Four Great and Horrible MURDERS, OR, Bloody News FROM ISLINGTON.  
Being a Full and True Relation how a Woman's Brains were knocked out with her own Patten, Robbed, and her Throat Cut, on Friday the 5th of February Instant. A Man beaten to Death the 8th of the same Month. And a Woman Drowned herself in a Pond at Islington.  
Likewise a Maid Barbarously Murdered at Chester by two Villains that would have enticed Her to Lewdness, for which they were Condemned at the Sessions there held the 23. of January last, and Hanged, with their Confession at the place of Execution.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1674.   

Four Great and Horrible MURDERS: OR, Bloody News from Islington.  
'tIs an approved Maxim amongst Divines, That the Custom of slaning, takes away the sense of it, which we may too truly apply to the particular Sin of Murder, in this our barbarous Age, which is become so frequent and common, that 'tis scarce regarded or laid to heart by any but those immediately Concerned in it; 'tis strange that that which is the most Crying ●nd inhuman crime in the world, should find such ready Entertainment, that persons should be so given up to work wickedness, as to deface the image of their Creator, and violate all L●ws Divine, Moral, and Civil, by diping their barbarous hands in the blood of their brethren, we need not now search ancient Records, not turn over Foreign Histories, since every day almost, supplies us at home, with fresh stories of dismal Tragedies, and one Parish, in one week's time is slain d●with no less than three horrible Murders Committed severrally and in different manners.  
The first was of an innocent Countrywoman, whose name and habitation is as yet unknown, she was travelling towards London, and was seen in the Evening coming along the further part of the Town of ●●ington, in Company with two men, one of them carrying her pattens for her, A Footboy going accidentally near behind them, overheard one of the men, ask her whether she was not afraid to go in the Evenning, and whether she knew the way well, to which she replied Innocently, that she was not at all afraid, as long as she had good company, and that if she wear alone she knew the way pretty well; for she had traveled it several times before, whereupon the man told her, he would show her a way that was both cleaner and much nearer, this discourse the aforesaid Boy heard, and has since testified, and further remembers not, but 'tis most Consentaneous to Reason, to suppose that the poor woman was inveigled with these pretences of a better way, by these Villains out of the Road, into a place more fit for their hellish purpose, for the next morning she was found, lying dead by the Gravel-pits in Islington, with her Throat cut, and a great Fracture in her Skull, even to the Brain, 'tis thought as they came together, these unknown Assassinates might understand by some means, that she had money about her, and therefore having got her to this place, he that carried her Pattens, might with one of them strike her on the head, and give her that wound on the Pericranium, for the blow by the hurt seemed to be made by some such thing, and was undoubtedly Struck with a good will, for her hat was cut through with it, and that she was Robed, is apparent, for three farthings were found dropped upon the brim of her hat, which 'tis very probably they let fall whilst th●y were Riffling her in the dark, the person Murdered was a handsome Country woman, as 'tis guest about Thirty years old, she had on a stuff Vest, and Petticoat, a green Apron, and Lutestring Hood, and when she was laid forth by women, a Gold-ring, was found in her shoe, she has been seen and Cried at Barnet, but no body knew her, or would own her, we wish this account of her mishapy Murder may reach the Ears of her Relations, where ever they live, that they may know how she came to her End; the Bloody Murderers are escaped under the Covert of the Night, yet doubtless divine vengeance will in due time bring them to light, that they may suffer according to their demerits.  
The next Tragedy is that of a poor honest Labouring man, that lived in Islington, near the Nag's head, the manner was thus, on Monday last being the Eighth of this instant February, he and one that usually worked with him as his Partner, went industriously to their usual Employ which was Ditching, and as they were honestly at their work, there came Two persons, that were Brothers, and whethe● they had any particular quarrel or prepensed malice against these labourers, or either of them, or whether they 〈◊〉 Drunk, and resolved to act that Mischievous 〈◊〉 about this wicked town a Frollique, I cannot 〈◊〉, but so it was, that coming near they began to 〈◊〉 the Ditchers with whole Valleys of Clo●●s of ●irt, who finding themselves thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, demanded the reason of such Hostillities, b●● the over furious Assailants were not at leisure to Answer, but gaining ground by nearer approaches, would needs fill up the Ditch the men had been making, and to that purpose threw down the Ba●● upon their heads, which they had before cast out, hereupon hard words did arise, which were followed by harder blows, for in fine one of the Ditchers 〈◊〉 so mortified with beating, that he never spoke a word afterwards.  
The Third is of a poor Woman in the same Town, or one at least that had for a night or two before her death-Lodged there, she had two Children, and was in great want which 'tis thought was the occasion that she made away herself being drowned in the Pond at Islington, 'Tis said that she told her Children when she left them, that if any body inquired for her, they should say she was gone because she wanted Victuals and Money, so sad a thing it is to despair, and distrust the all satisfying Providence of God, well may we say ●o such Repiners, let their Condition be never so mean or necessitous, in the sense of our blessed 〈◊〉 words, If your heavenly Father provideth for the Sparrows, and  the Lilies of the Field, will he not much more supply you with necessaries, oh ye of little Faith.  
Our last scene is laid somewhat more remote, but no less true and altogether as bloody, and in some respects more cruel than any of the former, being very lately transacted near the City of Chester, where one Tho. Edwards and one John Stevens of Warrington in the County were taken for Murdering one Jane Made Servant of their Master Mr. John Gibson of Warrington aforesaid Haberdasher, the occasion of it was that the Wench being handsome they often had enticed and persuaded her to lewdness and dishonesty with them, but she not yielding thereunto, they invited her to a Tavern the next night after the last Attempt, and were very mer●y there together for some time, and once were a going out of the house the maid being very earnest to be gone home, but with much Entreaty they persuaded her to go in again, and stayed above in a Room together about half an hour, and then the two men came down stairs and went out, where upon the people of the house went up and found the maid on the Bed as they thought asleep, but putting her in a Chair to see if she would come to herself Imagining her to be overtaken with drink, they perceived she was dead, and sending for the Constable Searched her, where they found in her left side a Bodkin of Iron that they had Stobd her with, whereupon Warrants were made out, and the two Murderers taken at supper and Committed, and at the Quarter-sessions at Chester, held the 23. day of January last were arraigned and Confessing the Fact Condemned to be Hanged, at their 〈◊〉 they acknowledged that one of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out 〈◊〉 his Handkerchief whilst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a 〈◊〉, and that they had formerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Servant-maid to steal some Plate and sell it and give them the money, for which wicked Act the poor maid was afterwards so much troubled in conscience that she Poisoned herself, the rather for that one of them in Consideration she would Commit that robbery had promised her Marriage, which after he had got the money he refused to make good, they also confessed that they had cheated their Master of many a Pounds worth of Goods, and had deserved Hanging before that time.  
Thus Reader, hast thou here heard Several sad Examples, wherein Covetousness, Revenge despair and lust all club to beget an horrid Murder, so great an affinity there is between sins, that the Devil seldom sends them abroad alone, let these wretched Precedents be our warning Lessons, that shunning such wicked Crimes, we may avoid such deplorable Ends.  
FINIS.