THE Great Robbery in the West: OR, THE INNKEEPER TURNED HIGHWAYMAN.  
A perfect NARRATIVE HOW An Innkeeper near EXETER, Drawing in two others into his Confederacy, Lately Rob the Exeter-Carrier of Six hundred pounds in Money, and for the same were Executed at the said City the 13th of this instant August, 1678.  
With the remarkable Speech of the said Innkeeper on the Ladder.  
To which is added, Sad News from : Being a Relation how a Lion at Winchcomb devoured its Keeper, and the manner of the said Lions being killed for the same.  
With Allowance.  
LONDON: Printed for L. C. 1678.   

THE Great Robbery In the WEST, etc.  
THe Assizes for the County of Devon were held at Exeter, the 5th, 6th, etc. of this instant August, where among many Malefactors tried, there happened this remarkable passage; One John Barnes, who lately kept the Black-horse Inn near South-gate in the said City, who had lived there in good repute for many years, increased by a formal Hypocrisy, he being a great pretender to Religion, and a constant frequenter of Private Meetings, did about a year ago leave that place, and took an Inn in Collumpton, a Town about ten Miles distant from Exeter, but in the same County; where being more out of the sight of his former Acquaintance, he began to drop that Religious Mask which before he had worn, and now adventured to sin barefaced, by several extravagant courses running himself behind hand as to his Estate, and particularly became pretty considerably Indebted to a Smith in Collumpton aforesaid, to whom having often promised payment, and as often failed him, at last, about three Months since, being again importuned for his Money, this devout Innkeeper having observed him to be a-stout fellow of good natural Courage, and at present mean and necessitous, took upon him the Devil's Office to tempt him to be a partner with him in his wickedness, telling him, That if he would go with him such a day, and be secret, he would not only pay him all his Money, but make him a Man for ever. In short, the Devil furnished him with such plausible Arguments, (as commonly a little Rhetoric serves to persuade us to be wicked) That he not only prevailed with him, but also with a Neighbouring Worsted-comber to join with him in his evil design; and being all three Confederated, he knowing by his old Acquaintance & observation, when the Exeter Carrier had a great Charge of Money to convey up to London, they at a convenient place, called Honiton-Hill, set upon his Men, and took from them no less than Six Hundred pounds in ready Money. This lusty Booty encouraged our two freshmen in the Mystery of Padding, and they began extremely well to like their new Trade; but sweet Meat must have sour Sauce; the Carrier's Men knowing them by sight, though so discreet not to take notice during the Robbery, which had been but to tempt them to add Murder to Theft, they were all Three in short time after apprehended, and committed to Goal, where by the Innkeepers Advice, and his fellow Prisoners skill, they got off their Fetters, or so much of them, that they broke the Prison by Night, and got abroad; nor has one of them been since heard of: but the other two not being able absolutely to clear themselves of their Irons, were retaken the next Morning. He that was retaken with the Innkeeper, was always very pensive, bewailing his condition, being the first time, as he protested, that he was ever concerned in such an unjust Action, and blaming him, whose cursed persuasions and insinuations had, contrary to his own inclinations, brought him to it; but the Innkeeper carried it very confidently till his Trial, where they were both found Guilty, the Evidence being clear and positive against them. There were many Women of Quality in Exeter, that made great Intercession for the said Innkeeper to get him a Reprieve, not so much for his sake, as out of Charity to his poor innocent Wife and Children, for the was generally reputed a very good, Careful, Industrious, and Pious Woman, and hath no less than Nine very hopeful Children; but the nature of his Crime excluded him from Mercy in this World, so that he and his Comrade were on Tuesday the thirteenth of this instant August, conveyed to the usual place of Execution, where there were two that presenly suffered; but the Innkeeper desiring two hours time, the better to prepare himself, had it granted, which he spent in Prayer and godly Conference with several Ministers; then coming upon the Ladder, he made a large Speech, wherein first He confessed not only the Crime for which at present he suffered, but likewise divers other sins, and particularly lamented that of Hypocrisy, earnestly begging the Spectators Prayers, and exhorting them not to despair in any condition, but trust to the providence of God, rather than to take any indirect courses to supply their seeming necessities, acknowledging that his failing herein, had brought him to this untimely end. And so with all the outward marks of a sincere Penitent, submitted to his Sentence, and was Executed.  
I think we may not improperly number Highwaymen amongst Beasts of Prey, and therefore conceive it will be no great absurdity, if we add here the Relation of a sad Accident that happened in . About the beginning of this instant August, there came to the Burough of Winchcomb an Itinerant Family, consisting of a Man and his Wife, a Boy about a dozen years old, a Lion, and an Ape; which two last Creatures they daily exposed to the view of all such as had the curiosity to spend their pence. But whilst they remained there, the Boy whose office it was to tend them, going one day to feed them, passed by the Lion, and went and gave the Ape his Commons first; which so far affronted the Royal Animal, that in a rage he seized on the Youth with his paws, who schreeked out in a lamentable manner; but before any could come in to his rescue, the Lion had got his head into his mouth, and bit and crushed him to death; and also had sucked all the blood out of his body. Nor had the Ape, for all their old familiarity, sped much better, if he had not got up by the wall out of his reach. The Coroner having viewed the Lads Corpse, there was an order for the Lion to be killed; which was accordingly executed with great solemnity, being shot to death in the presence of many hundreds of people.  
In this instance we may see the rage and fury of these Creatures, and that though they seem never so tame and gentle, yet on the least disgust their natural fierceness returns. So it is with men in a natural estate, they may appear much Civilised by Education, but if Grace have not made a through Change in the heart, the smallest occasion or temptation shall revive and discover their lurking Corruptions. And this let us remember, 'tis from the sin of Man that the strongest Beasts which before reverenced and obeyed him, do now presume to seize upon and destroy him: it being but just, that he who proved a Traitor to the King of Kings, should forfeit his Sovereignty over the Creatures, and that they should rebel against Him, as he has done against God.  
FINIS.