The Account of the Prisoners, during the time that they lay under Sentence of Death.

THO' the sound of the Sentence past upon Malefactors, does commonly awe and alarm them into a serious Concern for the present, it has sometimes not even that Effect upon their Minds: And that the generallity of those last Condemn'd were so little sensible of their Danger, must be imputed to the greater part of them being wholly Illiterate. Nor was it possible to perswade them to improve themselves in the little Reading they had learnt when Children; but they expected (as they told me) that I must furnish them with Common-Prayer Books, and not their Friends, nor would they otherwise regard the publick Prayers, or below attend to J. Hooper, when he offer'd to read and pray with them in the Condemned-Hold. But to prevent in some Measure their vicious Practice of leud Talking and Swearing, I obtained for them some small stitch'd Books against those Vices, and after the Dead-Warrant was sent to them, they forsook their idle Discourse, and grew more serious; lamenting with Tears their Mistake, in having thought they should be all Reprived either when his Majesty left the Kingdom, or, at the Convention of the New Parliament.

1. JOHN THOMSON< no role > , was condemn'd for assaulting George Curry< no role > , in Smithfield , on the 2d of March , about One in the Morning, and taking from him a Shirt, a Wig, and Hat, Value 30 s. by knocking him down, and (together with his Comrade) stamping on his Breast, after they pretended to guard him safe Home, seeing he had been Drinking.

THIS Malefactor was Born near Carlisle , but came with his Father and Friends to London, when he was two Years of Age. He said, that when he was very young, he was given to understand several Tricks, and kinds of Villany; liv'd in Houses where dishonest Persons met and harbour'd, who were not always very elose in concealing their Trade, and their Designs. That he, at that time, much admir'd their profuse and generous Way of Life, their jovial Talk, and good Eating and Drinking, and the general Welcome they found for their Money. He also said, that he believed in 15 Years he never read in a Bible, nor heard any good Book read. However, at last he was by a Friend put Aprentice to a Weaver , but never work'd much for his Master; being Listed, when young, to serve Queen ANNE at Sea ; adding, that as he had been used to a different Way of Life, the going into the cold Baltick Ocean against the Swedes, in Conjunction with the Fleet of Denmark, was as bad to him as Death: Yet there, he said, he did Service, receiving some Wounds, and being in several Engagements for his Country, which he hoped, would in some Degree ballance the Harms he had done.

After he return'd from the Baltick, he said, be endeavour'd to perfect himself in the Knowledge of his Business; understanding the Happiness of a private quiet Life, from the tumultuous Hurry and Danger