forth and give glory to him by a full and ingenious Confession and find mercy ere she went hence and should be seen no more Taking my leave of them hoping another day to see them in Heaven I departed the Chamber As I was going out the Nurse pulls me by the Coat desiring private conference with me This very much surprized me conceiving that she began to relent and that Satan was a falling But I was miserably mistaken when with Tears in her eyes she intreated me to deal effectually with the Maid to declare who set her upon it to accuse her that she might know them that contrived her death I told her I had already and in Three conferences could never find her to vary one tittle That I saw the Maid ingenious and Penitent but had not the least token of true Repentance from her That she was a Brazen Impudent Hypocrite thus to dissemble with God and Man to pretend Innocency when her own Conscience convinces her of the Guilt of so much blood That she should not deceive her self God would not be mocked as she had Sown so she should Reap She kept the Devils Counsel and to the Devil she would go I had spent my time and Spirits for the good of her Soul but I saw no good issue thereof and therefore look to it Woman Look to it that this do not make thy Hell hotter than Ordinary And then added one word Prethee tell me whether thou hast no sin at all upon thy Spirit that troubles thee No Sir none it all I thank God I never wronged any one in my life I never hurt my Mistris nor took a Needle of Threed from her I asked her father Whether she had not the Gold which her Brother stole from Master Northam She said No. I told her my Intelligence came from her own Father who avowed that her Brother gave it her in a Paper to take to his Child and that she took it indeed to the Child but then immediately took it from him again All which she stiffly denies maintaining she never saw nor knew of One Farthing of that Money either Gold or Silver That her Brother was too wise to intrust it to her a poor Woman for his Child who had a Child of her own But this is downright Lying and aequivocation as you will hear at the day of her Execution Coming down in the Court of the Jail the Prisoners flock about me to whom I addressed my self in short SOme Thirteen years ago in my first Imprisonment I was confined unto this place but blessed be God for no evil that I had done unless to work in my place and calling be an evil However I learnt from that day to this to compassionate all Prisoners And the mercies being a stranger and Prisoner I found by the good Providence of my God in this House have made me pay yearly some Vows and Thank-offerings to him within these Walls That I would leave something with them which should be better than Money if they would aceept it Some of you are now Reprieved others Burnt in the Hand and to be discharged Take heed Sin no more lest a worse thing befall you If you do not go out of a Prison new Men and new Creatures your old sins will return again upon you and the Devil that brought you hither will enter once more into you with Seven worse Devils and your latter end will be worse than your beginning If you do not mend your Lives avoid and abhor your former sins obey serve and fear God labor diligently in your callings keep your Church and wait upon Gods Holy Ordinances If you do not leave all your wicked Company and wicked Courses ' I le assure you God will never bless you you do but get loose from a Prison in Earth to be clapt up at last everlasting Prisoners with the Devil in his Gaol of Hell Whilst my affairs called me Home-wards it pleased God to stir up the Hearts of many Ministers in the City of Exon to visit these Prisoners and to Prosecute that good work which was begun in them I am sorry that no Memorials of their Pious Labors and Divine Discourses are fallen into my Hands that might have enricht the Soul of my Reader and been an embellishment to this course Paper Something occurred in Two Letters which craving pardon of my worthy Friends for inserting it without their Privity I here offer to the World I Have yours of the Nine and twentieth instant and immediately made it my work to inquire after the Ministers which visited the Poor Prisoners Condemned for Poysoning Mistris Weeks c. And after my best Inquiry can only learn in the General that several have been with them and that the Girl seems more Penitent than the Nurse who stifly denies the Fact I do not hear that either the one or the other have been absolved or received the Sacrament Master Treasurer-Hall was Ordinary but I have not spoken with him My affairs and business which called me out of Town would not permit me to see them till this day I tarried an hour and half at least with them and upon my entring into the Room where the poor wretches were kept I found the young Girl with a Bible and another Prisoner with a Book I presume reading to them for he told me he did use to do so Directing my self to them both I did the best I could to represent their sad condition and the demerits of their sins especially of that horrid one for which they were Condemned The Girl seemed somewhat sensible but I saw no relenting in the Nurse which made me afterward direct my discourse chiefly unto her But after all I could say I perceived it had little effect upon her which made me tell her at my departure that I was sorry I had not the least word of Comfort for her But however I told her I did hope my discourse would prevail with her for a Confession if so I should be very glad of it and upon any other notice from her would readily come to her though it were at midnight She seemed most sensible of these last words and as I think told me for she spake low that she would Consider of it Exon March 27. 1676. I am Sir Your Brother and Servant From another I had this Dear Sir ALL the times I was with them I could discern no great alteration in any one of them the Nurse still refusing to confess any thing and the Girl indeed uttering some good expressions but I could not discern that they proceeded from any great sence within or were accompanied with any affection I hope God may have succeeded your endeavors there with them better than he hath ours here Mr. D. was with them thrice since I was but could do no great good upon them nor discern any thing in them Yet I have heard the Nurse should desire to speak with him again but to what purpose I know not
Murders and if the Nurse were Innocent she should not for a World accuse her for if she did the Lord might Damn her immediately To which she replied with Tears Sir I am a lost Creature I have no hopes in this World I would not willingly Damn my Soul by drawing upon me the Guilt of more Blood I speak it as in the presence of God I had not put in the Poyson into the Pottage had not the Nurse bid me do it And added My Body is lost but if the Lord would have pitty upon my Soul it is all that I desire And the Nurse hath said she should never confess though she did Hang for it That I might confess what I would she would not confess any thing Upon this I confronted her with Philip Cary she obstinately denies all stands stifly to her Innocency throws all upon the Girl saith Judge Jury and Witnesses are all Guilty of her Innocent Blood and she will lay it at their Doors Whereupon I desired the Maid to go in to Master Holmes and dealt privately with this Vile woman yet to give Glory unto God by confessing of her sin and renouncing all commerce with Hell that if she did hide her sin and keep the Devils Counsel she could never prosper That it was in vain for her to think of concealing it for God knew it the World knew it her Country condemned her for it her own conscience if she had any left in her must needs accuse and condemn her Possibly said I you think of life and feed your self with vain imaginations of escaping death I told her they were foolish and groundless that Justice would have its Course that the whole World could not save her That she was already dead in Law and must be as certainly Executed as she was already Condemned That she stood upon the brink of the Pit and was ready to drop down into the bottomless Gulph of Hell That she might if she would escape it God offered pardon Life Heaven and Salvation to her provided she would but give glory to him by confessing her sin and taking the shame thereof unto her self That it was better to do it now than upon the Gallows She had served the Devil long enough too too long and it was a miracle of mercy if ever the Lord shewed mercy to her at last but yet I would and did assure her in his name as being his Ambassador and sent with his Commission to reconcile her unto God whom she had so hainously dishonored that if she would disclose all this cursed crime who first contrived it who managed it and put her upon it there was hopes For the Lord was a merciful God unto unfeignd Penitents and compassionated her deplorable condition and would bring her out of it That she take care not to Rebel against his grace nor to tear a pardon that was offered her upon such easie terms in pieces nor to refuse Heaven and all its joys and happiness Alas Sir saith she What will you have me say I will tell you all I know of it I am as free from this Crime as the Child that is now Born But the Maid did it For she told me she was weary of her life by reason of her Mistris who was such a Curst Old Woman that there was no living with her and that she was resolved to leave her Service and go away with the Mountebanks and that she told me she would fit her and had bought the Rats-bane of the Mountebanks Boy or Man with whom she was in Love This was all I could get from her then and not one Syllable of it true I told her she should beware of Lying and false