The penitant Traytor, or the humble Confession of a Devonshire Gentleman, who was condemned for high treason, and
executed at Tyborne for the same, in the Raigne of King Henry the third, the ninteenth of July, 1267. You may sing this if you please. To the Tune of, Fortune my Foe.
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ATtend good Christian people to my Story,
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A sadder yet did never come before ye;
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What I have beene, and am, and like to bee,
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I will declare, whilst you give eare to me.
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Love, griefe, and zeale, doth make me sing this Dittie,
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To warne my Brethren of each close Committe,
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That each of them learne like a good Disciple,
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To shun fowle Treason, and the Tree that's triple.
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Long time I liv'd i'th' Country next to Cornwall,
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And there my Children were both bred and borne all,
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Great was my credit, (as my debts did speake,)
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And now Ile shew you why my neck must breake.
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A Parliament was called in November.
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I, for the Commons was cryd up a Member,
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With coyne, and cogging, I got peoples voyces,
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Whereby I was elected with loud noyses.
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My wicked Life I do lament with Teares,
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I was in debt quite over Head and Eares,
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But when I purchast a Committe Chaire,
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My broken State I quickly did repaire.
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I had the Art to threaten or insinuate,
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And (as I pleas'd) encrease faults or extinuate:
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My frowne or smile, was forcible and mighty,
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As cold as Ice, or hot as Aquavitie.
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I got some two and twenty of my Faction,
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(All witty Members, and all men of Action,)
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We (as we pleas'd) made all our Brethren Widgeons,
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We wink'd at Tumults, and at strange Religions.
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For though (by tale) we sat above foure hundred,
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Yet I myselfe, was for the first part numbred:
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Most of the rest were crowned men of Goram,
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And I was almost Dominas Factotum.
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Faire seeming Piety I made my Mantle,
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But of good Conscience I ne're had one cantle:
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My fellow Knaves, and I, conglutinated
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So fast, we ne're thought to be seperated.
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Thus by my Faction the whole House was sway'd,
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But (most) to me the people flock'd for ayd:
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I promis'd ease for all their griefes most troublesome,
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Yet rack'd them more then ten times twice the doublesome.
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I was in hope my raigne should be perpetuall,
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Which made me proud, and very bold to cheat you all,
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The Kingdome groan'd, and under slavery lingers,
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Whilst like a cunning Cooke I lick'd my Fingers.
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Those who were griev'd, I gravely did advise,
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They should Petitions bring in humble wise:
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Which I did frame myselfe, and thus did rooke 'um,
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They paid me when I gave, and when I tooke 'um.
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The King himselfe with slanders I disgraced,
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His faithfull Servants, from him I displaced:
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Taxes, on taxes, on the people passes,
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And they did beare the burthens like tame Asses.
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I purchast Land for Plough and Pasture Ground,
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As much as cost me nere ten thousand pound:
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I waxed rich, my State was mighty made,
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Which proves a Chaire-man was a thriving Trade.
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Thus did I rise, when better men did fall,
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My Wealth encreac'd, I got the Devill and all,
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Fooles brought me gold, and plate, in hugger-mugger,
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Besides eight hundred pounds worth of loafe sugger.
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The twentyeth part, the weekly Fasting Dayes,
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The feazement for the Sots and Subsidyes:
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The weekly seazements for the Trained Bands,
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The Crownes Revenue, and the Churches Lands.
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The Contributions, Sequestrations, Plunder,
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The sale of Offices, inforc'd Loanes, 'tis wonder:
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This all is true, as true Records doth sing,
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When as th[ir]d Henry was this Kingdomes King.
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Thus I gain'd much, and by my Money-Pole,
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And something like Excize, these made me whole,
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My Children Portions too, with much content,
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I playd in State my Act of Parliament.
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And least my Plots should after be unmask'd,
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And how I got such wealth might chance be ask'd:
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I cast about how I might gaine such power,
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As might from future justice me secure.
