The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

THE ORDINARY of NEWGATE'S ACCOUNT of the Behaviour, Confession, and Dying Words, Of the SIXTEEN MALEFACTORS Who were executed at TYBURN On Monday the 23d of MARCH, 1752.

BEING THE Third EXECUTION in the MAYORALTY OF THE Rt. Honble   Thomas Winterbottom, Esq ; LORD-MAYOR of the CITY of LONDON .

NUMBER III. for the said YEAR.

LONDON:

Printed for, and sold by T. PARKER, in Jewin-street, and C. CORBETT, over-against St. Dunstan's Church, in Fleet-street, the only authorised Printers of the Dying Speeches.

M.DCC.LII.

[Price Six-pence.]

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

BY Virtue of the King's Commission of the Peace, OYER and TERMINER, and Gaol-Delivery of Newgate, held before the Rt. Hon.   THOMAS WINTERBOTTOM, Esq ; Lord-Mayor of the City of London , the Lord Chief-Baron PARKER, Sir   MICHAEL FORESTER, Knt. Sir   THOMAS BIRCH, Knt.   RICHARD ADAMS, Esq , Recorder , and others of his Majesty's Justices of OYER and TERMINER, for the City of London, and Justices of Gaol-Delivery of Newgate, holden for the said City, and County of Middlesex, at Justice-Hall in the Old-Bailey, on Thursday the 16th, Friday the 17th, Saturday the 18th, and Monday the 20th of January, in the twenty-fifth Year of his Majesty's Reign,   SAMUEL HILL,   WILLIAM BAILEYS,   MICHAEL MAC GENNIS, and   JOSEPH SAUNDERS, were capitally convicted, and received Sentence of Death accordingly.

By Virtue of the King's Commission, &c. held before the Right Hon.   THOMAS WINTERBOTTOM, Esq ; Lord-Mayor, of the City of London , Sir   MARTIN WRIGHT, Mr. Justice GUNDRY, Mr. Baron SMYTHE,   RICHARD ADAMS, Esq ; Recorder , and others of his Majesty's Justices, &c, on Wednesday the 19th, Thursday the 20th, Friday the 21st, Saturday the 22d, Monday the 24th, Tuesday the 25th, and Wednesday the 26th of February, in the twenty-fifth Year of his Majesty's Reign,   JAMES HAYES,   RICHARD BROUGHTON, otherwise  BRANTON,   JAMES DAVIS,   JOHN POWNEY,   JOHN ANDREWS,   ANN WALSAM,   MARY GILLFOY,   WILLIAM GIRDLER,  ANTHONY DE ROSA,   JOSEPH GERALDINE,   THOMAS HUDDLE,

  BERNARD AGNEW,   THOMAS FOX, and   THOMAS GALE, were capitally convicted, and received Sentence of Death accordingly.   ANN LEWIS was convicted, but Judgment was respited by the Court.

Mac Gennis, Hayes, Broughton, Gillfoy, and Davis were bred so, and Agnew and Fox were persuaded to be Roman Catholicks , and were attended by a Person in that Persuasion, as has been the Custom. As to the rest of the unhappy Convicts, they very regularly attended the Service of the Chapel, and were seldom, if ever absent, unless prevented by inevitable Sickness. When they were present, their Deportment was quiet and decent.

On Wednesday the 18th Instant, the Report of 17 Malefactors was made by Mr. Recorder to his Majesty in Council; when his Majesty was pleased to order   Samuel Hill,   Michael Mac Gennis,   James Hayes,   Richard Broughton,   James Davis,   John Powney,   John Andrews,   Ann Walsam,   Mary Gillfoy,   William Girdler,   Anthony de Rosa,   Joseph Geraldine,   Thomas Huddle,   Bernard Agnew,   Thomas Fox, and   Thomas Gale, for Execution, on Monday the twenty-third instant.

  Baileys died under Conviction , and   Joseph Saunders was respited till his Majesty's Pleasure should be further made known.

1.   Samuel Hill, was indicted for the wilfull Murder of   Susannah Crabtree. He also stood indicted on the Coroner's Inquest, for the said Murder, December 27.

2.   Michael Mac Gennis, was indicted for the wilfull Murder of   Richard Sheers, November 11.

3, 4.  James Hayes, and   Richard Broughton, otherwise   Branham, were indicted, for that they on the King's Highway, on   Robert Bug, did make an Assault, putting him in corporal Fear, and Danger of his Life, one Penknife, Value 2 d. and 7 s. in Money, from his Person did steal, &c. December the 18th.

5.   James Davis, was indicted, for that he on the King's Highway, on   Elizabeth, Wife of   Francis Manning, did make an Assault, one Linnen Handkerchief, one Linnen Apron, and 13 d. in Money, the Property of the said Francis, from her Person did take July the 29th.

6.   John Powney, was indicted, for that he on the 12th of February, about the Hour of Two in the Night, the Dwelling-house of   John Downes, did break and enter, and stole 3 Table-spoons, Value 30 s. 1 Silver Half-pint Mug, 1 Silver Milk-pot, 5 Silver Tea-spoons, a Pair of Tea-tongs, a Pair of Silver Shoe-Buckles, a Pair of Silk-Garters, and two Linnen Waistcoats, the Goods of the said John.

7, 8, 9.   Bernard Agnew,   Thomas Fox, and   Thomas Gale, were indicted, for that they on the 4th of January, did utter, and publish as a true, a certain false forged Promissary Note of Hand, for the Payment of 25 l. 4 s. with Intent to defraud   Elizabeth Agnew, Widow .

10.  William Girdler, was indicted, for that he on the King's Highway, on   William Roberts, did make an Assault, putting him in corporal Fear and Danger of his Life, and 15 s. from his Person, and against his Will did steal, &c. January 17th.

11.  John Andrews, was indicted, for Forging a certain Acquittance for the Sum of 14 l. 10 s. 10 d. and for uttering it with Intent to defraud, July the 12th.

12.   Mary, the Wife of   Thomas Gillfoy, was indicted, for that she in the Dwelling-house of the said   Thomas Gillfoy, upon   George Kemp , did make an Assault, putting him in corporal Fear and Danger of his Life, and stealing from his Person 1 Guinea, January 27th.

13, 14.   Ann Walsam, was indicted, for the Murder of   Ann Ellard, by fastening a Piece of List about her Neck, whereby she was strangled.

14.   Joseph Geraldine, was indicted, for the wilfull Murder of   Christopher Albenico, January 27th. He stood also indicted on the Coroner's Inquest, for the said Murder.

15.  Anthony de Rosa, was indicted, for that he, together with one   William Fullager, did wilfully Murder   William Fargues, June the 11th, 1751.

16.   Thomas Huddle, otherwise   Hodle, was indicted, for returning from Transportation.

1. I   Samuel Hill, aged 42, was born in the Parish of     Penkridge in Staffordshire, of honest Parents, who brought me up to be a Shoemaker . Being of a wild Disposition when my Father died, I came up to   London to a Brother and Sister I had then living in Town, with whom I lived one Year; then having an Aunt at     Hawkhurst in Kent, I went down to her, and there worked at my Trade, having my Board with her, till she died. In her Will she left me 50 l. and having saved 20 l. of my own, I then married, and setting up in my Trade, had very good Business, and worked for a great Number of Smuggler s. About this Time Trip, alias   James Stampford, came to live with me, and got me a great deal of Business in   France and   Holland, and I had my Money duly returned for some Time; but after a while, they would have me take up Tea, &c. which I consented to; and here was the Beginning of all my Misfortunes. I then entered into their Companies, or Gangs, and we were in all about 26 of us.

