The prisoner heard his sentence with great firmness, but, at the conclusion, seemed deeply affected, and wept bitterly. After regaining a moment silent at the bar, he assumed an air of resignation and, respectfully bowing to the Court, retired.
He cordially shook hands with some females and others, as he passed to one of the condemned cells, where he evinced a resignation and calmness, in every respect suitable to the death he was to die. Soon afterwards the Rev. Mr. Cotton, the ordinary, in virtue of his office, visited him, and in the evening he was called on by one or two religious characters, who had serious conferences with him. He continued constant and fervent in prayer throughput the night, except at those times when, exhausted by weakness and strong feeling, he sunk occasionally to rest. At intervals he related some extraordinary circumstances of his varied life, which were taken down in writing from his lips. He was asked to give a full relation by the respectable officer of the prison, to whom he afterwards completely detailed it, but he for the present excused himself, by saying that the number of persons, religious and otherwise, who were visiting him, prevented him from delivering it, then, as he wished.
Saturday was spent by him chiefly in devotional exercises, and in receiving the kind and charitable visits of religious characters. Throughout the whole of this day and night, he displayed great piety, a repentant disposition, and strong faith in the mercy of Heaven.
On Sunday morning, Bedworth sent a message to the ordinary, entreating permission for the “convict school boys” to come near his cell, and join him in singing a hymn. This was of course complied with, and they repeated their singing, at his request, on Sunday evening, when he joined the children, and expressed himself much happier by this social act of devotion.—The number of youths who united their voices in these gloomy vaults amounted to about thirty, and such sounds, floating through the dreary passages, might well have been supposed to impress, not only the criminal, but the children themselves, with edifying thoughts. The Rev. Mr. Cotton remained several hours with Bedworth, on Sunday evening, and his labours were succeeded by two gentlemen, who were dissenters, one of whom remained with him throughout the night. On this occasion he was reminded of his promise to completely detail his narrative and confession, previously given in these pages, which he did with perfect composure, with an apparently entire recollection of the events of his life. Having done this, he continued incessantly in prayer and religious conversation. He sang with his companion two or three hymns, and he repeated, and sang with great fervour, the Hymn beginning,
“Jesu, lover of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom fly,” &c.
As the morning dawned, Bedworth conversed with much animation, and amongst other things, asked his friend, whether he thought the populace would assemble in any great number to witness his ignominious death? Being answered that it was likely there would be many, he remarked, “I would that the poor creatures would remain at home, and pray for ME, if not for THEMSELVES.”
At six o’clock on Monday morning, the ordinary again attended Bedworth in his cell, and continued with him in prayer, until half-past seven, when one of the sheriffs also visited him. After remaining with him some moments, the latter retired to assist in the necessary preparations, and Bedworth was again left in prayer with his companion. The crowd, now assembled to witness the execution, was very considerable; though certainly it did not amount to half, perhaps not one-third of the number collected upon the occasion of the extraordinary execution of the unfortunate Elizabeth Fenning.
At about three minutes before eight o’clock, Mr. Newman arrived at the Justice room, in the Old Bailey, to announce the time. The High Sheriff, Mr. Leigh, and the two Under Sheriffs, Messrs. Leigh and Rooke, proceeded to the cell of the criminal. Bedworth walked forth with uncommon firmness and resignation, and, with a countenance open and serene, advanced towards Mr. Sheriff Leigh, whom he cordially shook by the hand. He very much facilitated, by his activity and presence of mind, in knocking off his own irons, after which he walked with composure towards the executioner, who bound his arms, and tied his halter round his body. He then requested one of the officers to give to a fellow-prisoner, his pair of leggings, or leathers, to protect the flesh from excoriation by the fetters, and with them his remembrance and prayers. After expressing his deep sense of his sinful life, and the crime for which he was about to die, and expressing strong hopes of mercy and pardon hereafter, the dead bell tolled, and he moved on, in the customary procession, to the scaffold. The ordinary prayed with him whilst they passed through the dreary avenues, Bedworth walking with a firm, undaunted step, and bowing, in silence, to all whom he observed within the dreary passage. On the scaffold, he manifested the same firmness, but directed his eyes imploringly towards heaven, while the executioner made his fatal preparations: the ordinary continued a few moments in prayer with him, and, the awful signal being given; he was launched off, in the act of fervent supplication.
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