These, my dear child, are the short and seasonable instructions, which, at this time, I thought fit to give you; the exact observation of them, as it will certainly entail God's blessing on all your proceedings, so, you may assure yourself, it will mightily endear you to your master and mistress, to your parents and relations, and to all other true friends. I have no more to add, but with our blessing to recommend you to God's most holy keeping, and am, with all sincerity.

Your very affectionate Father.

5. William Ford< no role > , says he was 24 years of age, and was born at Keynsham , near Bristol , in Somersetshire ; had the common education a country village afforded, by learning to read. After he left his own parish, where he was bred to husbandry , he says, he had several masters, for whom he worked in several counties, and lived, some time after he left home, in an honest exercise and labour. But, about five years ago, he began to play his pranks, and has every now and then made an execution, to steal a horse and sell it; and having lived upon the money some time, till he got into a place of honest employ, he then again took to labour and industry; so that the five last years of his life, he owns, have been chequered with industry and labour, idleness and thievery; a great part of which he has, in a vagabond manner, passed away, struggling from one country to another, living upon his wits, and stealing horses in different parts of the country.

The first theft of this kind he was guilty of, he says, was stealing a colt, after he had broke him for a master he lived with; which he stole, and sold, and then left his said master. But passing by his door, and not calling in, nor taking any notice of the house, he caused a suspicion, and was taken hold off, and charged with the theft.

He had not the assurance to deny it, but would not discover where the horse was, till the right owner promised to make the matter up. It was consented, and he told where he sold it; which being recovered, he was let go without any farther notice taken for that time; only being reproached for it, and advised not to do so any more, left next time he might meet with more severe usage.

This was, however, no warning to him; he seemed to resolve to push on to his ruin, and acknowledges to have stolen several other horses, tho', as to particulars, he was silent, and did not choose to say any more, but that he believed most of them had been found out, and recovered by the owners, tho' he had escaped thus far as the stealer.

But at length his fate overtook him, and to make sure, he stole two horses, one from Hounslow , and the other from Twickenham , and left that country, travelling towards the West. He arrived as far as Reading , and intended for his own country, but being detected once more in his roguers, was apprehended there, and not being able to make appear how he came by the mares, which were