wholly forgot what good Things were taught them in their younger Years, and could not make regular Responses.

Samuel Hammond< no role > of the Parish of Bishopsgate , convicted of petty Treason for murdering his Master Thomas Barker< no role > , wilfully, barbarously and maliciously, profess'd a very deep Repentance for that excreable Crime. Before the Sessions, he desir'd to be allow'd, by way of Favour, to come up to Chappel, with the Malefactors who were then under Sentence. His Request was granted, and he constantly attended. He was very attentive both to Prayers and Exhortations, only he appear'd something hard hearted and stupid, as not having outward Signs of Contrition for so black a Crime. He ingenuously confess'd his Sin, with its aggravating Circumstances, as committed against a good Master, who had never given him an ill Name, nor beaten him, for the Space of five Years he had been his Apprentice , excepting the Instant before he murder'd him, when he call'd him Blockhead for using a wrong Tool. He said, that the Devil put it into his Heart to murder his Master, from the Time that he had corrected a Girl in the House, for a Fault, with which Maid, Hammond for above half a Year before had kept an unlawful Correspondence. From that time he entertain'd Malice in his Heart against his Master, intending to murder him the first Occasion, which Design he kept in his Mind, without communicating it to any Person, for 18 Days, but upon Wednesday the 19th of July , between 7 and 8 in the Morning, in a most barbarous manner, put his wicked Resolution in Practice. I exhorted him to a strict Repentance for this crying Guilt, to fly to the Blood of Christ, which only could wash him from his uncleanness; and as I discover'd to him the Evil of Murder in general, so particularly, I let him see the Aggravations of this excreable Murder he had committed. When he was tried, he could not stand for Sickness, which never left him; for being carried back to the Condemn'd-Hold, after that Sentence of Death was pronounc'd upon him, he was never able to rise and go to Chappel, but lay in a high Fever, to Thursday, the 7th of September , when about 11 o'Clock at Night he expir'd. When I went to visit him, while under Sentence, he was so afflicted with Sickness, that he could not speak much; yet he appear'd to be very Penitent, and to be of a much more contrite and broken Heart than formerly, complying with the Prayers with great earnestness, seeming well pleas'd with all good Offices done for the good of his Soul, while he had any Senses about him, always Sighing, Mourning and Groaning for the crying Sin of Murder, and his giving loose Reins to those vile sensual Lusts, and brutish Appetites, which prov'd the Occasion of his falling into that mortal, and to him fatal Sin. He acknowledg'd the Justice of his Sentence, and that the Punishment of his Iniquity was infinitely less than what he deserved.

Upon Thursday, the 14th of September , the Report of the five surviving Malefactors was made to his Majesty in Council, when two of them, viz. Thomas Williams< no role > for stealing a Horse, value 3 l. on the 19th of August last , the property of Edward Newins< no role > ; and Elizabeth-Gilbert< no role > , of St. Giles's without Cripplegate , who was convicted for privately stealing a Gold-Ring, two Guineas, one Half Guinea, and 40 Shillings in Silver, on the 14th of July last , the property of Nathaniel Page< no role > her Master, receiv'd his Majesty's most gracious Reprieve. The remaining three, viz. Thomas Johnson< no role > , alias Bewley< no role > , alias Handy, for returning from Transportation, and Henry Chaplin< no role > and Peter Boother< no role > , two Soldiers , for being concern'd in breaking and robbing a House, and unmercifully beating the Master, and some others of the Family, were order'd for Execution on Friday the 18 Instant . When in Chappel, these three Malefactors were first inform'd that the Dead Warrant was come down directing their Execution to be on the Monday following they were struck with Surprize, especially Bewley, who fell into Tears, as he did sometimes, before, when speaking to me but immediately compos'd himself for Devotion, and Boother who likewise weep't for a long time; Chaplin appear'd more stupid and unconcern'd, which might be imputed partly to his Illness, having endur'd much Sickness in the Prison before his Trial, and being still in a very bad state of Health, that he was like a Skeleton, and yet, excepting one Day, while under Sentence, he constantly attended in Chappel. The following Account is a brief Narrative, for Information of those, who are desirous to know some more Particulars relating to their dying Words and Behaviour.

THOMAS JOHNSON< no role > , alias Bewley< no role > , alias Handy, was indicted on his own Confession for returning from Transportation; To which he pleaded Guilty.

Thomas Johnson< no role > , alias Bewley< no role > , alias Handy, (whose true Name, as he told me, was Thomas Bewley< no role > ) said he was about 26 Years of age, was born (as he believ'd) in the Parish of St. Giles in the Fields , of mean Parents, who either could not, or would not give him any Education at all. For, his Father, when he was new-born, went to Sea, and never return'd, and his Mother, when he was a Child of two or three Years old, left or laid him down to the Mercy of the World: By which means, he fell upon the Parish of Stepney , who took care of him, put him to the Charity-School, and kept him till he was 14 or 15 Years of age. Then they desir'd him to go and Shift for himself, as being grown