The Fact for which he was convicted at Rochester , was the uttering of a Counterfeit Note of 20 l. which Forgery, and uttering, he was so ingenious as to own under his own Hand Writing, the Sunday before Execution; besides, three other Indictments then against him were found at that Time; and a great deal of Time and Pains it cost his unhappy Father, and other Friends, to get him respited then for Transportation for Life. In August last was a Twelvemonth he went on Board a Ship, in order for Transportation, and after a tedious Passage, and long Time, he arrived in a Country, which not being suited to theGaiety of his Temper, where there is no Gaming, Balls, Masquerades, &c. he could not think of staying in the Country long, though every Thing was so ordered by Sir William, and his Friends, that he might have lived handsomely enough, and more so than he deserved. He arrived in Virginia about the Middle of Winter, and returned here about Midsummer following. As soon as he landed at Whitehaven , in his Return for Transportation, to impose upon a Person there, he produced Letters to shew his Father's Death, and said, that thereby a considerable Fortune must come to him. He succeeded so well, as to get 60 or 70 l. upon a Draught he made upon a Banker in London, and left the Lender to recover his Money as he could.

In the Beginning of September following, he was again taken up for returning from Transportation, the Circumstances of which are as follows, as near I can remember the Relation of the Affair, as one of the Gentlemen that had him secured, himself told it.

One Day, in the Beginning of September, as Mr. Fuller and Mr. Best were going a Journey, Parsons overtook them on Turnham-Green ; as soon as they saw his Face they knew him, having seen him at Rochester upon the former Affair. They did not at first Sight take any particular Notice of him, but when he came up to them with a sneer-laughing Countenance, and kept hovering about them, they bid him keep his Distance, for they did not like him. And his Appearance naturally occasioned some Reflections on the ill Use made of the Lenity and Mercy of the Government. Parsons rode on thro' Brentford , and they followed, going on their Journey: After they had pass'd Brentford , and were come to the broad Way before you come to Hounslow Town , Parsons loiter'd till they came up with him, and he pass'd by them on Mr. Fuller's Side of the Chair, looking at him with a very malignant Aspect; and so he dogg'd them sometimes before, and sometimes behind them, or on one Side, which was enough to raise some Thoughts of Danger in the Gentlemen's Minds, especially as they knew the Man. And the last Time he stopp'd to let them come up with him, a Person on Horseback appeared in the Road, which might prevent perhaps, his Attempts, if he had any Design, as his Behaviour gave Room to suspect he had.

When they had drove up into the Middle of the Town, and saw Parsons, Mr. Best first jump'd down from the Chaise, as did Mr. Fuller soon after, both insisting upon his surrendering immediately, or they would raise the Town upon him. Upon which Parsons alighted from his Horse, and in a submissive, supplicating Manner, begg'd Mercy, and to speak with them in Private. They then took him into a Room, and he delivered up his Pistol, loaded and primed, to each one, in a very complaisant Manner. Mr. Day, the Master of the Rose and Crown, at Hounslow, observ'd that Parsons in every Respect answered the Description of a Person that robb'd on that Road, at that Time, almost every Night. Upon which the Gentlemen agreed, 'twas not proper to let him go for the Sake of the Publick, and sent for a Constable, who came, and upon searching his Pockets, found a Horn of Gunpowder and some Balls: Nor can the most prejudiced in his Favour do otherwise but commend the Resolution that prevented such a Man from being at Liberty, left more Mischiefs should be done by him.