Salvation Then several Scriptures were read unto her and pressed with earnestness upon her amongst many others that in Mark 5.25 and forward concerning that Woman which had a bloody issue who said in her self If I may but touch the hem of his garment I shall be whole Much was spoken unto her from this wherewith she was observed to be very much affected tears trickling down more than usually and with earnestness said O that I could believe That evening before she suffered her Husband 's long absence from her gave her occasion to suppose that endeavours were using for a Reprieve or a Pardon for her at which she did rather express dislike than to be well pleased saying she had rather choose to die than to continue in that place with that wicked company it being a Hell upon Earth if any such were and that she was not at all concerned about a Pardon from Man could she but obtain a Pardon from Christ it was that she most desired nevertheless for her better preparation for death she could have wished a little longer time but she was willing to die if that could not be obtained That night she took a little rest for the supporting of nature but it was judged she slept not above half an hour but some time was spent by her self her Husband and Mris. R.H. in prayer and reading she her self taking her Bible read the fourth chapter of Matthew and wept much in the reading of it saying The Lord Jesus was tempted but he was God-man and the Evil-one found nothing in him and so could not prevail against him but I a vile wretch Temptation no sooner came and assaulted me but I was overcome by it a wicked woman that I am to give way to that roaring Lion Then reading Isa 44.22 I have blotted out as a cloud thy transgressions and as a thick cloud thy sins return unto me for I have redeemed thee brake out again with tears saying Oh! what grace is this What my sins what a Redeemer to such a great sinner as I have been Then turning further unto Isa 54.7 8. I will have mercy upon thee saith thy Redeemer See saith she here is Redeemer again Her Husband a little before morning asked her how it was with her she answered Not so well as to boast nor so bad as to be altogether dejected When morning came she dressed her self that she might be in readiness when called but seemed a little impatient to lose so much time in dressing her body when she had so little to improve for her soul which lay at stake Several both Ministers and other Christian friends waiting to go up unto her when she was ready one of them desiring to know how it was with her this morning she answered that she was now entring upon the borders of Eternity but Oh what should she do she wanted the light of God's countenance Whereupon both awakening and comforting words were spoken unto her and then a little time was spent in prayer to God that he would please graciously to direct us so to speak unto her as might advance his Glory and effectually administer comfort unto her Soul In prayer she was seen to melt very much And having ended that duty as God did direct the words of God were spoken unto her and she was desired to speak what was upon her heart for our comfort who had been labouring for the Lord with her But she being silent for a little space but observed to have some conflict in her soul by the tears which fell and sighs which broke forth It was again propounded unto her Whether she found not a secret perswasion that God was able to pardon her great and manifold sins but also very great fears whether he were willing yea or no Whereupon she broke forth into a fuller passion of tears saying O Sir you speak the very thoughts of my heart God hath convinced me of the Alsufficiency of his Grace that though my sins be as Scarlet as Crimson he can make them white as Snow as Woel but O to know whether he will or no that lieth as my great fear Wherupon endeavours were used to encourage her to hope in God's mercy who had testified his unwillingness that any sould should perish and that he took no pleasure in the death of sinners but rather desired their return that they might live Also the Lord Jesus graciously invited sinners yea the greatest of sinners under the heaviest load and burden of their guilt and filth being weary of their load to come to him that they might be saved and find rest and had promised that who ever came unto him though at last if in truth he would not cast them out and that he had sent his Ministers to beseech sinners to be reconciled unto God and that we came in his Name and Authority to deliver that his Message unto her Therefore the Question was put unto her Whether she was willing to accept of mercy from Christ and to take Him upon his own terms Unto which she answered with a seemingly altered countenance as to chearfulness Yea she was willing and desired with her whole soul to be sanctified throughout by Jesus Christ and washed in his Blood as ever she desired to be justified by his Righteousness or saved by his Death Then it was judged expedient to leave her a little retired that she might improve a few minutes in secret betwixt God and her own soul desiring all the company to withdraw saving her Husband and Mris R.H. And after a little space of time she desired we would come up again and apprehending her in a pretty good frame willing to resign up her self now unto the Lord what time the Officers could spare for now the time drew near was spent in fervent prayers and tears unto God with and for her In the close being desired to tell us what returns God had graciously given to all our endeavours with her she said that the Lord had brought her to that resolution that although she might not sensibly lie in his bosom yet she would penitently lie and die at his feet and if she perished she would perish there When she came to the place of Execution she seemed to have a mixture of fear and hope in her wringing one by the hand said O what shall become of me now if my heart have deceived me hitherto Some words being spoken unto her she encouraged her self again in the freeness of God's grace and the fulness of mercy that was in Christ for poor penitent sinners After earnest Prayers put up unto God for her and seasonable Counsels given her by Mr. Ordinary and some others she went upon the Ladder having before expressed an earnest desire to have spoken to the people but wanting strength she entreated us to declare to the Spectators and to all the World That she desired to justifie the Lord in all his righteous proceedings against her and that she died justly for her great
