MacLean, Gerald, editor. The Return of the King : An Anthology of English Poems Commemorating the Restoration
of Charles II / edited by Gerald MacLean
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
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Part X. Punishing the Regicides, July to October 1660
T. R. The Royall Subjects Warning-piece to all Traytors
[undated: before trials]
Blackletter.
Dodgy author since this is one of those signatures that could be a a licencing authority. What do we know; it looks like the same "T. R." that is signed to a Charles Tyus ballad called The Royall Subjects Joy that has been attributed to Thomas Robbins. Why is that one ascribed and not this?
This is not a restoration poem as defined by this anthology, but is included here for its rarity value and the fact that it provides a useful example of the kinds of vituperative satire that were developed during the course of the year of celebration. Anti-Rump satires were perhaps one of the most prolific subgenres to apear in the early months of 1660, but here we see features carried over to the question of how to punish living traitors, such as the regicides. The text is unreadable in several places, marked here with ellipses.
The Royall Subjects Warning piece to all Traytors
You Traytors all both great and small, I wish you to beware.
In time reprent, and be content, for you must all to Hide-Park Fair.
There is Hemp'n toyes for you brave boys, which murdered Charles the first,
The Hangmen he your guide must be, for thither go you must.
To a pleasant new Tune, Come back my own sweet Duck.
[illustration]
OLd England now rejoyce,
thy sorrows all are past;
Tryumph with heart and voice.
good news is come at last.
5: Those that long time did mourn,
come and rejoyce with me
I scorn my Coat to turn,
but faithfull I will be.
Heavens blesse our Generall
which hath our sorrows drownd,
Pray for him great and small,
King Charles must now be Crowned.
This is good news indeed
for every honest man;
15: The Law will now proceed
Traitors do what you can,
Your glass is almost run
your time is almost spent,
You must to Squire Dun
except you now repent.
Stand for King Charles right,
leave Lords of high renown
.... fight,
King Charles must wear his Crown.
25: You that did once bare sway
and kept us all at under,
Now is your reckoning day;
good Subjects you did plunder,
Those that did firmly stand
for Charles of high renown
You banished the Land,
and chast them up and down,;[sic]
Then Traitors all repent,
in City and in town,
35: Your time is almost spent,
King Charles must wear, &c.
What answer can you make
either to God or man,
What course now you take
do all the best you can:
For murdering of your King,
the Law will now proceed,
Beware a hempen string,
no better can you speed.
45: Then traytors all repent
in City and in Town,
Your time is almost spent.
King Charles, &c.
The second Part, to the same tune.
YOur Anabaptists head
no comfort can you bring,
Alack he is almost dead,
for treason against the King
Himself must answer make,
for what is done and past
55: He can no way forsake
Squire Dun I fear at last.
Then traitors all repent
in City and in town,
Your time is almost spent.
King Charles, &c.
Come Harrison thou art the man,
I and John Oakey thy 1 brother,
For treason against the King,
there scarce is two such other;
65: the one a Butchers son,
the other a poor Dray-man,
You must to Squire Dun
do all the best you can.
You traitors all repent
in City and in town,
Your time is almost spent,
King Charles, &c.
Alack blind Hewson now,
where is thy Laste and Awl,
75: It had been better for thee
to have kept in thy stall;
For Judging of the King
a rebellious horrid deed,
Beware of a Hempen string
no better thou can speed.
And for killing poor prentice boys
for playing at the foot-ball,
Squire Dun has hempen toyes
for sure will serve you all.
85: Bold Arthur Haselrigge
Newcastle doth thee curse
For raising of their Coals
four shillings a Chauldron just;
Nay this is the worst of all,
for Judging of the King
As thou sate in White-hall,
beware of an Hempen string.
Repent you traitors all
in City and in town,
95: Justice doth on you call,
King Charles will pull you down.
Your ... curse the day
that ever you did know
Bold Oliver I say,
that traitor, Englands Foe:
he being a Brewers Son
you liquored well your throat,
the Commenty you have undone
Yet now beware a Rope
for climbing up so high
You are sure to have a fall.
the innocent blood doth cry
Down with these Rebells all.
