The CONFESSION And EXECUTION Of the PRISONERS at TYBURN ON Wednesday the 11th of this Instant June 1679.
- Robert Bareford for a Burglary.
- Benjamin Dauforn for Pocket-picking.
- Henry Senson for a Burglary.
- Richard Capel for Felony.
Being a satisfactory Account of all their Crimes for which they suffered, the rest being most graciously Reprieved.
WITH An Account of their Deportment in Prison, and at the place of Execution, with several other remarkable Circumstances.
As also a true Narration of a notorious Robbery committed on the House of Sir Tho. Nightingal of Langham in the County of Essex, by five persons, on Thursday-night the 5th of this instant June, two of which are now taken, and in Newgate.
LONDON: Printed for D. M. 1679.
The Execution of the Prisoners at Tyburn.
THE miserable Catastrophies of these deplored Wretches, whose sad ends (though well deserved by reason of their Crimes) I here purpose to relate, the which may sure amuse the World, and rouse secure Sinners from their drousiness, lest dreadful Fate awake 'em, when too late, only to view their sure and certain Death.
The first in this Disaster was Robert Bareford, for committing a Burglary upon a House in St. Katherines, commonly called by the Name of the Seven Stars; and thence felloniously bearing away, contrary to the established Laws of this Nation, and His Majesties Crown and Dignity, several Parcels, as well Houshold-goods as Money, to a considerable value. Part of the Goods being found upon him he was committed: and in Court the Fellony and Burglary proved, he received Sentence, and on Wednesday being the 11th of this instant June, 1679 suffered accordingly at Tyburn. His penitence, as to outward appearance, seemed more than commonly from such Offenders can be expected
The next of whom we shall treat, that by his evil courses [Page 4] brought himself to this untimely and disgraceful end, was Richard Capel; a young Man, but an old Offender; having been once burnt in the Hand at Surry Assizes: And in the late Conflagration of New Prison, he then being Prisoner there, escaped thence in the Hurry and Throng of People assembled at that time for the extinguishing of the Fire: of which Fire I suppose few are ignorant. He not being content with his liberty, fell to his old Employment afresh; for, as our English Proverb more fully denotes, Impossible 'tis to wish an Ethiopian white, so accustomed Crimes do seldome leave indulged Sinners; for these often warnings were not sufficient to prevail upon his serious thoughts, but following still those fatal Tracks that tend to Death and Hell, at last he was Ensnared in his Devices: For one Evening, somewhat late, he did commit a Fellony in a Cooks House in Blackamore-street, bearing thence as much Pewter as he could conveniently carry; being met and stopped by the Watch, he told them he had it in such a place, but the people being called up would not own it; but after some time they, by the Marks, found the right Owner; whereupon he was committed, and after sentenced, and this day executed. His Behaviour in Prison after his condemnation was more than ordinarily pennitent, confessing and bewailing his former lude and vicious courses; for it is commonly seen that Death's unavoidable approach often startles the hardest Sinner. At the place of Execution he desired all to take warning by his untimely end, and that they timely would repent.
Benjamin Dauforn was the next; for that Artificial Trade of Pocket-picking; and 'tis the more remarkable by reason he durst venture upon that unlawful Art in the Grand [Page 5] place this Nation has so long been pleased to build [...] Seats of Justice in; I mean Westminster-Hall: for on [...] 18th of May last past, he unlawfully took a Purse out of [...] Gentlemans Pocket, and in it 4 or 5 pounds, it being then Term-Time: He being pursued, threw down the Money in the Corner of a Window; but notwitstanding he was Apprehended and Committed for the same: and it appearing upon his Tryal that he was an old Offender, he was Sentenced, and this day Executed. He likewise at the place of Execution, when he saw all hopes of pardon vain, and that Death's fatal Aspects were so dreadful, shed abundance of tears for his former sins, and begged eternal mercy for his Soul.
The next, in order, was Henry Season, for robbing a Person of Quality in Cheswick, and felloniously bearing away a Flitch of Bacon, two Kettles, and other things, he having been an old Effender heretofore, was sentenced, and accordingly executed. He much bewailed his Offences during his being in the Hold, and said, That bad Company had enticed him to act that, and many other Exploits; but that he hoped for mercy from above, although he could expect none here below, by reason of the hainousness of his former Offenees; and he was exceeding penitent to the last, desiring the Spectators to supplicate Omnipotence for mercy on his Soul, when he should appear before the Dread Tribunal, to answer for his wilful and heedless Sin, and former Offences.
