EDmund Kirk was a Drawer at the Rose-Tavern at Pye-Corner, where he had liv'd with the Master of the House about a Fortnight or three Weeks at most; Friday the 23 d. of this Instant, being the day of the Execution of John Gower who Mutthered his Wife, and Francis Robinson, who were then Executed at Tyburn; he asked his Masters leave that he might go and see them suffer, and at his return, brought back the Speeches and Confessions of them, which he particularly related to the Family. Much about the time he came to his aforesaid Master, he was Married to a Woman who was Servant in a Lawyers house in Dove Court on Fish-street Hill, and on Sunday in the Afternoon went to see his said Wife, and invited her to walk into the Fields, as appears by the other Servants: they took their walk towards Paddington, and about seven a Clock at Night Edmund Kirk returned to his Masters House, where he was ob­served to be in a great heat, but not any ways Melancholy, or Indis­posed in his Temper.

On Tuesday Morning, about ten of the Clock the Body of a Woman Murdered, was found in a Pit within two Fields of Tyburn, her Arms and other parts of her Body were black and blew, and her [Page 2] Throat c [...]t from one Ear to another. The Constable of Paddington acquainted with it, came to view the Body, and searching the Pockets of this poor murder'd Wretch, found a Letter which she designed to send to some Friends in the Country, and was writ by her Masters Clark, vvith Directions in it hovv to send to her. By the Directions of the Letter, he acquainted her Master, that the Body of a vvoman was found Murder'd at such a place, and such a Letter in her Pocket. The Gentleman having mist his Servant from Sunday, and knovving that her Husband liv'd vvith a Vintner at the Rose-Tavern at Pye-Cor­ner, vvent this Morning, being the 28th of May, to his Masters House, vvhere examining him about his Wife, he seemed in a strange horror and confusion of Spirit, upon vvhich he vvas carried before Sr. William Turner, vvho Committed him to Nengate. He did ovvn before Sr. William, that he vvent out with her tovvards Paddington, and vvith­all said he brought her back again; but the Circumstances appearing very plain against him, he confessed he vvalked vvith her from her Ma­sters House tovvards Paddington, and at three of the Clock in the Afternoon, he vvent from his Masters House to his Wife, and vvithout his Masters Knovvledge took his Cane from behind the door, and at his return at seven a Clock, brought it back vvith him and set it in the same place. When the Body vvas found, there vvas also found a Brass Ferule of a Cane, of vvhich notice being given to Sr. Wm. Tur­ner, the Cane vvas produced, vvhich vvas bloody a foot from the end of it, & the Ferule off; vvhich said Ferule by the Description the Con­stable of Paddington has given of it, does certainly belong to the said Cane. Edmund Kirk, does acknowledge that he took the said Cane out with him but will not plainly and positively confess the Murder, tho by all Cir­cumstances, he does appear to be the cruel and barbarous Author of it. He continued at his Masters house at Pye-Corner from the time of the commtting of this Murder, and did not in his carriage and behavior appear to his Master or Fellow Servants under any trouble or disquiet of mind, till this very morning, vvhen he vvas apprehended; and then vvas under a strange surprize and consternation, and trem­bled like an Aspin-Leafe. The poor Woman vvho vvas thus inhumane­ly Butcher'd, vvas judg'd by those vvho knew her before this fatal mis­chief, and by others vvho have seen the body since, to have been vvith Child, vvhich probably she vvas before Marriage: and some little Items have been taken notice of in his former Expressions, as if his marriage had been rather upon force, to prevent a greater shame than in the choice of his Affections; vvhat vvas the true cause, does not yet plainly appear, but he vvas observed to discourse unvvillingly of her & vvas alvvays displeased vvith any expressions vvhich related to her.

Thus by this lamentable instance may wee see the strange power the Devil has over the mind and affections of some men, who as this person, tho he had seen John Gower Executed on the Fryday before for murder­ing his Wife, yet could take no warning from his sad example, but on Sunday following (a day which more particularly ought to have de­terred him from so Bloody a murder) commits the same crime himself, by which he may expect the same miserable and shameful death.