The LAST SPEECHES AND CONFESSIONS OF Captain Thomas Walcott, John Rowse, and William Hone, joiner, At the Common Place of EXECUTION On Friday the 20th. of this present July, 1683. Who were all found Guilty of High-Treason, For Conspiring the Death of His Most Sacred Majesty, And his Royal Brother James Duke of York.  
THe many and continual Judgements which are inflicted upon resolute Offenders, but especially such as study & contrive the shedding of innocent blood, methinks might be sufficient to detect and hinder others from their wicked progresses; but such is the stubbornness of this Age, that they are rather hardened than mollified by the threatening dangers of a displeased Deity. How many Horrid and Damnable Plots have been Conspired against His most Gracious Majesty; which by mercy and Providence of the Almighty have all proved ineffectual, and proclaimed the impudence of the Authors to be unparallelled; so, you may see by this Horrid Conspiracy, lately detected by the goodness of God Almighty, how, when they thought themselves a good as certain of their carrying on their design answerable to their own mind, and bloody dispositions, that then their intrigues were laid open, their Treasons discovered, and their own lives brought into a share, as you may read in these following Lines.  
At the Sessions of Oyer and Terminer, that began at the Old Bailie on Thursday july 12. 1683. And when the Court was sat, Captain Thomas Walcott appeared at the Bar, his Indictment being read he pleaded not guilty; but Coll. Rumsey testified upon Oath that there had been divers Consultations about killing the King as He wa● to return from Newmarket, and that it was designed to be acted near the dwelling House of one Rumbold a Malster, not far from Hodsoon in Hertfordshire, and that Walcott was in nomination to be the person that should perpetrate this Villainy, but he refused to do that, and chose rather to engage the Lifeguard which was attending His Majesty, that they being cut off, they might the more readily carry on their purpose.  
Colonel Rumsey declared that there was several Consultations hold about this Diabolical contrivance, which the Lord Chief Justice Pemberton by diligent enquiry into, found to be at several p●a●●, namely at Mr. west's Chamber, and or a Tavern within Ale●gate, and about Mile end Green; to which Walcott pleaded, that at that time these Consultations were held, he was Lame of the Gout, and witness offered to justify the same, made answer, that he was certainly sick of the Goursey some considerable time, but whether it was just at that time or not he could not positively swear.  
Then Captain Walcott replied that it was very hard that four men should combine against his Life, and impeaching him save their own.  
But Mr. Attorney General opened the Case, laying open the danger of concealing Treason, to which he answered that he was merely drawn in to the concern, and also that he thought concealing of Treason was but misprision of Treason, but my Lord answered that to be in Consultation and not to discover was real Treason.  
So the Jury having taken notice of what he Confessed, immediately brought in their Verdict, that he was Guilty of High Treason.  
William. Hone having been Examined on Thursday was again brought to the Bar on Friday morning, and then desired the Plea he made yesterday might be allowed, which was, that he was Guilty of a Conspiracy, but not concerned in raising of Arms to cause a Rebellion, but the Indictment imported, that as a false Traitor he had Conspired to Depose the King of His Crown and Dignity, and particularly at a Consult on the second of March, in the Parish of St. Michael Bishaw, where Rumbold, Furguson, Holliway Roe, Francis and Richard Goodenough, and many o● her Traitorous Conspirators were present; and that they called the King, Black bird, and the Duke the Gold finch; the Prisoner confessing that he did conspire the Death of the Blackbird but not of the Goldfinch; this with other things alleged and sworn against him caused the Jury to give in their Verdict, Guilty, without going from the Bar.  
The next that came to the Bar was Mr. Rouse, who had several Witnesses sworn against him, and accused him of the same manner of Crimes as was sworn against Hone; He could make but little defence for himself; it being absolutely sworn against him, That he had a Hand in the Conspiracy against his Majesty's Life: But, notwithstanding all his slender evasions, the Court soon brought him in Guilty of HIGH-TREASON; And he was charged with several Treasonable Designs, as, not only to destroy the King's Majesty, but also to Levy War, and by stirring the people up to Sedition, thereby to raise a Rebellion, and Subvert the Government; All which the Witnesses for the King positively Swore; and he being not able to disprove, the Sentence was passed against him, and the other two, in manner following: THat they should be Drawn upon Hurdles to the place of Exeution, and there to be hanged by the Neck, their Privy-Members to be cut off before their Faces, and thrown into the Fire; then their heads to be c●t off, and their Bodies Quartered, and their Quarters to be set up, as in such Cases of Treason it is usual.  
DUring the time of their Imprisonment they seemed very penitent; spending great part of their time in Reading and Prayer, and other Religious Exercises. And also lamenting their sad and miserable Condition, which they had brought upon themselves by following such wicked and treasonable practices; in conspiring the Death of so Gracious a Prince: Other times upbraiding their Companions and Accomplices, that they had formerly been concerned with. Only the Captain seemed the most obstinate, and least concerned.  
On Friday the 20th. of this present Month July, being the the day of their Execution, having taken leave of their Friends and Relations, they were drawn in Sledges, attended with a numerous Guard of Constables and other Officers; and being brought to the place of Execution, they made their several Speeches and Exhortations to the people that stood round about them, intreacing them to take Warning by their untimely end; and to have a care what Company they keep; wishing all persons to fear God, and to honour their King, and to avoid all Treasonable Practices, which will assuredly bring destruction both to Soul and Body.  
But one of them seemed to extenuate his Crime, and to blame others he was concerned with.  
But the CROWD being very great, we can give you but some short Account of what they spoke before their Execution.  
When the Executioner had done his work, the eyes of the multitude were filled with tears, every one lamenting the sad conditions of these poor and miserable wretches, who had engaged themselves into this bloody enterprise; but too late they may lament their sad destinies  
It is great pity that so many brave and worthy Gentlemen should engage themselves in such a horrid conspiracy that the world before never heard of, because this Plot was contrived by persons pretending to zeal and Religion, which is not, nor cannot be suitable to rules of Christianity, for we all know that shedding of blood is clearly contrary to the commands of the Almighty.  
Printed for J. Coniers.