A Full ACCOUNT of a moſt Tragycal and Inhuman Murther, That was Committed lately in Holland, at Sevenbergen, 3 Hours Walk off the Brill, by One CLAES WELLS; Who murthered his Father, Henry Wells and his Mother; with 3 Brothers and one Siſter: And after ſat the Houſe on Fire, for which he was Executed, within 3 days after.

THIS Claes Wells (by what I could learn) had received as large Education as his Father could poſſibly give him; and endowed him alſo with a ſufficient Wealth to live happily, and was for ſome time in a fair way of being a Comfort to his Aged Parents: But alas! Falling into bad Company and by its Temptations and Allurements, conſuming his Patrimony, he loſt the Favour of his Friends; and for 4 years paſt, would not re­ceive nor admit him in their Sight, till lately, when in Humility, ap­proaching and intreating his Mother, with Sighs and Tears, and a pretended Sorrow for his Offence, ſhe harboured him again; and uſed her utmoſt Efforts upon her Husband, but in vain, being by no Intreaties2 to be prevailed upon; His Brothers and Siſters Embraced him with a Joy not to be expreſſed, mingling with their Endearments a thouſand Kiſſes, and confirmed their Brotherly Affection by imploring on their Knees a Reconciliation with their Father; and that he would condeſcend an ad­miſſion to his preſence, but his Anger was too inveterate, and their Pray­ers proved ineffectual: So he was conveyed up Stairs, and being told of it, fell immediately into a Fit of Diſtraction. However, being qualifyed and Silence engaged, leſt his Father ſhould have known he was in the Houſe, and thereby incurred all their Ruin; when his Father went to Bed he came down, and Eat his Supper with a ſeeming Satisfaction; a­bout ten, going to reſt with his elder Brother, (they little thinking of his Deſign) at 12 a Clock, and being faſt aſleep, he cut his Throat firſt; and having a Dark Lanthorn; entred next unto the other Chamber, where 2 more of his Brothers lay, where he cut their Throats alſo; then he went into his Siſters, and cut her's; and laſtly come to his Father and Mo­ther, that received him, and cut her Throat, who ſtruggling, and awaking his Father, he Cryed out, Son, let me live, I'll give you all I have, but could not be prevailed upon; ſo ſtabbed him, and after, ſat Fire to the Houſe, which, allarming the Inhabitants, who ſecuring the Draw-Bridg­es of the Town, ſearch was made, and finding him; knowing the Grudge; charged him with it; which not having power to deny, was immediately conveyed to the Goal, where behaving himſelf with all the Outrages of a terrified Conſcience; as Curſing his whole Family, and crying out for Damnation; The whole Confeſſion in his moſt ſober Intervals were on­ly, That his Father was the Cauſe; When he came upon the Scaffold, and ſaw the Fate he was to ſuffer, he laughed at firſt, then Rav'd; the manner of his Execution being thus; It is the Cuſtom in Holland to exe­cute in the middle of the Town upon a Scaffold before the Stadthouſe; where was placed a large ſquare Hearth of Bricks, and a Fire being kind­led, this Malefactor was hanged up by his left Leg upon an Iron Gibbet, at ſome ſmall diſtance, and was waſted until he expired; The Spectators of this Tragedy, rather upbraided than pitied him, and the Tumult could hardly forbear tearing him Piece meal

This ſad Cataſtrophe may be a warning to Children, firſt to be Obedi­ent, and keep within bounds; but more particularly, to avoid bad Com­pany, which was the deſtruction of This, and is of many more Youths in England and elſewhere; And Secondly, to Parents, not too much by Severity to expoſe their Children to Want, and provoke them to Wrath; both being the Cauſes of ſuch direful Effects, 'tis hoped this Paper will be a Means to Cure the Licentiouſneſs of the former, and the Inveteracy of the latter.