Witness bearing and not let the Devil sit upon her heart and Tongue and added when you knew this Girl had an intent to make away her Mistris why had not you discovered it She said That indeed it was her fault if it were a fault I told her consent unto and concealing of Murder was Intentional Murder before God and Man and that she had a real hand in it She told me she had none at all and could give me no other answer Our secret conference being ended I brought the Maid again unto her who avowed her former Confession disavowed all acquaintance with the Mountebanks Servant never to have talked with him but once at the Conduit when she fetcht water and maintained to her face that this wicked woman the Nurse did oftentimes perswade her to run away from her Mistress and if she would have gone away the Saturday before the fact was committed she would help her to a Riding Suit Unto this she made no reply Returning with them unto Master Holmes he pressed upon them the evil of their sin advised them to Repentance and bespeaking the Nurse Philip Cary said he there is a report and Suspition of your having been unclean with your Master At which she fell down upon her Knees in the midst of us and impricated most direfully upon her self is he ever knew her to be a man or woman more than by giving suck unto his Grand Child Having cleared her Master but not confessing any other thing or sin Master Holmes being desired by me concluded this conference with Prayer and we departed In the evening I returned again unto these Prisoners And dealt with the Nurse to acknowledge her Crime freely to unbosome her self unto me that I might spread it before the Lord in Prayer and intreat him for a broken heart and a new Spirit for her And withdrawing from the Company that crowded on us into a private Chamber I desired her for Gods sake her poor Souls sake with cears in my eyes that she would yet leave sin before sin left her that she would flee from that wrath to come that she would bid defiance unto the Devil who she saw had ruined her and would Damn her everlastingly that she would yet accept of grace and peace and reconciliation with God it was late indeed to return unto him but not too late how ever she must not thus dally with the Divine Majesty to put him off with delays and lies That she should not be afraid of shame that it was the greatest shame and reproach unto her to have committed and concealed this sin but it would be a step to Honor and Eternal Glory to confess it good men would then pitty her pray for her and God would save her And added that if she would not confess it publickly to the World which yet was her duty and if ever the Lord gave her Repentance she would do it more feely and in a more ample manner than I could desire she should at least confess it unto me and I promised her upon the word of a Minister that without her consent I would never divulge it Or if she would not trust me with such an important secret I advised her to single out some Godly Learned Minister or some Judicious private Christian to
these Malefactors The covetous Keepers for love of a piece of money letting them in who by their loose idle and impertinent discourses obstruct the success of Ministerial Labors However this poor Maid assured me that her thoughts had been upon my Counsels in the night and she wou'd make it her business to do it more effectually and withal added that she saw her self undone for ever To which I replied No she was nearer Heaven than she was aware of That her sins were not too great for God to pardon That she should remember Three Texts of Scripture that I would tell her First This is a true and faithful saying worthy of her acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Yea Sir saith she I am the greatest sinner in Plymouth Secondly That whosoever comes unto Christ that is believes in Christ he would in no wise cast out That for her to believe in and come to Christ was no other than this That seeing her self by reason of sin to be a damned Wretch she cast her self upon the everlasting mercies of God because of Christs death with hope and expectation of them and waiting for them And then Thirdly That the Blood of Christ cleanseth from all sins And she should meditate and think upon these pretious words of God and resolve that she would live and die with them in her Heart And if she did and grieved unfeignedly for her sins loathed them and her self for them my Soul for hers she should never perish For Jesus Christ was a most absolute and compleat Saviour able and willing to save the worst of Mankind that would be saved by him upon these his Terms and therefore would save her Upon this she wept again Having comforted her and done somewhat to bind up her wounds I added Anne there are yet some other works for you you must die in Charity with the world and crave pardon as from God so from Man especially from your Master whom you have so grievously wronged You must also in particular forgive this bloody Woman the Nurse that hath seduced you to this great sin and to your perdition Will you Can you do it If you do it not from your heart God will never forgive you Sir saith she I wit I do it And it should not grieve me if she lived though l died only for this Fact I forgive her a I expect forgiveness from God Then I added She must beware of mispending her time or loosing a moment of it she should take heed of vain thoughts she must be much in private Prayer and not be long but short short in Prayer but often She must hearken to all the good counsels of Gods Ministers that would come and visit her and do them to the utmost She should be as Spiritual Holy Religious Humble Serious and Heavenly minded as possible She should not take any great care of her Body the less the better as to eating drinking or sleep Her whole thoughts and care should be spent about her Soul and its salvation And to conclude Anne said I it is a hard work to die at any time but for one in thy condition very hard indeed But however once thy peace is made with God and thou hast repented of thy sin and thrown thy poor Soul upon Sovereign mercy in the Blood of Jesus never fear death Take it humbly patiently and submissively Bear the indignation of the Lord because thou hast sinned accept of the punishment of thine iniquity yea be thankful unto God that thou mayest be Burnt here and not hereafter I hope the Lord will make thy death easie short and comfortable Thou art yet a stranger to the joys of Gods Salvation and to the comforts of his Holy Spirit But it may be the Lord will give them to thee in thy bitter torments and then thou wilt scarce feel them or if he shall detain them from thee yet his Grace is sufficient for thee believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved And finishing my discourse with her she asked whether she should not see me again especially when she was to suffer for she earnestly requested my help my assistance to her in that hour I promised if it could be obtained she should have it Being now returned to the rest of the Malefactors I spake something of the Glories of that other World where truly Penitent and believing sinners were a going what an unspeakable happiness God had prepared for them and what wonderful rich grace this was on Gods part that he should promise and tender it unto them Two of whom I hope were broken hearted though they wanted much knowledge and much of that Compunction that they ought to have that if they would endeavor after more Grace God who was the God of all Grace would give liberally unto them and never upbraid them with their past ungodliness That the promises were not made so much unto the measure and degree of Grace as to the nature and Truth of Grace That a Grain of Gold was as truly Gold as an heap or Mountain That the Lord was no respecter of Persons but an Universal a Common Saviour That he despised not the day of small things He would not quench the smoaking Flax nor break the bruised Reed nor cast off any self-confounded and self-condemned wrerches That whatever their sins had been they should beware of doubting or despairing of Gods mercies Their despair of Salvation being a greater sin than Murder or High Treason That I was not ignorant of Satans devices no stranger to his Wiles and Stratagems who when he could keep them no longer in Chains of darkness and Impenitency would put Souls upon Over-doing in Repentance and over whelm them with horrors They should look to this and believe it live and die upon it that Christ Jesus was more willing to save them than they were to be saved by him that though they were to die shameful and painful deaths you to be Hanged and you to be Burnt Yet here was a comfortable meditation it was as easie going to Heaven from the Stake and Gallows as from their Beds and when their Souls were departing out of their Bodies Gods Holy Angels would convey them into Paradise At this good news my Two Penitents wept and I hope Tears of Joy And turning my self unto the Nurse Woman said I it is the very grief of my Soul and makes my heart bleed within me that not one Syllable or tittle of these good words of Gods gracious promises belongs to thee This is the Children Bread it must not be given unto Dogs and Devils Having finished my discourse I gathered up the particulars and spread them before the Lord in Prayer begging grace and glory for them And that his Divine Majesty would yet mollifie that Adamant before him and take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh and open the Brazen Doors that this Captive of Hell might go
