A cruell murther committed lately upon the body of Abraham Gearsy who liv'd in the Parish of Westmill, in the County of Harford; by one Robert Reeve, and Richard Reeve, both of the same Parish: for which fact Robert was prest to death, on Munday the 16. of March, and the Tuesday following Richard was hang'd; and after both of them were hang'd up in chaines, where now they doe remaine, to the affrightment of all beholders. 1635. To the tune of Fortune my Foe. Crimsal, Richard. 1635 Approx. 7 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 2 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A19001 STC 5418 ESTC S108708 99844364 99844364 9170

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 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A19001) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 9170) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1627:12) A cruell murther committed lately upon the body of Abraham Gearsy who liv'd in the Parish of Westmill, in the County of Harford; by one Robert Reeve, and Richard Reeve, both of the same Parish: for which fact Robert was prest to death, on Munday the 16. of March, and the Tuesday following Richard was hang'd; and after both of them were hang'd up in chaines, where now they doe remaine, to the affrightment of all beholders. 1635. To the tune of Fortune my Foe. Crimsal, Richard. 1 sheet ([2] p.) : ill. for Iohn Wyright Iunior, dwelling at the upper end of the Old Baily, Printed at London : [1635?] Verse - "I pray give eare unto my tale of woe,". Signed at end: R.C., i.e. Richard Crimsal. Publication date conjectured by STC. In two parts; woodcuts at head of each part. Reproductions of the original in the British Library.

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 eng Ballads, English -- 17th century. Murder -- England -- Early works to 1800. 2006-08 Assigned for keying and markup 2006-09 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-10 Sampled and proofread 2006-10 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
A cruell murther committed lately upon the body of Abraham Gearſy, who liv'd in the Parish of Weſtmill, in the County of Harford; by one Robert Reeve, and Richard Reeve, both of the same Parish: for which fact Robert was preſt to death, on Munday the 16. of March, and the Tueſday following Richard was hang'd; and after both them were hang'd up in chaines, where now they doe remaine, to the affrightment of all beholders. 1635. To the tune of Fortune my Foe.

I Pray give eare unto my tale of wee, Which ile declare that all may plainly knowe. Neare Harford lately was a murder done, O twas a cruell one, as ever was knowne, The good with evil herein was repaide, Him that did good the evil hath betraid, The world is lately growne to ſuch a paſſe, That one may feare another in this caſe. This money is the cauſe of manies death, As twas the cauſe that one late loſt his breath, The devill and the money workes together, As by my ſubiect you may well conſider. With teares of woe I am inforſt to write, That which may cauſe a tender heart to ſigh, And ſighing ſay, this was a wofull caſe, That men ſhould be ſo much voide of all grace. Two brethren were there that did doe the ſame, The firſt calld Robert Reeve, the others name Was Richard Reeve, theſe did a horrid déed, As in my following verſes ſhall proceede. Behold theſe lines, you that have any care, And from bloodſhedding alwayes doe forbeare; Though murder be committed ſecretlye, Yet for revenge to God it loud doth crye. And that ſinne goes not long unpuniſhed, Therefore let all men of this ſinne take héede: Many are daily for ſuch crimes accuſed, And yet alas too commonly tis uſed. One of theſe brothers was in debt I heare, Vnto that man, which was his neighbour néere, But hée repaid him with a envious mind, As in the ſtory you ſhall plainly find. Abraham Gearſie was his name, that was kild, By thoſe two brothers, as the Devill wild: He on a day demanded mony due, I pray give eare and marke what doth inſue. They wiſh'd him to come home for to be paid, But for his life it ſ •• mes they waſt had laid: For one day twas his chance for to come there, N • t dreading that his death had bin ſo néere. Now theſe two brothers kild him inſtantly, No neighbour was there that did heare him cry: And being dead floung him in a ſawpit, And coverd him with ſuch as they could get. Now having hid this murder in that kind, Great ſearch was made, but none this man could find His friends lamented for him very ſore. And made inquiris all the country ore.
The ſecond part, To the ſame tune.

SIx wéekes it was ere it was plainly knowne, And many were examin'd herevpon: But theſe two brothers much ſuſpected were, And at the laſt the truth it did appeare. Some murmured and ſayd that they did owe Him mony, and deſired for to know Whether they had giuen him ſatiſfaction, Who ſaid, they had, and they did owe him none. About this mony all did come to light, Now being put for to approue this right They could in no wiſe iuſtifie the ſame. When they to true examination came. Now they were asked for a quittans made, But they had none, then others preſent ſaid, Where is your bond or witnes of the ſame? This muſt be prou'd, or you will ſuffer blame. They being taxed on this wiſe confeſt, How they in bloody murder had tranſgreſt: Then were they ſent to Harford gaile with ſpéed, Where they did anſwere, for this wicked déed. This lent on ſiſes laſt their fact was tri'd, Where they were caſt, condemnd and for it di'd, Robert was preſt to death becauſe that hée Would not bée tride by God and the country. Richard was hangd by his owne Fathers dore, Which did torment and grieue his friends full ſore, Now hée and's brother both do hang in chains, This is a iuſt reward for murders gaines. I would intreat all men ſor to beware, Of • hue this crying ſinne and ſtill for beare, Good Lord, me thinkes it is a cruell thing, Of all ſins elſe this may each conſcience ſting. This being done, what is hée can forbeare, With troubled conſcience to ſhed many a feare? 'Tis fearefull ſure for to be thought upon, Although that it be ners ſo ſecret done. Our God is love, and he doth charg us all, To love each other, but we often fall From love and unity, to envious evill, Thus leave we God, and runne unto the Devill. This may be warning for all other men, That doe but heare of thoſe vile bretheren: And more conſider 'tis a fearefull ſight To ſee them hang'd, it would our hearts afright▪ Yet ſome there are that will not frighted be At all, the warnings that they dayly ſée: Too many doe eſtéeme ſuch things as nought, Or elſe there would not be ſuch murther wrought. Thus to conclude, pray lets to God for grace, And alwaies have his feare before our face: Fly bloody murther, and ſuch horrid ſinnes, Then God will kéep you from ſuch ſhamefull ends. FINIS. R. C.

Printed at London for Iohn Wright IUNIOR, dwelling at the upper end of the Old Baily.