A Murderer punished and pardoned, or, A true relation of the wicked life and shameful-happy death of Thomas Savage imprisoned, justly condemned, and twice executed at Ratcliff for his bloody fact in killing his fellow-servant on Wednesday, Octob. 28, 1668 / by us who were often with him in the time of his imprisonment in Newgate and at his execution, Robert Franklin ... [et al.]. To which is annexed a sermon preached at his funeral.

A Discourse betwixt H. B. and T. S. Prisoner in New∣gate, after some Friends went away dissatisfied, fear∣ing he had not a sense of his sin, &c.

H. B. asking him how it was with him? he re∣plied, It was the grief of my soul that I should be no more affected, I think I have the most rocky, stony heart in the World, if ever there was an heart of Iron, I have one, it is not fit to be called an heart. To have others come and pray with me, and instruct me, and see how they are affected with my condition, and yet I not at all affected with my own condition; Oh it is the grief of my soul to see it so! and yet as soon as Ministers and good People are gone, and I walk about and con∣sider, Oh it melts me, and breaketh my heart in pieces, to think I can mourn for sin, and grieve for sin no more, when God's people are with me! be∣cause it causeth them to think that I am not sensi∣ble of my sin, though, blessed be God, I am in some measure sensible of the evil of my sins, and it is the grief of my soul to think how I have dis∣honoured God, and abused his Mercy, and spurned against his Mercy and Patience.

After this they both spent some time in Prayer, and H. B. asked him, how it was with him now? he said, I find so much sweetness in Prayer, al∣though I cannot find God loveth me, that to think I am not Cursing and Swearing as others are, but be confessing my sin, my very tears tric∣kle down my cheeks for joy; sometimes I find my heart so dead and dull in Duty, that I know not what to say in Prayer; at other times I find my heart so full, and so much affected in Duty, that I could wish I might never rise from off my knees.

The night before the Sessions, H. B. coming to him, asked him if it was not terrible to him to think of appearing before the Bar of Men? he an∣swered, Methinks when I consider seriously of it, what a light poor thing Mans Bar is in comparison of Gods Bar, yet Mans Bar is enough to daunt one, to hear them say; Take him Jaylor, tie him up: but to appear before Gods Bar, who knoweth all the sins that ever I committed; he saw all my secret sins, and for God to say, Take him Jaylor, Take him Devil, shut him up in the Dungeon of Hell: Oh! that is enough, I believe, to make the stoutest heart in the World to tremble, for there is no recalling that sentence, and I believe there are many go out of this Prison, as I saw formerly three that went to be hanged, and they were almost drunk, and did sing all the way they went, but Oh their note was soon changed; when they came to stand before Gods Bar.

The morning before he went to the Sessions, H. B. and the Prisoner spent some time in Prayer, the Prisoner in his Prayer did earnestly beg of God that he would keep him from those temptations he might be exposed unto by bad company; After this he was taken down to the Sessions-house, but was not called, because the Jury of Middlesex did not sit that day.

At night H. B. came to him again, and asking how it was with him, he answered, he found it no easie thing to be a true Christian; I thought before I came to Prison, that reading a Chapter now and then, and saying the Lords Prayer and the Creed at night when I went to bed, would have saved me, though many times I was a sleep before I had half done; but now I find it no such easie thing to get to Heaven, nay, I find it the hardest thing in the

world, for my Prayers, and Tears, and Duties, if I could fall upon my knees, and never rise off from them while I live, they would not save me, for all this is but Duty, but now I know there is merit enough in the Blood of Christ to save me; and he did earnestly beg of God in Prayer, that God would wash his soul in the Blood of Christ and blot out all his sins out of the book of his remembrance, and turn them behind his back; though I as earn∣estly beg they might be all spread before my face, that I might have a more humble and throughly broken heart for them; Lord, one drop of that blood is enough to wash away all my sins; and so after some conference H. B. left him for that night, who heard from one that was with him that night, that he spent that time most in Prayer and Read∣ing.

The second morning in the time of the Sessions, Mr. Baker, that was a careful Friend for the good of his Soul, went to the Sessions-house, where he found him well, and in good frame, and continu∣ed with him for the space of two or three hours that morning, after which time Mr. Baker was from him to hear the Trial of the person that was arraigned, and afterward executed for the fire up∣on the house burnt down in Mincing-Lane, for the space of half an hour, or thereabout; in which time, in company of other Prisoners, he was much di∣stempered with something that he had drank a∣mongst them, which did take from him his under∣standing, that he was not his own man, we judge (that though this did cast a blemish upon the pro∣fession that he had made after he came to Newgate) it was not a voluntary act, but some surprizal or design of the other upon him; partly because the quantity was far less than what at other times he

could drink without any disturbance to his head. A Friend also heard Hannah, the Strumpet, that en∣ticed him to his former wickedness: say, others have made you drunk to day, but I will make you drunk to morrow: But afterwards he was afraid to drink in their company, but rather denied to take what was necessary for his refreshment.

The Prisoners were much against his accusing of that Harlot, and did much perswade him to take something to cheer his spirits; and when T. D. was with him on Saturday before he died, he charged him with this sin, which had caused such a blot up∣on all the profession he had made, and what great cause he had to be humbled before God, and desi∣red him to tell him as a dying man, whether it was his voluntary act and delight in excessive drinking, or no? and he did profess that he knew it was not the quantity that he had drunk, which was not neer so much as at other times he did use, without di∣stempering himself.

However, God was pleased to make him tast the bitterness of that cup, in that he had given such occasion to sinners to speak evil of the ways of himself) upon the stones cried out; Oh that I should offend God! And though he did much lament the scandal, yet he always said, that he looked not up∣on it as a sin of Drunkenness, but a circumventi∣on; or to use his own words, that something was put into the drink to distemper his head.

On Saturday during the Sessions, he was Ar∣raigned, and pleaded Guilty, confessing, with many tears, and wringing his hands, that he did, through the instigation of the Devil, and enticement of that wretched Creature (meaning his Harlot) th•••• he had committed that bloody Fact, which was suc••

an horror to his Conscience, that he would not do it again for ten thousand Worlds; his carriage and confession was such, that he much moved the Honourable Bench and Jury, and most of the Be∣holders.

On Munday next, he received his Sentence of death, after which time he was with the other condemned Prisoners, and did pray with them four times a day, and read to them, and sung Psalms with them. After the execution of the rest, he had time given, or procured him by the Honourable Sheriff of London, for some daies; which he improved to the great advantage of his Soul.