When you had murdered the King
you banished his Wife,
And all the Royall Off-spring
you fought to take their life;
All that true Subjects were
you bid them trattors call.
115: You must to Hide-Park-Fair,
Squire Dun invites you all.
then traitors all look too't.
the Rump cannot you have,
the Gallows will claim her due
use all the skill you have.
Concluding thus I cry
God save our gracious King
From bloody tyranny,
and all the Royall Off-spring,
125: Lord blesse the Duke of York,
brave Generall Monck also,
He is a Noble Spark
against King Charles his foe.
then traitors all repent,
mark we well what here is said,
Your time is almost spent
alack you are all betraid.
FINIS. T. R.
[1] thy] rhy
T. R. The Traytors Downfall
[undated: after trials]
This ballad appears in two signifcantly different states. An earlier version with some slightly different material appears in a single sheet broadside, King Charles his Glory, And Rebels Shame (np., nd.; L c.20.f.4); it does not list the names of those executed at the end. The version of the ballad given here was presumably re-issued to commemorate the executions of the regicides during the late autumn.
The Traytors Downfall,
OR,
A brief relation of the downfall of that Phanatick crew who Trai-
terously Murthered the Late Kings Majesty of blessed Memory.
To the Tune of, Fa la la, &c:
[cut]
CHarles the first was a noble King,
with a fa la la la lero,
His fame throughout the world did ring,
with a fa, &c.
5: But those that did presume so high,
To murder our good Kings Majesty,
Now may these Rebels howl and cry,
with a fa la la la lero.
He was a Prince of courage stout,
10: with a fa, &c.
Although his glass was soon run out,
with a fa, &c.
But behind him he hath left a Noble stock
May give a Traytor a handsome knock,
15: For making a King to submit to the block.
with a fa, &c.
The blood that he lost as I suppose,
with a fa, &c.
Caused fire to rise in Olivers Nose,
20: with a fa, &c.
His rousing Nose did bear such a sway,
It cast such a heat in shining ray,
That England scarce knew the night from day
with a fa, &c.
25: Oliver was of Huntington,
with a fa, &c.
Born he was a Brewers son,
with a fa, &c.
He soon forsook his dray and flings,
30: And counted a Brewers house a pitifull thing
When he came to the stately throne of a King:
with a fa, &c.
Oliver had a heart of gall,
with a fa, &c.
35: For to murder his Prince at White-Hall,
with a fa, &c.
He swore who ever was over the main,
Whether a French King or a Spain,
Yet in England no King should remain,
40: with a fa, &c
The second part to the same Tune.
[illustration]
DUke Humphery was the first Protector
with a fa, &c.
Henry the first the next Protector,
with a fa, &c.
45: Then thirdly Oliver he tooke place.
But Lucifer soon removed his grace,
Then he set up young Dick the fool of his race,
with a fa, &c.
No sooner was Dick got up to the Throne,
50: with a la, &c.
But he considered twas none of his own,
with a fa, &c.
And staring this way and that way about:
Desiring to be resolved a doubt.
55: Then in came Lambert? and turned him out
with a fa, &c.
Fleetwood desirous of the place,
with a fa, &c.
Sent forth Lambert the Scot to face,
60: with a fa, &c.
And being in the strength of his desire,
When he did think poor Jockey to brier,
His men forsooke him and left him in the mier.
with a fa, &c.
65: Thus you may see how some do rise,
with a fa, &c.
With an intent to surmount the Skies
with a fa, &c.
But when they are up they shall have a fall,
70: Witness Fleetwood blind Hewson, and all,
The raged rout of a Coblers stall,
with a fa, &c.
We have cleared white-Hall of Lobsters and Beefe,
with a fa, &c.
75: Turned Rump and Kidnies out of the house
with a fa, &c.
We have brought in Charls from over the main
Make wars with France & peace with Spain.
Now we shall get money and trading again
80: with a fa, &c.
Citizens look to your selves I say,
with a fa, &c.
Let no Coblers preach and pray:
with a fa, &c.
85: Tom Cobler is flown the Lord knows whither
Fleetwood and he I hope are together,
Now we have brought in the King and weel have faire weather
with a fa,
Blind Hewson was not of our kind,
90: with a fa, &c.
