o wed
a girl whose parents had repulsed him on account of his poverty.
She was the daughter of one Mr. G----, a well-to-do man.

[106] One of these humane arguments, according to Johnson, _op.
cit._, consisted in tying his thumbs together with whipcord,
"which was done several times by the executioner and another
officer; they drawing the cord until it broke."

APPENDIX

_Although the several histories which are related within the compass of
this Appendix do not so properly fall under the general title of this
work (most of them having fallen out in a period of time long before
that to which I have fixed the beginning of these memoirs of the
unfortunate victims to public justice) yet there are two reasons which
determined me to give these narratives a place in this collection. The
first is that the wonders of Providence signalized in these transactions
might hereby be recorded and preserved to posterity; and the other, that
from the perusal the wicked might be deterred from pursuing their
vicious courses, from the prospect of those sudden, dreadful, and
unexpected strokes which the best hid criminal practices have met with
from the unsearchable conduct of Divine Justice. And as these arguments
had weight enough with me to engage me to the performance of this work,
so I hope they will also incline my readers to peruse them with that
improvement and delight which I have ever aimed to excite in the course
of my labours._

A true and perfect account of the examination, confession, trial,
condemnation and execution, of JOHN PERRY, his mother and brother, for
the supposed murder of WILLIAM HARRISON, Gent.

Upon Thursday, the 6th of August, 1660, William Harrison, steward to the
Lady Viscount Campden, at Campden in Gloucester, being about seventy
years of age, walked from Campden aforesaid to Charringworth, about two
miles from thence, to receive his lady's rent; and not returning so
early as formerly, his wife, Mrs. Harrison, between eight and nine
o'clock in the evening, sent her servant John Perry, to meet his master
on the way from Charringworth. But neither Mr. Harrison nor his servant
John Perry returning that night, early the next morning Edward Harrison,
William's son, went towards Charringworth to enquire after his father.
On the way he met Perry coming thence, and being informed by him that he
was not there, they went together to Ebrington, a village betwee