The last SPEECH, CONFESSION AND EXECUTION of John Smith alias Ashburnham A Notorious Highway-Man who was hang'd at Stampford-Hill, where he is to be hung up in CHAINS: and Edward Jackson, who was Drawn, and Hang'd, at TYBURN, FOR HIGH-TREASON, On Monday the 26th. of this Instant May, 1684.
OF the five Criminals condemned the last Sessions at the Old-Bayly, Edward Hubbart was Reprieved, John G [...]wer, and Francis Robinson, suffer'd on Fryday the 23th. Instant: and this day John Smith, and Edward Jackson were Executed.
John Smith alias Ashburnham, was about 27 or 28 years of Age, a proper lusty young man and born at Holbourn-Bars, he has been a Notorious Highway-man, both in England and Ireland, where he committed several Robberies, and accordingly had his Name put into several Proclamations, with a reward to any person, who could apprehend him: the horrid Crime for which he was now Executed, was, that he with others of the same Gang, having committed several Robberies on the Road near Stoke-N [...]wington in July was Twelve-month, [Page 2] being pursued by Andrew [...]age a Headborough of the same Town, and other Watchmen they discharg'd their Pistols upon the Watchmen and killed the Headborough in the Execution of his Office: Of this he was Ind [...]cted, found Guilty, and Condemned; the Witnesse against him was one Denton, at present in Newgate, and one of his old Comerade to whom he had formerly confest the murder of this Headborough [...] Tryal, and since he has positively deny'd [...] Companion swearing against him with other c [...]curing Evidence, made it appear so plain, and unquestionable a [...] that the Jury brought him in Guilty.
John Smith was properly his Name from his own Father, but his Mother afterwards being Married to one Ashburnham; he assumed that Name or the other, as best suited his present purposes. Being Convicted by the aforesaid Evidence of Denton, his former Comerade- and other violent Circumstances of the Highest Nature of presumtive Argument he suffered for the aforesaid Fact, tho at his Tryal and during his Imprisonment after Sentence he peremptory deny'd it: However he had been so Notorious an Offender (and now in Custody) had he been acquitted of this charge, new Indictments had been prefer'd against him: More particularly I shall instance in one, which perhaps the World may not have heard of. He with some others of that wicked Fraternity design'd a Robbery upon a Carriers Wagon, which they accomplished near St Albans, and Robbed his Carriage to the value of threescore pounds: After the Robbery committed, John Smith rid back perhaps under some apprehensions of Danger that the Carrier might pursue them, and raise a Hue and Cry after the Robbers and dischargeed his hist [...] in, the Bullet hit him in the Thigh, of which Wound after few days he dy'd, which Evidence, tho it did not appear against him as forrein to the Crime he stood Indicted of, would certainly have been made good against him, upon a second Tryal (had he not before forfei [...]ed his life) which the Law now justly challenged from him.
As to his Education, as he himself confest in Newgate, he was first put an Apprentice to a Chirurgeon, with whom he continued but 3 years, and then falling into the Acquaintance of Extravagant Company, grew first in love with Debauchery; sometime after a Wine Merchant, who had a kindness for him, put him into a Cellar at 'an Inn, at Barton M [...]lls near Newmarket, and trusted him with selling his Wine.
Here he first grew acquainted with some Highway-men vvho used the road about Newmarket, and coming often to the Inn at last drevv him into their Society; after several Robberies committed, he began to consider in vvhat a desperate condition he vvas if any of the Gang should discover him, resolved to leave that place, and vvrit up to the Merchant to dispose him to some other place, for he vvas unvvilling to stay there any longer. The Merchant accordingly placed him at Boston in Lincolnshire where he had been neer two months, when four Highway-Men coming to the Tovvn, tvvo of them lodged at this Inn: He as Master of the Cellar come up vvith a Bottle to vvellcome his Guests, and knevv one of them vvho had been his former Comerade, [Page 3] upon Discourse asking him what strange Affairs, had brought him into those parts they talked with all freedom of their former Exploits, and the two Highway-Men began earnestly to perswade him to lift himself once more into their Society, which he refused, and solemnly protested whatever Necessities should fall upon him, he would never more vent [...]e on such dishonest Courses. Two days after a Proclamation came down for the Apprehending of several Notorious Highway-Men, in which he found his own Name, strangely surprized with the imminent Danger he was in, he went off immediately to Ireland with threescore Guinys and some Silver: Being arrived at Dublin, he happen'd to lodge in the same Street where Capt. Hurst kept a publick House, who a little before had bro [...]e Prison at Newgate and fled to Ireland; requesting this house, a short time after, came over Francis Robinson, J [...]nney Vass, his pretended Wife, and Elizabeth Courtney, those being all of a Gang formerly, renewed their Acquaintance and often met at Capt. Hu [...]sts; John Smith was then agreeing for a Celler of Wine and contracted with the Merchant upon the payment of fifty Guinys down: When one Night it happned that a quarrel arose between the two Women; and Elizabeth Gourtney cut Jenney Vos [...] her head with a Quart-pot, upon which a great feud arose, the next Morning Elizabeth Courtney got a warrant for them, all and they were sent to several Prisons: upon ordinary Bail John Smith got his liberty as the rest had done, and with Jenney Voss came privately over for England: Robinson followed them close and at last found them out; when renewing his interest with Jenney Voss, she discovered John Smith, and caused him to be apprehended for the Murther and Robbery at Newington.