and rests upon it and trusts unto it that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners Of whom she is chief Thou art willing that all should be saved Therefore thou art willing she should be saved also Thou hast put these words into her mouth and into our mouths for her That if Jesus Christ hath not merits enough to save her she and we also will be contented that she should be Damned for ever But Blessed be our God! The merits of our Saviour are Infinite Oh! Lord make application of them unto her poor Soul Oh! Take away for Christs sake all her sins Blot out her iniquities at a Cloud and her Transgressions as a thick Cloud Though her sins have abounded unto her Condemnation yet let thy grace much more infinitely more abound unto her justification Enter not into judgment with her Oh Lord Deliver her from blood guiltiness Oh God thou God of her salvation And her Tongue and our mouths shall sing aloud of Christs Righteousness and of thy Faithfulness Oh take away whatsoever may hinder the Communications of thy Love favor and salvation unto her Purge sin out of her Give a broken contrite and truly Peritent heart unto her She is Mourning for her sin and misery Oh wash her in the blood of the Lamb in that Fountain opined for sin and for Uncleannesses in the lavor of Regeneration Oh sanctifie and renew her by thy Holy Spirit Take away all the spots and blots of her sin Though she be defiled and deformed with innumerable and those the most abominable yet canst thou rense and cleanse her in a moment No unclean thing shall enter into thy Kingdom Without Holiness none can see the Lord. Now the Lord Sanctifie her throughout in her whole Soul Body and Spirit And though she hath been by the wiles of the Devil cheated of her life and is now to suffer Justly for her evil deeds give her to bear patiently the indignation of her God because she hath sinned against thee and to accept of the punishment of her iniquity Though she must burn in Temporal flames yet let her not burn in Everlasting flames Oh Let the streams of Christs blood quench out the flames of thy wrath Though she die in Earth Lord Save her from Hell Oh Give her Faith the Faith of Gods elect And the Lord strengthen her Faith Oh Confirm her hope Oh Give her to abound in hope through thy Holy Ghost given to her Oh Grant that Faith Hope and patience may have their perfect work in her Give in some token some pledge of thy good will unto her if it be thy good pleasure Oh revive support and comfort her drooping Spirits Though she be in the Valley and shaddow of death do not forsake her Oh do not forsake her Say unto her thou art her Salvation Tell her that after she hath suffered a little while she shall be with thy self in Heaven perfect with thee in Glory Say unto her as unto the Thief upon the Cross this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Oh keep off Satan from her He is never more busie â—han when thy poor Worms are weakest and least able to defend themselves from him Lord Jesu Fight for her against him Keep her pretious and immortal Soul from him Oh Be with her now in these her last agonies Give thy Holy Angels to wait upon her and in that very moment that her Soul shall go out of her Body let those Glorious Angels carry it into Abrahams bosome Into thy hands do we commend her Into thy hands doth she commit her Spirit Dear Jesu Save it For thou hast loved redeemed and died for it And now Lord though earth will loose a bloody Sinner yet let Heaven be augmented by one saint more O Look down from Heaven the Habitation of thy Holiness and Glory upon this numerous Assembly Oh let them not be idle Spectators of these dreadful Providences Oh That they may be Ordinances for this good for their Conversion and Reformation Oh That every Soul that is gazing here may smite upon his Breast and lament that Universal corruption which is in our nature and the woful effects of our sin Sin having once conceived bringeth forth death We have the root of the matter in us the very causes of those sins for which these Malefactors suffer had we the same temptations we might be Guilty of the like transgressions And were it not for the Cords and Curbs of thy Restraining Grace we should be in their Condition Blessed be God we are not 'T is thou only that hast made us to differ Oh That all Masters of Families Parents of Children would see that they in their own Persons and with their Families do serve the Lord Oh Let there be no ' Prayerless Families no uncatechized Children in this Place Look once more we pray thee with mercy upon this thy poor Creature She is very low very miserable yearn upon her with bowels of compassion and embrace her with arms of everlasting lave Be her God and her Guide unto death and her Saviour from everlasting death And all we beg in and for the sake of our dearest Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who sits on the Right hand making intercession for her and for us Hear us for his sake and gratiously answer us and do abundantly for her and us beyond what we can ask or think To him with thy self Holy Father and Eternal Spirit be Everlasting Glory Dominion Praise and Thanksgiving Amen Prayer being ended I lifted up my hands over her and said Anne the Lord bless thee and keep thee The Lord make his Face to shine upon thee and be gracious to thee The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon thee and give thee Peace And if thy Repentance be true and thy peace made with God and our Prayers heard as I hope they all are death wont be terrible unto thee Now Farewel Life welcome Death God will send his Holy Angels in a Fiery Chariot to Convey thy Soul into Heaven THis poor wretch weeping and wringing me by the hand Sir saith she I am never able to requite you for all your labor of love care and pains about the Salvation of my pretious Soul but the Lord. will I hope The Lord reward you The Lord recompense you for all these kindnesses I thank you with all my Heart And as I was departing from her she helpake me Sir pray intreat for me that I may not be put to too much torture I answered her in broken words and tears for few there refrained That I would do my utmost endeavor to prevent it And turning my self to the Gentlemen in Authority Gentlemen the English temper abhors Cruelty show same Bowels to this poor Creature I need not intreat it there was such a Clowd of grief sitting upon all their Faces and so much tenderness and companion that they would have done their utmost to have hindred it Two went to the Maid and
her sake Besides he should but tempt God to ask a pardon for her Who resolved never to take it upon Gods Terms In short if she would be yet ingenious and give Glory to God by adoring his Justice and shameing her self and renouncing her sin and the Devil there Was no person more willing to pray with her and pray for her than himself To which she making no reply Mr. R. the Minister conceived a pithy and pertinent Prayer lamenting the depravedness of our Nature the horribleness of Gods wrath the possibility of Salvation refused by desperate sinners and as we feared in particular by this Malefactor his dear Sister now ready to be turned over He petitioned that if it were not yet too late that God would give her Repentance and break her stony heart and cause her to glorifie him at the last by an ingenious and full Confession Prayer being ended she is once again asked whether she would confess But being obstinate in her refusals she prayed for her self in the words of the lords Prayer said the Creed and being yet exhorted to Remember the merciful nature of God who would save her as we yet hoped provided she would come unto his Terms of Confession and Repentance She tells us She cannot confess that whereof is not Guilty Being asked whether she could die in Charity with her Witnesses and Accusers She said I forgive all the World And a while after without any visible tokens of Religion Grace or Devotion without any observable preparedness or willingness for death by any of those many Divines that had painfully dealt with her or Christians that beheld her she was turned off the Ladder and went into that other World She went out like the Snuff of a Candle leaving a stench behind her And if it be asked what is become of her Soul I answer the Question is idle needless over-curious and unprofitable 't is not for saucy Creatures poor crawling Earth-worms such at our selves are to pry into the deep secrets of Gods Eternal Counsels nor to peep into the sacred Ark of his bottomless decrees These inscrutable purposes of God by reason of their inexplicable difficulties will amaze and puzle us nor can we ever possibly attain unto any infallible certainty or satisfaction concerning her I know the absolute and uncontroulable Soveraignty of Divine Grace and mercies and that God can come in if he please between the Bridge and Water the Cup and the Lip But who can inform or assure me that God did so to her She is gone unto her Judge hath undergone her Doom and if she be saved it is a Thousand mercies unto the World that the World neither doth nor can know it But did she not protest her Innocency to the very last I know she did and is she Innocent because she said so Dying persons are indeed to be credited But then they must be persons of credit and serious and if Condemned Malefactors such as are most Eminent and exemplary for their Repentance Can any one Man or Woman living that Converst with her from first to last from her Imprisonment to her Execution avow upon her knowledge that she saw so much as one poor token of a broken heart of a sincere Penitent in her Produce it and it shall be Thankfully accepted Had she been Innocent she could not have been so much concerned for life as she was I told her in ' Plymouth and Exon and she was told the same by a Reverend Divine that Innocency was a Wall of Brass it would carry a Person above the fear of Death