the purity of his hands propitiate for the filthiness of mine let his Blood spilt upon the Cross expiate for that which I have spilt upon the ground O! my heart bleeds within me I could endure a thousand torments but a wounded Conscience who can bear so wofull and so eternally miserable is my condition without the assistance of the Almighty thou art my succour and my terror but I fly from thee unto the from the Tribunal of thy Justice to the bosom of thy Mercy though the Wages of sin is death yet I beseech thee for thy Mercy sake free me though not from Temporal death yet from that which is Eternal that my Execution here may be my passing to Glory O! thou who willest not the death of a Sinner save my Soul though my sins be like Manasses numberless as the Sand like Davids Red as the Scarlet yet thou canst make me whiter than Snow wash me with Hyssop give me a sincere compunction and a perfect abhorrence of my wicked self that I may lay fast hold upon Christ through lively faith and repentance and then welcome torments and death it self then though I die I shall live to this end and purpose to enlighten my mind and dark understanding with those graces that are requisite for a dying man let thy preventing Graces keep me from the Devil my former confederate and now my adversary O! give me Grace not to yield any more to his suggestions Let him not betray my Soul but that I may stand upon my guard and baffle all his assaults that as he overcame me here I may live to conquer him and at my death triumph over him and all his Strategies Lord thou knowest the retirement of my Breast the secrets of my bosom pity my wofull Condition and lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me in order to the removal of this Clog upon my Conscience that I rightly understanding what I have committed may not deceive my self with the show of Repentance and finally through thy Grace and Mercy inherit the Kingdom which my Saviour purchased for me to whom be ascribed all Honour and Glory c. Of Contrition O Holy Lord God who art a Mercifull imbracer of true Penitents but yet a consuming fire to obstinate and perverse sinners shall I approach thee who have so many provoking sins to inflame thy wrath and so little sincere Repentance to incline thy Mercy O be thou pleased to soften and melt this hard and obdurate heart of mine that I may water my Couch with Tears that I may heartily bewail the Iniquities of my life and mourn for my Scarlet sins and blush for my hainous crime strike this Rock O Lord that the Waters may flow out even floods of Tears to wash my polluted Conscience my drowsy Soul hath too long slept securely in sin my life hitherto has been but a sinful dream Lord awake my Soul though it be with Thunder and let me rather feel thy terrors than not feel my sins thou hast sent thy son to heal the broken hearted but Lord what will that avail me if my heart be whole O break it that it may be capable of his healing virtue and grant I beseech thee that having once tasted the bitterness of my sin I may fly from it as from the face of a Serpent and take my Sanctuary in the Arms of my Saviour that I by the showers of thy Grace may bring forth the fruits of a sincere Repentance in the speedy amendment of my life to the praise of thy Name the Comfort of my Friends and the Eternal welfare of my Immortal Soul for Jesus Christ his sake Our Father c. For Patience O Lord God of our Salvation which art the God of Patience and Mercy and givest Comfort and consolation to those that are in misery and distress stay the unbridled Nature of my dear Wife who is now over-whelmed with misery sorrow and distress give her Patience and strengthen her feeble Nature in all discontentedness of mind doubts fears murmurings rage and furious actions in this life let no prophaness enter into her heart but grant her a stayed mind a grave sober and quiet disposition O! thou that so patiently peaceably mildly meekly truly and willingly didst suffer affliction persecution and many hainous and heavy sorrows for us I beseech thee let thy Patience discharge and rule her Impatience and let thine infirmities strengthen her weakness informe her Ignorance comfort her in sadness and affliction kindle her love and discharge and abandon her fear moderate her anger and passion O Lord grant her true Patience to bear thy Holy Will in all things O Lord her Heart bleeds within her she is brought very low even to the Gates of death though she be reviled reproached bespitted scoffed and abused let her bear it patiently and give her thy Grace and patience to take all in good part whatsoever shall befall her and let her heart acknowledge it to be thy doings and to come from thy Providence and our base unruly minds quiet her Soul in the many disquieting changes and chances in this world and open her Eyes now in her discomfort necessi and need that she may see hope and comfort in thee prosper her in all her endeavours and Actions and grant I beseech thee that she may obtain her hearty desire Make me O Lord a joyfull Mother and speak comfortably to her Soul and tell her that the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World will have Mercy upon her O Lord Jesus it is the Joy of her Heart to hear that thou hast taken and born all our infirmity I humbly mind thee for thy promises for the performance of them all that we may be partakers Prevent her from all evil that may befall her and tearm all things to the best for her good in thee and grant her Patience and thy will be done for Jesus Christ his sake who is the Son of thy Love and our only Saviour Jesus Christ in whose name I further call upon thee saying Our Father c. Besides he had with his own hand noted the most comfortable Promises and places fit for his Condition in the Bible writing down the words at large which since it may possibly be useful to some sin-sick Soul we have here also inserted them in the words of his own Paper as follows Psal 15.14 Deliver we from blood-guiltiness O God thou God of my Salvation and my Tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness Let Tears run down like a River day and night give thy self no rest let not the Apple of thine eye cease Lam. 2 18 19. Arise cry out in the night in the beginning of the Watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord. Hos 13.9 Thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help Job 14.13 14. O that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave that thou wouldst keep me secret untill thy wrath be past If a
