The ORDINARY of NEWGATE his Account of the Behaviour, Confession, and Dying Words of Mr . James Coats< no role > , who was Executed at Tyburn , on Friday the 24th of Day January, 1706/1707

AT the Sessions held at Justice Hall in the Old Baily , on Wednesday the 15th , Thursday the 16th , and Friday the 17th instant , the afore-mentioned Mr. Coats received Sentence of Death.

While he lay under this Condemnation I constantly attended him in his Retirement, and sometimes in the Chappel.

And on the Lord's Day, the 19th instant , I preach'd to him and others there present, in the Morning upon this Part of the Epistle for the Day, Rom. 12. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with Brotherly Love.

From which Words I shew'd, That Christian Love (which is so much recommended to us under the Gospel-Dispensation) does most effectually keep Men from wilful acts of Injustice, as it naturally puts them upon those of Mercy and Benevolence; it making them as careful to avoid wronging their Neighbours, as they can be desirous not to be wrong'd themselves; and disposing them to be as ready (upon occasion) to do good to others, as they would desire (especially if they stood in great need of it) that others should do good to them.

To the Practice of which Duty of being kindly affectioned one to another with Brotherly Love, I exhorted them, chiefly, from these Considerations.

I. The Excellency of the Duty it self.

II. Our Obligation to it.

III. The Advantages accruing to Mankind from it. And in order to this Practice I directed them;

1st. To compare their former Life with the Precept in the Text. And,

2dly, To regulate their future Life by it.

In the afternoon I preach'd upon Eccl. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou go'st.

Here I shew'd, That the Argument us'd by Solomon in the Text to perswade Men not to slip, but readily embrace the present Opportunity, and perform what they have to do before they die, is this; That after Death there is nothing to be done that can any ways be available to them.

To inforce this Truth, and inculcate it upon my Auditory, I desired, that with Solomon in this Book of Ecclesiastes, they would but seriously reflect upon the Vanity of this present Life; and herein consider,

I. The Shortness of it, and the Troubles it is attended withal.

II. The Eternity which is to follow it. And,

III. The great Work we have to do before our short time in this World is expired, in order to our avoiding the Misery, and obtaining the Happiness of the next.

Having enlarg'd upon these Particulars, I made Application; and concluded with a pressing Exhortation to the Person condemn'd.

He was then very attentive, as he always appear'd to be, both before and after his Condemnation. I found him sensible of his great Offences, which he acknowledg'd had justly provoked God to send this Punishment upon him. He declared several Facts which he had committed in company with others, whom he named, and who I hope will now take warning by him: And he particularly confess'd that of his robbing Madam Atley upon the Queen's High-way near Eating ; for which he stood condemn'd. He said he was very sorry for all the ill Things he had done, which he could not now undoe; but earnestly begg'd Pardon for them, both of God and of the Persons he had injur'd, and profess'd that he dy'd in Charity with all Mankind.

The particular Account that he gave me of himself, was in short and in substance this; That he was something about 50 Years of age, born in the City of London , of very honest Parents, who lived in Plenty and Credit in the World; as himself did for some time: But having by Gaming, and other Extravagances, brought himself to Poverty; and being disappointed of those Employments which he was seeking for, sometimes in the West-Indies , and at other times in Flanders , as well as here at Home; and wanting the Grace of God, and forgetting those Duties of Christianity that were taught him by his Virtuous Parents; he fell upon this wicked Course of Robbing on the High-way; saying, that he had been engaged in it about a year and a half, and no more; That meer necessity (joyned with the Inducements of others) had forced him to it, and that he never went about it but with some reluctancy, and with a full purpose never to hurt any in their Persons. He said further, that the first ill Fact of this kind, which he ever was concern'd in, was his Robbing Madam Henslow's House near Amersham-Commons in Buckinghamshire , and taking from thence about Eighty Pounds in Money and some Medals, hid in a very private place; to which one Mr. R. L. (who had 5 Pounds for his share) directed him with four more that assisted him in that Robbery, which was by them committed in the daytime upon the 7th of June 1705 , when they came under the pretence of being the Queen's Messengers that were sent to search that House. Of this and other his Robberies, he told me, he had given a true and just Information; adding, that he had 8 Pounds for his own share; and the rest of the Booty went to the other four, who were of long standing and greater Masters in that unlawful Art than he was. He said, that he soon grew weary of that Life; and that he was always very poor in it, and much inwardly troubled for it; being sensible, as of the Vanity and Unprofitableness, so likewise of the Sinfulness of it; and upon that account had resolved to leave it off. But he stay'd too long in the Execution of so good a Resolution; and so the Providence of God arrested him, and effectually brought him off from it, by this merciful, tho severe Method, with which he seem'd to be well satisfy'd, and acquiesced in the justice of it.

At the Place of Execution, whither he was this day carry'd in a Cart, and where I attend-him for the last time, he express'd himself to this purpose: That he pleaded Guilty both to God