DIEUET

MON DROLI

(C O P Y.)

GEORGE the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.

To all whom thefe Prefents fhall come Greeting.

WHEREAS the Publisher of this valuable and entertaining Work bath humbly reprefented to Us, that he bath been at very great Labour and Expence in collecting Books and Manufcripts, and in employing divers Perfons to write and compile a Work, entituled, The New Newgate Calendar; or Villany difplayed in all its Branches: Containing an authentic Account of the Lives, Adventures, Trials, Executions, and laft Dying Speeches, of the most notorious Malefactors of all Denominations, who have fallen a Sacrifice to the just and equitable Laws of their Country: The whole being the most faithful Narrative ever published, of the various Exécutions and other Punishments, in England, Scotland, and Ireland, from the Year 1700, to the prefent Time; accompanied with proper Reflections

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arifing

arifing from the feveral Subjects: Which Work the Publisher humbly apprehends will be of the utmost Advantage to our Subjects in general, and more especially to the Youth of thefe Kingdoms; as by exhibiting the Gradations of Vice, and fhewing the Picture in its native Deformity, it will effectually advance the Caufe of Religion and Virtue. We being willing to give all due Encouragement to this Undertaking, do therefore, by thefe Prefents, fo far as may be agreeable to the Statute in that Cafe made and provided, grant unto the Publiber, his Executors, Adminiftrators, and Affigns, Our* Licenfe for the fole Printing, Publishing and Vending, the faid Work, for the Term of fourteen Years; ftrictly forbidding all our Subjects within our Kingdoms and Dominions, to reprint, abridge, or publifh the fame, either in the like or any other Volume or Volumes whatsoever; or to import, buy, vend, utter, or diftribute, any Copies thereof, reprinted beyond the Seas, during the aforefaid Term of fourteen Years, without the Confent or Approbation of the Publisher, bis Heirs, Executors, or Affigns, under their Hands and Seals, first bad and obtained, as they will answer the contrary at their Perils. Wherefore the Commiffioners, and other Officers of our Customs, the Mafter, Wardens, and COMPANY of STATIONERS, are to take Notice that, due obedience may be rendered to Our Will and Pleasure herein declared. Given at our Court at St. James's,

By his Majefty's Command.

NTRO

THE

HE wifeft men, both in ancient and modern times have agreed, that nothing leaves fo ftrong an impreffion on the human mind, as a recital of thofe crimes, for which many have forfeited their lives to the iujured laws of their country. Such examples are fet up as marks of the frailty of human nature, and may ferve to teach us, that let our ftation be whatever it will, we are not beyond the" reach of temptation; and unlefs we keep the fear of God constantly before us, attending to our duty' as the allurements to vice will become fo ftrong, that we may be led gradually to commit the most odious crimes, and end our lives with fhame and infamy.

The many atrocious offences which are daily prepetrated in different parts of the Kingdom, in defiance of the laws, call aloud for a Publication of this kind, to put private perfons on their guard against the defigning cheat, and the more open and daring robber.

In former times one notorious act of shocking delinquency, was fufficient to furnish Matter of Wonder to the public for a long time, but of late years vice has made fuch bold and daring ftrides, that one act of Enormity is fwallowed up in another; and ere we ceafe our furprize at the firft, it is re-excited by fome newer and more atrocious Villany.

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New laws, new regulations, and new modes of punishment, have been devifed-but almost in vain, fomething seems wanting which may tend rather to prevent the offence than punish the offenders.

At prefent nothing promises so fair to operate as a preventive remedy against felonious acts, as the frequent

frequent and careful perufal of the modes by which fimilar acts of felony have been perpetrated and the horrid Effects that have followed fuch perpetration.

The diffipation of this nation has multiplied the number of crimes, and occafioned new ftatutes to be framed, for putting a ftop to the growing evil; because such striking incidents have happened in the courfe of the prefent century, as were not known, nor even thought of, for many years before-The multitude of places fet apart for the entertainment of the gay, and the thoughtless has contributed towards the ruin of many youth of both fexes; for pleasure is of fo bewitching a nature, that in order to gratify a fenfual paffion we are often led to commit the greatest crimes. Hence the ruin of many youth who, had it not been for the alluring temptations to vice, might have lived to the inexpreffible joy of their relations, and been an honour and an ornament. to their country. But it is not youth alone that are blameable for many who have lived to advanced years are either fo deftitute of virtuous principles, or fo little mafters of their natural tempers, that they are often hurried both into exceffes and crimes, without reflecting on the fatal confequences.

To prevent our fellow fubjects from committing crimes, and to promote their interest and honour in the world, this Work is offered the Public; on a plan entirely new, and more comprehensive than any ever yet published on the fame fubject. From a great variety of authors, both printed and in manufcript, we have felected the lives of the moft notorious offenders, that have fuffered from the year 1700, to the present time.

In all the Works of this nature, that we have seen the materials are fo jumbled together, without order or method, that the readers are difgufted, rather than entertained or inftructed. Instead, therefore, of

repeating

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