abroad and several reports went as to her self and what should be the causes of that barbarous Act. 1. That the Devil appeared in a personal shape unto her and told her she must either destroy her self or her Child 2. That the day before she went to see one of her other Children at Nurse and would have sent the Nurse forth that so she might have killed that Babe 3. That she was under trouble of mind about Religion with many other things Which for satisfaction to our selves and others and clearing the truth of Gospel-profession as being inconsistant for any true work of the Spirit of God in the conviction of a sinner to leave the soul having begun in the Spirit to end in the flesh Some of those Ministers which went to visit her in the Prison made more than ordinary diligent search into these things And as to the first report she said there was no appearance unto her but the violent Temptation of the Devil and her own wretched and sinfull heart giving way to the Temptation And as to the second she confest she went to see her Child at Nurse upon the Saturday before but it never entered into her heart to conceive a thought of doing that Child any hurt And as to the third her answer was That there was nothing of any Religious Concernment in it but it was that great Discontent which she had conceived in her mind grounded upon her apprehension of exceeding unkindnesses of her Relations unto her although she had never been undutiful unto them but very sparing she was in accusing any but her self And it is not the design of this Narrative to accuse them only to desire they may cal to mind and lay to heart and repent of their neglect of duty towards her wherein they shall any of them be conscious unto themselves of remisness and that all others who shall reade this sad Relation may take warning thereby so to discharge their relative duties that they may not expose their Relations unto Temptations and so when a separation cometh either violent or natural they have cause to mourn all their dayes for their own and their other mens sins But as to her self the sense of her great sin and guilt lay with such weight upon her conscience that Satan used his utmost endeavour to drive her into despair of ever obtaining mercy it being his usual method to present God all mercy to allure men to commit sin and afterwards to present God altogether severity to drive the sinner into despair of God's mercy in the pardon of their sin A great wound lay upon her with respect unto her dear Babe whom she had so inhumanly destroyed Whether her Fact might not hinder the Child's Salvation Much care and pains was taken so to speak as might not in the least extenuate the sence of her guilt and yet to open a door of hope unto her that the eternal state of the Child might be safe notwithstanding her great wickedness through the riches of God's grace which sheweth mercy unto whom he will shew mercy that 18th of Ezekiel ver 24 being read unto her But still she sadly bewailed the horridness of her sin wishing often Oh that she had had more Grace for if it were to do again she would submit to a thousand deaths rather than to commit that sin And her sore trouble now was that her heart was so obdurate that she could not mourn as she should and desired to do and begged that all good people would pray for her And being asked What she desired us to pray unto God for for her her answer was that God would give her a broken and penitent heart She also sadly lamented her distraction by reason of her evil company in the Room with her that hindred both her meditations and addresses to God O it is sad dwelling in the Tents of Kedar and a sore evil to leave our great work to do until the last not knowing what hindrance we may meet with It is inconvenient to cast up our Accounts in a crowd and hurry of business Ever and anon she would sadly bewail her want of the light of God's countenance and it was not to be wondred at that she was so much in the dark having committed such a gross sin against the light of Nature Iniquity separates betwixt us and our God and causeth him to hide his face that it is rarely if ever they recover it though he may in mercy pardon the sin yet he may justly cause the sinner to go mourning and with broken bones to the grave The Sessions now came on and upon the 21th of February she was arraigned and endicted at the Old-Baily and cast for her life Upon the Petition of her Husband she had a weeks time granted her to prepare for her death and being sentenced on Wednesday the second of March to die in Smithfield over against Clothfair-Gate where she formerly lived when she committed that horrid Murder During this time much pains was taken with her continually by skilful and faithful Physicians for her Souls recovery out of the snare of the Devil who had carried her captive at his will and several Books of Mr. Baxters and other Books suitable to her present condition were brought her to reade which she seemed diligently to improve her time in together with the holy Scriptures March 1. being the day before her Execution one Mris. R. H. had an earnest desire to see her and to watch with her that night and through God's mercy it was of great use unto her for her comfort who had now but a little time to live That day being asked If a pardon for life or a pardon for her sin were equally presented to choose one which would she choose she answered If her heart did not deceive her it would be the pardon of her sin O her sin her sin her blood-guiltiness lay with weight upon her but still she cryed out she could not find her heart in that broken and believing frame which she desired it should be in On the same day great pains were taken with her to help her understanding and apprehension both as to the nature of true Repentance and saving Faith to which she with more than former freedom answered That as to Repentance opened unto her she hoped God had given her a sight of her sin and a desire to be truly humbled for it it was her wound she was no more wounded and that she did desire to forsake sin with abhorrence and to loath her self for her sin to lay her mouth in the dust and yet to look up unto the Lord Jesus if so be she might find mercy And as to her Faith she said God had convinced her that her own righteousness was but unrighteousness even as a filthy menstruous cloth and therefore desired out of the sence of her own nothingness and utter emptiness to go out of her self and to rely upon Jesus Christ alone for Righteousness and
