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A Warning to Young & Old: In the Execution of William Wieer, at Boston, the 21 st of November, 1754, for the Murder of William Chism, on the 6 th of April last.
I.
BEHOLD good People now I pray,
And give you Heed to what I say;
Your due Attention I do crave,
That you the Benefit may have.
II.
The Subject of my present Rhime,
Is
Will'm Wieer's wicked Crime:
A Crime for which he now must die,
By his own Act of Cruelty.
III.
Poor
Chism he in Anger slew,
Without a Provocation too;
This poor Man's Life he took away,
Not having Time, one Word to say.
IV.
And now his Passion he witholds,
And to his great Surprize beholds,
The Wound was Mortal which he gave,
But hopes for Mercy yet to have.
V.
But where shall he for Mercy Cry?
But to the Sov'reign GOD most high:
Who has in sacred Writ declar'd,
That such Men's Lives shall not be spar'd.
VI.
Ah! Passion now, that ran so high,
As to ascend the Clouds and Sky;
Where there is neither End nor Bound:
But
Murder! 'Tis a dreadful Sound.
VII.
Now
Wieer for this horrid Crime,
Is doom'd to die before his Time;
He did'nt intend, (as he doth say,)
To take poor
Chism's Life▪ away.
VIII.
But whether he did or no, 'tis true,
By GOD's just Laws, he has but due;
For
Murder is a dreadful Fact,
Which none I hope will dare Transact.
IX.
Here's an Example for you all,
Both for the Great, as well as Small;
The Old as well as Young may be
Accustom'd to this fatal Tree.
X.
That GOD whose Ways are just and true,
Doth evr'y wicked Way pursue;
Therefore be always on your Guard,
In all your Doings please the LORD:
XI
Correct your Passions in due Time,
Lest you commit this horrid Crime;
The Crime of Murder, few's so great,
And you repent when it's too late.
XII.
Keep free from Slander and from Pelf,
And love your Neighbour as yourself,
Be thus to them both kind and true,
As you'd have them be so to you.
XIII.
Let GOD's Commands be your Delight,
In all your Dealings be upright:
Be always careful to fulfil
The Sixth Command, (
Thou shalt not Kill.)
XIV.
'Tis GOD's free, rich and sov'reign Grace,
That we're not in this poor Man's Place;
Then let us shun all wicked Ways,
Before the
Gallows end our Days.
XV.
Happy they'll be, and happy thrice,
Who will take Counsel and Advice,
From this poor Man's unhappy Fate,
To view their own most sad Estate.
XVI.
If GOD's Commands you do obey,
Depend on Him, and often pray,
He will in his abundant Grace,
Preserve you in your righteous Ways.
XVII.
His glorious Grace will then come down
And all your wicked Passions drown:
Then take the Wing, to JESUS fly,
And see thy GOD above the Sky.
FINIS.