One Time when we were working Goods at   Ledripe, being told that the Officers and Soldiers were coming to us, we mounted our Horses, and met them; upon which, the Officers bid the Soldiers fire at us. They did so, and we shot at them again, and killed four or five of their Horses, and wounded two of their Men: Then they fired at us again, and shot five of our Horses, and wounded four of us; and I was wounded through the Knee: However, we took them all Prisoners, and saved our Goods.

After this, I went to   Boulogne in the Cutter, and was there cured of my Wound. I then came Home, and about three Weeks after we went to land some Goods, and met with the Officers and Soldiers again; at which Time we had three Horses shot, and I and another were taken Prisoners, and committed to   Horsham Jail. We were confined there seven Months, and the Night after I got my Liberty I came to   London, with several others, and riding into an Inn in the   Borough, we were beset by an Exciseman, and four other Men. One of our Company was taken by them, but the other shot the Exciseman in the Thigh; and then we knocked them all down, and got clear off with our Goods.

About six Weeks after we went to   Barckhill, 100 Men of us, to one Mr. Bailey's, a Riding-Officer's House, and broke every Thing in it, because he had broke his Trust with us. About three Days after we went to land some Goods at   Sandwich Castle, where Mr. Bailey came with the Soldiers, who fired at us, and killed one of our Company, as we were getting the Goods out of the Boat; so we took to our Horses, and rode away, and lost our Goods. About ten Days after, we were landing our Goods at   Dinchurch, we heard that Mr. Bailey, and three more Officers, with Soldiers, were coming; so we got on our Horses, and met them. They fired at us, and wounded two of our Men; and we fired at them, and shot three of their Horses, and rid up to them. The Officers bid theSoldiers strike, but we took their Arms from them, and went with them to the Crown at   Bromley, where Mr. Bailey was used very ill, and we made the Soldiers all drunk. Then we left four Men with them, and went and got our Goods off safe. After this I left off, and never went a smuggling more. This was in the Year 1745, and I was then worth 400 l.

Some Time after this,   Jerry Curtis, and his Company, coming up to   London, (of which I was one at that Time) met Bolton and Jones, whom they took, and brought to my House in   Hawkhurst, where all the Smugglers in the Country came, and held a Consultation what to do with them; when it was concluded to send them to France, and make Galley-Slaves of them. We had a Play at Hawkhurst at that Time, with which we entertained them for ten Nights following, and then took them down to the Sea-Side; but Garland, Master of a Cutter, would not take them on Board, because we had made a Shew of them; so we took them back to Hawkhurst, and beat them, and let them go to London again.

When this was done, several of this Gang went to Horsemandan Fair, and meeting with a Serjeant, beating up for Volunteers, they took his Halbert from him; and some of the Company cut the Calves of his Legs off, broiled them, and eat them. This they told me a while after, when I carried in a Bill to the Chiefs for Boots and Shoes they had had of me, to carry over the Water. Afterwards they came to my House, and robbed me of 150 l. and almost killed me, and then fled the Country. This was done by   Arthur Grey, &c. whose Brother,   William Grey, promised to repay me what his Brother robb'd me off, but never did; and the Men of the Gang had Boots and Shoes of me, for which I never was paid to this Day. I lent several of them Money, which I never had again; and I found I was going to Ruin. I acquainted my Sister in London how Things went with me, and she sent for me, and I came again to Town, in 1746, and had very good Business.

I had been in   London but a short Time, when the Small Pox got into my Family, and carried off three Children in about a Week's Time, which almost broke my Heart; however, I got over this, and, soon after, hearing   Jerry Curtis was in   Newgate, I went to see him. He was very glad to see me, and said, he should die if he could not get out, and desired I would come to him every Day; but I went no more for a Week, and then I went to him again, and he told me, that he did design to break out, and would give me 100 l. if I would assist him. I told him I would, and there was one   Thomas Tennet, a Lifeguard-man , with him, who said, he would do the same; so he went to one   Abraham Walter, who told us, it was very proper to have Men out of the Country. We sent for   Thomas Border,   Thomas Dixon,   John Heath, and   Peter Tinknell; and the Night was fixed, which was on a Wednesday. I went to Jerry the Tuesday before, and he told me he must break out that Night, and that the two Bibbies desired it might be that Night, and said, if they did not do it then, they never should. He desired me to go to Mr. Tennet, and get what Men we could; but I could get No-body to come. Jerry told me the Bibbies had Friends to come to them; but I said, We'll have no Concern with them; and was a little jealous, as they knew nothing of us, nor we of them. A little after Twelve that Night I went into   Phoenix Court, but seeing No-body, came out again. A little before One o'Clock I heard Irons rattle, and met   Tom Bibbie coming out of the Court: I asked him where Jerry was, but he swore he would shoot me if I did not keep off; then I met   Will Bibbie, and he swore the same. A little after, before Two o'Clock, I went again into the Court, where I found Jerry lying on the Ground, for he had fallen down, and bruised himself, and lost a deal of Blood: So Mr. Tennet helped him

on my Back, and I carried him to Mr. Tennet's near   St. James's Market; for which Jerry was so ungrateful as never to give me one Farthing.

I never came to   Newgate again till I heard   William Graywas there, and then I went to see him: He made very much of me, and gave me a Guinea, and desired me to come next Day. I did so, and he told me he was going to break out, and had sent for Men, &c. out of the Country; and said, he would not serve me as Jerry did, but would give me 100 l. and that would make up my Loss, that his Brother,   Arthur Gray, and   Samuel Hatten had robbed me of. I told him I would do what lay in my Power to save his Life.   Thomas Border was there at that Time, and said they should all be in Town next Night; and accordingly,   Thomas Border,   Thomas Potter,   John Brown,   Lawrence Kemp,  William Benney, and   Edward Price, came to Town, and we all met. Border and I came to Newgate, and it was agreed Border should put Mr. Wood into the Press-Yard when I come out; but Border sent   Tom Potter and   Lawrence Kemp, and bid them knock Mr. Wood down, and so they did; and then they all ran away, except   Laurence Kemp.   William Grey,   Thomas Kemp,   Laurence Kemp , and I, ran thro'   Newgate-Market, and down to the   Water-Side. We crossed the Water, and so, going over   St. George's Fields, came to Baker Jack's. There we all took Horse, and went to   Hawkhurst, and from thence to   Linvelstokes, where we met with many more Smugglers.   William Grey then told me he had no Money, but he would send for an Hundred Weight of Tea for me; but I never had it. They then resolved to shoot all the People that were raised as Militia Men, to oppose and take them; which I not liking to be concerned in, told   Will Grey I would return to   London. He then told me, he would send me 50 l. in a short Time, by   Robert Dunk but I never heard more of him till he was retaken, and brought back to   Newgate. I then sent to him, and he promised, if I would come to him, he would pay me what he promised; but I was afraid to go near him again, and so never saw him more, nor had a Shilling from him.