〈◊〉 BLOODY MURTHERER OR THE UNNATURAL SON HIS Iust Condemnation At the Assizes Held at Monmouth MARCH 8. 1671 2. With the Suffering of his Sister and Servant For the MURTHER of his Mother Mrs. GRACE JONES FOR WHICH The said Son was prest to Death his Sister burnt and his Boy Hang'd WITH A True Accompt of their TRIALS Penitent Behaviour Prayers Speeches and Circumstances thereunto Relating With Letters of several Worthy DIVINES Filius ante Diem Quis ista legendo Temperet à Lachrymis By Allowance LONDON Printed by H. Lloyd for Jonathan Edwin at three Roses in Ludgat-street 1672. A POEM upon the late Execrable Murther committed by Henry Jones and his Confederate Boy George Bridges Octob. 11 1671. upon his Mother Mrs. Grace Jones of Monmouth Widow and their deserved Executions the one March 11. the other March 16. 1671 2. AND did a Pistol-shot distain the Ground With crimson Gore showr'd from the gushing wound Of a fond Mother which aloud did cry And with revengeful language pierce the sky And was this horrid Matchless Murther done To a kind Mother by an unkind son A son how Admiration struck mine eyes And all my apprehensive faculties When I beheld the man transform'd with wonder Sensless I stood as one struck down with Thunder This barb'rous Act in never dying Rimes Shall be transmitted to succeeding times And whilst the glittering Orbs in Order roul Their burning rayes about the fixed Pole Be Annaliz'd in the black Rolls of Fame As a Memorial of the foulest shame Monster of men what made thee to decoy Thy Parent to destruction and thy Boy Ah! was thy heart hew d from a Parian Rock Or to it did curs'd Nature set a Lock To Shut out pity was it walld with brass Or much more Steel'd then Salvage Nero's was Could nothing but thy Mothers Blood supply Th' ambitious thirst of thy insatiate eye Deluded wretch experience le ts thee know That thou art ruin'd by her overthrow And that thy big-womb'd wife might be possess'd Of dear-bought lands thou terribly art press'd Dismall effects of love with massy stones O what sad ends attend Sanguineous ones And thou vile Boy who did'st rescind the throat Of thy head wounded Mystriss thou hast got A shamefull death to thy foul practice due And now the Master of the damned crew Payes thee thy wages if thou didst not make Thy peace with God in the infernal Lake Thou didst do well to clear the Maid from guilt But better if her blood thou hadst not spilt The Wicked Life Horrid Murther and Penitent Death of HENRY JONES ALthough the unhappy Times we live in which may not unfitly be termed the very Rust of the Iron-age are too pregnant with sad instances of prodigious Crimes and unparallel'd Villanies Men striving with a cursed Emulation to out-vie each other in wickedness And that crying Scarlet-sin of Murther so overflows like a torrent almost in every street That it seems to many but a piece of Gallantry to stab at the Majesty of God by killing and destroying Man his Image yet shall we seldom meet with any Impiety swell'd to that height in all Circumstances as this which at present hath engaged our Pen. An Action that at once infringes all Bonds of Gratitude and Obligations of Humanity and violates the Tyes of Nature as well as the Dictates of Grace so strange and lamentable so cruel and execrable that it needs no flourish of words or Epithets to render it odious but is in it self so transcendently abominable as it is uncapable of being aggravated by any Rhetorick for who hears of a Mother wilfully murther'd by her own Son but his senses startle and his heart is instantly brimful of horrour and indignation The perfect Narrative of this deplorable Fact with its concomitant circumstances we undertake not out of prejudice to the deceased Malefactor who having partly satisfied the Law by yielding up his body to death here on earth hath as we hope and have no weak Grounds to believe as shall appear in the sequel obtained a Pardon also of Almighty God for such his grievous sin that his Soul may live for ever in Heaven Nor do we publish it to gratifie their liquorish Fancies who delight in hearing strange stories or to furnish the already too talkative World with more vain Discourses But to the end that the Readers observing herein as in a Chrystal Mirrour the variety and violence of the Devils temptations And the Allurements of sin wherewith these poor Creatures the Authors and Actors of this horrid Butchery suffered themselves to be seduced with the Miraculous detection and severe punishment of the same Nay by the terrours thereof be for the future retained within the lists of Charity towards Men filial respect and duty towards their Parents and Superiors and which includes all religious obedience towards God and his Commandments And I hope the World wicked and insensible as it is hath not yet so totally renounced and abandoned all Vertue Piety and Prudence as not a little by these Examples to reflect and imitate the wise and skilful Pilot who mourns to see the Rocks whereon his fellow-Voyagers have suffered shipwrack and yet again rejoyceth that by