John Bartendale, the Piper
In the reign of King Charles I, a poor piper named John Bartendale was convicted of felony and executed in 1634. After hanging for three-quarters of an hour, he was presumed dead, cut down, and buried near the execution site. However, due to improper hanging and burial, he was not truly dead. Later that day, a gentleman named Mr. Vavasour, riding by, noticed movement in the earth and discovered Bartendale alive. After being rescued, he was taken back to York Castle, despite the oddity of returning him to prison after his resurrection. At the next Assizes, a legal debate arose regarding whether Bartendale could be executed again, given that he had already been declared dead. Mr. Vavasour advocated for his release, and public sympathy grew in Bartendale's favor. The judge, recognizing a divine intervention, granted him a full pardon, stating that it was not right to reverse what seemed to be an act of Providence. Following his pardon, Bartendale became a hostler and lived a respectable life. He recounted his experience of hanging, describing flashes of fire and subsequent darkness before losing consciousness. His story became a local legend, illustrating themes of mercy, justice, and the miraculous.
By Sabine Baring-Gould · First published 1892 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure · 867 words
First lines
In the reign of King Charles I. a strolling musician, a poor piper, named John Bartendale, was brought, in 1634, before the Assizes, and was convicted of felony.
He received sentence, and on March 27th was hung on the gallows, outside Micklegate Bar, York. There were no houses there at that time -- it was open country. After he had remained swinging for three-quarters of an hour, and was to all appearance dead, he was cut down, and buried near the place of execution. The officers of justice had accomplished their work carelessly in both particulars, as it afterwards transpired, for he had been neither properly hung nor properly buried.
What this Textopian page supports
John Bartendale, the Piper is listed on Textopian as a short story by Sabine Baring-Gould, dated 1892 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Sabine Baring-Gould
- Date: 1892 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Drama, Literary Fiction
- Length: 867 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for John Bartendale, the Piper by Sabine Baring-Gould
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The narrative is set in a specific historical context, focusing on events during the reign of King Charles I.
- Fantasy — The resurrection of John Bartendale after being hanged introduces elements of the supernatural.
- Adventure — The story involves the journey of the protagonist from execution to resurrection and subsequent life changes.
- Drama — The emotional and moral dilemmas faced by characters, particularly regarding justice and mercy, are central to the plot.
Tags
historical fiction · resurrection · King Charles I · 17th century · York · piper · felony · execution · gallows · mercy · justice · pardon