Broadside entitled 'Speech and Dying Words of John Dalgleish, Lock man alias Hang-man of Edinburgh'

Transcription

S P E E C H

And dying Words of John Dalgleish, Lock
man alias Hang-man of Edinburgh.

WHEN Hangie saw Death drawing near,
The Carle grew   in an unko' Fear,
He sight and sab'd, and shed a Tear;

said to his wife,
Sonsie, I find I'm ga'n Gear

Fra' this frail Life.
II.

Now sin I find my Pith dccay,
And here, I can no longer stay
In this auld rotten Lump of CIay;

Before you all,
I'll tell my Sins, it's the best Way

For a poor Saul.
III.

First, I was a Horse-Couper bred,
'Aud that's an unko' cheating   Trade:
I'll tell you plainly what I did

To gain the Lour,
I ly'd an hundred Times for Bread,

llk a half Hour.
IV.

Quoth I, this Pouney's Eight Years auld,
'And fie' of either Crook or Cald ;
He's cliver baith in Heel and Spauld,

Fit for the Work;
Cost me, in ready Money tald,

An Hunder Mark,
V.

But now, with meikle Shame I tell,
The Feast was twice, as auld's my self,
And stumbled ev'ry other Ell;

Blind of his Eyes,
What's worst of all; when e're he fell,

He a ught not rise.
VI.

The next Trade I took up, ye ken,
Was Deacon of the Water-Men,
A Trade worth any other Ten,

In our Good-Town:
Then I had Peuther but and ben ;

The Pat play'd broun.
                                  VII.

Ay when I into Kitchens came,
I pouch'd up Beet and lumps of Lamb,
And Remnants of Westphalia Ham,

Or Apple Tart;
Fra' Ambries slought the other Dram,

To warm my Heart.
                      VIII.

The Servants a' were kind to me,
Gifted me a' the Kitchen-Fee
And Candle-Doups : I bore the gree

Era' a' the rest;
'At Wells I ended mony a Plea,

Whith a' contest.
                  IX

When Water-Wives began a Pother,
Cursing and cuffing one another,
With Heaps aboon them, like to smother,

A' Dirt and Clay:
Dalgleish was ay a kindly Brother,

To end the Fray.

.       I had ay Money for to len,            

For ev'ry Hunder Pound took Ten
For yearly Interest, and ye ken,

The perfect greed

Took up the Trade of Hanging Men

For better bread

XI.

    For Greed of Geir,   I turnd   Jack-catch;
(For I'm an avaritious Wretch)

My Daughter lost a dainty Match,

Whan I was plac'd :
My Son lost Lear, a' save a S varch,

Was fair disgrac'd.
XII.

Na' mair a fine Parad I'll mak,
In my bra Liv'ry, White and Black;
Captaius and.Sogers at my Back,

0 !   I grew faine
Na' mair Folks Neeks in Halters rack,

Alak, I'm ga's.
XIII.

Ye'll never see poor Hangie mair,
Driving yong Jilts with Shoulders bare:
I lash't them well,   and did na 'spare,
                                        My Ten-tail'd Cat'

To lose my Post, my   Heart's right fair,

It was fa' fat.
XIV.

Wha in the Town   could tell my Tale;
I bre   'd my awn strang nappie Ale,
The Fish-Wives gae me light good Saie :
Nat Gager Fellows
Came near me for to touch a Peal,

Fear'd for the Gallows.
XV.

When a the Brewers were run dry,

And Drunkards gae   he wearie cry,
What will we do, thro' Drouth we'll dy;
                                           They minded   me;

Came louping   in, few Fock went by,
                                           And blyth were we.

                           XVI.

         The Kirk on sunday   was nae thranger ;
Quoth they, we canna want Ale sanger.
or else well    hang our selves for Anger,

Sae spoil my craft

Whan Spouse turnd fu', my Fist's did bang her,

And put her daft.

XVII.

He cried thro' Fear, as fu's an Egg,
Death, I've a Favour tor to beg,
That ye wad only gie a Fleg,

And spare my Life
As I did to ill hanged Megg,

The Webster's Wife.
XVIII.

But O ! I find, it's a' in vain,
My   Head and Heart, and a's in pain,
I'll never see your Face again ;

I sink like Leads

Let every Ane gae hang their ain,
                                        for Hangie's dead.

F       I       N      I      S

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