The LAMENTATION OF Dell's Mistris For the Loss of her Gallant. · Crime and Punishment Ballads

Ballad Title: The LAMENTATION OF Dell's Mistris For the Loss of her Gallant.
Indicated Tune: The little Fishes in the Deep, knows no such Liberty
Ballad Location: Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Pepys Ballads 3.333; EBBA 21348
Event Date: 1674-1679
Event Location: Tyburn
Printing Location: London , Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, J. W[right ] and J. Clarke.
Crime: murder
Gender of Accused: Male
Method of Punishment: hanging
Category: Crime and Punishment Ballads
Sub-Category: Execution Ballads
Language: English; English Ballads
Notes: After half an hour or so, the now lifeless bodies were cut down and claimed by friends and relatives or sent for dissection at Surgeons' Hall. Fights often broke out between the rival parties over possession of the bodies. (Prior to the Murder Act of 1752, surgeons were allowed 10 bodies per year, after that they got the bodies of all murderers as well). Wealthier criminals provided coffins for themselves, the poorer ones often could not afford these. It was not unusual for their friends and relatives to sell the bodies to dissectionists.
Transcription: DELL 's Mistris dear, with Carret hair, her Love his Wisdom drown'd;
But he was Hanged at Tyburn strong, caused sorrows to abound.
My sorrow is great for his sad fate, for loss of my dear Friend;
I wish I had him by my side, sorrows would have an end.

Be gone, be gone, fond thoughts be gone, and give your sorrows o're;
My Friend that I expected down will never come no more.
Which makes my heart within me burn,
to think how I am down;
For once I was belov'd I thought, by the Wisest of the Town.

My Neighbours make a scoff at me, and Laugh at my own Door;
Because he's Hang'd that was my Friend, and will never come no more.
If my dear Friend was here again, that stands in Chirargions Hall,
My Neighbours durst not scoff at me, for he'd a plagu'd them all.

He plagu'd poor men to maintain me, and thus he led his Life,
And all was for the Love of she, that is the Taylors Wife.
He put his Father Ball to Nurse, to Deans that was his Friend:
But for the Riches that he had, he come by his sad end.

Dell Murthered his Father dear, his Brother, and his Wife:
For since they come to Edger Town, 'twas I that caus'd the strife.
His Company was as sweet to me, as Roses are in June ,
I thought he was the wisest Man, that was in Edger Town.

The Spirit of his Murthered Wife,
appears to each Man's sight,
No comfort in the World she had, as he did lead his Life
This Song is made of Dell my friend, that Kill'd his Brother Ball ,
And I which am the Taylors wife, I was the cause of all.

Since that I can't Revenged be,
of those that seek my fall,
I wish I were with my dear Friend, that stands in Surgeons Hall.