ON the 15th. and 16th. of this present Month at the Sessions in the Old-Bayly for the City of London, and County of Mid­dlesex, five persons recieved Sentence of Death, the four a­bove mentioned, and one Edward Hubbart, who recieved his Majesties Gracious Reprieve.

John Gower, was formerly an Apprentice to a Coach-Maker in Long-Acre and Indicted for Murthering his Wife, who was the same person found dead at Green-Berry Hill in March last, which he effected by Shooting her into the back part of her Head with a Pistol Bullet. This same John Gower being about 26 years of Age was married privately to his late murder'd Wife three years before his time was out, and the Marriage kept private; she living all the time with her Relations in the Country: his time being now expired he married his Masters Maid, who was his fellow Servant; his first Wife considering he was now free, and for himself, came up to London and lodged at Knightsbridge, and sent to her Husband to desire him to come to her, which accordingly he did, upon the Wednesday, as soon as he saw her, he earnestly prest her for money, and she denying she had any, he ransack'd her Box and Cloaths, and in all his Expressions and Behaviour, shew'd himself ac­cording to his Natural Temper very churlish and dogged to her. On the Monday following they were in Holbourn together at a Farriers House, and some short time after she was found murder'd as aforesaid; nor does it appear that she ever gave him any Provocation, and though possibly she might know he had married a second Wife which he loved better being a younger Woman, yet did she never take any publick No­tice of it, or shew her Discontent by any open Reflections upon him. At the Bar he denyed the Crime, tho he was not able by any consider­able Circumstance to clear himself; but the last Night before his Exe­cution, [Page 2]he was earnestly desired to Confess, who answered that he was not Guilty of the Fact for which he was condemned. It is ve­ry observable that he was the first person after her Murder before the publick discovery of it, who talk'd of it and give out News that she was dead, and a little before had sent to Knightsbridge for her Cloaths and Box; but the Landlady refusing to send them unless she came her self, he sent word she was very ill of sore Eyes, and that he had taken a Lodging for her in Witch-Street at the sign of the Coffin, which was all a [...] and untruth. After Sentence, he was very penitent, and his surviving Wife come in often to see him in Prison, he cleared her from any ways being Privy to it or having any knowledge of it. He was always taken notice of, to be of a very morross and revengeful hu­mor; and 'tis said, had formerly offer'd a young fellow 5 l. to lie with her, that he might have pre [...]ence for a Divorce, but that design not succeeding, resolved upon this Inhumane and Barbarous Murder [...] he deservedly suffers for. His surviving Wife shewed a great deal of sor­row, for her Husband & was often with him, and wears the Character of a modest sober Woman.

Francis Robinson was an old Offender, tho but a young man about 30 years of Age, he was Notoriously Eminent a­mongst those of his Gang for his daring Exploits of Rogue­ry, which he had frequently Committed both in England and Ireland; I shall first speak of one, which he committed at Windsor, which was so bold and confident a piece of Villany that it very well deserves a remembrance here, & to proceed to the Crime he now suffers for His Majesty being at Wind­sor, he and one Syms both drest in a good Habit, went as Gentlemen to see the Court, and passing the Sentinal to Mr. Mays Lodging, Privy Purse to the King, which they broke open and took in mony and plate to the Value of 300 l. they repassed the Sentinal undiscover'd, and went off with the Prize. Syms was afterwards taken, but absolutely denyed the Fact and some time after Robinson was apprehended in White-Fryers and tryed before the Green-Cloath and pardon'd. There was one Circumstance very remarkable a [...] he since con­fess'd, that as they were busie about their Pillage, a Bird which hung in a Cage in the Window, fell a singing, and sung so curiously well, that either surprized with strange thoughts from the sweetness and harmony of the Notes, unfearing that some person near hand, hearing the Bird sing might be drawn thither by the pleasantness of the Musick, they left the best part of their designed, spoil, and in a strange confusion made hast away. The Fact for which he suffered was that he and one Mr. Fletcher were Indicted for stealing two Silver [Page 3]Tankards on the 10th. of March, to the value of 14. l. being the Goods of Henry Boon a Cook near the Royal Exchange: soon after his loss two men came to desire him to go into Salisbury-Court to one Mr. Fletcher, who could tell what was become of his Tankards, accordingly at the Swan he found Fletcher, who told him that Francis Robinson had stole his Tankards, and that he stood at the door while Robinson fetch­ed them from the Bar, that the Tankards were sold and melt­ed down. The next day Mr. Boon having taken some Women into Custody upon Suspicion, Robinson came to them and privately asked him what they were worth, and offered to make satisfaction for them, he denyed upon his Tryal what he had said to Mr. Boon, but since his Sentence has been very o­pen in his Confessions and penitential in his Behaviour.