There were seaven more Condemned to Die, but received a most gracious Reprieve, in expectation of their Amendment for the future.
And now one would imagine these so often repeated Examples of offended justice should restrain offending miscreants; but Deaths grim terrors seem but shadows till his sure approach do undeceive their blinded Judgments; as may in this be seen the narration of which I shall here unto Annex by reason Crimes deserving death may nearest sute with its intendancy: The which narration is of a notorious Robery committed by five persons, (two of which are now in New-gate) who breaking into the House of Sir Thomas Nightingall of Langham, In the County of Essex, on Thursday-night the 5th. of June 1679. and bearing away from thence in Money, Jewels and Plate the value of seven hundred pounds.
The Account of the Felony and Burglary Committed at and upon the house of Sir Tho. Nightingal, at Langham, in the County of Essex, on Thursday the 6th of this Instant June, 1679. the manner as followeth.
THE said Sir Thomas his Son entertaining in his Service, as his Footman or Attendant, one Tho. Cotten (commonly called Longboy by reason of excellent skill in running) who, for his many misdemeanours, and offences, his said Master thought fit to discharge of his said imployment and service; who lying up and down the said Town of Langham, could not content himself but must needs though unadvisedly, spread some sinister Reports of Sir Thomas, the Father of his said Master, for which he was taken and strip'd of his Livery, the which inraged him so far as to vow revenge, for so (as he termed it) grievous Affront within a Fortnights space; upon which he immediately [Page 7] made to London, where being arrived he went to a certain Vintners house with whom he had been formerly acquainted: The Vintner, at the first sight of him, demanded why he went without his Livery he was formerly wont to wear; upon which the said Cotten told him how his Master had used him, and aggravated the Circumstances to an extreme degree: Whereupon the Vintner demanded whether he would pass by such an Affront without any endeavours to requite it in some nature or other, who answered no, for he had already vowed revenge: The Vintner demanded whether the said Sir Tho. Nightingal had not any Park of Dear adjoyning to his house, a symbolical meaning used by such kind of persons, but the said Cotten not well understanding the interpretation simply answered no, but that he had only two Does feeding before his house: Whereupon the Vintner ask'd him more plainly whether he had store of Silver, Gold, or Jewels, in his present possession, who told him he had to a confiderable vallue; whereupon they agreed to go down together in a Callash or Charriot, drawn with one Horse, the which they put in execution; and being arrived at the place aforesaid set up at a little Inn or Ale-house, some distance from the aforesaid Sir Thomas his house, where drinking for some time they went to view the Inlets and Conveniences of the said Sir Thomas his house, and although the aforesaid Cotten was as conveniently designed as possible, yet was he observed and taken notice of by several of the Inhabitants of the place who were formerly acquainted with him; the which, after the Robbery, raised the first suspicion of his being a Party in the same; but the Vintner and he, after having taken a serious view, returned again to London, and sending for a Company of dexterous Fellows, skill'd [Page 8] in that Employment, they altogether after some merriment agreed to go down and break up the house, the said Cotton describing to them the manner order and Affairs of the same, as also where the Plate, Moneys, Jewels, and the like were disposed of, where on Thursday-night, the day aforesaid, they entered in and carryed away to the value of 700 pounds in Plate and Moneys without being discovered by any of the Family. The number that effected the same were only five, viz. Thomas Cotten, and the Vintner now in Newgate, with three others not yet taken in this pernicious Intreague. There was one thing worth observing, having broke into a Closet, they found amongst the rest six (or thereabouts) Bottles of Mumm, the which Sir Thomas had reserved for his own drinking; these they in a bravado must needs drink off before they would depart, after which they hasted to London, and at the Vintners house shared their Prey. The next morning Sir Thomas finding himself robbed, and considering the strength of the place thought that the Thieves must have Intellegence from some that were well acquainted with the house whereupon he began to call to mind the threatnings of the aforesaid Cotten: As likewise having intellegence by some of the Neighbours, that he had been lately in the Town; where upon sending up with all speed to London, he was seased in his Lodging and being carryed before a Magistrate he confessed his accomplices and the contrivance of the Robery as before recited whereupon a Constable being sent the Vintner was taken in his own house but the other three escaped; for this Fact the said Thomas Cotten And the said Vintner were committed to New-gate on Munday the 9th. of this instant June 1679. In order to their Tryals &c.