THE ORDINARY of NEWGATE his ACCOUNT, Of the Behaviour, Confession, and dying Words of the Malefactors, who were executed at Tyburn, on Monday the 16th of this Instant November, 1730 .

AT the King's Commission of Oyer and Terminer, and Gaol Delivery of Newgate, held (before the Right Honourable Sir Richard Brocas< no role > , Knt . Lord Mayor of the City of London , the Right Honourable the Lord Chief Justice Raymond; the Hon. Mr. Justice Denton; the Hon. Mr. Baron Cummins; Mr. Serjeant Raby, Deputy Recorder of the said City; and others his Majesty's Justices of Oyer and Terminer for the City of London, and Justices of Gaol-Delivery of Newgate, holden for the said City and County of Middlesex) at Justice Hall in the Old-Bailey , on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Monday, being the 14th , 15th , 16th , 17th , and 19th of October 1730 , in the fourth Year of his Majesty's Reign.

Seven Men, viz. George Beavis< no role > , Humphry Belmosset< no role > , James Bryan< no role > , alias Brien< no role > , alias O Bryen< no role > , Robert Johnson< no role > , Hugh Morris< no role > , Thomas Rivers< no role > , and James Rogers< no role > , were by the Jury found guilty of capital Offences, and receiv'd Sentence of Death.

They having been most wild and extravagant Youths, I represented to them the Beauty and Excellency of Virtue, in the Nature of the thing itself, and in the excellent Fruits and Consequences thereof: I shew'd them; that God is the Archetype of all Virtue and Goodness, from whom the same flows and shines forth in the Creature, as faint Emanations of Heat and Light diffuse themselves, from the glorious Body of the Sun, to the various Species of Animals, upon this terrestrial Globe. This lets us see, that Virtue is elegible, because of its Author God, in whom all Perfections are to be found either virtually or eminently, and the Creature possess'd of those Rays of the Divinity, is in so far Partaker of the divine Nature. This makes them who are thus dignify'd, compos'd in their Minds, uniform in their Intentions, consistent in their Proposals, constant in their Resolutions, regular in their Actions, reasonable and unshaken in their whole Tenor and Course of Life. And hence it is, that the virtuous and religious Person is justly esteem'd by all Mankind; yea, even those Persons who are void of Virtue themselves, admire it in others. And as it draws Respect from our Fellow Creatures, so it carries its Reward in its own Bosom, reflecting a pleasant Serenity of Mind, and peaceable Tranquility of Conscience, which passeth all Understanding. Of this the Apostle speaks, 2. Cor. 1. 12. For our Rejoycing is this, the Testimony of our Conscience, that with Simplicity and godly Sincerity, not with fleshly Wisdom, but by the Grace of God, we have had our Conversation in the World. This is the Reward of Virtue in this Life, besides a Crown of everlasting Glory superadded in the Life to come. Rom. 2. 6, 7, 10, 11. Who will render to every Man according to his Deeds: To them, who by patient Continuance in well-doing, seek for Glory, Honour, and Immortality; eternal Life: But Glory, Honour and Peace, to every Man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. For there is no respect of Persons with God.

From this I took Occasion to represent unto them what a bad choice they had made; that whereas, they had been early Dedicated to God in their Baptismal Vows; They, by following their own wicked Courses, and vicious Inclinations, had devoted themselves to the Service of Sin, and Satan, and to Work all Manner of uncleanness with greediness, &c. I exhorted them to consider from whence they had fallen, and to endeavour in the Short remaining Part of their Time, allow'd them by the lenity of their lawful Superiors, to repair the great loss they had sustain'd, and to be importunate at the Throne of Grace, that God, by his special Grace, and out of his infinite Goodness, for the Sake of Christ, might be pleased to cure the Wound their Souls had received, and to make up the vile dishonour, and reproach brought upon them. I comforted them with the Promises of the Gospel, and encouraged them against Despair, by exhorting them to throw themselves over upon the Mercy of God in Christ; since God had declar'd, yea proclaim'd himself, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. - The Lord, the Lord God, merciful, and gracious, long-Suffering, and abundant in Goodness, and Truth; keeping Mercy for Thousands, forgiving Iniquity, Transgression, and Sin; and who will by no Means clear the Guilty, &c.

I instructed them in the Nature of the Christian Sacraments; and told them, that it was adviseable for them to partake in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, as a commemoration of Christ's Death, and Sufferings, as a Pledge of everlasting Life, and as a proper preparative to dispose them, for entring upon that eternal Kingdom of Glory, prepared for the Saints in Light.

When these, and many more proper Instructions were administer'd; they all came to Chappel, and comply'd with the Prayers, and were attentive to the Exhortations; but they were far from that serious Disposition, which was necessary for Men upon the Brink of Eternity, having been so Prophane, that sometimes they laugh'd in Time of Divine Service, although indeed Rivers, and Beavis always behaved gravely, for what I could observe. O Brian was of the Romish Profession, kept the Chappel, and made regular Responses with the rest, till at last they sent some-body to him in Disguise, who indoctrinated him otherways, and then he came but seldom, but when he came, he outwardly comply'd with our Worship. Beavis, and Morris were much afflicted with Sickness, and also Belmosset, although his Disease was rather Poverty: They all profess'd Penitence, and were desirous of Prayers, when I visited them. When the Dead Warrant came out, they appeared to be much more concern'd, and a sensible Alteration was visible in their Countenances.