Ordinary of Newgate Prison:
Ordinary's Accounts: Biographies of Executed Convicts

14th March 1739

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Currently Held: Harvard University Library

LL ref: OA173903143903140010

31st January 1739


Education, but cast him upon the Parish, and they bound him Apprentice to a Farmer in the said Parish, to teach him Country Work, and to manage Cattle, &c. With this Master he serv'd out his Time of 7 Years, he afterwards for some short Time serv'd Farmers, and drove their Waggons to London from Hempstead . If we may believe himself, in the preceeding part of his Life, he was honest, and wrong'd no Body: He was a poor, ignorant, illiterate Fellow, and knew very little of God or of Religion; I endeavour'd to instruct him as Time allow'd, but he was of a mean Capacity, and oppressed with Dispositions, and had such Disorders upon him, that one could hardly bear to go into his Cell, tho' I ventur'd pretty often to pray with him, and warn him of his near approaching Fate. He came to Chapel the first Sunday he was under Sentence, and only once or twice more, but behav'd well, being attentive and serious; he was grievously afflicted with Sickness and Weakness. At first he inclin'd to extenuate his Crime, but upon my urging and representing to him his heinous Sin, he acknowledg'd the Justice of his Sentence, and that he suffer'd most deservedly. He believ'd in Christ, was penitent for the Offences of his Life, especially what he dy'd for, and was in Peace with all Men.

At the Place of EXECUTION.

THEY was brought out of the Cells about 7 o'Clock in the Morning of their Execution, and went up to Chapel, where they all receiv'd the Blessed Sacrament with great Devotion, and most of them cry'd and wept bitterly, especially Marsland, Piper, and Adamson.

After Prayers were over, they were put into their respective Cells again for a short Space of Time, and then call'd our one by one to have their Irous knocked off, and to be halter'd and pinion'd.

After which they were convey'd in four Carts to Tyburn, between the Hours of Nine and Ten o'Clock in the following Manner, viz.

Samuel Piper< no role > , James James< no role > , otherwise Jemmy the Drummer, and William Udal< no role > This name instance is in set 1292. , in the first Cart. John Marsland< no role > , who ravish'd his own Daughter of about 13 Years of Age, Thomas Easter< no role > This name instance is in set 3520. and Henry Johnson< no role > , in the 2d Cart. James Lawler< no role > , Lames Leonard, and Peregrine Audley< no role > , in the 3d Cart. Ashyb Johnson< no role > , and John Adamson< no role > This name instance is in set 1241. , who ravish'd his Master's Daughter, about 3 Years and 9 Months old, in the 4th Cart.

When they came to the Place of Execution, all of them were very much shock'd, and seem'd to outward Appearance very much concern'd for their manifold Sins.

When Prayers were over, James Leonard< no role > reflected upon one of his Associates, and said, that a Person was now a Prisoner in Newgate for a Highway Robbery, who is an Irishman, upon a false Oath of another of his own Countrymen.

They adher'd to their former Confessions, not having any more to add.

Most of them made a full and plain Confession of their Crimes; others were not so free and genuine.

They went off the Stage crying out, God have Mercy upon us, Lord Jesus receive our Spirits.

This is all the Account given by me

JAMES GUTHRIE< no role > ,

Ordinary of Newgate .




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