he committed the Robbery, for which he was taken, and for which he was Executed. Altho' he was not bred to any Employment, yet he said, that he understood Bricklaying ; and that a certain Gentleman inform'd him in a Secret of curing Smoaky Chimneys, by which Practice he gain'd Considerable; and this was the Reason why he commonly past under the Nick-name of the Chimney Smoaky Doctor. He said that his Father left an Estate of one or two hundred pounds a Year to him, but the Truth of this may be doubted, since none of his Acquaintance who came to Visit him knew of any such Estate; but own'd that he liv'd in very good Credit, and that he was capable to make very considerable Profits of curing Chimneys from Smoaking, which was his Profession, and in doing whereof he was very dexterous. Some few Years ago, he married a Widow Gentlewoman at Oxford , who had an Estate and Money, to the value of fifteen hundred Pounds, as is commonly reported by them who know him; but he said, that all the Fortune he got by her did not exceed 500 l. He said, that till this Misfortune for which he Died, his Credit and Honesty was never doubted, he living in as good a Character, as most Men in his Neighbourhood did. He appear'd to be a young Man of indifferent good Understanding, and of a pliable, civil Temper. In Chappel he seem'd always very Devout in Prayer, and attentive to what Exhortations were given them, and when I saw him in his Room, he was still employ'd in reading upon some Book of Devotion, having had the use of some few little Books very proper for his perusal, in order to prepare him for Death, while he was under Sentence. Both before and after the Report was made, he us'd all possible Means for obtaining a Reprieve, the Thoughts of which, mightily disturb'd and distracted his Mind in preparing for Eternity; and altho' Intercession was made by Men of eminent Note, yet his Crime was look'd upon to be so Heinous, that no Favour could be obtain'd that way; and then two days before his Death, he began to give over all Thoughts of Life, and to be more serious in preparing for Eternity; and to think upon receiving the Sacrament, which was accordingly Administred to him by a Rev. Clergyman, who was so good as to Visit him, and the rest of them sometimes, during their miserable Confinement; and before the Sacrament was given him, he gave a free Declaration of his Faith, and that he was in Peace, and Friendship with all Mankind. For he had frequently made grievous Complaints upon his Wife, calling her unnatural and cruel to him, in neither visiting nor writing to him in the Day of his extreme Calamity. He did indeed write to her himself, as did some others upon his desire, most earnestly desiring her to come to Town, and confer with him about some Affairs before his Death, and to see if she with the assistance of a Gentleman, whom he desir'd to come up with her, could do any thing in order to obtain a Reprieve. This he most earnestly urg'd upon her to do, but she sent no Answer to him; only the Gentleman whom he desir'd to come along with her, sent a Letter to him, making excuse both for Mrs. Drury's, and his own not coming to Town; that she was extremely Lame, and her Servant being gone could not put on her own Cloaths; that she had no Money o bear her Expences in such a Journey, much less to supply him in his Distress; and that it was no ways in her Power to do any thing for him: And as for the Gentleman himself, he said, that ever since he was in Town last attending him, he had been very much indispos'd of a violent Cold, contracted while he was at London, doing what he could for him, and all to no purpose, and going into the Country in a hurry about his own necessary Affairs. Mr. Drury among other Motives to induce his Wife to come to Town, desir'd her not to neglect to do it, that she might redeem some silver Plate which he had Pawn'd here in Town, for 24 l. to relieve himself in his pressing Necessities when in Prison at Newgate , altho' the Plate was worth more than double the Sum which was lent upon it. This Argument had no more force than the rest, she answering by her Friend's Letter, that if any Man would relieve the Plate, she would re-pay him, and gratify him sufficiently for his Trouble. Mr. Drury concluded that his Wife was not willing he should Live, but, as he said, he frankly and from his Heart forgave her. As to the Crime for which he Suffer'd, he said, that he never was a wicked Liver, but had follow'd his Business in an honest way, in working about Chimneys up and down the Country, which he found beneficial; altho' his Wife thinking it Dishonourable and Reproachful, did what she could to persuade and hinder him from following it. He complain'd indeed, that his Marriage being unequal as to Age, was an uncomfortable State of Life to him, his Wife having been of a fretful uneasie Temper, and perpetually Jealous of him without any just Cause.

He said, that he never was, nor never intended to be a Robber or a Highway-man, and that he was never guilty of Theft, excepting the particular Fact for which he died; which (as he alledg'd) if he had not been advis'd, encourag'd, and very frequently press'd upon by another to commit, had never been done by him. The Person who advis'd him (as he said) was Robert King< no role > the Waggoner , who was to have the one half of the Booty, whatever it happen'd to be; and who some Weeks before he rob'd the Waggon, at several times, and in different Places, most earnestly, and in an urgent Manner, Counsell'd him to Rob his Waggon, as it was going from Bistter to London ; which he said, You may do it with the greatest Ease immaginable, for no manner of Opposition shall be made, yea, you