Save a Thief from the Gallows, and he'll hang thee if he can.  
Or, The Merciful Father, and the Merciless Son,  
The tune is, Fortune my Foe.  
 

YOu disobedient Children mark my fall.  
And by my timeless end take warning all.  
Against my own dear Father I have done  
A deed, the like did never graceless Son.   

In blooming years I was enticed to sin.  
E'er I perceived what danger lay therein.  
And so from day to day until this hour  
To leave the same as yet I had no power.   

My Mother dead, my Father cockered me,  
As men will do when Motherless we be,  
And nothing then for me he thought too dear.  
Which brought me thus unto a graceless fear.   

And when as I to elder years did grow,  
By wicked courses got I timely woe.  
Each vain delight belonging to Youngmen,  
Deceived me and wrought my ruin then.   

The deadly sins that are in number seven  
Without more grace have lost my joys in Heaven  
From first to last of these most cursed crimes,  
Have made me now a wonder of these times.   

For wanting means to nourish my delight,  
I went the wrong, and left the ways of right.  
Which to maintain, my Father growing poor  
Forgetting God I daily robbed for more.   

Three times he saved me from the Gallow tree,  
Three times he cast himself in debt for me,  
Three times he set me up in good estate,  
In hope to keep me from untimely fate.   

By me the Proverb is fulfilled here,  
Who saves a thief from gallows finds it dear.  
For saving me I sought his dear life's woe,  
My gentle Father's timeless overthrow.   

For wanting means still to relieve my need,  
Put me in mind to do a woeful deed,  
And seek his blood the highway unto sin.  
Who wanting grace, I soon grew perfect in.   

My Father's brother of good living known,  
Being dead, as next of kin they were mine own  
the which I wrought with these accursed hands,  
To be the Heir of all my Uncle's Lands.   

With mind prepared for murder thus I went,  
Unto the field where he did much frequent,  
where meeting him, with my own Father's knife  
Which I have stolen, I took away his life.   

And laid it down all bloody by his side,  
That all might see my Uncle therewith died.  
And challenged it my Father's knife to be,  
When people came the murdered corpse to see.   

O Homicide! O cursed viperous brood,  
Like Cain, to seek thy Father's dearest blood,  
My own dear Father being thus betrayed,  
I his own Child the Evidence was made.   

So judged to death for that he never did,  
The Lord in mercy did the same forbidden,  
For as he was to Execution led  
A world of torments in my bosom bred.   

To see him stand upon the Gallow tree,  
From which before good man he saved me,  
I could not choose but tell what I had done,  
And so confess myself a wicked son.    

The Confession and Repentance of George Sanders, Gentleman, l●te of Sugh, in the County of Hertford, who killed his own Uncle, and accused his own Father for the murder, but by God's providence being discovered he dy●d for the same where he wrote this Song with his own hand.  
Lord bring my Soul out of Prison. Psal. 142../.  

GOds judgements now are rightly seen said I  
Dear Father I have slain him let me die,  
O let me die, and set my Father free,  
Or else like Judas damned shall I be.   

Whereat the people in that very place,  
There praised God that gave me so much grace,  
To quit my Father from that crying sin,  
Where I with red-blood streams am drowned in.   

My Father saved, and I to Prison s●nt,  
Where I remain with many a sad lament,  
Which when you see, you cannot choose but say  
Repentance comes before my dying day.   

His Repentance in Prison.  
To the same tune.  

MOngst Lion's fell in daniel's Den am I  
In lowest prison cast with Jeremy,  
Fed with Elias by the Ravens fell,  
And placed with Judas in the maw of hell.   

Naked with Esau fearful do I walk,  
Dumb with old Zachary silent do I talk,  
Afflictions bred with Micha is my food,  
And with the Prophet's drink I sorrows flood.   

As poor as Job even now so poor am I,  
Despised with Lazarus in great misery,  
Banished with David from my native land,  
Cast up with jonas on the Ninivites sand.   

Made blind with Toby by the Swallows dung,  
And with poor joseph cast in prison strong,  
I weep with Mary who had lost her Master,  
And run with Peter who should run the faster,   

I sinned have, for sin God cursed the ground,  
I sinned have for sin the world was drowned:  
I sinned have, sin Sodom set on fire:  
Also for sin did Egypt feel God's ire.   

I sinned have, for sin did Adam die:  
I sinned have, sin caused David● cry:  
I sinned have and for sin Satan fell  
From an high Angel to a Devil in Hell.   

Did David weep, and shall I not then cry?  
Did Mary weep, and shall mine eyes be dry:  
Did Esau weep, and shall not I weep more?  
Did Peter weep such tears? let me have store.   

Did Mary weep for loss of Master dear?  
Did Martha weep with sorrow touched full near?  
Spring eyes with tears to wash his sacred feet,  
That for my sin did shed his blood most sweet.   

Lark-like I fly unto the living spring,  
Desiring pardon of my heavenly King,  
Past worldly hope now like the thief on tree,  
I only fix my faith and hope on thee.   

Look back on me as thou didst unto Peter,  
Speak to my soul, as to the thief most sweeter,  
O spy me out with Zache on the tree,  
And with sweet Bartholomew call me Lord to thee.   

O let me now with holy Abraham spy,  
A saving Ram that Isaac may not die.  
O let me live for to sound forth thy praise,  
That I may show thy mercy in my days.   

Make me a sparrow in thy house, O King.  
That swallow-like I may sit there and sing:  
O let me in thy Temple keep a door,  
That I may praise thy name for evermore.    
George Sanders.   

Printed for F.C. T.U. and W. Gilbertson.