Some Time after this, I heard that Border had made himself an Evidence, and that he had taken several Smugglers, then I left off Business, and went to     Bromley in Kent, where I was taken, and brought to the   New Goal,   Southwark . I remained there 23 Weeks, and was then turned out; from whence I went directly to   Poplar to Lodge with Mrs. Crabtree, and followed my Business. I made some Shoes for a Man who was going to Sea, who having no Money to pay me for them, told me I should have a Suit of Cloaths, which she had in the House belonging to him. When he was going away, he told her of it, but she would not let them go, unless he paid her the Money he owed her. Soon after he went to Sea, without paying her, and she detained the Cloaths. I was thinking to go Abroad, and wanted my Cloathes, and it came into my Head that I would have them. The unhappy Mornning I murdered her, I got up between Five and Six o'Clock. When I came down Stairs, I found her lying on the Floor, a Sleep, as she used frequently to do, upon which I first tied her Legs, and then put my Hand into her Pocket to take out the Key of her Chamber-Door, when she awaked, cry'd, Who his there? I said, I would have Coker's Suit of Cloaths, but she said I should not, I went to tie a Towel over her Face, and she asked me, if I was going to murder her, I said no, I would not hurt a Hair of her Head, but I would have the Cloathes, and she said, No, no, and cried out. I then put my Hand to her Mouth, and tying the Cord round her Neck, throttled her for the Space of two Minutes, till I found she lay still. Then I let her go; and having robbed the House, went off immediately to the   Waterside, and took a Boat, and went up to   Billingsgate, in order to go down the River in one of the Gravesend Boats. Wehad got down below   Woolwich very safe, and I was in Hopes to have got over to   Holland, to   Jerry Curtis, who had sent for me; and my Design was such. But Providence interposed to punish me, and so ordered it, that I was overtaken. The Waterman, with whom I went up to   Billingsgate, betrayed me, to whom I had given my old Hat, which was known by the Neighbours, having bought a new one. The Method by which he was taken was as follows. The Neighbours being alarmed at the Murder, suspected him to be the Person, who had done it, and after some Time, were confirmed in their Suspicions by the Waterman, who shewed the Hat   William Hill had given him, and some People present knew to have been Hill's. The resolved to pursue the Murderer, and accordingly took a Boat, and made what they call a Galley, and overtook the Gravesend Boats. They passed them all, till they come to the first, in which was Hill. They took him out into their own Boat, and he immediately owned what he had done; and said he desired to die for it, and when brought before the Justice, he confess'd the Fact. His Behaviour has been serious and quiet since convicted; and he always attended Divine Service, but when hindered by Illness. He said he freely gave up his wicked Life, and had no Hopes but in Jesus's Merits. And indeed, he shewed a good deal of Resignment; for though he had been instrumental in helping others to escape formerly, yet being invited to a Thing of that kind by Broughton and Hayes, immediately after their Conviction, he refus'd to be concerned, and the Design was baffled for that Time. He acknowledged himself to have been a vile Wretch in his Life Time, but behaved all the Time of his being under Conviction, and to the last, with very serious Deportment; and to all Appearance being very penitent, desired rather to die than live in this World.

2.   Ann Walsam, aged 26, was born near   Manchester, in the   County of Lancaster, of Parents, that lived in a reputable Way, and gave her such an Education as was sufficient to have procured her a comfortable Subsistance, had it not been for her own natural Passions, being very hasty, and not easy of Controul. Her Father dying when she was young, and her Mother and she not agreeing very well afterwards, occasioned her to go   Abroad to Service ; and she lived, as she said, in several good Families in those Parts before she forlook her own Country.

'Twas purely owing to her own roving Fancy, as she said, and only for the Sake of Novelty, and to see other Places, that she left her native Country, for that she might have done very well there, and lived very well among her Friends and Relations.

But about nine Years ago she came to   London, and got into several Services about Town. About three Years afterwards, however, she married a Hog Butcher, with whom she lived very comfortably, and had Children by him. He was in good Business, and provided for his Family very well, and they lived respected by their Neighbours in   Noble-street, near     St. Luke's Church in Old-street.

Her Husband, she says, was so violently tormented with the Tooth-ach, that some Time last Summer, he had one drawn; upon which having catched Cold, and not taking due Care of himself in Time, he became delirious, and died raving mad. She told a long Story about it, but not worth relating; so we shall pass that over in Silence, and come to what happened after, which is more immediately relative to her.

She was left in no great Circumstances, we may imagine, though with but only one Child. This being very young, she put it out to Nurse, and went out herself a nurse-keeping , where she had three half Crowns a Week for a Month, and half a Guinea Perquisites besides. After she left this Place, she went to her former Lodgings, and took her Child home. The Money she got as before, wasted some how or other, and

she owns she was not very frugal of it. Then she began to think of putting the Child upon the Parish, and accordingly made Application to the Church-Wardens, but was refused, being told that a Woman of her Years and Strength was obliged by Law to maintain at least one Child, and that if they took the Child, she must deliver up her Goods, and she had better keep them, and strive what she could do to maintain it herself. This however she did not approve of, but was obliged to comply, and the Wickedness of her Disposition was such, that from that Time she determined to destroy her own poor Babe. In pursuance of this barbarous Resolution, she first gave it a strong Dose of Physick, but that had not the intended Effect. She next exposed it upon a Table, under a Window, which she left open, when it rained very hard, thinking that would dispatch it, being but a tender Infant about four or five Months old. But even that Project did not succeed; and she was afterwards so barbarous, as with her own Hands to strangle it in Bed, by stopping its Breath at its Nose, Mouth, and Ears. The Searchers of the Parish came to look into the Cause of the Child's Death, in order to its Burial; and ignorantly declaring it died of Convulsions, as she had told them, the Child was buried forthwith. For a Fortnight after, she says she had not the least Remorse of Conscience; but her own Reflection recoiling upon her then, she was almost driven mad at the Sense of it, and then would have destroyed herself. She says, she once threw herself into the   New River, but was taken out; and after a Month's Illness in Consequence thereof, (which cost her all that she had) she made a second Attempt to lay violent Hands on herself, by hanging herself in her own Garters; but in this wicked Purpose she was also defeated. She then was persuaded, upon Reflection, not to lay violent Hands on herself, but however resolved to do something for which she might be cut off by the Laws of the Land.

After some Time, being left alone with the poor Child (for murdering whom she was convicted upon pleading guilty) she resolved upon its Death She asked the Child, as it lay in Bed, if it was willing to die; and upon its saying no, Walsam replied, but you shall. And accordingly tied a List about the Child's Neck, with which she strangled it.

She says, however, that the Child had a Necklace on, which might help to do it's Business the sooner; but this she did not make use of in mitigation of the Crime, which she owned in all its aggravated Circumstances, and that she very deservedly met with her Fate; and worse would be no more than her due.

She was taken very ill after Conviction, and behaved very much like one that was mad. She had Intervals; sometimes was in great hurry of Spirits, and at others very calm. She had Reason indeed sufficient to be disquieted in Mind, from a Reflection of what she had done. Whether the Perplexities, which arose in her Breast, proceeded from Madness, or Reflection I won't pretend to determine, but I've Reason to think, 'twas sometimes one, and sometimes the other. In the Morning before she went to Execution, she was very calm, and sedate; but, before she dyed, appeared like one perfectly distracted.

3.   John Poney, aged 29, was born at     Isleworth, in the County of Middlesex, of honest Parents, who rented a small Farm in the Parish, and in order to bring up a large Family, the Father also went out, as he had Opportunity, to Day Labour in the Husbandry Way, to which employ also he bred up this unhappy Youth. He seemed to be of a mild Disposition, and behaved very quietly; but having been inveighled into the Company of loose Women, to support this Extravagance with them, he was induced to commit the Fact for which he suffered, or otherwise, he says, he might have lived very comfortably by the Labour of his Hands.

Being bred in the Country, and oftenemploy'd in taking care of Horses , he became fond of that Service; whereupon he commenced Hostler , in which Capacity he lived in several Inns in and about the Town, and was looked upon as a very handy, and useful Servant. But the Company he kept as above put him to his Shifts, tho' he protested that he had never been guilty of any Thing of the like Nature before. Having left his Master's Service in January, and afterwards living in Idleness , and Debauchery, what little Money he had gotten in Service was soon squandered away, and wanting more to support his Extravagance, he thought of this Expedient to supply his Necessities.

