EDmund Kirk was a Drawer at the Roſe-Tavern at Pye-Corner, where he had liv'd with the Maſter of the Houſe about a Fortnight or three Weeks at moſt; Friday the 23 d. of this Inſtant, being the day of the Execution of John Gower who Mutthered his Wife, and Francis Robinſon, who were then Executed at Tyburn; he aſked his Maſters leave that he might go and ſee them ſuffer, and at his return, brought back the Speeches and Confeſſions of them, which he particularly related to the Family. Much about the time he came to his aforeſaid Maſter, he was Married to a Woman who was Servant in a Lawyers houſe in Dove Court on Fiſh-ſtreet Hill, and on Sunday in the Afternoon went to ſee his ſaid Wife, and invited her to walk into the Fields, as appears by the other Servants: they took their walk towards Paddington, and about ſeven a Clock at Night Edmund Kirk returned to his Maſters Houſe, where he was obſerved to be in a great heat, but not any ways Melancholy, or Indiſpoſed in his Temper.

On Tueſday Morning, about ten of the Clock the Body of a Woman Murdered, was found in a Pit within two Fields of Tyburn, her Arms and other parts of her Body were black and blew, and her Throat c • t from one Ear to another. The Conſtable of Paddington acquainted with it, came to view the Body, and ſearching the Pockets of this poor murder'd Wretch, found a Letter which ſhe deſigned to ſend to ſome Friends in the Country, and was writ by her Maſters Clark, vvith Directions in it hovv to ſend to her. By the Directions of the Letter, he acquainted her Maſter, that the Body of a vvoman was found Murder'd at ſuch a place, and ſuch a Letter in her Pocket. The Gentleman having miſt his Servant from Sunday, and knovving that her Husband liv'd vvith a Vintner at the Roſe-Tavern at Pye-Corner, vvent this Morning, being the 28th of May, to his Maſters Houſe, vvhere examining him about his Wife, he ſeemed in a ſtrange horror and confuſion of Spirit, upon vvhich he vvas carried before Sr. William Turner, vvho Committed him to Nengate. He did ovvn before Sr. William, that he vvent out with her tovvards Paddington, and vvithall ſaid he brought her back again; but the Circumſtances appearing very plain againſt him, he confeſſed he vvalked vvith her from her Maſters Houſe tovvards Paddington, and at three of the Clock in the Afternoon, he vvent from his Maſters Houſe to his Wife, and vvithout his Maſters Knovvledge took his Cane from behind the door, and at his return at ſeven a Clock, brought it back vvith him and ſet it in the ſame place. When the Body vvas found, there vvas alſo found a Braſs Ferule of a Cane, of vvhich notice being given to Sr. Wm. Turner, the Cane vvas produced, vvhich vvas bloody a foot from the end of it, & the Ferule off; vvhich ſaid Ferule by the Deſcription the Conſtable of Paddington has given of it, does certainly belong to the ſaid Cane. Edmund Kirk, does acknowledge that he took the ſaid Cane out with him but will not plainly and poſitively confeſs the Murder, tho by all Circumſtances, he does appear to be the cruel and barbarous Author of it. He continued at his Maſters houſe at Pye-Corner from the time of the commtting of this Murder, and did not in his carriage and behavior appear to his Maſter or Fellow Servants under any trouble or diſquiet of mind, till this very morning, vvhen he vvas apprehended; and then vvas under a ſtrange ſurprize and conſternation, and trembled like an Aſpin-Leafe. The poor Woman vvho vvas thus inhumanely Butcher'd, vvas judg'd by thoſe vvho knew her before this fatal miſchief, and by others vvho have ſeen the body ſince, to have been vvith Child, vvhich probably ſhe vvas before Marriage: and ſome little Items have been taken notice of in his former Expreſſions, as if his marriage had been rather upon force, to prevent a greater ſhame than in the choice of his Affections; vvhat vvas the true cauſe, does not yet plainly appear, but he vvas obſerved to diſcourſe unvvillingly of her & vvas alvvays diſpleaſed vvith any expreſſions vvhich related to her.

Thus by this lamentable inſtance may wee ſee the ſtrange power the Devil has over the mind and affections of ſome men, who as this perſon, tho he had ſeen John Gower Executed on the Fryday before for murdering his Wife, yet could take no warning from his ſad example, but on Sunday following (a day which more particularly ought to have deterred him from ſo Bloody a murder) commits the ſame crime himſelf, by which he may expect the ſame miſerable and ſhameful death.