August 3, 1749 , from my Cell in Newgate ,

A Copy of a Letter, which John Gray< no role > sent to a Friend of his, the Day before Execution.

THIS is the last Account and Confession of John Gray< no role > , which is to satisfy and convince the World, that whatever reports have been rais'd and spread Abroad, concerning my unhappy Affair with regard to my poor Wife, 'tis quite false, and this I hope, may convince the World of the Mistake. For conscious I am; and very easy in my own Mind with regard to her, as for Virtue, Honesty, Sobriety, and Industry, and I am the unhappy Man, that does say, there is but few such left behind. As for that dreadful Scene, that has happened, which I am to dye for, it did not proceed from Jealousy, as the censorious thought it did. If there was any Jealousy, it was of her Side, for I now speak before God, and my own Conscience, to whom I now must shortly appear, that I never had any Occasion to suspect her either in her Actions, Conduct or Behaviour, she never was the Woman, that ever put it in my Power, or any Persons in the World to blame her of being guilty of the least Indiscretion.

The Reason of the dismal Scene happening is as follows. I have been unfortunate at Sea for these 4 Years last past, tho' I have endeavoured to the utmost of my Power. But my poor dear Wife being unacquainted with a seafaring Life, used to reflect upon me, and that it was thro' my Negligence I had no better Success. Indeed my Wife has upon Account of my Misfortunes, said that I had no Love for her, therefore told me 'twas much better to Part, which gave me more Uneasiness and Concern then I ever met in my Life before, for she was dearer to me than my own Life. After my poor Wife made use of that Expression concerning our parting, it almost put me besides myself but I have since found that it did not come from her Heart, by Reason of her hiding my Cloaths, which was to prevent my going. But I not knowing that, and hearing her talk to me in such a Manner, it put me into Confusion, which caused some Words to arise betwixt us, which was the Reason of that cursed Knife passing between us, with which I gave her the fatal Stroke; tho' God knows my Heart not with Design to take away her Life.

It grieves me to think that this Accident should happen in the House of Mr. Murray, who, I am sure, both he, and his Wife are very honest People, and wished me and my Wife as well as if we had been their own Flesh and Blood; and I hope that God will reward him for the Trouble and Expence, they have been at upon both our Accounts. I now freely from the bottom of my Heart forgive them who have injured and wronged me, as I hope the Lord will forgive me at the last Day, and I beg forgiveness of all those whom I havewronged.