The Account of these Persons under Sentence of Death.

CHARLES TOWERS< no role > , sometime Inhabitant near St. James's Market , Butcher , was Indicted, for feloniously appearing, with several others, arm'd with Guns, Swords, Staves, or other offensive Weapons, and having his Face Black'd, or being otherwise disguised, on the Highway called Wapping Wall ; on the 21st of June last ; to the Terror of His Majesty's Subjects, against the Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King, and against the Form of the Statute made and provided, and which was to take effect, after the first of June, in the tenth Year of His Majesty's Reign . Upon the Indictment he was Tryed, and it appearing that on Sunday Morning at eleven of the Clock, June the 20th , C. Towers, with seven others, rush'd into the House of John Errington< no role > , (with a large Stick, like a Quarter-Staff in his Hand, his Hair clipt off, without Hat, Wig, or Shirt, only with a blue pea-Jacket, which flying open before, show'd his Breast, as well as his Face, Black, and besmear'd as with Soot and Grease;) whence they rescued J. West, affirming that they were sworn thereto, for his Name was set down in their Book kept at the seven Cities of Refuge; and offering (as the Prisoner was with loud Acclamations carrying off) to strike D. Taylor, Waterman, and G. Errington, Brother to the King's Evidence; And the Prisoner's allegations, that he never was in any Riot, but only defending himself against the Baylffs, &c. not being thought of any force, he was by the Jury found guilty of Felony without Benefit of Clergy.

As this unfortunate Person, after his Apprenticeship, marry'd young, before he was possest of a Competency, and Children and the Charges of a Family encreas'd upon him, he then judged that Gaming was a proper Method to retrieve himself and support his Family; but by Cards he lost that little he was then possest of. His Circumstances being desperate, he engag'd for a Friend, in a very large Sum of Money; which soon oblig'd him to fly into the Old Mint . When most distrest, he said, he refused all Solicitations to Rob or Thieve: Denying that he ever was guilty of any notorious Offence, except one, which was unfaithfulness to his Wife's Bed; for which, he added, he must acknowledge he deserved Death, tho' Adultery is so seldom punish'd in this Kingdom. As for the robbing Mr. Huggins of a silver Spoon, of the taking whereof he was convicted, some time ago, and ordered for Transportation, he denyed his seeing any such Spoon. And as for the picking the Pocket of Mr. Westwood, an Officer, and taking 3 s. with which Fact he was lately charg'd, he said he believed the Money might fall out of the Officer's Pocket, as they Ditch'd him in a sad and shameful manner, but that he never saw any Silver or Copper. He farther said that their way was, as he must then acknowledge, very cruel and unbecoming Christians, for, during his Time, twelve or more were sentenc'd to be Whip'd, by a Judge, who was chosen from among them, for the Day, and sat in State: He added, that during his Confinement, some Persons had abused and insulted him, who were Friends to Mr. Jones, Bailiff; but he protested he was not Judge when Jones was sen