the sight thereof he may avoid his own Lastly that we may all admire the Riches of Gods Grace which denies not to receive the vilest and most crimson sinners whenever they with a sincere and hearty Repentance make their Addresses to his Throne for mercy and forgiveness The principal Actor in this barbarous Tragedy was Henry Jones the son of Thomas Jones late of Monmouth in Southwales and Grace his Wife Parents miserably unhappy to bring into the World so ungrateful and unnatural a Wretch that justly came to suffer an ignominious death for bereaving her of life from whom he thus derived his own It were no less injury to truth then affront to the Countrey of his Nativity should we deny him to be by descent a Gentleman his Father being a Person of a competent estate and good repute in those Parts But alas what a sorry and contemptible Glory is it to bear only the empty names and painted Coats of Generous Ancestors whilst we by neglecting the imitation of those vertues that first made them eminent disgrace their Memories and commit Actions more vile then the basest of the plebeian Rabble His Provident Father considering That no quality does more adorn or embellish then Learning took particular care to have his greener years seasoned with the Rudiments of Literature which one would have thought should have served him for the more regular Conduct of his future life and rein'd him in from such matchless enormities But Learning alone without being grafted on a stock of good natural Parts and watered with the dew of Heavenly Grace is commonly not only barren of happy fruit but very dangerous whilst it puffs up its empty-headed Possessors and makes them self-will'd conceited and temerarious in their undertakings He was no sooner arriv'd to
who was drawn by you to be a partaker of Blood that so his sin and misery as well as your own may incite and draw on to Repentance Pray without ceasing for Mercy Pardon and Peace cry unto God for a broken and contrite heart and say often with a bleeding heart as David Psal 51.14 Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God let prayer be your continual exercise Above all things pray for a saving sight and sense of sin and of your need of Christ And that you may be deeply humbled as well for your other sins as this last was not your breath in unprofitable discourse which may be better spent this way You have a blessed Eternity to provide for and all the time you have to live on Earth is little enough to bewail the sins of your life and to fit your self for an everlasting state Therefore redeem your precious time and account every Minute of great value be very thrifty of it Oh let not drinking gaming or vain talk devour those precious hours which you may and ought to improve for your Eternal Salvation Redeem all you can from sleep company vain discourse c. and spend it in self-examination humuliation prayer confession of sins and supplication for Mercy Remember God upon your Bed and meditate on him in the night watches remember the greatness of your sin and the worth of your Soul and let it be your great business to get the one pardoned and the other saved If Soul-helping friends come to visit you hold them fast and intreat their Prayers and Counsel and let them not leave you till you hove reaped some spiritual benefit from them but if worldly and carnal friends come to see you such as have little favour of God and Grace dismiss them speedily with some good admonition for the time they stay is like to be lost which you should esteem as an unvaluable Treasure Lastly let me intreat you for your Souls sake and by the Prayers that I have made and the Tears I have shed for it that you would not slightly read these lines which I have written nor throw them away after once reading them but that you would ponder on them and endeavour to practice the instructions given you by him that desires your Repentance and Salvation And oh that God would set your sin home to your Conscience and save you from Eternal death and the wrath to come By what I have written you see that I look not upon you as utterly past hope and help your sin though great is not unpardonable if you can truly believe and heartily repent the blood which David and Manassah shed was upon their true Repentance forgiven And the Arm of the Lord is not shortened nor the Fountain of Mercy exhausted The Blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin 1 John 1.7 Though they be as Red as Scarlet or as Crimson Isa 1 18. You are not yet so far from Heaven but you may by true Faith and Repentance get it Nor are you so near Hell but you may yet by the means of God escape it but remember the Work you have to do is great your time short and your strength small therefore whatsoever you find in your heart to do for your Salvation do it with all your might Eccles 9.10 you have lost too much time already loose no more but immediately about this great Work to make up the dreadful breach that is between God and your Soul and to fit it for his glorious presence which that you may diligently and faithfully perform to your everlasting Salvation is and shall be earnestly requested whilst you are on this side the Grave by him who is Your Souls Friend and Remembrancer Tho. Jackman Directed thus For Mr. Henry Jones Prisoner in Monmouth BY the labours of the aforesaid Ministers and the repeated perusal of this Pathetical Soul-searching Heart-melting Letter it pleased the great God in infinite Mercy to give this desperate Malefactor a sense of his most dangerous state the grievousness of his sins and the necessity of a Christ to preserve him from the Jaws of everlasting destruction henceforward he was very little concerned for his body or the pains of death it was to suffer but extreamly sollicitous about the affairs