Immediately on the doors being opened, the court was crowded to excess, as it was expected that the Sibsey murder case would be tried.
both the ballad and the murder case were based on the trial of Pickett and Carey for the murder of Stevenson in Sibsey.
he remarked that it was the first time he had had the honour of charging a grand jury for the county of Lincolnshire
it was Williams' first time in the jury in Lincolnshire.
A few words of advice and caution were also given to those who had not contracted criminal habits, as well as to those who had.
the first paragraph gives background information of life in the town. the trial judges attended church, where the sermon was preached by the Sheriff's chaplain (apprentice/helper) showing a strong connection between church and state in England.
Chief Justice Erle and Justice Williams
judges
City Sessionshouse,
a courthouse that served as a dedicated court of quarter sessions, where criminal trials were held
Cortege
a solemn procession, especially for a funeral.
County Hall
a common name given to a building that houses the seat of local government for a county.
‘Someithasevntacrossthesea,Someit.hascausedto die injail,”‘Andsomeuponthegollows
argues that the cause of the murder was "drink", and that nothing good may come from it.
shu
persistently avoid, ignore, or reject (someone or something) through antipathy or caution
oallyoung menpraytakewarning,
ballads were hung and displayed in public places at the time. when it says this, it warns the people of Lincolnshire about the murder and warns them not to do what they did, rather than just being a story as we are reading today.
rhyme schemes every other verse, such as "way" and "stay", as well as "cheer" and "near". this carries throughout the whole poem
wilful
having or showing a stubborn and determined intention to do as one wants, regardless of the consequences or effects.
en searching Carey they found upon him,‘Mr. Sieenson’s pocket-Knife
shows events from the trial, and provides more information on the reasoning why Pickett and Carey were charged.
d be saw blood upon their clothes
as the son sees blood on Pickett and Carey's clothes, he ran to the police station, leading to the two men being charged with the murder of Stevenson.
With his head all smashed to peices,And his pockets riffted out,‘There wes the marks ahont tha rad,
provides further information of the crime and the evidence that led Pickett and Carey to be found guilty.
Murderedin0brutal we
many literary genres do not use such gore as "robbed and murdered", "skull smashed to pieces", and "murdered in a brutal way".
O’ then what news was for his som,
the act of the neighbor telling the son is important. the son is then the character who saw Pickett and Carey with blood on their clothes, and accused them of the murder of his father.
‘Theninaditchon theThursdaymorning,
after his murder, he was found by a neighbor in a ditch (two or three days later).
Whorobbedandmurderedthepooroldman,YaBibseyvillageinLincolnshire.
restates what has already been said before in the ballad (repetition in a poem/reinforcing the main points or most important parts?)
bewasfollowedfromthathouse,
back to the actual event of the crime, where Pickett and Carey followed him from the public house.
“At thepublic-househecalledforale,
returns back to before the murder, where Stevenson was at the "public house" (bar).
robbed and murdered him,‘And left his body in a ditch.
description of the actual event of the murder.
hey
referring to Pickett and Carey, who were his murderers.
for his money—
motive for the murder = money.
e at the “Ship,”some ti
figure out what the "ship" is.. foreshadowing? (as it was maybe irregular for him not to return directly home).
left his home on Monday morning,‘And to Boston Market made his way,
Stevenson lived in the village. he left his home to go to the market prior to the murder.
sixty-four,
provides information about the victim. being age 64 shows he was fairly old.
nother dreadful deed’s been done
"another" provides background information that the village possibly had high crime rates?
In Sibsey village in Lincolnshire,
the ballad takes place in England