The works, in verse and prose, of William Shenstone, Esq In two volumes. With Decorations. The fourth edition |
 | I. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
JEMMY DAWSON. A Ballad; written about the Time of his Execution, in the Year 1745. |
|
|
|
|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| II. |
 | The works, in verse and prose, of William Shenstone, Esq |  |
JEMMY DAWSON. A Ballad; written about the Time of his Execution, in the Year 1745.
Come listen to my mournful tale,
Ye tender hearts and lovers dear;
Nor will you scorn to heave a sigh,
Nor need you blush to shed a tear.
Ye tender hearts and lovers dear;
Nor will you scorn to heave a sigh,
Nor need you blush to shed a tear.
And thou, dear Kitty, peerless maid,
Do thou a pensive ear incline;
For thou canst weep at every woe;
And pity every plaint—but mine.
Do thou a pensive ear incline;
For thou canst weep at every woe;
And pity every plaint—but mine.
180
Young Dawson was a gallant boy,
A brighter never trod the plain;
And well he lov'd one charming maid,
And dearly was he lov'd again.
A brighter never trod the plain;
And well he lov'd one charming maid,
And dearly was he lov'd again.
One tender maid, she lov'd him dear,
Of gentle blood the damsel came;
And faultless was her beauteous form,
And spotless was her virgin fame.
Of gentle blood the damsel came;
And faultless was her beauteous form,
And spotless was her virgin fame.
But curse on party's hateful strife,
That led the favour'd youth astray;
The day the rebel clans appear'd,
O had he never seen that day!
That led the favour'd youth astray;
The day the rebel clans appear'd,
O had he never seen that day!
Their colours, and their sash he wore,
And in the fatal dress was found;
And now he must that death endure,
Which gives the brave the keenest wound.
And in the fatal dress was found;
And now he must that death endure,
Which gives the brave the keenest wound.
How pale was then his true-love's cheek,
When Jemmy's sentence reach'd her ear!
For never yet did Alpine snows
So pale, or yet so chill appear.
When Jemmy's sentence reach'd her ear!
For never yet did Alpine snows
So pale, or yet so chill appear.
With faultering voice, she weeping said,
Oh Dawson, monarch of my heart;
Think not thy death shall end our loves,
For thou and I will never part.
Oh Dawson, monarch of my heart;
Think not thy death shall end our loves,
For thou and I will never part.
181
Yet might sweet mercy find a place,
And bring relief to Jemmy's woes;
O George, without a pray'r for thee,
My orisons should never close.
And bring relief to Jemmy's woes;
O George, without a pray'r for thee,
My orisons should never close.
The gracious prince that gave him life,
Would crown a never-dying flame;
And every tender babe I bore
Should learn to lisp the giver's name.
Would crown a never-dying flame;
And every tender babe I bore
Should learn to lisp the giver's name.
But tho' he should be dragg'd in scorn
To yonder ignominious tree;
He shall not want one constant friend
To share the cruel fates' decree.
To yonder ignominious tree;
He shall not want one constant friend
To share the cruel fates' decree.
O then her mourning coach was call'd,
The sledge mov'd slowly on before;
Tho' borne in a triumphal car,
She had not lov'd her fav'rite more.
The sledge mov'd slowly on before;
Tho' borne in a triumphal car,
She had not lov'd her fav'rite more.
She follow'd him, prepar'd to view
The terrible behests of law;
And the last scene of Jemmy's woes,
With calm and stedfast eye she saw.
The terrible behests of law;
And the last scene of Jemmy's woes,
With calm and stedfast eye she saw.
Distorted was that blooming face,
Which she had fondly lov'd so long;
And stifled was that tuneful breath,
Which in her praise had sweetly sung.
Which she had fondly lov'd so long;
And stifled was that tuneful breath,
Which in her praise had sweetly sung.
182
And sever'd was that beauteous neck,
Round which her arms had fondly clos'd;
And mangled was that beauteous breast,
On which her love-sick head repos'd;
Round which her arms had fondly clos'd;
And mangled was that beauteous breast,
On which her love-sick head repos'd;
And ravish'd was that constant heart,
She did to ev'ry heart prefer;
For tho' it could its king forget,
'Twas true and loyal still to her.
She did to ev'ry heart prefer;
For tho' it could its king forget,
'Twas true and loyal still to her.
Amid those unrelenting flames,
She bore this constant heart to see;
But when 'twas mouldered into dust,
Yet, yet, she cry'd, I follow thee.
She bore this constant heart to see;
But when 'twas mouldered into dust,
Yet, yet, she cry'd, I follow thee.
My death, my death alone can shew
The pure, the lasting love I bore;
Accept, O heaven! of woes like ours,
And let us, let us weep no more.
The pure, the lasting love I bore;
Accept, O heaven! of woes like ours,
And let us, let us weep no more.
The dismal scene was o'er and past,
The lover's mournful hearse retired;
The maid drew back her languid head,
And sighing forth his name, expir'd.
The lover's mournful hearse retired;
The maid drew back her languid head,
And sighing forth his name, expir'd.
Tho' justice ever must prevail,
The tear my Kitty sheds, is due;
For seldom shall she hear a tale
So sad, so tender, yet so true.
The tear my Kitty sheds, is due;
For seldom shall she hear a tale
So sad, so tender, yet so true.
| The works, in verse and prose, of William Shenstone, Esq | |