of his Soul He was often bewailing his sinful heart and the Errors of his life how much time he had wretchedly wasted in the Devils service and how little he had now to spend for Gods Glory and his Souls advantage he was very diligent in reading the Holy Bible and good Books and very frequent and fervent in Prayer some forms of which we conceive for the assistance of his Memory were found after his death in writing in the Prison which take as follows O Almighty God Lord of Heaven and Earth Judge of Angels and Men give leave to a vile wretched and dejected Soul to come into thy presence who deserves nothing but Plagues and Torment Fire and Brimstone permit a trembling Malefactor to look towards thy Mercy Seat and for Jesus sake attend unto my cry and hear the voice of my Tears O Eternal goodness if thou forsakest me the huge load of my sins will sink me into desperation and fiery Prison my estate is most sad and pittyable and there is none to deliver me let thy tender Mercies speedily prevent me for I am brought very low I am astonished at the sight of my Iniquities for they are great and numberless O Lord support me with thy blessed Arms or I shall fall into a Sea of misery and never rise again fear and terrours do surround me and the evil spirits watch for my ruine may I not a grievous sinner beg one drop of comfort who am ready to perish may I not pray to thee in the time of my distress when thy fierce Waves are coming over my Soul my pensive fainting and troubled Soul I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am dictracted wilt thou be angry with me for ever wilt thou draw out thine anger into all Generations most Gracious God give me leave to lie at thy sacred feet and sigh and mourn and bewail my self a little before I descend into my Grave where there is no repenting give me leave to confess my Iniquities and beg this favour that I may not go down into the Regions of darkness and dwell with Devils Ezek. 18.31 thou willest not the death of sinners thou takest no pleasure in their Torments O then Well-spring of Life and Salvation who hast promised pardon to the penitent let the sighing of the Prisoner come before thee whose heart is melted in the midst of his Bowels I confess O Lord I have been proud and prophane and despised thy truths I have been greedy of the world and distrusted thy providence I have made hast to be rich and ruined my self This O God was the bitter root from whence all my sorrows do grow my worldly-mindedness This made
that Age which loyally though not always truly entitles us to discretion but he was freed from the Tyranny of the Rod and Ferula and Articl'd with an Attorney an Imploy not unlike to continue and thrive since Pride Fraud Malice Revenge and Contention do daily increase amongst Neighbours But Ludit in Humanis divina Potentia rebus We fondly to our selves great things propose But their Events 't is Heaven alone that knows Whilst his careful and Indulgent Parents feed themselves with hopes of his rising by the Law 'T is alas his destiny most wretchedly to fall by it He wore out his five years Tearm with his Master without any thing worthy of 〈…〉 unless we shall say that by keeping debauched Company learning to drink and other Extravagancies too frequently practised by some I had almost said in this seducing Age by most young Clâ—rks he then laid a foundation for the sad Superstructure of his succeeding life and that his ruine may perhaps not amiss be calculated from thence After the Expiration of his said Tearm he continued some time in London making Addresses and Courtship to several Women but not succeeding herein and his father being lately dead leaving him some estate though it seems not enough to satisfie his boundless desires He thereupon returns home to Monmouth and married the Daughter of a Glocester-shire Gentleman with whom as 't is reported he had a competent Portion and one that had it stood with the Decrees of Providence seem'd to deserve a better Match since Fame gives her the commendable Character of vertuous and discreet But since Marriages are first ordained in Heaven before they are consummated on Earth 't is equal vanity in any that have submitted their Necks to that yoke to murmur and complain As 't is for Bowlers when they have made their Cast to cry either Rub or Fly Heaven to some gives agreeable and happy Consorts to assist and support their weaknesses to others lewd and unequal Yoke-fellows for the trial of their patience The first have Reason to applaud its mercy in Hymns of Thanksgiving the last to evidence their own obedience by a cheerful submission in the discharge of their Duties The old Gentleman his father being very tenderly affectionate towards his wife and having other children fot her to maintain left her at his death an estate of about 100 l. per ann for life that was afterwards to descend to the said Henry her son which brings us directly to the occasion that first excited this inconsiderate wicked young Man to the horrid thoughts of murthering her He found this rate of living above what his estate or Practice of Law which he followed in the Country could maintain and would often be borrowing money of his Mother somtimes pretending one urgent occasion and then another which she like a kind Mother for several times very readily supply'd him with At last finding by his often requests her small Exchequer would soon be exhausted and that he wasted it vainly and profusely she grew more reserved and less free to part with her money which put him into a rage and the devil takes hold of the opportunity to mind him of 100 l. per ann to come to him after her death and suggested that she liv'd too long hereupon without fear of God or regard to his soul he like an unnatural Villain entertains thoughts of sending