punishment of evil living. In all
the civil and religious exercises previous to the execution of the
sentence, publicity was given to the offender; petty and great
malefactors were preached at when sentenced, and after condemnation were
made public examples--were brought into church and made the subject of
discourse and even of objurgation from the pulpit. Judge Sewall
frequently refers to this meretricious custom. Under date March 11,
1685, he says: "Persons crowd much into the old Meeting House by reason
of James Morgan (who was a condemned murderer) and a very exciting and
riotous scene took place." This was at a Thursday lecture, and in the
gloomy winter twilight of the same day the murderer was
executed--"turn'd off" as Sewall said--after a parting prayer by Cotton
Mather, who had preached over him in the morning. Cotton Mather's sermon
and others on Morgan and his crimes, which were preached by Increase
Mather and Joshua Moodey, were printed and sold in vast numbers, passing
through several editions. Morgan's dying words and confessions were also
printed and sold throughout New England by chapmen.

Captain Quelch and six other pirates were captured on June 11, 1704;
were brought to Boston on the 17th, sentenced on the 19th, and, "the
silver oar being carried before them to the place of execution," were
hung on the 30th. An "extra" of the _News Letter_ says that "Sermons
were preached in their Hearing Every Day, And Prayers made daily with
them. And they were Catechized and they had many Occasional
exhortations;" but the paper also states, "yet as they led a wicked and
vitious life so to appearance they died very obdurately and impenitently
hardened in their sin." Sewall gives this painfully particular account
of the execution:

"After Dinner about 3 P.M. I went to see the Execution. Many were
the people that saw upon Broughtons Hill But when I came to see
how the River was covered with People I was amazed; Some say there
were 100 boats. 150 Boats & Canoes saith Cousin Moody of York. He
Told them. Mr. Cotton Mather came with Captain Quelch & 6 others
for Execution from the Prison to Scarletts Wharf and from thence in
Boat to the place of Execution. When the Scaffold was hoisted to a
due height the seven Malefactors went up. Mr. Mather pray'd for
them standing upon the Boat. Ropes were all fastened to the Gallows
save King who was Reprieved. When the Scaffold was l