them thy legge â—â—ich on the ground Lay twelve weeks hid mongst stones and this I saw Two Swyne its flesh from thy cursde bones did gnaw A just and loathsome sight In thy left hand The irne ladle stuck fast the grip and band Was hard and sure that scarce one man could throw The ladle from thy fingers there 's a blow Would God before Breda that thou hadst died Three yeares ago where thou wast vilifyed With every souldier then this wofull deed Had not been done nor such deep grievance spread In honest hearts O vyle barbarian barbour And son of a poore Porter could thou harbour So deadly damnd disdain as for to kill All kinde of sex in thy most sceleratill Nay could not spare thy self had thou no wit To save thy self and flee when time thought fit Away unhappie beast what shall I conster But curse thy birth bred for a murdring monster Did not thy Maister cloath thee like a Knight And stuff thy purse with gold O thanklesse wight His love thy life abusde whilst drunken snake The Tavern turnd thy Church did thou forsake The law of duetie but curst Malandrine Thy brain-sick pate must run on his ruine Might not seven yeares twice o're command thy part To honour his familiar noble heart Were ever any knew him but admyrd How his rich minde was with great gifts inspyrd And hardinesse of Heart Lord W. W. may Recall that combat of his vanquishd day And could this Ruffian th' abject of a Traitour Injure so high a sprite so kynde a Nature And yet he lives so great was his good name Christs Martyr truths mirrour faiths soul-plight fame The cause was good he dyed for but the fact And parracide was hatefull here 's the tract O inhumane most execrable deed So barbrous neckt with a Cyclopian head Framd like Enceladus that thrice me thinks He 's worse than Villane at this murder winks What heathnick or what pagane savage bloud What infidel could have provd half so rude As this cursde cative Englands Monster borne That with the fact left life and soul forlorne What Jamnite or what Sabunck garlick slaves Would not to nature stoupe whose light conceaves A tender kindnesse to conserve the race Of mankinde Vertue having the first place But this Cerberian snake had no regard To great nor small like doome was never heard As he decreed ah I want words and breath For to detect this Charon and their death But he like Erostratus would aspire That set Dianas Temple in a fire To purchase flying fame So frantick he In this Catastrophe would living be Which I adhere to and for longer time I le fix on brasse his filthy fact and cryme If any be suspectd more than this wretch Let justice and sound judgement to it stretch And let our Parliament sift and search out The plot the man the guilt if there be doubt For common fame I leave 't and for like torts Of tortring tongues I le not build on reports Why that 's absurd to follow flying fame It s deep experience reares up truth a Name Now I le return to my Pathetick style And mourne with mourning Ladies grievd the while For losse of their dear husbands O pale woe When two made one the knot dissolves in two Rent by the Fates egregious whirling rage And not by frequent death done by a Page And quintiscencd Salpeter O who can Their melancholy mindes in sadnes scan Each soul reserves its grief each hath like losse For life there 's death for comfort sorrows cross A common woe peculiar to each one Graft and engraves a sympathizing moane First thou great Dame thryce noble by thy birth Sprung from a princely stock what tongue on earth With words can swage thy woes thy sorrows show From heart-grown grief that foule pernicious blow Attachd fore thee thy face thy food thy rest And sleep denote how thy sad soul 's opprest With helplesse care whilst scarcely half a year Did thou enjoy this dearest Jewell thy Dear Great was that love thy loving Hadington Bore to thy soul thy love again did crowne His fixt respect By which your tender hearts Knit up in one made love act both your parts That Hymen blushd the god of sacred rites To see how love involvd in one two sprites And why no wonder both alike excelld The one the other in goodnesse paralelld He spoke you smild he winkd you conceivd His mentall scope what great content receivd Your mutuall intents whilst demonstration Reciprocat brought Paphos one oblation And yet he left thee not to live alone But left thee his fair Phenix being gone A pledge of comfort representing still His face thy stamp his heart thy love his will O like Penolope if thou couldst spinne A daily threed and that same threed untwinne Till he turnd back so that the fates had sworne Thy pennance should be twentie winters borne And he redeemd But stay sad Muse returne Galld grief and love can not together mourne Two passions two extreams and here I finde They 're violent rapts in either of each kinde Away with Didoes stroke Lucretiaes smart Faire Hieroes thrust Palmeniaes fatall dart Which grim despaire not love forcd them to act Their self-sought murder in a tragick fact Call call to mind Gods providence and see Nought comes to passe without heavens high decree Which mortals must embrace then Lady spare Thy ruthlesse grief lay on the Lord thy care And ye the rest deare Ladies in your kindes Let sorrow smart take comfort lift your mindes Above all worldly crosses you shall see The length of dayes hence soules eternitie In endlesse peace Cast all your griefe on God He can release and chasten bruise the rod Lo deepest streames in smoothest silence slyde Whilst Channels roar so shallow mourners