I procured him a bible, lent him a good book, and advised him to peruse the Whole duty of Man; and to read the Preface of it over and over in the first place; for it is the best preface of all the books in the world. But they complained frequently of the darkness of the cells, that they could not read, even in the day-time, without candles. He had been a soldier five years, was in Flanders, and had the character of an honest man from all that knew him. Going to see a fellow-soldier in Clerkenwell Bridewell, he was apprehended there upon bare suspicion. He complained grievously of those that robbed his house of divers valuable goods, to the value (he says) of 30 or 40 l. when they had apprehended him.

II. SAMUEL PRIG< no role > , of the parish of Christ-church, Spittle-fields was indicted for the murder of Thomas Girl< no role > , for which he received sentence of Death. He was 28 years of age, had had tolerable education, and had read a good deal. He said, he had received the blessed sacrament an hundred times in the church of England; but of late years he had dissented from it, therefore he would not receive it from me now, nor change his principles, trusting in the mercy of God, who is gracious to all forts of men; and was very reserved and unwilling to give me any account of his life and conversation. He had some dirrerence with those of the Foundery in Moorfields , because they reproached him for forsaking them; and wrote them a very sharp invective, which I saw.

He said, that his Counsellor deceived him, in forbidding him to speak one word in his own defence, but to plead guily; for, if he had laid open the provocations given him by Girl, he did not doubt but the Court would have acquitted him. He complained sadly of Girl, and said he was a vile old rogue, above 50 years of age, who made it his business to go about ruining all innocent people, whom he could allure, and had stood in the Pillory several times; and that he thought he did no crime in sending such a villain out of the world, that he might do no more mischief in it. He fell into his acquaintance a little before at an ale-house in Covent-Garden , and had seen him about nine or ten