Broadside entitled 'Robert Stirrat's'

Transcription

ROBERT STIRRAT'S

Confession of the Murder of his own
Aunt in John Street, Glasgow.

The morning was calm,and a dawned with joy,

To the hearts of the weary,now freed from em-

ploy.

And the day it was sacred, to rest set apart,

When Stirrat resolved to pierce his aunt's heart,

With the eye of a Demon he watched the day.
That he might take the life of the lady away.

And fix'd on his plan, he in silence doth wait,

Till a fit hour arrived for sealing her fate.

The widow, worn out, lieth down for repose,
The wretch, to her bedside, in silence he goes,

And looks, with blood, his vile hands now might

    sleep.

With an axe in his hand he proceeds to her bed.

And , with this bloody weapon, he lays her quite

dead.

He plunder'd the house and then went away.

For his guilty mind would not allow him to stay.

He flies to the change-house to seek for relief,
To drown all his cares, and create a belief.

Should he be suspected, he was not to blame.

Of such a soul deed, and to hide his own shame.
The news of the murder did spread far and near,
Whilst, for the old lady some shed the sad tear,

And he , to escape, then to Gourock did fly,

In hopes that some vessel would quickly draw

         night

He hop'd to arrive in some far distant clime,

And escape from the punishment due to his crime,

But the strict hand or justice did mar his career,
And caught him secure, when he thought to get

          clear.

He had, while in Gourock, committed a crime.

Which led to his seizure at the very time,

When the servants to justice had some hint of the

man.

And thought it was Stirrat, who from Glasgow
had ran.

They soon recogniz'd him, and brought him away,

And into a carriage, without more delay,

They brought him to Glasgow, and while there

did unfold.

The murder so horrid, it makes our blood cold.
He own'd it was he that the base deed had done,
On his aunt, who had us d him like an only son,
For the sake of her treasure he had shed the

blood.

Which came streaming from her, like unto a flood

His guilt having own'd he now lieth in jail,

The sad shocking end of his aunt to bewail;

Of one who esteemed him and was his support,
But mark the reward which his fond aunt has

got.

Be warned all ye, who this tragedy read,

And never be prompted to such a base deed ;

Such actions a this for a time may be done,

But they will be found out, and made clear as

the sun.

wm, CARSE, Printer.

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