The National Register.
London, England, 1820-05-07 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

.'_.--------------------
of Cum
" Journals of the House mdeo. arrison and Wilson were still silent, and ap-
Cumulous, vol. 13, fol. Oa. I
1701. I Ann. partok. H
utortroed.
" Tin' order of the day for the house to resolve itself
Mr. Brown said, " 1 have now to show you the dark
into a committee of the whole house to consider of the side of the picture. Your omfortunate miserable corn-
supply to be granted to her Majesty, for the better sup-
paitions in crime who were tried, are ordered for execu.
port of her Majesty's household, and of the honour and
tint) on Monday morning; and you, Harrison, Wilson,
(,)t.t.Ter, Strange. and Bradhorn, are transported for
dignity of her crown, being least:—
con- '
" A petition of the agents,ltlanters, and merchants
cerned in, and trading to the Islandof Harbadoes, was "' Wilson. who before had appeared perfectly callous,
presented to the house, setting forth that there is a duty
the commodities of the 64
of 41 per cent. utt 0 island, ex- now exclaimed, " Ali 1 our poor friends; lam indeed
ported thence, which was wanted by an act of the said sorry for them." Harrison said nothing; the others
island in September, 1663, for the reparation and building were too much occupied with the joy of their own escape
of fortifications, and delraying all oilier public charges to bestow a thought upon those who were to kakis
incident to the gover iiiii ent there, which has been col- their lives.
, leered by officers appointed by the con iiii issitmeis of the Mr• Brown said, "There is one of the most remark.
customs in England, and applied to other uses, whereby ante circunistancea attending your eases that ever took
the fortifications are run very notch out of repair, and
other public necessary works are unbuilt, and their ma- p ace main any occasion; and; if you have any feeling,
almost make' a deep andindelib.le impression upon you.
..nose very persons against whose lives your hands were
the said „..
easiness unprovided ; so that in case of a war,
abort to he raised are
island, and all other the sugar plantations to the windwardthe men by whose intercession your
of Jamaica would he in danger of being lost if an enemy
should attack it, %WO would be a vast loss to England; lives have been saved."
and praying that the said duty of 4.P.: per cent. may be Gtichrist has been respitcd, without mention of the
applied to the uses for which it was given, in order to the cot Those who we or pre conde m unishment
red todie were then put into
defence and security of the said island.
" Ordered, that the said petition do lie upon the table,
and were ft alone for the nigt. un.
separate cells.,
to be considered by the house day morning Mr. Cottonle h
visited them singly butS was
not able to make any impression on their ? Is. Mr.
" Fol. 813.—Colonel Granville reported to the Corn-
Brown had judged it prudent not to bring them loge-
(erred,
to whom the said Barbadoes petition was re-
ferred, that they hail directed him to move the house, titer to. public worship in the chapel, from an apprehen.
that an humble address may be made to her Majesty, that
start that they might disturb the solemn ceremonies of
the duty or impost of 41 per cent. arising in Barbadoes,
and the Leeward Islands, object to an annuity payable religion by a display of their infidel opinions. In the
to the Earl of Kiiiiioid, his she ire „d „sig„,. he applied course of the day Thistlewood was visited by his wife
for the repairing and erecting sock fortifications, and and sons Brunt by his wife, Davidson by his wife and
other public uses for the safely of the said islands, as her children, and 'cidd by his daughter.
Majesty shall direct, and that an annual account how the Up to a late hour Sunday night no alteration was
said duties shall have heen expended may be laid before visible in the manner of any one of the prisoners,
the House of Commons. except I)avidson, whose mind was evidently softened
"Ordered accordingly. after the interview with his family. Tidd has from the
" Fol. SgS.—Mr. Secretary Vernon reported to the very beginning preserved an uniform and consistent
house, that their address having been presented to her steadiness and solemnity, but free from dejection or fear.
Majesty, relating to Barbadoes and the Leeward Wands,
lugs has been generally dejected; the rest perfectly in.
as to the former part thereof, that her Majesty would
please that the ditty or impost of ai per cents may be different, and even hardened. No one, except their fa.
applied for the repairng and erecting fortifications and mulles, has been allowed to see them. Alderman Wood
other public uses for the' safety of the saidfica
ands,
islands. and applied fur admission, but Mr. Brown felt it to be his
that an annual account bow the said duties shall have duty to refuse, having been instructed to admit none
been expended may be laid before this house; .her Ma. who had not received a special order from the Privy
jesty was pleased to say that she would give directions Council.
accordingly." The preparations for the execution were going on dur.
ing the whole of Sunday, and at a late hour at night
the noise of hammers was still sounding. The ad
Bailey was crowded with an immense assemblage of
spectators during the whole day.
- -.
EXECUTION OF
TRAITORS E CONVICTED

THE CONSPIRATORS.