make her to outbrave Death she could go triumphantly into the presence of the Eternal Judg and bless him that she was condemned unjustly Besides her Innocence as to this Fact would have ingaged her to a more curious and exact scrutiny into her life past to have found out the true cause of Gods anger in shortning her days and to a most holy life and religious preparation of her Soul for death during the whole time of her imprisonment None of which she had done unless looseness prophaneness and uncleanness must be expounded and taken for it Finally I lookt upon her as a desperate and Forelorne wretch and told her it was no new thing to find her such 'T is no new thing tor the worst of sinners to be desperate Were not Cain Saul Abimelech Achitophel and Judas desperate This Relator heard a man Condemned to be Hanged utter upon the Ladder these words Gentlemen I value not my life of a Rush I fear not death and without any more Ceremonies or ado and Soldiers are none of the most Religious He willfully leapt off of the Ladder at Crimble-passage Where had not others shown his body more mercy than he did hi own Soul he might have perisht everlastingly I know not whether she had as much Courage Sure I am Death never struck unto her Spirits till the Psalm was a Singing and it was a doleful Tune unto her Her heart was then up in her mouth If it were not broke with the sence of sin and near approaches of Divine wrath it was with the very horrors of death Others Sang she did but howl and yell Methought the expressions of her grief and vehemency of her passions raised strange resentments and compassions in the Spectators One and but one have I known in her condition a big and tall Fellow that upon the score of his strength could have affrighted the King of Terrors Yet after Sentence and for Burglary was he Sentenced unto death his heart failed him his Spirits sunk his Soul died within him All his Language and that too in groans and Floods of Tears with blubbered Cheeks and wringed hands was I shall die I shall die I shall die I shall die Woe is me I shall die I shall die Though I came to him into the Jail took him by the hand intreated him upon my knees not to be so much concerned for the loss of his Natural Life But to look after another a better Life after the life of his miserable Soul Yet no Arguments no motives could prevail upon him He was Deaf in that ear A stone might have heard and answered but this wretch would give none other answer than I shall die I shall die Woe is me I shall die I shall die The terrors of death like an opiate Medicine had quite stupified him that he could not listen unto the best Counsels for his Souls welfare But what and if this vile woman had been Guilty of some other Capital Crimes I know of the dead rue best must be spoken but then those dead persons should not be Impenitent Criminals It is no pleasure to me no pleasing task to Rake in Dunghils Would to God all Vices were Buried together with hers though under the Gibbet It were no difficult matter nay a man might with a wet Finger prove her Guilty of soul and frequent Adulteries of Debauching Young persons of prostituting her self in
are become the objects of his rage and fury Satan had lost Heaven and he envies them Earth Their habitation in an Earthly Heaven displeaseth him because it pleaseth God They just now came out of their Creators hands endowed with a double Portion Holyness and happiness But he resolves they shall not long enjoy either Hence in the very first dawn of their Creation he contrived and accomplished their destruction He subtilly insinuates the poyson of sin by his conferences with and suggestions unto Eve and she having once tasted of the dose and allured with the deceitful pleasantness thereof to her sensual appetite communicates it to her Husband and they both derive it down unto all their natural posterity Ah! How many Murders were in this One Mankind made and ruined altogether Certainly they who plotted the blowing up of King and Kingdom in One hour they who effected the Sicilian Vespers Parisian Mattins and Irish Massacres had been all trained up and Educated in the Schools of this this old and Grand Abaddon Adam being in Honor continued not a day in it His glorious state did shine and set with the same Sun In the Morning it flourished and grew up in the Evening it was cut down and withered like the Grass He played away as a besorted Gamester his whole and all present and to come what he had in possession what he might have in Reversion at one cast Nothing was left him but his sin and curse and this he propagates unto all his Children A most sad Portion to be inherited by us Sin being now conceived doth prodigiously spawa and swarm The Old Serpent is not idle His boiling malice gives him no rest His first born like the Plague spreads its venom universally and new Monsters are hatched and produced by it every day New sins in new shapes in odious and hideous colours shew forth their heads Grace is modest Sin impudent and shameless It seeketh no disguise nor putteth on a Vizard but for its own security and in order to further mischief to perpetrate some greater Villany The Devil having set variance between God and Man will give another cast of his Office He throws a Bone of contention between Man and Man The nearest Relations the dearest Friends they that had the same flesh in their Bodies the same blood in their veins that if not Twins yet scarce divided in their age that were Nurst Fed and Educated together both alike tendered by their Indulgent and Religious Parents shall yet through his subtilty and cruelty be sundered and divided one from the other And if he cannot drag them both with himself into Hell yet will he precipitate the one by a bloody and Barbarous death into his untimely Grave and the other by a sin like his own into the bottomless Pit of destruction ere he is aware of it Cain by the instigation of the wicked one upon no provocation no offence given unless Gods gracious acceptance of Abel for his Faith and Holiness be a crime Murthers his own his only and dearest Brother Bloody Villain Thou choppest off thy right hand with thy left thou dashest out thine own Brains in dashing out his Thou destroyest his body but damnest thine own Soul Ah what grief it this to Pious Adam Oh what joy and Musick unto Hell Revenge is sweet But it s a poor revenge Satan Which ends hi thine own in thine endless destruction However the Devil hath shown the way of Murthering and bad Arts are soon learnt Any one may be an easie and early proficient in Ungodliness the whole and old World soon got the skill of it God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually The Earth also was corrupt before God and filled with Violence All flesh had perverted its way and blood touched blood There was no fair and gentle means left unessayed by God to reclaim sinners to dam up if possible the torrents of their ungodliness to stench those foul issues and frequent effusions of Innocent blood Adam and the Holy Patriarks decry it down in their Lives and Sermons Enoch the Phoenix of his Age for the life and power of Godliness shining most illustriously in his Conversation Thunders out Prophesies of dreadful Judgments against the irreligious Cainites Behold saith that Glorious Saint The Lord cometh with Holy Myriads of Angels to Execute vengeance upon all the ungodly and to convince you of your ungodliness in flames of Fire who will not be convinced by our Ministry Upon the wicked he shall Rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest This shall be the Portion of their Cup. But the Prophet is counted a Fool and the Spiritual man Mad and his Menaces of approaching wrath idle Dreams melancholly thoughts bugbears to fright Children and bublings up of his envy and malice against them Thus he and his Prophecies are despised and scornfully rejected At last fair warning and loud calls and Summons unto Repentance having been long afforded them and not accepted nor in the least improved the patience of God is tired mercy finally departs from them and Divine Justice sweeps away the Habitations and persons of those Scarlet Sinners with a deluge of Waters One would have thought that such a fearful Judgment should have cautioned afterages from ever treading in their steps But alas Posterity is grown stupid and Judgment-proof As for Gods Judgments the wicked makes a puff at them they are afar off above and out of his sight he forgets and makes no reckoning nor account of them God hath Hanged up some in Chains before their eyes Executed a whole World of Malefactors and made them an everlasting Sign and Example to them yet they willfully shut their eyes that they may not see and lock up the Doors of their hearts that they may not consider for what causes this great wrath is come upon them So that we need not wonder at Gods plaguing such willful blind Souls It is but a righteous Retribution that his Justice oweth them In as much as they regarded not the works of the Lord nor took notice of the operation of his hand he could not build them up he must totally and utterly destroy them Sinners ate the Voluntary Carvers of their own misfortunes They choose and Create unto themselves their own bane and destruction Temporal and Eternal The reading of this ensuing Narrative will be a clear proof and evidence hereof Books Printed for and are to be Sold by Francis Eglesfield at the Marygold in St. Pauls Church-Yard DIvi Britannici being a Remark upon the Lives of all the Kings of this Isle from the year of the World 855. Unto the year of Grace 1660. By Sir Winston Churchill Knight in Folio The Works of that Famous Mathematician Master Edmond Gunter somtimes Professor of Gresham Colledge London Reprinted Corrected and much enlarged in this Fifth Edition in Quarto The whole Art of Dyalling By
