The last SPEECH, CONFESSION AND EXECUTION of John Smith alias Ashburnham A Notorious Highwayman who was hanged at Stampford-Hill, where he is to be hung up in CHAINS: and Edward Jackson, who was Drawn, and Hanged, at TYBURN, FOR HIGH-TREASON, On Monday the 26th. of this Instant May, 1684.  
OF the five Criminals condemned the last Sessions at the Old-Bayly, Edward Hubbart was Reprieved, John G●wer, and Francis Robinson, suffered on Friday the 23th. Instant: and this day John Smith, and Edward Jackson were Executed.  

John Smith alias Ashburnham, was about 27 or 28 years of Age, a proper lusty young man and born at Holbourn-Bars, he has been a Notorious Highwayman, both in England and Ireland, where he committed several Robberies, and accordingly had his Name put into several Proclamations, with a reward to any person, who could apprehend him: the horrid Crime for which he was now Executed, was, that he with others of the same Gang, having committed several Robberies on the Road near Stoke-N●wington in July was Twelvemonth, being pursued by Andrew ●age a Headborough of the same Town, and other Watchmen they discharged their Pistols upon the Watchmen and killed the Headborough in the Execution of his Office: Of this he was Ind●cted, found Guilty, and Condemned; the Witness against him was one Denton, at present in Newgate, and one of his old Comrade to whom he had formerly confessed the murder of this Headborough 〈…〉 Trial, and since he has positively denied 〈…〉 Companion swearing against him with other c●●curing Evidence, made it appear so plain, and unquestionable a 〈…〉 that the Jury brought him in Guilty.  
John Smith was properly his Name from his own Father, but his Mother afterwards being Married to one Ashburnham; he assumed that Name or the other, as best suited his present purposes. Being Convicted by the aforesaid Evidence of Denton, his former Comrade- and other violent Circumstances of the Highest Nature of presumtive Argument he suffered for the aforesaid Fact, though at his Trial and during his Imprisonment after Sentence he peremptory denied it: However he had been so Notorious an Offender (and now in Custody) had he been acquitted of this charge, new Indictments had been preferred against him: More particularly I shall instance in one, which perhaps the World may not have heard of. He with some others of that wicked Fraternity designed a Robbery upon a Carrier's Wagon, which they accomplished near Saint Alban, and Robbed his Carriage to the value of threescore pounds: After the Robbery committed, John Smith rid back perhaps under some apprehensions of Danger that the Carrier might pursue them, and raise a Hue and Cry after the Robbers and dischargeed his hist●●● in, the Bullet hit him in the Thigh, of which Wound after few days he died, which Evidence, though it did not appear against him as foreign to the Crime he stood Indicted of, would certainly have been made good against him, upon a second Trial (had he not before forfeited his life) which the Law now justly challenged from him.  
As to his Education, as he himself confessed in Newgate, he was first put an Apprentice to a Chirurgeon, with whom he continued but 3 years, and then falling into the Acquaintance of Extravagant Company, grew first in love with Debauchery; sometime after a Wine Merchant, who had a kindness for him, put him into a Cellar at ' an Inn, at Barton M●lls near Newmarket, and trusted him with selling his Wine.  
Here he first grew acquainted with some Highwaymen who used the road about Newmarket, and coming often to the Inn at last drawn him into their Society; after several Robberies committed, he began to consider in what a desperate condition he was if any of the Gang should discover him, resolved to leave that place, and writ up to the Merchant to dispose him to some other place, for he was unwilling to stay there any longer. The Merchant accordingly placed him at Boston in Lincolnshire where he had been near two months, when four Highwaymen coming to the Town, two of them lodged at this Inn: He as Master of the Cellar come up with a Bottle to welcome his Guests, and known one of them who had been his former Comrade, upon Discourse ask him what strange Affairs, had brought him into those parts they talked with all freedom of their former Exploits, and the two Highwaymen began earnestly to persuade him to lift himself once more into their Society, which he refused, and solemnly protested whatever Necessities should fall upon him, he would never more vent●●e on such dishonest Courses. Two days after a Proclamation came down for the Apprehending of several Notorious Highwaymen, in which he found his own Name, strangely surprised with the imminent Danger he was in, he went off immediately to Ireland with threescore Guinys and some Silver: Being arrived at Dublin, he happened to lodge in the same Street where Capt. Hurst kept a public House, who a little before had bro●e Prison at Newgate and fled to Ireland; requesting this house, a short time after, came over Francis Robinson, J●nney Vass, his pretended Wife, and Elizabeth Courtney, those being all of a Gang formerly, renewed their Acquaintance and often met at Capt. Hu●sts; John Smith was then agreeing for a Cellar of Wine and contracted with the Merchant upon the payment of fifty Guinys down: When one Night it happened that a quarrel arose between the two Women; and Elizabeth Gourtney cut Jenney Vos● her head with a Quartpot, upon which a great feud arose, the next Morning Elizabeth Courtney got a warrant for them, all and they were sent to several Prisons: upon ordinary Bail John Smith got his liberty as the rest had done, and with Jenney Voss came privately over for England: Robinson followed them close and at last found them out; when renewing his interest with Jenney Voss, she discovered John Smith, and caused him to be apprehended for the Murder and Robbery at Newington.  
He constantly denied that he shot the Headborrough whatever he had formerly said to Denton, which was only to ingratiate himself with him, but that William Hancock, now in Warwick Goal, was the person and John Shepherd who was apprentice at the Blue Boar in Long Lane to a Salesman, was another, and one Moor, who were both hanged at St. Edmunds-bury. The Curate of Newington attended him at the place of Execution, where after a short prayer the halter was put about his Neck, and before the Cart was drawn away, he had thrown himself off, had not the People called to bid him hold; he confessed that as in his Conscience he was not guilty of the Murder, it troubled him much less than those other sins of Sabbath-breaking, Fornication, Adultery, and some others, he had too frequently committed, and from the Bottom of his heart repent of.  
The same Jenney Voss, who is here mentioned is now in Newgate and reprieved upon pleading her Belly who has been a Notorious Offender, and has already hanged thirteen of her Husbands and Gallants.  
John Smith died vary penitent: was executed at Stampford-Hill where he now hangs in Chains.   

