Many surprizing pranks have I used with all trades in London; but at last pursued by my evil genius, I went into the shop of Mr. Honychurch, under St. Dunstan’s church in Fleet-street, on the 5th of November 1750, and stole a silver watch, with which I got off, imprudently keeping it till the next day, I offered it pawn to Mr. Price on Snow-hill; it being advertised, he stopped me, sent for Mr. Honychurch, and carried me out of the city to justice Fielding, who committed me to New-prison, Clerkenwell, thence removed to Newgate, took my trial on the 10th of December 1750, in the mayoralty of Francis Cokayne, Esq; was capitally convicted, and received sentence of death with fifteen others, among whom were Mr. Baker, the sugar-baker; and Mr. Joshua West, a clerk of the Bank. In the course of my trial, which is all fact as sworn against me, it proceeds thus: Mr. Honychurch deposed that the watch was taken with the prisoner on the 6th of November, was lost on the 5th, had his name and number on it, never had been sold, and by advertising it, by that means it was stopped. William Batersby, Mr. Honychurch’s servant, gave his testimony, that he was alone in the shop, the prisoner came in with a watch to have it cleaned, he then appeared in another complexion than now, he had on a laced hat, a waistcoat with either gold or silver button-holes; he desired his watch to be taken to pieces, while that was doing, he said that some of the work was dropt; adding, he was sure some of them were lost! I looked upon the ground, there were none down, but all right before me; then he was for taking it to show some other watch-maker, I said I must not take it to pieces and put it together again for nothing, he said, I will take and shew it to another man, and if he says there is nothing lost, I will bring it again; he took it not put together, also two new wheels, a third and contrite wheel away with him, which lay before me; when he stayed longer than I expected, I began to suspect him, and looking about saw a hook was empty, where a new watch hung just before he came in. I went to the watch-maker where I supposed he would go to, and asked for him; he told me no such person had been there. Then I told my master the affair, who told me by his book it was a watch he had made for a gentleman in Devonshire. When Mr. Price sent for my master, I went with him, and knew the prisoner. On being asked by the court, if there had been any person in the shop betwixt the time he last saw the watch, and the prisoner’s coming in; replied, not one person from opening the shop, till the watch was lost, but him.