THE ORDINARY of NEWGATE his ACCOUNT, Of the Behaviour, Confession, and dying Words of the Malefactors, who were Executed on Monday, the 9th of this Instant May, 1726 , at Tyburn.

AT the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London; and on the King's Commission of Jail-Delivery of Newgate, held at Justice-Hall in the Old-Bailey , for the City of London, and County of Middlesex; on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the 20th , 21st , 22d , and 23d of April, 1726 , in the Twelfth Year of his Majesty's Reign; (before the Rt. Hon. Sir Francis Forbes< no role > , Knt . Lord Mayor of the City of London ; the Rt. Hon. the Lord Chief Justice Raymond; the Hon. Mr. Baron Price; Sir William Thomson< no role > , Knt . Recorder ; and John Raby< no role > , Serjeant at Law ; and other his Majesty's Justices of Jail-Delivery, and Oyer and Terminer aforesaid; together with his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the said City of London) Fifteen Malefactors were convicted of Capital Crimes, and receiv'd Sentence of Death, viz. Thirteen Men, and Two Women. John Murrel< no role > was also convicted Capitally, for stealing a brown Mare, val 8 l. but being dangerously ill, his Sentence was respited.

While under Sentence, they were instructed in the Principles of our Holy Christian Religion; in the Original of Right and Property; they were taught the great Evil of the Sin of Murder from several weighty Considerations; and if Murder in general be one of the most heinous Sins, then in proportion the murderer of one's nearer and dearest Relation must be still a greater Sin than common Murder; and not only of one who is most nearly Related, but also who, by the Laws of God and Man, is a superiour Person in Power and Honour; for that the Husband is called the Head of the Wife, her Lord, &c. and therefore the Laws of this Kingdom have wisely declar'd it to be a greater Crime, and affix'd a severer Punishment upon a Wife's murdering her Husband, than upon other Murderers, &c. I likewise insisted upon the Villany and Uncleanness of unnatural Sins, which ought not to be nam'd among People who have any remainders of Civility lest, much less among Christians who profess the true Religion, teaching us to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts &c especially the Lusts of the Flesh, &c. I show'd 'em the Evil of this Sin from God's visible Judgments inflicted on Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighbouring Cities, in raining Fire and Brimstone from Heaven upon them, and consuming them as in a Moment, &c, And in the Apostle St Paul, Rom. 1. and St. Jude in his Epistle, inveighing so much against these most impious and notorious Sinners, &c.

In time of delivering these and many other useful Instructions, all of them appeared to be attentive; but no outward Signs of Repentance and Sorrow for Sin, requisite in every sincere Christian, much more in such notable and most impious Offenders, as many, if not all of 'em were; Wood the Murderer was most affected, but he appeared but 2 or 3 Days in Chapel, for falling sick, he died in the Condemn'd Hold a few Days before the Sentence was put in Execution; Billings, who actually murder'd Mr. Hayes, by one stroke of a Hatchet in the hind-part of his Head, was a confus'd, hard-hearted young Fellow, and had few external Signs of Penitence; Mrs. Hayes was too unconcerned, and I fear too often her Mind was taken up with things altogether foreign to the Purpose, and great Work which she had then upon hand; Gillingham, Map, and the rest of 'em were attentive and comply'd with the Worship, excepting one who was a Roman Catholick.

Upon Thursday last the Report was made to his Majesty in Council; John Treen< no role > , Mary Scuff ham< no role > , and George Keger< no role > , receiv'd his Majesty's most Gracious Reprieve; John Vanvick< no role > , and Thomas Wood< no role > died in Prison; the remaining Ten, viz. Cotterel, Gillingham, Map, Hayes, Billings, Laurence, Griffin, Wright, Vigus, and Dupre, were ordered for Execution.

The Dead-Warrant coming down on Friday the 6th of May , these Ten began to think seriously upon Death; Gillingham, who formerly appear'd very indifferent, came to Chapel, shedding Tears, Mrs. Hayes, who before shew'd little Concern, being assur'd she was to die on Monday, wept bitterly; and the rest appear'd more effected than usual.

Thomas Billings< no role > and Thomas Wood< no role > , of St. Mary le Bone , were Indicted for the Murder of John Hayes< no role > , the former by striking and bruising the said John Hayes< no role > on the hinder part of the Head with a Hatchet, on the 1st of March last , of which he instantly died, and the latter for being accessary to the said Murder; to which Indictment they both pleaded Guilty.

THOMAS BILLINGS< no role > , (as Mrs. Hayes affirm'd some Days before their Execution) Son to John Hayes< no role > and Catharine Hayes< no role > , between 19 and 20 Years of Age When he was a Child, he did not live with his Father and Mother, but with some of their Relations in the Country; he was put to School in his younger Years, and taught to read his Mother Tongue, to write, and instructed in the Knowledge of the Christian Religion. I ask'd him if he knew what Parents he was of? he said, he did not, but believ'd himself to be a Bastard, but a near Relation of Mrs. Hayes, but what way he could not tell; that he was put to a Taylor in Worcestershire ; and that there was a Country Shoemaker in that County, now dead, with whom he stay'd when he was young, who always pass'd for his Father, I ask'd what mov'd him to murder Mr. Hayes? he said, that he was cruel and barbarous in beating and abusing his Wife; that he threaten'd to murder himself, and said, some time or other he should kill his Wife; and that he was an avow'd Athiest, frequently Blaspheming in a manner which ought not to be express'd, denying the immortality of the Soul, and alledging that Men and Women were in the same Condition with the Beasts that perish. Upon such foolish Pretences Wood and he conceived a false Notion, that it was no more a Sin to kill him than a Dog, or a Cat. I told him, that if he was such a wicked Man as he represented him to have been, there was so much the less shadow of Reason to murder him suddenly and unexpectedly, since it was more reasonable upon that very Account to suffer him to live, that he might have time to think upon the evil of his Ways, and repent of his crying Sin, God being always