He went for the reputed husband of Jane Voss a notorious criminal, one who is infamously known in Town for her severall Cheats and Thefts, and at present a prisoner in Newgate; but however this poor Wretch seemed before hardned in his Sins and feared in his Conscience since his condemnation he has been more seriously thoughtful of his latter end; remembring his former vitious courses with anger and de­testation, constantly praying to God to give him a true sence of his un­happy condition, and his grace sincerely, and from the bottom of his heart to repent of all his Transgressions.

More particularly on Tuesday last he desired to have his Coffin brought to him in the condemned hole which was granted, upon sight of it; this says he is my Memento, and I hope I shall so prepare my self to lye down in dust, that through the mercies of God I may rise in glory. That worthy person and Reverend Divine Dr. Hornneck, was pleased out of his abundant charity, to visit the poor Prisoners, & with powerful Ar­guments both exhort and encourage them to a true and hearty sorrow and contrition: To whom Robinson confest his manifold offences, and said that his Crimes were great and numerous, he would endeavour in some measure to answer them in a profound penitence and absolute re­signation to the will and pleasure of his great Creator.

This Morning about half an hour after Nine of the Clock, the two aforesaid Malefactors were put into a Cart at Newgate, and conveyed to the place of Execution Francis Robinson seemed undaunted; but the other, John Gower, shewed himself very penitent and exceeding sorrow­ful for so great a Crime; yet, when arrived at the place of Execution, was assisted by two most worthy Divines; who asked him what he had now to say it being the last moment he had to stay in this World, but that he must now think of another, and desireing him to confess what he had so long and obdurately stood in, though to no effect, and that there was no hopes of Redemption but only of Redeeming his Soul by his Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ; he still affirming he was Innocent, and knew nothing of the Crime for which he was now to suffer; but tho he was most earnestly importuned by the said Divines who also prayed with him, and admonished him not to go out of this World [Page 4]with a lye in his Mouth, he being but a Young Man. First they drew from him, that he only had been so far concerned as to contrive the way how she might be Murthered; then being asked who were the Actors in this [...] he was the Contriver, which he still refused to confess; then being prayed with again he seemed something more softned and easier to be worked on (which especially one of the said Divines observed and and strove to draw from him): He then confessed to them she was mur­thred by himself, they still fearing he might not yet have cleared his Conscience, urged him on still to draw a full and true Confusion from him, prayed with him again, and sang à Psalm, and af­ter some short time went out of the Cart, he then being desired by the Sheriffs Officers and of those of his Friends nearest, to dispatch; and make a True and Faithful End. He then spoke after these words I have been a great Sinner, and kept ill Company, of which I desire all to beware: I indeed Married two Wives, the first of which I married, suffer'd by my own hands, and I shot the Pistol my self, which gave that most fatal blow: but he then being asked if his other Wife knew any thing, he declared she knew her not, and therefere was innocent, and desired that she might not be questioned about it, and being asked by the said Divine if he was not Guilty of Sabbath-brea­king, he declared he was, and it was his Original sin, and gave advice to all Masters not to be negligent of their Servants, for that was great part of his Ruin, and this untimely end, the other being asked what he had to say, answered he had nothing more to say, than that he was a great Offender, but that he hoped he had made a sufficient Confes­sion already for his sins past, and that he had nothing more to say at the place of Execution; so that after the Prayers of all good Christians: they were turned off, and accordingly suffered, their Bodys being put into two Coffins, and disposed of by their Friends.