CAptain Hanam the subject of this discouse, was by birth an English­man, and a most proper compleat man for person; but for thieving and pic­king of locks and bolts, and other such like exploits, he was so expert, that scarce ever the like was heard of. For being several times apprehended both for murthers and robberies, he always escaped by breaking out of prison; insomuch that he himself boasted, that he had broken forth almost all the prisons in Holland, when he had bin several times committed: the like to whom hath not been heard of before, as shall be made appear in this following discourse.

How Hanam passed beyond sea; and how he first robbed the King of Denmark, and af­ter passed into Sweden.

HAnam having now for divers yeares exercised himself in his accursed and [Page 2]wicked Art of Thieving, whereby many were utterly undone by him; and being guilty of very many horrid and bloody murthers by him committed; for to secure himself from the claws of the Hang-man, he passed over into Denmark, where among several other exploits and robbe­ries by him committed, he having intelli­gence where the Kings Treasure lay, by the help of his Picklocks, and other instru­ments, in which wicked, but cunning Art he exelled all others, by which he soon got himself master of a very rich Trea­sury of the Kings, out of which having sufficiently furnished himself, he depart­ed thence into Swedeland.

How Hanam Robbed the Queen of Swedes, of all her rich Iewels, with other great sums of money, to the value of five thou­sand pound.

HAnam having committed the fore­said robbery on the King of Denmark [Page 3]for fear of being apprehended for the same, departs into Swedeland, where com­ming to the Court he made himself fami­liar under the pretence of an English Gen­tleman, and being very conversant about the Queen, he soon heard out where her Treasure lay, for that was the thing he aimed at, and he had not been long ac­quainted thereof, but he attempts the gai­ning of it, which by the help of his Pick­locks he soon made himself master of all, and got a rich booty, being all for the most part very rich and costly Jewels, which, with other great sums of money, amounted to five thousand pound: After this, Hanam being apprehended confest the business, and was for this bold attempt committed close Prisoner to the common Goal, or main Prisoner, there to remain untill the times of Assizes, that so hee might receive the reward that was due unto him.

How Hanam broke out of prison, and after got into France, and there robbed the King of France of several great sums of money.

HAnam being now a prisoner, and the time of Sessions, or Goal- [...] drawing near in which he knew'h should be brought to Execution for his roguery, and not being willing as yet to be hinged; he made a desperate attempt, and [...]o broke the prison, notwithstanding it was made sure with several strong bolts and bars of Iron, which as was conceived, all the [...] and art of man could not undoe: All which Hanam undid by his instruments, and so escaped thence into France. Where Gen­tleman like he continued a while about the Court, waiting for some opportunity: which having gotten, he soon made use of, and so robbed the French King of several great sums of money.

How Hanam after this, departed out of France into the Low-Countreys, and how he committed several Robberies there: A­mong [Page 5]others, how he robbed the King of Scots at the Hague in Holland.

HAnam having by his subtilties got himself out of prison, and after rob­bed the King of France, durst not (being an English man) continue any longer within the French Kings dominions; whereupon he departed thence into Holland, where in a very short time he committed several murthers and robberies up and down the Low-Countreys. Afterwards comming to the Hague, where the King of Scots then lay, Hanam likewise robbed him of that small portion of stock which he had for his necessary reliefe and sustenance. After which, committing several great robberies upon divers persons of quality, he was at last taken, and committed to pri­son: where he had not long been, but he (as formerly he had done) broke out of prison, and so escaped.

How Hanam came into England again: and how he made an attempt to have robbed his Highness Treasury of the Exchequer.

HAnam being now at liberty again; and having as he thought quite slipt his neck out of the halter, he began to grow very bold and insolent, and to glory in his vilenesse, supposing himself able to get forth of any Prison whatsoever, be re­turned again into England, and so came to London, where not contenting himself with other robberies, his thoughts were to have robbed his Highness Treasury in the Exchequer; and for that purpose, having taken a view thereof, he began this [...] in the beginning of the night; but [...] being taken of his foresaid viewing of the place, and some other information of his design aimed at, Musquetiers were set to watch his comming, Hanam not mistrust­ing any discovery of his design, proceed­ed in the businesse, opening five or six double locked doors, through the help of his Picklocks and other instruments for that purpose, the souldiers all this while watching him, [...]uffered him to go on, till at last being got to the door of the Cham­ber where the mony say, which being ve­ry [Page 7]strong, and also barr'd on the inside with three several strong Bars of Iron, they [...] he could not easily get open; but notwithstanding, he soon got loose all those and entred the room, but hearing the Souldiers begin to bustle up stairs af­ter [...], he could not take his opportunity but got through a private passage, and so escaped.

How Heynam was after taken, and so brought to Newgate.

