The Downfal of William Grismond: Or,
A Lamentable Murther by him committed at Lainterdine, in the County of
Hereford, the 12 of March, 1650. with his woful Lamentation.
The Tune is, Where is my Love.
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O Come you wilful young men,
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and hear what I shall tell,
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My Name is William Grismond,
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at Lainterdine did dwell:
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O there I did a Murther
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as it is known full well,
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And for mine offence must I dye.
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There was a Neighbours daughter
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that lived there hard by,
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Whom I had promisd marriage,
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and with her I did lye,
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I did dissemble with her,
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my lust to satisfie,
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And for, etc.
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I had my pleasure on her,
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I had my lewd desire,
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The using of her body
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was that I did require:
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I was ore come and snared,
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by him that was a Lyar,
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And for, etc.
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She claimed of me marriage,
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and said she was with child,
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Saying, marry me sweet William,
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now you have me defild:
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If you do now forsake me,
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I utterly am spoyld,
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And for, etc,
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When she had usd these speeches,
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my anger did arise,
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And then to work her overthrow,
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I quickly did devise,
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What though her words were honest
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yet I did them despise:
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And for, etc.
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O mark how it did happen,
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thus Huswife being poor,
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And I who was my Fathers heir,
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her words did urge me sore:
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For I could have another
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with gold and silver store,
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And for, etc,
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My Father and my Mother,
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I knew would not consent,
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If I had married with her,
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I knew I should be shent,
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Then unto wicked Murther
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my heart was fully bent,
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And for, etc.
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In flattering sort I brought her,
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into a field of Broom
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And when we both together
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into the field was come,
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I had my pleasure with her,
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and then I was her doom:
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And for mine offence I must dye.
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THen in the Broom I kil[]d her,
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with my accursed Knife,
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There hatefully I kill[]d her,
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who lovd me as her life:
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I cut her throat I killd her,
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who should have been my wife:
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And for, etc.
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Three days she lay there murdered,
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before that she was found,
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But when the Neighbours searching,
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within that broomy ground,
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Did find her there uncovered,
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and with a bloody wound,
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And for, etc.
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The neighbours having found her,
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where I did do this deed,
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There in the Broom they found her,
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where I her blood did shed:
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But when I did perceive that,
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I ran away with speed:
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And for, etc.
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No sooner had they found her,
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but away I did go:
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And thought to go to I[r]eland,
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the very truth is so:
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But God he would not suffer me
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to run my Country through:
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And, etc.
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Yet I was got on Ship-board,
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as you may understand:
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But when the Ship was troubled,
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I must go back to Land:
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I could not pass away so,
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with guilty heart and hand,
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And, etc.
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There is some wicked person,
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the Shipmen they did say,
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Within the Ship we know it,
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that cannot pass away:
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We must return to Land here,
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and make no more delay:
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And, etc.
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Then near unto Westchester,
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I taken was at last,
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And then in Chester Prison,
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I suddenly was cast:
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From thence brought unto Hereford,
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to answer what is past,
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And, etc.
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But then my loving Father,
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his gold he did not spare,
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To save me from the Gallows
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he had of me great care,
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But it would not be granted,
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the Gallows was my share,
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And, etc.
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My fault it was so hanious,
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it would not granted be
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I must for an example,
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hang on the Gallows tree:
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God grant that I a warning,
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for all young men may be,
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And, etc.
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O my dear loving Father,
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he was to me most kind,
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He brought me up most costly,
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so was his tender mind,
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But I indeed to lewdness
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was too too much inclind:
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And, etc.
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He brought me up in learning,
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his love was to me still,
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He thought it all too little
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he did bestow on Will,
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But when he lookt for comfort,
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his heart I then did kill,
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And, etc.
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I might have had a Marriage,
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my Father to content,
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And that my loving Mother
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would give her hearts consent:
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But I have took such courses,
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doth make us all repent:
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And, etc.
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Now young men take warning,
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you see my fault is great,
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O call to God for mercy,
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Gods grace do you intreat:
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I might have lived bravely,
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and had a gallant seat:
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And, etc.
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O Lord I now crave pardon,
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with a relenting heart,
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I know my sins are hanious,
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Im very sorry sort:
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Alas I have deserved,
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a very hard report,
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And for mine offence must I dye
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