her out of the world hellish thoughts and infernal resolutions which will not only strangle those that embrace but confound all that hearken to them he consults about this bloody business with his will not his conscience with his wicked heart but not with his precious soul His faith is so weak towards God and so strong with the devil that he will not retire with grace but advance with impiety His wilde youth hath no regard to her Reverend Age nor hath all the blood that streams in his veins power to prompt him that 't is derived from hers which he goes about most inhumanely to spill he is hellishly resolved on the matter and now proceeds to the manner of her Tragedy He proposes to himself several ways for to murther her and the Devil who is never absent on such hellish occasions makes him as well industrious as vindictive and implacable in the contriving and finishing it At last having a servant a Boy of about fifteen years of Age named George Bridges the son as is reported of a Butcher he resolves to make him his Confederate and Confident in this black design whereupon preparing him with fair words obliging him to secrecie with horrid Oathes and Imprecations and tempting him with a Promise of five pounds in Money and a new suit of Cloathes for his infernal service in the business he discovers to him his intentions of killing his Mother and engag'd him therein But she seldom going forth they knew not how to bring about their wicked purpose though for a Moneth together they waited for an opportunity At last he inspires them with a stratagem which took effect to all their Ruines Thiâ— wicked Son and his young Villain privately steal several Sheaves of Corn out of a Barn his Mother had in the Fields not above a quarter of a Mile distant from Monmouth Town and carry them down to a small Wood about two Furlongs beyond the said Barn on a River-side call'd Munnow being a place designed for Executing their Inhumane Villiany having thus laid the Train and spread his Nets for the Life of his Innocent Mother this graceless Son on Wednesday the Eleventh of October last past like a cursed Hypocrite under the officious and specious pretences of care and diligence invites his tender Mother to her own bloody Funeral coming and acquainting her that she had certainly lost Corn out of her aforesaid Barn and that he had often told her so but she would never beleeve it but now he could make it appear if she would be pleased to go with him thither and that she would do very well to look after it Hereupon through his much importunity she condescended and went with him towards the Evening in her Slippers to the Barn where seeing Corn scattered towards the afore-mentioned Wood he told her it was gone that way to his knowledge for says he if you go but a little further you shall find several Sheaves of your Wheat which she yielding to came to the Wood-side but was very unwilling to go in till by his Intreaties she was prevail'd upon and according to his Stories found indeed several Sheaves but meets also with a Death no less cruel then unexpected for as she was stooping to take up some of the ears of Corn and rubbing them in her hands to see whether they were thresh'd or no this graceless inhumane and unnatural Wretch her Son attended with his aforesaid Confederate George Bridges who had waited on them thither discharges a Pistol at her from which she received a mortal shot with a slug or loget in the right side
God of Heaven and Earth for thee and my poor child or Childrens welfare when born I do beseech the for Jesus sake to feare God and pray Continually to him to endue thee and thy poor child or more with grace wisedom and understanding and to give thee a contented mind in what estate Soever he is pleased to set thee That thou mayst take all things with a true religious and satisfied eye praising him in every thing and doing no wrong to any man but what good thou canst to all never covering any mans estate or plenty of Riches but satisfied with any small competent maintenance wherewith to supply thee and my poor Child or Childrens bodies in this life and to make you more sensible of a better which is to come I should have bin very glad to have heard thou wert safely delivered of thy burden before I die But since it pleaseth Almighty God that it shall be otherwise I desire thee to be contented and to bear all the Lords dispensations very patiently who I hope will turn all things to the best for thee in short time As for my suffering an ignominious and terrible death I conjure thee not immoderately to afflict thy self about it Oh! consider how flight and trivial the momentary pains I can here go through are in comparison of those inconceiveable endless torments which I must confess my self justly to have deserved bless the Lord with me that he hath dealt so gently as to awaken me to a sense of my horrid sins That I now see the sinfulness of sin of all sin and the need of a Iesus Through whose pity grace and mercy I stedfastly hope though my body suffer for a moment yet my poor soul shall be pardoned freed and absolved from eternal damnation And that he will make thee and all the Worid take example by me not to offend so good and gracious a God And as for my Sister Mary who is to suffer with me or presently after I do hereby assure thee and all the World as I have a soul and hope for salvation she is as clear free innocent and guiltless from having any hand in contriving plotting or knowing any thing of my Mothers death before or after as any of her Prosecutors or of the Officers who took me upon suspicion until they themselves did suspect me And therefore I think it is some just and deserved affliction which God is pleased to lay upon me for the sins of our Parents not but that we have deserv'd this and ten thousand