A True Relation Of a most Barbarous and Bloody Murder Lately Committed on the Body of Mr. Tho. Clarke, Minister and Schoolmaster in the Parish of St. Margaret's Westminster.  
COuld we defend ourselves by the Power of Sin from the Punishment that attends it, or if the deceitful Pleasures thereof could afford us any Comfort in our Sufferings, we should have some encouragement to be wicked; But when our utmost Reward is only to be Eternally Miserable, certainly he that wilfully transgresses the Laws of God, sins against the Light of his own Reason, and purchases Damnation at the price of his Immortal Soul: Yet notwithstanding this great Truth, which is so often published to the World, there still remains too great a number of Wicked and Impenitent Sinners, who obstinately resisting the workings of God's Holy Spirit, go on in their Diabolical Practices, of which Murder is not the least heinous, too sad an Instance whereof the following Relation does make manifest, which gins thus:  
On Tuesday the 23d of October, 1688. The Body of Mr. Thomas Clarke, Minister and Schoolmaster, was found Murdered in his Bed in the following manner. The aforesaid Mr. Thomas Clarke having the Charge of a Free-School, well known by the Name of Palmer's School, at the Almshouses near the Artillery Ground in the Parish of St. Margarets-Westminster, the Boys under his Care coming at their usual hour in the Morning, but not finding their Master, nor the School Dores open as customary, was the occasion, as we are informed, of a strict search by the Neighbours after him, his dwelling House being at the lower end of the Garden belonging to the School and Almshouses, and in his Lodging Chamber up one pair of Stairs they found him lying Murdered on his Bed, with his right hand fastened with a piece of Greasy filleting to the right post of the Beds Feet, and his Feet lying cross to the left side of the Beds Head, with a piece of Packthread tied about his right Leg, and a Neckcloth about his Neck of an inconsiderable value, though 'tis to be observed that he always wore Bands in the day time, and a piece of the Sheet, as it is supposed, was cut off and tied about his Neck; as far as w●●an apprehend, by which piece of Sheet, or the aforementioned Neckcloath 'tis imagined that he was Strangled, being some Blood was found upon the knot of the piece of Sheet, for a certain Gentleman that was one of the Jury, and very curious in searching for private Wounds, found upon opening the Mouth of the Murdered Person, a great quantity of Coagulated Blood, which does sufficiently demonstrate that he was Strangled as it is before mentioned, though there was a Contusion on the left Arm, and another upon his left Leg, both Arm and Leg not being tied at the view of the Jury.  
May the Reading of this Tragical Account learn us to abhor from the bottom of our Hearts the Bloody and Detestible Sin of Murder, which seldom or never goes Unpunished, and though God's Vengeance may seem to sleep for a time, yet let not those Wretched Villains, whose Hands were imbrued in the Blood of this Innocent Person deceive themselves, for Heaven still keeps a watchful Eye over such Profligate Wretches whose Blood-Thirstiness seldom misses of a suitable Reward even in this Life.  
FINIS.   

Licenced, Novemb. 1st. 1688.   

LONDON, Printed by John Wallis in White-Fryers near the great Gate in Fleetstreet. 1688.