The Confessions, Behaviour, and Dying Speeches of the Criminals that were Executed at Tyburn, on Saturday the 20th of July, 1700 .

I. JOHN Simpson< no role > , Born in Essex , almost 40 Years old, Condemn'd for Felony and Burglary, confest himself Guilty upon his Tryal; and gave this particular Reason for it afterwards, that he was so wearied with committing Iniquity, that he had lost all Relish of this present Life, and therefore desir'd to Live no longer. And indeed upon his Confession, he seem'd to have had Reason, if I may be allowed to say so, having been as great an Offender as perhaps ever was Drunkenness, Blasphemy, Lewdness, Robbery, Sacrilege, Murder, are the Crimes particularly he owned to have practis'd, and to have been Master in the Art of them. The three first he once thought estential to his Employment, as being a Soldier , but when he came to himself, he was of another Mind, as well he might. For Robbing, he gave this Account, that he had been Guilty of it oftner than he could remember, that he had broke open Houses, and Robb'd on the High-way, (particularly once when he with Three more, last Easter-Eve was two Years, took from a Gentleman, a little beyond Tyburn , 500 Guineas) that he had frequently Robb'd Officers Tents in Flanders , and the King's also, from whence he with his Companions conveyed more than once a 1000 l. together, in a Word, that he had committed so many Felonies and Burglaries in England and Flanders, as got him the Name of Captain of the Thieves in both Countries, particularly in the latter, where the City of Ghent , he affirmed, has been shut up twice in a Fortnights time to find him out, and when that was done, Irons were put about his Neck, his Back, his Arms, and his Legs, and he carried about the Town for a Show. For Sacrilege, He declared it was his frequent Custom to strip the Papists as they went to Mass at 5 in the Morning, that he and two more, with their Swords drawn, have Robb'd them at the very Altar, and then, when the Mob has been rais'd upon them, have run Laughing about the Streets, and defy'd them. That once particularly, he Robb'd St. Peter's Church , in the aforesaid City, of 1200 l. worth of Plate; a just return for its being an Asylum to him, tho' he stood Condemn'd for Murder. The Story thus, Having kill'd a Man, he was Condemned for it, upon which breaking Jail, he fled to the aforementioned Church, where in 4 Days the Priests got him his Pardon, and then in a short time, after, (having learnt the Avenues to the Plate) he committed the aforesaid Sacrilege, for which, upon suspicion being taken up, for want of proof, he was Acquitted. For Murder in the last place, he acknowledged, that he had killed 4 or 5 Men upon Quarrels, but never any in any of his Robberies. This is the Account he gave of each particular, adding moreover that he was one of them who broke out of Newgate the last Christmass, being then cast for a couple of Felonies. And that his right Name was John Holiday< no role > . Such a Scene of complicated Wickedness, will I presume, surprize the Reader; it may neither be unpleasant nor unuseful to him, if I set down here what past betwixt us relating to this Affair. I told him, I thought in the first place, it was impossible that all this should be true, that he only spoke it to be talk'd of: I wondred next, that being one of the Children of this World, he had not exerted so much Wisdom, as to take up whilst he was well, having several times got a great quantity of Money together. I then desir'd him to let the World know some particular ways, by which Thieves use to Rob Houses, that so the Honest Neighbour might stand upon his Guard. And in the last place, I assured him, that his Repentance could not be sincere, till he had discovered all his Accomplices, that so, they knowing they are discovered, may make a Vertue of Necessity, and abandon their Wickedness. To all which he answer'd, That what he Confest was really true, that he had formerly made his Brags of it, but for 6 Weeks past, he was so far from that, that he was overwhelm'd with Shame and Confusion about it. That whatever he had got together by such unlawful means, he never had the power to make a right use of. That one particular way, by which Thieves do get into Houses, is by standing upon one anothers Shoulders, to the number of 3, and then the uppermost scrambles into the Chamber, strikes a Light, and makes up his Bundle. That about Supper is generally the time, because then the Servants are giving their Attendance. Thus far he went without any Scruple, but when he came to the last thing, he made many Excuses, That he ought not to betray his Friends, &c. But upon representing, that it was really not to betray them, for it was for their true Interest, and the Welfare of his own Soul: He then discovered both Men and Women, desiring them to beware, and become Wise and Sober in time. Wou'd to God he himself had been so! Sure I am, if we may believe his own Words, never poor Creature more heartily desir'd it than he did, nor gave greater Testimonies of his Contentment, under the Severity of Divine Providence. All his cry was, his Soul - and upon that I hope God has had Mercy.

II. George Goffe< no role > , Born in Sussex , about 45 Years of Age, Condemn'd for Felony and Burglary; Confest himself Guilty of the Felony but not of the Burglary. I represented to him the Necessity of an Ingenious and true Confession; that now was the time, not to give a Gloss or new Turn to his Story, which really it wou'd not bear, but acknowledge it Sincerely, without any Trick or