<emph rend="italic">A</emph><lb /> COPY OF A LETTER<lb /> FROM<lb /> <name type="historical">SAMUEL TULLY</name>,<lb /> ALIAS <name type="historical">R. HEATHCOATE</name>,<lb /> <emph rend="italic">Who is under Sentence of Death for PIRACY and MURDER</emph><lb /> <emph rend="italic">to his Father, in <placeName>ENGLAND </placeName>; written the day he received</emph><lb /> <emph rend="italic">Sentence, but copied over since his Confinement in the</emph><lb /> <emph rend="italic"><placeName>STATE PRISON</placeName>, in presence of some gentle-</emph><lb /> <emph rend="italic">men whose duty it is to attend there.</emph><lb />

<emph rend="italic">A</emph><lb /> COPY OF A LETTER<lb /> FROM<lb /> <name type="historical">SAMUEL TULLY</name>,<lb /> ALIAS <name type="historical">R. HEATHCOATE</name>,<lb /> <emph rend="italic">Who is under Sentence of Death for PIRACY and MURDER</emph><lb /> <emph rend="italic">to his Father, in <placeName>ENGLAND </placeName>; written the day he received</emph><lb /> <emph rend="italic">Sentence, but copied over since his Confinement in the</emph><lb /> <emph rend="italic"><placeName>STATE PRISON</placeName>, in presence of some gentle-</emph><lb /> <emph rend="italic">men whose duty it is to attend there.</emph><lb /> NATHANIEL COVERLY

Corner of Theater-Alley

BOSTON Jun Published as part of the American Antiquaruian Society's Isaiah Thomas Broadside Ballads Project

BIB Id 308547

BOSTON, November 6th, 1812.

Dear Father, I HOPE these lines will find you in good health ; but I regret that my situation at this time is fatal. and past recall.---When I wrote to you last from Galloway in Ire- land, I mentioned to you not to expect me till you saw me : but since that, I had the misfortune to ship in a vessel belonging to Philadelphia, and the mate and captain used to disagree very much ; and lying in the Island of May, the mate when the captain was on shore, thought proper to cut both cables and went away with the vessel. Two men went on shore ; I was not permitted to go, nor yet any more : So he proceeded with the vessel to the West Indies, and there he destroyed her, and converted the property to his own use ; but before he went on shore, he gave me a bag marked five hundred dol- lars, and the same to the black man. So when we got on shore, he and the black man lived together, and I was very unwell and had been so for a long time. I went and lived by myself, this was on a Friday ; the Thursday following, the cook wished to leave the Island and go away, so he had to be examined by the governor : he and the mate made it appear that the property was their own. So the governor came to me and asked me about the property. I told him it was not mine, and it did not belong to me, so then I was made prisoner, and the cook taken as evidence against me and the mate, and sent to Boston, tried and convicted of Piracy, and received the awful sentence of

DEATH, to take place December the 10th, 1812, between the hours of Ten and Three o' clock.

Dear Father, the word DEATH, is a ter- ror to the stoutest of men, and still it is a debt we have all got to pay sooner or later ; but then to think I must be cut off in the prime of life and flower of my days---cut off from the society of men, and not even thought fit to live on earth amongst men. It goes very heavy with me, when I bring reason to bear, that I must suffer, and for another man's faults; therefore I hope my brothers and sisters will mind what company they go into ; only think of me and my unfortu- nate end, and strive to comfort their father and mother, as I know when they come to hear of the awful scene and untimely end of me, it will be enough to bring them to their graves in their old age : and I would have my brother Henry to resume my place in birthright, as I am no more for this world.

Remember me to all relations and en- quiring friends. I beg and pray, that my father and mother will not fret, nor make themselves uneasy in the least, of not seeing me in this world, as I am in hopes there is a better place prepared for us all to meet. And I hope I shall be prepared to assume that place with fortitude and the blessing of God. So adieu, adieu in this world.

From your unfortunate son, R. HEATHCOTE.

Father and Mother, adieu for ever. Broth- ers and Sisters, adieu for ever---one and all Friends and Relations, adieu---the Lord bless you, and be your guide for ever more. Amen.