AMongst the many and grievous Temptations which the power of Darkness lays as Snares to deceive Souls, and bring them under his subjection; those jealousies and discontents are the pronest to work our downfals, for they often turn to dispair, whereby we make away our selves, and [Page 2]so inevitably perish or to desperate revenge by which we destroy others the effects of the latter has been amply proved in this Tragical Exploit with which we shall Usher in this Scean of Death one Margaret Osgood, Wife to Walter Osgood, late of the Parish of St. Olives Southwark, Hat-maker formerly Wife to one Thomas Cook, with home this latter Husband was Apprentice whom she Marrying before he was out of his Time; he being Young, and she stricken in Years immediately discord was so soon between them by the instigation of the Devil which grew to such a height that notwithstanding the Mediation and Perswasion of several Neigh­bours, they lived as it were in continual brawling for seldom a day or night passed but they had a falling out, which induced him to spend lavishly to; keep Horses and Spannels; so that in a short time almost all that her former Husband had left her (which was considerable) was wasted, which caused her for very grief as she has since confessed, to attempt often to make away with her self, but had not power; yet, though the Devil could not bring her to destruction [...] one way he effected it by an other as prodigeous as the former might have been if Acted; which is as followeth, her Husband coming home somwhat late on the 21th of July last, and much in Drink, after some contest she got him to Bed, who presently fell asleep, not dreaming that his Thred of Life was so near Spun, when she approaching the Bedside with a Hatchet (as it is thought her heart being Armed with cruelty) and struck him on the Forehead, such a forciable blow as entered his Skull half an Inch; with that not being satisfied she gave him two mor­tal wounds, besides one which slit his Nose, and another under the Ears about an Inch deep, nay so far was she transported with revenge and Hellish rage that whilst he extended his dying Hands for mercy she slit one of them to the Wrist, and as if all this had not been sufficient to give him his Pasport in to the other World, she with a Whip-Cord strangled him whilst he lay weltring in his Blood; and then sitting by the Corps good part of the Night, when Day appeared she was Apprehended to the Marshalsea-Prison where she remained very careless and negligent of her futer state, till she was carryed in a Wagon among the other Prisoners to Kingstone-upon-Thames, to be tried at the Assizes holden there for the County of Surry, which began on Monday the 8th of this instant March; and end­ed on Thursday 11th; where upon her Trial being asked what she could say for her self, she aledged she was not (Compes Mentis) but Distracted when she com­mited the horrid Fact; but Mr. Fowler and several others who saw her the Morn­ing after the Fact was commited; deposed upon Oath that she was as at other times and they saw no Distraction in her w [...]ereupon not being able to make any farther Defence the Jury after having received their charge, brought her in guilty of Treason and Murther, the which in case of a Wifes Murthering her Husband, the Law implyes, after which she received the dreadful Sentence to be Burnt alive, and was conveyed to the Town Prison there to remain in order to her Execution, where during the intervene of the time allowed to make preparation for another World she seemed as it were stupified with the horror of guilt; sometimes she would applause her cruelty, saying, She did not repent her of what she had done, for he had brought her to want by his Extravagancies; and at other times she would fall out into a passion, and say, it was Gods just Judgement by suffering her to run into such evil to punish her for being so wicked to her first Husband whose Bed she had suffered the latter to defile whilst the former was alive; and that she had been a grieveous Offender both against God and Man; not only the Minister of the Place, but several other pious and charitable Christians came often to visit her and give her Saving advice to prepare for Immortality, intimating that she had but a short time to live on Earth, and that Murther bore such a lasting Stain, that nothing but the blood of her Sacred Redeemer could cleanse her poluted Soul, to which she answered she was sorry for the Murther; but were her Husband now alive she would rather be Burnt according to sentance than to live with him, and so continued sometimes resolute, and sometimes Penitent till the Day appointed for her [Page 3]Execution came, which was the 16th of this Instant March; when being brought out of the Prison, clad almost all in White to the Market Place, or Place appointed for Exe­cution, were being fastened to a Stake, Three Loads of Fa­gots were piled that she seemed as one half dead; all that she was heard to say, was to desire the People to pray for her, and to take warning by her sad End; after her being there near half an hour, the Executioner set Fire to the Pile, which taking reduced the miserable Wretch. It is said during her Imprisonment she did what she could to be got with Child, thereby to respit her Execution, but her expectation failed her, for she proved not pregnant.

Eight more that received Sentence were Executed at the Gallows, being Hanged by their Necks, whose Names, Crimes and Behaviours were as followeth.

Mary Trot a Notorious Offender, who had been in se­veral Roberys, and been once before Condemned for the same; having likewise been a Publick Seller of stolen goods, was taken from the Prison and carried to the place of Exe­cution; she seem'd very obstinate, and not in the least con­cern'd for her latter End, till the very last when Death's approach made her relent to think how she was entring on a state she was so ill prepared for.

William Abbot was likewise Sentenced for that he Robed Dover Carryer in the middle of Kent-street, between Four and Five of the Clock in the Morning of Silks and other Goods to the vallue of 200 Pounds; he had been tryed at the Old-Bayly the last Sessions, and Condemned there, where he had obtained a Pardon for the particular Fact, for which he was there Condemned, but no other, so the Car­ryer appearing at the Old Bayly the Court Ordered him to Confess where the goods were, which he refusing he was Ordered to be sent to King stone to be Tried there, and being Cast, this Day suffered; his Penitence was suitable in some measures to his many Crimes, fer he was more then ordinary Penitent much bewailing his Crimes and desiring all to take warning by his sad downfall.

William Wyer and John Bradshaw were condemned for breaking open the House of one William Turner in September last, and stealing thence Cloath to a considerable vallue for which they were this day Executed and dyed with great pe­nitency desiring the company assembled to view their fatal Ends, to direct their Prayers to Almighty God for their de­liverence from a second Death.

Able Hamersly and Thomas Savioury suffered for the same Fact as Abbot did, and were exceeding Penitent, it being thought it was the first Robery they ever committed.

Richard Wilson was Comdemned for that he in February last, broak open the House of one Mr. Turner in Southwark, and accordingly to Sentance was Executed.

The last in this fatal Tragedy, was Edward Turner for breaking the House of Thomas Stainton in Barmondsey-street, and steealing Linnen and wearing Apparel to the value of Five pounds, they were both very Penitent, as indeed they were for the most part heartily lamenting their woful condi­tions, and beging Pardon of God for their offences, after a short Prayer, they ended their lives.