The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

THE Ordinary of NEWGATE HIS ACCOUNT OF The Behaviour, Confessions, and Last Speeches of the Malefactors that were Executed at Tyburn on Wednesday the 6th of August, 1718.

AT the Sessions held at Justice-Hall in the Old-Baily, on Friday the 30th, and Saturday the 31st of May, 1718, Four Men being Try'd for, and Convicted of, diverse Capital Crimes, did accordingly receive Sentence of Death: And at the last Sessions, held at the same Place, on Wednesday and Thursday the 9th and 10th of July following, Five Persons, viz. Three Men and Two Women, then Try'd and found Guilty likewise, did receive such a Sentence: But all the four that were condemn'd in the former Sessions, and Three of the Men in this last, having obtain'd His Most Gracious MAJESTY'S Reprieve on Saturday the 2d of this instant August, Three only are now order'd for Execution.

While they lay under this Condemnation, I constantly visited them, and had them for the most part twice every Day in the Chapel of New-gate, where I read Prayer and the Word of GOD, which I expounded to them for their better understanding it, and living now according to it, by repenting truly of their Sins, and effectually amending their Lives, as it was both their indispensable Duty and Everlasting Interest to do.

And for a furtherance thereto (besides Daily Prayers, Instructions, and Exhortations) they had the benefit of many Sermons I preach'd within that time, in that Chapel, as of Course I do twice every Lord's Day throughout the Year.

Of those many Sermons which they then heard, or might have heard, I shall here give an account of these few only, whereof the Texts and Heads, with the Times of their being preach'd, follow.

On the Lord's Day the 6th of July last, I preach'd to them, both in the Forenoon and Afternoon, upon those Words of our Saviour, Mar. 1. 15. the latter part of the Verse - Repent ye, and believe the Gospel.

From which Words, first explain'd in general, and illustrated by parallel Texts, I then spoke first to the Subject of Faith, yet briefly in regard I had on the Sunday before amply treated of that: But now I more largely discours'd upon Repentance; shewing,

I. What Repentance is.

II. What are the true Grounds and first Elements of it, which we have from the very Light of Nature, viz.

1. The Being of God, with His Divine Attributes.

2. The Immortality of the Soul of Man.

3. The Remorse and Terrour of Conscience, even Natural Conscience.

4. The Fore-casts of Vengeance.

5. The Apprehension and Desire of an Atonement.

III. ult. What are the more noble and excellent Motives to Repentance, viz. The Light of the Holy Scriptures, and the gracious Preposition of the Gospel.

On all these I enlarg'd, and concluded with a short Exhortation to the Condemn'd Persons, who then were Four in number.

Again, on the Lord's Day the 13th of the said Month, when there were Five more added to that number, I preach'd to them, both in the Morning and Afternoon, on Ezek. 33. 11. Say unto them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the in the Death of the Wicked, but that the Wicked turn from his Ways, and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O House of Israel?

After a general Explanation of these Words, I spoke in particular to these Points, viz.

I. The honourable Commission given to, and the great Duty incumbent upon, God's Ministers, to preach Repentance and Remission of Sins.

II. The indispensable Obligation all Men lie under to hearken to this Preaching, and act and live accordingly.

III. ult. The transcendent Benefits and Advantages that would accrue both to Ministers and People, did they all unanimously pursue what they profess, and make their Lives the Transcript of the Doctrine they teach, and are taught.

On the Lord's Day the 20th of last July, I preach'd again to the Condemn'd Persons and others there present, both in the Morning and Afternoon, upon these Words of our Blessed Saviour, being part of the Gospel appointed for that Day, viz. Matt. 5. 20. - For I say unto you, That except your Righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

From this Text, after a general Explication of it, I shew'd particularly,

I. What the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees was.

II. What the Righteousness of Christians should be.

III. ult. What is meant by that Kingdom of Heaven, which the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees could not, and that of Christians may (through Mercy) bring them into.

On the Lord's Day the 27th of that Month, I did again preach to them, both in the Morning and Afternoon, and my Text then was Rom 8. 12, 13. Therefore, Brethren, we are Debters, not to the Flesh, to live after the Flesh. For if ye live after the Flesh, ye shall die: But if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body, ye shall live.

From which Words, first explain'd (with their Context) in general, I shew'd in particular, That therein we have these two Things chiefly laid before us, viz.

I. A Dehortation from living after the Flesh, that is, after the carnal Desires and sinful Lusts of our Corrupt Nature, which brings forth Death, even Eternal Death.

II. An Exhortation to a holy Life, acted by the divine Spirit mortifying the Deeds of the Body.

And what that Life is, and the Reward of it, I shew'd to be these,

1st, The Present State of Grace: And,

2dly, The Future State of Glory.

Again, on Friday the 1st instant, being the Anniversary Day of our Most Gracious Sovereign Lord KING GEORGE's Happy Accession to the Throne, I preach'd to them on these Words (being part of the Gospel appointed for that Solemn Day) viz. Matt. 22. 21, 22. - Then said He unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these Words, they marvelled, and left Him, and went their way.

