Note 9 — Chapter III
Reading edition
A ballad was written and published, soon after Hale's death, which was very popular at the time. It was evidently written by one who was not well informed as to the true history of the matter. Of his arrest the ballad says:
"Cooling shades of the night were coming apace, The tattoo had beat, the tattoo had beat, The noble one sprang from his dark lurking-place, To make his retreat, to make his retreat.
"He warily trod on the dry, rustling leaves As he passed through the wood, as he passed through the wood, And silently gained his rude launch on the shore, As she played with the flood, as she played with the flood.
"The guards of the camp on that dark, dreary night Had a murderous will, a murderous will; They took him and bore him afar from the shore, To a hut on the hill, to a hut on the hill."