He says, he had heard that his late Master was gone abroad, whose House he was very well acquainted with, and thought it a proper Opportunity on that Night, (the 12th of February) as there might be less Danger of being taken, when there were only Women lay in the House, to rob it. In order to effect which Purpose, he says, he got upon the top of a Stable by a Ladder, and from thence to the Top of the House which he broke open, and so went along by the Gutter, and went in at the Window. Then he went down Stairs into the Kitchen, and lighting a Candle, (the Fire nor being quite out) he went up Stairs, and broke open a Buroe with a Chizzel, took the Things as in the Indictment, when he had done, he opened the Street Door, and went out.

4.   Anthony de Rosa, aged 28, was born in the   Island of Bermudas: His Father being an Englishman born, tho' of Portuguese Extraction, and trading to those Island, married a Portuguese Woman, who lived there; and the First-born of that Marriage was this unhappy young Man. He was bred to the Sea , as soon as he was capable of being of any Use on Board, and sailed some Years under his Father, who was, for several Years, Master of one Vessel or other in the Mediterranean; and being accustomed to the Westward Trade, continued in that Employ till his Father died.

When asked how he supported himself afterwards, he made no other Reply than this, namely, that he was a Man who worked hard for his Bread: But there is great Reason to think the contrary, as the Accomplice and Evidence against him informed the Court, that they had been concerned together in Forgeries , and receiving other People's Money, by Sailors Wills and Powers, &c. Besides, another Person, who wanted to see and speak with him before he recovered from the Condition in which he appeared upon his Trial, declared he had known him guilty of several Things of this Kind; and that, had he not been taken and tried for this barbarous Murder, several Prosecutions were entered against him upon that Account. To this he himself added some corroborating Circumstances, and owned (tho' he would not say any Thing to lay Imputation upon himself) that the Evidence and Fullager had endeavoured to draw him into divers Villainies of that Sort, but that he refused to be concerned; so that his Way of Life being uncertain for some Time past, the above Circumstances give Room sufficient to presume, that he was one of that great Number of wicked Men, who, by their Artifices, daily cheat the true Executors of poor Seamen, who have ventured their Lives (if not lost them) in getting that little Money which is thus villainously kept from the right Owners thereof. He own'd, in the general, that he had been a very wicked Man, and deserved whatever Punishment should be thought proper to be inflicted upon him.

For a Week, or ten Days after Conviction, he continued in the same senseless Condition he appeared in when he was tried. The first Time I found him capable of understanding and speaking, I applied to him to make Confession of this barbarous Fact; assuring him, by all the Arguments I was Master of, that to die with a Lie in his Mouth would be an absolute Bar to his future Happiness, and that he could never conceive in his Mind any Hopes of Salvation, unless hehad Grace enough to own such a Fact, if he was guilty of it, as had brought on him the Odium of all Mankind, the Cesure of the Laws, and the Wrath and Displeasure of the Almighty. His Answer was for this Time, I am as innocent as the Child unborn; and he repeated some other Words to the same Purpose.

The next Time I talked to him, I gave him to understand, that, to deny the Truth, and persist in it, was flying in the Face of God; and that if he so left the World, eternal Damnation must be his Doom. To which he replied, after some Hesitation: Sir, Would you have me own myself to be guilty of what I know no more of than you do? I know, if I be guilty, and deny it, I must send my Soul to the Bottom of Hell; which I hope I know better than to do. And in all our Talk, which was chiefly to this Purpose, he persisted to deny that he knew any Thing of the Murder; saying, You will hear in Time, that poor Rosa's Life was sworn away wrongfully. Besides all this, other Protestant Clergymen talked to him upon this Affair; but notwithstanding all the Arguments and Persuasions they made use of, he still continued to declare his Innocence to them also.

Tho' to refuse to give Credit to a Person in this unhappy Situation, upon the Verge of Death, seems somewhat hard and uncharitable; yet, when we come to consider the Nature of the Evidence against him, which was so strong, and well-connected, that we cannot but believe him guilty. If so, how miserably must he have deceived himself! But God only knows the Certainty of the Matter.

The Testimony of the Evidence is supported by his Landlady, who swore, that   Anthony de Rosa came that Night, and call'd him; and that they went together that Night; and the next Morning she heard of the Murder of poor Mr. Fargues. And as to the Knife found upon him when taken, he own'd that he gave it to a Coachman, and had it again of his Daughter after his Death: But whether he gave it to the Coachman before or after the Murder of Fargues, is uncertain; for he would give me no positive Answer to that Particular. But as this Knife tallied so nearly with the Holes made in the Coat, and Waist-coat, and Body of Fargues, as near as could be expected; it seems (tho' inanimate) to cry out loudly against him for Vengeance for Mr. Fargues's Blood, besides several other concurring Circumstances, However, the Fact he would not own, tho' called upon and persuaded by several People; and when at last, I begged of him to tell the Truth, before he was deprived of the Power of Speech, he declared immediately before he suffered, that he knew nothing of the Matter.

5.   Joseph Geraldine, aged 33, was born in   Italy, of a good Family, and being bred up in a Convent, had a very good Education, and was ordained a Priest , after the Manner and Form of the Church of Rome. For what Cause he left his own Country, I can give no particular Account any other than I have been informed by his Friends, that 'twas from a desire of Liberty, and to have a more extensive Knowledge of the World, and the Christian Religion: That he renounced the Errors of the Church of Rome first at   Genoa, and afterwards at   Holland; from whence he came to   England, where he did the same; tho' not in that formal Manner, as Abroad, yet by this constant publick Profession and Practice, according to the Testimony given of him upon his Tryal. He was convicted of the Murder for which he suffered, very justly, which himself owns in all its aggrivating Circumstances. There was for sometime after this Conviction, a mighty Tryal, whether he should dye a Roman Catholick or a Protestant: And tho' he declared himself a Protestant on his Tryal, and excepted against Gentlemen of the Foreign Jury, supposing them to be Roman Catholicks; yet the Gentleman who generally attends Roman Catholicks in this unhappy Situation, (not being Master of the Italian himself) took upon him to bring another

Gentleman of the same Order, to be his Confessor, and Ghostly Father.

The poor Fellow laboured for some Time under his pressing Importunities, to make Confession to him after the Form and Manner of the Church of Rome, but he still declin'd it. He owned in general to him, that he had been a bad Man, but would not sue for the Absolution in Form; yet, if I mistake not, the Gentleman was forward enough to give it him; and this he declared before two Gentlemen, the Reverend Mr. Majendie, and the Reverend Mr. Palermo, both Protestant Clergy, who understood the Italian Language, and repeated to me in plain English, what Geraldine had said. We were led into this Enquiry by the aforesaid Gentleman's coming again, after having absented for some Time, to visit Geraldine. It surprized me pretty much that he should come again, after I had been assured by the Reverend Gentlemen above mention'd, that Geraldine declared in the Sincerity of his Heart, that the Protestant Religion was the only true Religion, and most consistent with the Doctrine of the Gospel, and freest from Superstitious Errors; that he depended on no Intercession of Saints or Angels, on no Ave Marias, but on the Intercession of Christ, and his Merits, from whom alone he hoped for Absolution and Remission of all his Sins, upon this true Repentance. And, as far as one Man may judge of another, he did seem to dye a true Penitent, by what I heard of his Prayers in Latin, and by what that Gentleman told me of their Discourse with him in Italian. But, what was particularly worth Notice, when the Roman Catholick Gentleman found he could not prevail with Geraldine to dye in that Faith, (as Geraldine declared to the Reverend Mr. Majendie, and Mr. Palermo, which they repeated to me in plain English) the said Catholick Gentleman did threaten him, and that in an authorative Manner, to write to the Convent in Italy, where he was brought up, to make known that he was hanged in England, or in Words to that effect. The poor Fellow was horribly shock'd at this, having Relations there, who according to the Custom of that Country would suffer in their Character, and be despised upon Account of his unhappy Fate, were it there known. Thank Heaven, such Christianity dwells not in England! However he resolved to dye a Protestant, and frequently repeated it before several Gentlemen, that he rejoiced, God had put it into his Heart so to do. He forfeited his Life willingly to satisfy the Laws, and sought only the Salvation of his Soul upon his Repentance thro' the alone Merits of Jesus Christ. His Resolution in this Point is evident from a Letter in Italian in Mr. Palermo's Possession, subscribed by the unhappy Geraldine, of which the following is the Copy, viz.

