It was no doubt on account of the insufficiency of the spiritual consolations offered to the condemned that led old Richard Dove, or Dow, to make his endowment for tolling the prisoner’s bell. He bequeathed fifty pounds a year for ever, so Stowe tells us, with this philanthropic purpose. When condemned prisoners were being “drawn to their executions at Tyburn,” a man with a bell stood in the churchyard by St. Sepulchre’s, by the wall next the street, “and so to put them in mind of their death approaching.” Later on these verses took the form of exhortation, of which the following is the substance-- “You prisoners that are within, Who for wickedness and sin, after many mercies shown you, you are now appointed to die to-morrow in the forenoon: give ear and understand that to-morrow morning the greatest bell of St. Sepulchre’s shall toll for you, in form and manner of a passing bell, as used to be tolled for those who are at the point of death, to the end that all godly people hearing that bell, and knowing it is for you going to your death, may be stirred up heartily to pray to God to bestow His grace and mercy upon you whilst you live. I beseech you, for Jesus Christ his sake, to keep this night in watching and prayer for the salvation of your own souls, whilst there is yet time and place for mercy: as knowing to-morrow you must appear before the judgment-seat of your Creator, there to give an account of all things done in this life, and to suffer eternal torments for your sins, committed against Him, unless upon your hearty and unfeigned repentance you find mercy, through the merits, death, and passion of your only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ, who now sits at the right hand of God, to make intercession for as many of you as penitently return to Him.” In addition to the foregoing there was an admonition pronounced to the condemned criminals as they passed St. Sepulchre’s church wall on their way to execution, which was to the following effect:-- “All good people pray heartily unto God for those poor sinners who are now going to their death, for whom this great bell doth toll. “You that are condemned to die, repent with lamentable tears; ask mercy of the Lord for the salvation of your own souls, through the merits, death, and passion of Jesus Christ, who now sits at the right hand of God, to make intercession for as many of you as penitently return unto Him. “Lord have mercy upon you, Christ have mercy upon you. Lord have mercy upon you, Christ have mercy upon you.”