To run away and leave his men behind,
with a fa,
But I wish I could find him by the sent,
There's neither that law nor ye rump parlament
95: Should save him from death to give us content
with a fa la la la lero.
A list of the names of those Traytors that were hanged
drawn, and quartered for murdering our Soveraigne
of blessed memory, Charls the first.
Thomas Harrison, Iohn Carew, Tho. Scot, Grigory Clement,
Iohn Jones, Adrian Scroope, Hugh Peters, Iohn Cook, Col.
Axcel, Col. Hacker.
London, Printed for Francis Coles, in the Old-Baily.
A Relation of the ten
grand infamous Traytors
[late October]
Octob. 13. 1660
| Sat. Harrison. | A Relation of the ten grand infamous * Traytors |
| Mund. Carew. | who for their horrid Murder and detestable Villany against our |
Tuesd. Peters | late Soveraigne 1 Lord King CHARLES the first, that ever | |
| and Cooke. | blessed Martyr, were Arraigned, Tryed, and Executed |
| Greg. Clement, | in the Moneth of October, 1660. Which in |
| Iones, Scot, and | perpetuity will be had in remembrance |
| Scroope. | perpetuity will be had in remembrance |
| Hacker, Axtel. | unto 2 the worlds end. |
The tune is, Come let us Drinke the time invites.
[1] Soveraigne] Soveriagne copytext
[2] unto] nnto copytext
[cut]
HEe that can impose a thing,
and shew forth a reason,
For what was done against the King,
from the Palace to the Priso[n]
Let him here with me recite,
For my Pen is bent to write
the horrid facts of Treason.
Since there is no learned Scribe,
nor Arithmaticion,
Ever able to decide
the usurped base ambition:
Which in truth I shall declare,
Traytors here which lately were,
who wanted a Phisitian.
For the grand disease that bred,
nature could not weane it,
From the foot unto the head
was putrifacted treason in it:
Doctors could no cure give,
Which made the Squire then beleeve
that he must first begin it.
And the Phisick did compose,
within a pound of reason,
But to take away the cause,
then to purge away the Treason:
With a Dosse of Hemp made up,
Wrought as thick [as any] rope,
and given them [in season].
The Doctors did prescribe at last,
to give'em this Potation,
A Vomit or a single Cast,
well deserv'd in Purgation:
After that to lay them downe,
And bleed a veine in every one,
as Traytors of the Nation.
So when first the Phisicke wrought,
the 13.th of October, (_ On Harrison.
The Patient on a Sledge was brought,
like a Rebell and a Rover:
To the execution Tree,
Where with much dexterity
was gently turned over.
The Second Part, To the same tune.
[cut]
MUnday was the 15.th day,
as Carew then did follow,
Of whom all men I thinke might say
in Tyranny did deeply wallow:
Traytor prov'd unto the King,
Which made him on the Gallowes swing,
and all the people hollow.
Tuesday after Peters, Cocke
two notorious Traytors,
That brought our Soveraigne to the blocke,
for which were hang'd and cut in quarters:
'Twas Cooke which wrought ye bloody thing,
To draw the charge against our King,
that ever blessed Martyr.
Next on Wednesday foure came,
for Murther all imputed,
There to answer for the same,
which in Judgement were confuted:
Gregorie Clement, Jones and Scot,
And Scroop together for a Plot,
likewise were executed.
Thursday past and Friday then,
to end the full conclusion,
And make the Traytors just up ten,
that day were brought to execution:
Hacker and proud Axtell he,
At Tyburne for their Treachery
receiv'd their absolution.
Being against the King and States,
the Commons all condemnd'm,
And their quarters on the Gates,
hangeth for a Memorandum:
'Twixt the heavens and the earth,
Traytors are so little worth,
to dust and smoake wee'l send'm.
Let now October warning make,
to bloody minded Traytors,
That never Phisicke more they take,
for in this Moneth they lost their quarters:
Being so against the King,
Which to murther they did bring,
the ever blessed Martyr.
FINIS.
London, Printed for Fr. Coles, T. Vere, M. Wright, and W. Gilbertson.