IT would almost amaze a serious thought to consider with what head-long fury some men attempt their own destruction, even to throw themselves into the gaping Jaws of ruine, and spur that Fate, which of it self too swiftly hurries on, and winds away the short-span'd Clue of their disastered Lives; they sin secure, and never dream of Ills whiles Justice whets his Sword and gives command to Time, who orders Death with his sup­pressing shafts, to put a period to their impious Crimes, and stay their full Career with a disgrace­ful end: And yet we can but pity their untimely transmigrations from this lower World, if we re­flect [Page 4]upon them with impartial thoughts, consider­ing they are our Fellow-Creatures, cast in Natures Mold, the same by Heaven made, but yet depraved and made more vile by that deceiving power who dwells in darkness, and delights to work on easie Souls, and snare them with his wiles, and chain them fast till Justice strikes the blow; and then, except they timely do repent, and close with yielding mer­cy, they are too sure his own. But let us not be o­ver rash, for the Almighty's goodness is as boundless as his power, and he can save unto the utmost all that come unto him, nor will he cast them of, if by sincere contrition they return and claim his gracious promise; and yet 'tis dangerous so to linger till the utmost moment twinckles an Eternity, to stand up­on the verge of Flames beneath, yet think to reach the Stars, Face Death with joyful expectations, whose dread Menaces can yield them nought but Terrours; yet such presumptions have too oft deceived careless men, and Satans guilded Bates been luscious poyson to their pleasing tasts, too oft indulged them in their darling sins, and with delusions, under specious forms of interest, profit, or of growing great, o­ver-powered their craving wills, which before were prone enough to close with such alluring Cheats. But I suppose the nature of Malefactors is so amply known, I need not much inlarge upon the subject; for why, they are most of them men of lend Con­versations, for the greatest part, who first most com­monly begin with Crimes of a smaller note, and by [Page 5]degrees emboldened in the cursed Trade, they tram­ple upon fear and stifle all remorse; a sympathy so frequently observed in their insolent behaviours, who often have been known, when in their In­fancy, to scoff at Admonitions, and make a jest of Piety, but this is only when they are free and unre­strained, roving to and fro, as Sacred Writ makes mention, to mark out houses for themselves in the day-time, so that when darkness comes they may break through; but when they are shackled by Ju­stice, and the ends of all their courses come before their Eyes, then they are of other minds, and often make their pious departure to another life, as I que­stion not but some of these untimely Wretches (of which I here intend to treat) have done: The first of which in order were William Adkins and Anthony Tyler, who were indicted for Burglary, were found guilty and sentenced accordingly; they were both old Offenders, especially the former, for he had been once before condemned, twice burnt in the hand, once in London, and once in Maidston, at the As­sizes held for the County of Kent, and were now Executed for breaking open a house in White-Chap­pel; to see the inevitableness of Fate, for as the ancient Proverb most truly denotes, The Pitcher that goes often to the water at last returns broken home: So it appeared in the Catastrophe of these Offenders, who, after a long practice of their Hellish Trade, were intercepted by Justice; they confessed the [Page 6]Fact, and bewailed their former leud-vices, their ends were reasonably penitent.

The next were Richard Mills, John Butler, Alias Armstrong, and William Brown, Christopher Brunker and George Kenyon; these were the notorious Of­fenders that robbed the house in Hatton-Garden after the newest fashion that has been heard of in any Modern Age, for going accouter'd in the habil­laments of Trained-band Souldiers, pretending or­ders to search for Recusants, whilest some detained the people of the house, the other robbed it of Plate, Moneys, Rings, &c. to a considerable value, for which they were found guilty and sentene'd ac­cordingly: One of these, viz. Butler, Alias Arm­strong had formerly been in a Robbery with Thomas Sadler, for which Munday, Tatnam, and others, were formerly Executed. Brunker was a Purser of a Ship, but was never known to have been in New­gate before, as likewise Mills and Brown, but they all confessed they had been vile livers, and desired people to take warning by their untimely end; and especially to be cautious how they were drawn into bad Company, the which had been the cause, and chiefest Instrument, of their disgrace and ruin.

Robert Freeman, who was indicted for killing his Master, he was brought in by the Grand Inquest Guilty of willful murder, and accordingly sentenced, and this morning, about Nine of the Clock, drawn upon a Sledge to Little-Brittain, a Gibbit being there set up, before his Exeoution he was very pe­nitent, [Page 7]but would in no wise, to the very last mo­ment of his Life, confess the Crime, he was solicited often and pressed upon by many Ministers.

The next was Anne Sly for murdering her Child, the which after its barbarous Execution she closed in her Box, thinking so to secure the Crime; but that sin which seldom is long concealed, in spight of all the cunning was brought in Guilty, but was graciously reprieved.

The next was one William Brain, who was in­dicted for that Ancient and so long practised Trade of Horse-stealing, and was found guilty, and this day Executed; he seemed in outward appearance to be very sensible of his latter end.

The next was Francis Jones, for a Burglary; It was proved against him plainly, he could not deny the Fact; wherefore he was found Guilty by the Jury, and suffered for the same.

Timothy Smith, and Margaret Wallis, were found Guilty of a Burglary for breaking open several Locks in the Strand; the latter, having been an old offen­der, and having been before in Newgate, is suppos'd she might intice the former into the Action, the which proved destructive to them both; they were both reasonably penitent.

The next in this fatal Catastrophe was John Hol­land, [Page 8]for stealing of several Horses; he had been an old Offender; and for long time used the fatal em­ploy; he had been burnt in the hand at the Surry Assizes: he was condemned, but received a gracious reprieve.

And now one would think these lamentable and to be deplored Miscreants should be as so many Ex­amples or Trophies of offended Justice, to warn, or rather restrain, all lend persons from their evil course, that they may turn back from those perni­cious pathes, that tend to Death and Hell.