Broadside entitled 'A Lament for Dr Pritchard's Children'

Transcription

A LAMENT

FOR

Dr Pritchard's

Children

Oh, you kind hearted people think of Pritchard's children,
Who are five in number that are left to mourn
For the loss of their mtoher that reared them se tender,
And their grandmother too, who will never return.
For now in their graves they are consigned to slumber,
And soon hapless orphans for ever they'll be,
For their father Dr. Pritchard is sentenced for rerder,
On the twenty-eight of July he must die on a t e,

Their grandmother Jane Taylor she loved them all dearly,
And to Dr Pritchard she often proved kind,
There was no angry feeling existed between them,
And the dark thought of murder ne'er entered her mind,
But suddenly she died likewise their dear mother,
Their remains went to Edinburgh interred for to be,
And for that double murder they've sentenced their father,
Dr. Pritchard to die upon the gallows tree.      

In eighteen sixty five on the 3rd day of July,
Dr Pritchard in Edinburgh his trial dids tand;
And on the fifth day by the grand jury's verdict,         
He then was found guilty by the laws of the land,
Drs Penny M'Lagan with Paterson and Littlejohn,
In their evidence against him they all did agree.
That Mrs Pritchard was poisoned and likewise her mother,
And for which Dr Pritchard must die on a tree.

In great pain and suffering a long time they lingered,
For the poisons he gave them it. dozes so small,
It kept them in torture till death kindly took them,
To their silent rest where we can't them recall.
But the searcher of hearts saw these black and foul murders
Dr Pritchard He did not allow to go free;
Now the stern hand of justice it has overtook him,
On the twenty-eight of July he must die on a tree.

Now the dice box of fate it has turned against Pritchard,
His time is but short and the moments do fly.
For to pardon his sins for the crimes be committed,
On the Saviour of man all his hopes now doth lie
Oh think of his orphans you kind hearted people,
And I hope there is none so heartless will be,
As point with the finger of scorn towards them,
And say that their father he died on a tree.            

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