To the Reverend Mr. Palermo.

Reverend Sir,

THIS being the last Day of my Life, I should commit a Sin of Ingratitude, if I did not acknowledge the Obligations I have to you, for the Fatigue, Expence, and even Sickness, that you have undergone, upon my Account. I have been assisted by you, Sir, together with the Help also of some other Benefactors, to this last Day; by you, with whom I had not so much as any Acquaintance, until a few Days before my being condemn'd; and all this without any Expectation of Advantage to yourself, which my Poverty left no Room for, but merely out of Compassion and Charity towards a Brother Proselite, who was unacquainted with the Language, and known but by few Persons in this Country. It would have been happy for me had I known you at my first coming to London, for then I really believe that the unfortunate Death of poor Albani had never happened: of which I declare myself guilty before God and Man.

After all, To-morrow I shall suffer Death, as the least Part of Atonement for mine Offences, and I look for Salvation only, thro' the infinite Mercy of God, in Jesus Christ, my beloved Redeemer, to whom I return Thanks for granting me to die with my Senses entire; and in the Protestant Religion. Moreover, I am to return you Thanks on Account of the Light received through your Means, and the Reverend Mr. Majendie's, on Religion, when discoursing together in the Prison: Before you both came to me, I must own I was unsteady in my Notions about it, PARTLY thro' the Terrors that had been artfully suggested to me, by some Persons, whose Zeal is not according to Knowledge; and had not Providence sent you to me, I cannot say of what Persuasion I should have died; but now, by the Blessing of God upon your joint Labours, I am able to say, that I depart out of this World thoroughly penitent, and convinced of the Errors of the Church of Rome, and that the Protestant Religion is that of Christ and his blessed Apostles.

This, Sir, is an Acknowledgement I owe to Truth, and to your tender Concern for my Soul; and as such, I make it frankly, and without the least Reserve. Inclined as you are to do Good, you will doubtless give me Leave to recommend to you my unfortunate Wife, lately brought to Bed of a Son in Brownlow-Street Hospital, intreating you to afford them what Assistance they may stand in Need of hereafter, as they are poor and innocent of the Crime, I am shortly to suffer for; and particularly beseeching you, if possible, to get the Child to be admitted into the Foundling-Hospital, and educated in the Protestant Religion. May God Almighty return you a hundred-fold the Kindness you have shewn me, and the Service you shall do to those I leave behind me. My Hopes are, that we shall meet together in Heaven. In the Interim, do me the Favour to return my best Thanks to the Reverend Mr. Majendie, to Mr.   Samuel Lloyd, and all my other Benefactors, humbly beseeching them to pray for me, as long as I shall remain here below. I am with a just Sense of the Oligations I owe you,

Dear Sir,

  Giuseppe Ricciardelli, alias   Joseph Geraldine

P. S. This Morning I had the Comfort to receive the Holy Sacrament in the Chapel of Newgate, by the Hands of the Ordinary, Mr. Taylor, and on Wednesday last I received it of the Reverend Mr. Majendie; whose Conversations, I gratefully acknowledge it, have contributed much to strengthen me in the true Faith, and prepare me for Eternity. I am likewise greatly obligated to Mr.   Samuel Lloyd for the Spiritual as well as Temporal Assistance he hath been pleased to afford me in my unhappy Circumstances. And now, after declaring once more, as I solemnly do, that I die a true Protestant, and at Peace with all the World; There remains nothing more for me to add, but that I humbly commend my Soul to my dear Redeemer, looking upon him as my only Refuge, and hoping through him, to obtain Forgiveness for all my Offences. These are the real Sentiments of your dying Friend,

  Giuseppe Ricciardelli, alias   Joseph Geraldine.

From the   Prison of Newgate, Mar. 23d, 1752.

6.   John Andrews, aged 50, says he is an Englishman , but did not choose to say where he was born, because he would not have his Friends and Relations know what an ignominious End he came to at the last. He says he was bred a Grasier , and dealt very considerably in   Smithfield-Market for many Years. He gave no particular Reason why he left off this Way of Life: But he proceeds to give this Account of himself: That afterwards he went into the Service of the East-India Company , and got Money; which, added to what he had saved before, in his Dealings as a Grasier , enabled him, after he left the Seas , to set up for a Dealer in Seamen's Tickets, Wills and Powers, &c. a Practice he owned to be very prejudicial both to Individuals and the Publick, as it gives an Opportunity to the Designing to commit many a Fraud.

After his Conviction he pretended to make Discoveries with Regard to these iniquitous Practices; but when Enquiry was made, hewould say nothing to the Purpose; i.e. towards discovering who were the Principals concerned; and therefore he was taken no Notice of. But would he have been ingenuous in his Declarations, a vast Scene of such villainous Attempts upon the Rights of poor Seamen and their Executors, he was capable of discovering.

'Tis about six Years, he says, since he left off going to Sea, and has ever since been dealing this Way, by which he procured large Sums of Money; and scarce can any bad Way of Life be mentioned, that he has not had a Share in: A Gamester , a Sharper , and a Robber in every Denomination, he is known to have been; and long was his inglorious Reign before he met with his deserved Punishment.

He would never be persuaded to own he had been concerned in any forged or counterfeit Wills, Powers, or Probates, tho', to the Number of 64, he had Papers and Accounts of at the Time of his Commitment. Amongst the rest, was a Probate of the Will of   James Codd, late belonging to his Majesty's Ship the Medway , in the   East-Indies, Batchelor , deceased ;   Mary Austin, Spinster , sole Executrix :   James Codd was so happy as to return Home, and receive his own Money; and Andrews was baulked of this Attempt. Another was the Probate of the Will of   John Barton, late belonging to the Medway , in the   East-Indies, Batchelor , deceased ;   Mary Austin, Spinster , sole Executrix . This also was discovered, and he dare not presume to stir any further to get the Money, as she had once before detected him.

It is not long ago since he was in Danger of being tried at     Maidstone in Kent, being charged with forging a Letter of Attorney; upon which, he sent Instructions to one   Mary Burrell, artfully directing her what she should swear, in case he should have been brought upon that Trial. There were several Women with whom he kept Company, and at Times employed in these Cases, as he had Occasion for them; but one of them at last proved a Tartar, and was too cunning for him.

