Part 19

A High-way-man who had used the Trade for a long time, was at length catch’d, and the evidence was so clear against him that he was likely to be cast, and then he was sure to go to pot, for he had been singed on the Fist already, and the Judge who was to try him was very severe on that account; wherefore he was very melancholly, and much perplexed, and all the friends he had could not comfort him; however he was one day drinking with some friends in the Jayl, and telling them the sadness of his condition, and several ways were propounded for his safety; they told him that it would be best to compound the fact with the Prosecutor; I have offered that, said the Felon, and though I did not take above twenty pounds from the party, yet I have offered him fifty pound for composition if he will forbear prosecution; but he will not hear of any thing but the Law, and will make no end but what that shall, and if it comes to that, then I am certain sorrow will be my Sops; how, said one that was present, will he not take fifty pounds for twenty? sure he wants no money, for if he knew the want of it so much as I do, he would not make so slight of fifty pounds; but I pray, continued he, what is the reason he is so outragious against you? what is the cause of his violent proceeding? Truly, reply’d the Thief, it was my misfortune to be one of those two that met with him one night, and he having twenty pounds and a Watch about him we eas’d him of them, my Companion escaped, but I was seized the next night on suspition, and having besides my share of the twenty pounds the watch about me which we had likewise taken from him, it was as he said, a clear Testimony & evidence of the Fact, he earnestly enquired for the ring which my companion had for his share; & because I cannot help him to the ring he is thus obstinate, well then, I see said the other, you have confess’d the fact, & therefore there is no hope of saving you: truly replyed the Padder, I never yet confessed it to any one that I think will do me any prejudice, but much less to him; but instead of confessing I have always stoutly denyed it, alleadging that I bought the Watch that Evening of one in whose company I was; nay then, replyed the other, your case is not so desperate as I thought it, and how say you now, continued he, are you willing to be as good as your word, and give the fifty pounds you speak of to be discharged of this matter? yes with all my heart, said the Padder; well then said the other, if you will deposite the money into another mans hands that I may be sure of it when you are discharged I will undertake you shall be acquited; content, said the other, but I pray acquaint me with the manner how you will manage this affair; our Undertaker replyed, that he had considered of what was to be done, and was resolved so he might be sure of the money, to venture his own neck to save the others, and that he would take upon him the fact, and thereby discharge him. The Padder was content to part with his money, but withal he desired to have some cleer demonstration how he intended to manage the business; to which our undertaker replyed, it must be your care not to be tryed till the last day of the assizes, and then still deny the fact very stoutly, continuing your allegation that you did buy the Watch of a stranger, but one whom you knew if you again should see him, and then I must borrow your Clothes, and the Perriwig you wore when you committed the Fact, and then I purpose at that time not to be far from you; and when I see a convenient time I wil appear, & the manner shal be thus: I will attempt to pick a mans pocket, but I will do it so unworkman like, that if he be not a very Dolt he shall discover me, I being discovered must presently be brought before the Judge for the Fact, and when you see me there you shall cry out as amazed and surprized, that I am the very man of whom you bought the Watch, and you shall then see that although I deny it a little at first, yet I will at last confess my self guilty, and so you shall be discharged: This, said our Undertaker is my proposition, and now if you can contrive it better, do, and I will follow your directions. The Padder and all his friends were hugely well satisfied & pleased with the Undertakers discourse, and could not find any fault in any particular, wherefore their Agreement was quickly perfected, and the fifty pounds were delivered into the custody of one whom they both knew and entrusted, to be kept by him until the Padder should be discharged. Several persons then present asked of the Undertaker how he intended to come off himself? as for that, replyed he, I have it in my head, and I will venture that, and keep it safe enough too I hope: this business being thus agreed on they at present parted, and the Undertaker had the Clothes and Perriwig of the Padder delivered to him; and the Padder did put himself into a habit quite different from that; Thus Affairs stood when the Assizes began, which lasted two days, onely the first day was past, and our Padder had by his endeavours kept himself from being called; the second day was come and forenoon past, when in the after-noon this Cause was to be heard; the Judges servant were some of them gone out of the Town to make provision for their Master at another Town, whither he was that night to follow, so that there was a necessity for his removal; & then about three of the clock this prisoner was brought to the bar, his Indictment was read, which was for robing the Countrey-man, of 20l. in money, and a silver watch, and a gold Ring, to this the prisoner pleaded _not guilty_ and so put himself upon his tryal, according to the ordinary form; then was the Countryman called, who did alledge that the prisoner at the Bar was the party, who with another his companion did rob him as aforesaid; the prisoner denyed the fact, and desired the Judge to ask his accuser what habit he was then in, to this the Countrey-man replyed, that indeed his habit and hair were then different from what he