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'TIS sad and doleful to consider, how rashly men run upon point­ed ruin, and court as it were their own destruction, Anticipa­ting the stroak of Death by Nature due to Adams sinful Progeny, by compelling Gods offended Justice to cut them off before their time, for their Inormous Crimes, but among many Examples of this dismal Nature, a Bolder Murther has not of late been done than this, for [Page 2]which the Person before mentioned Suffered, wherefore not to detain the Reader on a long Preamble, I shall Impartially proceed to the Re­lation.

John Hutchins the Party Executed, was descended of honest and In­dustrious Parents &c. being left in the possession of a considerable com­petency, but betaking himself to Lewdness and Debauchery, he soon waisted his Patrimony, and reduced himself to poverty, whereupon he betook himself to Service, living with divers Persons of Quality; and note, but growing weary of that employ, and lying at his own Hands, he Listed himself a Soldier, in the former Campaign, and was some time after drawn out for Flanders, where he behaved himself with much bravery and resolution, but Peace putting a conclusion to those Wars, he came over with the rest of his Comrades, and being a Man of a prompt Genius fell, into the way of Solliciting business in matters of Law, having a considerable employment on that occasion, especially a­mongst inferiour People: But not leaving his former Vices, he easily suffered himself to be led away by bad Company; and addicted himself to the society of Lewd Women, on whose occasion he suffered, for being on the third of December last, at the Green Dragon Tavern in Fleet-street, with Elizabeth Sturt and another common Prostetute, and drinking somewhat hard, he undertook to see them home, though fatal to his Life, for coming near Ram-Ally, Three Watermen, who had likewise been drinking, meeting his Doxies, viz. John Sparks de­ceased stroaked one of them upon the Apron, whereat she cryed, how now you sawcy Fellow, but he to excuse himself upon the frolick; replyed, why Mistriss I hope 'tis no harm; yet Hutchins being behind, and observing what had passed, in much fury came up, and after ma­ny opprobrious words, struck him on the Head with his Cane, where­upon, Sparks making into him, he retreated, and drew his Sword, and without further speaking, run him into the right Thigh near the Bel­ly, and went off; but Sparks being carryed into a Shop, and there soon dying, over-ruling Providence so ordered it, that Hutchins came back to look for his Sword lost in the Crowd, whereupon, he was seized as the Murtherer, and Committed; notwithstanding upon his Tryal he de­nyed the Fact, yet so faintly, that he was found Guilty of willful Mur­ther, the proof being plain against him, but Sturt who was Tryed with him as Accessary to the said Murther, appearing to be so drunk, that she was not capable of Aiding, Abetting or Assisting, she was Ac­quitted, yet not seeming pleased with her Acquittal, she desired to dye with her Gallant, although she had a Husband of her own: Sentence being pasled upon Hutchins, he was carryed to the Goal, where he be­haved himself meekly and with much Penetency, for the many sins he had committed, greatly bewailing his former extravagancies, although he would not confess he was Guilty of the Murther, for which he was Sen­tenced, yet owned his being in the Scuffle, and wished he had been in the remoatest part of Europe at that time, but seeing he was Condemned by Law, and to suffer for the Fact, and the certain date of his Life Limited, he betook himself to Pious Meditations, as deeply conscious of his many offences under the Load of which he laboured, confessing that he had been all along a debauched Person, and misimployed his time in the vanities of the World, but above all he was Guilty of Sabbath breaking, Profane­ness, and keeping Company with Lewd Women, and that for those, and his other inormities, God had suffered him to be Accused and Condemned [Page 3]for a Murther, he said he was Innocent off; at the Sermons Preached on Sunday last, he appeared very devout, giving extraordinary attention to the Pious admonitions there delivered, often sighing and casting up his Eyes toward Heaven; as likewise, praying to himself, nor afterwards was his Penitence less, as appeared by his frequent retiring, to Places of as much secrecy as the Prison would allow; and his attention to such Ministers, as came to administer sacred consolation to him, and his Condemned Fellows, his Eyes being many times bedewed with Tears, which plainly shewed a sad Remors, for the many miscarriages of his mispent Life, he being above Fifty years of Age.