He constantly denyed that he shot the Headborrough whatever he had formerly said to Denton, which was only to ingratiate himself with him, but that William Hancock, now in Warwick Goal, was the person and John Shepherd who was apprentice at the Blew Bore in Long Lane to a Salesman, was another, and one Moor, who were both hang'd at St. Edmunds-bury. The Curate of Newington attended him at the place of Execution, where after a short prayer the halter was put about his Neck, and before the Cart was drawn away, he had thrown himself off, had not the People called to bid him hold; he confest that as in his Conscience he was not guilty of the Murder, it troubled him much less than those other sins of Sabbath-breaking, Fornication, Adultery, and some others, he had too frequently committed, and from the Bottom of his heart repented of.
The same Jenney Voss, who is here mentioned is now in Newgate and reprieved upon pleading her Belly who has been a Notorious Offender, and has already hang'd thirteen of her Husbands and Gallants.
John Smith dyed vary penitent: was executed at Stampford-Hill where he now hangs in Chains.
Edward Jackson lived in Bo [...]-Lane of very good Credit and Reputation and esteem'd as a person of a very plentiful Estate: He was Indicted of High-Treason, for that he on the 6th. of June, in the 33th. year of his Majesty's Reign, did Clip the Currant Coyn of this Kingdom, viz. twenty of Queen Elizabeths Shillings, and twenty other Shillings of King Charles the first, and twenty other pieces of Silver, called Half-Crowns, the Evidence against the Prisoner was one Nicolson, and Thomas Matrin and others, who gave so plain proof of the Fact, that Edward Jackson was Condemned, and this day Executed; he was very penitent during his Imprisonment after Sentence, praying day and night, he confessed he had been a great Sinner, but hoped through the Infinite Mercys of Almighty God, to receive Remission of all his Transgressions. He lay in the Press-Yard, and considering his Acquaintance was very great and Numerous, Visitants would very much [...]dispose him from those Religious Exercises of Fasting & Prayer, he Sequested himself from all Company, and admitted but very few to converse with him. He was about a twelvemonth ago questioned upon the same Crime, but the Evidence not then appearing against him, he was cleared by Proclamation.
[Page 4]This Morning he was put into a Sledge at Newgate between ten and eleven, & from thence being drawn to the place of Execution vvhere taken out of the Sledge and put into a Cart which was drawn under the Gallows, then turning himself round, directed his Speech to the People.
Mr. Ordinary being in the Cart to assist him in Prayer, and also another Divine a Friend of his; Mr. Ordinary asked him how far he was Guilty, and what he would own of the Crime for which he was novv to suffer, and whether he had no time of his Life aforepast, if not now as mentioned in his Indictment had been Guilty of that Fact, or what he could say as to that Point, to which he answered that the thing was thus;
Upon which Mr. Ordinary told him, Mr. Jackson, you could not recieve all this clipp'd money and put it off, but you must know from whence you had it, and confederate with those that clipp'd it, to which he only answer'd; You your self Sir, without doubt, and others too, have put off clipp'd money without being always inquisitive from whence you recieved it.
His whole Behaviour was modest and humble, and certainly never any Criminal at the hour of Death, gave greater Arguments of a broken and contrite heart, of a true and sincere Repentance than this Malefactor did. He prayed loud, with all fervency of Spirit, first with Mr. Ordinary, and then desired another Minister a Friend of his, to pray with him, which he did, with all the holy Violence of Devotion a poor penitent wretch could express his abhorrence of his sins, and beg mercy of Almighty God for his poor Soul, which was now so suddenly to appear before the great Judge of Heaven and Earth. His whole Conduct in the midst of all the Terrors of Death, was highly commended by the Spectators who were very Numerous; he behav'd himself with Courage enough to show he was not afraid to die, and with all the Expressions of Sorrow and Penitence a good Christian could expire withal. The generality of persons gave sufficient Testimony how much they were affected with his Christian Behaviour, and few persons Present departed with dry Eyes. He desired some Friends who were near him, to carry his Love and Blessing to his poor Wife and child, and beg'd of them to be assistant to them in this their sorrowful [...] distressed Estate.
His Body was cut down and put into a Coffin, and delivered to his Relations, who carried it away in a Coach.