The Malefactor was by Trade a Cooper, but never arrived any higher than to be a JOurney-man in that Profeſſion, he has been Married ſome years, and had two Children by his Wife; they lived (having only a Lodging in a Chamber) in Court called, Tumble-down-Dicks Court in Clerkenwel: he was generally a very bad Husband, and froward and unkind to his Wife, who yet loving him very well, endeavoured to take no notice of it.

On Thurſday the 14 of May he went abroad, and what Company he was with, we cannot ſay, but know this, that he came no more home till the Munday following, during all which time the poor woman and her two children were forced to make what ſhift they could for a Livelyhood, and compelled to ſell ſome cloaths for a little money to buy them bread: However on Munday in the afternoon this poor woman little dreaming that her end was ſo neer aproaching, found her Spirits more then ordinary cheerful, inſomuch that ſhe took notice of it to ſeveral of the Neighbours, ſaying, That ſhe never had been ſo brisk and light-hearted as at that inſtant, in her whole life, and whilſt ſome told her, that ſo ſudden, unuſual, and cauſeleſs a mirth and cheerfulneſs was generally the ſign or fore-runner of ſome grand misfortune; ſhe concluded it on the contrary, a token of good luck; and like a kind Wife, eſteeming nothing more than her Husband, how unworthily ſoever he had dealt by her, added, that ſhe hoped ſhe ſhould ſee him at home that night, for whoſe ſafety, by reaſon of his long abſence, ſhe had for two or three days been much troubled. I ſhall not ſtand curiouſly to deſcant on, much leſs determine the nature and cauſes of thoſe ſudden damps or tranſports of joy or ſorrow, which we oftimes feel upon our Spirits, without any cauſe at all for ſuch emotions, from external Accidents, nor the meaning why they are generally to be underſtood as portent, of a quite contrary Signification to what they ſeem to be, whether they are to be accounted the cautionating Items of every perſons Genius or Guardian Angel to alarm and prepare one for eminent Diſaſters, or ſome ſallies of the ſoul, who forſeeing his releaſe from the body aproaching, ſwells with a full Tide of Joy at the thoughts of that ſeparation. 'Tis certain, that here we may deplore the blindneſs of man's underſtanding, how we alwayes Err, when from uncertain gueſſes we meaſure futurities, and know not in the leaſt one minute what ſhall befall us in the next, not may we with leſs amazement conſider the barbarous ingratitude of this wretched Husband to his kind Wife, who ſo paſſionately wiſht for his comeing home, though the ſame immediately after proved the loſs of her life in an inhumane manner.

For, behold! about five or ſix of the clock the ſame Munday in the Afternoon, this long lookt for Extravagant came home to his Wives chamber, where another woman was come at the ſame time to ſee her, and though 'tis probable an Ale-houſe had taken up the greateſt part of his time, yet he did not ſeem to be at all in Drink, the woman received him very mildly, told him ſhe was glad to ſee him well, and that ſhe wondered, and had been much troubled to think what was become of him; and then telling him that one of the Children was not very well, ſhe deſired him to give her ſome money to go to the Apothecaries to buy ſomething for it. Upon which words this wicked man falling into a paſſion like an enraged fury, catches up an Adze, an inſtrument which Coopers uſually work with, and by it's ſharpneſs at one end, and hammer at the other, prepared to do Miſchief two ways, with the blunt end of this he forthwith knockt her down to the ground, and then continued ſtriking backwards and forwards till he had given her ſeveral mortal wounds, at which as at ſo many ſally ports her affrighted ſoul took a ſudden flight, and left the mangled body weltring in it's own Gore upon the Floor.

The other woman when the aſſault began, feeing the man lay about him ſo violently with that dangerous and miſchievous weapon, was terribly affrighted, and thought fit for to conſult her own ſafety by running down ſtairs with all the ſpeed imaginable, and crying out as loud as ſhe was able for help.

But no body could come in time enough to the reſcue, before he had performed his bloody work upon his poor Wife, and left her wholly breathleſs; which being done he takes up one of his children into his arms, and was walking with it up and down the room, as in Triumph for that Helliſh victory.