The Apprehenſion and Confeſsion OF Iohn Randal that Commited the Late Horrid Murther & Robbery In HOƲLBOƲRN.

WE gave you already as full an account as we could of that horrid Murther committed at the houſe of Eſquire Bluck, and though we were then in the Dark altogether, who it might be that ſhould be guilty of that bloody fact, yet ſince the juſtice of Heaven, that rarely permits blood to go un­revenged even in this world, hath been pleaſ'd to make a full Diſcovery thereof, which we think fit to publiſh begins as follows.

One John Randal that was formerly Butler to E­ſquire Bluck, and conſequently was well acquainted with all the rooms and places in the houſe, and kuevv that when the Family uſed to go out of Town, they left only this poor honeſt woman the widdow Burton, the party murthered to look to the houſe, is found to be the bloody actor of this lamentable Tragedy; he is a perſon of about thirty Years of Age, and was turn­ed avvay from the Eſquires ſervice, about half a Year ſince, which time he vvas married, and ſince that (as he pretends) has been in Holland, or ſome part of the l•vv Countries, but he had not been near his Maſters houſe from the time of his going avvay, till the Day before the Squire vvent forth of Tovvn.

So that 'tis probably thoug•t, knovving vvhat time he uſed to go forth vvith his Family, he had before re­ſolved on the vvicked deſign, and then came vvhen he might have an opportunity, for on Muuday the third inſtant he came to a Neighbours houſe, and pointing to Eſquire Blucks houſe, asked vvho Liv•d at that Houſe, to which the Shop-keeher knovving of him, and vvon­dring he ſhould ask, told him his Maſter, to vvhich he replyed, he thought he had been gone, but hovvever he then vvent to the Houſe, and drank vvith this good old vvoman, vvhom he ſince murthered, vvho made him ſtay Dinner, and 'tis likely told him her Maſter vvas to go out of Tovvn, the next Day he came again and Drank vvi•h her, and on Wedn•ſday brought 3 Razors to be ſet at the Razorſhop next Door, vvhich he left, and vvas ſeen to go into this Houſe, vvhere (as ſince••pears he did this horrid murther, and ſo went away5 with a conſiderable quantity of Plate undiſcovered, nor was there any likelihood of finding him out: but behold on Friday the ſeventh inſtant about eight or Nine a Clock in the Evening, he came to this ſhop for his Ra­zars, when a Gentlewoman that has part of the Shop having ſome miſtruſt of him, becauſe he was the laſt ſhe ſaw go into the Houſe before the Murther done, no ſooner ſaw him again but ſhe vvas violently perſvvad­ed he vvas the murtherer, and therefore running vvhilſt he ſtood in the ſhop to Squire Black, vvho vvas then at home, they got a Conſtable, and apprehended him, and carried him before a Juſtice, vvhere he firſt ſtout­ly denyed the fact, but being asked vvhere his lodging vvas, and anſuering ſuch a place in White-Croſs-ſtreet, the ſame vvas order'd to be ſearcht vvhilſt he vvas kept before the Juſtice, vvhere in his Trunk they found plate of the Squires to the value of forty pounds, vvhich vvas brought and ſhevved him, and then he confeſt the fact, declaring that he ſat vvith the poor Woman talk­ing till night, and that then ſhe telling him it vvas late, and time for him to be gone, he ſtruck her vvith his Fiſt and Killed her, but denyed that he had any more Plate, or any money ſave four four-pence-half-pennies, and one Nine-pence, vvhereupon he vvas committed to Newgate.

