knife and the piece of money already mentioned, which I had entirely forgot. Upon feeing these the woman immediately fereamed out, O God! there's my uncle's penknife! Then taking up the money, and calling the people about her, Here faid fhe, is what puts the villain's guilt beyond a doubt. I can fwear to this William and Mary's guinea; my uncle has long had it by way of pocket-piece, and engraved the first letters of his name upon it. She then began to cry afrefh, while I could do nothing but continue to call Heaven to witnefs that I was as innocent as the child unborn. The Conflable who had heard me mention the having gone down into the garden, told the people I must have thrown the body down the neceffary, and going thither, Here, faid he, after having cut the throat, he has let the body down into the fea. This every body immediately affented to. Then, faid the master of the houfe, it is in vain to look for the body any further; for there was a spring tide laft night which has carried it off. The confequence of thefe proceedings was, an immediate examination before a Juftice of the peace; after which I fuffered a long and rigorous imprisonment in the county town of Maidstone. For fometime, my father, my mafter and my relations were inclined to think me innocent, because I declared I was fo, as well I might, and in compliance with my earnest request, an advertisement was published in the London Gazette, reprefenting my deplorable circumftances, and offering a reward to any person who could give tidings of Mr. Richard Collings, (the man I was fuppofed to have murdered) either alive or dead. No information, however, of any kind coming to hand, at the affizes I was brought to trial, and circumftances appearing ftrong against me, I received fentence to be carried in a cart on the Wednesday fortnight following to the town of Deal, and there to be hanged before the Inn keeper's door where I had committed the murder; and then to be hung in chains within a stone's throw of my brother's houfe. [To be continued.] Some . Some Account of the Life and Death of THOMAS RAMSEY, executed at Wexford, November 20, 1784. HOMAS RAMSEY was a native of Ireland, and an inhabitant of Tullow, in the county of Carlow. He was born of parents in affluent circumftances, and was an heir to a confiderable property; but being indulged (by his mother, in his tender years, he foon contracted an ungovernable temper, which as he grew up, broke out into various exceffes, such as gaming, drinking, and fwearing, &c. and he was such a proficient in the laft, that he frequently fat up in bed, ftriving to invent new oaths. He alfo enlifted in the Train of Artillery, and ferved for a time, till his mother bought him off. In one of his riots, he fought a duel with one 7. H. whom he fhot in his breaft with a ball that could never be extracted; fo that he is ftill lingering out a life of pain. For this he was obliged to flee, in order to escape those who fought to bring him to a public trial. He refided in England for the fpace of nine months, before he durft return to Ireland. Still continuing his loose way of living, till he both spent his own property, and all he could get from his mother. Yet all was too little to fupport him, in his abandoned courfe with his debauched companions. He was acquainted with a young man, an Attorney, who had likewife spent a confiderable fortune. They firft agreed to rob, rather than farve, work, or give up their loose way of living; and accordingly they went out feveral nights, in different parts of Dublin, but without fuccefs. At length they met a foreigner, a fit object for their purpose, whom the Attorney knocked down, and robbed of his purfe, which he gave to Ramfey. They then bought a brace of piftols, and foon got acquainted with fome others of the fame caft. From this time Ramfey went through a variety of fcenes, and had H fome fome very narrow efcapes. I fhall only mention one particular. As he and Thomas Haycock (who was condemned with him) and fome others, were going to roh fome Gentlemen in Dublin, one of them drew a fword from his cane, with which he made a pufh at Ramy, and cut his neckcloth through, without doing him'any harm. The guards coming to their affiftance, he fprang into the midft of them, and fo got off unnoticed. But being foon after taken for the robbery of one Mr. Harrington, as they were on their way to the prifon, they only laughed at it; and H. faid, if they were hanged for this, it would only fave them a fevere fit of sickness another time; fo that it fignified very little, as every body mut die fometime. The first of my acquaintance with them was after they were condemned. In my firft vifit I faw very little appearance of confcioufnefs of their offence before God; yet they acknowledged their error respecting man. I faw them