glyde With words at will but mighty cares sit dumbe Like livelesse corps laid in a livelesse Tombe Whence moistned vapours forcd from humid woes Lye in oblivion terrd And now to close As quickly went their soules to heaven we hope As their lives quickly fled the traitours scope Was set on murder but their Angels watchd And caught their sprites as with a twinkling catchd To Paradise Where now thrice blest they be With glorie crownde heires of eternitie And endlesse joyes for they as Martyres died And now sweet souls with triumphs dignified Set up mongst Hierarchies of sacred sprites That to their blest societie them invites To seale their Martyredome in Jesus hand Cled with his righteousnesse Who can demand A better state then face for face to face The face of faces in that glorious place Where Saints and Martyres environing round The old Eternall with the joyfull sound Of Aleluhiaes sing before the throne Holy holy Lord to Heavens holy One The Lambe of God hembd in with burning glore Praise might dominion Majestie and power Where they thrice hopefull happie ever blest Are crownd and raigne in long eternall rest So so forbear ye who keep grief in store Take up your crosse and for them mourne no more And now followeth the names of the most part of them that died at Dunglasse the penult of August 1640. so farre as possibly the Author could collect by serious instruction and diverse informations both of the vulgars and better sort THomas Earle of Hadington Robert Hammilton of Binny his brother Master Patrick Hammilton his naturall brother Sir Alexander Hammilton of Lawfield Sir John Hammilton of Redhouse Colonel Erskine son to John late Earl of Mar. John Keith son to George late earle Marshall Sir Gideon Baillie of Lochend Laird of Ingilstoun elder Laird of Gogor elder Alexander Moore heritour of Skimmer John Gate Minister at Bunckle Niniane Chirneside in Aberladie James Sterling Lieutenant Alexander Cuningham Lieutenant David Pringle Barbour Chirurgion Robert Faulconer Sergeant George Vach Haddingtons Purveyer John White Plaistrer an English man William Symington Lochends servant George Neilson in Alhamstocks James Cuningham in Hadington John Manderstoun Matthew Forrest Patrick Batie Alaster Drummond alias Gundamore John Campbell John Idington James Foord John Arnots post boy John Orre Andrew Braidie John Tillidaff John Keith a childe Women five Margaret Arnot daughter to the Postmaister at Cockburnspeth Marjorie Dikson John Keiths servant Marion Carnecrosse Aleison Gray With twelve bore armes whose names I could not ken Souldiers for time not mercenary men The rest unfound ly terrd corps clothes and bones Under huge heaps of glutinated stones Lo I have done as much as lay in me To try the truth and blaze it likes it thee Imepleasde if not a figge for Carpers checks Whose chattring spight the rule of reason brecks And now to close let Criticks of all ranks Convince their censures and yeeld me kinde thanks For what gain I save labour pains and cost To show the living how the dead were lost FINIS
three grosse accidents of wonder At Berat near Castras in Languedock A thunder bolt upon thee steeple broke The folk been fled for safetie to the Church Full sixteen hundreds closd within its Porch The steeple stroke fell down and with its fall Down came the Church the tecture roof and al VVhich smotherd the whole people Never one Escapd that roaring shot save twelve alone That kept at home been sicklie agd and lame And had no strength to court this falling frame This stone-welld town laid waste the sequel day I came to view it fearfull was the fray This thundring blow fell out on fryday morne One thousand six hundred and thirteen worne From thence to Lombardie I le quicklie trace To Pearie that incorprat haplesse place Set on the river Ladishae and closd Between two hills the Alpes are here disclosde VVhich bend to Rhetiaes land this citie crownd For Orenge Fig and Leâ—â—â—n was renownd The tenth of August and on sunday night At eight a clock appeard a fearfull sight An earthquake shook the hill above and under The town streets trembled like quagmyres asunder The rock falls from above the towne it sunk Ingulfd within earths bosome as it shrunk There was none savd not woman man nor childe Nor gold nor goods the truth been here instyld Except a bell that from the steeple brust When it was swallowd with a counter-thrust The river followd on and in it run Long five houres space till all was full and done Returnd to its own course the Bell was found On th' other side of Ladish dasht on ground Three thousand lives were lost and ly interrd VVithin one grave behold how fortune errd Last to Bizantium I amazed come To reckon on mishaps and there 's the summe In winter not in Harv'st the usuall time When Terramoti court each parched clyme An earthquake movd and in the town it fals Near Bosphores side and razd a myle of wals Which fencd the place and in that glutting downe Three thousand houses land and sea did drowne Which held ten thousand people but its true There were few Greeks the most were Turke and Jew And so the lesser losse I will not stand Here to expostulate from hand to hand How that ground was recoverd but it cost The great Turke more than all was drownd and lost But for their sepulchre I daring swear I never saw the like as I saw here Lo this great judgement fell in dark December One thousand six hundred ten as I remember Yet to comment on this these incidents Arise as Bassads from their elements Of fire and