The Confessions, Behaviour, and dying Speeches, of the Criminals that were Executed at Tyburn the Sixth of September, 1700 .

DEvereux Pheasant< no role > , born in London , confest the Crimes for which he was Condemn'd, viz. Felony and Burglary. Acknowledged also that he had been in Jayl before, being one of those that broke out last Christmas, at which time he had been a Convict for a Twelve-month. Being desired to declare all the other Robberies and Wickednesses he had committed, there was no engaging him to confess any otherwise, than that he was once besides taken up upon suspition, and suffered for it, because he was taken in the Company of those that did the Fact; And that he for his part had left his Wife, but it was as he believed upon a just Account, because she kept Company with another Man. This gave occasion in the first place to remark, That granting what he said was true, it ought to have been a warning to him to avoid ill Company for the future, when he had suffered so much by it before, and that sure, he, of all Men, should have detested Robbery, when the Providence of God had permitted him to undergo so much Affliction for but being in the Company of Thieves and Robbers; But he was to take care that what he charged upon his Companions, was not really chargeable upon himself too; God knew the truth of what he said, and there was no dallying with Omnipotence. He acknowleged all this in a very decent manner, and desired withal, my Thoughts of his parting with his Wife, for that created him some disturbance, but he supposed it was groundless. I then observed, First, That Men sometimes take offence where there was no offence given, and if that was his Case, he had reason to be troubled, and the more, because the offence was of that nature as to make a Separation betwixt Man and Wife. But then, Secondly, if he was really satisfied in his own Conscience that the Offence was justly taken, I durst assure him, that what he did in that respect was no Sin, provided he had no other Antipathy than what arose from that Ground. For in the Case of Adultery our Saviour allowed it. This gave him satisfaction, and put an end to his Discourse; for he was a Man of a close Temper, and of few Words, and a Countenance Melancholly to the last degree: Tho' this I must say of him, his Countenance was but suited to his sad Condition; and having meekness of Behaviour, and a regular Devotion to attend it throughout, we may humbly hope that it was so far from being a Fault, 'twas his Vertue and his Happiness. All that were to be wished, he had confest particularly his crying Wickednesses, and not lessened and concealed them, and then there had been nothing wanting to shew the sincerity of his Heart.

II. Walter Terry< no role > , born in Bishopsgate-street , under the same Condemnation for the same Crime, besides another for which he was tried and Convicted. After a particular Application, as was needful to a Person of his Surliness and Obstinacy, he gave this following Account of his Life. That he had been Coachman to several Persons of Quality, and had been also Master of a Hackney Coach himself, and might have lived very happily had not he fell into bad Company. But having once got that, that prov'd his ruin: For that drew him on to break the Sabbath, to Curse, to Swear, to Drink, to commit all manner of Debauchery, amongst the rest, to Theive and Steal to maintain the expence of it, particularly to steal from a House by Stocks-Market one piece of Cloth, and another of Serge, which was done about 5 Months since; to take out of a Court in Throckmorton street , a Silver Tankard and a Silver Porringer, about the same time. Besides the two Robberies for which he suffered, and another that brought him to Prison once before. Thus far he went with an indifferent Calmness; but then nothing could smooth him into Temper till we entred on another Subject, and that was the representing before him the nature and ill Consequences of keeping wicked Company, That it corrupts a Man's Morals, alters his Complexion, and infatuates him to that Degree, till he's brought to the Gallows, and what is beyond all, the damnation of Hell; A Word that made him wish at least, that he had been wiser. And gave me opportunity to lay also before him the necessity of discovering all his Accomplices; for it was not enough to reveal all his own Robberies, and take shame to himself for them, but if he meant to do all the good he could whilst he lived, in lieu of the evil he had done, 'twas certainly his Duty to discover them. This made him at first absolutely to despise any such Advice, but then after a little cool, he came to consider how this could be? For was he to betray his Friend? 'twas enough for him to suffer himself, and not to bring others into the same snare. Whereupon I observed to him, First, That what he thus discover'd cou'd be of no disadvantage to his Friends, he being under the Sentence of Condemnation, and consequently what he affirm'd being not valid in Law. Secondly, That it might be of advantage to them, so as to reclaim them, being conscious to themselves they are the Persons pointed at. And Thirdly, that I for my part should make no other use of it, than either Personally, or by Letter, to beg them to be Reform'd, and Fourthly, that whatsoever might be the Consequence, he was bound in Conscience to discover them; for if he was sorrowful for the Evil he himself had done, there was no other way to demonstrate his Sorrow but by preventing, to his Power, the evil that may be done by others. And how could this Morally be prevented but by such a Discovery? All which obliged him to confess a whole Gang of his Accomplices both Men and Women, the Names they go by, and the Places where they may be found. If any such chance to read this Paper, they are desired to take Example, and be wise and sober in time, especially the Buyers and Receivers of stoln Goods, who know them to be such; for tho' they may think themselves as honest as their Neighbours, because they are not actually in the Robberies, yet when they remember that there's a Proverb against them, The Receiver is as bad as the Thief, for were there no Receivers there would be no Theives; this must make them hate such base dishonest ways, unless they can be also deaf to the Cries of Condemn'd Wretches, who lay the fault even of their own Ruin at their Doors: For such was the Case of the Person here before us, and he spake it with an air of Truth. Would to God all his other Behaviour had as much an Air of Repentance and Sobriety!

III. John Harold< no role > , of the Parish of St. Giles without Cripplegate , Convicted twice for two Felonies and two Burglaries. Being examined about his Life and Conversation, he reply'd at first, with a peculiar Sourness, I have nothing to Confess, nor nothing will. The reason, because he would have as little as possible to reflect upon his Wife and Family. But upon proper Discourse, as, That it would be a greater Reflection upon his Relations should he die in Obstinacy and Impenitence; That the manner of his Death was not the consideration, all his business was with the Thief upon the Cross to make a Penitent and Holy end; That for his Crimes they were of a publick Nature, and therefore his Confession ought to be as publick; That they had given offence to the Church of God, and where the Crime is publick, the Acknowledgment ought to be so; That therefore David's Adultery and Murder is left on publick Record, and he is perpetually praying, Deliver me from Blood guiltiness, O God! And should not we who have David's Failings do all we are able to have David's Repentance? All this melted him into Tears, and made him sorrowfully acknowledge, that he had been in two or three Robberies, but it was mere necessity drove him to it, having married an honest Woman whom he was unwilling shou'd starve before his Face. This made me reply with some concern, 'twas a strange Necessity that should make a Man rob, and so destroy both Soul and Body, without God's great Mercy; That if he had an honest Woman she would chuse any thing rather than put him upon that; that this was the worst pretence that could be, because every Body knows that the Providence of God will always assist them with Necessaries, who endeavour for an honest Livelihood. The result was, he wept even Floods of Tears as an Argument of his Conviction, and at the same time took of his Wife this solemn Farewell, Take care not to be drawn away, but serve and please God, and take warning by my fall. A Farewell so much the more considerable, because out of the Mouth of a Thief and Robber, it being even in such a Man's Judgment the best way to lead an honest Life.