The ORDINARY of NEWGATE his Account of the Behaviour, Confessions, and Last Speeches of Thomas Jarrott< no role > and William Maw< no role > This name instance is in set 4687. , who were Executed at TYBURN on Wednesday the 24 of October, 1711 .

AT the Sessions held at Justice-Hall in the Old-Baily , on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, the 10th , 11th , and 12th of October, 1711 , Three Persons, viz. William Maw< no role > , and Two Women, that were then try'd for, and found Guilty of several Capital Crimes, did accordingly receive Sentence of Death. Of those Three Criminals, the first is now order'd for Execution, together with Thomas Jarrott< no role > , who having been convicted the Sessions before, and since repriev'd several times, and afterwards called to his former Judgment, is now at last appointed to suffer that Death, to which he then was condemn'd.

While they were under this Condemnation, I not only visited them constantly, and had them twice every day brought up to the Chapel in Newgate ; where I pray'd with them, and expounded the Word of God to them; but gave them within that time, no less than 14 publick Penitential Sermons (suitable to their melancholy Circumstances) the two last of which Sermons were preach'd on the Lord's Day the 21st instant, upon part of the Epistle for the day, viz. Ephes. 6. 18. Praying always with all Prayer, and Supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all Perseverance.

From which Words (first explained in general, with their Context) I discoursed at large upon the excellent Subject of Prayer; shewing them;

I. The absolute Necessity of it.

II. The due and proper Qualifications for it.

III. and lastly, The great Benefits and Advantages accruing by it.

To which Heads having fully and distinctly spoken, I concluded with particular Exhortations and Admonitions to the Condemned, who seem'd to be very attentive to what was then deliver'd.

And as in my publick, so chiefly in my private Discourses to them, I endeavour'd (from the very first to the last) to make them sensible of the absolute and indispensable Necessity and Obligation they were under, to clear their Consciences by a free Confession of their Sins, that so they might (in some measure) make amends for the Mischiefs they had done, and (as far as in them lay) prevent other Offenders going on in their pernicious and dangerous ill-Courses. This I laid close to them, earnestly desiring them, that they would seriously think upon what I then offer'd to their Consideration and Practice, as a thing directly tending to the Glory of God, their own Spiritual Safety, and the Good of their Neighbour; adding, That their wilful Neglect or Omission of this, would prove at the last most dismal to themselves, who were the Persons that should suffer most by it, in that it would expose them to the unconceivable Torments of an unhappy Life (or rather an Eternal Death) in another World.

Upon which Thomas Jarrott< no role > did (even from the very first) give such Informations to those Persons, who had received any Injury by him, as shew'd he was sensible of, and sorry for, the Evils he had done; and that were he to have outliv'd this, he would never have brought himself under the like Condemnation, nor ever more been concerned in such wicked Deeds: Which Behaviour of his at that time, I must needs say, was some Demonstration of his Repentance. Among several Discoveries which he made, he gave me an Account of some Exchequer-Notes, Bank-Bills, Bonds, and private Money-Notes, &c. amounting together to about 300 l. which he and two others with him, stole and dispos'd of for 51 l. And likewise several Yards of Cloth of the Value of 15 s. or 16 s. per Yard, which they took out of three Carts, and for quicker Sale and Dispatch, they Sold at 1 s. per Yard only; they having found Chapmen that had the Conscience to buy those Things at such an easy Rate, and to bid them bring in more; as will fully appear from Jarrott's Paper, written in his own Hand, which he left in mine, and which I shall publish by it self, (there not being room to insert it in this) for the Satisfaction of all concerned in any of the many Robberies mentioned therein, and the preventing unnecessary Suspicions, injurious Reflections, &c.

When I had him alone in my Closet in Newgate , he confess'd himself to have been a very great Offender. He said, he was about 24 Years of age, born of honest Parents in High-Holborn , in the Parish of St. Giles in the Fields : That tho' he had (from his Youth) receiv'd good Instruction, and Religious Education, yet he had of late strangely abandon'd himself to a loose Life, had 2 Wives now living, & had been concern'd in many other lewd Actions: That being Indicted for, and upon his Tryal found (as he now confess'd he really was) Guilty of, a Felony about a Twelve-month ago, the Court then order'd him into the QUEEN's Service, and accordingly he was listed a Soldier . But he being a short Man, and withal understanding the Sea, better than Land-Service, as having for 5 years together before been a Sailor on board some Merchant-men in the West-Indies , his Officer turn'd him over to a Sea-Commander; and so he served on board the Neptune, and other Men of War several Months: Then coming up to London again, he return'd to his wicked Ways, and (among other Robberies) committed a Felony and Burglary, in the House of Mr. William Gardner< no role > , on the 10th of August last , taking out of it 8 dozen pair of Worsted Stockings, 8 pound weight of Thread, and other Goods; which Fact he publickly confess'd at the Bar, being (as he told me afterwards) perswaded so to do, by some Persons who had an Interest in his Death; and, upon that his Confession, he was brought in Guilty of this Fact, and so receiv'd Sentence accordingly.

Having lain a long while under this Condemnation, and being first told, that his Execution should be on Wednesday the 19th of September last , and then on the 21st , and then again on the 5th instant; and when that Day was come, and he ev'n ready to be carry'd off, the said Execution being then again deferr'd to the 12th ; and last of all to this Day; He all that while entertained the vain and unhappy Hopes, That he should be still further Reprieved: But at last he found himself hugely mistaken therein, as diverse others, under the like dismal Circumstances, have done; who, when much Time has been allow'd them to prepare themselves for Death, instead of employing that precious Time to such a necessary and important Use, have been contriving Means and Methods how to avoid that Death, which they were so much concern'd to look upon as certain, and make due Preparation for. And thus it was with this unhappy young Man, who, had he not so much depended upon this Life, might more stedfastly have apply'd himself to the making a due Provision for another. But his Thoughts being confus'd and distracted by the many flattering Promises, daily made to him, he did not altogether make that good use of his precious Time, nor of the Religious Instructions and Admonitions given him, which probably he would have done, had not his Mind been so discomposs'd, and toss'd (as it were) between Hope and Fear, between Time and Eternity.

As for William Maw< no role > , the other Person concerned in this Paper, the Account which I can give of him is this; That he was Cast upon five Indictments, viz. 1st, For breaking open the House of Mrs. Ann Johnson< no role > , and taking thence 8 Pewter-plates and other Goods, on the 9th of July last . 2dly, For breaking open the House of Mr. John Avery< no role > , and taking thence 24 pair of Leather-Clogs. 3dly, For assaulting and robbing Mr. Charles Potts< no role > on the Queen's High-way, taking from him a Silver-Watch, 5 Gold-Rings, Money, and other Things. 4thly, For assaulting and robbing likewise on the Highway, Mrs. Ann Grover< no role > , taking from her 3 s. 6 d. 5thly, For assaulting in the like manner on the Queen's Highway, Mr. Thomas Coleman< no role > , and robbing him of an Handkerchief, some Money, and other Goods. Of all which Facts he being found Guilty (as he might have been of many others, had he been try'd for them) he accordingly and deservedly received Sentence of Death: Which Sentence he at first deny'd, but afterwards acknowledg'd, to be very just, in that God had brought this Evil upon him because he had been a very great Sinner.