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people I must have thrown the body down the necessary, and going thither, Here, said he, after having cut the throat, he has let the body down into the sea. This every body immediately assented to. Then, said the master of the house, it is in vain to look for the body any further; for there was a spring tide last night which has carried it off.

The consequence of these proceedings was, an immediate examination before a Justice of the peace; after which I suffered a long and rigorous imprisonment in the county town of Maidstone. For sometime, my father, my master and my relations were inclined to think me innocent, because I declared I was so, as well I might, and in compliance with my earnest request, an advertisement was published in the London Gazette, representing my deplorable circumstances, and offering a reward to any person who could give tidings of Mr. Richard Collins, (the man I was supposed to have murdered) either alive or dead. No information, however, of any kind coming to hand, at the assizes I was brought to trial, and circumstances appearing strong against me, I received sentence to be carried in a cart on the Wednesday fortnight following to the town of Deal, and there to be hanged before the innkeeper's door where I had committed the murder; and then to be hung in chains within a stone's throw of my brother's house.

The Monday was now arrived before the fatal day, when an end was to be put to my miseries. I was called down into the court of the prison; but I own I was not a little shocked, when I found it was to be taken measure of for my irons, in which I was to be hung after execution. A fellow-prisoner appeared before me in the same woeful plight, (he had robbed the mail) and the smith was measuring him when I came down; while the gaoler, with as much calmness as if he had been ordering a pair of stays for his daughter, was giving directions in what manner the irons should be made, so as to support the man who was remarkably heavy and corpulent.

Between this and the day of execution, I spent my time alone in prayer and meditation.

At length Wednesday morning came, and about three o'clock I was put in a cart; but sure such a day of wind, rain and thunder, never blew out of the heavens. When we arrived at Deal, it became so violent that the sheriff and his officers could scarce sit on their horses: for my own part, I was insensible of every object about me. But I heard the sheriff whisper to the executioner, to make what despatch he could, who without the least emotion, tucked me up like a log of wood, as if unconscious of what he was doing.

I can give no account of what I felt when hanging, only remember, after being turned off, something appeared about me like a blaze of fire; nor do I know how long I hung: no doubt the violence of the weather favoured me greatly in that circum

stance.

What I am now going to relate, I learned from my brother, which was, That having hung half an hour, the sheriff's officers all went off, and I was cut down by the executioner; but when he came to put the irons upon me, it was found that those prepared for the other man, which were too large for me, had been sent instead of mine: this they remedied by stuffing rags between my body and the hoops, after which I was taken to the place appointed, and hung on a gibbet ready prepared.

The cloth over my face being slightly tied, was soon detached by the wind, and probably its blowing on my face expedited my recovery; certain it is, that in this situation I came to myself.

The gibbet being placed at one corner of a field, where my sister's cows were, a lad came to drive them home for eveningmilking. The creatures which were feeding almost under me, brought him near the gibbet. In the very moment he looked up, he saw me open my eyes, and move my under jaw. He immediately ran home to inform the people at his master's. At first they hardly believed his story; but at length, my brother and others came out, and by the time they got to the field, I was so much alive, that my groans were very audible.

In their confusion, the first thing they thought of was a ladder. One of my brother's men getting up, put his hand to my stomach, and felt my heart beating strongly. But it was found impossible to detach me from the gibbet, without cutting it down. Accordingly a saw was got for that purpose; and in less than half an hour, having freed me from my irons, they got me bled and put into a warm bed.

It is amazing that though above eight persons were entrusted with this transaction, and I remained three days in the place after it happened, not one betrayed the secret. Early next morning it was known that the gibbet was cut down, and it occurred to every body that it was done by my relations, to draw a veil over their shame, by burying the body; but when my brother was summoned before the mayor, and denied knowing any thing of the matter, little more stir was made about it; because he was respected by all the neighbouring gentlemen, and especially, because I persisted in being innocent of the fact for which I suffered.

Being thus delivered from an ignominious death, the next difficulty was, how to dispose of my life now I had regained it?

arm tied up again. When I got into the street, a band of meu armed with cutlasses and hangers, came and seized me, and hurried me to the beach. I begged and prayed, but they soon silenced my cries, by clapping a gag in my mouth. At first, I took them for a press gang, though I soon found they were a gang belonging to a privateer, aboard which they immediately hurried me. But before I got thither, loss of blood occasioned me to faint away. The surgeon of the ship, I suppose. tied up my arm; for when my senses returned, I found mysel in a hammoc, and somebody feeling my pulse. The vessel being then under way, I asked where I was? They said I wa safe enough. I immediately called for my night gown, which was brought me ; but of a considerable sum of money that was in the pocket, I could get no account. I complained to the captain of the robbery his men had committed; but he laughed, and said I should soon have prize-money enough: so I was obliged to submit, to and for three months was forced to work before the mast. At last we met the same fate that you did: and by adventures parallel to your own, you see me here, on my return to our native country; and if you will accompany me I shall think myself happy.

