The Virginia Gazette

From the London Magazine, for May, 1738.

The latter End of last Month, George Manly was executed at Wicklow in Ireland, pursuant to his Sentence; for the Murder of ---- Williams. At the Tree, he is said to have uttered Words to the following Purpose.

My Friends, You assemble to see -- What? ---.A Man take a Leap into the Abyss of Death. Look,and you Shall see me go with as much Courage as Curtius, when he leapt into the Gulph to save his Country from Destruction. -.-- What then will you see of me? ---- You say that no Man without Virtue can be couragious. --.- You'll say I have kill'd a Man. ---- Marlborough kill'd his Thousands, and Alexander his Millions: ---- Marl- borough and Alexander, and many others who have done the like, are famous in History for great Men. ---- But I kill'd one solitary Man. -.- Ay, that's the Case. -.- One solitary Man. ---. I'm a little Murderer, and must be hang'd. Marlborough and Alexander plunder'd Coun- tries. --.- They were great Men: I ran in Debt with the Ale- Wife : I must be hang'd.

Now, my Friends, I have drawn a Parallel between two of the greatest Men that ever lived, and my self; but these were Men of former Days. Now, I'll speak a Word of some of the present Days: How many Men were lost in Italy and upon the Rhine during the last War, for settling a King in Poland? Both Sides could not be in the Right ; they are great Men; but I kill'd a solitary Man, I'm a little Fellow. The King of Spain takes our Ships, plunders our Merchants. kills and tor- tures our Men; but what of all that ? what he does is good ; he is a great Man, he is cloathed in Purple, his Instruments of Murder are bright and shining, mine was but a rusty Gun ; and so much for Comparison.

Now, I would fain know what Authority there is in Scripture for a rich Man to murder, to plunder, to tor- ture, and ravage whole Countries? and what Law it is that condemns a poor Man to Death for killing a solitary Man, or for stealing a solitary Sheep to feed his Fa- mily ? But bring the Matter closer to our own Country : What is the Difference between running in a poor Man's Debt, and by the Power of Gold, or any other Privi- lege, preventing him from obtaining his Right, and clapping a Pistol to a Man's Breast, and taking from him
him his Pardon? Yet the one shall thereby obtain a Coach,
and Honours, and Titles, &c. The other --: What? --:
A Cart and a Rope.

From what I have said, my Brethren, you may, perhaps, imagine I am hardened. But believe me, I am fully convinced of my Follies, and acknowledge the just Judgment of God has overtaken me. I have no Hopes, but from the Merit of my Redeemer, who I hope will have Mercy on me, as he knows that Murder was far from my Heart; and what I did was through Rage and Passion, being provoked thereto by the Deceased.

Take Warning my dear Comrades: Think! O think!
What wou'd I now give that I had lived another Life!