The Virginia Gazette

August 24. This Day Thomas Colley, for the cruel Murder of Ruth Osborne, on Supposition of her being a Witch, was executed at Gubblecote-Cross, near Marston-Green, in the Parish of Tring, in Hertfordshire.

About 10 on Friday Morning he received the Sacrament at Hertford, administered to him by the Rev. Mr. Edward Bouchier, when he signed a solemn Declaration of his Belief relating to Witchcraft; which he desired might be carried to the Place of Execution, and was there publickly read, at his earnest Request, just before he was turned off, by the Rev. Mr. Randal, Minister of Tring, who attended him in his last Moments. He was escorted by 108 Men belonging to the Regiment of Horse Guards Blue, with their Officers, and two Trumpets; and the Procession was slow, solemn, and moving. Friday Night he was lodged in St. Alban's Gaol; at Five the next Morning was put into a One-Horse Chaise, with the Executioner, and came to the Place of Execution about Eleven, and after half an Hour spent in Prayer he was executed, and immediately after hung up in Chains on the same Gibbet he was hanged on. The Infatuation of most of the People in that Part of the Country was such, that they would not be seen near the Place of Execution, insisting that it was a hard Case to hang a Man for destroying an old Woman that had done so much Damage by her Witchcraft. It was said, he was to have been executed a Week sooner, but when the proper Officers came to convey him from the Gaol, a prodigious Mob assembled, and would not suffer him to be taken out of Prison.

His Declaration, above-mentioned, was as follows.

Good People,

I BESEECH you all to take Warning by an unhappy Man's Suffering; that you be not deluded into so absurd and wicked a Conceit, as to believe that there are any such Beings upon Earth as Witches.

It was that foolish and vain Imagination, heightened and inflamed by the Strength of Liquor, which prompted me to be instrumental (with others as mad-brained as myself) in the horrid and barbarous Murder of Ruth Osborne, the supposed Witch, for which I am now so deservedly to suffer Death.

I am fully convinced of my former Error, and with the Sincerity of a dying Man, declare, that I do not believe there is such a Thing in being as a Witch; and pray God, that none of you, thro' a contrary Persuasion, may hereafter be induced to think, that you have a Right in any Shape to persecute, much less to endanger the Life of a Fellow-Creature.

I beg of you all to pray to God to forgive me, and to wash clean my polluted Soul in the Blood of Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Redeemer.

So exhorteth you all, the dying

Thomas Colley.