Mary Baker was convicted of Mary Baker. She had had three and twenty Husbands. T H E E A S T SPEECH and CONFESSION O F Mrs. MARY BAKER Who was was Hang'd at Tyburn, on Wednesday the 23d of September 1719 for Marrying three and twenty Husbands ; with her Life and Conversation, and an exact Accompt of all her Husbands Names, their Places of abode, and the Losses they sustain'd by her : Together with her Farewel to the World. MARy BAKER, alias, Jean Cook, alias, Lobby alias Hanun, or Harnale &c. She said to the Ordinary, She was about 35 Years, born of honest tad wealthy Parents in the City of Salisbury. Betaking early to a vicious Course of Life, none of her Friends would look upon her. For being once a Lady's Woman, she was debauched by the Steward of the House, then a young Man, whom the thought to have marry'd; But their Intrigues coming to their Lord and Lady's Ears, both she and the Steward were turn'd out of their Ser- vice ; and then her Lover prov'd false to her,and would not marry her. After this, she marry'd two Hasbands, one after another, about two Years ago, and since that, two more; all the Four being now alive. As she was suspected to have more Husbands still, the Ordinary alked her the Question ? But she said, she had no more; and that having so many as she had, was occasion'd by her several Husbands abusiag her,and leaving her, as soon as she was marry'd to then. And here he eadeavour'd to make her sensible, that she was highly guilty of the Sin of Adultery, beside other Sin; she had committed before God ; of all which, if the did not Repent, she would eternally Perish. Upon this, she seemed to entertain some serious Thoughts, but withal discover'd a great deal of Uneasiness in her Mind, which visibly en- ereas'd, after the dead Warrant was come, and she found she was in it. Mrs. MARY BAKERS, Farewell, to the World. GOOD People give good head to what I Consess, for by Subtile Inven- tion, alais GOD's Laws I have transgressed: for by Falsehood and cunning I have betrayed several Young Man, alias I Tremble for to declare my wretched Life, which was as follows, I seemed to be a Woman of a great Fortune, and forged Deeds of an Estate, and showed it where ever I came, by which I betrayed twenty three Men, which now is to my great Shame, Their Names are as follows, David John's a Farmer living in Wales, also one Robert Gard'ner, a plugh-man of that Country, and John Bird in Wapping, near Flece, & Harry Dicks of Shadwel-Dock, from whom I ran away with Sixty Guineas, and after Peter Downs, living near Pell-Mell, from whom I took Forty Pound, and after William Brown living in the Stranda Baker from whom I took near a hundred Pound, and after Thomas Harrison, a Farmer in Es- sex, who Clothed me in Coastly Apparel, and also Ralf Rogers, from him I took his Rings and Plate, he living in East-Smithfield, and after William Davis who lives near Clerkenwell, Then Thomas Young, a Grasier in Northamptoun Shire, and after Daniel Frazier in the same Shire, from them two I took three hundred Pound, the next was James Barns the Maltner, living near Canter- bury, whom I ruined,the next was Peter Hob a Carner,from whom I took twenty Pound, the next was a Quaker called John Trueman, living in Tower-Hill I took fifty Guineas from him, next Abraham Johnston, I got a Hundred Poud from him, George Strange a Goldsmith near Rederiff, next Petter Lang, a Sho- maker, I got Forty Pound from each just before I was tryed,and John Fox ano- ther Baker, and after a young Squire living in Oxford, which makes in all three and Twenty. All you Spectators be warned by me, for a viller Creature did never live on the Earth: And now O LORD, receive me, LORD I crave thy Mercy, do not forsake my Sinful Soul, but save me for a Mediator's sake. A M E N Commentary This broadside begins: 'Who was Hang'd at Tyburn, on Wednesday the 23d of September 1759 for Marrying three and twenty Husbands; with her Life and Conversation, and an exact Accompt of all her Husbands Names, their Places of abode, and the Lasses they systain'd by her : Together with her Farewel to the World.' During much of the eighteenth century, Tyburn tree was the main place of public execution for the London area. The condemned prisoners were held in Newgate prison before making the journey to the gallows. This broadside gives a brief summary of the Mary Baker case and a final speech by the condemned prisoner in which she lists all of her husbands, mostly by name. Whether these words were in fact her own is not known for sure. Last speeches were often written to a formula, which included repentence and religious enlightenment. Reports recounting dark and salacious deeds were popular with the public, and, like today's sensationalist tabloids, sold in large numbers. Crimes could generate sequences of sheets covering descriptive accounts, court proceedings, last words, lamentations and executions as they occurred. As competition was fierce, immediacy was paramount, and these occasions provided an opportunity for printers and patterers to maximise sales.