aire the one through clouds it brusts The other choaks it with retorting gusts Composde of contraries lightning and raine The former forcd the sequell addes the straine The last as reinvestd in earth is found When hollow sun-scorchd chinks divide the ground The winde rushd in begets a monstrous birth That can transplant or raze mountaines of earth Townes forts or Cittadales transforme a lake In heaps of sand so so the earth can quake Not done by airt nor hand or hellish plots As this abortive deed exposd on Scots Was by the Devill devisde he actd his part And causd distress with groaning Patients smart Done by Ned Paris arraignd at the Court Of Heaven and Earth for this tremenduous tort Enforcd on death Come let thy ghost appear To answer for thy fact that 's sifted here Wast done of malice or of negligence If not of purpose lesse was thine offence And yet no oversight nor carelesse minde Can thee excuse for that would judgement blind No it s not so thy bloudy oathes and curses Bewrayd thy drift thy foure times mounting horses That afternoon and still would flee yet stayd The train was laid but thou the fact delayd Till thy Lords comming back with knights and gentry VVherein the inner Court just at the entrie To mount the stairs there there thou smote thy maister And many Gallants with that damnd disaster VVhich in thy looks was seen ere it was done Mischief hung in thy face that after noone With railing swearing cursing boasting some VVhom thou affectd to haste soon to their home And yet one scapd whom thy menacing throat Did spur away the greater his good lot The stable keeper there Will Paterson That did attend thee then set me this down But I le come near and try more strict conclusions Base mindes ill set are fosters of confusions Then what meant that irne ladle in thine hand Tane from the Kitchin hot O hels fyrebrand VVhence to the magazin thou kept thy way VVhere eighteen hundred weight of powder lay Of which thou hadst the charge and onely thou Came onely there what did thy Lord bestow On thee that trust and durst thou play the knave To kill thy Maister Vile opprobious slave Mad were thy brains and still were known for madnesse All times absurd and rammage in thy badnesse A great blasphemer of Gods name and more Thy proverb was Devill damne me there 's the gore That slew thee with that slaughter O cursde wretch And wicked drudge how could thou this way stretch Thy cruel hands was there no pittie left To save the saiklesse was thou so far reft O senselesse sot from reason and respect Of men and Maister that thou wouldst infect The earth and aire with murder Oft I said To thine and my consorts this English blade Is neither sound nor civil O! how can His Lord give trust to such a frantick man A daily drunkard sotting here and there Led with deboshrie and infernall care Another thing condemnes thee that same night An houre before the deed in deep despight Thou wouldst not give to souldiers match nor ball Nor powder save two shots And worst of all These Carabines thou chargd and didst deliver To Troupers were half chargd nor seldome ever Had half of them flint stones their bals were choakd Half â—aches downe and could not be revokd Nor shot undread though time and place cravd aid Bred from that Barwick fray was there defrayd Thy speech disclosd thy spight thy rammage looke And glooming browes gave signes if not mistook Of unafronted drifts thy grumbling words And chattring lips were sharper far then swords Which erst had been more calme this tale was thine Some Scots ere long should smart as they at Tine Which wore the Papall badge vvhich thou performd WheÌ„ that brave house with thy cursd haÌ„ds thou stormd VVhich vvas made knovvn to some three dayes before The deed vvas done it vvould be done and more These news from Barwick came and many heare it But could not know the manner how to feare it Which shows it was devisd and sought and wrought By Traitours in both lands ere it was brought To such a dreadfull passe Had this Wretch livd Doubtlesse some had in both the Kingdomes grievd And lost their Hydra necks Now I le returne To cavell with the Traitour and this turne Thy body in three parts sore torne was found And one of
A Briefe and summarie discourse upon that lamentable and dreadfull disaster at DUNGLASSE Anno 1640. the penult of August Collected from the soundest and best instructions That time and place could certainly affoord the serious enquirie of the painfull and industrious Author By WILLIAM LITHGOVV EDINBURGH Printed by ROBERT BRYSON The Argument WHat mean you Poets now where are your verse Shall Gallants die will you forget their Herse Shall after times be robbd of what disasters Have now falne out fye on you Poetasters Why sit you dumb or can you not performe So sad a task on such a grievous storme Else gape you for reward whilst there is none Left to requite you save your selves alone This perhaps may stop you why without gains Prest Penmen shrink its true gifts sweeten pains But most men think pathetick stiles seem hard For some to do the like hath numbers marrde Shall I grown old then write nay I must to it Since you and your young straines refuse to do it This work ten months ago had seen the light But unperformde promises bred o'resight At London and at home Should I conceale For blandements what I 'me bound to reveale And at my cost dischargde No that werâ— rare To see mee court Camelion like the aire VVould God like subject heavens from earth had closde Then friends nor foes had