After his being last taken up and committed, upon her Information, as well as I understand the Affair, in order to make a further Discovery of the Forgeries and Frauds that   John Andrews had been concerned in, a Scheme was laid to dispatch a Person to Andrews, who was then a Prisoner in   Wood-street Compter, charged with several Offences of that Sort, to acquaint him that a certain Justice had granted a Search Warrant to inspect his Lodgings in the said Prison, for false Wills and Powers, and that the Warrant was carried to the Lord-Mayor, in order to be back'd by him for that Purpose; this had its desired Effect, for as soon as he was informed of this, he was in the greatest Confusion, and very earnestly entreated the Messenger to assist him herein, and packed Abundance of Wills, Powers, &c. in a Basket, and desired him to carry them to a Person in the Minories, telling him that they were all the false Wills and Powers he had there; and charged him to go the most private Way to the Minories, for fear of the Papers falling into the Hands of the Persons, whom he supposed were on their Way to the Compter, to search as aforesaid, saying, that if he should meet with that Misfortune, he was inevitably ruined, and that he should certainly be hanged. The Papers were convey'd according to Andrews's Direction, and left there; which, when the Man had so done, he went to the Person who had instructed him to go to Andrews, as aforesaid, to acquaint him with what he had done; who, upon being acquainted therewith, was greatly enraged, because he had not brought the Papers to him; and dispatched him immediately to the House in the Minories, to get the Papers again; the Pretence for which was, that Andrews was apprehensive they were not safe there, because it was generally known that he corresponded with some Persons whose Abode was in that House. The Messenger went again accordingly, and brought the Papers to

his Employer, who took an Account of 64 of this Sort of fraudulent Papers; amongst which, were the two mentioned above; the rest, I am told, are in the Hands of the Commissioners of the Navy. And one of his old Accomplices,   Mary Burrell, who is now in Confinement in the     New Jail, Southwark , charged with uttering a Letter of Attorny, which he was charged with forging, made an Information before   William Hammond, Esq ; which contains various Charges of Forgery against him. And she also voluntarily declared, that she had got Andrews 500 l. by administering to forged Wills, &c.

7.   William Girdler, aged 26, was born at     Reading, in Berkshire, and bred to Husbandry , and farming Business. He was of a Family that lived in good Reputation, being bred up tenderly, and kept to School, which he had no liking to, and so made but little Advantage of it. Being of an untoward Disposition, he was suffered to have too much his Way, and became a loose and debauched Youth, even before he enlisted in the Army , which he did just about the Time the late War broke out with   France; and at the Battle of  Dettingen he was so wounded as to be rendered incapable of any further Service , and was accordingly discharged, and sent Home.

After he had been sent Home some short Time, and had got pretty well, the evil Disposition of his natural Temper began to break forth again. He says he had behaved extremely ill to his own Relations in several Instances, as well as to other People, for which he begged to be forgiven of God, and that they would also forgive him.

Soon after Conviction he was taken extremely ill, and so continued till the Time of his Death. He was sorely afflicted with Sickness, and could scarce stir Hand or Foot for 3 Weeks, nor was scarce sensible of any thing said to him. He was tried at   Reading some Time since for stealing a scarlet Cloak, and other Things, of which he was acquitted. Upon which he left that Part of the World, and came for   London, where he wanted not for Company as bad as himself. He lay lurking up and down about   Hyde-Park-Corner, and was thought to have committed many Robberies in that Neighbourhood. The Fact he would not own the Morning of Execution, tho' it seems pretty plainly proved upon him, his Person answering in all Circumstances the Description the Prosecutor gave of him to those who helped him to apprehend him for it. As he had been a very great Offender, and a daring Man, no Wonder he should persist in Obstinacy to the last, it being so common a Case, among these hardened unhappy Wretches now-adays, who scarce think there's any Harm in doing any Sort of Mischief. He was so weak, when he came to be executed, that he could not stand, and almost hanged himself, by his Legs sinking under him, before the Cart drew away.

8.   James Davis, aged 32, was born in the Kingdom of   Ireland, and bred to the Sea , which he had followed several Years, both in Merchant and Navy Service . After the War was over, he was discharged ; and having no Place of Residence, nor Friends to go to, led a debauched, and dissolute Life, and fell into bad Company of Course, which has in a short Time brought him to Ruin. He seemed a Man of bad Disposition naturally, but being unemployed , and not having Sense enough to govern his Passions, plunged headlong into all Debaucheries of Drunkenness, and the Stews.

After Conviction he went up to Chapel two or three Times, 'till he saw the Priest, and then I could see him no more, at least not to speak to him to any Purpose, for he was now a Roman Catholick too. He laboured most Part of the Time he was under Sentence of Death under very great Illness, and scarce was ever out of his Cell 'till he went to be executed.

He has been pretty active at House-breaking and Street Robbery for some Time past, tho' he never fell into the Trap till about last November, when being taken up for being concerned with one or two others for breaking into a Dwelling-House in   Holborn, and stealing 34 Calves Skins, &c. He was admitted an Evidence against the other two, at the last December Sessions; but his Testimony not being strengthened by any other, the Jury acquitted the other two. In which Testimony he did his own Character no good; for he declared to the Court, that 'twas not out of Regard to publick Justice he confessed the Robbery, and turned Evidence, but because they had quarrelled about selling the Goods, which he had carried to his own Lodgings.

The Fact for which he was convicted was plainly proved upon him, tho' so long ago as the 29th of July last, in which Robbery he shewed himself a desperate Fellow. He suffered accordingly, and died a Roman Catholick .

9.  Michael Mac Gennis , aged 32, was born in the Kingdom of   Ireland, of Parents whose Circumstances would not admit of giving him any Education; but they brought him up in a sober Way, in the Fear of God, and he was esteemed a quiet, harmless Youth by those who knew him in his early Days. He scarce could give any Account how his Days had passed away, except that he had always worked hard for his Living since he was sent into the World. Destitute of Friends, and left to take care of himself, he came to   England young, and whatever other Business he might have followed, that of crying Milk about the Streets has been his chief Employ. He has been married about nine Years, and had several Children, some of which are still alive, which he has left with a disconsolate Widow, who follows the same Calling for a Livelihood. His Behaviour since under Sentence of Death has been very quiet, but he always persisted in denying the Fact, which he did to the last. At first he would deny the very being present at the Time the Murder of Shear was committed; however, being confronted by some who saw him there, he was a little more modest than to continue to deny that Part of the Story; but the giving the Blow he still denied.

After his Conviction there was an Advertisement for a Meeting of some Men, who designed to make it appear that somebody else did the Fact, and somebody was invited to do it, but nobody would. This was the Contrivance of a Set of Men, who have always a light Shade reflected to them from every Scheme they propose, and never suppose a dark one. But whatever Light such a Scheme might cast upon them, the World saw it was with a dark Design proposed, and notwithstanding his persisting in a Denial of the Fact, the Verdict was a very just one according to Evidence, and all they could do by their Meeting did not in the least make it appear to the contrary.

He was bred a Roman Catholick , and of Course, after the Priest had seen him, I could expect to have little to do with him; and tho' I did often speak to him, he had little to answer as to this, or any other Part of his Life. He had been used to attend Executions, and been often seen there, and to his Cost went there once too often: And, indeed, Pity it is, that such Numbers, to the Neglect of all Business, should be so fond of flocking together at these Times, or that there should be so frequent Occasions of giving them Opportunity. But to come to the Point.

This unhappy Man being at the Execution in November last, was one, amongst a many, who came there in order to take care of a Body or two of the Persons executed. They came unprovided with any Vehicle for that Purpose, and when the Bodies were cut down the Friends scarce had thought of the Matter how to convey them away. The poor Fellow murdered had brought his Cart and Horses there, as the Custom is, to get a few Pence by letting People stand up in it to see the Execution. After it was over, Mac Gennis, and his Party, seeing the Cart near the Gallows, took it from the Driver by Force, and puttingthe Bodies into it, drove to   Bays-Water. There they staid drinking some Time, till they thought the Mob was a little dispersed, and they might pass the more freely, the Owner being gone, as was supposed.

