IT has been obſerved in moſt Ages, that offended Heaven ſeldom ſuffers Murther to be long concealed, or the Murtherers to ſcape unpuniſhed, for by one means or other they are ſtill brought to light, and Juſtice moſt deſervedly takes place, as in the fatal Cataſtrophy of theſe miſerable Villains, we ſhall more amply demonſtrate, viz. of John Sterne, Chriſtopher Urats, and George Boriskie, Executed for the baſe and Villanous Murther of Thomas Thinn Eſq who on the 12th of February last was ſhot by Boriskie with a Blunderbuſs as he was Riding in his Coach, which was charged with four Bullets, and they being ſhot into his Body at four ſeveral places, he died of the wounds within Ten hours after, and although at that time the Murtherers by the ſwiftneſs of their Horſes, made their eſcape, and got to their Lodgings, yet ſuch was Heavens pleaſure, that they ſhould not eſcape unpuniſhed, though not one of their Faces were ſeen at the time the Murther was committed, ſo as to be known again. But Juſtice, as we moſt truely may affirm, diſcovered them almoſt by Miracle; for not only a Piſtol which one of them had with them, was found upon the place, but likewiſe a Chairman that having carried Captain Urats to the Bull-Inne in Holbourn the Morning before the Murther was committed, going accidentally in to ask him whether he would diſcharge him, found him charging Piſtols, and upon hearing of the Murther, directed ſuch as ſought for the Murtherers to that Houſe, where after a ſhort time they found Amens Berge the Captains man, who owned the Piſtol ſo found to be his Maſters, and alſo upon Examination diſcloſed the place where he Lay, who upon his being taken, diſcovered the reſt; who all being apprehended, upon Examination confeſſed the Murther, for which being committed to Newgate, after 16 days continuance there, they were brought to their Tryals at the Old-Baily, (where a Jury of half Engliſh and half Strangers being Sworn) they Pleaded not Guilty, but the Evidence being Sworn againſt them, and their Examinations produced, they confeſſed the Murther, though in a different manner; Urats the Captain declared, That he having heard that the Deceaſed had put ſome affronts upon Count Coningſmark, he (as having been a Servant to his Uncle and Father) thought himſelf bound in point of Honour to take the Quarrel upon himſelf, and that he only took Boriskie and Sterne as his ſeconds, he being minded to Challonge the Deceaſed. Boriskie confeſſed, That Captain Urats bid him fire into whatſoever Coach he ſtopped. And as for Sterne, he confeſſed, That he knew not the Deſigne, but only went for Company: Upon this they received ſentence of Death, and were remanded to Newgate, there to continue until their Execution; ſince their Sentence they have been for the moſt part kept a ſunder, and ſeveral Perſons of Quality have been to viſit them, and by many Arguments perſwaded them to confeſs the real cauſe of the Murther, and what induced them to undertake ſo baſe and villanous an Enterprizes but eſpecially the Captain ſtood obſtinately (as it were) in vindicating what he had done, alleadging, That it was the Cuſtome in their Country to Piſtol any one that refuſes a Challenge: And notwithſtanding the earneſt Exhortations of many Pious Divines, to prepare himſelf for another world, he ſeemed very careleſs of their Inſtructions, which ſome perſons imputed to the hopes he conceived of obtaining his Majeſties Pardon, but as for the other two, viz. Boriskie and Sterne, they ſeemed much more concerned, eſpecially the latter, who often retired himſelf from the company that came to viſit them, being often ſeen in private at his Devotion, and much bewailing himſelf for the Innocent Blood he had ſhed, wiſhing that he had not liv'd to have ſeen the day wherein the cauſe of his Death was effected, declaring, that he had never any Malice againſt the Deceaſed, but that he was drawn into the wicked Enterprize through the perſwaſions of the Captain, with whom he had firſt taken acquaintance in the French Kings Service. As for Boriskie that Bloody Aſſaſſinate who diſcharged the Peice, he had little convers with any perſon, by reaſon he was not ſo well verſed in the Engliſh Tongue, ſo as to underſtand what was ſaid unto him, but being asked