taken they are all bound over to Prosecute our Malefactors at the next Assizes for the County of Devon whose Mittimus is now Signed and Sealed and they sent to the High Goal near the Castle of Exon. Here they spend full Six Months but what In a serious and sad reflection upon their hainous and Crying sin In the exercises of Repentance Contrition and Godliness No in nothing less than in the practice of such indispensible Duties In truth they came thither the Slaves and Vassals of the Devil full of Ignorance and unacquainted with God and the things of God they were got into a Prison the very Suburbs of Hell a place to the Relators knowledge a Seminary of all Villanies Prophaneness and Impieties destitute of good Company good Books and the good means of Grace and of all helps saving their Affliction that might lead them Heaven-ward And it was very improbable that under so great a want of Spiritual advantages they should bethink themselves of Heaven and Eternity Indeed they might and ought to have done it But they were captivated by the Prince of Darkness who had blinded the eyes of their understandings and Seared their hearts as with an hot Iron that they should not see nor know nor consider the things that belonged unto their Peace Besides they were held in stronger Chains than those of Iron their own iniquities had taken hold of them and they were bound with the Cords of their sins Here they fed themselves and are flattered also by their Companions in Ungodliness with the fond and false hopes of escaping the Justice of man and as for that of God they never Dream of it it enters not into their thoughts Let them but escape the Gallows and get out of Goal they imagine Hell may be avoided with less difficulty and Heaven obtained with far more facility Thus Camelion-like they live upon the Air or with Ephraim upon the East wind or as Esay's Idolator they feed upon Ashes a deceived heart hath turned them aside that they cannot deliver their Souls nor say is there not a lie in our right hands But in the depth of their Sencelesness and Security they are surprized with a cold damp The Assizes are come the Judges arrived the Trumpets sound and our wretched Prisoners are Summoned unto Judgment Up they go unto the Bar with heavy hearts though with undejected Countenances They had some Figleave excuses to cover their shame and rather than want a Shift and Plea for themselves they will add sin to sin lyings and impudent denials Alas Poor Souls this is not to lessen but to aggravate your guilt this doth not hide but discover it You Cloath your selves with a Net your Nakedness and filth is the more Apparent Witnesses are examined evidence is produced the Malefactors are heard and permitted to speak for themselves the Bill was found and an Impartial Jury declares them Guilty they are cast Sentence is pronounced and now being dead in Law they Petition for a Transportation Here is the last Refuge of miserable Murderers But Justice dispenseth no favors they may be Transported to another world not to another Land Blood cries for Blood Innocent Blood demandeth Vengeance God hath said it and the Righteous Law of England hath confirmed it that he who sheddeth mans Blood by man shall his Blood be shed a man that offers Violence to the blood of any person shall flie to the Pit let no man stay him Accordingly their Petition is rejected their Request is denied they are bidden to prepare for death all hopes of life here have left and forsaken them The Girl as Guilty of Petty Treason and Murder is Sentenced to be drawn on an Hurdle to the place where she shall be Executed and there Burnt to death An horrible death An Emblem and lively Picture of Hell torments Dâ—awn as if dragged by Devils Burnt alive as if in that Lake of Fire and Brimstone already Lord what Rocks are these that do not rend and break to pieces at the hearing and thinking of it Methinks the very Sentence should have struck her dead There is so much of horror in it that with Nabal her Heart should have died in her Yet she lives under it Lord Let it be in mercy to her Space is given her to escape the wrath of God though she cannot the vengeance of Man The Nurse must Hang till she be dead a too gentle death for such a Prodigy of Ungodliness She Pleads stifly her Innocency disowns all Guilt takes no Shame her Brow is Brass she is Impudent and hath an Whores Forehead If ever there were a Daughter of Hell this was one in her proper colors No evidence shall convince her Confess faith she Then I shall Hang indeed I deny the fact none saw it none knew it but the Girl it may be that vile Person her Husband had a Finger in it but he is gone Some will pitty me though none will believe me none can help me Yet though she must die as sure as she was born the Devil helps her to one Expedient as she conceives that may save her Life My Lord I am Innocent I am with Child do not kill two Innocents If I must die let my Child live The Reverend Judge is too Righteous to punish the Innocent with the Guilty or to destroy the Child for the Mothers fault Hence a Midwife is commanded to attend the Court a Jury of Matrons impannell'd the Murderess is searched and after their strictest Scrutiny and Inquest they find her a Lyar to have troubled the Court needlesly she is not quick as she would bear them in hand if she have at all conceived Upon this they are returned to their Prisons and now in sight of Hell Others pitty them and tremble at their dismal State but poor wretches they have no Bowels for themselves yea without any gracious Sentiments without any feeling apprehensions of their approaching misery Plymouth hath been the first Scene of this Tragedy there had they committed their Murders and upon the humble Petition of Master Weeks Husband and Father to the Murdered Persons and concurrent Request of the Grand Jury His Lordship grants it to be the place of their Execution This was a rare Spectacle such a sight was never seen since the foundations of that Town Oh! that it might be the last In the Interval of their Sentence and Execution several Divines visit them The Right Reverend Diocesan out of his Religious care of their happiness ordered two who frequently attended on them but with no success on the Nurses part Other Ministers moved by Charity and yearning at their misery did concur to use their utmost endeavors to save them from Hell Instructions Exhortations Prayers Tears dreadful denunciations of unsusterable torments with the damned sweet and gratious promises in case of Confession Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus are used and urged with the greatest Vehemency and industry upon the Nurse but they beat the Air
whom she might Communicate it and have the benefit of their Assistance Counsels and Directions in order to her Salvation That it was impossible for her to get to Heaven without it Confession being a main and principal ingredient into Repentance To this she answered positively she would not and as peremptorily that it was enough to confess to God and why should she confess unto men I told her God required in publick scandalous and crying Crimes such as those whereof she was Guilty and especially now the lot of God had attached her and his holy righteous providence had condemned her that she should confess accuse shame and condemn her self publickly That otherwise she slandered most unworthily the Right Honorable Judge and the whole Court and endeavored to raise up a base and scandalous suspition of them as if they had maliciously took away her life To which she in plain terms said They had she was Innocent and they must answer for it unto God I told her I heard the Devil speaking with her tongue and was afraid to stay with her any longer least the should tear her in a Thousand pieces before me I had known many hard-hearted Murderers this Thirteen years last past in this Goal but never before met with the like That I saw she was resolved to be Damned and go to Hell And I was seriously perswaded that since so many Ministers had been with her and treated with her about everlasting life to no purpose and that all my poor endeavors were unsuccesful that God would never grant her Grace to repent but that she was a Vessel of wrath and preparing her self a pace for endless destruction At these words she began to weep and wept bitterly wringing her hands crying Oh! Sir What shall I do Will you have me speak that which I do not know I am Innocent Well woman said I if you be Innocent as to this Crime tell me are you not Guilty of some other Capital Crime deserving death For though the Lord may suffer an Innocent person to undergo an unjust Sentence from men yet if he have any Grace he will own the Justice of God in mans injustice It is rare very rare indeed that God the Wise and Righteous Governor of the World suffers the Innocent to be Condemned and the Guilty absolved but if he do is there not a Cause for it Were I in your Case I would say unto the Lord do not Condemn me shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Come unrip your heart and tell me what sins thou hast been Guilty of that though you need no Repentance for this Murder for which as you say you are unjustly Condemned yet you may be holpen unto Repentance for them Sir I know no sin at all that I am Guilty of is her reply No Sir none at all Ah! poor wretch Guilty of no sin Is not thy nature depraved Hath not thy life been debauched How hast thou improved thy time here in Prison In Prayers Repentance and preparation for death Still she answers No sin deserving death It may be she had committed some little sins as all others do but for sins