grievd nor yet rejoicde But all Monarchick Tyme must seal this blow What we construct that sequel times may know Deeds smotherd lye intombd thoughts without words Are dumb mens signes what our prime light affoords Is utterance from knowledge though now dark times Shut murder up closde with perfidious crymes Nay what 's not now hands seals oathes writs vows Are cancelld or forsworne deceit allows Base falshood for best truth O treacherous hearts How shall the heavens revengeus on your parts Yet patience crowns our suffrings and none such But they who can the marke of conscience touch Then since it s so that words and woes agree Let silence sleep I le mourne where mourners be Times sorrovvfull disaster at Dunglasse containing infallible grounds and reasons how that most execrable and parracidiall deed was committed LEt melting flouds sad silent groaves and winds Bank-falling brooks shril woods that blinds Prest Nymphall lists let frowning time all The Elements admyre this monstrous fall And marveilous mishape done under tract Of homicide by an abortive fact Come let them roare and rent the azure skies Lamenting this lament with shrinking cries And agitat reports let ecchoing hills From their wide sighted tops rebounding fills The solitarie plains with trembling sounds Of dreadfull Massacres gorging stressd bounds With laborinths of fears come spend their time To sift the Traitour and that treacherous cryme Which this black herse averrs let heavens and all That move and live within earths massie ball Adhere and witnesse bear of these disasters And by their kindes turne prodigall worne wasters Of watrie woes let darkned dens and caves Steep rocks sunk glens dead creatures from their graves Shout forth their plaints sowre stormy showres of grief To plead our pleading losse And to be brief Come soul set mourners for untimely death That can expresse your sighes and panting breath With hollow groanes come shed with me salt teares And plunging sobs for mourning now appeares Say if deep sorrow may from passive mood Turn watrie woes in a Palmenian floud It s more then time Coepartners had their share Grim grief is easde when care reforgeth care For if the minde like to a soul tormented Make passion speak melancholy is vented What shaking terrour stroke me to the heart Whilst I conceivd the fact and saw the part Left desolate and spoild and so confounded That my forcd cryes from Ecchoes twice rebounded Fell flatlings down where they and I lay so Alive or dead I knew not if or no For passion like to rapsodies subverts The vitall sense extreames construct our smarts And none so shallow but they may conceave That sudden news if bad our souls do leave Laid in a litargie of sensllesse sleep Till rouzd and then pale eyne begin to weep Such pearling drops with windy sighs and sobs Heart groaning grief and Cataphalion blobs When brust begets a voice that voice sad words Which now my self to my sought self affords O fatall stroke O dolefull day and houre What raging hate made time to lurk and loure To murder such brave sparks beside all others A noble Lord two Knights and two kinde brother All Hammiltons of note with many moe Which in a Catalogue I will thee show Placd here at the conclusion for direction So far by tryall as I got inspection VVith cost and toylsome paines who can deplore Their tragick end else who can keep in store Their fatall names full threescore young and old Were killd and quelld in that unhappie hould And smotherd down with stones like fearfull end Was ne'er heard of what did a cloud portend That blustring blow which rose on sunday morne Forth from the sea and to Dunglasse was borne O pitifull presage which they did see Yet had no luck from that hard luck to flee But what who can expresse this grievous act Hearts may conceive what no pen can extract Some few of all were safe and onely nine Of which there two this mem'rie I propyne Young Dalmahoy and happie Prestongrange Who by heavens marv'lous mercy in this change Did wondrously escape and yet both wounded Have in that harme their health again refounded All thanks to Jove Lord make them wise to know Their lives sweet safetie in that dreadfull blow For in the twinkling of a rolling eye Their friends and they were severd But come see How all the rest lye shent some undiscoverd Are there shut up with heaps of fragments coverd And bodies torne and crushd what shall I say But curse th' accident of that dismall day What had the destinies or angrie fates Crossde constellations deaths prodigious Mates Or ominous aspects self-bloudy Comets That like prest whirlewindes their furie vomits With anxious threats on man decreed this wonder That dye they must and dye with such a thunder O sterne mortalitie that with their death Reft blind posteritie of lookd for breath And natures tract for they thryce hopefull Syres Might have had children to their full desires Which now we want whilst they themselves are laid As low as dust by deaths predom'nant spade But stay sad soul what means these heaps of stones And lumps of walls spread as confused ones Trace here and there where when I went a spying My heart it faild me and I fell a crying O Heavens said I how came this deed to passe So many Worthies slain in sackt Dunglasse For what by whom what evill had they done That one black sudden blast they could not shun Wa st their Ancestors fault their owne much worse Their kinreds guilt or friends their childrens curse Or hyrelings scourge O Heavens will ye conceal This stratagem