HAnam being disappointed of the last intended design, and by the blessing of God hindred by the Souldiers from rob­bing the Common wealth of five or six thousand pound, which lay ready in bags in the Exchequer Chamber, great search was now made for him in all places sus­pected; and in a small time after he was by the industry of the Souldiers discover­ed and apprehended, and so brought be­fore the Judges at Westminster, where being examined, he openly confessed that he had committed severall Robberies, and [Page 8]gloried, that he could easily open any door or lock whatsoever; and pretended, that if the Judges would goe along with him themselves over the water, he would shew them where his instruments were made. But the Honourable Judges sus­pecting some wicked Designe upon their persons, committed him to the Gatehouse, from whence he was shortly after remo­ved to Newgate, there to be kept until the time of Sessions.

How Hanam being prisoner in Newgate, was brought down to the Sessions-House in the Old Baily, and tried for his life before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Al­dermen, and Recorder of the City of Lon­don: where after a short examination, his facts being also notoriously known, he was condemned to suffer death at Tyburn.

HAnam being now a prisoner in the prison of Newgate, in short time af­ter his comming thither, the General Ses­sions and Assizes began in the Old-Bayly: Where the Right Honourable the Lord [Page 9]Mayor, and the rest of the Justices of the Bench being set; Hanam was brought be­fore them; and being examined by the Honourable Bench, was presently found Guilty, and convicted of several horrid and desperate bloudy murthers, and noto­rious robberies, and was by the Jury found guilty of the same. Whereupon the Right Honorable the Recorder then present, im­mediately passed sentence of death against him, That he should suffer Death at the place of Execution, by being hanged by the neck till he died. After which, he was conveyed back to Newgate again, there to remain till the day of Execution.

How Hanam after he was condemned to die, made his escape out of Newgate: and how little Grimes, the under Clerk, was hanged for consenting to his escape.

HAnam being now condemned to die, and the day of Execution drawing nigh, he resolved to make one desperate at­tempt for to make an escape; quickly ef­fected, to the wonder of all that beheld [Page 10]the same, the like having never been seen or done before, and this his design be mane on Grimes formerly a Prisoner in the same place, and one who had been condemned for having two Wives; but was afterward Reprieved for that offence and at that time executed the place of an under Clerk in the said Prison of New­gate; now this Grimes lying in the room with Hanom, was made Privy to his es­cape, which he willingly contented to, and so suffered him by his women cunning to take off his Irons, with which he was fettered; which as the said Grimes con­fessed before the Honourable Bench, he did use to do with ease every night, and so put them on in the morning: Now Ha­nam having taken off his Iron chains, pre­sently breaks open three or four great dores, and breaks in sunder all the great Chains and Iron Bars, and so escaped clear away, leaving little Grimes to answer for his Treachery, who afterwards, contrary to his own expectation, was condemned to die for the same, and accordingly suffered death at Tyburn for the said fact.

How Hanam was pursued after, and re­taken again, and how he was brought to London, and within sight of Newgate, and yet made his escape again.

HAnam being now at liberty by break­ing of Prison, great search and inqui­ry was made after him and within a while after was taken in the Country and so sent up to London, and so conveyed towards Newgate; but comming within the fight of Newgate, he made a desperate attempt, and got from them, and so escaped again.

How Hanam after his second escape went to Rome, and there committed several rob­beries more, especially, he robbed the late Queen of Sweden in her Nunnery.

HAnam being now gotten at liberty once more, to prevent his being ta­ken [Page 12]again, got over again beyond sea, and so steered his course towards Rome, where being arrived, he began to exercise his old accustomed trade of thieving and robbery again. And having robbed several rich persons, he resolved once more to make an attempt upon the late Queen of Sweden a­gain: Which he effected in the Nunnery where she frequented, and to which she had betaken her selfe, and where shee had laid up her treasure; which Hanam ha­ving taken notice of, presently made him­self master thereof, And having continu­ed in this trade a while, he returned again towards England.

How Hanam after his return to England was taken near Swithins Lane, London, on the 14, of Iune, and so brought to New­gate the next morning, and afterwards ex­ecuted for all his former villanies, on the 17 of Iune, 1656.

HAnam having imployed himselfe a while in his arch-trade of thieving at Rome, he returned again towards Eng­land, [Page 13]and so came to London; where be­ing in company near Swithins Lane, Lon­don, a drinking, he endeavoured to make himself master of a sum of money, which hee had some notice of, that was in the house, which they thought to have possest themselves of while they staid there drin­king: But notice being given thereof, en­deavors were used for to apprehend them. And the thieves (of which Hanam was one) being shut up into a room, got away over the houses: but returning again, he was taken, having desperately wounded two or three men first, and so kept in safe custody till the morning. Which being come, it being the Lords Day, he was very strongly guarded to Newgate; and the Keepers to prevent his further escape, bound him hands and feet with strong chains and fetters of Iron, where multi­tudes daily flocked to see him, expecting his Execution: which to give the Gal­lowes and Hang-man their due, was per­formed in Smithfield the 17. day of this present moneth; where as he lived wick­edly, he also died wilfully and desperate­ly, [Page 14]and so bid farewel to the World.

Thus have you heard a brief, but true account of the rude life, and notable Vil­lanies committed by this wretched and un­paralell'd Villain, with his desperate but deserved shamefull Death; the like to whom hath not been, nor I hope never will be again.