THE STORY OF BEAU TREMAINE
by
Richard Morton.

Have you heard the tale of Beau Tremaine,
Who lived in George the Second's reign?
Beau Tremaine was a highwayman, and
Many's the coach he has made to stand,
Whilst he rifled the folks of all they had,...
Said he was, "Devilish sorry, by gad:
"That the laws of fortune now and then
Made gentle people turn highwaymen!"
One October night, on Salisbury Plain,
With his three comrades stood Beau Tremaine.
Captain Black Jack was one of the crew,
A hang-dog face, and a murderous,' too !
Jim and Paul were the other twain,
Rascals most useful to Beau Tremaine.
Each of the four a horse bestrode,
Twenty yards off the Devizes road,
Gazed through the blackness of the night,
In the distance appears a light...
The sound of wheels... just a distant hum;
Captain Black Jack says, "Here they come!"
And, round the edge of the winding road,
The lamps of a rumbling carriage glowed,
Nearer and nearer came, and then
Out in the road went the highwaymen.
Two seized the horses. Captain Jack
Ordered coachee's hands behind his back.
Up to the door, in lightest vein,
Cantered the gentleman Beau Tremaine.
Turned the handle... made courtly bow;
Deuced good grace and style, I vow!
Gazed on a lady through black crape mask,
For cash and jewels about to ask...
Gazed at the lady, and gazed again,...
Pale as a ghost went Beau Tremaine!
Bared his head, and bowed it, too;
Closed the door. Without word, withdrew.
Turned to his mates... "Let the horses go!"
What did it mean? Did any one know?
Black Jack said, "What about the brass?"
"Stand aside, let the carriage pass!"
Jim and Paul ware muttering, too,
"Drive on!" said Black Jack, "I'm damned if you do!'
Leapt to the door to rob the fare...
Listen to Beau Tremaine... "Beware!"
The Captain's hand is on the door,
But Beau Tremaine will warn no more;
Lifts the butt of his pistol instead...
Brings it down on the Captain's head!
To Jim and Paul he turns again...
"In two hours' time I'll return, and explain.
"Meet me at Booker's Cross at ten;
Pick up the Captain. Good-bye, till then!"
Turns to the coachman, "Drive on, do;
To Devizes I'll escort you through."
And, through the night, by the carriage side,
Did Beau Tremaine to Devizes ride.
Never a word to driver or fare...
Reined up short on arrival there,
Doffed his hat, nor looked to see
If the lady acknowledged his courtesy.
And then back over Salisbury Plain,
To meet his mates, rode Beau Tremain.

Captain Black Jack rose out of the dust,
Crying, "The Beau has split my crust!"
"He's gone!" said Paul.Up spoke Jim then,
"Hell meet us at Booker's Cross at ten."
"Curse him!" said Black Jack, with a leer,
"I'll slit his throat from ear to ear!"
"Spoilt a good haul," said Jim. "Yes, cull,"
The Captain said, "and he's spoilt my skull!
"But I'll be revenged, so help me, God!
Six feet of rope and six feet of sod!
"The gentleman skunk's a gent in vain...
I'll turn King's Evidence on Tremaine!
"And at Booker's Cross, at stroke of ten,
I will be there to meet him then.
"He'll meet the Sheriff and watch as well...
The Beau shall come to the gate of hell!"

Cathedral bells rang " ten" o'er the plain;
Cant'ring along came Dean Tremaine.
Like a white phantom of the night,
Booker's Cross arose in sight.
Up rode Tremaine, no one in sight;
Slipped half off his horse to alight.
Then, in a moment, dark forms surround
The Beau, and fling him to the ground,
"Tie him with cords, and thick, strong bands."
The sheriff crows, and rubs his hands.
"How do you do? To struggle is vain;
Nicely netted, eh? Beau Tremaine."
No look for the Sheriff had the Beau;
His brow grew dark and beetled low.
He saw Black Jack with his hang-dog look,
Knew how he had been brought to book.
Black Jack grinned with an evil glare;
The Beau returned a steady stare...
Gave a wrench to his tied-np wrist...
Snapped a cord with a sudden twist,
Snatched a revolver, and straightway shot
Captain Black Jack dead on the spot.
Threw the revolver away again...
"I'm satisfied now!" said Beau Trernaine.

The execution day has come,
Hark to the trumpets and the drum!
People are trooping o'er Salisbury Plain
To see the hanging of Beau Tremaine.
Up in a window a lady sits,
'Midst of a crowd of gallants and wits,
Telling how, once, on Salisbury Plain,
She had been stopped by Beau Tremaine;
Told how the robber forgot to rob,
Took not e'en her watch from its fob,
Stopped his mates, knocked one of them down,
And escorted her safe to Devizes town.
"He has gentle blood in every vein,
And a gentleman born is Beau Tremaine!"
There's a sudden hush... and no one talks;
Through the crowd the highwayman walks
Up the steps of the scaffold high;
A goodly youth! and the maidens sigh!
He turns his head to the crowd again...
A goodly youth is Beau Tremaine!
Under the noose he stands to rest:
Draws a locket from his breast.
Folks in the crowd take heart of grace...
"Look!... he's kissing his sweetheart's face"
Ah no! The people have guessed in vain...
No sweetheart's picture has Beau Tremaine
On his mother's picture he rests his eye;
Kisses it! kisses it! looks at the sky!
And his lips move quick, and the people stare!
What? Beau Tremaine is saying a prayer!
Into his breast the locket he slips;
One word... "Mother!" ...is on his lips!
And the proud dame in the window there
Looks on the scene with a glassy stare!
Now she knows why, on Salisbury PIain,
No robber... but saviour... was Beau Tremaine!
Her lips turn white. She has fixed her eye
There on the scaffold against the sky.
"Save,... save my son!"... But all is o'er
The proud dame slips from her chair to the floor.

As the people go home you hear them say,
"Didn't think Beau Tremaine would pray!"
"Prayed for his sweetheart, to be sure!"
One lady knew whom the prayer was for!...
Her son was hanging on Salisbury Plain...
And that is the story of Beau Tremaine!