THE BEHAVIOUR AND EXECUTION OF Robert Green and Laurence Hill, Two of the Persons condemned at the Kings-Bench Bar, February 11th, for the most Notorious and Barbarous Murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey, the Twelfth of October last.  
Who Suffered at TYBURN On Friday, February 21, 1678/9.  
With an Account of their Lives, Conditions, Deportment after Sentence, Discourses with Mr. Ordinary, and other most remarkable Circumstances.  

Having at the Publishers Request perused this Sheet, I do certify, That the Discourses betwixt me and the Prisoners, and other matters of Fact therein, are truly related.  
Samuel Smith, Ordinary.   
LICENCED. 1678/9.  
LONDON: Printed for L. C. 1678/9.   

The Behaviour and Execution of Robert Green, and Laurence Hill, who Suffered at Tyburn Feb. 21. 1678/ 9  
THe Murder of that Noble true English Protestant Patriot, Sir Edmundbury Godfrey, is now so notoriously known, not only throughout England, but I hope our Neighbour Nations too, (especially of the Reformed Religion) that it will be wholly unnecessary with any Artifice of Rhetoric, to draw forth the Readers Compassionate Tears for that worthy Gentleman's Martyrdom, or raise up his just indignation against the base and barbarous Assassinates that were the Authors of it. It was on Saturday the 12th day of October, this Bloody Fact was Committed, which long lay concealed in darkness, black as that which had overspread their Souls who were concerned in it. But at length, that infinite adorable Power, the Avenger of Innocent Blood, who hears the cries of his Slaughtered Saints from under the Altar, and brings Light out of Darkness, was graciously pleased to make some discovery of this Hellish Crime; upon which, several persons were committed to custody. And of them, three on the 10th of this instant February, were brought to their Trial at the Kings-Bench Bar at Westminster, where after a fair hearing, and full Evidence, by a Jury consisting of persons of Worth and Quality, they were found guilty, and next Morning received Sentence of Death. The particulars of the Proof and Trial, we shall not intermeddle with, but rather refer the Reader for his full satisfaction therein, to that entire and perfect Narrative, which the World may shortly receive from the indubitable approbation of Authority.  
Of these three persons Attainted of the Felony and Murder, one (on some important considerations) is (at least for some time) thought fit to be graciously Reprieved. An acount of the other two, viz. Robert Green and Laurence Hill, as to their Behaviour, etc. after Sentence till Execution, we shall briefly, but most truly and impartially give you.  
Robert Green was an Irishman born, his Father a Protestant, as himself acknowledged, but his Mother (whose weaker Sex rendered her more liable to such absurd delusions) a Papist, who bred him up with an Uncle of his, in the Popish Heresy, though his Education was so mean, that he could neither Write nor Read. But where Ignorance is celebrated as the Mother of Devotion, he was so much the apt Instrument for Jesuitical Engines of subtlety to make use of. His aforesaid Uncle instructed him in the common Notions and Prayers of the Romish Superstition; and he had his abode in Ireland, till he was 16 or 18 years old, being now 54 years of Age.  
They being all after Condemnation kept separately in Newgate, Mr. Ordinary according to his place, and ready inclinations to Christian Charity, offering him his Assistance, Advice, Exhortations, and Prayers, he very modestly accepted of his visits; who frequently exhorted him (as the first step to a sincere and hearty Repentance) to unburthen his Conscience, by a free, full, and ingenuous Confession of the horrid Murder for which he stood Condemned, and justly was to suffer, using all the persuasive Arguments he could to that purpose. But though he seemed to hearken to his Admonitions, yet could he not be prevailed upon therein, but rather appeared to stand it out in self-justification of his Innocence as to that particular. Which (as Mr. Ordinary very well observed unto, and pressed upon him) could not be (considering the plainness of the Evidence, and apparentness of the Crime and his Gild) but upon one, or all of these three Reasons, viz.  
1. That either they were under an Oath of Secrecy, which (as he truly told him) was a wicked Oath, and in that case not at all obligatory.  
2. Or that betwixt the time of the Murder committed, and that of their Apprehension, some Priest had given them a pretended Absolution, and so they conceited themselves now Innocent: which Mr. Ordinary had the more reason to urge, because of some former experiences he had had of common Felons, who in such case had resolutely denied even at place of Execution, with their last breath, those very Crimes, which but some days before they had freely Confessed to himself; and that merely on the reason aforesaid. Which there is good reason to believe, not only from his irreprochable Testimony, but even from that Popish Doctrine which some of them have not blushed to assert, ☞ Quod non peccat mortalitèr, qui negat se admisisse peccatum Mortal, alias legitime Confessum, Navar. in Man. Cap. 21. Num. 38. That Man sinneth not mortally, who having shriven himself of some Mortal sin, denies afterwards that he was ever guilty of that sin.  
3. Or lastly, That they believed it to be a meritorious act to kill an Heretic, as they call every Protestant; for so too runs their Hellish Doctrine▪ That any private man may lawfully Take, Spoil, and Kill such Heretics as are so denounced to be, and burn their Houses over their Heads— Symancha Inst. Cathol. Cap. 45. Numb. 13.  
To all which he declined to answer much in particular, but only gave a general denial, though he did confess that in other matters he had been a a great sinner against God, etc. And upon some occasional discourse, justifying himself from some particular sins, did declare that he accounted Fornication (and much more Adultery) not to be Venial, but mortal sins; nor did believe any sin to be Venial in its own nature. He also affirmed, that he did not believe some of the grossest points of Popery; yet said, he was resolved to live and die in the Roman Catholic Religion, (as he called it) because he was born and bred in it. To which Mr. Ordinary most appositely answered, and told him, that was no argument; for than he might likewise resolve to live and die in sin, because born in, and too much accustomed to that also. He replied only, That he would venture his Eternal State in cleaving to the Religion he had been bred in, and would hear no Arguments to the contrary.  
Mr. Ordinary yet failed not daily to visit him, instructing and exhorting him to Repentance, and Faith in the alone all-sufficient merits of Christ. To which he was very attentive, as also to the Exhortations of another Reverend and Worthy Divine sent to assist in that work of Charity, and joined with much seeming affection in Prayer with them. And so thanking the Ordinary on the Thursday for his great pains, and saying he would excuse him from attending him at the place of Execution, yet in the mean time desired his Prayers, took his leave of him.  
Laurence Hill, the other unhappy Criminal, was born and bred up in the Popish way, and resolved likewise to live and die therein. He declared that he was not a Shoemaker, as hath been reported, but put forth to be a Servant about 13 years of age, and successively continued in that condition, (at least till very lately) being 34 years old at the time of his death. He would not (though much pains and many such Arguments as to the other, too tedious here to be related, were used to him) confess the Crime for which he suffered; but in general, that he had been a great sinner; and particularly said, that he never wronged any person, but one of a very inconsiderable sum, (which he specified) and of which (he said) he had lately made restitution.  
He would not admit any Protestant Divine to pray with, yet desired their Prayers at home for him; and so thanking Mr. Ordinary for his pains, and praying God to reward him, took his leave of him, excusing him likewise from further attendance.  
On Friday the 21th of February they were both pretty early in the morning conveyed in a Cart to Tyburn, where, after very few words, and some short private Prayers, they were Executed.  
FINIS.