Luke Huttons lamentation: which he wrote the day before his death, being condemned to be hanged at Yorke this last assises for his robberies and trespasses committed.
To the tune[?] of Wandering and wauering.
I Am a poore prison [...] condemned to dye,
ah woe is me woe is me for my great folly,
Fall fettred in yrons in place where I lie
Be warned yong wantons, hemp passeth gréen holly
My parents were of good degrée
by whom I would not counselled[?] be,
Lord Jesu forgiue me with mercy reléeue me,
Receiue O sweet sauiour my spirit vnto thee.
¶ My name is Hutton, yea Luke of bad life
ah woe is me woe is me for my great folly:
Which on the high way robd man and wife,
be warned yong wantons, &c.
Inticed by many a gracelesse mate,
Whose counsel I repent too late. Lord, &c.
¶ Not twentie yéeres old alas was I
ah woe is me woe is me, &c.
When I began this fellonie[?]
be warned yong wantons, &c.
With me went stil twelue yeomen, tall
Which I did my twelue a Apostles call. Lord, &c.
¶ There was no Squire nor barron bold
ah woe is me woe is me for my great folly:
That rode the way with siluer or gold,
be warned yong wantons, &c.
But I and my twelue Apostles gaie,
would lighten their load ere they went away, lord, &c.
¶ This newes procured my kins-folkes griefe,
ah woe is me woe is me
They hearing I was a famous théefe
be warned yong wantons,
They wept they wailde they wrong their hands
that thus I should hazard life and lands. lord, &c.
¶ They made me a Iaylor a little before, ah woe, &c.
to kéep in prison offenders store, be warned, &c.
But such a Iaylor was neuer none,
I went and let them out euerie one. lord, &c.
¶ I wist[?] their sorrow sore grieued me
ah woe is mée, &c.
Such proper men should hanged be
be warned yong, &c.
My office then I did defie[?]
And ran away for company. lord, &c.
Thrée yeeres I liu [...]d vpon the spoile
ah woe is me &c.
Giuing many a carle[?] the foile[?]
be warned yong &c.
Yet neuer did I kil man nor wife
though lewdly long[?] I led my life. lord, &c.
¶ But all too bad my déedes hath béen,
ah woe is me, &c,
Offending my country and my good quéene,
be warned yong, &c.
All men in Yorke-shire talke of me,
A stronger theefe there could not be. lord, &c.
¶ Upon S. Lukes day was I borne, ah woe, &c.
wham want of grace hath made a scorne. be war. &c.
in honor of my birth day then,
I robd in a brauery nineteene[?] men. Lord, &c.
¶ The country weary to beare this wrong.
ah woe is me, &c.
With huse and cries pursude me long, be war, &c.
Though long I scapt, yet loe at last.
London I was in newgate cast.
There did I lye with a grieued, [...]nde,
ah woe is me, &c.
Although the keeper was gentle and kinde,
be warned yong &c.
[...]et was be not so kinde as I,
[...] let me [...] at libertie. lord, &c.
¶ At last the shiriffe of Yorke-shire came,
ah woe is me, &c.
And in a warrant he had my name,
[...]e warned yong, &c.
[...] he at Yorke thou must be tride,
With me therefore hence must thou ride. lord, &c.
¶ Like pangues of death his words did sound,
ah woe is me, &c.
My hands and armes ful fast he bound,
be warned &c.
Good sir quoth I, I had rather stay,
I haue no heart to ride that way. lord, &c.
¶ When no intreaty might preuaile,
ah woe is me, &c.
I calde for beere, for wine and ale,
be warned, &c.
And when my heart was in wofull case,
I drunke to my friends with a smiling face. lord, &c.
¶ UUith clubs and staues[?] I was garded then,
ah woe is me, &c.
I neuer before had such waiting men
be warned &c.
If they had ridden before amaine,
Beshrew me if I had cald them againe. lord, &c.
¶ And when vnto Yorke that I was come, ah, &c.
Each one on me did passe their doome. be war, &c.
and whilst you liue this sentence note,
Euill men can neuer haue good report. lord, &c.
¶ Before the iudges when I was brought,
ah woe is me, &c.
Be sure I had a carefull thought, be, &c.
Nine-score inditements and seauenteene,
against me there was read and seene. lord, &c.
¶ and each of these was fellony found,
ah woe is me. &c.
which did my heart with sorrow wound, be, &c.
What should I héere in longer stay,
For this I was condemned that day. lord, &c
¶ My death each houre I do attend,
ah woe is me:
In prayer and teares my time I spend. be &c.
And all my louing friends this day,
I be intreate for me to pray. Lord &c.
¶ I haue deserued long since to die, ah woe &c
A viler sinner liude not then I: be &c.
On friends I hopte my life to saue,
But I am fittest for my graue: Lord &c.
¶ Adue my louing frends each one,
ah woe is me woe is me for my great folly,
Thinke on my words when I am gone,
be warned young wantons, &c.
When on the ladder you shal me view,
thinke I am néerer heauen then you, Lord &c.
Hutton.
FINIS.
Printed at London for Thomas Millington. 1598.