and in the Pursuit of every evil Thing. His Parents finding there was no Hopes of his doing well in London , resolved to send him to Sea, which they did, when he was about 11 Years old, and he served as a Cabbin-boy for two or three Years, and then went away from his Master, and went in the Service a common Sailor before the Mast. He was a handy Youth, and very useful. But he had not been long Aboard before he was guilty of pilfering some little old Things from his Ship-Mates, and for Fear of a Whipping-bout, which he was threatened with, he took an Opportunity, when the Ship put into Lisbon , to run away from her, and getting on Board a Packet, then just about to fail, he came away in her, and arrived safe in England .

He had got a little Money, which was soon spent, and no Way to get more, his Parents not suffering him to come nigh them, and he says, he was as unwilling to go, for Fear of their Reproaches. He staid about a Month in London , and having got into bad Company, was drawn into a Scrape, for Fear of which he thought proper to get off the Ground, and again betook himself to a Man of War then lying at Gravesend . In this Ship he continued Abroad for three Years, and then returned Home again: When, after some Time spent in riotous and bad Company, and among lewd Women, his Finances were exhausted, and he a third Time had Recourse to the Sea. He staid Abroad for three or four Years upon this Trip, and returned not to England till the End of the War, and was discharged from his Ship at Chatham , about six Months ago; and he accounts for passing away his Time since, in rigging of Ships on the River Thames.

He was always dumb when any other Robbery was mentioned, or denied having been concerned in any other; and as to that for which he was convicted, he owned that he was one of the three; but said, that he was so drunk, that when he became sober again, and reflected on the Actions of the Day past, he recollected the having done somewhat that was bad; but what particularly he knew not, till his Memory was refreshed by the Person whom he robb'd the Night before; for the next Morning Peacock came into the House where the Person was; who, as soon as he saw him, knew him to be one of the three, and took hold of him; but upon his Watch being brought to him by a Woman, to whom he gave a Gratuity, he let him go about his Business. Peacock was afterwards re-taken, and the Prosecutor being sent for to Mr. Justice Fielding's, while the Prisoner was there, he knew him to be the Man, and the Justice committed him. He had nothing to say in his Defence upon his Trial, and was convicted.

While under Sentence of Death he behav'd in a very surly Manner, and was scarce to be perswaded to think how his Sins had laid fast hold upon him, and how necessary it was to consider of the past Evil of his Ways; for to the last, scarce any Signs of Remorse or Fear appeared in him unless what might arise from the Nearness of his approaching Fate.

8. WILLIAM HATTON< no role > , aged 17, was born in the Parish of St. Olave , in Southwark ; had no Manner of Education, nor was bred to any Business. He was a Youth of an untoward and surly Disposition: His Mind was susceptible of no good Impression, and seemed by Nature inclined to every evil Way. While a Child, he was notoriously unlucky, and scarce any Mischief was done in the Neighbourhood, where he was born, that he had not a Hand in, if not the Ringleader. His Parents could have no Influence on him, by their Authority or Advice; if they chid him for doing a bad Thing, he was sulky, and regarded not what they said. He could not perhaps sometimes help giving them the Hearing, but he was no sooner out of their Sight, than he was at his usual Tricks, and would pilfer and steal, tho' it were but an Apple or a Nut. He had a mighty Hand in robbing the Gardens on the other Side the Water, and made many a Penny of what little Plunder