Come christian people pray attend,
Unto those lines that here are penn'd,
Now I ascend the gallows high,
That I may be prepared to die.

Oh! What an awful sight to see,
A murderer on the gallows tree,
Young Men be warned by Palmer's fate,
Repent before it is too late.

In Rugeley town where he did dwell,
For many years respected well,
And e'er that he had reached his prime,
His hands are stained in blood and crime.

Oh! God of mercy hear the prayer,
And of thy pardon give a share,
When the dread moment it shall come,
Accept one through thy own dear son.

Young men be honest through your lives,
Husbands be kind unto your wives.
Refrain from gambling in your youth,
And tread the path of grace and truth.

A broaside printed in Bristol which contain the verses on the right.

A copy was sent to the web author by Kent State University, Ohio, USA.

The boadside that contain the verses on the left of this web page.

Reproduced by kind permission of
Mr. R. Knight.

A Broadside published in 1856 by W. Pratt 82, Digbeth, Birmingham.

Reproduced by kind permission of
Mr. Randle Knight.

Dear friends dry up the briny tear,
Kind heaven protect my mother dear,
My brothers and relations too,
Who came to take a last adieu.

She’s praying for her wretched son,
That his poor soul be not undone,
And you who set a mother’s part
Will strive to heal the broken heart.

Be warned by me both young and old,
And shun the love of cursed gold,
It may lead to murder in the end,
And sacrifice your dearest friend.

What gathering crowds around I see,
Young people all be warned by me,
Bad company and drinking shun,
And gambling or you’ll be undone.

Relations, friends, all efforts tried,
But justice would not be denied,
Let’s hope we all may meet in heaven,
Forgive as you would be forgiven.

Another Poem:

Verses from the criminal broadside entitled
TRIAL & EXECUTION OF WM. PALMER.
For Poisoning at Rugeley,
MR. JOHN PARSONS COOK.

Unfortunately the broadside is damaged and the part of the printers name is missing. All that can be read is ". . . ERS AND EDWARDS' STEAM PRESS, CANNON STREET . . ." The right hand side of the verses are also damaged and also a small patch in the middle of the second verse. I have put question marks where some of the text is missing.

You feeling Christians give attention, young and old of each ??
A tale of sorrow I will mention, who will sympathise with ??
The fate of that unhappy culprit, William Palmer was his ??
And for the crime of dreadful murder, died a death of pub??

All on the fourteenth day of June, before the public he did ??
In woe and wail at Stafford gaol, before the public he did ??
In health and vigour, in you ?? and bloom, upon the fatal g??
Compelled to fill a murderer's tomb - it was a shocking sig??

When William Palmer did appear, upon the drop at Stafford Gaol,
It would extract a briny tear, or make the strongest man grow pale;
Christians all, a while consider, think what must his feelings be,
All for the crime of wilful murder, launched into eternity.

To see this wretched man to tremble, on his execution day,
Tens of thousands did assemble, for to hear what he should say,
The dreadful murder he related, mounted on the gallows high,
He seemed as if he had repented, fully reconciled to die.

The rope on him was soon adjusted, and the fatal bolt was ??
How sad to say, the light of day, before his eyes had o??
To see the wretched man suspended, struggling in t??
Until the spark of life was ended, thus he did rest??

Oh, Christians who have heard my story, mark you ??
Pray unto the Lord of Glory, to protect you night a????
Only think on William Palmer, oh, that ever he????
Little did his kindred think, that he should die????

I have always suspected that there would have been other broadsides produced at the time of Palmer's execution and hoped that others would be tracked down so I was delighted in January 2003 to receive the following e-mail:

Hello Dave
I see from your website that you are interested in William Palmer the Rugeley Poisoner. You may be interested to know that at our sale of autographs, historical documents and ephemera we are selling what appears to be a completely new contemporary broadside (actually about quarto size) called 'Copy of Verses on the Execution of William Palmer who underwent the extreme penalty of the law at Stafford on Saturday June 14 1856'. There then follows a set of verses as though Palmer has written them himself "My solemn hour at last is come, and thousands flock to see, a wretched culprit end his days, upon the fatal tree etc etc etc."

It is slightly creased but complete and in otherwise good condition, considering that it is printed (by W Pratt of Birmingham) on typical flimsey paper.

We are selling it by auction on Thursday March 14th in Ludlow, Shropshire. Further details on the sale nearer the time. If you would like any further information about the sale, please contact me via reverse email or you can call me.

Regards
Richard Westwood-Brookes
Mullock Madeley

A week after the auction I was delighted to be contacted by Mr. Randle Knight to inform me that he had purchased the broadside and that I could photocopy the original for use on the Palmer web site and in this book.

See also Broadside Ballad web page.