THE CONFESSION Of the Four High-Way-Men;  
As it was Written by One of them, and Allowed by the Rest the 14th. of this Instant April (being the Day before their Appointed Execution).  
VIZ. 

JOHN WILLIAMS, alias Tho. Matchet.  
FRANCIS JACKSON, alias Dixie.  
JOHN WHITE, alias Fowler.  
WALTER PARKHURST.    
This being desired to be made Public by the Persons themselves, to prevent false Reports of them when they are Dead.  
With Allowance.  
London, Printed for D. M. 1674.   

THE CONFESSION Of the Four High-Way-Men.  
UPon the request of a Friend, but chiefly to prevent false Pamphlets which may a●ise of our Deaths, as it did at our Taking; We have given this Truth under our Hands, the Day before Execution, That on Monday the 16th of March, Walter Parkhurst, James Slader, and John Williams: committed a Robbery upon Windsor-Coach near Hounslow-Heath, being in sight of about a dozen Gentlemen, well Armed and mounted, who pursued us for five or six miles before we could lose sight of them.  
That on the 18th of the same Month, we the forementioned Parties took John White, and Francis Jaekson along with us, and beyond Hounslow in Bedfond-Lane near Stains, Robbed two Coaches. We struck off from thence into Acton Road supposing ourselves discovered by a Gentle man's Man in a Green-Livery, who was a hunting; Who upon the sight of us, made haste the nearest way over t●e Fields to Acton; we thought it o●r best course to make Harrow on the Hill, and did suppose ourselves pursued all the Way, though we never saw any certain Evidence of it until we came there, where in the Town we found about Fo●ty or Fifty Men ready to receive us with Guns, Pitchforks and all sorts of Weapons, so that we road down the Hill by the side of the Town, at the bottom of which we found a great number of Horse and Foot ready to receive us; Which we soon made run in●o the Houses for shelter, and so road on towards Paddington, and from thence towards Kilburn and Hendon, and from thence to Hampstead-Heath; but was so hotly engaged all the way by our Pursuers, that it was about ten or eleven a Clock, when we were at Harrow on the the Hill, and it was six of the clock when we recovered Hampstead-Heath, our Powder and Shot being all gone, and some of our Swords, and most of us sorely Wounded & Bruised about two of the clock.  
There was a Lifeguard Man that fought with a great deal of Courage most part of that day. There was about two hundred Men upon Hampstead-Heath, which was near about an hour before they could take us; having nothing but our Swords, and some of us not them: from thence to Newgate; from thence to the Session's House, where Parkhurst and Williams pleaded guilty to their Indictments; the others the contrary; but all Cast  
We write not this as if we glorified in the Action, the Cause being so Criminal and Bad; and yet if the Cause had been good there could not have been a Nobler Defence. And we Wish that all People may take Warning by our Miserable End, which shall be the substance of our Discourse at the Place of Execution: Concluding with a Prayer.  
John Williams. Francis Jackson. John White. Walter Parkhurst.   

A RELATION OF THEIR TRIAL.  
A Middlesex Jury being called, the aforesaid Prisoners were set to the Bar, and were severally arraigned upon no less than 14. Indictments that were brought against them by several persons whom they had robbed at Hounslow, Hendon and several other places upon the Road the 16th. and 18th. days of March last; and taken from them their Horses, Gold, Silver, Watches, Lace, Rings, Linen and several other things in the said Indictments particularly recited; Ten of these Indictments were for Felony and Robbery, the four last were for Murder of two of those honest Country Men that assisted to take them; their Names were Henry Miller and Edward Kemp; The two first Indictments were taken upon the Coroners Inquest for the kill of Henry Miller, against Francis Jackson one of the Prisoners at the Bar, who run him through with his Rapier, and against the other three as aiding and assisting him in the Murder.  
The other two Indictments were upon the Inquest of the Grand Jury of Middlesex for the Murder of the said Edward Kemp, by James Slader deceased, and against the other four Prisoners for aiding and assisting him, as in the former Indictment.  
It was held convenient to lay these Indictments several ways, although the Facts were the same in both.  
The first Indictment upon which they were Arraigned was for a Robbery at Hounslow upon the 16th. of March last, where they Robbed one James Hepper and several others in a Stage-Coach, and took from them a Watch, Rings, Monies and other things of a considerable value; to which Parker and Williams pleaded not Guilty, but the other two viz. Jackson and White refused to plead.  
White insisted that his Wife was taken Prisoner (upon her going upon his occasions) upon suspicion of Felony, whereas there was no just cause against her, therefore desired that the Court would call her to a Trial before he pleaded; that he might vindicate her in that particular.  
The Court replied; there was no Indictment as then ready against her, and therefore could not proceed upon her Trial, but that at her Trial she should have justice done her, and willed him to plead.  
Jackson likewise refused to plead, alleging, That the Country had Rob him, instead of his robbing of them, and had taken away 40s, of his own Money from him, which he desired might be restored before he pleaded.  
The Court answered, He should have all Justice done him, but he must plead first; and that if he should be Convicted, the Moneys ought not to be restored to him, for it was then forfeited. Notwithstanding neither the said Jackson nor White would plead to the Indictment.  
Hereupon a second Indictment was read against them and the other Two, for the Robbing of several Persons upon the 18 of March last, to which they all pleaded not Guilty.  
A Third indictment was read against them for the robing of one Mr. Periant about the same time. To which again the said Jackson and White refused to plead, insisting as before.  
They were told, They had already pleaded Not Guilty to one Indictment; and if they refused to plead now, they would be accessary to their own Deaths, and be convicted as Mutes; and thereupon caused the words of the Statute to be read to them.  
Wherein were set forth the Dreadful Punishments that were to be inflicted upon such Convicts, by pressing. Notwithstanding which, the many Arguments that were tried by the Court against such a destructive obstinacy, they wilfully stood it out till all the Indictments were read over; to which the other Two, viz. Parker and Williams severally pleaded Not Guilty.  
At last, after being urged with the danger of their Refusals, and advised to consult together for their own safety, they pleaded severally Not Guilty, to all the Indictments.  
Then the Jury being sworn, and the Witnesses called; the First Robbery was apparently proved by a Watch and other things that were taken from them by the Countrymen at Hampstead; which were owned by their Owners upon Oath. And so the Second, Third, Fourth, and the rest of the Robberies were so manifestly clear, that to most of them they could say nothing; and what they could say, was overruled by undeniable proofs that were brought against them;  
As to the Murder, it was proved by several of the Countrymen that took them, That Jackson run Henry Miller in at the Left-Side, upon which he immediately died: And that the other, Edward Kemp, was shot by Slader deceased.  
It being then urged, That they were all guilty of the Murder, in that they were all together assisting one another against a Power that was lawfully raised to take them upo● the Hue-and-Cry sent after them. Parker insisted, That he was altogether Innocent of the Murder, being before his Company as far as Islington, when the Murder was done at Hampstead; But that was disproved by Several Witnesses that swore they were all together, or within a little one of another when the Murders were Committed. Hereupon the Trial having lasted above Six hours in all, the Jury were sent out to consider of their Verdict; which after a Quarter of an hours stay, they brought in thus, That they were all Guilty of the Several Facts laid in their Indictments of Felony and Robbery; Except in the Two first, which could not be so apparently proved against two of them.  
Upon the Two first Indictments for the Murder of Miller, Jackson, Parker and Williams were found Guilty; but White was Acquitted, for that he was taken before that Murder was committed; But upon the Two last Indictments for the Murder of Kemp▪ they were all Four found Guilty. And the next day they had Sentence of Death passed upon them.  
FINIS.