EDward Williams, Charles Dod, and Hugh Jones, Three Noted and Notorious Pick-Pockets, being Tryed the Last Sessions, together with Sidly Vandelo, and Charles Ro­berts, of the same Profession; And upon their Tryals it appearing, that they ranging the City on the 27th. of September last, abused and beat divers People, driving as it were Streets before them, committed strange Outrages and Insolencies, swearing as they went, They were right Divers. When at length coming into Little Lumbard-street, they [Page 2]seized upon one Richard Littleton, and robbed him of a Castor, and Four shillings in mo­ny, Vandelo at the same time running him through with a Rapier; but it hapning on the Right side, the Wound did not prove Mortal. For this Robbery, and these Insolencies, some of them having before been Burnt in the Hand, and all of them incorrigible Offen­ders, Sentence of Death passed upon them, on the 13th of this instant October. Upon which they earnestly craved Transportation, but their Offences would not admit of that Favour from the Court. Whereupon being conveyed to Newgate, to expect the Day of their Disso­lution, they greatly bewail'd their mispent Time, though all of them were Youths, some not (as 'tis suppos'd) exceeding 16 or 18 years, and none of them 24 or 26.

During the Interval allow'd for their making their Peace with Heaven, the three for­mer much deplored their unhappy and untimely Fate, saying, They had, by hearkning to bad Counsel, been drawn into those Inconveniencies that had brought the worst of Calamities upon them. And seemed greatly sorry, that they had not better consider'd the Words of the Wise Man, and Remembred their Creator in the days of their youth, ere the evil day came upon them: Saying, They had robbed and defrauded divers Persons, living in a vicious and debauched course of Life with lewd Women, who were the greatest Exciters of them to these Villanies they had perpetrated, desiring that God and all good men would forgive them their Offences. And so continued till this day, when the three first, viz. Williams, Dod, and Jones, were put into the Cart, and conveyed to the place of Execution, weeping in abun­dance, and greatly lamenting their Fall, desiring the Prayers of all good People, and con­fessed, They had been old Offenders, using the Craft of Pocket-picking for many years, though they were but Youths: And that when they went to Church, they went more to pick Pockets, than to hear or edifie by the Sermons.

They likewise said, that there were a great number of their Gang, all young men, and that as they came along they saw divers of them coming towards the place of Execution, as they believ­ed, to pick pockets; therefore desired earnestly, even for Jesus Christs sake that they would take warning by their untimely end, they as it were being nipped in the bud, and God knows how soon some of those they saw that day might be taken and brought to the like ignominious though justly deserved death, they themselves were upon the like design not many Executions before at the same place, little dreaming that their ends were so nigh.

This being the Confession of them all, they desired the prayers of the Spectators, and again admonishing them to take warning by their untimely Ends, composed them­selves to dye.

John Quarles, a Person formerly Burnt in the Hand for Robbery, being the Last Sessions Tryed, together with one Charles Temple, for Robbing the House of one Elenor Price into which they came to drink, breaking a Closet and a Box, and taking thence 120 l. two Bonds, and other things. He, upon the Impannelling the Jury, excepted against them; but another Jury being Impannell'd, and the Robbery appearing plain, Temple confessing it, and Quarles not greatly able to deny it, they were found Guilty, and had Sentence of Death passed upon them, as the former; at which time they begged Transportation, but it would not be granted. When returning to the dismal Place from whence they came, Quarles laboured earnestly for a Pardon, but the Former's Offences would not admit of so much mercy; for that he had not only undone the Party Robbed, but refused to make Restitution of any part thereof: wherefore seeing all hopes of Life were vain, he began to be serious, and place his thoughts upon Eternity; sometimes being greatly dejected, and at other times seeming as one not regarding the near approach of his Dissolution, yet gave very devout Attention, as likewise did the former, to such Ministers as came to pray with him, and mind him of his Future State; and so continued till this morning, when being conveyed to the place of Execution, after abundance of Sorrow expressed for his mispen [...] Life, and an acknowledgment of the Justness of his miserable End, for that no warnin [...] was sufficient to reclaim him.

