The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

THE ORDINARY of NEWGATE, His ACCOUNT of the Behaviour, Confessions, and Dying Words, OF THE MALEFACTORS, Who were EXECUTED at TYBURN, On Monday the 10th of November, BEING THE Sixth EXECUTION in the MAYORALTY OF THE Rt. Hon.   Sir EDWARD BELLAMY, Knt .

Number VI. For the said YEAR.

LONDON:

Printed and Sold by   JOHN APPLEBEE, in       Bolt-Court, near the Leg-Tavern, Fleet-street. M.DCC.XXXV.

[Price Four-Pence.]

THE ORDINARY of NEWGATE, His ACCOUNT of the Behaviour, Confession, &c.

AT the King's Commission of Oyer and Terminer, and Goal-Delivery of Newgate, held (before the Rt. Hon.   Sir Edward Bellamy, Knt . Lord Mayor of the   City of London; the Rt. Honourable the the Lord chief Justice Hardwick, the Honourable Mr. Baron Commyns, the Worshipful Mr. Serjeant Urlin, Deputy Recorder of the City of London; and others his Majesty's Justices of Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London, and Justices of Goal-Delivery of Newgate, holden for the said City and County of Middlesex) at Justice-Hall, in the   Old Bailey, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, the 15th, 16th, and 17th of October, 1735, in the Ninth Year of his Majesty's Reign.

Three Men, viz   William Blackwell, alias Long-Will,   George Vaughan, and   Edward Cullen; and one Woman, viz.   Elizabeth Armstrong, were capitally Convicted by the Jury, and received Sentence of Death.

They having been grosly Ignorant, not one of them, excepting Mr. Vaughan, who was a good Scholar, understanding either to Read or Write, and wholly corrupted in their Morals, sunk in Sin and Vice; I instructed them in the first Principles of Religion, that God is a Glorious Being, infinite in all his Perfections, in his Power, Goodness, Holiness, Mercy, and all his other Attributes, and although God's Mercy is over all his Works, yet I desired them to take special Notice of his Justice, which

is still ready to take Vengeance of his Adversaries: For, he hath declar'd Himself to be the Lord, the Lord God, Merciful and Gracious, Long-Suffering, and Patient, slow to Wrath, plentious in Redemption and Mercy, abounding in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for Thousands, forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sin, and that will by no means clear the Guilty, &c. Though Hand join in Hand, yet Sin and Sinners shall not pass Unpunished. I exhorted them to reflect upon the evil of their way's how disagreeable their Lives had been to the pure and holy Nature of Almighty God, and what every Sin deserved, God's Wrath and Curse, both in this Life, and that which is to come; and therefore under what absolute Necessity they were, to fly from the Wrath that is to come, to consider the evil of their ways and doings, to lay hold upon eternal Life, and to turn their Feet to God's Testimonies. And since all Men have sinned and come short of the Glory of God, For there is none that doeth Good, no not one, and it is impossible for Frail, Sinful, Humane Nature, to attone the incensed Justice of God the Father. I show'd them the Remedy provided for Sin, even our Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of the Father, whom God had set forth to be a Propitiation for Sin, through the Blood of his Cross.

Then I exhorted them to comply with the Terms of the Gospel, and to fall in Love with the Laws of Jesus Christ, since all Wisdoms ways are ways of Pleasantness, and all her Paths are Peace. &c.

  Elizabeth Armstrong, condemn'd for Murther, to her I represented the Heinousness and Wickedness of that horrid Crime, as proceeding from a savageness and cruelty of Mind, unbecoming the Nature of Man, that he is not allowed to use even to his Beast; how Intolerable is it then to those, that are of the same Nature, and which is more, are heirs of the same eternal Hopes.

One cannot be excused by saying, what he has done was only in return of some Injury offered him by the other, for supposing he hath received some considerable Wrong, yet cannot he be his own Revenger, without injury to that Man, who is not by being thine Enemy, become thy Vassal or Slave, to do to him what thou list; thou hast not the more right of Dominion over him, because he hath done thee Wrong, and therefore if thou hadst no Power over his Body before, 'tis certain thou hast none now, and therefore thou art not only uncharitable (which were Sin enough to damn thee) but unjust in every Act of Violence thou doest him.

This injustice ascends yet higher, even to God himself, who hath reserved Vengeance as his own peculiar Right. Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord, Rom. 12, 19 And then he that will act Revenge for himself, what does he, but Incroach upon this special right and prerogative

of God, snatch the Sword as it were out of his Hand, as if he knew better how to weild it? which is at once a Robbery and Contempt of the divine Majesty.