deserving death she never had committed any I told her she was a perfect stranger to her own heart that she was full of sin all over but blind and could not see them that her little sins were all damnable and as she knew one drop of Poyson would kill as bad as a Spoonful so one little sin without Repentance would as infallibly Damn her as the greatest that for my part I did utterly despair of her Salvation seeing the Devil to be so strong in her that she was in the Gall of bitterness and bond of Iniquity and seared that she would go to Hell with a lye in her mouth she was now pleasing the Devil and thought she had found his Service so profitable and beneficial to her that she was resolved to serve him to the last and to hear the Lord Thunder in her Ears Go Thou Cursed Murderess into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels for ever At this she wept again and told me she was a poor * Ignorant Ingrant Soul But she hoped it would not be so bad with her as I spake I told her it was my hearts desire it might not be so I pittied her from my Soul I labored for her everlasting welfare I had no other design upon her than to pluck her out of the Jaws of Hell That I had nothing but labor for my pains and was afraid I should be a Witness at the last day against her for her refusal her stubborn wilful rejection of everlasting life That so her Brother had done before her and would never repent nor confess till he was upon the Gallows ready to be turned over and then out all came when he could live no longer to the Devil then he would go to God and God must be put off with the Devils leavings To which she rejoyned that her Brother had made a Godly end and she was sure he was now in Heaven and did wish she might make as good an End And said I I pray God you may make a better Now that the Curiosity of my Reader who will inquire concerning her Brother may be satisfied I shall give an account of him briefly craving pardon for amuseing him with this Digression Take then his and subscribed with his own hand at Lanceston in Cornwall April the Third 1675. Just as he was a turning over for till then he would make none The Confession of John Codmore Condemned to be Executed and Made by him at the Gallows 1. HE began to commit the sin of Theft first upon Pease and Apples 2. The next thing he stole was Figs from a Merchants Stall unknown to the Owner 3. Next he wronged his Father in giving away his Syder unknown to him and by reason of perswasions of others And he Married against his Fathers consent 4. When he was with his Master John Temple of Tamerton Parish he took Money for Dying of Cloth and Stockings unknown to his said Master 5. Next when he was with Robert Strong of Plymouth he there received Money for Dying of Cloth Stockings and Wool unknown to his Master which did belong unto his Master and in his Service went into a Garden and stole Goesberries and Cherries 6. Next he stole from Peter Slade of Tregony Fourteen Pounds of Wool and also kept from him Dy-stuff which did belong unto him 7. Next he stole from Samuel Pentire of Tregony One piece of Sarge who brought it to him to Dye and never had the return of it more 8. Next he stole from John Cooling of Verrian a Yard and half of Sarge and several Pounds of Wool 9. Next he stole from John Bullock of the same Parish One piece of Sarge who brought it to him to Die and never had it more 10. He stole from another person whose name he hath forgot Two Yards and half
T is reported she should say She knew she should be Damned but not for this Crime Exon March 30 1676. Sir Yours to love and serve you in our Lord Jesus What ever the effect and Fruit of their labors was she gave them this ensuing Confession which one of those Reverend Ministers that panted after her Souls Salvation took from her mouth and hath Cloathed it in these words The Ingenious and true Confession of Anne Evans concerning the horrid and cruel Murder of Elizabeth Weeks and Mary Pengelley ENvy being once at the height it put in Execution with a Witness This Nurse having by some means caused her Husband to receive words from her Mistris he was pleased to be very angry with his Wise for the same and withal threatens her to leave her And departed for a Fortnights time whereupon began an hatching of this Barbarous action by the said Nurse saying she would fit her for it for she her Mistris was the cause of her Husbands going from her as she said and endeavored to put it in practise with perswading the said Anne Evans to go to Master Mathews the Apothecary for Ratsbane telling her she should ask it for the poysoning of Rats and Mice saying it will do her work in as short a time as one might go to the Gate and back again and then they should live as merry as the days were long when the old Devil was gone Saying she knew one who was poysoned in as little time with it and some Cream Whereupon like a true and Faithful Servant the said Anne Evans refuseth and rejects the said sayings and would by no means do it Here we must stop a while and give you to understand how much this poor Creature lived in fear of the Nurse and by that means neglected the discovery of it to the destroying of her Body â—ut 〈◊〉 hot 〈…〉 the destroying of her Soul For there is mercy with the Lord that he may be Feared Now the Devil having once got hold on her Heart neglects no opportunities but puts her on it with great subtilties and invention The Nurse laying as it is supposed by all circumstances a clean Paper twisted at both ends with Poyson in it in the path of the Garden knowing that this Anne Evans was to go forth to gather Herbs to put into the Pot according to her Mistresses command she finds the Paper lying in her way which she took up and brought in and shews it to this Nurse again asking her what it was who pretended she knew not and with all bidding her put it out of her hand the Nurse eyed her where she lay'd it which was in the Kitchin on a shelf Going afterward to the Conduit for Water at her return it came into her mind to look on that thing once more which she had taken up in the Garden and it was gone off from the shelf which no body else could take but the said Nurse for it was at Eight of the Clock at night and no body there but she Then the said Anne Evans saw her grinding it on the Harth with Two Tiles and demanding her what she was doing she cryed Peace we shall have brave sport if you will but put this into the old Womans Dish She through her enticements and strong perswasions not knowing what it was or that the end of it would be death being not willing to have her displeasure For she lived in great fear of offending the Nurse because she was in great favor with the young Mistress thinking that if she did not consent to her request she should fare the worse for it And further the said Anne Evans doth testifie that the same Sunday she was sent for some drink which she brought to the Nurse and the Nurse did Warm it and put a bit of Bread into it and drank up a good draught of it and filled it up again afterward with other drink in which she had steeped some of that Powder all night and gave it to the old Mistriss to drink Here is a Consession Harmonical with that she made formerly she varied nothing from first to last in it So that as the Serpent drew in Eve in like manner did this wicked Nurse beguile this poor Maid into the transgression ON Wednesday the 29. of March they left Exon and were brought on Horseback to Plymouth in order to their execution At the Bridg end as they were coming out of the City that vile Woman was heard to lay unto the Hangman boastingly That she had known many Men in her life and used several other obscene expressions that I will not soil my Paper nor make my Reader blush at the Relation of them In their journey the Girl was very pensive cared for little or no refreshment and at the last place where they baited being desired to take some sustenance she replied There was other work for her than to eat or drink she had a Soul to save would look wholly after that and no more care for her Body which should neither eat nor drink more in this world The Nurse was of a far different temper and deportment far from seriousness or thoughts of Death and Eternity The Executioner was her Husband and if he had not defiled her they are both abominably wronged Now they return again to Plymouth At their entrance they are attended by Thousands of People Persons of all Age and Quality ran to meet them They are gazed at as so many Monsters Every one passeth his censure on them some with bowels of pitty on the poor Girl scarce any one hath Charity for the Nurse They went from this Town with their sin and under guilt They return unto it with shame and sorrow and under wrath Being conducted unto their Chamber the Reverend and Learned Ministers of Plymouth Dr. Ashton Mr. Collings and Mr. Read visits them and discourse with them but the Throng of Spectators was so great that for the present much good could not be done by them Yet so strong a flame of divine love toward the Souls of these condemned wretches was kindled in the hearts of those grave Divines that they return again unto them after Ten and though late at night yet spent a considerable space of time in Religious conferences with them and muster up all their arguments to induce that obstinate sinner the Nurse to confess and forsake the Devil and to accept of Gods tender mercies But the flinty Rock will sooner gush out with Waters and the Adamant be broken to pieces by the Hammer than her unmoveable Soul utter forth one Syllable of guilt Heart-work is hard work None but the Divine and Omnipotent Arm can unlock it's Doors or break its Bars in pieces With the Maid they had no difficulty she owneth and confesseth all Her desires are for mercy at the hands of God acknowledging she deserved and expected none from Men. They conclude their charitable Visit with seeking God the Reverend Doctor praying most fervently for