By-and-by they return'd towards   Tyburn in Triumph, resolved against giving Way to any Opposition, and this unfortunate Man being as forward as any, has dearly paid for it. The Man was waiting, and upon their Return, for seizing hold of his Horse's Head, was treated very ill by several present; but being determined, if possible, to recover his own Cart and Horses from them, would not let the Horse's Head go, tho' much threatned. This he persisted in, and upon that Account received a Blow with a Hanger, which did his Business. Who did it we have no Authority yet to say, unless that of the Court and Jury, who convicted Mac Gennis, upon full Evidence, unimpeached; and as the Scheme set up to prove the contrary did not succeed, we can scarce believe, but that he was justly convicted, and suffered accordingly.

He has been very ill most Part of the Time since his Conviction, but for some Days before Execution he became more hearty, and was in good Health when he suffered, being as tight a little Man as might swing on Tyburn Tree: The Lord have Mercy on him. He died a Roman Catholick .

10.  Thomas Gale, aged 69, was born within three Miles of    Portsmouth in Hampshire, of a good Family, who gave him a good Education, which he too has unhappily made a bad Use of. He says he was designed for one of the three Professions, but that in his youthful Days being too much addicted to Gaiety, could stick to no particular Study; but while he could have Indulgence from Home he lived very gay. After some Time he was bound Apprentice to a Goldsmith in   Gutter-Lane, but did not serve out his Time. Afterwards he purchased the Place of being Middlesex Officer , from which Place he was obliged to retire , for having done what he ought not. At last he kept the Three Nuns in Whitechapple , where he broke his Credit , as well as the Thread of his Declaration how he had spent his Life. For after this he did not choose to give any Account of himself, but did acknowledge in the general, that he had been a very bad Man, and hoped God would forgive him.

Various are the Scenes of Life this old Man has gone thro', sometimes appearing in the utmost Splendor, at other times as mean. He too has been long known to be a common Evidence and Bail upon any Emergency, in all iniquitous Cafes; but at length it is come Home to him; and it seemed much to grieve him, that having so long escaped, he should at last be hanged in his old Age.

Scarce ever three Men suffered more deservedly, nor scarce ever were three Men hanged with a more general Consent of all that knew them, and had heard of their Practices.

Agnew and Fox having turned Roman Catholicks, were in the Scheme with Hayes and Broughton. Agnew's Post was to keep the main Door of the Cells, to prevent its being shut, and to keep out Opposers; but somehow, upon an Alarum, he deserted his Post, and suffered the Door to be shut. Fox was in the Secret, but too sick and weak to be of any Use. They would fain have had Gale to turn, as they did; but he refused, saying, as he was educated in the Protestant Religion , he would die so; or else he might have been in the Secret too.

11.   Mary Gillfoy, aged 49, was born in the Kingdom of   Ireland, and bred an Irish Roman Catholick . Of course I could have but little Knowledge from her Mouth; nay, when I asked her only the Civil Question, whether she was bred a Protestant or Roman Catholick, she would scarce give me any Answer, till some of her Friends, who were then with her, said to her, Why don't you tell the Gentleman? Upon which she answered me as I have reported above, or in Words to that Effect. She seemed a Woman

of a rough and masculine Temper, fit to have a Share in any Enterprize that might happen in such a House as she kept, near   Rosemary-Lane. It seems, she has always been a Publican both in   Ireland and here. Whether she kept a better House there than here, we know not, but here the Neighbours say, for a great many Years her House and Company have been a Nuisance to the sober Part of the Neighbourhood, by great Disturbances happening there, and that Murder, and other alarming Cries, have been frequently heard from within the House.

The Fact for which she was convicted was very plainly proved, though she declared herself innocent to the last; not remembering, that when before the Court, she seemed to put her Defence upon acting in Company of her Husband, and under his Influence; yet when she saw it went hard against her, she thought to move the Compassion of the Court by saying, she had six fatherless Children. It appeared upon the Tryal, that she robbed three Men in one Night: And if so, how many might have met with the same Usage at her House, since her Time? And 'tis said by the Neighbourhood, that many Youth of both Sexes have been ruined in her House.

12.   Thomas Huddle, otherwise   Hoddle, otherwise   Simpson, was born in the Parish of   Stepney, and was bred to the Sea , which he was kept to for many Years, and being an able Seaman , might have done very well: But he being naturally of a wild and ungovernable Temper, when at Home he kept Company entirely with loose and disorderly Persons, so that he soon became fit for any Undertaking. He has been in Intimacy with several unhappy Wretches that have gone before him to the same ignominious Death he but lately suffered, and has been as deeply engaged in those impious Courses, which are too much practised now-a-days, of Robbery , House-breaking , Gambling , &c. as any of the most notorious.

About four Years ago he was transported from   Newgate for Felony, and then very narrowly escaped the Gallows. He staid not long Abroad before he returned, and took again to his old Ways, in which he had the good Luck to escape the Censure of the Laws for some Time, till being again taken, and tried for a Misdemeanor, he was fined and imprisoned for twelve Months in Newgate.

He had not been long discharged before he was taken up, and tried again last Sessions for returning from Transportation; and being proved to be the same Person, Sentence of Death was of Course pronounced upon him, and he suffered accordingly.

Since Conviction he behaved very penitent and serious, as to all Appearance; owned in general his having been a wicked and profligate Liver, but that he hoped for Forgiveness at the Hands of God, thro' the Merits of Christ Jesus. He said, had he lived longer, he feared he should have had more to answer for; and as it had pleased God to bring him now to Account for his past wicked Ways, he resigned himself, and his Life, very willingly to the Justice of the Law, and put his whole Trust in God for his Mercies hereafter, promised to the truly penitent Sinner, for whom alone Christ died.

13.   Bernard Agnew, aged 49, was born it   Scotland, of a good Family; from whose Principle he has very much deviated since his Life has been such, as one would imagine could have been led no where but in such Company as the other two he was concerned with in this Forgery. But as one would not cut down an otherwise flourishing Tree, because one Limb of it is rotten; so, thank God, after the Custom of our Country, no Family is to be thought the worse of, because there is one belonging to it that degenerates, and is corrupt. This unhappy Man was bred to the Sea , and followed it many Years, 'till within these three Years. He has been a Dealer also in forged Seamen's Wills and Powers , &c. He was doubtless the Contriver of this Forgery upon Captain   Andrew Agnew, and let the other two into that Scrape no doubt; but they were as bad as he in consenting

to carry it on; which they did heartily, being not unused to bad Practices of any Sort, or any Kind; and a rare Triumvirate they were.

Agnew attended the Chapel for some Days after Conviction, and there declared, before his poor Fellow Sufferers, when I asked him the Question, that he was bred a Protestant : But, after some Time, the Gentleman that attends Roman Catholicks told me Agnew had sent to speak with him. I asked him, before that Gentleman, whether he had not told me he was bred a Protestant; which he did not deny; but said, his Father was a Protestant, and his Mother a Roman Catholick, and he chose to die so, because she did. And from that Time he withdrew, and we had not any Conversation afterwards: He was a Man of a sad Disposition, of an unhappy Aspect, and Cast of Mind; but he chose to die a Roman Catholick .

14.   Thomas Fox, aged 59, was born in   England, but did not choose to tell where particularly; from whence I'm willing to infer, he had some Sense of his having done what he had Reason to be ashamed of. Though, indeed, he had been so long conversant in such Things, as to be quite hardened therein, and a very difficult Task 'twou'd have been to have put him to the Blush. Fox too, after Conviction, did attend Chapel some few Days, and said, he was bred a Protestant , if any thing; but after having been whispered in the Ear, lo, he too became a Roman Catholick . A more noted common Evidence is scarce known than this Man has been, ready at all Times upon proper Application, to swear whatever a Man would put him upon, to the great Prejudice of honest Men, and to the Support of all Villainy, and Villains.

