may not be sullied. Take heed therefore, lest you should presume that your Sins are Pardoned, because you declame against them, while you are under the terrible Arrest of Death; when as if your Lives should be spared, you would adventure to dye in the embraces of your Lusts, upon the renewing of their Sollicitations: To prevent this, beg of God, That you may abandon with perfect hatred those works of darkness, in which you have abounded, having been Subtile in the contriving and extenuating them.

Oh! that the Mysteries of Godliness may be so discovered to you that these may sink deeply in your Heart, to rectify them thorowly, in an Sincere Consecration of them to the Lord; Sek the compleatness of Righteousness in Christ to Justice you and the Sanctifying Graces of his Spirit to change your corrupt Nature. Then you may entertain lively hopes of blessedness in God's Celestial Kingdom.

Aspire to this state, wherein there is not any possibility of Guiltiness, Guiles, nor Pollution in the Heart, but Sincerity and purity, reigning in their highest perfection to Eternity.

I proceed to give an Account of the Behaviour and Confessions of the Condemned Criminals.

I. HEnry Allen< no role > , Condemned for robbing on the Highway. I do acknowledge, (said he) That for my many and great Sins, (by which I provok'd the Lord) he urly hath brought the Sentence of Death upon Me. He said, That by his acquiring the skilful use or his Pen, he was fit for to be a Clerk to a Counceller at Law; and had Religious Education, but did not improve it in his walking suitably thereunto (yet his carriage was not given to the heighth of Wickedness.) He confest. That he had Sinned against the Convictions and Remorse of his Conscience, which made his Sins to be the greater; That he had mispent much precious time in Vanity. But now, (said he) I hope it is the sincere desire of my Heart to please God; and were I to live, I would not willingly depart from him, but would watch against all Temptations of sinning, that I might serve the Lord, and employ my self in an honest way to get a livelihood.

II. William Betts< no role > , Condemned for robbing on the Highway. He said, That he had been a Clerk to a Counceller ; but leaving his Service, he was exposed to an idle Life; that he is much troubled now, That he spent his Time amiss in bad Company, and that he did not strictly observe the Duties of the Christian Sabbath, which would have kept an awe upon his Heart, not to adventure on such sinful Courses, for which, he said, That he now justly suffers.

III. Thomas Cotterel< no role > , Condemned for Coining false Money. He did not deny the Crime. He formerly kept a Tavern ; and said, That the entertainment of Persons in his house on the Lord's Day, made him sometimes join with them in drinking Intemperately. He said, That he had known his Duty to God, but did not obey his Will; which now as much afflicts him, as that he must dye.

IV. Joseph Forster< no role > , Condemned for robbing on the Highway. He said, That his Friends left him a good Estate, but he squandred it away in vain Expences; That he observed not the worship of God on his holy Day; that he had been too much given to Swearing, and excess in Drinking with bad Company.

V. Thomas Houghton< no role > , Condemned for Counterfeiting Stampt Paper. He was a Person of knowledg in the matters of Religion, and said, That this hath aggravated his Sins; that he committed them against the clear and strong Convictions of his Conscience to the contrary; that he kept Company with bad Women before he married; and acknowledged, That for his evil Life, God suffered the Sentence of Death to fall upon him He was very attentive to the Instructions and Prayers, which were used to prepare him for a fit going out of the World, and to obtain the future estate of Blessedness.

VI. Francis Cook< no role > , Condemned for Counterfeiting Stampt Paper. He was a broad Silk-Weaver , and said, That he had drove a great Trade for some thousands of Pounds per annum; but he had contracted great Debts, by trusting insolvent Persons and was brought to extream Poverty, which inclined him to join with Thomas Houghton< no role > in Counterfeiting stampt Paper. He said, That he had been a Change Broker and got Money by it; but Drunkenness and bad Company caused him not to mind the Duties of the Lord's Day, which exposed him to commit many other Sins. He was very Penitent, and yet, said, That he distrusted his Heart as to the Sincerity of it; but he Prayed to God to work in him an hatred of all Sin, chiefly for offending him and grieving his holy Spirit.

VII. Francis Salisbury< no role > , Condemned for stampt Paper. He was born in Worcester City ; had Religious Education, and was a student in Divinity ; a Person of excellent acquired Knowledge, as well as Natural quick Understanding. He was very Penitent, and said, That he had sinned against the Convictions of his Conscience, and that he had brought a reproach on his Function, which, he said, That he could not expiate but by special Degrees of a more than ordinary Repentance; that if he must dye, he submitted to the Will of God, hoping that he would Sanctify his fatal Stroke to the saving of his Soul.

VIII. Francis Exon< no role > , alias Gains< no role > , Condemned for Stealing a Gelding. He was an Husband-man in Surry . He said, That he was tempted to commit this Crime, but did not express by whom; yet he acknowledged that for half a Year past, he had followed a vain course of Living. He seemed Penitent.

IX. Richard Talent< no role > , Condemned for picking a Pocket. He denied not the Crime, neither was he so sensible of it as he ought to have been. He said, That he was not bred up to any employment, because he had been very disobedient to his Parents. I told him that this heinous Sin is sadly Reflected on, as exposing Persons to a shameful untimely Death, which many acknowledge who suffer Publickly.

On Wednesday the third of Novevber 1697 . Francis Cook< no role > , Henry Allen< no role > , and Thomas Houghton< no role > , were convey'd to Tyburn in a Cart, where they were ty'd up, Houghton owned his fact, and exprest his sorrow for the Guilt of his Crime, and desired all the People to take warning by him; to follow good Courses, and be obedient to the Commandments of God, and not to commit the lest Sin, whereby to enrich themselves, for thereby it would put them under Repentance, but to have a due regard of the lest breach thereof. He seemed to be penitent, and acknowledged the Justice of the Law. Francis Cook< no role > owned his ct, saying very little, and desired the Prayers of all good People. Henry Allen< no role > owned his Crime, saying, That he was sorry for the Fact which he had committed, and begged of God to have Mercy upon his Soul. Sometime after they were ty'd up, Mr. Saisbury the Minister came in a Mourning Coach, attended with two Ministers; and being brought into the Cart, he fell upon his Knees and prayed for a considerable Time by himself, and afterwards he willingly join'd in Prayer with the Church prayer: He did not say much, declaring that it was not his purpose to speak when he came there. He acknowledged his Crime, and the justness of the Law. And being ty'd up, They were turned off. About an Hour after, the Sherriff of Middlesex and his Officers, brought the Bodies of Thomas Cotterel< no role > , alias Cockeril< no role > , and John Ripley< no role > , alias Rapley< no role > on a Sledge; and being tied up, each of them owned their Facts, but Rapley said little. And Cotterel begged of God to forgive him his Sins; and owned likewise, That he had been in Newgate formerly. After Prayers and a Penitental Psalm, They were turn'd off.

This is all the Account that I can give of this Sessions.

Dated Novem. 3 .

Sam. Smith< no role > , Ordinary .

LONDON, Printed for E. Mallet, in Nevil's-Court in Fetter-lane, 1697