He said, he had been much addicted to the sins of Drunkenness, Sabbath-breaking, an [...] of many Robberies, praying God to forgive all men, even his Accusers, and desired a [...] young men and old better to observe the Sabbath, for he verily supposed for that the breac [...] thereof, more especially than for any other Crime, God had suffer'd him to come to thi [...] shameful and untimely End.

He wished likewise, That those who had been of his Gang in former Robberies, by hi [...] Fall might take timely Warning, and repent of their past Sins, before they provoke [...] God to deliver them up to an infamous Death.

This said, he prayed to himself a while; and after he had given things to some of hi [...] Friends, composed himself for Death.

Charles Butler being Tryed for Clipping the Currant and Lawful Coyn of this King­dom, and the Proof apparent against him, That Colonel Stokes, upon the Information of one Colcut, searching his House in Lincolns-Inn-Fields, found in an upper Room File-Dust, Shears, Files, Scales, Weights, and upon his being apprehended 4 l. in Clipped mony, &c. And at another House of his at Fulham, upon search, was found File-Dust, and Clipping Instruments. And that having a Garret-Chamber in the Temple, he being suspected to be a Clipper after the Fire in 1679. upon searching that Foundation, divers Crucible Pots, Melting Pots, and a pair of Shears were found: He thereupon was found Guilty of the High-Treason, and received Sentence, together with one Elizabeth Haire, on the 13th of this instant October, to be Drawn and Hanged, &c. and she to be Burnt, &c. When being convey'd to Newgate from whence he came, he continued in the Press-yard very penitent, seeming exceeding sensible of his many Offences till this Day, when being put into a Slead, for that purpose provided, he was drawn to Tyburn, where being last put into the Cart, he having a written Paper in his hand, desired to speak a few words to the Peo­ple; which being granted, he with a chearful and audible Voice told them:

That seeing it was expected and usual for Dying Men at that place to speak somewhat, he did not think it amiss, for the satisfaction of the Spectators, whose Prayers he heartily desired to Almighty God for the salvation of his precious and immortal Soul, to unburthen his Con­science: (When after a short Ejaculation, wherein he implored the mercy of the Father of Spirits, to have mercy upon his departing Soul.) He confessed that he had been a grie­vous Sinner, guilty and conscious of many Sins, but more especially of that for which he justly dyed. But since it had been rumor'd abroad that he was a Roman-Catholick, he protested in the words of a Dying Man, as he expected Mercy at the hands of God, that he had lived and now dyed a Protestant in the Communion of the Church of England. And that he had ever been a true Subject to the King, unless in this breach of His Laws; for which he heartily begged His Pardon, and the Pardons of all he had injured by so doing. Adding, That he dyed in perfect Charity with all Men, forgiving even him who had discover'd him, and was a means to bring him to his untimely, though deserved End. (Meaning thereby Colcut, who married his Brothers Daughter.) Then he prayed for the King, that He might long Live, and prosperously-Reign, and that His lawful Successor might succeed Him in His Throne.

Having said thus much, and made another Prayer, he paused a while, and then being asked by Mr. Ordinary concerning the Fire in the Temple, which begun in or near his Chamber, he again addressed himself to the People, and said:

Good People, it has been suspected that I had a hand in firing the Temple, to hinder a Discovery: I protest before Almighty God, the Great Judge of Heaven and Earth, before whom I am going to appear, that I had no Hand in it, neither do I know any that had, or any thing in relation to it; but by that Fire I lost considerably, even to the value of 60 l. in Books, and other things.

This being said, he pray'd heartily, and desired the Spectators to join in Prayer with him: And to beseech his blessed Redeemer, who pardoned Mary Magdalen, out of whom he cast seven Devils, and the Thief upon the Cross, &c. to pardon his Sins, and receive his Soul. And so continued exceeding penitent to the last.

