The Happy Sinner: OR, The Penitent Malefactor.  
BEING The Prayers and Last Words of one Richard Cromwell (some Time a Soldier and Chirurgeon in the Late D. of Monmouth's Army, and since of Their Present Majesties) who was Executed at Leichfield for Murder, on the 3d. day of July, 1691. Wherein are not only contained his Prayers, (drawn up by his own hand, which (with a little Variation) may fitly be used by most Christian People) but also his Last Speech, which is a very Pious and Godly Exhortation to all Christian People, to forsake Sin and Wickedness, and to turn to GOD, before He overtake them with His Just Judgements for their Wickedness.  
AND ALSO, His LEGACY to his County, of Choice, Physical, and Chyrurgical Receipts, viz.  

I. A Balsam for Wounds, Bruises, Pains, Aches, Stiches, and Sprains.  
II. A very Extraordinary Receipt for the Worms.  
III. Two several Receipts for that Tormenting Distemper, the Wind Colic.  
iv A Cure for all Colds or Coughs, New or Old.  
V A Purge for the Head, which Cures ●●…ost Pains, and helps the Eyesight.  
VI A General Purge, c●rrying off all Phlegm, Choler, Melancholy, from a●l parts of the Body ●hereby Curing or preventing many Diseases.  
VII. A most Excellent Plaster for all Pain●.   
And Lastly, Directions to make Two ●●veral Waters for the Eyes, with the Last of which he Cured a Boy in Leichfield that had been Blind Three Years.  
TOGETHER, With a Strange and Wonderful Account of Three Ravens Flying against the Walls of his Chamber, which he esteemed as sent by God to give him Notice of his Approaching Death.  
Licenced and Entered according to Order.  
London, Printed for R. Clavell, at the Peacock in St. Paul's Church Yard, and are to be Sold by Mich. Johnson, Bookseller in Leichfield, 1691.   

A PRAYER Applied to my Present State and Condition, being Condemned to Die the 23d. of April.  
VOuchsafe O thou God of all Mercy and Compassion, to look with Pity upon the most woeful Case of a poor Wretch, ready by the Sword of Justice to be cut off, as unworthy to live amongst Men, and like also, without thy speedy Favour, to be shut out of Heaven, and to have my part in the second Death. Truth it is O Lord, that all this, though it be grievous, yet it is no more than my desert; and touching that bodily Death, whereto I am adjudged, I must confess it to be thy Mercy and Goodness towards me, that I have been found out by the eye of the Magistrate, and stopped by the Power of Authority, from going on in further Evil: I beseech thee that my death may be both a Chastisement to me, and an Advertisement to others, to contain themselves within the Bonds of true Obedience; but now concerning my Soul, which is now e'er long to appear before the Tribunal Seat of thy great Majesty, I humbly pray thee to be merciful thereunto: I cannot but acknowledge, that if thou give me my due Recompense, I must be thrust into that dreadful place of infinite and eternal Torment, which thou hast prepared for the Wicked, the Burning whereof is Fire and much Wood, and thy Breath like a River of Brimstone doth kindle, neither see I in myself, or in any Creature, any means or possibility to escape; fearful unto me hath been the Face of an Earthly Judge, and the Sentence of Death to be inflicted upon this my House of Clay, hath made my Heart to quake, What then will become of me when I shall be Arraigned before thee, at whose rebuking the very Foundations of the Earth are discovered, and before whom, no man living can be justified? Thou, O Lord, knowest all mine Iniquities, they are sealed up with thee as in a bag, they are all noted in thy Registers; although I have many times sought for the covering of my evil ways, to hid myself in the darkness of the Night, supposing that no Eye should see me, yet thou hast still compassed my Paths, and been accustomed to all my ways; there hath not been a Thought in my Heart, or a Word in my Tongue, but