Edward Jackson lived in Bowlane of very good Credit and Reputation and esteemed as a person of a very plentiful Estate: He was Indicted of High-Treason, for that he on the 6th. of June, in the 33th. year of his Majesty's Reign, did Clip the Currant Coin of this Kingdom, viz. twenty of Queen Elizabeth's Shillings, and twenty other Shillings of King Charles the first, and twenty other pieces of Silver, called Half-Crowns, the Evidence against the Prisoner was one Nicolson, and Thomas Matrin and others, who gave so plain proof of the Fact, that Edward Jackson was Condemned, and this day Executed; he was very penitent during his Imprisonment after Sentence, praying day and night, he confessed he had been a great Sinner, but hoped through the Infinite Mercys of Almighty God, to receive Remission of all his Transgressions. He lay in the Press-Yard, and considering his Acquaintance was very great and Numerous, Visitants would very much ●●dispose him from those Religious Exercises of Fasting & Prayer, he Sequested himself from all Company, and admitted but very few to converse with him. He was about a twelvemonth ago questioned upon the same Crime, but the Evidence not then appearing against him, he was cleared by Proclamation.  
This Morning he was put into a Sledge at Newgate between ten and eleven, & from thence being drawn to the place of Execution where taken out of the Sledge and put into a Cart which was drawn under the Gallows, then turning himself round, directed his Speech to the People.  Gentlemen I being brought hither to suffer according to Law, for Clipping, Cutting, & Defacing the Current Coin of this Nation; I take God Almighty to witness I am not Guilty of the Fact, for which I am now about to die, neither am I Guilty of what I was Indicted. 
Mr. Ordinary being in the Cart to assist him in Prayer, and also another Divine a Friend of his; Mr. Ordinary asked him how far he was Guilty, and what he would own of the Crime for which he was now to suffer, and whether he had no time of his Life aforepast, if not now as mentioned in his Indictment had been Guilty of that Fact, or what he could say as to that Point, to which he answered that the thing was thus;  That there were three Persons of his Acquaintance, which were in Prison for a Fact of this Nature, and were set at liberty, to discover some other Persons of the same Gang upon which he was taken up, which three Persons, were Nicholson, Martin, and Hickup, that Nicholson being poor in Town, and destitute of Friends, he had with all kindness assisted him; and afterwards recommended him to a Gentleman of Quality to wait upon him, and became Engaged at the same time for his Truth and Honesty, that afterwards he being out of this Place, he put him into Employment in his own Bsiness, and had trusted him with the Receipt of some hundred pounds, that he had at several times received Clipped Money from him and had sold several Ounces of melted Silver, but did never Clip any Silver himself or see any body else do it, that they were the persons really guilty, and had accused him to save themselves That particularly Nicholson had received two hundred pound at Derby, which he returned to him in Clipped Money: 
Upon which Mr. Ordinary told him, Mr. Jackson, you could not receive all this clipped money and put it off, but you must know from whence you had it, and confederate with those that clipped it, to which he only answered; You yourself Sir, without doubt, and others too, have put off clipped money without being always inquisitive from whence you received it.  
His whole Behaviour was modest and humble, and certainly never any Criminal at the hour of Death, gave greater Arguments of a broken and contrite heart, of a true and sincere Repentance than this Malefactor did. He prayed loud, with all fervency of Spirit, first with Mr. Ordinary, and then desired another Minister a Friend of his, to pray with him, which he did, with all the holy Violence of Devotion a poor penitent wretch could express his abhorrence of his sins, and beg mercy of Almighty God for his poor Soul, which was now so suddenly to appear before the great Judge of Heaven and Earth. His whole Conduct in the midst of all the Terrors of Death, was highly commended by the Spectators who were very Numerous; he behaved himself with Courage enough to show he was not afraid to die, and with all the Expressions of Sorrow and Penitence a good Christian could expire withal. The generality of persons gave sufficient Testimony how much they were affected with his Christian Behaviour, and few persons Present departed with dry Eyes. He desired some Friends who were near him, to carry his Love and Blessing to his poor Wife and child, and begged of them to be assistant to them in this their sorrowful 〈◊〉 distressed Estate.  
His Body was cut down and put into a Coffin, and delivered to his Relations, who carried it away in a Coach.    

LONDON Printed by E. Mallet in Blackhorse-Alley near Fleet-Bridge, 1684.