I explained to them the evil of Theft and Robbery, how detrimental it is to human Society in general, and pernicious in its Consequences, to those who are addicted to that black Vi.

They having been too much addicted to Uncleanness. I shew'd them, that God discharges this Sin even in the lowest Degree, our Saviour acquainting us, that unchast Looks are criminal before God, and the Apostle St. Paul forbiding any corrupt Communication to proceed out of our Mouths, and these who practice this Sin, are brutish in their Desires, being in this excell'd by the Goat; in the Effects, in brings Diseases and Rottenness upon the Body, and Destruction upon Kingdoms and Nations, as upon Sodom and Gomorra; Incest cost Amnon his Life, and Zimri and Cozbi were slain in the very Act of Uncleanness; and lastly, this Sin excludes Men from the Kingdom of Heaven, wherein no unclean Thing can enter.

They having fallen from a State of Grace and Godliness, I exhorted them to renew themselves by a sincere Repentance and Resolution after new Obedience, and in Evidence thereof, to partake in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, wherein all the Blessings of the new Covenant are ensur'd to every true Believer.

When they were thus instructed, all of them behav'd gravely and devoutly in Chapel.   William Blackwell a good Part of the Time was very sick, but always very desirous of Prayers & Exhortations. Mr. Vaughan also fell ill of a Fever, and was dangerously ill, but behaved well both in publick and private.

Upon Thursday the 6th of November, Report was made to his Majesty in Council, of the four Malefactors lying under Sentence of Death in Newgate; when   George Vaughan, for assaulting   William Stamper on the Highyay, and robbing him of a gold Ring set with a Stone, a silver Watch, a pair of silver Buckles, a Hat, a Wig, two Guineas, and two Shillings and six Pence, May the 13th; and   Edward Cullen, for breaking and entering the House of   Margaret Yates, in   Covent-Garden, and stealing nine silver Spoons, and six silver Tea spoons, the Goods of   Margaret Yates; three silver Spoons, two silver Salts, and one silver salt-spoon, the Goods of   John Warren, Esq; and two pair of laced shoes, and two pair of Silk Stockings, the Goods of Elizabeth

  Tostick; and a Sword, the Property of a Person unknown, October the 13th, in the Night; received his Majesty's most gracious Reprieve. The other two, viz.   William Blackwell, alias Long Will, and   Elizabeth Armstrong, were ordered for Execution.

  William Blackwell, alias Long Will, was indicted for breaking and entering the House of   James Des Romains, Esq ; in   Paddington, and stealing a gold Watch, a silver Snuff-box, three gold Rings set with Stones, one gold mourning Ring, thirteen silver Spoons, twelve silver Forks, seven knives with silver Handles, one silver Soop-Ladle, four silver Salts, eight silver Tea-spoons, two Pistols mounted with Silver and Steel, one silver Hilted Sword, one silk Damask Night-gown, twenty Holland Shirts, six Holland Sheets, fifty-two Guineas, and seventeen Shillings, the Goods and Money of James Des Romains, Esq; and four silk Damask Gowns, three silk Petticoats, ten Holland Shifts, four Suits of laced Headcloaths, one Cloth Cloak, and one silver Buckle set with Bristol Stones, the Goods of   Ann Des Romains, Spinster , October the 25th, 1733, in the Night.

I.   William Blackwell, alias Long Will, 40 Years of Age, born in   St. Giles's Parish, of mean Parents, who gave him little or no Education, which although he had got, was not willing to receive, being of vicious and Dispositions, and an avow'd Enemy to every Thing that's Good and Virtuous. He was of no Trade, but serv'd as an Hostler in several Inns in   Holbourn, and the other End of the Town, and at other Times he attended the Markets, and dealt in Rabbits, Geese, Turkeys, and other Fowls. He married, and had some Children, two of whom are living; but the Wife died many Years ago. He listed in the second Regimelt of Guards, with whom he serv'd so Years; but neglecting his Duty, falling Sick, they discharg'd him; and some Time after, he took on in the first Regiment of Guards , with whom he serv'd, 'till such Time as he met with Brown, Whitlock, and   Ralph Mitchel, the Evidence against the other three, with whom he agreed to Rob the King's Jeweller, Mr. Sherrack, at   Paddington; but finding it unsafe, because of an Iron Grate in the Door to look through, upon which all the four condescended to go to Colonel Des Romaine's, in the same Town, whither they went immediately, and where they succeeded according to their Wishes: For on the 25th of October, 1733, about 8 o'Clock at Night, Brown, Whitlock, Blackwell, and Mitchell the Evidence, knock'd at the Colonel's Door, who being in the lower Parlour, and the Maid not coming up in Time, open'd the Door, and Mitchell thrusting his Foot be

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