Emmet's Death

DESCRIPTION: "He dies to-day." The judge smiles because "a demon dwelt where his heart should be." The jailer has a tear in his eye because Emmet had "spoke in so kind a way." A girl "lacked the life to speak ... despair had drank up her last wild tear."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1855 (Edward Hayes, The Ballads of Ireland (Boston, 1859), Vol I)
KEYWORDS: execution patriotic judge prisoner Ireland
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
Sep 20, 1803 - Robert Emmet (1778-1803) is hanged
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (3 citations):
O'Conor-OldTimeSongsAndBalladOfIreland, p. 69, "Emmet's Death" (1 text)
Healy-MercierBookOfOldIrishStreetBalladsVol2, pp. 73-74, "Emmet's Death" (1 text)
ADDITIONAL: Edward Hayes, The Ballads of Ireland (Boston, 1859), Vol I, p. 248, "Emmet's Death"
ST OCon069 (Partial)
Roud #V26601
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, 2806 b.10(17), "Emmet's Death", unknown, n.d.
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Bold Robert Emmet" (subject) and references there
NOTES [23 words]: Hayes's text is attributed to "S.F.C." - BS
For the sad background of this typically Irish story, see the notes to "Bold Robert Emmet." - RBW
Last updated in version 5.1
File: OCon069

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