thou hast wholly known it; often have I said in my heart, God will not regard, he hath forgotten, he hideth away his face, and will never see, I shall never be moved, nor be in danger; thy Word I never delighted to hear, I hated Knowledge, I would none of thy Counsel, I sought to damn up the Mouth of my Conscience that it might not Check me; when my Friends admonished me, I hated and scorned their Reproof, than it was a pastime to me to do naughtily, Wickedness was sweet in my Mouth, and would not be persuaded to forsake it; justly therefore, O Lord hast thou overtaken me, and made me eat the Fruit of my own way, bringing me to be a Spectacle of the World, to die as one of the Fools of the People, yet, O gracious God, there is Mercy with thee, and that thou art very ready to forgive, be favourable, I entreat thee to me a most unworthy Sinner: Manasses being put in Fetters, and bound in Chains, prayed unto thee, and humbled himself greatly before thee in his Tribulation, and thou wast entreated of him; the Woman of Canaan, whom thou termedst to be no better than a Dog, yet thou didst afford her some Crumbs of Mercy, and didst cause it to be unto her as she desired; the Thief at his Execution confessed his sins, and prayed to be remembered in thy Kingdom, and thou didst promise him an Entrance into Paradise: O Lord, Are not these things written for my Learning, that I, through the Comfort of these Examples might have hope? Hath thy Word spoken it in vain, That at what time soever a Sinner sigheth unto thee, thou wilt put all his Wickedness from before thee? Shall I think that thou wilt call me, being laden with my Sins, to come unto thee, and when I come, will not accept me? Make me I pray thee, to see the depth of my Sins myself; And grant also, that those which see my End, and know mine evil ways, may have some Evidence of my Repentance, and may learn of me to beware of the deceitfulness of Sin; Enable me to look with the Eye of my Faith upon my Crucified Saviour, casting myself wholly upon him; and desiring by him to be hidden from thy Wrath, give me some Taste of thy Love, and some inward and secret Pledge of thy being reconciled to me for his sake; strengthen me against the fear of Death, that albeit I have every way just Cause to tremble at it, it being both the desert of my Offences to men, and the Wages of my Sins against thee, yet having some Assurance in my Soul, that the sting thereof is plucked out, I may embrace it in my Bosom, and entertain it as an end appointed for my Misery, and as a Means to bring me unto Happiness: Thus, O Lord, with fullness of my desire, out of the bottom of this Misery and Shame which I am fallen into, to fly unto thy Mercy, and to be shrouded under the shadow of thy Grace, I Commend myself, my Soul, and my Body into thy hands, praying thee not to cast him which hath no Hope but only in thee, and that alone in and by Jesus Christ, my only Lord and Saviour. Amen, Amen.  

Isaiah 53, Ver. 3.  
O My beloved Saviour, wast thou despised and rejected of men, and shall I not learn to despise and reject myself, that I may be like to thee, approved to thee, and received by thee; wast thou a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief, who knewest not sin, and shall I who came into the world with sin, look to go out of the world without sorrow; didst thou so patiently bear the griefs, and carry the sorrows that were due for my sins, and shall not I patiently bear the griefs, and carry the sorrows that are due for mine own sins; how could I have sorrows, if I had not sins, and why should I not have patience, now I must have sorrows; wast thou stricken and smitten of God and afflicted, who wast his only begotten, and most dearly Beloved Son, and shall I look to escape the Scourge who heretofore have been his Enemy, and still am his undutiful and unworthy servant!    

His Speech to the People at his Execution.  
