was stop'd by John Lander< no role > at the End of the Old-Bayly , who pull'd the Wig out of his Bosom.

He said he was about 44 Years of Age; but had never been regularly settled in any Business; but going from one thing to another, at length he was Servant to a Gentleman , but the Gaieties and Frolicks which he there found, far from bettering his Mind, but rather turn'd his Inclinations the farther from Business. After this, he said, he bought old Cloths about the Streets , and sold them at Rag-Fair; and was at last drawn in to give sometimes false Evidence in behalf of People to be tryed for Capital and other Offences.

He profest himself a Roman Catholick , yet said that Christ was the only means of Salvation; being then ask'd how he could be a Roman, and not hold that good Works could save him? he answer'd, that there was one God, one Faith, one Baptism, &c. that he was born and would die in that Communion, and went abruptly away.

3. JOHN HAWKINS< no role > , was convicted of assaulting Thomas Green< no role > , a Post-Boy , on this side Colebrook ; this Prisoner waiting (by reason of his remarkable Bigness) at the End of Harmonsworth Lane , while Richard Wilson< no role > This name instance is in set 3048. , and George Simpson< no role > , puting their Handkerchiefs in their Mouths, and turning their Wigs upside down, clapt a Pistol to the Post-Boy's Face, led his Horse down the Lane, there making him dismount, where George Simpson< no role > bound the Boy and a Countryman with him to a Tree together, while Richard Wilson< no role > carry'd the Male to the End of the Lane, where this Prisoner Hawkins was waiting, in order to riffle the 50 Bags, and pick out the Bath and Bristol Bags.

This Malefactor was 28 Years of Age; born at Stanes in Middlesex ; where his Father a sober Man, but of no great Substance, intended he should have been of the Plastring Business ; but he not relishing so mean a mechanick Occupation, could not industriously settle to that, or any thing else of such a Nature; telling me, that he believed not many Men had more Greatness of Spirit than himself, but that was so far from being a Benefit to him, that it had occasion'd his Distruction. After he found that he could not subsist by flying from one Project to another, he settled himself in the Family of Sir Dennis Dutry< no role > , where, as Buttler , he liv'd without any Exceptions taken as to his Demeanour in the Family; but that he there gratify'd his natural Inclinations, as to Eating and Drinking, and made that habitual which was before in his Constitution. But an Uneasiness happening in the Family, which they fancied the Buttler was in part the Occasion of, he left that Place with a good Character, as to his Integrity. Having been instructed in the Nature of Trading (he said) to France and Flanders , in Wines, Brandies, &c. He joyn'd with his Brother, a Captain of a Vessel, or Sloop, in fetching those Commodities from those Places, and commonly paid the King's Custom for them: That this way of Life was very agreeable to him, but his Gains were not superior to his Losses, running certain Hazards and Accidents in those Matters; but having a strong and violent Inclination to arrive at great Riches and Splendor; on a sudden, he left the uncertain Way of dealing at Sea , to deal (he said) in the South Sea and the Bubbles from which he had recourse to bubbling in an another Way, as some others besides have done; in which vicious Course, he had Success for a considerable time.

When I went to him before his Trial, he showed me certain Books, which he said were sent him he believed out of a good Design, and not to cajole him and extort a Confession from him; and much accus'd those who had villaniously asserted in the News Papers, that he and Simpson had acknowledged the Fact before the Justice of Peace, together with above 20 other Robberies. At the same time he showed she an Advertisement, which described the Mail to be robb'd by two Men, whereas Richard Wilson< no role > 's Information made them three in Number. And as for their making a strict and previous Preparation, that he said became every Man under Calamities, because God was the properest Being to apply to in Misfortunes, deserved or oppresive.

At his Tryal, during the 6 Hours it lasted, he behaved himself in a decent and becoming Manner; when he found himself condemn'd, and well knew the Consequence was certain Death, he put on a Deportment surprizingly odd and bold, arraigning the Court and the Jury alternately, and discovering (as