Elizabeth McNeil

Elizabeth M'Neil afraid of the
Hangman's Fa'.

By Mr John M'Lean, Coalminer.

Sad news I have now to tell,
News of her death will gang far awa';
She coon can tell, she kens hersel',
She'll get the hangman's fa'.

O waes me,
My days do wear awa';
I wish I were but free again
From the hangman's fa'.

In Pathhead they ken me right well,
Guilty of that cla',
Buying doctor's arsenic pills,
To get the hangman's fa'.

Some says I made him up a dose,
To make him wear awa',
And stirred it up among his brose,
To get the hangman's fa',

Auld women, come to sic an age,
They want to gang sae braw,
They want to gang upon the stage,
To get the hangman's fa'.

The hangman is my masterpiece,
He soon will make me claw ;
He'll eat and drink, and mak' a feast,
And laugh at my downfa'.

The hangman is a tricky knave,
He soon my neck will draw ;
O pardon ! now I do crave,
From the hangman's fa'.

The ladies of Edinburgh town,
I hope they'll mak' me braw,
For death is strong, when I'm cut down,
At the hangman's fa'.

Come all ye female, whate'er you be,
I warn ye great and sma',
Keep yoursel's clean and free
From the hangman's fa'.

Commentary

Verse 1: 'Sad news I have now to tell, / News of her death will gang far awa'; / She coon can tell, she kens hersel', / She'll get the hangman's fa'.' Chorus: 'O waes me, / My days do wear awa'; / I wish I were but free again / From the hangman's fa'.' This song was written by John McLean, a coalminer.

John Mclean's ballad is based on a real case. On August 3rd 1835 Elizabeth McNeil or Banks was hanged in Edinburgh for poisoning her husband Peter Banks with arsenic. Contemporary reports of the crime reveal that Peter Banks, a collier, was an abusive man, but also record that Elizabeth Banks had repeatedly stated that she would one day be executed. This unusual fact is referred to in verse four of the ballad.

Early ballads were dramatic or humorous narrative songs derived from folk culture that predated printing. Originally perpetuated by word of mouth, many ballads survive because they were recorded on broadsides. Musical notation was rarely printed, as tunes were usually established favourites. The term 'ballad' eventually applied more broadly to any kind of topical or popular verse.