It is very currently reported
that the principal witness on the trial has made very important dis-
closures, which is expected will have the effect of giving an entirely
different complexion to the case, and may ultimately lead to the
liberation of the unfortunate man. An examination into the cir-
cumstances took place on Saturday last in Haddington, for the pur-
pose of eliciting the supposed new facts of the case, which we sin-
cerely hope will prove favourable to Grieve, as it seems to be the
general wish of the public at large, who have known or heard par-
ticularly of his awful situation. On the respite having been communicated to him by the proper
authorities, he is reported to have broke forth into transports of
joy and gratitude as soon as with decency he could do so, ejaculat-
ing almost incoherent expressions of gratulations and thanks to our
gracious Sovereign and his Council for the boon bestowed on him.
On hearing of the above gratifying intelligence, an ingenious poeti-
cal correspondent of ours penned the following EFFUSIONS, as if
they were written by Grieve himself, of which we have obtained a
Copy:? The Heart-felt Gratulations of William Grieve, on
getting a Respite for Fourteen Days. Friends of the weaker vessel, My thanks I give to you,
And shou'd I ever carry more, To you I will prove true.
Live stock is not easy carried, Which Nature must give in ;
What wou'd come o'er the cart, dear friends, Wou'd it lose the RACKIN PIN. Six glass o' Whisky she partook, As we were on the road ;
I was to blame for giving such, Which brought me to the GAD. Had I but thought upon a plan, To see her rightly booked,
I wou'd have bound her hand and foot, But my book I ne'er looked. I promise and I now declare, By a' the powers aboon,
I'll never have live stock again, I'll rather sell auld shoon. But since my King has been so kind, And a' the powers about him,
Speak ill o' him, by honest Jove, I'd tak' my whip and whip him. O gin I had my horse and graith, And whip hung o'er my shouther,
I'd die upon the road, dear friends, Or eat my horses fother. I'll ne'er again have living stock But my dear honest wife,
For she is true, and she is mine, And will be while I've life. Francis M'Cartney.........One Penny.
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