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While thus they kneel'd at earnest prayer,
with wringing hands then his mother dear,
Crying my son, O Lord, what must I do,
I have been a tender mother unto you.
With you my child I thought myself once blest,
And tenderly I nurs'd you at my breast,
I little thought what my tender care would be,
To bring you up unto the gallows tree.
Thousands of tears amongst them were shed,
His parents look'd like people almost dead,
Kissing his dying lips they must away,
Time won't permit them longer for to stay;
With him two highwaymen there were to die.
Thousands did go to see him passing by.
And when they got unto the fatal tree,
He turn'd him about and thus did say;
Young men who are in there blooming years,
Behold a wretch surrounded now with tears,
If I my tender parents had obey'd,
In Satan's snares I ne'er had been betray'd.
My tender sister told me of my sin,
And of the wretched state I then was in,
For which the fatal blow to her I gave,
Which sent her down into the fatal grave
I could not bear the word of God to hear
Advice from mother neither could I bear,
I now repent of all the crimes I've done,
For now my glass of life is almost run,
When thus he spoke the cart away it drew;
He thus resign'd his breath and bid all adieu,
After some time his body was cut down
And to his father's house was carried home.