times more for the sins we have commitred our selves However I desire thee hence to consider how angry the Lord is with us sometimes when he is pleased to inflict such punishment upon her for leud living and committing such sins as are termed with all people small and little made of amongst men in our times Consider I say my dear Heart my dear Life my dear Self what odious and hateful a thing the least sin is in the sight of Almighty God since she poor wretch is now to be burnt to death for lewd living wantonness lying living merrily and idlely Oh my dear Wife go sorrowing to thy Grave for the days of thy vanity and that idle merry life thou hast formerly lived in Do not buy such trifles and indeed a nothing but sorrow at so dear a Price as the love of so holy a God and a happy Eternity O my dear heart it cannot choose but make thee tremble to read it as well as me to write it what sins have I committed in killing my Mother and what Punishment have I deserved for such great sins when my poor dear Sister is punish'd for so small offences as people term them but great with God How ought I to pray the Lord to pardon me so great faults and that for so small pains and little punishment Oh praise the Lord all the days of thy life for his goodness and mercy towards us both in this life and that which is to come Keep the day that I am put to death as a solemn Fast from diet but especially from sin with Prayers and Thanksgiving to the end of this thy mortal life Retire and confine thy self to a solitary and solid way of living have as little to do with any in worldly affairs as thou canst let thy house be in some retired place free from frequent Resorters unless it be they who fear God and live soberly and godly in this present wicked world let such be thy Comforters and Companions â—live like the Ostrich and Pellican Comfort thy self in nothing but in the Lord God bring up mine and thy poor childe or children always in the fear of the Lord And whatever thou doest be continually in prayers for them and thy poor self My dear Mall And when thou art most under affliction and distress in this life be then most frequent fervent in prayers before God confessing all thy sins even those thou mayst count small as well as great and presumptuous sins desiring pardon and forgiveness and grace and abstinence for the future be humble m ek and lowly at all times but especially when thou art before Almighty God I would have written more large unto thee but I refer my self to the bearer who will I hope satisfie thee fully and how and when I was put to death I can say no more but my Dearest Dear farewel Farewel on Earth Thy dying Husband hoping to meet in Heaven Monmouth March 11. 1671. Henry Jones After this being brought into the place where Execution was to be done which was in a Cellar belonging to George Sadler the Goaler After several pious and devout Ejaculations he spake to the Spectators to this effect ' That he came very willing to suffer death since the crimes he had committed were so odious both in the sight of God and man That he acknowledged he no longer deserved to tread on the face of the earth or to look up to Heaven That he had been a very wicked Liver from his youth up and that the burthen of his sins would be much more grievous to his soul then the weight that was to press his body to death had he not a firm belief and assured hope That his blessed Saviour would preserve him from sinking under them whose Promise it is Come to me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give rest to your souls He exprest himself deeply affected with the sense of his guilt in drawing in his boy to be a sharer in the horrid Act He exprest himself now in Charity and reconciled to all the world but his wicked self He confest it was covetousness and extravigancy or rather covetousness to maintain extravigancy that first put him upon this wicked Act of murthring his dear and tender Mother he wish'd that all the World might take warning by him not to get a habit and live in a custom of sinning though only in things which we count little things and venial
escapes lest thereby they provoke the Justice of God to give them to commit some great and monstrous wickedness as he had done and thereby brought himself to this untimely and infamous death Finally he desired all that were present to be earnest with God in his behalf for mercy and acceptance in Christ Iesus Taat he might be patient in the pangs of his sufferings and receive everlasting tonsolation whereupon a godly Divine there present made this ensuing Prayer The Prayer said at Henry Jones his Execution O Almightie God Lord if Heaven and Earth Judge of Angels and men give leave to a vile wretched and dejected soul to come into thy Presence who deserves nothing but plagues and tormentts fire and brimstone Permit a trembling Malefactor to look towards thy Mercie-Seat and for the Holy Jesus sake attend unto his Cry and hear the voice of his tears O eternal Goodness if thou for sakest him the vast weight of his sins will sink him into desperation His state is most sad and deplorable and there is none to deliver him let thy tender mercies speedity prevent him for he is brought very low He is astonished at the sight of his iniquities which are great and numberless O L rd support him with thy blessed Arms or he will fall into a Sâ—a of miserie and never rise again Fears and terrors surround him and the evil spirits watch for his ruine may he not a grâ—eâ—ous sinner beg one drop of comfort whâ— is readie to perish may he not pray to thâ—â— in the time of his distress and calamity when thy fierce waâ—es are coming over his fainting troubled soul He is afflicted and readie to die Oh wilt thou â—e angrâ—e with him foâ—â—ver wilt thou draw out thine anger unto all