1. James Hayler< no role > , aged 34, was born in Hoxton-Market , in the Parish of Shoreditch . He was bred a Weaver , to which Trade he served seven Years Apprenticeship in Spittle-fields , was Journeyman after, and reputed a good Workman. By a Disorder in his Head he was rendered incapable of sticking close to Business, or he might have lived very well. In the hard Winter some Years since, he had some very fine Work put into his Hands, but the Severity of the Weather, he says, hindered him from going on with it, and he chose rather to enter himself on board an East-India Ship, in which he went abroad, and was a Soldier in the Service of the Company for five Years: His Absence from England was seven or eight Years, and he has been at Home again two Years, during which Time, he says, he has been much better in his Mind, and stuck closer to his Business, as a Journeyman Weaver , than ever he had done in his Life before. So that tho' he had formerly been somewhat out of his right Senses, he did not alledge any Thing of that Kind in alleviation of what he had done to deserve the Sentence of the Law, which he suffered for uncurbed Passion, but owned himself highly to blame, and said, were the Matter to be disputed between him, and the Murdered again, he would have gone another way to Work with him, and instead of murdering him, would have sought Redress from the Law.

The Murdered, he said, was a bad Man, and frequently pilfered from him, and others in the same House, where several lived together. And besides, he said, opprobrious and bad Language was the Consequence of his being accused and reproached by them, for such unjustifiable Behaviour towards them. And their Quarrels upon that Account was the Cause of that Resentment which proved the Ruin of both.

It happened once, upon a Time of their Quarrelling, and having high Words, that Hayler kicked Proby, the Person whom he murdered so barbarously, by giving him several Blows with a Hammer; upon which, a Warrant of Assault and Battery was obtained against him. This occasion'd a continual Grudge between them, so that they were at Enmity between each other for the rest of their days.

They worked together, and lodged in the same House, so that they had too frequent Opportunities of being together. It seems by Hayler's own Account, that they were both unhappy ignorant People; their Passions were too strong for their Reason. And, in their way of Life, being too frequently addicted to unman themselves by excessive Drinking, was the fatal Cause of this Murder.