and piteous smile. He at last seemed rather exhausted and faint. Having been near three weeks under sentence of death, he must have suffered much, notwithstanding his external bearing; and a reflection of the misery he had occasioned must have given him many an agonizing throb. Having taken leave of the gaoler and the sheriff, he prepared him. self for his fate. He was heard at this time to exclaim, "My spirit is strong, though my body is weak." Great apprehensions were entertained that it would be necessary to tie him up a second time. The noose slipped twice, and he fell down above eighteen inches. His feet at last were almost touching the ground. But his excessive weight, which occasioned this accident, speedily relieved him from pain. He expired in a moment, and without any struggle. The ceremony of his hands being tied behind his back was satisfied by a piece of white tape passed loosely from one to the other. But he never made the smallest effort to relieve himself. He was cut down after he had hung about an hour, On the preceding Wednesday, he had made a carpeater take his measure for a coffin. He gave particular directions that it should be large, as he meant to be laid in it with all his clothes on. It was made of oak, adorned with plates, and extremely handsome every way. A hearse followed with it to the ground, and afterwards bore him away. It was understood that the body was to be buried in the parish of Burgh, about ten miles west of this city. It seems he had a great terror of his body being taken up, and though he was told that it would be safer for him to be buried in the city, yet he preferred Burgh, a place extremely sequestered. He is said to have been acquainted with the parson, It has however been asserted, that the conscientious parishioners

parishioners of Burgh objected to his being laid there, and that he was consequently interred in St. Mary's church-yard, the usual place for those who come to an untimely end. Notwithstanding his various and complicated enormities, his untimely end excited considerable commiseration in this place. His manners were extremely polished and insinuating, and he was possessed of qualities which might have rendered him an ornament to society.

HAWES, NATHANIEL (ROBBER) was a native of Norfolk, in which county he was born in the year 1701. His father was a grazier in ample circumstances, but dying while the son was an infant, a relation in Hertfordshire took care of his education. At a proper age he was apprenticed to an upholsterer in London; but becoming connected with people of bad character, and thus acquiring an early habit of vice, he robbed his master when he had served only two years of his time; for which he was tried at the Old Bailey, and being convicted of stealing to the amount of thirty-nine shillings, was sentenced to seven years transportation. This sentence, however, was not carried into execution, owing to the following circumstance. A man named Phillips had encouraged the unhappy youth in his depredations, by purchasing, at a very low rate, such goods as he stole from his master: but when Hawes was taken into custody, he gave information of this affair, in consequence of which a search warrant was procured, and many effects belonging to Hawes's master were found in Phillips's possession. Hereupon application was made to the king, and free pardon was granted to Hawes, whereby he was rendered a competent evidence against Phillips, who was tried for receiving stolen goods, and transported for fourteen years. Hawes,

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during his confinement in Newgate, had made such bad connections as greatly contributed to the contamination of his morals; and soon after his release, he connected himself with a set of bad fellows who acted under the direction of Jonathan Wild; and having made a particular acquaintance with one John James, they joined in the commission of a number of robberies. After an uncommon share of success for some days, they quarrelled on the division of the booty, in consequence each acted on his own account. Some little time after they had thus separated, Hawes, being apprehensive that James would impeach him, applied to Jonathan Wild, and informed against his old acquaintance, on which James was taken into custody, tried, convicted, and executed. Notwithstanding this conviction, the court sentenced Hawes to be imprisoned in New-Prison, and that gaol was preferred to Newgate, because the prisoners in the latter had threatened to murder Hawes, for being an evidence against James. Here it should be observed, that by an act of the 4th and 5th of William and Mary, for the more effectual conviction of highwaymen, the evidence of accomplices is allowed; but the evidence cannot claim bis liberty unless two or more of his accomplices are convicted; but may be imprisoned during the pleasure of the court.-Soon after his commitment, Hawes and another fellow made their escape, and entering into partnership, committed a variety of robberies, particularly in the road between Hackney and Shoreditch. This connection like the former, lasted but a short time: a dispute on dividing their ill-gotten gains occasioned a separation: soon after which, Hawes went alone to Finchley-Common, where meeting with a gentleman riding to town, he presented a pistol to

his breast, and commanded him instantly to dismount, that he might search him for his money. The gentleman offered him four shillings, on which Hawes swore the most horrid oaths, and threatened instant death, if he did not immediately submit. The gentleman quitted his horse, and in the same moment seized the pistol, which he snatched from the hand of the robber, and presenting it to him, told him to expect death if he did not surrender. himself. Hawes, who was now as terrified as he had been insolent, made no opposition; and the driver of a cart coming up just at that juncture, he was easily made prisoner, conveyed to London, and committed to Newgate. When the sessions came on, and he was brought to the bar, he refused to plead to his indictment, alledging the following reason for so doing; that he would die, as he had lived, like a gentleman: "The people (said he) who apprehended me, seized a suit of fine clothes, which I intended to have gone to the gal lows in; and unless they are returned I will not plead; for no one shall say that I was hanged in a dirty shirt and ragged coat." On this he was told what would be the consequence of his contempt of legal authority; but this making no impression on him, sentence was pronounced that he should be pressed to death, whereupon he was taken from the court, and being laid on his back, sustained a load of two hundred and fifty pounds weight about seven minutes; but unable any longer to bear the pain, he entreated he might be conducted back to the court, which being complied with, he pleaded "Not guilty;" but the evidence against him being complete, he was convicted, and sentenced to die. After conviction his behaviour was very improper. He told the other capital convicts he would die like a hero

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a hero; and behaved in the same thoughtless way till the arrival of the warrant for his execution: after which his conduct was not altogether so imprudent. He owned to the ordinary of Newgate, that he was induced to refuse to plead to his indictment, that the other prisoners might deem him a man of honour, and not from the idle vanity of being hanged in fine clothes. He acknowledged many robberies which he had committed; but charged Jonathan Wild as being the principal author of his ruin, by purchasing the stolen goods. He likewise owned that he had been base enough to inform against persons who were innocent, particu. larly a gentleman's servant, who was then in custody; but he did not discover many signs of contrition for this, or any other of his offences. He suffered at Tyburn, on the 22d of December,

1721.

HAWKE, WILLIAM, (HIGHWAYMAN,) was born at Uxbridge, in the county of Middlesex. On the death of his father, he was hired to draw beer at a public-house on Saffron-hill. Contracting an acquaintance with some abandoned people who frequented an alehouse in St. Giles's, he was persuaded to join them in committing depredations upon the public. At length he commenced highwayman, and became an accomplice of James Field. (See FIELD.) Field and Hawke were transported to America: and returning to England nearly at the same period, they again became associates in committing robberies upon the highway. Hawke and Field being apprehended together, the former escaped from Tothill-fields bridewell, and got to France; but the other suffered the sentence of the law. Upon his return to England he committed a .. surprising number of most daring robberies: and

several