The aforeſaid fifth of Auguſt, the Squire being out of Town with all his Servants at his Countrey-houſe, at Hunſden in Hertford-ſhire, about twenty miles from London, having given charge and truſt of his houſe to this antient retainer to his Family of known Fe­dility, whoſe care and diligence was manifeſted6 to the laſt, ſhe having expreſſed both by the poſture ſhe was found in; the Evening before this Hor­rid murther, ſhe charg'd the Milk-Woman that ſerv'd the Houſe, that ſhe ſhould call the next Morning, becauſe ſhe ſhould have occaſion for ſome Milk, which accordingly ſhe did; when coming to the Door ſhe found it open, not as it uſed to be, at which being amazed, ſhe firſt knocked at the Door for a conſiderable time, but neither ſeeing any perſon, nor hearing any voice ſhe went in, where to her greater aſtoniſhment ſhe found the body of the aforeſaid Widdow Brown lying in the Parlor with her feet over the threſh­old, with a Coverlid thrown over her, which made the firſt diſcovery of this Horrid Murther and Robbery, upon which coming forth ſtrangely affrighted with this ſad ſpectacle, the Neighbours queſtioning the reaſon of her affrightment, ſhe relating the cauſe, immediately a Conſtable was ſent for, who came as ſpeedily. At which time one of the Eſquires Servants from the Coun­try, accidentally comming to fetch ſome neceſſaries he was ſent for, who meeting the Conſtable, and ſeeing ſuch a Tumult at the Door was much aſto­niſht, but hearing what was done, he with the Conſtable was a ſpectator, not onely of that ſad ſpectacle of the Murther of the Houſe-keeper, but alſo went with the Conſtable to obſerve what miſ­chief was further acted, and upon ſearch found all the Doors and Locks broke open, as aforeſaid: the loſs is no way to be computed without the7 eſtemate of the Eſquire, who onely knows that great loſs he hath ſuſtained; The jealouſies con­cerning the actors as yet undiſcovered. 'Ttis hop't, time will produce, and Juſtice will reward theſe two great and crying ſins rarely remaining with­out diſcovery, and vengance following at the heels.

'Tis ſtrangely remarkable that this poor Creature ſhould thus horribly lye ſtrangled black in the face, and cold when ſhe was firſt found, with her thread about her neck, wherewith ſhe had been work­ing: the bloody Actor not content with binding or gaging, which might have been ſecurity ſufficient for his intended deſign of Robbery: but 'tis feared the apprehenſion of his after diſcovery, prompted on that lamentable Butchery; the expedition of which Acts gives a further ſuſpition, it being ſo ſudden, even the very Day after the Eſq; went out of Tovvn, othervviſe 'tis ſuppoſed his cruelty had not extended ſo far.

'Tis further obſervable, that ſhe never uſed to let in any into the houſe, but ſuch, whoſe voice ſhe well knew; and the ſtreet-door, nor the look were not broke although after he had broke the other locks, both of room, truncks, &c. were all broke, and all the ſaid place miſerably ranſakt, the richeſt moveables no doubt taken away, all except one plate-dreſſing-box, which was left on a Cupboards head ſtanding openly.

The Corronar and Jury found it murther.

Remember whatſoever hath been done in the moſt ſecret Cell, ſhall at laſt be diſcovered and proclaim­ed upon the houſe-top.

Oh that all theſe late ſad examples, which ſeve­ral have ſo lately ſuffered the hand of Divine and Humane Juſtice for, might take that good and everlaſting Rule, given to Iſrael upon this account, might take effect, which was that Iſrael of old, was therefore ſpectators of the hand of Juſtice, that ſo they might ſee Juſtice executed, and hear Sentence paſt, that they might hear and fear, and do no more any ſuch thing, vvhich is the great deſign of the publi­cation of theſe Relations.

And conſidering all the cruel Circumſtances of this moſt bloody Fact, and the clear Evidence againſt this perſon both by the Plate taken in his Cuſtody, and his own Confeſſion, there is ſmall grounds or reaſon left to hope that he can eſcape in this world, without ſa­tisfying for her Death with his own; though it is to be vviſhed that by ſincere Repentance he may vvaſh his ſoul from the ſtains of blood, and ſo eſcape the ſecond Death and punishment everlaſting.