20th November 1816: "An affectionate address to the People of Leicester, on the execution of James Towle,"

The Tory Leicester Journal of 22nd November 1816 reported that a handbill titled "An affectionate address to the People of Leicester, on the execution of James Towle," was hawked around the town after James Towle was executed on Wednesday 20th November 1816 and published an 'extract' from it:

He, her noble Laws defying,
Join’d the sworn Rebellious Crew,
All in midnight ambush lying,
Dreadful deeds of Death to do:—
Oh! My friends!—while you were gazing,
Curious, on the awful spot,
When th’ appointed hand was raising
To the neck of the final knot.—
When (the last distortion hiding)
O’er his face the cap was thrown;
When the cord, impetuous gliding,
Stifled ev’ry rising groan—
When the last sad pray’r was ended,
When you heard the last Amen;
When the loosen’d plank descended—
What did CONSCIENCE tell you then?
Did she not, in sounds appalling,
Piercing through your shudd’ring heart,
Bid you ne’er, (whate’er your calling)
From the FEAR OF GOD depart?
Did she not, in tone of thunder,
Bid you dread your COUNTRY’S LAWS,
Nor burst those sacred hands asunder
Which should bind you to her Cause?—
Did she not to honest bosoms,
Whisper in her "still small voice,"
"Let each loyal, christian Briton,
In his well-tried faith Rejoice!"