they would at Times afford him. Having nothing that might be of Service to him to employ his Mind about, either for the present, or for the Time to come, his Thoughts were entirely taken up in seeking idle, if not wicked Ways of passing away his Time; and he was so much the more liable to take the Infection of a bad Example, whatever Body it proceeded from.

After a while he grew tired of Home, and of his Father and Mother, he says, who did what they could to keep him within Bounds; but the more they strove, the more irksome it was to him, and he resolved to take himself away from them. For some Time after he worked at a Tobacconist's in the Neighbourhood, and got a pretty Livelihood; but Work, tho' never so easy, would not agree with his Constitution; the Seeds of Idleness were so rooted in him, that no Business could long entertain him. About five Years ago, this unhappy Youth says, he entered into a Gang of young Pickpockets about the Burrough and St. George's Fields , and has ever since continued to follow that, and other wicked Practices. His Father, he says, wou'd now and then meet with him, and take him Home sometime for 3 or 4 Days, with Intreaties and fair Speeches. But, 'twas all to no Purpose; for when his Father was gone to his Work, who was a Smith, and a laborious Man, the Youth would soon make his Escape, return to his Comrades, and not be seen by his Parents for many Months. Upon this being asked, whether he ever thought of the Consequence of following such Ways, as were against the Laws of God and Man; he said, he did not think much about it, for that he was always drunk, and in Company of lewd Women; so that his Time was amused another Way: That when he did think of it, he was persuaded in his Mind he should be hanged one Day or other, but little Thought 'twould be so soon. Black-Boy Alley and Chick-Lane were his Places of Resort and Retirement, when he had done all the Mischief he could.

He was so free as to own; that he believed he had been concerned in at least 500 Robberies, and Burglaries, &c. He was concerned for a long Time with William Tidd< no role > This name instance is in set 1128. and Anthony Bourne< no role > , executed in December last, two notorious Thieves; and with Anthony Whittle< no role > , sometime before executed, equally as notorious. When these were cut off, he was recommended to the late Field the Boxer, executed sometime since; and had been present at the perpetrating several base Villanies with them and many others. The chief Use they made of him in Robberies was to keep a Lookout; and in Burglaries, when they had broke a House, to list him in, to fetch out what Goods were to be had. He appeared to be as hardened a Youth as ever was at his tender Years concerned in these wicked Practices. The Robbery for which he was convicted was proved clearly upon him, and he did not deny it; and there was another Indictment against him for a Burglary, upon which he was not tried, which he owned he was concerned in. When upon Trial, he was asked what he had to say for himself; his Answer was, in a surly Mood, I have nothing to say. A Day or two before Execution, he seemed somewhat affected; tho' his tender Years, and Want of Reflection, would scarce admit of such a Sense of his Offences, as was necessary for a Person in his unhappy Situation.

But the nearer his End approached, the more he seemed affected.

At the PLACE of EXECUTION.

ON Monday the 17th Instant , about half an Hour after Nine in the Morning, Dowdel< no role > , Peacock< no role > , and Ward< no role > in the first Cart. Talbot< no role > , Hatton< no role > , and Quinn< no role > in the second, and Gibbs< no role > and Damsel< no role > in the third Cart, went to the Place of Execution. Dowdel, Ward, Talbot and Quinn, being Roman Catholicks , turned their Backs, and prayed by themselves, while I continued in Prayer about a Quarter of an Hour, recommending their Souls to the Almighty's Protection. Not one of them spoke any thing to the Populace worth remarking, but quietly resigned their Breath to the Satisfaction of the Law.

This is all the Account given by me, John Taylor< no role > , Ordinary of Newgate .