A true and perfect RELATION OF THE Trial, Condemning, and executing of the 24. Prisoners, who suffered for several Robberies and Burglaries at Tyburn on Friday last, which was the 29. of this instant june, 1649. Expressing the penitent end of the said Prisoners, the grief of the many Thousands there, and the Speech of john Mercer (who was there executed) concerning Unity in this Kingdom, and the bringing home and settling of the King. July 3d man executed on the gallows LONDON, Printed for G.R. in the Year 1649. A true and perfect Relation of the Trial, condemning, and executing of those 24. Prisoners, who suffered at Tyburn on Friday the 29, of June. 1649. THe robbery of the wicked shall destroy them. Proverbs 11.7. But justice is the pillar of the State, the Queen of virtues, and the Empress of Human society; without it men could not live one by another; neither durst the Father trust the son, the son the Father nor a faithful friend his seeming cordial friend, so depraved is the condition of man, in this Iron age, when scarcely a man can travel in the day time, much less in the night with a white rod (as formerly) and a charge of money, but must be strongly guarded with company, otherwise he shall lose his money, and what is worth any thing; if he fortunately escape with his life; our honourable judges judiciously taking into consideration, most maturely condemned these following, being Indicted upon several robberies, and Burglaries at the quarter Sessions last, holden in the Old Bailie in London for the County of Middlesex, and City of London. And their those most honourable Judges remembered that their office was not Jus dicere but Jus dare, to interprit Law, and to make Law, or give Law; they than showed themselves more learned than witty, more reverend than plausible, and more advised then rash; all concluding with the last of the twelve Roman Tables Salus populi suprema lex, The good of the people is the chiefest Law; which this Nation cannot but take notice of, applauding the wisdom of such grave persons, and heartily desiring that each Circuit of this Common wealth may be furnished with such worthy Patriots, that so those who are ex lex without Law, and would turn all to a Community, not respecting either the peace of this State, or quiet men's peculiar proprieties, may be took away, for Immedic●bile vulnus Ense recidendum est, ne pars sincera trahatur. Ovid Meta. The cureless wound Justice must cut, lest it infect the sound. Yet they went not so severely to wo●ke, but that they had an eye of pity to those whom the Law would pardon as not hating the persons, but the vice in the persons, not respecting the pe●son, but judging according to their several trespasses; For neither partial affection to the men, love of money, fear, nor envy, incited them to pardon, or deferred them to pronounce the final sentence against them, which was must bravel with commisseration pronounced to them on Wednesday last being the 27. of june, at the Session's house in the Old Bailie, from whence they were brought back unto Newgate, where a Minister appointed, exhorted them to provide themselves for another world, since the Lord had appointed a period to their lives in this. And they like penitent Christians did so. On Friday Morning about nine of the clock, they were tied in 8. carts and at St. Sepulchers Church the Sexton according to the usual custom, ringing his Bell made a short speech unto them. First, expressing their suffering according unto Law, then inciting them to call on Christ Jesus; and Desiring the people to pray for their souls; which being ended the carts were drove unto Tyburn the Fatal place of execution, where William Lowen the new Hangman fastened eight of them unto each Triangle, their was not much said as in relation to confession of any other thing, than what they were condemned for by any of them only john Mercer a young man desiring audience spoke to this effect as foe loweth, How that he was Indicted for murder and Burglary, (but took on his death, that he was not guilty of any murder; And then spoke to the people, saying, Pray for the prosperity of Jerusalem, let them prosper that love it, Pray (said he) for the peace of this kingdom; let men love their wives, Women their Husbands, one neighbour another, let concord and Unity be your desires, embrace them as the chiefest good, for without them their can be no happiness on earth, or beatitude hereafter; for in discord their is nothing but dissensions arise, which being sown like tares disturb an spoil the best crop and most mature Counsels. For you soldiers be sure you fight the Lords battles, and the Almighty God will be with you, and follow you, so that no doubt but success shall attend you here, peace to this miserable Kingdom, and glory to your selus hereafter; But the only way to stop that vein which is already bleeding, and to give an Antidote against future miseries which already threaten to invade this distressed Kingdom, is to pray for the peace of this City, this Kingdom, & to bring your King home, without whom their is no likelihood of peace o● settlement; for already the sword is half drawn out, but Woe be unto this already wounded Nation, if the Almighty should take it quite forth instead of sheathing it. Which being ended, the people wished him to pray for his own soul, which he with all the rest of the condemned most fervently did, as also cheerfully singing a Psalm, and then the Minister spoke unto them, to call most earnestly upon their Saviour, which with eyes and hands upward to the Heavens, they generally performed with such lamentable voices and mourning, that it moved the many thousands of people there a fare off, to pray lamentingly with them, and to echo forth when the Carts were drawn away: Lord have mercy on their souls. Thus gentle Reader, you have the true Relation of the untimely end of 23. Men, and one Woman, condemned by the Law; wherein that great multitude which were then at Tyburn, may take occasion still to call to the Almighty for grace, without which they will be left unto themselves, as these sufferers were, and all others may learn, not to rely upon themselves but on the strength of Christ Jesus: For the Devil either by ignorance or insolence, will still be insiting man unto sin: And there are three degrees of sin, suggestion, delectation, and consent, suggestion is the seed, delectation the nourishment, and consent the accomplishment: And then Laws must be in force, for good Laws without execution, are like the picture of St. GEORGE, always with his weapons up, but never striking. And those who begin to follow these Life-bereaving ways but for a time, and then intent to leave them of, let them know that Nemo repent fuit turpissimus. Jurenal. satire. 2. None on the sudden rise to the height of ill. But when they once entertain such evil ways, they are not so soon left of, as it is easier not to admit an uncivil guest then to turn him out, so is it more facile to destroy sin in the embryo, then when it is come to maturity; for Custom hardeneth, and draweth with security the lives of many to their untimely end: And thus not to restrain evil, is to maintain evil, and want of punishment is the encouragement thereof; Therefore the Almighty faith, Deut. 1.17. Ye shall not respect judgement in persons. And why but because as the Psalmist saith, Psal. 33.5. He loveth righteousness and judgement, which let all lay unto heart, and assure themselves, that although they commit their wickedness secretly, yet there shall come a time when God will inflict punishment on them, which the Poet could take notice of when he said Raro anticedentem scelestum Deseruit pede paena claudo. Horrat. Seldom the villain, though much hast he make Lame footed vengeance seem to overtake. And the Scripture verifies the same in many places, therefore to defer all our souls from these regnant sins, let us lay before our eyes, the untimely death of men thus suffering; the stain upon their memories, which time cannot blot out, the grief of their woeful Parents, Wives and Children, the shame of their kindred, acquaintance and friends; with the loss of their precious souls for eternity. For Numb. 32.23. Be sure your sin shall find you out, and except ye repent, ye shall all perish. The Names of the 23. Men, and one Woman, who were executed at Tyburn the 29. of June, 1649. Thomas Smith William Moreton John Mer●cer John Blymvell Henry Woods Robert Everet Hamlet Child William Burr Ralph Harrison George Brown Joseph Rogers Thomas Whiteing. Thomas Trodd john Carter Henry Pate Nathaniel Bishop Francis Swayte Edward Minson Roger Dounes Rowland Bateman Richard Broadwater Thomas Crook George Hewlet Mary jones. Finis.