The Cry of Blood: OR, THE Horrid Sin of Murther DISPLAY'D.In the true Relation of three ſeveral Murthers Committed within the compaſs of one Week, viz. of Capt. Campbell on the 4th. Mr. — a Beadle in the Strand, on the 6th. And of Mr. Baker, commonly call'd Capt. Baker, on the 7th of this inſtant Aprill, 1692. With a particular Account of the Circumſtances of each Tragical Accident.

NOT to trouble the Reader with a Long Preface (which would be as prepoſterous as to make a very Large Door to a Little Houſe), it is readily confeſt on all Hands, That amongſt all the Sins which cor­rupt humane Nature is ready to commit, there is none has ſo deep a Tincture of Guilt as Murther: And the Providence of God has not Exerted it ſelf more powerfully in any thing, than in the frequent and unexpected Diſcovery of Marthers, when the Actors of that horrid Crime have thought themſelves moſt ſecure; yet though ſeveral Murthers of late, are not as yet, and perhaps never will be Diſcovered, undoubtedly the Perſons who committed them, find a Hell in their own Minds, the Stings of Conſcience being equally as terri­ble as the Looks of an Executioner. But leaving ſuch Bloody Wretches to the Tor­ments of their own Thoughts, it may juſtly be our Wonder and Surprize, that in a Kingdom Govern'd by ſuch Good Laws, and in a City Remarkable all over the World, for its Civility and good Diſcipline, Murthers ſhould yet be ſo frequent. But Paſſion, Humour, Interest, and Falſe Notions of Honour, having blinded the Judg­ment, no wonder Men run head-long into Ruine and Deſtruction. The Truth of which take in theſe Three following Relations.

There are Two very Current, and confidently reported Stories of the Occaſion of the Death of the Unfortunate Capt. Campbell; One is, That diverting himſelf on Saturday, the Second of this Month, at the Tenniſcourt, Mr. Thornicraft, a Gentle­man, late of the Curſitors Office in Chancery-Lane, came in as a Spectator, being very Richly habited (as he always dreſtout of the common Rode), and in obſerving the Play, Capt. Campbell, more than Once or Twice, call'd him, My Lord (ſuppoſing him no leſs), which Mr. Thornicraft Reſenting as an Affront, told him, That he might as well call him Squire; for he was no Lord, nor did he pretend to be any. But Capt. Campbell, whether Deſignedly, or through Inadvertency, ſeveral times after call'd him; My Lord, which provoked him ſo far, that he ſtruck the Captain with his Cane; upon which Swords were drawn on both ſides, but parted by the Company, a Challenge followed, and in the Duel, on Monday Morning, the Captain was unhappily Killed. Others again relate it thus, and it ſeems much more probable, That Mr. Thornicraft Drinking with Capt. Campbell, and ſeveral other Gentlemen, at a Tavern at Charing-Croſs, when the Reckoning was called for, each Gentleman throwing down his Clubh, there happened to be a Braſs Shilling in the Sum, which was returned; Each Gentle­man in the Company flatly denied it to be his, till at laſt Capt. Campbell fixt it very pe­remptorily upon Mr. Thornicraft; which he Reſenting as a very great Affront, that he ſhould be thought to put off Braſs-Money, Challenged the Captain, Fought him, and Killed him.

Whatever the Provocation was, certain it is, That on Monday, the 4th of this Month, they met at the Duke of Ormond's Head in the Hay-Market, where they drank a Pint of Young-Hock, and eat a Diſh of Soop together, which while they were doing, a third Perſon, Capt. Campbell's Friend came in; but after a little time they took Coach, and drove to Hide-Park-Corner, and there alighted. As they walked along the Park (the Captain having before aſſured Mr. Thornicraft, that his Friend was not deſigned as his Second), this third Perſon endeavoured to moderate the Matter, and that he would expend a Round Sum of Money, rather than either of them ſhould hazard their Lives about a Braſs-Shilling, but Mr. Thornicraft was deaf to all the Gentleman could ſay, ſwearing, He would not be piſt upon for a Coward, but fight he would. To a con­venient Place they came, both Drew, and after Two or Three Paſſes, the Captain dropt; and Mr. Thornicraft asking the Gentleman, Whether he would with his Sword revenge his Deceaſed Friend's Blood? Which he declining, Mr. Thornicraft, with all ſpeed poſſi­ble, leapt over the Pales, and is ſuppoſed to be gone directly for Flanders.

The Second Murther, which had not ſo much Gallantry in it, was thus: Lieutenant VV — b, a Gentleman belonging to Their Majeſties Fleet, with two other Gentlemen, having diſpos'd the day to Mirth, met at the Greyhound in the Strand, on VVedneſday the 6th of this Month, where they Dined Plentifully and Drank very Liberally; after Dinner Mr. L — d, their Landlord, would needs Preſent them with his Bottle, which they would not Accept of unleſs they might Drink it in a Coach; the Motion was a­greed to, and Coach call'd, into which they all Entred, and Drank briskly about; but the Coach-man being a little Impertinent and Sawcy, about their Stay, Lieutenant VV — b leaps out of the Coach, and to Chaſtiſe the Fellows Inſolence gives him a Cut or two up­on the Head with his Sword, which occaſion'd a great Tumult in the Street; to Appeaſe which Diſorder, the Beadle of the Dutchy Liberty came, endeavouring to Quiet the Diſ­order Receiv'd a Thruſt quite through the Body, of which he Inſtantly Dyed; the Lieute­nant and his two Friends were carried before a Juſtice of Peace, who Committed them to Newgate, where they are to Remain till next Seſſions.

The Third Murther was Committed the very next day, being Thurſday, the 7th of this Inſtant April; the Manner take as followeth. One Mr. Baker, by ſome called Captain Baker, by others Bully Baker, having paſt through a variety of Good and Bad Fortunes, had the Luck about four Years ſince, to Marry a Widow of a very good Eſtate, with whom he Lived in Love and Decency; but it ſeems the Lady hav­ing Diſoblig'd ſeveral of her Relations by this (as they thought ſcandalous) Match: About a Year ſince ſome Law Suits began to Commence, which were Proſecuted with that Violence, that Mr. Baker was forced to Abſcond and Live Incognito. His laſt Lodgings being in Channel-row, Weſtminſter; he having the day above mentioned been Drinking pretty hard with a Gentleman, his Son in Law; about ſeven in the Evening they Landed at White-Hall Stairs; at which very inſtant of Time, a Gen­tleman and Two Ladies Landed; and in going along Mr: Baker made Love in a very Rude manner to one of them; the Gentleman, their Friend, deſiring him to forbear; but he ſtill perſiſting in his Temper, Swearing he would have her from him; the Gentleman Drew, and oblig'd Mr. Baker to do the like, which he did; and though he underſtood a Sword very well, yet his Head not being in right order, after two or three Paſſes, he was run through the Breaſt, of which Wound he Immediately Dyed; the Gentleman who Kill'd him, making his Eſcape. His Body was Remov'd to the Sutlers by the Horſe-Guard, and his Son in Law detained that Night in the Porter's Lodg, he being ſuppoſed to have done the Murther; but next Morning the Coroner ſitting upon the Body, and the Gentleman Examin'd of his Knowledg of the Matter, he gave ſome Imperfect Account of a Quarrel between his Father in Law and a Gentleman; and it being proved he had too much Liquor about him at that time to be Guilty of any Malice, he was Diſcharged.

Upon the whole, How reaſonable is that Prayer in the Church Littany, From Battle, Murther, and Sudden Death, Good Lord Deliver us.