Mary Phelps, a Bakers Wife, being the last Sessions Tryed for aiding, comforting, and abetting John Bolger, in killing John Charlton at the Three Tun Tavern in Covent-Garden: where it appeared, that she going into the Tavern with her Daughter to drink, a Coach-man that happened to be there, affronted her, as she took it, with telling her, she kept Bullies in her House, for that when a Gentleman who owed him 6 shillings, ordered him to call for it, she refused to let him speak with him: upon which in a great Rage she run home, telling him, she would fetch one to vindicate her; but ere she returned, the Coach-man was gone, yet she brought Bolger with her, who bid first a Crown, then a Guiney, to know the Coach-man; but the People of the House refusing to satisfie him in that Point, and John Charlton, a Porter, that was by, telling the Party now Executed, that she did ill, and that it was not long since she was before Justice Due for the like Distur­bance, she animated Bolger to revenge the Affront, who like a merciless Wretch run him through and being for this 2d. Murther Committed to the Gate-house, broke Prison. But upon this Evidence Mary Phelps was found Guilty of the Murther, and Sentenced on the 13th. instant, and when in Newgate, during the Respite, she greatly lamented her Rash­ness, and desired the Prayers of such as came to visit her, entreating them, to have more [Page 4]government of their Passions than she had, left while they strove to gratifie their unseasona­ble and unlawful Revenge, they brought themselves to shameful and untimely Ends, and drew innocent Blood upon their Heads.

At the place of Execution she seemed likewise very penitent, when being admonish­ed by Mr. Ordinary to confess her Guilt, she said, she was not guilty of the actual killing of Charleton, but owned she was aiding and abetting, and verily believed that had it not been through her occasion, the Murther had not been committed. Then she desired for­giveness of all the world, desiring God not to lay the blood that had been shed to her charge, when she should appear to give an account before his dread Tribunal: and then prayed to her self, not doing any thing more, but bearing a part in singing of the Psalm during her stay on this side Eternity.

John Smith being Tryed the last Sessions, together with William Smith, for Robbing the House of the Right Honourable the Earl of Lindsey at Chelsey in the County of Middle-sex, and taking, thence Laced Mantles, Curtains, Carpets, and other Goods, to the value of 30 l. The Felony and Robbery upon Tryal plainly proved, by the Goods being pro­duced in Court, which were taken in the Custody of Smith, and where he and his Confe­derate had disposed of them; and he the Sessions before having been Burnt in the Hand, for s [...]caling a Parliament Robe of the said Earls, from the House from whence he stole the Goods, for which he was Tryed as abovesaid, he was Convicted, and together with William Smith received Sentence of Death on the 13th. of this instant October: but the latter not being supposed an incorrigible Offendor, he obtained a Reprieve; but John Smith, having continued extreamly penitent in Newgate till this day, was conveyed in a Cart to Tyburn, where he greatly lamented his past Offences, confessing the Robbery, and that he had been drawn away and infatuated, so that no warning could deter him from persisting in his unlawful Practice, therefore justly he was now about to receive his De­serts, in dying a shameful and ignominious Death, desiring the Spectators to take warning by his End, and that his Death might deter them from falling into the like Inconvenien­cies. He further added, That he had been a lewd Person, and a great Sabbath-breaker, for which Offences God had suffered him to fall into other Sins, which the Law had ta­ken hold of, to his temporal Destruction, though he hoped God would have mercy up­on his Soul.

This being said, Mr. Ordinary prayed with them very fervently, desiring them to joyn in Prayer with him, and in conclusion gave them the Benediction of the Church, after which he set a Psalm, which ended, he recommended them to the Mercy of the Almighty Judge and Creator of Heaven and Earth, and then the Cart drawing away, they hung for the space of an hour, when being cut down, their Bodies were delivered to their Friends, who in Coffins brought for that purpose, convey them thence.