THE CONFESSION AND EXECUTION Of the Seven Prisoners that suffered at TYBURN On Wednesday the 6th of March 1677/8.  
At which time were Executed 

William johnson,  
Francis Rashfield,  
Another,  
Hugh Mills,  
A Boy,  
Blanch Oakley, and  
joan Griffin.    
WITH An Account of their Behaviour in Prison after Condemnation, and their Discourses to some Friends and Ministers that Visited them.  The Wages of Sin is Death. 
This may be Printed.  
Ro. L'Estrange.  
London: Printed for D. M. 1678.   

The Confession and Execution of the Prisoners at Tyburn, March 6. 1677/ 8.  
THere were in all eleven persons (seven men and four women) that received Sentence of Death at the last Sessions; who were most of them old Offenders, and such as before had lain under that terrible Condemnation, or at least been burnt in the hand or transported for their wicked Practices: But no Mercy can Reclaim, no Warning Reform some obstinate and incorrigible sinners.  
One of these, called William johnson, had the benefit of his Clergy about five years since, and has several times been in Newgate; but the Fact he now suffered for, was thus: On Sunday the 17th of February, in Prayer-time in the afternoon, he and another, not yet to be found, knocked at a Goldsmith's house in Cheapside, where there was no body at home but a young Gentlewoman; and pretending some fair Errand from her Father, persuaded her to unlock the door, and the Chain being unhappily down, they immediately rushed in upon her, gagged and secured her whilst they rifled the house, and stole away Plate of a very great value, as much 'tis supposed as they could well carry off. Though it were positively sworn by the aforesaid maid that he was one of them, yet both at his Trial and when he received Sentence he very stoutly denied it, and much pleaded his innocence; yet afterwards when he saw there was no hopes but he must suffer, he acknowledged it: but could not be brought to discover the other person that was with him, nor where the Plate was, though great endeavours were used by the Ordinary and some others to persuade him thereunto.  
Francis Rashfield, otherwise called Williams, was condemned for Felony and Burglary, breaking in the nighttime into the house of a Merchant in St. Ellens, and stealing rich Clothes and other Goods, to a very great value. Being a person of ill fame, and formerly burnt in the hand, he was taken with one Motly, lately executed, upon suspicion; and the Gentlewoman that had been robbed, coming to speak with him to endeavour some discovery, she observed a Cravat about his neck made of the Lace of one of her Aprons, which she knew very well, as being made with her own hands. He pretended the Cravat was given to him, and brought in a slut, that was a Prisoner in Newgate, to own she gave it him, and that it was made in the same Jail. But after Sentence, he confessed he was concerned in that Robbery, and many others with the said Motly, and behaved himself very penitently.  
There was one that had been many years a Companion and Assister of naughty persons. At his Sentence it was declared, That he had received and melted down both the Plate of Chicester. Cathedral and that of New College in Oxford, and been concerned in several other notorious Pranks; though that he was condemned for, was about a Watch picked out of a Gentlemans pocked in St. Sepulchers Church: so impiously daring are such wicked men, that they presume to practise their Villainies even in the House of God, and make the Sacred Temple a Den of Thiefs. The Watch was taken upon him, and he could give no account how he came by it. He seemed not much affected with his sad condition, but rather flattered himself with hopes of getting off; but men must not think always to baffle or elude the stroke of Justice: His fatal moment was come, and with much appearance of Repentance for his past Ill life, he this day went to suffer with the rest.  
Hugh Mills died for stealing of Cloth. He had been not long since transported, but was come back before the time limited, and was now found guilty of a fresh Felony. He expressed more Remorse and Penitence in his behaviour than any of the rest, and confessed very freely what a wicked Liver he had been; desiring all young men to take warning by him, and avoid Idleness, Gaming, and Ill Company, which first brought him to these destructive Courses.  
A young Lad suffered for stealing some foul Linen. He had (notwithstanding all the Correction and Admonition of his Friends to the contrary) been guilty of Thievery, and once Condemned to die before, and yet not above Sixteen years of age. He begged hard for Transportation, and promised Amendment; but having received Mercy before, he was now left to the severity of the Law as an Incorrigible Offender.  
Of the Women there was Blanch Oakley, who robbed her Master, a Jeweller, of several Precious Stones, a Garter belonging to the Noble Order of St. George, and other things of value: and was, it seems, one of those, whereof this Town has too many, who under pretence of getting Service, do only seek opportunities to rob those they pretend to serve.  
The other was joan Griffin, one that had long made Thieving her Trade, and not long ago received the Kings Pardon; but immediately fell to her old practice of stealing, having now robbed a person of a good parcel of Clothes, for which she suffered.  
The rest of the persons Condemned obtained his Majesty's gracious Reprieve; and we wish they may make good use of their time which is allowed them by his mercy, and abandon all their vile Associates to betake themselves to honest Employments, that they may never again come under the like lamentable Circumstances.  
Between the time of Condemnation and Execution, Mr. Ordinary took abundance of Christian pains both by Preaching, Praying and private Exhortations, to make them all sensible of their Condition; and we hope with that effect, that their poor Souls may now be blessing the God of Mercy in Happiness, for those precious opportunities. It being observed that most of them, all the time after Sentence, behaved themselves much more civilly, and with a better frame of Spirit, than others that before them have been in the like Condition. And so in their passage in the Carts to Tyburn, the Tears in their Eyes and penitent Ejaculations, as they caused a general Pity, so gave good grounds to hope well of their endeavours to make their Peace with God for all the Evils of their Lives.  
At the place of Execution there was not any of them said much, only begging the People's Prayers, confessing the Justice of their Sentence, and desiring all to take warning by them: Only one insisted more particularly upon his sin of Sabbath-breaking; acknowledging it as a most just Judgement, that as he never made any Conscience of Religious Duties on that day, so it was in that day he committed the Fact which brought him to this shameful and untimely End.  
FINIS.