Elegies & laments

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                      A Sorrowful Lamentation on the

          Burning of the Catholic Chapel,

                        At Santiago in America.

By which 2,000 Ladies were burned to death, most of the
                        majority Ladies of high life.

Good christians all both great and small 1 pray now lend an ear,
To hear this doleful tragedy will cause you to shed a tear,
The cruel fate of human lives to you I will lay down,
Of our holy Church in America that was burned to the ground.

All the members of this holy church that evening they did go,
For to perform their duty and their clergy also,
And when the reverend clergyman the service did begin,
A heavy flame in torren's came, while death did enter in.

There is many may be thankful that did escape the doom,
That took place upon that evening in the holy Church of Rome,
Hut the men got out by an escape it was a painful scene,
While two thousand of our ladies among the flames did scream.

Oh ! what a dreadful sight to see and awful to admire,
Near two thousand ladies' bodies were consumed by fire,
The female sex did suffer sore, good christians for them pray.
That they may all find mercy upon the judgment day.

To bear them cry for mercy would have filled your hearts with grief
By flames they were surrounded and could find no relief,
While the clergy on his altar for his peolpe he did pray,
And in his Church he died with them all in America.

The gentry did assemble all in grief and discontent,
While gazing on their burnt remains would make your hearts to rent
It was a dreadful sight to see and we regret to say,
It took four horses loads to draw their corpse away,

Our loving blessed clergy among the flames did stay
Beholding them expiring on the altar he did pray,
Saying prepare yourselves to meet your God for death is at hand,
That was the last words spoken by that dear clergyman.

Think on our loving clergy how clever he did behave,
Like our Redeemer for his flock with them he took his grave,
Although they got a sudden call bright mercy may they find
In heaven to adore -their God and Saviour most divine.

It long shall be recorded in country and in town,
And prayers will be offered by the world all round,
Their as they died by praising God we have no cause to moan,
Their souls for all eternity will find a happy home.