Upon the Reflections he made on the Witnesses, being reproved, he said he believed they were mistaken, he not being capable of a resolute denyal; whereupon Mr. Ordinary Instanced, the obstenacy of Gowr who Kill'd his Wife, and refused to confess it till the latest moment of his Life; as likewise of Kirk, who for some time likewise denyed the Mur­ther of his Wife, and afterwards with much penitence confessed it; whereupon he acknowledged he had been a great Sinner, and had made ma­ny rash Vows, which he had broken, and amongst others, wished that Gods Vengeance might light upon him, if he came into the Company of a Person with which he was at variance, into whose Company he soon after came at the instance of Friends, yet during his Imprisonment, neither perswasions, nor Scripture proofs could prevail with him to con­fess his Guilt, through Dr. Stillingfleet Dean of St. Pauls, who laboured to bring him to a free confession, and obliged the Ordinary to urge him on that occasion.

Execution day being come, he was put into a Cart, and Guard­ed by the Sheriffs Officers, to the place where the Gibbet was Ere­cted, viz. between Ram-ally and Searjeants-Inn-gate, as near as possi­ble, to the Fatal place where the Murther was Committed: at what time Mr. Ordinary came into the Cart to him, and urged him to a free and Ingenious Confession; telling him, the danger he was in, if he denyed it, or refused to discover a Guilt he was concious off, begging him for the sake and wellfare of his poor Immortal Soul, that he would be plain and free with him in the matter, and not go about to stifle the truth, seeing he was overtaken by Justice, and had but a few moments to live, upon which and the like perswasions, he an­swered, that he had been an early Sinner, and Committed many hei­nous Offences and Wickednesses, for which he believed God was high­ly displeased with him, and had suffered him to be brought to the pass he was at, he having been Guilty of most known sins, but as to the Crime for which he was to suffer, he was altogether ignorant, alledging his Accusers were mistaken, yet he forgave them, and was willing to submit to the Punishment, &c.

Upon this Mr. Ordinary Prayed with him, desiring God to give him a true sence of his sins, that although he must dye a shameful Death, yet that he might not perish everlastingly, but that his poor Soul might find comfort, and that he would in mercy incline him to confess his Sins, and above all, that for which he was to Suf­fer, &c.

The Prayer ended, he again Examined him, urging a second time the danger of concealment, telling him, that God beheld the secret of the heart, and nothing could be hid from him, and that a free Con­fession would be to Gods Glory, in the justness of the punishment; not­withstanding; he disowned the Murther, desiring God of his Infinite mercy to forgive his Accusers, whom he believed swore against him rather out of mistake than Malice, for as he remembred he knew not any of them, nor ever see them till the day the Mischief was done, and then being in the Crowd he lost his Sword, and coming to in­quire about it and it happening that a Man was unfortunately Killed he was charged with the Killing him and hurried away, &c.

Being urged to confess his Sins, and beg pardon of the Great God of Heaven, before whose Tribunal he was shortly to appear, and with much devotion he kneeled and prayed, desiring the Almighty, that he would not lay his Sins to his charge, but out of his infinite mercy, pardon, and forgive the great and grievous transgressions, whereby he had so highly offended him, and pull this Judgment on his head, earnestly beseeching him in this his great extremity, to take pity on him, and not shut the Gates of his mercy against his Soul, but that it might find rest and comfort after Death.

The Prayer ended, and he rising up, Mr. Ordinary Prayed with him again very fervently, he likewise joyning with him in his Prayer re­peated his devotion with a chearful voice, and then such as were in the Cart, urged him to confess if he was Guilty, and not to dye with a falsity in his Mouth, and thereby hazzard his Salvation, to which he answered, he had declared his Innocence, as to the Murther he was to Suffer for, and submitted to Justice being ready to undergo the Pu­nishment his Sins had brought upon him, for he verily believed the hand of God was in it, and thereupon he asked for his Brother, to whose use he delivered his Hat and an Orange, the Psalm sung (he bearing a part thereof) then came upon the Ladder, and being Mounted a stander by desired him to confess if he was Guilty, to whom he an­swered, that he had many sins, but as to the Murther he was Inno­cent, and being demanded what became then of his Sword, he said, he lost it in the Crowd, and had not since heard of it, and desiring earnestly the Prayers of such as were present, forgiving all Men, and placing himself to the best advantage, he was turned off by the Executioner, and within less than an hour cut down, and the Body con­veyed thence, in order to its Interment.