A Warning for all[?] [...]
By the example of Richard Whitfield, and M. Gibs who were two notorious offenders, and both of one company, which two men made a daily practise, and got their livings by robbing and stealing both on the High-ways, and in any other places where they came, but were at last taken, apprehended and condemned to dye for robing of a Coach, & murdering of a Captains man at Shooters-Hil, in Kent, some five or sin miles from London, and for that offence and others, Gibs was prest to death at Maidstone in Kent, and Whitfield was hanged in chains on Shooters-Hil, where he did the bloody deed, the 27th. of March, 1655. The manner how shall be exactly related in this Ditty.
The Tune is, Ned Smith.
OF two notorious Théeves,
my purpose is to tell,
Which near fair
London Town
long time did live and dwell.
One of their names was
Gibs,
a Villain vile and base
The other
Dick Whitfield call'd,
who ran a wicked race,
To rob to theeve and steal,
these couple gave their mind,
And unto murder men,
they daily were inclin'd,
So stout and bold they were
that they durst fight with ten,
And rob them on the way
though they were lusty men,
Sometimes they would disguise.
themselves in strange attire,
And to do mischief still,
Was all they did desire.
Sometimes about the fields
they would walk in the night
And use much cruelty
to them that they did méet.
A man could hardly pass.
the fields at ten a clock,
But they would be sure to have,
the cloak from off his back.
Or if he had no cloak
they would his money take,
Of what they went about
they did no conscience make.
If they with women met
when it was in the night
they would strip off their cloaths
and leave them naked quite.
Such unhumanity
betwixt them did remain
That by their bloody hands
good Christians have been slain
[...]
[...] robberies
these bloody villains did,
But theft and murder both,
long time will not lie hid.
Sometimes they have béen caught
and unto New-gate sent,
Yet they had mercy shown
because they should repent.
But though the Iudges oft
took pitty on those men,
As soon as they got loose
they would fall too't agen,
But now behold and sée
[...]hat happened at the last,
[...] they had scap'd through much
[...] many dangers past.
[...]
[...]et a gallant Coach
[...]r from
Greenwich town,
[...]
[...]h were Gentlemen
[...]ore
Black-Heath down,
[...]bs and
Whitfield both
[...]d themselves to fight
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...] Theeves
[...] approach.
He ask'd them what they were,
quoth they, we mony crave,
Mony we are come for
and mony we must have.
Their Pistols being fixt.
their bullets they let fly
The Captain drew his sword
and fought couragiously.
And in that dangerous fight
the Captains man was slain
And then they rob'd the rest
that did i'th Coach remain.
And for their bloody déeds
and for that robbery
They after taken were
and suffered certainly.
At
Maidstone town in
Kent
there
Gibs was prest to death,
and
Whitfield hangs in chains
at
Shooters-Hill near
Black-Heath
Let other wicked men,
high and low, great and smal
Remember and take héed
by
Gibs and
Whitfields fall.
L.P.
FINIS.
London Printed for F. Grove dwelling on Snow hill.