Good People;  
IT would much comfort my afflicted soul, if at this my last farewell to the world; I could say any thing, that may be for the benefit, as to instructions for Sobriety, Holiness, Justice, and Charity. You have them so plentiful poured out upon you, by the Reverend Dean and Ministers of this place, that have most Christianly assisted me in my afflictions, that it will be your condemnation not to observe, and Obey them; and your impieties under such plentiful means of Holiness, will be utterly inexcusable: As for my own sins, were I to live ever so long, I could not sufficiently confess, and Lament for them. But I hope the pardon hath this day been sealed unto me in the Holy Sacrament, which I have received; as to the Crime for which I suffer, I here declare in the presence of God, before whom I am instantly to appear, that I am so far innocent as not to have given him the wound, of which it is said he died on: Nay I can farther add, in the presence of God, that I had no design to kill him, or any other person whatsoever; I did not so much as see, or touch him; and consider these are the Words of a dying Man, I cannot in Charity Omit to put those in mind of their uncharitableness, who so far thirsted after my blood as to hinder means used to save it; and who by Unchristian informations have prevented that Gracious Mercy, which otherwise I might have obtained. This mercy they have obstructed, as I hear say, not only uncharitably but unjustly, by laying the most wicked falsehood to my charge, That is, that I should threaten, If I got my pardon, to be the death of Mr. Wright, or his Wife. I call God to witness, that this wickedness was never in my thoughts, and I pray God forgive them who have raised this false report: Another unmerciful slander which some have Thrown upon Me, and that since my condemnation, I have been guilty of Uncleaness with Women. I do not come hither to justify my life, God knows, it hath been too wicked. But I bless God since I was a prisoner and condemned, I have had an abhorrence of all such wickedness: God forgive them, God forgive them, and grant them True Repentance for what they have done: Lord lay not my Blood, nor their hindering of the means used to save it, to their charge.  
But that which hath given me no small Trouble, is, that I hear the Reverend, and good Dean Dr. Addison, who hath been so careful of my soul, and willing to save my life, hath been misrepresented above, for so doing, by those whom nothing could satisfy but my death; I am now going to appear before that God, before whom you must also shortly appear, and as I desire forgiveness at his hands, so I humbly forgive all.  
God bless their present Majesties, and preserve the Church of England, with the Reverend Dean, and Ministers of this place, and all who have been Charitable to me, with all others: And so I humbly beg God's pardon for all my sins, for the sake of Christ; in whose name, I recommend my Soul to his Mercy.  
I beseech all the world to forgive me, in whatsoever I have offended them, whether by thought, word, or deed: I do from the bottom of my heart forgive all those who have any way injured me: And lastly, I beseech you all, good people, to pray for me to the last Moment of my Life. Lord Jesus receive my Spirit.  
How far this unhappy Man was guilty of the Crime he died for, is too late to dispute: 'Tis indeed certain, a Man was Killed, but whether by this person, or the Switz's his companion, is now the query, since this that Suffered, denied it to the last; it may serve to inform those who are strangers to the thing, into whose hands this small book may come, that the matter appeared so on Trial, that the jury found cause to acquit the Foreigner, and bring this person in guilty, but as in most cases of this Nature different men have different Sentiments, so there were some (and of good quality too) who so far concerned themselves on his behalf as to endeavour his Reprieve, which had they not thought him an Object deserving Pity, and his case a little hard, we may reasonably conclude they would not have appeared therein.  
It may not be improper to add, & the rather, because it is a thing much talked of here where the thing was done, that though the prisoner had about six days notice to prepare for his death, yet because there had been such means used for His Reprieve, he was not wholly without hopes of life, till the day before, when he being upon his Knees in his Chamber, three Ravens light upon the prison, and after making a very great noise there, they took wing again, but immediately returning, they flew with great violence against the walls of the Room where he was, and there being a little hole or window, against which place this person was Kneeling, one of the Ravens hanging on the wall by her Claws put in her head thereat, and with so much feirceness, that it was thought, had the hole been big enough, she would have flown in at him. This at first a little frighted him, but afterwards considering, that that God that had made all creatures, had still the command over them, and remembering that the Raven is esteemed by most persons, a kind of foreteller of death, he really accounted them so to himself, and looked upon them as Messengers sent by Providence to take off his hopes of life, and warn him of his approaching end. So he esteemed them as sent by God, and from that time laid by all Hopes of a Reprieve. This was not only told by himself, but will be attested by several persons that saw them.   

