THE CONFESSION OF Francis Nicholson,  
(Who committed that most barbarous Murder upon the Body of John Dimbleby, Servant to Mr. Marriot) at the Place of Execution, which was upon the Green over against Hampton-Court, and near the Place where he did the Murder, on Wednesday last, it being the 27th of October 1680, who was afterwards carried to Hounslow-Heath, and there hanged up in Chains.  
AS soon as he came under the Gibbet, looking up, he said, Oh Lord! what have I brought myself to! the Lord pity my poor Soul. One being in the Cart, asked him, Francis, how is it with you? have you make your peace with God, and got an assurance of the pardon of your sins? He answered, I hope it is well with me, the Lord be merciful to my poor Soul. Then a worthy Minister spoke to him, and said, Francis, the Lord hath now given you a long time of Repentance to make your peace with God in, and I hope you have made a good use of it. I desire you now, as well in charity to your own Soul, as in justice to others, to make an honest and ingenuous Confession, and that you would neither accuse the Innocent, or excuse the Guilty, but clear your Conscience now you are entering upon the borders of Eternity; you have but a few minutes to live, do not deceive your Soul, but speak the truth, and let us know what did induce you to this great wickedness for which you are now to die within a few minutes. The Coachman being then by, saith Francis, This man is an innocent man, I freely acquit him, grasping him by the hand. He further said, he is as innocent of the Fact as the Child unborn; and I desire all persons to take notice of it, for I have done him a great deal of wrong. Oh Lord! that I should accuse an innocent person! Saith he to the Coachman, I clear thee with all my heart, and I earnestly beg your pardon. Then the Coachman replied, I freely forgive thee with all my heart. The Lord forgive thee, and the Lord Jesus Christ forgive thee, saith the Minister, Which I hope he will. Then saith Francis, None set me on to do this most barbarous murder but the Devil; it was he that instigated me, and set me on to do it: For I had made a Vow to kill a man before I went from Hampton-Court, and the Devil appeared to me and told me, I was damned if I did not perform my Vow. Whereupon I was never at quiet or rest till I had acted that most inhuman Murder. Then the Minister asked him, What papers or Moneys did you take from him, for there is several Bonds and Writings, and other things, besides Moneys, that is wanting? Francis then answered, I took no papers nor Writings, but only twenty Shillings in Moneys, which I took out of his pocket, and a Watch; as I am a dying man I took nothing else. Then the Minister asked him this, Did ever any person set you on to do this Murder, or induce you with the hopes of a pardon to impeach any person? Francis answered, No. Then saith the Minister, Why did you Impeach the Coachman, and charge him as the Author of the Murder, and that he should hire you to do it? Saith Francis, Mr. Stephenson at the Toy asked me (when I was before the Justice who committed me) whether any one did not set me on to do it, and whether the Coachman had not hired me? and this is all I know of it, as I am now entering into Eternity; and that put me in mind to accuse the Coachman, and this is all I know of it; and so the Lord forgive me. Oh that I should be the murderer of an Innocent person! Oh that I should take away a poor man's life, and that in such a barbarous manner! The Lord be merciful to my poor Soul. Oh how gracious God hath been to mypoor soul! that hath given me so long time of Repentance He might have snatched me away in my younger days, but Oh what would have become of my poor soul, if I had died before I had made my peace with God, or if I had died immediately upon the murder! I care not for my Body, so my Soul may be saved; for the death of the Body is nothing, but the eternal death and damnation of the Soul is terrible.  
The saith the Minister, pray make some Confession to the people. Which Francis did to this effect, Oh you that are here come to see me a poor young man die a most shameful death, in the prime of my youth. I do declare before you all, as I shall answer it before my God and Judge within a few minutes, that I took neither Box now Writings, nor any thing else, but only 20 Shillings in moneys, and a Watch, and I clear the Coachman before you all, for he is innocent of it, the Lord forgive me for it. Then the Minister made a most excellent Prayer; which ended the Youngman spoke to the people, (as he was going to ascend the Ladder) and said, The Lord forgive me, the Lord forgive me; Oh that you all would take warning by my Death; and pray take heed of breaking the Sabbath, and ill company, and drinking; for it was Sabbath-breaking first, and then ill company, and drinking, which brought me to do this great wickedness, and to cause me to run headlong to the Devil: The Lord be merciful to my poor Soul. Lord! I am going out of this world; the Lord forgive my Soul; the Lord pardon my sins, and receive my Soul. I beseech thee, good Lord, grant me an Interest in Jesus Christ, and that I may sit at thy Right Hand in Heaven when I depart this life. Oh! that I should commit such a horrid fact, which should cause me now to die like a dog, and to suffer such a shameful death: If I had been taken away before now, I might have been in Hell's everlasting burn; but God hath been merciful to my Soul. Oh that you all would take notice by my shameful death, and not break the Sabbath: Oh that you all would take notice by me, and that God would pardon all your sins; for it was Sabbath-breaking that brought me to my ruin. Oh Eternity! Eternity! Oh improve well your time, and consider your latter end, and often think of Eternity: I am now going into Eternity, the Lord be merciful to my poor Soul now and for evermore. Oh Lord receive my Soul at thy Right hand in Heaven to all Eternity: Oh Lord! thou who didst die for sins, receive my poor Soul, and that I may have benefit by thy death, and that my Soul may be received into the Kingdom of Heaven: The death of the body is nothing, but the Eternal damnation of the Soul is sad: Oh who can live in Hell's eternal torments: But Oh Lord! take me into a better World now I am going out of this wicked World, Oh Lord receive me into thy Paradise, and pardon my sins. Then he said the Lords Prayer, and afterwards said, The Lord lift up my heart to Heaven: Oh the Devil, it was the Devil that lead my heart away; the Lord treat him down, that deceives so many poor Souls, and which hath deceived my Soul: Oh that I may make my peace with God now, before I go hence: Oh that all these good people would put up their prayers for me. Then said the Minister, the Lord receive your Soul into eternal life; then saith Francis, the Lord save me, and receive me into thine everlasting Arm; the Lord receive a poor wicked sinner as I have been. Oh Death! Oh Lord God look upon me in mercy: Then one standing by said, Oh Remember him that saved the Thief upon the Cross; upon which he said, Oh the Devil that hath tormented me! Oh the Lord be with me, and the Lord be with thee, saith he to the Coachman, for I clear you; and the Lord forgive thee, saith the Coachman to him again, for I forgive thee.  
One being desired by some persons, asked him this Question, Whether any one did induce him to Impeach the Coachman upon the promise of life, or out of a grudge and disgust to the Coachman, or to the Person of Quality whom he served? Oh! saith the young man, None but the Devil. Then just before he was turned off the Ladder, he said, Lord Jesus Christ Remember me now, Lord Jesus Christ Remember me now, take me into thy paradise, take me into thy paradise: Then he called out for Goody Hart; whereupon she was called, but could not be found: Oh, saith he, Goody Hart is a good Woman, the Lord bless her; the Lord Jesus Christ forgive me, and be with me. Then he said the Lords Prayer again, which done, he said, the Lord bless every soul, and my Soul: but seeing Goody Harts daughter, he said far you well Betty, far you well, I am going out of this World, Oh pray for me: the Iord (saith she) forgive you, and receive your Soul: Oh saith he, the Lord Jesus Christ receive my Soul: Oh all good people take notice by me; Lord be with my Soul. And so was turned off the Ladder.   

Printed, and are to be Sold by Richard Janeway in Queens-head Albey in Paternoster. Row. 1680.