sin and earnestly begged that all that saw or heard of her untimely end would take warning by her deplorable fall to take heed how they gave way to Satans Temptations Being upon the Ladder a convenient time was left her to commend her soul unto God and that she might not be surprized before she was ready was desired to give a sign when she had done and she with the same foot wherewith she stampt for her husband to tell him of her horrid fact which she had unnaturally done stamped upon the round of the Ladder to give notice she was now willing and ready to dye for the same whereupon the Executioner did his office Many other passages might have been inserted but because we are not willing to make this Narrative swell too large we shall omit them O that this sad Execution may cause all that hear to fear and do no more so presumptuously Deut. 17.13 How apparent is it that the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking continually whom he may devour And how much the more need have all the children of men to be upon their diligent watch and to be earnest and fervent in prayer to God that they may not be overcome with his temptations Yea let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Let it be your care to check every temptation at the entrance of it Consult not with flesh and blood give no place to slavish fears admit of no consultations with the Devil lest he prove too hard for you Give not way to sinful anger for therein thou givest place to the Devil And let all sinners know that if they do evil sin lieth at their door if they resolve to continue in their sin then their sin will assuredly find them out but if they break off their sins by works of righteousness repent and return to the Lord iniquity shall not be their ruine Some passages omitted in the former Narrative ABout ten of the clock the morning she suffered the Officer told her Now they were ready to go with her to Execution At this many strangers that were with her did both with prayers and tears commend her condition to God she desiring they might continue the same to her end 'T is worthy of note to all that shall read her manner of deportment at this time She went down the stairs in so unconcerned a manner as though she had not been the person to suffer but rather a spectator for while many that know the bitter cup she was to drink could not cease from deep discomposure she seemed as a person free from such fear or torment as commonly attends those that have such an hour of tryal to undergo At the foot of the stairs she had some half an hours repose by reason a Cart was not ready In this intermission did many hearts yern toward her Eternal condition telling her now there was but one step more between her and that Then she asked how she might know Jesus Christ dyed for her It was replyed He dyed for sinners yea the greatest of sinners and she knew she was one and a chief one and that in the 5th of Romans ver 6 8. it is said he dyed for the ungodly even the worst of people and the Scriptures did nowhere exclude her by name from benefit in Christ's blood and in 1 Tim. 2.3 it is charged that prayers and supplications be made for all and in ver 4. the reason is rendred for God would have all to be saved and come to the knowledge of his Truth About this time came the Officer with a Rope and it is worthy of note how she then did behave her self he makes a noose before her eyes enough to daunt any beholder much more the person for whom it was making then he takes her right arm and puts the Rope over that then over her left and so tyes it with a knot at the middle of her back she all this while attentive to what was spoken by the persons who came in love to visit her appearing without change of countenance or terror of spirit and indeed excepting the guilt of Murder that lay on her conscience her constant cariage was more like a Lamb going to the slaughter than a Murderer going to the Gallows By this time the Cart was ready which she ascending then told us Nothing troubled her like that she should bring such dishonour to God by this sin wishing with all her heart that all that did behold her might take warning by her miserable estate how they lived in this World Now she is come within sight of the Gibber on which she must in a very short time suffer death and then the Executioner came and undid the Rope from where it was tyed about her in the Prison and taking off her Handkerchief bares her neck tyes the Rope about it fitting the knot to her right ear at which to the admiration of some present she was not in the least terrified nor changed in her countenance Mr. Ordinary now comes to pray with her and gave her many useful exhortations Then did Mr. P. also pray with her in a most earnest manner as the last vocal prayer that was ever like to be put up unto God for her Then did we all present take our farewell of her beseeching God in this needful moment not to reject her in this miserable and low estate which without his mercy and pardon must perish to all eternity Then did Mr. P. as a close of all beseech her look up to a gracious God as her last and only refuge and carry with her these words to Execution Into thy hands O Lord God do I commit my Spirit Then did we lead her by the hands to the Ladder where she was placed a convenient distance from the ground and the Rope fastned to the Gibbet while thousands of Spectators beholding her with a general compassion to whom we signified her desire was to have the benefit of all their prayers upon which with one consent they uncovered their heads and lift up their hands using this expression The Lord have mercy upon her Soul Then she had near a quarter of an hours repose to her self upon the Ladder and though her hands were tyed together yet she was observed often to move them upwards in her private prayer Then we begged her to remember to the last that God was a very gracious God and to give us some sign of his goodness to her at her departure if she found it so Upon which she replyed with such a comfortable answer as gave us occasion to give thanks to his Name And now to the glory of Gods mercy be it spoken and to the deterring all from Evil by her fall and to the encouragement of sinners to repentance that they may find mercy as we trust she hath done for now hath she to our joy much exceeding our sorrow ended her life in Smithfield near Cloth-Fair Gate upon the 2d of this instant March 1669. with her hands lifted up to God in a most fervent manner while sence remained which was about half a quarter of an hour and she continued upon the Gibbet about three quarters more Then was her Body taken down and conveyed to the same Room her dear Child was by her kild in and on the next day after in the evening she was buried in Great St. Bartholomew's Church-yard being acbompanied by a great many Neighbours and Strangers to perform their last office of love for the dead that had given them no other cause while living but in this great transgression FINIS