by Land, with Approbation and Respect, till at last that Suspicion of his committing a scandalous Action broke out upon him.

The Account he gave of the Crime for which he died was to this Purpose: On Sunday, the 1st of March , as he was crossing Covent Garden , about 6 or 7 at Night, he found a Bundle of Papers, which he took up, and looking into them, they were a Parcel of Papers belonging to the Bristol Mail: He soon came to understand that the same Mail was robb'd on Sunday Morning, and then he having diligently perus'd the papers, kept some which he thought properest for his Purpose, and he being out of all manner of Business, and in great Want, and a great Reward promis'd to the Discoverer of the said Robbery, he durst not go to the Post Office, having already dispos'd of a 20 l. Bank Note, out of which he paid 5 l. that was owing to his Landlord, Mr. Marlow: And therefore he inclos'd in a Sheet of Paper the rest of the Papers thus found, directed them to the Post Master General, laid them down in Lincoln's-Inn Bog-House , and they were carried to the Post Office. He reflected much upon the Evidence against him, alledg'd that he often advis'd him to Adventure upon no purchase, no pay, and particularly to rob the Bristol Mail, which would make their Fortune at once, but that he always had the Grace to resist his wicked Proposals. This was the Substance of Mr. Burton's Evidence against him reversed. He pretended to disprove the Evidence, but in this he fail'd, and particularly in alledging that the Officers and others of the Life-Guard would appear in his Favour, for not one of them was to be seen in Court but one Gentleman, whom he call'd against his Will, and who did him more harm than good, for he declar'd that he serv'd in the Troop of Guards with him, but as to his Character he knew nothing of it, save that he was put out of the Troop upon Suspicion of Theft. He reflected upon his being convicted upon Circumstances, without positive Proof. I told him that it was altogether improbable, that any Person who had hazarded his Life in such a wicked and dangerous Attempt, as attacking, binding and threatening to murder the Post-Boy, and carrying away the Bristol Mail, and then laying it down any where for another to reap the profit, he said that they had laid a Trap for him, but could not positively say, that the Witnesses bore him any Ill-will, only he mention'd the great Reward laid upon his Head. I Represented to him the Necessity of a Free Confession from many Topicks, as the command of God, Scripture Precept and Example; and the Expediency of it, as being commonly the only Satisfaction can be given to the injur'd Party: &c. he appear'd to be a Man of a sullen reserv'd Temper, and after all could be said would give no further Account of that Affair. He seem'd always to be very Devout and Serious, declar'd that he believ'd in Christ Jesus, as the Son of God and only Saviour of Sinners, through whose Merits he hop'd for Salvation; that he sincerely repented of all his Sins, and died in Peace with all Mankind, and an unworthy Member of the Church of England.

James Dalton< no role > , of Pancras , was indicted for assaulting John Waller< no role > This name instance is in set 3120. , in a certain Field, or open Place, near the Highway, putting him in fear of his Life, and taking from him 25 Handkerchiefs, value 4 l. five Ducats, value 48 s. a three Guilder Piece, two Guineas a French Pistole, and 5 s. in Silver, the 22d of November last .

The Prosecutor depos'd, that he being a Holland-Trader , the Prisoner met with him, as he was drinking at the Adam and Eve in Pancras , in his Return from Hampstead , where he had sold some Goods and receiv'd a little Money, that he desir'd to walk in his Company to Town; that it being Dark, he put out the Link, knock'd him down, wounded and beat him unmercifully, and then robb'd him of the Goods and Money mention'd in the Indictment, and threatn'd to blow out his Brains, if he made any Noise. He swore also to the same Pistol, with which Dalton had attack'd Dr. Mead in his Chariot, near Hatton Garden , as was found by the Description he gave of it when produc'd in Court. The Prisoner denied the Fact charg'd upon him, exclaiming against the Prosecutor as a common Affidavit Man, and of a Life and Character no better then himself, and then call'd for three Witnesses, Charles North< no role > , Edward Bromfield< no role > , and John Mitchel< no role > , whom the Court order'd to come out of Newgate . The last was not allow'd to depose, but the two first swore, that Dalton never wore a Gingham Waistcoat while he was in Newgate , contrary to what the Prosecutor affirm'd, and that he said to Dalton, when he came to visit him in Newgate, that he never wrong'd him of a Farthing in his Life. The Prosecutor having positively sworn the Fact upon him, and his Evidences being Persons of no Character or Reputation, the Jury found him Guilty. Death.

James Dalton< no role > , as he said, about 30 Years of Age, of Parents, who had a very indifferent Character, for his Father was an Irishman, and a Taylor in Dublin, whence he went to the Wars in Flanders, and was advanced to be a Serjeant; he afterwards came to London, liv'd here for some Time, by gaming and biting, till some Years ago one swore a Robbery upon him, for which he was executed. His Mother, after the Death of his Father, marry'd a Butcher, and was some Time since transported for some felonious Fact, and she now lives in some of these foreign Places, where she may have Leisure to lament the Fate of herself and her deserving Family; for they say that a Sister of his is likewise transported. Dalton being the Son of such a notable Family, one may easily conjecture what Sort of a Tree grows from such a Stock. However, while his Parents liv'd in any Credit, they put their Son James to School, where he was so unruly, that his Master put him out of School; he went to two other Schools, in the last of which he rob'd the Maid, but was immediately found out, which prevented his doing any further Mischief there: Dalton was a Thief from his Cradle, and imbib'd the Principles of Art from his Mothers Milk. He went between his Father's Legs in the Cart, to his fatal Exit at Tyburn; and it seems he intended to outvie him in Wickedness, for he said his Father was not a down-right Thief, but one of the most notorious Cheats at Cards of any Man in Europe, which Talent if he had improved as some others have done, and had not met with some Sharpers, who did not think upon being choused out of their Money at such an easy Rate, possibly he might have been still living: But James who was both Heir of his Fortune and good Qualities, took himself directly to all Manner of Theft and Robbery, and as he himself said was one of the most impudent irreclaimable Thieves that ever was in England.

He took ten Guineas from a certain Person in Town to swear falsly against one Nichols, who was executed with the Street Robbers upon Neaves's Evidence, but said that his Conscience check'd him for engaging to do such an unjust Action, and he would neither return the Money nor appear as Evidence against him; he begg'd God Pardon for undertaking so villainous a Design.