to Pot concluded she should be Roast-meat to bear me Company at old _Nicks_ table; for the People by her Diabolical looks were more than half persuaded she could not but be a Witch at least. Sessions approaching I often meditated on the word, _Hanging_; but the word struck so heavy on my Imagination, that it rather benummed than anyways quickned the sence of punishment: Death I lookt on then with the ignorant and misjudging eyes of a childish understanding, fancying that it was but the meer privation of Life, and there is an end, and not the separation of Soul and Body for a while, till they be by the Infinity rejoyn’d, never to be separated again, either in endless Joys, or Eternal Woes. But as often as I thought I should be soundly whipt, or but have as many single stripes, for every several Roguery I committed, so often would the tears trickle from my eye, whilst my heart was ready to burst, not having the benefit to discharge its grief. Whilst I was ruminating with my self, what would become of me, my good Nurse came to me, at whose sight I was ready to dissolve into Tears, neither was she much behind hand with me, so that it was very difficult to judge who wept fastest. But at length recovering her self, she charged me home with all my miscarriages, and thinking she had made me fully sensible of them (which she thought she had done by my pitiful looks) she then instructed me, how I should behave my self for the future, if I escaped this bout, and finally counselling me that I should freely confess my faults to the Judge, and then most penitently (with all submissiveness) beg his Honour not only to pardon, but pity the tenderness of my Age. I con’d my Lesson so well, that three days after, when I was carried to the Sessions House amongst the rest of the Prisoners, and being called to the Bar, I was bid hold up my Hand, and answer to guilty or not guilty, to what I stood Indicted? I answered guilty (_submissa voce_) with so low a voice and so much seeming shamefacedness, that the judge I perceived took special notice of my seeming modest behaviour. He thereupon askt me how old I was: My Lord (said I) my Nurse informs me I am twelve years old. A prime youngster indeed, replyed my Lord; but why said you your Nurse inform’d you, and not your Mother? May it please your Honour, (said I) I was never so happy, either to know what she was, or where she is. At this reply of mine, I observed his Lordship more amazed, than he was before surprized, to see so young a Felon appear before him; his wonder was so great, that he only caused me to be set aside, and so proceeded to the Trial of others. I was so kind to my Granney, that I impeacht her not, and indeed her _mittimus_ ran (by the connivance of her old friend the Justice, who had been a good Milch Cow to him, but could now keep her off no longer) for only keeping a House of Debauchery, and rank Bawdry. At the last day of the Sessions I was sentenced to be transported, and the venerable