1. stupidity – During the relation of Fly’s story he did not show an ounce of remorse for his deeds and did not play the role that the ministers and public were all used to seeing. He never once appeased those of faith by renouncing his life of sin but rather went to the gallows as an impenitent soul. Because of this the author of his text characterized Fly’s state as one of stupidity; he would never be in God’s good graces.
2. ignominious – Fly’s capital punishment came without any act of penitence and because of this his death was was described as both miserable and ignominious. The public was warned to take heed of such a vile being and use his example as a way of becoming scared straight; no one wants to have their head posted on a pole in Boston harbor.
3. scourge- There has been a lot of talk about how people must avoid bad company in order to avoid the pitfalls of a wicked life and ignominious death. At the end of Fly’s narrative it is written “However, it was admirable to see, how the Vengeance of GOD, sometimes makes Accomplices in Sin, horrible Scourges to one another.” Here the presence of bad company can be seen when God seeks his vengeance on Fly’s accomplices. Fly is seen as a person that spread wickedness amongst those around him and because of this they all were subjected to a capital punishment. FLy was the only one of his accomplices that did not condemn their sins.