The name of James Dawson is connected with a melancholy incident which the poet Shenstone {26} made the subject of the pathetic ballad of “Jemmy Dawson.” He belonged to a family of high respectability in Lancashire, and had been educated at St. John’s College, Cambridge. Having formed an ardent attachment for a young lady of handsome fortune, they were engaged to be married just at the time of the outbreak of the Rebellion. All the influence of his friends, and every effort that the most devoted affection could suggest having failed to secure his pardon, no entreaties or remonstrances could dissuade the faithful girl, to whom he was affianced, from being present at the execution of the man whom she loved with the deepest tenderness. Through all the horrors that characterised the melancholy scene, and while witnessing the cruel and barbarous fate of her lover, she exhibited no violent demonstration of sorrow; but when all had been concluded, and the heart which had beaten so warmly for her had been thrown into the flames, the terrible excitement, which had hitherto sustained her wholly gave way, and, exclaiming—“my dear, I follow thee!—I follow thee!—sweet Jesus, receive both our souls together!” she fell back in the carriage, and expired, as the last word trembled on her lips. {27a} Though in passing to their trials the mob had hooted and insulted them, it was observable at their execution that the assembled multitude exhibited considerable sympathy, and appeared to commiserate the fate of those gallant and hapless gentlemen. When the horrible proceedings had been entirely concluded, the bodies of the sufferers were removed to the prison from whence they had been brought, “to await his Majesty’s pleasure;” and three days afterwards the heads of Towneley and Fletcher were fixed on Temple Bar, while those of Deacon, Berwick, Chadwick, and Syddal were preserved in spirits, and conveyed to Manchester and Carlisle, to be exposed on conspicuous places in those towns. I have failed to ascertain how the heads of Blood, Dawson, and Morgan were disposed of; but it is probable that they were allowed to remain with the bodies. Towneley’s body is said to have been buried at St. Pancras, while the bodies of his companions were interred in the burying-ground attached to the Foundling Hospital. {27b} Shortly after the execution, the statements which they had delivered to the sheriffs were published; {27c} and that written by David Morgan is here introduced. A true COPY of the Paper delivered by David Morgan, Esq., to the Sheriff of Surry, at the Place of Execution, on Wednesday, July 30th, 1746. It having been always deemed incumbent on every Person in my _Situation_, to say something of himself, and _the Cause_ he _suffers_ for, I could not decline it, however disagreeable to my _Persecutors_, when I once held it my Duty.