whether he knew the Blunderbus to be charged, by reaſon that upon his Tryal he pleaded Ignorance, he replyed, That notwithſtanding what he had there ſaid (when there was ſome hopes of ſaving his Life) he well knew it to be Charged with Powder and Bullet, but with how many Bullets he was not certain, and that the Captain delivered it to him under pretence to defend him againſt the Eſquires Footmen, in caſe the Eſquire ſhould come out and fight as Urats at firſt pretended he believed he would, but that afterwards he bid him (when he ſtopped the Coach) Fire into the ſame, or to that effect, whoſe unfortunate directions he followed to his own undoing; And further, that he came over in hopes of Preferment, but that now he was like to meet with ſuch as would ſpoil his return. He and Sterne were very attentive at any time when Miniſters came to pray with them, as paſt doubt not being unſenſible that they had but a ſmall remainder of life left, and that it was high time to prepare themſelves for another world: Dr. Burnet not only Preached to them on Sunday laſt, but likewiſe was with them ſix or ſeven times to exhort them to a free Confeſſion, and to ſhew them how they ſtood (as it were) upon the brink of Eternity, juſt ready to be puſhed off, their time being limited to a certain day, and that they could not reaſonably hope or expect any prolongation of their lives, who had bereaved a worthy Gentleman of his ſo ſuddainly, and to him unexpected, one from whom ſome of them had confeſſed they never received any prejudice, nor had cauſe of conceiving any hatred, and to this effect were they daily exhorted by Pious men, who, notwithſtanding their Villanous act, had a regard to their Souls. They likewiſe made great profeſſion that they had been brought up in Proteſtant Countries, and that they had ſerved againſt the Papiſts, but that was but a ſmall excuſe to mitigate the hainous Crime they were convicted of. The day appointed for their Execution, according to the Warrant directed to the Sheriffs, was to be on the 8th of this Inſtant, but at their humble requeſt, for a longer time to prepare themſelves for another world, they were reprieved till this day, when about Nine in the Morning the Sheriffs Officers came to demand them; after having had ſome conference with ſuch as came to pay their laſt viſits, were brought down by Captain Richardſons Servants, and delivered at the door of the Priſon to the Sheriffs Officers, as is uſual in ſuch Caſes. The Captain at his firſt coming down look'd very brisk, but he perceiving there was no way but that he muſt go to his long home, his countenance greatly alter'd, and he many times in the way to the place of Execution, hung down his head, the other two look'd like Men whom the fear of Death had altogether ſtupified, ſo that we may perceive that ſuch as are bold and daring to commit Murthers and bereave others of their Lives are moſt timerous when Death begins to ſtare them in the face, all along as they paſſed there were Crouds of People, not only in the Street, but in the Windows and Balconeys, that the like has not been ſeen ſince the Execution of their fellow Murtherers, thoſe deteſted Wretches that as Inhumanly and baſely Murthered that Worthy Knight Sir Edmundbury Godfrey. They being come to the place of Execution, where the Gibbets were placed as near as could be gueſſed on the ſpot where the Coach ſtood, when the Deceaſed was ſhot, the Carts drawing under them, ſtood ſtill, and being incloſed round with the Guards that went to ſee Execution done, the Murtherers being unbound, ſtood up with dejected looks, ſeveral Miniſters being with them, the Captain often looking wiſhfully about him, (as ſome thought) in hopes of a Reprieve; when after an hours ſpace, having received ſeveral Exhortations, and ſaid ſome Prayers in their own Language, Urats being a German, Boriſkie a Polander and Sterne a Sweed, the two laſt often lifted up their Hands, and bewailed their unhappy ends, not in the leaſt denying the Murther, nor that they deſerved to dye for the ſame: the Captain likewiſe ſpoke ſeveral words in French, and after they had thus done, the Executioner did his Office, where after they had Hang'd about three Quarters of an hour, they were taken down and conveyed thence.