generations Most gracious God give him leave to lie at thy sacred feet and bewail himself a little before he descâ—nd into his graue wh re there is no repenting give him leave to confess his iniquity and beg thy favour that he may not go down into the Regions â—f darkness and dwell with devils for thou willest noâ— the dâ—ath of sinners thou takest no pleasure in their torments O 〈◊〉 Wâ—ll-spring of life and saluation who hast promised Paâ—don to the Penitent let the fighing of the Prisoner come before thee whose heart is melted in the midst of his bowels He confesses O Lord his pride and prophaneness and contempt of thy Gâ—spâ—l that he has been greedie of the world and distrusted thy Prâ—vâ—dence that he has made haste to be rich and ruinâ—d himself that it was his base and sordid covetousness which drew him into disobedience and blood-guiltinesse which 〈◊〉 him off in thâ— midst of his days 〈…〉 O that he should be such a son of Belial as to die his hands in the blood of his Parent that bore him upon her Knees and laid him in her Bosome thdt he should be such a Wretch as to side with the devil and the unrighteous Mammon in taking away her life who brought him into the World O the foulness of this deed of darkness which fills him with grief horrour and astonishment But is there no Balm in Gilead no Physician there to heal a wounded spirit to support a sinking sinner O Father of mercies though his life is forfeited by this Hellish Act let not his Hâ—pes of Heaven be lost and his precious soul Thou O God of Truth sayst If we confess our sins thou art faithful and just to forgive them And he acknowledges O Lord in the bitterness of his soul that he is the vilest bloudiest Villain that ever breath'd in thy Air that no Turk or Moor has been guilty of more horrid Wickedness but thou seest his Prostration thou hast heard his gâ—â—ans O put his tears into thy bottle are they not in thy Book O Searcher of all hearts thou knowest 't is not life but mercy which he implores Do what thou pleasest with his vile body but let his soul we beseech thee lie in the Arms of Jesus O wash him clean in that purple stream which flowed from his side and let all the sins of this poâ—r M lâ—factor be drowned in a flood of sorrow O that hâ—s Head was waters and his Eyes a Fountain of tears O God of patience and consolation look not upon the blackness of his crime but upon the wounds of thy Son who is mighty to save O that he may have a share in his death and intercession For Iesus sake let his Prayer come before thee for his soul is full of troubles and his life draweth nigh unto the Grave Look down from Heaven and behold from the Habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory O Holy Iesus offer up our suit to thy Father and plead for a soul who begs Compunction of spirit and thy loving-kindness which is better then life that he may declare he is a Penitent Murderer as David Manasses and many others now in thy Kingdom O most gracious Lord who art unwilling that â—â—y should perish speak Peace to this troubled guil y soul and heal the gaping wounds which he has in his heart knock off his chains of flesh and take him unto thee though he be the least in thy Kingdom Ever-blessed Iesus we humbly beseech thee also save the soul of his poor ignorant servant whom he hath drawn to the Gates of death by engaging him to joine with him in spilling the blood of the innocent for the h rridness of which Fact they cannot weep enough if their tears could make a River and rise above its banks and drown the Field where they sinned O thou Prince of Peace look with an eye of mercie upon these Wretches who are bound in affliction and iron may thy wounds satisfie for those which they have given and thy blood for that which they have spilt and save them from the eternal Prison Pity and pardon them and deliver them from the spirits of darkness and everlasting damnation O our dearest Saviour though this poor vile and dejected Sinner suffers an ignominious death and becomes an object of scorn and derision to many a Spectacle to men and Angels do thou bear help and save his immortal soul for thy everlasting mercies sake most merciful Saviour Iesus in whose Name and words we further pray Our Father which art in Heaven c. This Prayer ended the Prisoner kneeled down and prayed near a quarter of an houre softly by himself and then was put into the Press which whether it were not made convenienr for that purpose or whether for the detestableness of his Crime it was intended he should suffer the rigour of the Law I know not but certain it is That he lay therein almost two days and nights before he was dead and yet endured it with that courage and patience as became one that was sensible his sins deserved infinitely more grievous torments or rather one that had the assurance of faith that his sins were washed away in the
blood of Iesus and that he was going to take possession of Ioys unspeakable and endless ravish'd with the apprehension thereof he could not only go through but welcom the greatest pains that in this World could be inflicted George Bridges his unhappy servant stood his trial was found guilty of the Murther and condemned to be hang'd which was accordingly exâ—cuted on Saturday March 16. last past He seemed very sorrowful and penitent and confessed he did cut his Mystriss's Throat after she was shot The Prayer used at his death was as follows A Prayer at the Execution of George Bridges O Eternal God and Father of mercies in much pity and compassion behold this weak and rrembling Malefactor who in all Humility begs the remission of his sins and follies who with shame and sorrow casts himself down at thy feet and confesses his manifold and insufferable wickednesses his ignorance of thy Law and contempt of holy duties his