These following Receipts were left by him, as a Legacy to the whole County.  
A Balsam for Wounds. 
 TAke yellow Rosin and pine Rosin, of each a quarter of a pound, Linseed Oil half a pint, Greek Pitch one Ounce, Virgins Wax two Ounces, Gum Elemni Ammonia●um, of each half an Ounce, Oil of Hypericon, and of Roses Amphaline, and of Turpentine, of each of them one Ounce and an half, of Myrrh and Mastic in Powder, of each three quarters of an Ounce; Boyl them together for half an hour, then strain it into a Pot: 'Tis excellent in all Wounds of what sort soever, Bruises, Pains, Aches, Stiches, and Sprains.  
For the Worms. 
 TAke Wormseed one Ounce, of Coralline, Ruburb and Sena, of each half an Ounce, of Coriander-seed prepared, and Hartshorn, of each one Dram; Beat them into fine Powder, a Child of a year old may take the Weight of a Silver Two Pence.  
For the Wind Colic. 
 TAke dried Betany, and powder it, and mix it with Live Honey, and make Pills of it as big as a small Hazle Nut, and take two of them at night when you go to Bed.  
For Colds. 
 Syrup of Garlic, good in all Colds and Stoppages in the Lungs or Stomach. Or take a Pint of Canary, four Ounces of White Sugar Candy, and Spanish Juice of Liquorish one Ounce, two ordinary Heads of Garlic; Let them infuse six hours, then boil it gently to a Syrup, and strain it, and take one Spoonful Night and Morning.  
A Purge for the Head, which Cures the Headache, and takes away Rheum from the Eyes, and is good in all Pains whatsoever. 
 TAke Syrup of Buckthorn one Ounce, Magistery of Scammomy in Powder ten Grains, of Black-Cherry Water two Ounces, of Aqua Mirabilis one Ounce; Mix them, and take it fasting, drinking warm Gruel as it works. Note, This is a full dose for a strong Man or Woman.  
Pills generally Purging all Humours, as Phlegm, Choler, Melancholy, from all Parts of the Body, thereby Curing many Diseases. 
 TAke Pill. Corliae the greater Composition, Pill. Aloephanginae, and Extract of Rudius, of each one Scruple, Chemical Oil of Nutmegs, one drop; Make them into six Pills, and take three at Night going to bed, and three the next Morning.  
Water for Sore Eyes. 
 TAke Plantain Water half a Pint, white Sugar Candy one Ounce, white Vitriol one dram, Sugar of Lead one dram; Boyl them a little, and strain the water for Use.  
A most excellent Plaster for all Pains in the Limbs, Sciatica, and Cold Gout; it draws out Thorns or Splinters gotten into the Flesh, under the Nails, Cures Whitlces and Andcoms, etc. 
 TAke Rosin of the Pine Tree half a pound, Gum Galbanum, and Ammoniacum, of each one Ounce, Cypress Turpentine three Ounces, Myrrh and Mastic of each one Ounce and half, Deers Suet two Ounces, Saffron in powder, half an Ounce; Boyl all to the Thickness of a Plaster to spread on Leather.  
Another for the Wind Colic. 
 TAke an equal quantity of Mint Water, Fennel Water, and the Queen of Hungaries Water, which when put together in a Bottle, and shaked, drink at Night going to Bed, and in the morning, three spoonfuls, is an Excellent Cure.  
Another for Sore-Eyes. 
 TAke Fennel one Handful, white Sugar Candy, a quarter of a pound, white Vitriol one Ounce, boil these in two quarts of Spring-Water till it come to one; if you put in the Juice of Salindine it will take away any Pearl. This water Cured a Boy in Lichfield that had been Blind three Years.  

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ALL these Ingredients mentioned, are to be had at the Apothecaries, except the Queen of Hungaries Water, which is Sold by Mich. Johnson Bookseller in Leichfield.