NEWS FROM SUSSEX: Or, the Barbarous ROBBER Strangely Convicted.  
Being a full and true RELATION Of one gardener that was hanged upon the Testimony of his own Daughter; at the last Assizes at East-Greenstead in Sussex.  
With the Carriage of him and his Companion that suffered with him for the same Fact, both at the Bar, in Prison, and at the place of Execution, the 15th of this Instant March 1676.  

With Permission,  
March 23. 1675/ 6. H. O.   
London: Printed for D. M. 1676.   

News from Sussex: or the barbarous Robber strangely convicted.  
THe Lent-Assizes held at East-Greenstead, for the County of Sussex, yielded few extraordinary or remarkable Occurrences, besides the Condemnation of one gardener for a barbarous Burglary and Robbery, by him committed above a year and a half ago; which was not till these Assizes discovered, being then positively proved against him by his own Daughter: the Circumstances of the matter being thus.  
This gardener had for the most part of his time been a very bad liver; several times taxed for pilfering and purloining tricks, and once branded in the hand already for Felony. He lived not far from Horsham, and( as I am informed) had no more Children but this Daughter that gave evidence against him, and was legally instrumental to his punishment: For though he had received several cheks and corrections, as by Imprisonment and Burning in the hand, as aforesaid, that it seems he was so far hardened in evil, that he would take no warning, but still pursued his wicked courses, till they brought him to destruction and an untimely end. For this Daughter after her Mothers death being by him put out unto, or taken to keep by one Davis her Mothers Brother living in the Parish of Shipley about 4 or 5 miles from Hoasham. Her Father was wont often to come thither to visit her, being kindly entertained and made welcome by his Brother-in-law: But notwithstanding these civilities, coming, by I know not what means, to understand that there was a pretty considerable sum of money in the house, and observing that there was usually no more that lay in the house a nights but this Daughter and her Uncle, he resolves with some of his Confederates to make themselves masters of it.  
And accordingly about a week before Michaelmas last was twelve months, he and one or two of his Asociates came in the night-time( the properest season for such deeds of darkness) to this Davis's house, and having got a Coulter( an iron Instrument belonging to a Plough) they therewith forced open the door; the noise whereof awakened the man of the house, who perceiving Thieves entering into his house, and concluding he should be undone if they effected their wicked design, took courage( though he had none but this poor maid to second him) to oppose them; and accordingly with what Weapon he could light upon in that distraction, he fought with them a considerable time, keeping them out of the door of the room wherein he lay; but at last one of them( who since appears to be this gardener) broken in upon him through the wall, and then seeing himself overmastered, he submitted: But their Mercies proved very inhuman Cruelties; for this person that came in through the wall, not content to conquer and rob him, after he had yielded to their violence, most barbarously with the aforesaid Coulter, broken both his arms, and gave him several other grievous bruises and wounds; and then having laid him as it were dead on the floor, and bound the young wench, and turned her on her face, swearing, They would kill her if she durst look up: They lighted a Candle and fell to pillaging the house, but first broken open a Chest wherein the money was, which they took away to a considerable value, and several other things which they thought fit for their turn; and so leaving the Girl bound and the man in that lamentable condition, they departed with their Booty; no less wickedly got, than it was like to be dearly paid for.  
For notwithstanding their severe Charge, the maid apprehending them very busy in rummaging the Chests, took the boldness now and then to peep up a little, and by the light of the candle could plainly discover her Father to be the man that carried the Coulter in his hand, which he still made use of to open Boxes or any thing he had a mind to look into. She likewise had an opportunity to view the face of one other of the Thieves, and took such good notice as to know him again: but when they were gone, would not discover a word of it to her Uncle, fearing, as she has since confessed, that if she should have spoken any thing, her Father or some of his Comrades would kill her.  
It was a long time before the poor wounded Man got the use of his Limbs again, his Life being for a great while much despaired of. But he always had a violent Suspicion of his Brother-in-Law, to be the principal Villain that did him the Injury; having had some glimpses of of him as they fought together in the Dark and afterwards; yet deferred the Prosecution, the rather, for that in truth, this gardener following continually such base courses, was not to be found.  
But at last, Providence having designed him a Punishmenr suitable to his Wicked ways, both he and his former practices were brought to light: For this last Winter having with one Deadman been concerned in stealing some Wheat out of a Barn, they were appehended thereupon, and Committed to the common Goal for the County of Sussex. And then, and not till then, the young Maid acquainted her Uncle, that it was her Father that was one that robbed him: Whereupon he carried her with him to the Assizes, in order to prosecute against him. And it is said, That as soon as gardener( who before was very cheerful, not fearing but to get off about the Wheat, for which he was committed) heard they were come to Town, he presently began to despair of escaping, and was heard to say; O then I am a dead man. And as soon as his Daughter saw him and the rest of the Prisoners, she pointed to Deadman, affirming, That he was one that was with her Father in the robbing of her Uncle.  
Whereupon an Indictment being preferred against them by Davis, and found by the Grand Inquest, they were brought to their trial, where Davis swore onely to Circumstances, and that to the best of his knowledge, they were the men; but the Daughter swore it directly and positively, that they were the very same: Upon which gardener spoken to her in Court in these words: child, look upon me, am I not thy Father? and what have I done, that thou shouldst go about to take away my Life thus falsely and maliciously? And thereupon proceeded to make many protestations of his Innocency in the Fact charged against him, but the Maid with much assurance, answered to this effect: I confess you are my Father, and I am sorry to see you in this Condition; but many a good child may have a bad Father: I am upon my Oath, and my Soul is dearer to me than my Father: I speak nothing but the Truth, and that I must and will speak.  
And so repeated her Evidence, and persisted in it, That he was one of them that robbed her Uncle, and the very man that gave him those cruel blows whereby his Limbs were broken, and that Deadman was another of them; whereupon the Jury for life and death, brought them in guilty, and they both received Sentence to die for the same.  
After their Condemnation, they denied their doing it to a Minister, that went to visit them in order to Preparation for their latter End; but did not seem to express such outward signs of their being sensible of their sad Condition, as might have been expected. One of them being questioned as he went to Execution by a Gentleman of Quality, formerly his Master, whether he had ever wronged him. He solemnly protested, that He had not; but confessed, that since, he had been very Guilty of Theft, and injured divers Persons: but affirmed That for that very Fact, for which he was now to Die, he was innocent. And so they both avowed at the gallows: But very few people have yet the Charity to believe them. However the Law proceeded justly, and the Executioner did his Office: And their Case is now left to the judgement of a Higher Tribunal, where no mistakes can be committed.  
There were no more Executed these Assizes.  
FINIS.