falshoods and lies dissimulations and hypocrisies cruelties and blood-guiltiness He confesses O God that he has deserved the heaviest of thy wrath to beseparated from the comforts of thy Presence and the Glories of thy Kingdom But blessed be thy Name that thou invitest sinners to thy â—elf and offerest them Pardon upon repentance that thou hast sent thy only Son into the World to die for such and â—ast promised salvation upon their true Confession and deep Humiliat on O holy God who art full of long-suffering â—nd patience have mercy upon this fearful miserable sinner â—nd pardon him his ignorance and anger and all the errors of his life and hear his earnest groans now in the time of his affliction and trouble O what shall we say to thee thou Preserver of men thou takest no pleasure in seeing the blood of thy children thou wouldst not have any to die in his transgressions O God of mercies pity and pardon this timorous dying person and clense his guilty soul in the blood of the immaculate Lamb which speaketh better things then that of Ahel Return O Lord deliver his soul O save him for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the Grave who shall give thee thanks Blessed God thou hast said thou wilt hear the prayer of two or three Will thou not attend unto the cries anâ— tears of a Multitude who are at thy Throne of grace in behalf of this poor wretch who by the Seductions of the deviâ— and his own hearts lusts was drawn to commit a black anâ— horrid wickedness to plot and contrive the deâ—th of hiâ— Mistriss and to lie in wait for her fall For thy Name-sakâ— O Lord pardon his iniquity for it is great The trouble of his heart are enlarged O bring thou him out of his dâ—stresses O most Gracious Father let not this sad and timerouâ— Sinner sink under the burden of his transgressions and calâ—mities To thee alone he makes his complaint and Prayer And he trembles at thy judgements let not the evil Spiriâ— and his feares prevaile in the time of his trouble and sorrow and dissolution O God we beseech thee give thy afflicted servant a peâ—fect and sound repentance and assurance of thy favour tell him that thou hast seal'd his Pardon to him with tâ—â— blood of Jesus that thou hast accepted his Confession aâ—â— hast heard his gâ—oans and that he shall quickly be takâ—â— from a miserable and sinful world to a Celestial Mansion 〈◊〉 dearest Lord take from thy poor and sinful servant all inoâ—dinate fear of death and give him earnest desires after Câ—lestial pleasures and when his soul shall take a farewelâ— this world let thy holy Angels carry it into the Regions eternal joy peace and felicities for Christ Jesus sake oâ— dearest Lord. In whose Name and words we further praâ— Our Father c. As for Mary Jones though she from first to last protested her innocency yet it being proved Not only that she stay'd up for her brother that fatal Night the Murther was committed but that very Night washed his bloody Clothes beat the Chilâ—ren for enquiring after their Mother and since â—ndeavoring to flie for it all which was testified with several other circumstances by two credible Witnesses she also was hereupon found guilty as consenting to the Fact and condemned to be burnt Which Sentence was executed the same day that the Boy suffered viz. Mar. 16. she being drawn along with him on a Sledd and burned at a Stake nigh the Gallows She to the last insisted on her Innocence and gave Certificates thereof to several Persons under her own hand with most solemn Protestations and begged of the Lord on the day she was to die That he would please to shew some sign or token to clear her to the world which some will have to be Answered by the stubborn Horses refusal to go on with the Sledd when she came against the Church going to the place of suffering the falling down of part of the Church-wall then a strange Meteor and Storm with I know not how many other Prodigies but wiser men judge all these to be but raised stories or at best forced observations of some melancholy and credulous Heads 'T is certain her sex youth and vehement denial of being privy to the Fact were very powerful Advocates to plead for pity in the spectators breasts whose tears at her death seem'd almost enough to quench the flames she was exposed to she said not much at the stake but what tenâ—ed to declare her innocency in the particular faâ— charged though having bin a grand sinner she aâ—knowledged she had otherwise duely deserved tâ— worst she could suffer And concluding her discourâ—â— with a Protestation that she freely and heartily diâ— forgive all the world The Prayers following were put up for her as she stoâ—â— at the Place of Execution a numerous throng accoâ—panying each word with sighs and tears A Prayer at the Execution of Mary Jones O Eternal and most merciful God who hast made the way 〈◊〉 troubles and afflictions the way to Jerusalem and everlastiâ—â— pleasures Look in abundant mercy upon a sorrowful sin 〈◊〉 soul upon a wretched and vile sinner who hath none to heâ—â— and deliver her O pardon and forgive her all her secret sin lusts and passions her averseness to religion and vertue and hâ—â— want of love to Prayer and holy Offices to the Word of Gâ—â— and pious Christians her easie yieldings to the assaults of Sâ—tan and violent resistings of the motions of thy Spirit Hâ—â— slavish fears and distrust of thy Providence her greediness of tâ—â— world and neglect of the things above the omissions and luâ—â— warmness of her Prayers and whatsoever has provok'd theâ— lay this great punishment upon her O God we beseech thee 〈◊〉 â—â—e be guiltie of the charged crime of taking away the lif◠〈◊〉 her Mother let a River of tears run down her cheeks and wâ—â—â— her clean in the blood of the Holy Jesus If she was not câ—â—scious to that fearful