The MOURNFUL
C A S E

Of poor Misfortunate and unhappy
JOHN REID,

Now lying under Sentence of Death in
the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, taken from
his own Mouth on Wednesday Night,
the 7th of September 1774, being the
Day fixed for his Execution.

T
HIS is the very day on which I was doomed to die; and
had it not been for the mercy of our most gracious
Sovereign, whom GOD long blefs and preſerve, I
ſhould, by this time, have been a miferable ſpectacle, and
my laſt Speech crying dolefully through the ſtreets of this
City. O! lſien then unto me, while I am yet in the Land
of the living, and think that it is my GHOST ſpeaking
unto you!

Much cry has been made against me by ſmall and great;
and how can a poor man like me withland it? But before
I go hence and be no more, I trust you will hear the
words of truth, and peradventure your minds may be changed.

I am condemned becauſe ſome of theſe ſheep were found
in my Fleſh-houſe, and I could not bring downright proba-
tion of him from whom I came by them; but I ſay now,
as I told my Lawyer, who ſaid it unto the Lords, and will
ſay unto the end, That William Gardner, and none other,
was the man, and he is now a tranſported thief, though
he was loofe when I was ſeized and cauſed him for to be
taen, that he might anſwer therefore, and I not be the ſuſ-
ferer: John Brown the Meſſenger in Linlithgow can atteſt
this; and many an honeft man has no witneſſes preſent
when he receives goods. But I ſee that my being tried
two times before, though cleared by Juries, many of whom,
now alive, can bear teſtimony for me, has made me be
thought guilty at all events.

I hope none of you ſhall, by malicious report of enemies,
be brought to trial, ſince it is all one whatever is the fate
thereof.

What will you ſay when Gardner's confi Science ſmites him
in America, and he owns that I got the ſheep honestſt
from him, and I am gone and cannot be recalled?

May all good Chriſtians then, charitably pray, That as
the King's Heart is in the Hand of the LORD, and he
turneth it whither ſoever he will, it may plegge him to ſave
me from an ignominious death, which can do harm to no
man.

THE

S P E E C H

CONFESSION and dying Words of JOHN REID, who was Executed in the Grafs-market of Edinburgh, on Wednesday the 21st of September 1774, for the Crimes of Sheep-stealing.

AS I am in a short time, to appear before the righteous Judge of heaven and earth I think it an delipitable duty on me, as well for the fake of my innocent wife and innocent children, and other surviving relations, as my own, to satisfy the world by this my last dying words, least after I am gone, the prejudiced world may take an opportunity to advance, or lay to my charge, things I never was guilty off.

I am aged 50 years was born in the parish of Muiravanfide, and fire of Stirling of honest tho' not rich parents, got education according to their station; I was brought up to the buffinefs of a flether, which buffinefs in some part my father himself followed.

In the early period of my youth, nothing so remarkable happened, as is here worth narrating, only since I have begun to trace back, and look into my natural inclination, I find, that I was naturally covetous, Oh! that I had in time seen, or feared the dire effects of that sin, and fought strength from Him who is mighty and able to fave, to enable me to fight against it, then had I escaped this fatal hour, then had I not entailed an indeliable difgrace upon my young and numerous family, then had I not this day left a weeping wife and a number of flowryful relations, whom I pray God may support under their heavy and helplesfs forrow, whom I, unhappy, have been the bafe instrument of.

I was try'd before the high court of Justiciary for the like crime, for which I am to suffer, and at that time I miraculously escaped punishment; this unexpected, yea undeferved mercy was sufficient to deter any other person but wretched me to commit the like crime again, but remember an old habit is not easily brokeoff, and I not being truly thankful for the mercies I met with, but hardened in iniquity, and had gone too far in sin unrepented of, to escape punishment so on the sixth of October. I went to the farm of Maidwenhead and flole from thence nineteen sheep belonging to William Gray, and slaughtered the moff of them, and they being amiffing I was fuspected.

Robert Paterson herd to William Gray came to my house about five days after they had been amiffing and found three of them grazing in a park, and knew them to be his master's sheep which were a miffing, and then went immediately to my flaugher house and there found three more which were hanging floughtered. I being in a house near by was immediately sent for, and hearing who wanted me, was immediately struck with honor, knowing my self to be guilty, it was my own daughter that came for me and the poor girl having some suficion

that matters were not altogether right was crying bitterly, which gave me still more concern, I defied her to go back and tell William Black who was my landlord to make it up with him in the best manner he could, and instead of going home went another way, thus like a wretch in despair. I fled I knew not whither, I struck with remorse for my guilt, and grief for my family whom I had so much injured, I had not power to fly far, but returned to my own house, and was caught in my own bed and brought to this ptifon foon after, where I remained till this fatal day, thus have I given you a faithful account of the circumference of the crime for which I this day justly suffer, as far as my distracted mind can recollect.

I must certainly confes that I have been guilty of many more aggravating fins freely as aggravating in the fight of God, but let it suffice, that I confes them to Him alone, who is the f Treasurer of hearts, and to whom our secretel thoughts are obvious, as it can do the world no good, and for the fake of my dear wife and children, as well as other relations I desire to conceal.

I must do myself the justice to declare, that I was never guilty, accueffory, art or part in the murder of any perfon. I have heard ſince my confinement, that it is reported of me, that I was try'd in Glafgow for flealing cattle, but as a dying man I declare it is faſſe.

It only remains, that I desire all whoare witneſſes, or that hears of my untimely end, to take warning by me, ſhun, O ſhun every appearance of evil, every temptation to fin, ſhun evil company, which has been the ruin of many; let none think, or dare to commit ſin, tho' ever to secretly for fooner or later the all-seeing eye of heaven will bring it to light: You who has children, beware and let them a good example. O strive to infill in their young minds a love of virtue, paint her in her moff liveſly and amiable colours, and endeavour to make them in love with her, tell them of the everlasing rewards due to her followers. On the other hand, tell them the danger of egice and bad company, advise them to read the holy ſcriptures, and pay due respect to the Lord's day, attend on divine worlship, and meditating on what you hear.

I beg none will be so cruel as cast up my untimely and ſhameful end to my innocent relations. I acknowledge the justneſs of my ſentence, he returns thanks to the captain and keepers of the prifon for their goodneſs to him ſince his confinement, alſo the godly miniflers of their care about the immortal ſoul of the unfortunate

JOHN REID