1602. The xviii. of Aprill Peter Bullocke, stationer, and one named Ducket, for printing of Bookes offensiue were Hanged at Tyborne (Stow, p. 803).
This is a very bald account of an interesting case. James Duckett was a convert from Protestantism. As an apprentice he more than once got into trouble for his opinions; and his master, thinking that he himself might be involved, at last gave back the indenture to Duckett. Duckett now maintained himself by dealing in Catholic books, a commerce which frequently got him into prison, where it is said that he spent nine years out of twelve. A bookbinder, the Peter Bullocke mentioned above, lay in prison under sentence of death, and hoping to receive a pardon, informed against Duckett, a former customer. Duckett’s house was searched, popish books were discovered, and Duckett was condemned to death. The informer did not receive the reward of his betrayal; the informer and his victim rode to Tyburn in the same cart (Challoner’s Memoirs, pt. i., pp. 207-9).
The xx. of Aprill, Stichborne [Thomas Tichburn], W. Kenson [Robert Watkinson], and Iames Page [Francis Page], Semenarie Priestes, were drawne to Tyborne, and there hanged, bowelled, and quartered, for comming into this Realme, contrary to the Statute of Anno. 27, &c. (Stow, p. 803).
Thomas Tichburn is the priest for the rescue of whom his cousin Nicholas Tichburn, and Thomas Hackshot suffered in 1601. Page was the priest who was celebrating Mass in Mistress Line’s house in 1601, but contrived to escape.
1603. The xvii. of Februarie, W. Anderson [or Richardson] a Seminary Priest was drawne to Tyborne and there hanged, bowelled and quartered, for being found in England contrary to the statute of Anno. 27. (Stow, p. 812).
Anderson was the last of Elizabeth’s victims; she died a few weeks later.
1604. Master Robert Dow of London Merchant Taylor, in his most Christian charitie, pitying the miserable or rather desperate Estate of the poore condemned prisoners in Newgate, where very often and very many of them after Judgement of Death, and at their very Execution remaine most carelesse of their Soules health, Jesting and deriding their imminent danger and to the Judgement of the world die reprobate.
Upon tender Consideration whereof, and good hope of after reformation of such poore prisoners there, as through temptation of Sathan are, and will be too apt to fall into like danger the sayd Master Dow hath giuen competent Maintainance for ever, vnto Saint Sepulchers parish for the towling of the great Bell and for some especiall man, by them to bee appointed to come to the sayd Prison, the midnight before execution, and then distinctly and solemnly to ring a hand bell: then to pronounce with a lowd voice at the prison grate, a Godly and Christian remembrance on exhortation, appoynted by the Lord Bishoppe, beginning thus.
O ye prisoners within condemned, this day to dye, remember your sinnes, call to God for Grace, whilst yet you have time.
And in the Morning when they are in the Cart, iust against the Church, the partie aforesayd to put them in minde againe of their former liues, and present death, saying the great bell of this Church, which I told you last night should Toll for you from sixe of the clocke vntil ten, now tolleth to the end to moue good people to pray to God for you whilest your selues with them may pray for remission of your sinnes, &c. And at ten a clocke or at such time as knowledge may be truely had of the Prisoners execution the sayd great Bell shall bee rung out for the space of a quarter of an houre, (to the end all people may understand the execution is past) and then cease (Stow, pp. 862).