Wise. It was, for that, the things that he stole, were small; to
rob Orchards, and Gardens, and to steal Pullen, and the like, these
he counted {26b} Tricks of Youth, nor would he be beat out of it by
all that his Friends could say. They would tell him that he must
not covet, or desire, (and yet to desire, is less than to take)
even any thing, the least thing that was his Neighbours, and that
if he did, it would be a transgression of the Law; but all was one
to him: what through the wicked Talk of his Companions, and the
delusion of his own corrupt heart, he would go on in his pilfering
course, and where he thought himself secure, would talk of, and
laugh at it when he had done.

Atten. Well, {26c} I heard a man once, when he was upon the Ladder
with the Rope about his Neck, confess (when ready to be turned off
by the Hangman) that that which had brought him to that end, was
his accustoming of himself, when young, to pilfer and steal small
things. To my best remembrance he told us, that he began the trade
of a Thief by stealing Pins and Points, and therefore did forewarn
all the Youth, that then were gathered together to see him die, to
take heed of beginning, though but with little sins, because by
tampering at first with little ones, way is made for the commission
of bigger.

Wise. Since you are entred upon Storyes, I also will tell you one,
the which, {26d} though I heard it not with mine own Ears, yet my
Author I dare believe: {26e} It is concerning one old Tod, that
was hanged about Twenty years agoe, or more, at Hartford, for being
a Thief. The Story is this:

At {27a} a Summer Assizes holden at Hartfor[d], while the Judge was