the pardon of the repenting thief, even upon the cross.

At the place of execution he appeared scarce without any appearance of
terror, much less of obstinacy or contempt of death. Being asked what he
did with the pocket-book which he took from Mr. Stinton, and which
contained in it things of very great use to him, Young replied
ingeniously that he had burnt it, for which he was heartily sorry, but
that he did not look into or make himself acquainted with its contents.
Just before the cart drew away, he arose and spoke to the people, and
said, _The love of idleness, being too much addicted to company, and a
too greedy love of strong liquors has brought me to this unhappy end.
The Law intends my death for an example unto others; let it be so, let
my follies prevent others from falling into the like, and let the shame
which you see me suffer, deter all of you from the commission of such
sins as may bring you to the like fatal end. My sentence is just, but
pray, ye good people, for my soul, that though I die ignominiously here,
I may not perish everlastingly._

He was executed the first of June, 1730, being at the time about
thirty-nine years of age.

FOOTNOTES:

[101] This district, at the Dockhead end of Tooley Street, was
at that time a sort of No Man's Land, where horses were grazed
and a few poverty-stricken wretches lived in sheds and holes in
the ground.

The Life of THOMAS POLSON, _alias_ HITCHIN, a Footpad and Highwayman

Habit is the most dangerous of all evils. The transports of passion are
sometimes prevented from having fatal effects, either by the precautions
of those with whom we quarrel, or because a sudden reflection of our own
minds checks our hand. But where men have abandoned themselves to
wickedness, and given themselves up to the commission of every kind of
evil without restraint, there is little hope to be entertained of their
ever mending; and if the fear of a sudden death work a true repentance,
it is all that can be hoped.

As for this unfortunate man of whose actions the course of our memoirs
obliges us to treat, he was descended from parents who lived at Marlow,
in the county of Salop, who were equally honest in their reputations,
and easy in their circumstances. They spared nothing in the education of
their son, and it is hard to say whether their care of him was more or
his application was less. Even while a child and at school he gave too
evident sym