There was nothing now to prevent my returning to England: and the ship being to sail in ten days, Mr. Collins and I determined to embark in it. When I told my master my resolulution, he did not dissuade me from it; because it gave him the opportunity of getting the office I held for a kinsman of his, to whom that very day I delivered up my trust. And here Providence was no less remarkable to me than in other particulars of my life; for that night the pirates seized on the young man, while locking up the wards, took the keys from him, and left him for dead: and before the alarm could be given, five of them made their escape, by means of piratical boats that kept hovering about the coast.

On the 18th of November, 1712, I sent my trunk on board the Nostra Senora, Michael Deronza, master. About seven o'clock that evening, being in company with Signor Gaspar, my master, a lad came up, and said, the boat had been waiting for me; and that Mr. Collins was on board. I ran into the house to take leave of the family. I then made what haste I could to the quay, but found the boat had put off, and left word that I should overtake them at a little bay. I ran along the shore. and imagined I had a sight of the boat, and halloed as loud as I could; they answered, and put about to take me in: but we had scarce got fifty yards from land, when, on looking for Mr. Collins, I missed him; and then I found that instead of getting on board my own boat, which I could see a considerable way

quainted with. I could not then stop them; but in about an hour after, they were brought to the prison, till the governor signified his further pleasure.

As soon as the poor creatures found I was an Englishman, they were extremely happy. I now had an opportunity of taking notice of the man whose face I thought I knew, when I was more confirmed that I was not mistaken. At last it came to my mind, that this was the man for whose supposed murder I suffered so much in England.

The next morning I told them, if any of them had a mind to go about the town I would procure them permission, and go with them. This man said he would go. The three other prisoners that went along with us, walked a little before. I then looked him in the face, and said, Sir, were you ever at Deal? At that instant, putting his hand on my shoulder, tears came into his eyes. Sir, said I, if you are the man I take you for, you here see one of the most unfortunate of humankind. Pray, is your name Richard Collins? He said, Yes. I replied, then I was hanged and gibbetted on your account in England.

After our mutual surprise, he made me give him a circumstantial account of every thing that happened to me, from the time we parted. When I came to the circumstance of my being hanged, and afterwards hung in chains, I could hardly prevail on him to believe my relation, till backed by the most solemn asseverations, pronounced in the most serious manner. When I had done, Well, said he, young man, (for I was then but in my 25th year; he might be about three and forty) if you have sustained misfortunes on my account, do not imagine, (though I cannot lay them at your door) that I have been without my sufferings. God knows my heart, I am exceedingly sorry for the injustice which has been done you; but the ways of Providence are unsearchable. He then informed me by what accident all my troubles had been brought about.

When you left me in bed, said he, having waked with an oppression I could not account for, I found myself exceedingly sick and weak, I groaned and sighed, and thought myself going to die, when, accidentally putting my hand to my left arm, in which I had been bled the morning before, I found the bandage having slipped, the orifice was opened, and a great flux of blood ensued. This immediately accounted for the condition I found myself in. I thought however, I would not disturb the family, which had gone to bed very late. I therefore mustered all my strength and got up, with my night gown loose about me, in order to go to the man who had bled me, to have my

arm tied up again. When I got into the street, a band of meu, armed with cutlasses and hangers, came and seized me, and hurried me to the beach. I begged and prayed, but they soon silenced my cries, by clapping a gag in my mouth. At first, I took them for a press gang, though I soon found they were a gang belonging to a privateer, aboard which they immediately hurried me. But before I got thither, loss of blood occasioned me to faint away. The surgeon of the ship, I suppose, tied up my arm; for when my senses returned, I found myself in a hammoc, and somebody feeling my pulse. The vessel being then under way, I asked where I was? They said I was safe enough. I immediately called for my night gown, which was brought me ; but of a considerable sum of money that was in the pocket, I could get no account. I complained to the captain of the robbery his men had committed; but he laughed, and said I should soon have prize-money enough: so I was obliged to submit, to and for three months was forced to work before the mast. At last we met the same fate that you did: and by adventures parallel to your own, you see me here, on my return to our native country; and if you will accompany me I shall think myself happy.

There was nothing now to prevent my returning to England; and the ship being to sail in ten days, Mr. Collins and I determined to embark in it. When I told my master my resolulution, he did not dissuade me from it; because it gave him the opportunity of getting the office I held for a kinsman of his, to whom that very day I delivered up my trust. And here Providence was no less remarkable to me than in other particulars of my life; for that night the pirates seized on the young man, while locking up the wards, took the keys from him, and left him for dead and before the alarm could be given, five of them made their escape, by means of piratical boats that kept hovering about the coast.

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On the 18th of November, 1712, I sent my trunk on board the Nostra Senora, Michael Deronza, master. About seven o'clock that evening, being in company with Signor Gaspar, my master, a lad came up, and said, the boat had been waiting for me; and that Mr. Collins was on board. I ran into the house

to take leave of the family. I then made what haste I could to the quay, but found the boat had put off, and left word that I should overtake them at a little bay. I ran along the shore, and imagined I had a sight of the boat, and halloed as loud as I could; they answered, and put about to take me in but we had scarce got fifty yards from land, when, on looking for Mr. Collins, I missed him; and then I found that instead of getting on board my own boat, which I could see a considerable way

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