THE TRUE ACCOUNT OF THE BEHAVIOUR AND CONFESSION Of the Criminals Condemned, on Saturday the 11th. of December, 1686 . At Justice-Hall in the Old-Bayly. And in the Second Year of His Majesties Reign.

Six of which Received Sentence of Death, viz. John Culverwell< no role > , Jonathan Parsons< no role > , Thomas Powel< no role > , Nicholas Jones< no role > , Elizabeth James< no role > , and James Deale< no role > , Of Which, Jonathan Parsons< no role > , Thomas Powel< no role > , and were in the Dead-Warrant to be Executed at TYBURN . On Friday the 17th. of this Instant December, 1686. The other Condemned Criminals, were by His Majesty Graciously Reprieved.

ON Saturday in the Afternoon, the Ordinary visited the Condemned Criminals, having observed that the sooner he discourses them after Sentence past, the deeper Impressions are made upon them; how deplorable their Condition is: After he had prayed for them, he endeavoured to awaken them from their Security and Presumption in a course of sinning, and that they would look back to their former Omission of their Duty to God and Men, for which, the Lord justly had left them to harden their Hearts by the deceits of sin. The Ordinary considering also, how frequently Roberys have been Committed of late, endeavoured to make them sensible of the greatness of the Crime of stealing, from that Sacred Admonition in the 62 Psalm, and the 10 ver. viz. Become not vain in Robery. There is much Vanity and Presumption in this Sin, when a False Hope is conceived, that God will not Enquire after it, to discover and punish it; yet there is no Darkness so thick, and seemingly impenetrable, wherein the workers of Iniquity can lie hid. The Omniscient Lord strangely brings such Malefactors to Light, that they may be convinced and ashamed of their Atheism and Presumption of impumity. He often breaks their Confederacies, and causes some to Accuse their Fellows.

Persons become vain in Robery when they plead Poverty or Necessity in the Excuse of it. This can be no Apology, for Theft is against the Dictates of the Natural Conscience, which is first violated in its convictive impressions, before any inroad can be made upon the Propriety of another. It were more Eligible to Dig or Beg, than to Adventure to steale: Let Persons be Honest, and God who Commands all Hearts, will move some