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Then first I labour'd to devest the Crowne,
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Of all Prerogatives and to bring them downe,
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First to both Houses, then but one, should have it,
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Five Members next, and last myselfe would crave it.
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But I did know the State would not admit,
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Such change unlesse the Church did usher it:
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I left the old Religion for advantage,
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Endeavouring to erect on which did want age.
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Which when the learned Levites did withstand,
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Regarding Gods word more then my command;)
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Such I supprest, and made (for which I woe am,)
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The basest people Priests, like Jeroboam.
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Then each Profession sent out Preachers moe,
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Then both the two Universities could doe:
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T'handle a Text, the Goodwifes fingers itches,
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She dares preach with her Husband for the britches.
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I first committed sacrilegious hansells,
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I rob'd both Chappell, Church and Chancell,
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I said Gods Table was a Popish Alter,
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For which you see, that my reward's a Halter.
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By this new godlinesse, but few did gaine,
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The rest for want of Trading did complaine,
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I told them 'twas a wicked Counsellor's plot,
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And till his head went off, their wares would not.
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The Queen
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was then a
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French-wo-
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man she was
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Daughter to
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the Earle of
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Provence, in
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the 20 yeare
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of the Kings
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raigne.
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Stow, Page
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184.
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This great mans guilt was Loyallty and Wisdome,
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Which made me cast about me to worke his doome:
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The Sword of Justice was too short to do't,
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Ten thousand Clubs must therefore inch it out.
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He thus knock'd downe, some others (for like crime,)
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Were sent to Prison, some escap'd in time:
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Thus Law and Equity, in awe were keept here,
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And Clubs were taught how to controule the Scepter.
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We tooke from th'upper House Votes five times five,
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And they aym'd at the Kings Voyce Negative,
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Which to effect, we did an Order make,
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That what he would not give, ourselves would take.
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Then we Petition'd that the Forts and Towers,
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And all the strength o'th' Kingdome might be ours,
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This was to save the King from forraigne dangers,
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As if h'had better fall by us then Strangers.
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Whilst he denyes, they legally are seiz'd on,
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By a Law call'd Resolv'd upon the Question:
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But still his chiefe strength was above our Arts,
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His righteous Cause, and's loyall Subjects Hearts.
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The King at Evesham gave the Rebells battle,
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Whereas he made Bones in their Skins to rattle:
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Leicester was slaine, who was their Generall,
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And sixteene Lords with him likewise did fall.
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Thus was their Army all to shatters shaken,
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Ten thousand men slaine, and as many taken,
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Some hundreds suffered punishment condignant,
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For being as I am a foule Malignant.
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Thus did the wheele of Fortune turne quite round,
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And my mis-deeds my Conscience deepe doth wound:
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I had bin better to have liv'd in beggery,
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Then thus to fall into the hands of Gregory.
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Oh Tyborne, Tyborne, oh thou sad Triangle,
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A Viler weight ne're under thee did dangle:
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See here I'm come, at last with Hempe so new,
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To give thee what was (long before) thy due.
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How would I blesse thee, couldst thou take away,
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My Life and Infamie, both in one day:
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But this in Ballads, will survive I know,
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Sung to that solemne Tune, Fortune my Foe.
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Then marke good Christian people and take heed,
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Use not Religion for an upper Weed:
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Serve God sincerely, touch not his Anoynted,
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And then your Necks shall never be dis-joynted.
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God blesse the King, the Queene, and all their Children,
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(And pardon me, what I 'gainst them have ill done,)
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May one of that brave Race still rule this Nation,
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So I beseech you sing the Lamentation.
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This Battle
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was fought
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at Evesham
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in Worces-
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ter-shire, on
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Fryday the
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5 of August
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1265. Stow,
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page 195.
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There was a
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Wag-halter
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living in
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those times
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whose
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name was
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Gregorie,
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Hen. Moun-
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mouth, page
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2000.
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