Broadside detailing the last speech of Richard Broxup

Transcription

THE   LAST   SPEECH,

CONFESSlON, AND DYING DECLARATION, OF

RICHARD BROXUP,         

Who was executed at the West End of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, on Wednesday the
11th of February, 1801, for the Crimes of picking Locks and Theft.

I RICHARD BROXUP, aged thirty-three
years, born of respectable Parents, in
the county of York, to whose counsel and
example, (with shame I acknowledge) I
paid not that attention I ought.

I would not have left one word, in this
form, behind me, were it not for two
things.

The first of which is - That I may give
glory to God, who alone is able to bring
good out of evil; who hath, in his mer-
cy, rendered the crimes for which I suf-
fer, with my suffering, instrumental in
bringing me to the knowledge of the truth
of that Gospel, which, through the all
powerful operation of his holy Spirit, is
preached to save sinners, (even the chief).
So that, while, with grief, shame, and
sorrow, I acknowledge the crimes for which
I suffer, I thank God that even I came into
this prison, where I have heard the glad
tidings of great joy ; and, by the mercy
of God, have been enabled to set my seal,
as a dying man, to the truth thereof, fully
persuaded, in my own mind, that Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness to
every one that believeth.

While I thank Almighty God for his
mercy to me, I would be ungrateful did
I not acknowledge the kindness of the
Reverend Doctor BROWN, who, in his of-
ficial character, did me all the service in
his power.

In a special manner I am in duty bound
to acknowledge the kind visits of Messrs.
HALDANE, AITKMAN, and DONALDSON,
with some of the Members of Mr. Donald-
son's congregation, who have been the
means of great good to me, all of whom
may the Lord abundantly reward.

I an not insensible of the kind indul-
gence of the Honourable the Magistrates
of this city, in allowing me - to be visited
by so many godly and well disposed per-

sons; also with the goodness and kind in-
dulgence of the keepers of the prison.

The second thing that moved me to
make this declaration was - To prevent,
what I feared, any person publishing any
thing as my Speech, which I would abhor
to have said.

I conclude with the hope, that my pub-
lic suffering for breaking the laws of God
and man, will have the happy effect of
preventing others from committing the
same, or like crimes.

And I earnestly hope, that all those who
shall see or hear of my untimely end, will
take warning and avoid the paths which
have brought me to be a public spectacle
to the world, especially those who are or
may be addicted to such crimes as I have
been guilty of ; and I beg to let all such
know, that though they may escape the
laws of their country they cannot escape
the eyes of an all-seeing God, who sooner
or later will bring the most hidden trans-
actions to light; and may He, of his in-
finite goodness, shew you the error of
your ways, and bring you back to the
paths of virtue and honesty, is the prayer
of a dying man, which may the God of
all grace hear. - AMEN.

RICHARD BROXUP.

J. GULLEN,             Witnesses.

ARCHD. DUNBAR,

*** I hope none will be so unkind as
to make the cause of my death a ground
of reproach to my beloved wife, or inno-
cent children,

He behaved at the place of execution
in every respect becoming his awful situa-
tion, and met his fate with firmness.

Edinburgh - Printed by J. Morren, and
re-printed by Thomas Duncan - at whose
Printing-office, third close above St. An-
drew's Street, Saltmarket, Glasgow, may
be had, price Six pence, a Concise History
of the Late REBELLION- in IRELAND.

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