300
THE LAST SPEECH OF
N. B. About the time that the following speech was written, the town was much pestered with Street Robbers; who, in a barbarous manner, would seize on gentlemen, and take them into remote corners, and after they had robbed them, would leave them bound and gagged. It is remarkable, that this speech had so good an effect, that there have been very few robberies of that kind committed since.
THE
LAST SPEECH
AND
DYING WORDS
OF
EBENEZER ELLISTON[1],
WHO WAS EXECUTED THE SECOND DAY OF MAY, 1722.
Published, at his desire, for the common good.
I AM now going to suffer the just punishment for my crimes prescribed by the law of God and my country. I know it is the constant custom, that those who come to this place should have speeches
- ↑ The parents of Ebenezer Elliston, who were rigid dissenters, had given him a good education, put him apprentice to a silk-weaver, and settled him in that profession, which he gradually exchanged for those of a fine gentleman, a gamester, and a housebreaker.
made
