THE
Murtherers Lamentation:
BEING
An Account of John Jewster and William
Butler , who where arraign'd and found guil-
ty of the Robbery and Murther of Mrs. Jane Le-grand ;
for which they received due Sentence of Death, and was
accordingly Executed on the 19th day of this Instant
July , in Spittle-fields . Tune of, Russel's farewel , etc.
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O Most unhappy men we are,
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this sad and dismal day,
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Wrapt us in sorrow, grief, and care,
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alas, what shall we say?
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The dying hearts within us bleed,
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for mercy, Lord, we cry,
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Tho' for a most unchristian deed,
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we are condemn'd to dye .
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Pale death this morning we behold,
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with hearts as cold as stone;
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Why did we covet cursed gold,
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which never was our own?
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It has our sad destruction wrought,
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and for this villany,
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Alas, we are to justice brought,
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in open shame to dye.
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My name is Jewster , I confess,
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that first the plot did lay,
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Yet did I not the least express,
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they shou'd her life betray;
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But Butler enter'd first the room,
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to act that villany:
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And now we both receive our doom,
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in open shame we dye .
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I to my shame have done amiss,
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be'ng a relation near;
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Of such a horrid crime at this,
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the worst shall seldom hear;
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That I with ruffins should combine
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to act that villany,
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For which I must my breath resine,
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in open shame we dye .
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First Satan tempted us to steal;
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we did contract that guilt,
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And that we might the same conceal,
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her aged blood we spilt;
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Thus we from sin to sin did go,
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in highth of villany,
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And this has wrought our overthrow,
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in open shame we dye .
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Alas, let me do what I can,
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declare the truth I must,
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I Butler was the very man,
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that stopt her breath at first;
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By violence I seiz'd her throat,
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oh horrid villany;
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My soul on seas of grief does float,
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as being brought to dye .
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Her lodger we did then surprise
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with the same violence,
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Stopping her mouth with rags likewise,
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depriving her of sence;
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Yet she her reason soon obtain'd
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the truth to testifie,
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When at the bar we was arrain'd
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and eke condemn'd to dye .
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One being dead, the other bound,
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we rifl'd then the store,
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For strait in ready cash we found,
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nine hundred pounds and more;
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We fill'd our pockets with the same,
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this done, we strait did fly,
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Yet we was took and brought to shame,
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being condemn'd to dye .
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Since in the blood of innocent
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our hands we did imbrew;
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Altho' in heart we do lament,
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this death is but our due;
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Let others a fair warning take,
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by this our distany,
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Who must in shame the world forsake,
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as being brought to dye .
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Good Lord, in pity us behold,
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thy love we do implore,
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For tho' our sins are manifold,
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thy mercies Lord are more;
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Tho' we on earth thy laws did break,
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yet as this life we leave,
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O save us for thy mercies sake,
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our sinful souls receive.
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