them I also visited them again and renued my assaults and batteries against this strong hold of the Devil but she resists stands out against God and all his Counsels she resolves from first to last whatever parleys she hath with Heaven let the Lord humble himself never so much unto so base a Murderer she may treat with him but unless she can obtain her own Terms her own Articles and Conditions she will not surrender Sill she hideth her sin as Adam still concealeth she the secret of Hell as if she had been sworn Privy Counseller unto the Devil She will sooner bite out her Tongue and spit it out of her Mouth or seal up the door of her Lips than let the deposiâ—um Satan have vent and see the Sun So that I could sigh unto my self as that German Philip The old Satan is too hard for young Melancthon It was high time to leave her upon whom no good impressions could be wrought I then betook my self to the poor Penitent and asking her how she did How it went with her Soul She answers me Never was a poor Creature so cheated out of her life But I forgive the Nurse front my Heart And Sir Though my sins are many yet Gods mercies are more and if Christ bath not merits enough to save me I will be contented to be damned eternally And afterward inquiring of her into the grounds and reasons of this her confidence she told me she saw her sin she was unfeignedly sorry for it and not only that it was committed against her Mistresses and had ruined them and her self here but chiefly this grieved her that she had thereby dishonored God her Heavenly Father who had made her and Jesus Christ who had died for her and God the Holy Ghost who had sanctified her to become his Servant That however she would not despare of mercy For the Thief upon the Cross found mercy from our Saviour at the last hour and I Question not that he my Saviour hath mercy for me Reader I give thee her very words neither adding to them nor substracting from them and if they do do not melt thee in reading I must assure thee they did me in heating them Her Sisters being come to her weeping and crying she was desired to speak to them and urged because her time was short she answered My time is short indeed and I am drawing near unto Eternity but I hope in God to an Eternity of Happiness My great work now was to settle her Spirit and to corroborate her Soul against the horrors of her death and told her after many other discourses Anne thou art happier than many here for I hope before Twenty four hours be past thou wilt be in Heaven Hold fast thy hope and confidence in Gods mercy which shal have a good recompence of Reward No matter for thy punishment since thou hast a pardon Yea Sir saith she I believe and receive this true and faithful saying worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Having got a little silence and very little indeed it was the noise and tumult of the people ever and anon drowning my voice I prayed with these Malefactors and wished them a good Night But sleep they did not Every hour increaseth their fears The day of their Execution is now come and early in the morning I gave them another visit comforted and confirmed the poor Maid who desired me not to leave her at her sufferings and dealt again with the Nurse though to as little purpose as formerly and then sought God by Prayer in their behalf That duty finished Turning my discourse to the Maid Anne said I Thy time flies away thy end is very near take off thy heart wholly from the world Be dead unto thy Relations tell them the best service and kindness they can do thee is not to see thee but pray for thee and let all thy thoughts and desires be unto God to be at home with him long now to be in Heaven and Glory turn thy Face to the Wall since thou hast no private Room and power out thy Soul before the Lord and wait yea wait earnestly for his Salvation Do not fear the Fire God will carry thee thorough it it can only hurt thy Body it shall not singe thy Soul Though thy Flesh and thy Bones be consumed thou wilt have many Mourners and God I hope will gather thine Ashes and grant thee a Glorious Resurrection I want words to tell thee what the Joys of Heaven are but thou wilt see and feel and tast and injoy them very shortly I hope this day thou wilt be with the Lord and all his blessed Saints and glorious Angels in Paradise She said Amen Notwithstanding my ill success and many repulses hitherto yet I would not leave the Nurse I reasoned still with my self who knoweth but that Grace may be given and Satan may loose his hold fast and the Prey may be taken out of the Paws of the spoiler out of the jaws of the Devourer Satan hath fallen as a flash of lightning before the Ministry of Gods Holy word God hath him in a Chain and though she hath not listened to the voice of former admonitions it may be she shall now unto the last Addressing my self therefore once again unto her I told her Nurse this is the last conference that ever I will have with thee on Earth about thy Soul and nothing but my real sence of its worth and lothness that it should be lost for ever would ever have ingaged me to it That I got nothing but trouble grief and loss of time thus to wait upon her and not to be able to do good I knew indeed my reward was with the Lord and my work with my God but yet I demanded this poor satisfaction of her now at parting that she should not send me away with the sad thoughts of her damnation To which she very civilly replyed Sir I thank you for all your love to my Soul I believe that what you have done and spoken hath been in order to my Eternal good Well then I added shall you and I have a little private discourse together She agreed Desiring therefore the people to withdraw at a distance I askt her in her Ear whether she were Guilty or not Sir saith she I will tell you all I know Then stopt at length the repeats again I will tell you all I know And then stops Whereupon I told her Nurse the Devil is leaving thee God is coming in with mercy do not now at the last hour refuse it tell me what you know of this business and I assure thee upon the word of a Minister that without thy consent I will not disclose it Do not fear shame shame the Devil and give Glory to God Sir I confess I did put the Spider into the Cup and bad the Girl to squat it abroad but it was a Foolish and vain word
asked her what Faith and what Repentance were And one of them proceeded to instruct her in the nature of Faith that it was to take Christ as Lord and King and to submit unto all his Laws to be Governed by them and in particular to this of suffering the punishment inflicted on her for her sin At which putting them off with my Hand I replied Gentlemen do not trouble her 't is unseasonable now to Catechize her in Doctrinals she stands in need of some Soveraign Cordials to revive and support her drooping Spirit in these her last Agonies with death and conflicts with the Devil And Addressing my self once again unto her Anne said I fear not but cast thy self upon the everlasting mercies of God in the blood of Christ Jesus and thou shalt be saved Since thou must die die upon this that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom thou art chief And 't will be but a quarter of an hour and thou shalt be freed from all sins and torments Say Into thy hands I commit my Spirit Lord save it For thou hast died for it Lord Jesu thou Son of David have mercy upon me Oh Thou Lamb of God receive my Soul I left her expecting no answer The Rope is now drawn close unto her Neck and the Hangman would have set Fire unto the Fuâ—ze before she was strangled but some more charitable and tender-hearted cryed to him to take away the Block from under her Feet which having done she soon fell down and expired in a Trice And it was observable that all the skill and diligence of the Executioner and his Assistants could not make either Powder Wood or Fewel to take fire till she had been dead a Quarter of an hour as also that as soon as the fire was kindled the Wind which blew before in the back of the Nurse immediately shifted and drove the smoke full in her Face as if God had spoken to her The Smoke of my Fury and Flames of my Fiery Vengeance are now Riding upon the Wings of the Wind towards thee And now for Two hours the Nurse feeds her eyes and feasts her thoughts with the sad spectacle of this poor Maids burning The flames being well allayed several Ministers and worthy Gentlemen indeavor yet the Repentance Conversion and Saving of her Soul But All succeeds as formerly She denies her guilt pleads her Innocency accuseth Judg Jury Witnesses Country and all of her Murther that she is Murthered that they take away her Life unjustly Nay that they kill too she is with Child expects to be delivered about Midsummer What will you Murther one that is unborn And a great deal more of the like stuff That she was not with Child we heard evidenced upon Oath at her condemnation And a skilful Hand-Woman searching her but a night before her Execution could never discover any such thing Most probable the true ground of all her denials was a foolish hope of Life the Hangman as it is commonly noised having promised never to execute her Whatever familiarities had past between them Two in Jail I know not This is certain the Hangman brought the under Sheriff to terms just as they were leaving Plymouth and going to the place of Execution And the Girl being dispatched he ran away with the Halter under the Clifts and when he was brought back lay asleep at the Foot of the Gallows or at least pretended sleep