again the next day, and then God appeared to fpeak to their hearts, as they both wept bitterly. They had then eight days unexpired of the term allotted them, and they requested me to come every day; but as I was to go on my Circuit, that was impracticable. Then they earnefly importuned me to come again, in order to attend their execution; but another reprieve coming down for a fortnight longer, I could not judge how it would fare with them; but afterwards heard, an order came for the execution of Ilaycock, and a farther reprieve for Ramfey. I was informed by thofe who attended Haycock, that he be haved with decency, refignation and great fortitude at his death, faying, "I do not mind death, for that I find a perfuafion in myself that I shall be happy; that it is better for me to leave this troublefome world than to ftay in it: fo that I look on my own cafe as good as Ramfey's." Ramfey now expected a full pardon, and fo became more careless than before; for as he was related to fome rich familics who had a powerful intereft at Court, and as his life allo also was in many capital leafes, he knew they would do all in their power for his releasement and prefervation. He alfo difcovered a very ingenious mind in the many exertions he made to procure friends for obtaining his liberty, and made feveral difcoveries of others, but a'! proved ineffectual. At length orders came for his execution on the 20th of November. William Gerd, and one of our fociety, who had attended the prifon, from their firft confinement, now began to vifit him oftner. He always difcovered a defire for his company and prayers; but the expectation of a pardon fo an in his mind, that the thoughts of fiturity made very little impreffion on him: and in cafe no pardon came, to effect his efcape, he had by fome means procured a proper inftrument to cut his bolts off. The Papifts alfo perplexed him, ftriving to bring him over to have a Prieft, make his confeffion, and fo receive abfolution. In this they gained confiderably on his mind, fo that he wavered greatly, not knowing which way to turn for the beft. In this his great extremity, though her had no confidence in the Priefts, yet his wifh was by them to get out of prifon. I came again to Wexford, and vifited him the 12th of November, and twice more before I left town. He appeared overwhelmed in forrow, and told me he found a great longing to be fitted for heaven, and to leave this wicked world. He again requested that I would attend him to the gallows, and defired me to pray for him wherever I went, which we did in all the focieties. In fome places. while we prayed for him, many were affected. At Burmount, about the time he found peace, I had fuch a remarkable aufwer, of prayer, that I told the people, I fully believed God had pardoned him. I returned the 19th in order to fit up with him the laft night. When I came into the prifon, as foon as he faw me through the bars he rejoiced. I then heard he found peace on Wednelday the 17th about nine at night. Oa Monday and Tuelday, he was much depreffed in fpirit, his fias came fresh into his mind, death lopked him in the face as an enemy ready to devour him. On Wednesday, his burthen becoming intolerable, he fainted under it: but while Mr. B. went for fome wine to revive him, one gave out and fung, "O thou that hearèft when finners cry," &c. As they were finging the fifth and fixth verses, 66 the Lord fpoke peace to his foul. He then broke out, and faid, Now I am fatisfied to die, and go to my Saviour." They then kneeled down and returned God thanks for his pardoning mercy. He told Mr. B. the fame on his return, and alfo gave up his inftrument to him. From this time he rejoiced in the knowledge of falvation. I found it good to be here this night, though locked up in a prifon, in which I took occafion to talk with him clofely. He asked if I believed he fhould know us in glory? when I told him I did believe so, he praised God for it, and said, he believed that would heighten his felicity in heaven. He also defired, that all might fear, love, and obey God; that if all knew the trouble of a robber's mind during the time, they would never begin: that he forgave, loved, and could willingly do any thing for the welfare of his moft inveterate enemies. With regard to his fear of death, and defire of life, he faid, he did not fear to die, nor defire to live, but as God pleased; that he longed to be diffolved, and to be with Chrift. I told him of fome who had recovered after hanging, and (to try him) asked if he wished any experiments to be made? He faid, by no means; for that he was now prepared to die, perhaps better than ever he fhould be again hereafter. By thefe, and fuch. like declarations, I had not a doubt left of the reality of his converfion. I read fome of the remarkable paffages in the |