The confession and execution of the five prisoners that suffered at Tyburn, on Friday the 4th of June, 1680. Viz. Thomas Newell, John Biggs, [bracket] both guilty of burglary, and also of breaking prison lately out of Newgate. John Eakins, one of the same crew for burglary. George D. a marshals man, for murdering a child. And Richard Spykeman, for burglary. : With an account of their behaviour after condemnation, and at the place of execution.

THE CONFESSION and EXECUTION OF THE Five PRISONERS That Suffered at TYBƲRN, On Friday the 4th of June, 1680.

VIZ.

• • ...Thomas Newell,
  • ...John Biggs,
  Both guilty of Burglary, and also of breaking Prison lately out of Newgate.
• John Eakins, One of the same Crew for Burglary.
• George D. A Marshals man, for Murdering a Child.
• AND Richard Spykeman, for Burglary.

With an Account of their Behaviour after Condemnation, and at the place of Execution.

THe Sessions for London and Middlesex began May the 26th, and con∣tinued to the 28th, where were in all Condemned fourteen persons, four Women and ten Men; all which women were by a Jury of Matrons found severally to be quick with Child, and so Reprieved till they were Delivered; and of the men five also, who had not so notoriously offended, as to be totally excluded from Mercy, were put by and exempted from the Severity of Justice.

John Newel and John Biggs had formerly been notoriously Guilty of divers Burglaries, and particularly of breaking out of the Goal of Newgate, and be∣ing on new Facts Imprisoned at St. Albans, they were thence removed; and had not the confidence to plead otherwise than Guilty, as well knowing there were so many Indictments against them, as would certainly do their business.

John Eakins was one of the same Crew, an old Malefactor, who so oft had received Mercy, that now he could expect or hope for it no more.

Richard Spykeman was also Condemned for Burglary, having run through the whole course or stage of Villany. He began first with Dear-stealing, and as the least Rogueries transacted with Impunity, prompt on to the greatest, and single, small, vicious Attempts grow up in time to be perfect Habits; so he after various over-past Crimes, having been a Water-pad, &c. became so far hardned, as not to stick at any nefarious Acts whatsoever; and therefore as an

Incorrigible Offender, was now thought fit to be mow'd down by the Scythe of Justice.

George D. was an Officer belonging to the Marshals-Court: his crime, for killing the Child of a poor Man; (whom he Arrested) because it cryed out to see its Father mis-used. At the time of his Condemnation, he seemed very remorseful for his Offence, but afterwards appeared (as some supposed) more expectant and sollicitous for a Temporal, than any other Pardon.

The substance of the several Crimes as were found at the Sessions were as follows.

A remarkable Tryal was about the Murder of a Constable at the Armitage-stairs, for which a poor Waterman stood Indicted; there were abundance of Witnesses examined, and the Tryal was very tedious. But the sum of the matter was to this effect: Some Scotchmen, half a dozen or more in all, belonging to a Ship that lay in the River, having been on shore, and 'tis probable taking plentiful Cups, as Sailors use, about nine of the Clock at night were returning to their Vessel; and in order to get to their own Boat, some of them stept through a Boat of the Prisoners, in which there was a Boy, whom a Scotch boy of this com∣pany either trod upon or affronted, which made him strike him; and the Scotchmen as fast fell on the English-boy, who ran and called his Master the Prisoner, and so the Fray encreased: to quell which, the now Prisoner called the Constable living just by, and who was his intimate Friend; for at his house he used commonly to leave several Tackling belonging to his Boat, and other offices of Kindness frequently pass'd between them. But so it hapned in the Scuffle, it being pretty dark, the Con∣stable's Brains were beat out, supposed to be done with one of their Poies, or Hooks, which they use with their Boats. The Scotchmen shifted for themselves and got away, and a person that was there al∣ledged, that the now Prisoner struck the fatal Blow; but besides that there was no former Malice, so 'twas a most unlikely thing, that he should go to hurt one that was his Friend, and came thither at his request to assist him. So that upon the whole matter, it was believed such witness might possibly be mistaken, in so great an Hurry and Con∣fusion; so that the Waterman, who had the repute of an honest, civil, quiet man amongst his Neighbours, was Acquitted.

A Person was Convicted for a Robbery in Middlesex, committed in a Victualling-house that stood alone, remote from Neighbours, whither the Prisoner, for some time before the Exploit was committed, used for some days frequently to resort, and seem'd a very civil Guest: but ha∣ving laid the Design, he and two or three more of his Companions came one Evening, about 9 or 10 of the Clock, before the Doors were shut, there being no body there but the Woman of the house and her Maid; where presently swearing in a furious manner, they begun to demand her Keys, and this Fellow held the Woman below, whilst the rest went up stairs and ransackt her Trunks, &c. taking away in Money and Goods to the value of near Twenty Pounds; and then binding the Woman and her Servant, went away with the Booty. The Woman, whilst the rest were making havock above, seeing her self like to be quite undone, wept bitterly, and said to the now Prisoner who held her below, Alas, Sir, I did not imagine that you would have dealt thus by me! To which all the Answer the hard-hearted Villain returned, was with a scornful Smile, No indeed Landlady, I believe you did not. He had then a Perriwig on, and other Cloaths, but the Woman knew him by

his Voice; and the Maid swore directy that he was the man: And so he was found Guilty.