He pretended to be a Surgeon ; God knows who were his Patients. But this pretended Title served very well the Purpose of one, who was some Time ago tried for the High-way at Kingston. In whose Behalf Dr. Fox truely was called to prove an Alibi. This the Doctor did in Face of a Court of Justice, and swore the Man was in Bed under his Care, very ill, at the very Time the Robbery was sworn to have been committed; and so brought him off.

Agnew had some Knowledge of Fox, and understanding what Manner of a Man he was, applied to him for his Assistance in carrying on this Piece of Roguery. To which Fox readily consented, and the Scheme they thought very well laid. He died a Roman Catholick .

15.   Richard Broughton, otherwise   Branham, aged 25, was born in the Kingdom of   Ireland, had some Education bestowed on him; of his making a bad Use of which he has given the World too large a Proof. He was a Youth of a most undaunted, resolute Temper, and being a Roman Catholick , I could not learn any more of him, than that he was bred to Business ; but being left to follow the Bent of his own Inclinations, had led a most profligate and debauched Life about   Covent-Garden and   Drury-Lane.

After having reigned long in his wicked Courses, Justice at Length trode upon his Heels. He was convicted upon full Evidence, and upon Trial stood with as much Audaciousness as ever did Felon that held up his Hand at a Bar before an awful Court.

At the Time of receiving Sentence of Death, he did appear as if not at all dismayed, to the Surprize of all considerate Persons who saw him. And from that Moment resolved not to go out of the World without doing farther Mischief.

16.   James Hayes, aged 21, was born also in the Kingdom of   Ireland, and bred up in Ignorance, without any Manner of Education, and was naturally of a very insolent and wicked Disposition, which received great Addition by his running headlong into all the Vices that could be thought of to bring a Man to Ruin. He being also a Roman Catholick , I could have no Conversation, or particular Knowledge of him, but what occurred to me from his Manner of Behaviour, and what I could collect from seeing him upon his Trial three several Times at the   Old Bailey.

At the March Assizes, about this time Twelve-month, he had done some Crime, of which however, he was then acquitted; but before he left that Place, was again taken into Custody by some People, who went down there on Purpose to take him, and some others. He was accordingly brought to   London, and tried in the April following at the   Old Bailey, with others, for robbing   William Hudson in   Bridges-street. They used him very barbarously, and behaved in a very audacious Manner, having both Swords and Pistols. But as the Evidence, and Accomplice,   William Freestone, was not sufficiently supported in his Testimony, Hayes and the rest were acquitted.

Hayes was, at the same Sessions, a second Time indicted, with others, for robbing   John Howard near   Bloomsbury Market, whom they treated also in a most audacious and cruel Manner; but as the

same Accomplice's Evidence was not properly confirmed, Hayes was again acquitted.

The two abovementioned Persons have been following the same Courses ever since; and as   Drury-lane was their Place of Rendezvous, the honest Part of that Neigbourhood has been very much infested by them.

Hayes having been also convicted upon full Evidence, shewed the utmost Want of Sense, by his unhandsome and ridiculous Behaviour both upon Trial, and at the Time of receiving Sentence of Death. And notwithstanding the gentle Admonitions of the Recorder, was scarce prevailed on to forbear an audacious Grin, which for most Part of the Time he either affected, or proceeded from his Insensibility.

Broughton and Hayes had no sooner received Sentence of Death than they began to contrive how to escape from that terrible Death, notwithstanding they pretended so little to regard it; not that they might live to be better Men, but that they might have Opportunity to do more Mischief. They consulted immediately   William Hill how to bring it about, but he refused to assist. They then also meditated the Murder of the Turnkey, but for that Time were disappointed; and their Intention being discovered, were ordered by Mr. Akerman to be chained down to the Floor in their Cells, double-ironed; which was accordingly done. And so they remained, till having gone through the Discipline of their Confessor, and received Absolution, they began to contrive how to be guilty of Villainy afresh, and resolved upon doing what should make them more notorious than they were before.

Their Revenge and Malice was still fixed on the Turnkey, Mr. Sinclair, whom they had conceived an inveterate Hatred against, upon account of his having kept out People from going into the Press-yard to see them, whom he looked upon as dangerous to the Safety of the Gaol. In order to bring about this their hellish Design, on Friday, the 20th Instant, having artfully gotten some Knives, they made Saws of them, with which they cut off their Irons. Then, in the Evening, as Sinclair was gone into the Pressyard, as usual, to see that all Things were well, they suddenly rushed out of the Cells upon him; and each having a Knife, Broughton first cut him over the Face several Times. Sinclair, being quite unarmed, opposed as well as he could, and took one of them up in his Arms, and threw him a great Way from him. Upon which Hayes came up to him, and cut him a-cross, just under the Stomach, in so violent a Manner, as has almost cost the poor Man his Life, who has a Wife and several Children. After this was done, they went up and down the Press-yard and Cells, brandishing their Knives, and threatening every one, if they offered to oppose, or make any Noise, to cut their Throats. One Man they did cut and flash very cruelty, and used more Violence about him, than has been the Death of many a Person. But luckily one Darby shut the main Door of the Cells upon them, or more Mischief might have ensued.

Such Behaviour as this gave great Trouble to several, and put the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs to the Trouble of coming to put an End to it. And when Hayes and Broughton were by Force brought down before them, in order to be ironed afresh, and hand cuffed, they behaved with such unparalleled Assurance as never was seen, notwithstanding all the Admonitions and Reproofs his Lordship was pleased to make use of to them; such as, one would have thought, were sufficient to have moved the greatest Barbarian any Kingdom could give Birth to.

At the Place of EXECUTION.

ON Monday the 23d Instant about 9 o'Clock in the Morning,   William Hill,   James Macgennis,   James Hayes,   Richard Broughton,   James Davis,   John Powney,   John Andrews,   Ann Walsam,   Mary Gillfoy,   William Girdler,   Anthony de Rosa,   Joseph Geraldine,   Thomas Huddle,   Bernard Agnew,   Thomas Fox, and   Thomas Gale, were conveyed in six Carts from   Newgate to the Place of Execution; Hayes, Broughton, and Agnew in their double Irons, and Handcuff'd, as a Punishment for their Attempt, and barbarous Treatment of Mr. Sinclair the Turnkey, on Friday Night the 20th Instant. When there, some Time was spent in recommending their Souls to the Almighty's Mercy; and then they were turn'd off, receiving the due Reward of their Deeds here. After they had hung a proper Time. Hayes and Broughton's Bodies were first cut down without the least Stir and Hurry, and delivered to be carried in a Coach to the Surgeon of the   Hospital in   Lemon-street Goodman's-Fields , in order to be anatomized. The rest were delivered to their Friends. And during the whole Time of the Execution, there was not the least Disturbance. From whence we may conclude, that when Justice, supported by proper Authority, is taking Place, the Hearts of the Wicked shall tremble.

This is all the Account given by me,   JOHN TAYLOR, Ordinary of Newgate .

In a Few Days will be Published, The Only Genuine and Authentic NARRATIVE OF THE PROCEEDINGS Of the Late Capt. LOWREY, Both before and after he became Commander of the Ship MOLLY: As the same was delivered by himself, in Manuscript, into the Hands of the Rev. Mr. TAYLOR, Ordinary of NEWGATE, some short Time before his Execution.

Printed only for T. PARKER, in JEWIN-STREET, AND C. CORBETT, in FLEET-STREET.

[Price One Shilling.]