Chapter XIII: Introduction (11)

I wish I could be of any use to you in your melancholy situation. To one of you it is altogether needless for me to offer any advice. You, William Brodie, from your education and habits of life, cannot but know everything suited to your present situation which I could suggest to you. It is much to be lamented that those vices, which are called gentlemanly vices, are so favourably looked upon in the present age. They have been the source of your ruin; and, whatever may be thought of them, they are such as assuredly lead to ruin. I hope you will improve the short time which you have now to live by reflecting upon your past conduct, and endeavouring to procure, by a sincere repentance, forgiveness for your many crimes. God always listens to those who seek Him with sincerity.

His Lordship then pronounced sentence of death in the usual form, and the sentence having been recorded and signed by the judges, it was read aloud as follows:--

The Lord Justice-Clerk and Lords Commissioners of Justiciary,
having considered the verdict of assize, dated and returned this
twenty-eighth day of August, against the said William Brodie and
George Smith, Pannels, whereby the assize all in one voice find
them guilty of the crime libelled; the said Lords in respect of the
said verdict decern and adjudge the said William Brodie and George
Smith to be carried from the bar back to the Tolbooth of Edinburgh,
therein to be detained till Wednesday, the first day of October
next, and upon that day to be taken furth of the said Tolbooth to
the place fixed upon by the magistrates of Edinburgh as a common
place of execution, and then and there, betwixt the hours of two
and four o’clock afternoon to be hanged by the necks, by the hands
of the Common Executioner, upon a Gibbet, until they be dead; and
ordain all their moveable goods and gear to be escheat and
inbrought to His Majesty’s use: which is pronounced for doom.

ROBT. M‘QUEEN. DAV. DALRYMPLE. DAV. RAE. JO. CAMPBELL. JOHN SWINTON.

The sentence having been read, Mr. Brodie discovered some inclination to address himself to the Court, but was restrained by his counsel. He thereupon respectfully bowed to the bench, and the pannels were removed to prison.[28]

* * * * *

The Court then rose.