An old fellow, one of those that broke out of the Goal, and upon their retaking at St. Albons being brought up, were publickly exposed with Collars about their Necks, to the view of the people without Newgate, having now several Indictments against him; when he was required to plead to the first, said, He was Guilty of that and whatsoever else should be brought against him; and being thereupon asked, Why he would plead so unadvisedly, and whether he had a minde to cast away his Life, answered, That he were as good cast it away himself, for he was sure he should be Hang'd. And indeed he had no reason to promise himself a better Destiny, for he had been a notorious Housebreaker, and the occasion of many other mens ruine, by his bad Example, and per∣nicious Counsel and Enticement.

A kind of Distracted Woman was Arraigned for stealing a great sum of Money; but she seemed to take no notice of, nor understand any thing that was said against her; and the Officers of the Jail affirmed, that ever since her Commitment, she appeared to them as a person Lunatick, or not compos mentis; and therefore in respect of her condition she was set aside.

A young man was found guilty of a Felony and Burghlary in London, breaking into an House that he was well acquainted at in the night, and stealing thence a Gold Watch and other things, to the value of one hun∣dred pounds and upwards.

A Bailey belonging to the Marshals-Court, going to Arrest a poor man for a Debt of seven shillings, and according to the usual Cruelty and bar∣barousness of those savage Cattle, beating and dragging him along; a Child of the mans, seeing her Father so used, cryed out: whereupon this brui∣tish fellow turn'd about and struck the poor Child a blow on the head with a great Cudgel, so furiously, that a Gentleman that saw it, testified it was enough to have knockt down the stoutest man. However, the Child was for the present recovered to life, and by the help of a Surgeon, the Wound in some time seemed to be healed, but still she complained of her Head, and seemed to languish ever after, and not long after dyed; so that it was concluded he was the occasion of her death, and accordingly the Jury found him guilty.

An Ale-house-keeper was likewise Indicted for killing a poor weak man, whom 'twas said he kickt; but the proof not being positive, and the party deceased having long been known to be very infirm, he was ac∣quitted.

Two Shop-lifts were Convicted of Felony for stealing of three pie∣ces of Damask Silk out of a shop in London, where they came pretending to buy Diaper, and whilst the man went to reach it, they got the silk; but he soon missed it, and pursuing them, they according to the usual tricks of Practitioners in that Mystery were seen to drop it.

A Woman that came to be a Servant in a Gentlemans house, before she had been there five days, took an opportunity to Rob them of a considerable parcel of Plate and some Money, and carried it down into the Countrey by a Carrier; being discovered, was now Indicted to∣gether with the said Carrier, and she was found Guilty: but the Car∣rier being a very honest man, and nothing Criminal proved against him, was deservedly Acquitted.

Two persons were charg'd with High-Treason for Coyning, and some suspicious Circumstances were made out; but if they design'd any such thing, they were but Bunglers at the Trade; and there being no punctual Proof, they were found Not Guilty.

Let these poor wretches Woe be our warning, and their Execution every Readers Admonition. Consider I pray! with what terrour did these miserable Cri∣minals stand at the Old-Bailey-Bar; their hands even trembling whilst lift up for Tryal, and their very lips quaking, whilst against the Dictates of their Con∣sciences they pleaded Not Guilty. Their Countenance Condemning them before the Judge, and their Fears, (pusht on by Consciousness of their guilt) Executing them both before, and more severely than the Hang∣man. Yet this Judge is but a man, that must quick∣ly dye himself; that Sentence of Death which he can pronounce, is already passed by Nature upon the most innocent. That act of death which the Law inflicteth on these men, is but momentary, and who does not know whether himself shall not dye more painful than any of these?

With what horrour, O God! shall each guilty Soul stand before his dreadful Tribunal, in the day of the great Assises of the world, that has not an interest (on Gospel-terms) in thy Christ and our Jesus? whilst there is the unapproachable presence of an infinite Majesty to daunt him, a fierce and clamarous Con∣science to give Evidence against him, Legions of ter∣rible Devils waiting upon him, a gulf of unquencha∣ble fire ready to receive him; whilst the glory of the Judge is no less confounding, than the cruelty of the Tormenters, where the Sentance is unavoidable, and the Execution everlasting. Why then, (to every Reader be it spoken) do not these Terrors of thee our God, make us wise to hold a private Sessions upon our own Souls and Actions? that being acquitted by our own Hearts, we may not be Condemned by thee, and being judged by our selves, we may not be Condem∣ned, though by, yet at least not with, the world:

As for Walter Gilman who was found guilty on two Indictments by the Middlesex Jury, and about whom one of the London Jury was Confin'd, for not finding him guilty of stealing a Watch, he was Reprieved.

The Five before-mentioned were carried in two Carts, Three in the first, and Two in the last, of whom the Marshals man seemed to be very penitent.

FINIS.