THE ORDINARY of NEWGATE his ACCOUNT, Of the Behaviour, Confession, and dying Words of the Malefactors who were Executed at Tyburn, on Monday the 12th of this Instant February, 1728 .

AT the King's Commission of Oyer and Terminer, and Jail Delivery of Newgate, held (before the Right Honourable Sir EDWARD BECHER< no role > , Knt . Lord Mayor of the City of London ; the Right Honourable Lord Chief Baron Pengelly, the Honourable Mr. Justice Reynolds, the Honourable Mr. Justice Cooper, the Honourable Mr. Baron Thompson, Recorder of the City of London, and John Raby< no role > , Serjeant at Law ; and others his Majesty's Justices of Jail Delivery, and Oyer and Terminer aforesaid: Together with several of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace (for the said City of London, and County of Middlesex) on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, being the 17th , 18th , 19th , and 20th of January, 1727 , in the first Year of his Majesty's Reign.

Seven Men, viz. Joseph Barret< no role > , Richard Jones< no role > , John Matthews< no role > , James Sherwood< no role > , alias Hobbs< no role > , George Weedon< no role > , Henry Hews< no role > , and John Spurgins< no role > , were found guilty by the Jury of Capital Offences, and receiv'd Sentence of Death.

While under Sentence, they, having been for the most part young Men of lewd and dissolute Lives, and consequently ignorant of Religion, both in Speculation and Practice, were instructed in those Principles, which are necessary to be known, for the Conduct of our Lives as Men and Christians. I show'd them, that Nature itself teacheth us, that unto God the Sovereign Lord of the Universe, Worship, Reverence and Homage is due from all his Creatures, and that Man, (who has the Heathens who were only led by the Light of Nature acknowledg'd) was form'd after the Divine Image, and Substituted Lord of this inferior Orb, was in a more especially Manner bound, in Token of his Dependence, to give all due Obedience, by dedicating himself to the Service of God his Creator and special Benefactor. But if they fell short in complying with the first Principles of natural Religion, which is insufficient for Salvation; how much greater must their guilt be, who being deseas'd of Christian Parents, and living in the Middle of so great Light, had despis'd those glorious Revelations which were intended to elevate and perfect our deprav'd Nature? I explain'd to them the greatness and dangerous Consequence of those particular Sins for which they suffer'd. That Theft and Robbery were destructive of all human Society, and reduc'd Man, who is made the Image of God, and who is the God of Order, into the State of Savage Animals and Birds of Prey: Besides the Consecration of the Sin of Theft and Robbery with innumerable other the worst of Sins; such as, a Tendency to Murder, and commonly, a continued Practice of Lying, Drinking, Whoreing, &c. These who give themselves up to such a wicked Course of Life, being vile Wretches a bandon'd to every thing which is good.

Joseph Barret< no role > having been convicted of the Murder of his Son, I let him see the great evil of this the greatest of all Sins, in the Case of Cain the first Murderer of good King David, and from several other Instances; exhorting him to Repent and believe the Gospel, it being the only way to be free'd from the guilt of innocent Blood, to be wash'd in the Blood of that immaculate Lamb of God, who, died to do away the Sins of the World.

I instructed 'em in the nature of the Christian Sacraments, particularly, that the Lord's Supper, as a proper Viaticum to strengthen your Faith, in order to prepare them for a new State of Life, and that endless Eternity, upon which they were to enter.

While these and many such like Exhortations, were given them, they were all attentive and seem'd to comply with the Prayers, altho' not with that Seriousness and Concern which was requisite. Richard Jones< no role > was much of the time indispos'd and did not attend in Chappel, but when I visited him, he himself was Penitent for his sinful Life.

Upon Monday, the 5th of February , the Report of these seven Malefactors under Sentence of Death was made to his Majesty in Council: When John Matthews< no role > ,