WITH what horror and Amaze­ment, must a serious thought be Startled; when it reflects upon the hainous Crimes Commited, by the Villains of our Age: whose Cruelties are as Boundless as the Infernal Mansions from whence they first assumed their Beings: no mo­dern Times have known such gross Impieties as these, which have so lately been transacted in our Land, all dyed in Crimson Shapes, who gap­ed with thirst of slaughter to destroy the inno­cent, and with dire Massacres unhinge the set­tled State, depose if possible the long continued peace our quiet Realm injoys, lay Crowns and Scepters in the dust, and trample upon Majesty. Monsters in the shapes of men, who dare to arro­gate such thoughts as these, or ponder with themselves upon the fatal Ills; but just is the righteous God in all his works and wonders, and in the midst of darkness can reveal what se­cret Plots are lodg'd: no cunning contrivances, nor crafty Snares, escape his narrow searching [Page 4]Eyes: but Murder is a Crime whose rending voice doth usher vengeance down, and lets in horror to the guilty soul; all hopes of quiet va­nish from the loaded thoughts that toil beneath the mighty weight of that oppressing sin, they lose themselves as in a pathless maze, and know not where to turn, on one hand fear, on th'other danger lies in ambuscade to trap their silent steps, who trace like wondering Ghosts the unfrequent­ed ways, and dread the shadows of approoching harm; then sure it must be miserable to those wretched Miscreants who were themselves the Authors of such attending woes, and heaped upon their Heads the dreadful storms of an of­fended power, the just desert of what themselves have done. But among all the Cruelties that wicked men could put in Execution, or all the Sicophants of Hell could plung their thoughts in, or cruel Papists, and most bloody men, could invent, this, the Narration of which I am pur­posed to relate (for which two of the barbarous Actors most deservedly have suffered) may equal sure, if not exceed.—And thus I shall explain it. The parties that suffered were Hill and Green, who upon his Majesties Proclamation were dis­covered, and apprehended, and Committed to New-gate, as Persons accessary to the inhumane Murder of that truly Loyal and worthy Gentle­man Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey, one of his Ma­jesties Justices of the Peace, for the County of Middlesex, late of St. Martins in the Fields; a [Page 5]man so generally beloved, and of so sound a Judgment in State Affairs, and for the promot­ing the good of all Civil people, and depressing those by his Authority who sought to disturb the publick quiet, and raise Commotions in the Land: but for this he was looked upon with envious eyes, and fell a Sacrifice to Popish rage, for which the Parties aforesaid were Arraigned at the Kings-Bench-Bar, in Westminster-Hall, on Monday the 10th of this instant February, where about nine or ten of the Clock the Jury being pannelled, the Prisoners were brought, where it was proved against them by very credible Wit­nesses, that they were actually concerned in Strangling the said Sir Edmund with a Hanker­chief, and dragging him into a secret place to conceal the barbarous Crime, with many other Circumstances too tedious here to recite, for which they were found guilty, and the next day being Tuesday, the 11th of the same instant, Re­ceived sentence to return to the place from whence they were brought, and from thence to the common place of Execution; and there to be strangled till their bodies were dead: the which on this 21th of February was put in Executi­on. In the Morning they were brought down Stairs, where the Cart and Sheriff's men wait­ing for them: and an innumerable Crowd of Spectators, who lined the ways, and thronged from every quarter filled the Lanes and Streets, to see those miscreants of whom they heard so much, [Page 6]the Windows likewise twinckled with eyes of gazing mortals, who sent forth shouts, as pleased with what repaying Justice had so justly doomed, whilst the dejected pecants passed by, perhaps more concious of their Crimes than heretofore, for death that ghastly King of terrors, when as he makes his near approach looks dreadful, and a­mazes those who bold in Sin ne're feard his distant frowns: but did suppose them only sounds to rouze the drowsie Soul from its secu­rer slumbers. And so indeed it is, to make men serious, and incite them to beware of ills that taint the faculties, and poyson the depraved soul with base-bred inclinations, especially that of murder, cruel murder; that bloody Crime, so hereditary to all the Popish Faction, whose eyes delight in blood and humane Sacrifice: nay the very foundation of their pretended faith, by Cru­el Jesuits compiled, is in obedience to perform the most desperate Villanies (if so commanded) for the propagation of the Romish Cause; that the baleful accidents of time from their most sullen natures can give scope unto, or witty hor­ror dares invent, as may be evident in this, when they had barbarously misused and murdered this worthy Gentleman, to hide the Guilt and avoid the Suspition, they carryed the murdered Corps by Night unto a remote and pathless way, not taking any thing from him, (but thrusting a Sword through as it is conjectured before murder­ed Corps) his Gloves and Cane were decently [Page 7]in order layed. But to the purpose from which I too long have swerved: they came thus guarded and attended to the place of Execution: to re­ceive the reward of those black Crimes their fatal hands had done; for which their forfeited Lives must make an expiation to offended Ju­stice, who is not satisfied till Blood for Blood be paid, especially that Blood that has most wrong­fully been shead.

They were drawn in a Cart with dark colour­ed Horses, and guarded by a number of Consta­bles and Watchmen. Green was very much in years, supposed to be sixty or upwards, and Hill not supposed to be above forty: They were at­tired in Campain Coats, with black Hats and coloured Hatbands, and white Gloves. Hill ha­ving a large Book in his hand: They seemed to be very penitent, often lifting up their hands and Eyes, with often repeated Ejaculations, the which drew charitable thoughts from the behol­ders. Thus they continued, till they came to the appointed place of Execution, where they said little or nothing to the purpose; but much bewailed their unfortunate ends, and that they hoped to find mercy at the Tribunal Seat of their great Creator, before whom but a few moments divided their appearances; asking pardon of all men for the injuries by them committed against them: And then the Executioner did his Office. They were afterwards brought back, and bu­ried.

And now one would think the miserable End of those wretched men, so deservedly suffering for their notorious Facts, should remain as the Tro­phies of offended Justice; and be as a warning to all those Bloody minded men, whose stifled Ma­lice swelled with tides of mischief, struggles to get vent: but the Almighty, whose Omnipo­tence can pound them into dust, and tumble down their lofty thoughts, that Weave among the Clouds: he only 'tis that can preserve us from their cruel rage, and turn their Fury back, destroy their secret Plots, and save his people from the mouth of slaughter, whose providence is all-sufficient, and whose goodness never fails those who for their safety trust in him.