On Saturday the Common Sergeant, in consequent.
of having been written to by the Lord Chancellor on the
subject, made his report to the King in Council of the
11 men convicted under the late special commission.
The judges who tried the prisoners likewise attended.
After two hours' deliberation, and hearing the report of
the trials, the following were ordered for execution on
Monday, in front of Newgate, viz.:—Arthur Thistle-
wood, James logs, Thomas Brunt, Richard Tidd, and
William Davidson. The remaining six, who pleaded
guilty to their indictments, were respited during his Ma-
jesty's pleasure.
Mr. Brown, the Governor of Newgate, received the
warrant at seven o'clock in the evening, and, accompa-
nied by Mr. Pullen, the under-sheriff to Sheriff Parkins,
immediately went to the condemned room, in which
were sitting those who were ordered for execution, at-
tended by eight officers. When he entered they rose in
the most respectful manner. He held in his hand the
Recorder's warrant, of the contents of which they ap.
eared conscious. A dead silence prevailed, but there
was not the slightest agitation observable in the counte-
nances or manner of any one of the prisoners.
Mr. Brown addressed diem in the following words:—
" It is my painful duty to communicate to you that 1
hold the Recorder's warrant for the execution of you,
Thistlewood, Ings, Brunt, Davidson, and Tidd, on
Monday morning. 1 hope and trust that the short time
you have to remain in this world will be employed by
you in making preparation for that to which you are
going."
Thistlewood immediately, and in the calmest manner,
said, "The sooner we go, Sir, the better. Our wish is
to die as soon as possible." The others expressed the
same sentiments.
Mr. Brown.—" if any of you wish to have the assis-
tance of a clergyman of any persuasion during your
preparation, let me know it, and I shall apply to the
authority by which I am convinced you will not be
refused."
Not a word seas uttered by any one of the prisoners.
Mr. Brown then sari, " Let toe entreat you with effect
to give up your thoughts to the contemplatiou of the
change which you are about to undergo. Your time in
this hie is very short: dome it to repentatice, and prayer
to that Being who will not desert you at the moment of
fatal separation."
The prisoners did not speak hot make any sigh.
Mr. Brown then left the room, and the miserable
men turned to thy conversation in which they had been
etteaged before he entered, without any reference to the
tidings they had just heard.
Upon going to the condemned room, where the six
cm:slur:tuns who pleaded guilty were confined, Mr.
Brown observed a very sinking contrast to the scene
which lie aa.i just ginned, as lag as regarded Strdnee,
Bratlburii, Cooper, ilia' Gilchrist. Ile entered tv
ith
the Recorder's warrant in his hand, which contained
tile cheertug intelligence to them. Strange, liratiburn,
Cooper, and Gilchrist, seemed struck with consern..-
non ; tut Harrison and Wilson showed 110 5)111111011:N of
agitation, but appeared rather to despise titan inpat
condition of their contimitions, and uttered lint a suit
expressive of hope or tear.
Mr. Brown then wormed them, that URIC% hod
beet, extruded to till:111, 411111 that their lives vvert. spared
Strange, Cooper, Iliad lalfll, and Gl:elitist itt:lnetli-
,Liely fell on their knees, and, after a pause, gave utter-
once to incoherent and unintelligible expressions of gra-

war
On Monday morning, a— t a very early hour, the inha-
bitants of the metropolis were in motion, crowding in
immense numbers towards the Old Bailey, in order to
witness the execution of the five State Criminals, viz.
Arthur Thistlewood, H. Tidd, J. T. B ,W. David-
Suit, and J. logs, convicted of High Treason. As early
as five o'clock the Old Bailey was crowded to excess,
and as the time approached for the criminals to be
brought out, the adjacent streets, the windows and roofs
of the houses, even to the chimuies, were completely
filled. Not a nook was left unoccupied, and cohabi-
tant sums were paid for seats in the houses near to the
spot. The crowd was greater than has been seen fur
many years.
The arrangements for the preservation of the peace
were complete. Bodies of Life Guards were stationed
in the Old Bailey, Newgate-street, Ludgate-hill, and
other places adjacent, and six pieces of artillery, with
about 100 artillerymen, were placed in the centre of
Black friars-road, about 300 yards beyond the bridge.
The civil power was also in great force. The scaffold
was hung with black cloth, and on one part, immedi-
ately behind the drop, five coffins of plain wood were
placed, together with a block, on which to lay the heads
of the criminals for the purpose of decapitation. In the
interior of the prison similar precautionary arrangements
were made.
At an early hour the five criminals were brought from
their cells, and placed in a room together, where they
were attended by Mr. Cotton, the Ordinary, who, with
other Gentlemen, were unceasing in their efforts to
awaken in their minds some sense of religion, and of the
awful situation in which they stood. These humane
endeavours were, however, fruitless with all but David-
son, in whom was observable a most gratifying change.
The others maintained the same indifferent* which they
have manifested from the first. Davidsrm prayed most
fervently, and appeared most thankful for the attention
shewn to him. He took a glass of wide early in the
um ttttt ig, and also received the Sacrament. The others
refused, although repeatedly urged to do so.
At about hall-past seven the 'trimmers oe,e conducted
to the Press-yard, attended by the Sherdis Rothwell utti
Parkins, their Under-Sheriffs, Aldermen hit C. Flower
at Wood, and Mr. Brown, the Got er..or. Lord M•
vastley, rite lion. Mr. Vernon, and many other Gentle-
Men Were also present.
While the irons were knocking off, some slight
altercation took place between Aldrrin in Wood, Mi.
Sheriff Parkins, a ilil Mr. Sherdi Holluyell. The two
former Gentlemen expressed a wish to pint some ques-
tions to the prianwis, and had begin, to interrogate
Thistleotxxl, who seem. d inclined to ne co 1111 l tunicative,
when Sheriff It.altes••ll itiler'ered, and.would not allow
the COllVersolloll to proceed. This produced a MUM-
.,trance. on the port. oi Messrs Wood at-il Pali:ins, but
%I r. Rothwell persisted in hits deivrininalin, and the
conversation ended. We intil, rstaitd, howi vet, that the
prismicrs declared that they
Ott
tic Illte.gletl into the plot.
It Is the 101eliti011 tit Aliksiliall Woo4l to bring toe sub-
Jeri hr fore Parildlllelit.
The pi isoiterS, Wliell the eons were iltsplarrd, and
their hands secured in me usual way, were led to
.the
entrance of the ;prison ; and, at a go titer before eight
o'clock exactly, Thistlervood came on the scaffold. He
walked with a firm step, and appeared perfectly collected.