and so deserted Execution Besides another Accident intervened which put a stop for a time and had it not been prudently and presently composed upon the place would have totally suspended for that day at least her Execution All these Circumstances jumping in one upon the other contributed to the strengthening of her Heart in the false hopes of Life For what she would have it was an easie matter to perswade her to believe and hope But at length she hath worn out all patience both of God and Man And the Halter is fastened to the Gibber and put about her Neck Now Ministers ply their work with her because she is upon the brink of Destruction and in view of Hell No sin she acknowledged no guilt as to the Fact for which she is condemned Indeed she confesseth She had been a Swearer Lier and Sabbath breaker but none others trouble her As to Money that her Brother stole and was in hers or her Husbands hands she now chargeth upon a dead Person having wronged her in her life the must mischief her at her death too No Bond nor Bill can she produce nothing under the Deceased's hand can she show for her having received it yet doth she charge Mr. W. to look that it be restored unto the right Owner Ministers however lament her deplorable condition especially since just as she is going out of the World she cryes Judg and Revenge my cause O Lord Which made this Relator tell her He now saw what he formerly feared viz. That God was departed from her that the Devil was already in her heart for he sat upon her tongue that troops of Devils were upon the Ladder by her all gaping for her and that within in a few moments they would have her wretched Soul into Hell with them and then and there she would be soon sensible of her madness in dying with a Lye in her Mouth and confess and mourn for her folly and madness in rejecting Heaven and Salvation but it would be too late and to no purpose For her condition whatever it might be here would infallibly be there unalterable and irreversible That she was going into a Lake of Fire and Brimstone there to be tormented for ever and ever and when she was in the midst of those Eternal torments she would remember that I had told her of it A Psalm was called and part of the Twenty fifth sung Never did I see but one in that heavy condition Whilst the people sing she cries and weeps bitterly the very terrors of death are upon her she cries as if her Heart would break Indeed her Soul was overwhelmed with unmeasurable horrors and fears she had no mind to die nor could she be vouchsafed Life What hopes could she have in her departure who never laid any sollid basis for good hopes during life The Psalm is now sung out and yet is she summoned to confess but it is as good speak to the stones or to the Deaf Adder that stops his ear she will never be charmed let the Charmers Charm never so wisely At last being demanded whether she would have any Prayers or any Person Pray for her she said yes and pointed to this Relator desiring him to perform that Office for her Who replied that he was most willing to serve and save her Soul But in as much as she made no Confession of her Crying sins of Murther and of her Theft and Uncleanness and other Villanies whereof me knew her selt Guilty he durst not take the name of God in vain tor
Prison are these no Capital offences Let them not be What meant she by those words unto the Girl that to her knowledg a little Poyson in Cream had made one away in less time than you could go from her Matters House to the Gate I am apt to think that she would not confess this Murder lest some other might out also There was a shrewed Item in her Exon acknowledgment That she knew she should be damned though not for this Crime It brings to my remembrance a Story which I had from Mr. B. Cl. a very holy Man of God a Reverend Minister of the Gospel who if yet in the Land of the living is one of the most Ancient Laborers in the Lords Vineyard in this Western Diocess that in his younger days when he was Minister of Petrocks by the Castle of Dartmouth he was sent to Visit and Pray with a dying Man under very much trouble of Conscience His case was this Sir said he unto the Minister about Seven months since as I was walking to Buscow I met a Camerade of mine who had gone to Sea about a fortnight since and taking him by the hand wondring at his arrival I said VVhat cheat Mate What makes thee return so soon and look so Pale I am dead quoth this Spectrum Dead Man and yet walk and talk Yes saith he I am dead I was took sick shortly upon my going to Sea and died this day and about an hour since so many Leagues off was I thrown overboard Now I desire thee to go home and tell my Wise of it and to open my Coffer and show her my Will and see my Legacies paid which having promised to do for him at parting he added And at for that business between thee and me that thou well wotest off I charge thee that thou never speak of it to any Man living for if thou dost I will in that very moment tear thee in a thousand pieces Now Sir this lies heavy heavy upon my Conscience Fain would I declare it It is upon my Tongue but I cannot And why can you not Oh Sir do not you see him Do not you see him Look how terrible he is There he is just against me Oh! how doth he threaten me I would tell you but I dare not And whatever arguments this Reverend Personage could use unto the sick Man he could never bring him to a Confession but he pines away under his terrors and horrors till at last not being able to subsist any longer by reason of them he died Whether there be any parallel between the conditions of this Man and Woman I leave it unto my Readers judgment The poor Girl at her Death at the very point of Death charged her with it This Philip Cary her self confessed before the Major of Plymouth at her Examination and the very day before her Execution to this Relator that she knew of it And is she Innocent We have reason to believe the confession of a Penitent before the denial of a stubborn and impenitent VVoman Besides she had a very fair trial before the Judg. There were no less than Nineteen VVitnesses that gave in their Evidence to his Lordship and the Grand Jury upon Oath against her Yet she saith Not guilty Yea and takes it to her death that she is Innocent knew nothing of Poyson But what if all this be nothing but Lyes and Imposture VVhat if evidence appears against her after death and that she did both know of it and buy the Poyson also Reader I will not amuse thee call thine Eyes upon what follows and thou wilt be in so me measure satisfied The Examination of Elizabeth the Wife of Thomas Webb of Plymouth in the County of Devon Marriner had and taken at Plymouth by and before the Worshipful William Weeks Gentleman one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace within the Burrough of Plymouth on her Corporal Oath the Seventh day of April Anno Domini 1676. THe said Examinant saith That about a week before Philip the Wife of Richard Cary of Plimouth was committed to Plimouth Prison on suspition for the Poysoning of Elizabeth Weeks and Mary Pengelley This Examinant on a Saturday Evening when the Candles were lighted being at the House of John Vallacke Apothecary in Plymouth there came into the said Mr Vallacks shop a VVoman who was a stranger unto this Examinant and desired the said Mr. Vallacks Boy to give her a Penny worth of Mercury as she called it and said she was hasty That accordingly the said Boy delivered unto the said VVoman the said Mercury as she called it in a white Paper And that about a week after that the said Philip Cary being committed unto the said Prison as afore said this Examinant went to the VVindow of the Prison and saw her and she believes that the said Philip Cary was the same VVoman which so fetched the said Mercury as aforesaid Signum dicta E. VV. Elizabeth Webb Possibly you will ask VVhy had not this VVoman given in her Evidence being so material before her death I answer She is of age Let her speak for her self REader by this time I believe thou art wellwearied Sure if thou be not I am However at parting let me ask thee one Question VVhat art thou A Master or a Servant A Parent or a Child In what Relation standest thou Inferior or Superior I. If thou be a. Child or Servant Receive Wisdom receive Instruction 1. BEware of little sins you generally make no reckoning of them Your vain Thoughts your idle Words your envious and malicious Imaginations your froward Replies and Answers again your undutiful and disobedient Carriages to Parents to your Masters and Mistresses these are counted by you little sins But what and if God call them great sins VVhose opinion and judgment shall we take concerning the nature and evil of sin Yours or Gods My dear Youth Read and Ponder that Text of Scripture Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments and shall teach Men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven Math. 5.19 I must tell you and you shall find it by woful experience that little sins allowed make way for great sins A little Thief creeping in at the VVindows may open the Door to great Ones A little Sin is as mortal as damnable as a great one A little Leak undiscerned may sink Ship Men and Goods A Ponyard shall stab a Man to death as well as a Rapier A Pistol can kill as well as a Cannon Little sins fill up the measure of your sins one very little sin may do it Cyphers in themselves signifie nothing but added unto figures how do they raise the sum A Consonant of it self may be a Mute make no sound but joyned with a Vowel may make a roaring noise Those which you call little sins may fill up the Sum and seal up the Account and make a roaring Noise against you in Heaven Your thought-sins never acted but intended are