Trial of William Burke and Helen M'Dougal : before the High Court of Justiciary, at Edinburgh, on Wednesday, December 24. 1828, for the murder of Margery Campbell, or Docherty / Taken in short hand by Mr John Macnee, writer. With an illustrative preface.

  • William Burke
Date:
1829
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Trial of William Burke and Helen M'Dougal : before the High Court of Justiciary, at Edinburgh, on Wednesday, December 24. 1828, for the murder of Margery Campbell, or Docherty / Taken in short hand by Mr John Macnee, writer. With an illustrative preface. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The following broadside is reprinted for the reason mentioned above. To such doggerel, and to all their other accusations of a like nature, the doctors might give a conclusive answer in the hack- neyed adage— tfeeeeeitas mm habet legem? ** An Account of the moat horrid and unchristian actions of the Grave* 'makers in Edinburgh, their raising and selling of the Dead, abhor- red by Turks and Heathens, found out in this present year Y]W} in the Month of May. Dear Friends and Christians, what shall I say, Behold, the dawning of the latter day Into this place most bright casts forth its rays— The like was never seen by mortal eyes. Methink I hear the latter trumpet sound, When eraptie graves into this place is found, Of young and old, which is most strange to me, What kind of resurrection this may be. I thought God had reserved this power alone Unto himsell, till he erect'd his throne Into the clouds, with his attendance by, That he might judge the world in equity. But now I see the contrar in our land, Since men do raise the dead at their own hand; And for to please their curiosities They them dissect and make anatomies. Such monsters of mankind was never known, As in this place is daily to be shown; Who, for to gain some wordly vanities, Are guilty of such immoralities. The Turks and Pagans would amazed stand, To see such crimes committed in a land, As among Christians is to be found, Especially in Edinburgh doth abound. There is a rank of persons in this place That strive to run with speed a wicked race: They trample rudely on God's holy law, And of his judgment they stand not in aw; For those that are laid in their graves at rest, This wicked crew they do their dust molest. Dead corps out of their graves they steal at night, Because such actions do abhore the light. The heathen nations, for ought I read, Was never found for to molest the dead, That were their kindred, and among them born; But we to nations all may be a scorn : In that such crimes is perpetrated here, As both the living and the dead do deer. These monsters of mankind, who made the graves. To the chirurgeois became hyred slaves;