From which Words spoken by our Blessed Saviour, in Answer to a captious Question put to him by the Pharisees Disciples and the Herodians, viz. Whether Tribute should be paid to Cesar, or not; I shew'd,

I. The Wisdom and Equity of Christ's Answer, Render unto Cesar, &c. teaching us Obedience to God and to our Governors.

II. The admirable Effect it had upon them He gave it to, which was this, That when they had heard these Words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

Having largely spoken to these, and said something upon the Occasion of this Solemn, Blessed, and Joyful Day - I did,

On the next Lord's Day, the 3d instant, in the Morning, further enlarge upon that Text.

And in the Afternoon I preach'd on Psal. 34. 14. the Words being these; Depart from Evil, and do Good: Seek Peace, and pursue it.

After I had given a large Account of the whole Psalm in general, I shew'd from the Text in particular, What it is,

I. To depart from Evil.

II. To do Good.

III. To seek Peace: And,

IV. To pursue it.

Then I concluded (as I had always done before) with particular proper Admonitions to the Condemn'd, whom I exhorted to redouble their Prayers, and be so much the more earnest and constant in them, by how much the Time of their Departure was approaching, at which they should be call'd to a strict Account for their Neglect, and all other their Faults, unless they seriously consider'd of their great Change, and made a due Preparation for it, before it was too late. In my private Examinations of them, they respectively gave me the Accounts following.

1.   Mary Price, alias   Purry Moll, condemn'd for the Murder by her committed on the Body of   Ann Bickham, a Child of about 5 Years old (as She said) on the 3d of July last. She told me, she was about 21 Years of age, born in     Longacre, in the Parish of St. Martin in the Fields: That she was sometimes a Domestick Servant in several Families, and at other times cry'd News about the Streets , for a Livelihood: That a certain Young Man, formerly a Running-Footman to a Person who lately was of the highest Quality, having made a Declaration of Love to her, and she having accepted of it, the Banns of Marriage between them were publisht at three several times in two Parish-Churches, viz. that of St. James Westminster (where the Young Man then inhabited) and in   St. Loenard Shoreditch, where herself was a Lodger at that time; but so it was, before their Marriage could be celebrated and lawfully consummated, her Suitor had carnal Knowledge of her, and then went out of England without acquainting her with his Design: But when he was come to his old Master beyond Sea, he wrote her a Letter, and then another; neither of which pleasing her, she entertain'd a new Lover, one   Simon Sheppard, Brother to the late   James Sheppard, who was executed on Monday the Seventeenth of March last. This new Lover had hardly began his Suit to her, but he must needs go to Sea , yet promis'd her at parting, That he would ever be true and faithful to her; and upon that gave her (as a Token of his Love) a plain Tobacco-box. Some time after this, it unhappily fell out that   Ann Bickham before-mention'd (Daughter to a Soldier, who for several Years past was acquainted with her Mother) having taken this Box from her, and given it to her Father, it provok'd her to a very high degree, being also set against the Child by a certain Woman formerly transported, and since return'd into England with a Sailor she married beyond Sea, and who once would have perswaded her to murder the Child, and rob her own Mother; but she was then so far from entertaining those wicked Thoughts, that she abhor'd the commission of such heinous Facts, and prevented that barbarous Woman from knocking the Child down (as she would have done at that time) with a Smoothing. I o. But for all this, the Devil at last got such Power over her, as to prompt her to the doing of that her self, which some time before appear'd so horrid to her: for, on the 3d of July last, she took away the Life of that poor Child, by strangling her with a Leather Girdle; not reflecting then upon the Enormity of such a Crime; but now considering it (upon her being shewn what a Crime that was) she seem'd to be very sensible that she deserv'd (and therefore said she was willing) to die for it. She was very ignorant, understood little of Religion, and was not very desirous of good Instruction: However, I endeavour'd to bring her into a better frame, by representing to her the Danger she was in, and how she might by Repentance and Faith, take hold of CHRIST's Merits for Salvation and Eternal Life; with which she seem'd somewhat affected.

2.   Elizabeth Cave, condemn'd for privately stealing 8. 6 d. from the Person of Mr.   Sampson Barrett, on the 6th of May last. She said, she was about 40 Years of age, born in the   Parish of St. Giles in the Fields: That when Young, she serv'd (as a Prentice) a Physick Herb-woman , but it was not long e'er she ran away from her, and took to ill Courses. She confess'd the Fact she was condemn'd for, and likewise own'd, that she had committed several others of the like nature, and done many wicked things besides, which her Conscience now reproacht her with, and she begg'd GOD's Pardon for. This she said in general, but to enter into Particulars she altogether declin'd; alleding, That she could not now remember so many things; and tho' she did, it would signifie nothing to acquaint the World with it. Upon my observing her Face to be extreamly disfigur'd, even to that degree as to have her Nose and Lips eaten up (as it were) with the foul Disease, I took notice of that to her; who did not deny but she had been a very lewd Woman, debauch'd

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