now had, but that was an easie thing to alter, but he was sure he was the man, for he had his very watch in his pocket, to this the prisoner replyed as formerly, that he bought it of a person who indeed was habited as the Country-man had described. He was come to this part of his tryal when a noise was heard in the Court of crying out a pick-pocket, a pick-pocket, and soon after our undertaker was haled into Court; the Judge seeing him, said, Sirrah, how durst you be so bold? I shall talk with you by and by, set him by at present; the prisoner at the Bar seeing it was now a fit time, cryed out, O my Lord! I pray let him stay here now, for indeed my Lord that is the very person of whom I bought the watch, and whose just fate hath brought him hither at this time, that my innocency may be cleared, therefore I beseech you my Lord, let him be examined, and I question not but you will soon find my innocency. The Judge hearing the exclamations of the prisoner, and supposing there might be somewhat in the case, and withal being desirous to execute justice caused the Undertaker to be brought to the bar, and then he thus began: now, you who are the prisoner at the bar, and upon your tryal, what do you say to, or charge this man with; my Lord replyed the padder, I say and alledge that this Person who now stands here by me, is the very person of whom I bought the watch, and I gave him fifty shillings for it, let him deny it if he can, and my Lord I further say, that I suppose he is the person who committed the robbery, for he is habited just as this Country-man described one of them to be: what say you to this: said my Lord to the Country-man, truly my Lord, said he, I am somewhat at a stand, for indeed one of those who robb’d me was habited as this fellow is, pointing to the undertaker, but I finding my Watch in the custody of this other did verily believe and was very confident that it was he that robb’d me, but I must leave all to your Lord-ship and the Jury: Now, you Sir, said my Lord to the undertaker, what say you for your self? did you sell a Watch to this man here? my Lord, replyed he, I have never a Watch, no, I know that now, said my Lord, but did you not sell a Watch to this man? my Lord said the undertaker, I am an honest man, that’s a sign of your honesty, when you pick a pocket in my presence, my Lord it is a mistake, replyed the Fellow; I believe, said my Lord, we shall not be mistaken in you by and by, having thus said the Watch it self was produc’d, and shew’d to the undertaker; and he was asked if he knew it, yes, my Lord, said he, I had such a watch as this; and where had you it? I know not said the undertaker: at this the Padder cryed out, O my Lord, he hath said enough to discharge me and accuse himself, for he ownes he had the Watch, and I am sure I bought it of him, therefore good my Lord do me Justice? acquit me, and punish him; all in due time said my Lord, we must not condemn him before he be lawfully indicted, but I think he hath confess’d enough against himself, and therefore he shall be committed, and since I cannot stay now any longer he shall be indicted the next Assizes, till then he must lye by it and have time to repent: but I pray my Lord, said the Padder, let me be discharged; I cannot discharge you reply’d my Lord, now you are upon your tryal, except the Jury find you not guilty: I put myself upon them, said the Padder, whereupon the Jury only asking the Undertaker some questions which he doubtfully answered, the Jury gave their Verdict, _Not guilty_, and thus was the Padder discharged, but however he was bound to come in evidence the next Assizes against the undertaker, and so was the Country-man, but he had been better to have taken fifty pounds than thus to have troubled himself about the Ring, for in the end he lost all, and no hanging was in the case; for when the next Assizes came, and our Undertaker was indicted, the Tale was now of another Hogg, he denyed all knowledge of the Watch, and as he had owned any thing before, he now again denyed it, bringing witnesses to prove where he was at that hour, and all the time of the robbery, and saying, he told them it was a mistake the last time, that he was then only surprized; and indeed he spake so well, and to the purpose, that he was acquitted of the robbery, and only whipt a little for picking the pocket, and so he march’d off with fifty pounds; and the Padder who did not appear at the Assizes as witness against him, let the recognizance go against him, leaving the law to find him where they could catch him.

CHAP. XVIII.

_Mistress_ Mary _relates a notable story of a Countrey-Gentleman’s cheating a Gold smith; another much more remarkable, of a Gentlemans Boy by assistance of his Master, who put a notable trick on a Goldsmith: afterwards going for_ France, _is notoriously robb’d by way of retaliation, the manner how, with his accompanying a seeming Gallant to a Feast who steals a piece of Plate._

Having now finished my discourse, I desired Mistress _Dorothy_ to proceed in hers, and put an end to her Adventures, to which she replyed, that since I was so well acquainted with these passages, and could recount things so various and wittily-pleasant, which far exceeded anything she could say, she desired to be excused from any further recital; I told her I must needs however, hear what she could further say, for all she had hitherto said was various from what I had related to her; and Mistress _Mary_ likewise joyned with me in this request, telling her that she must needs proceed in her Narrative, for she longed to hear what was the end of the Host, and Hostess, and how she left them and came to _London_, and what else had hapned to her till the first of their Acquaintance. Truly replyed Mistress _Dorothy_, I shall give you satisfaction to all these particulars; but methinks you were but short in your Narrative and might have enlarg’d; and since you did as I believe, omit many passages of your Life that were considerable, I pray let us hear some of them from you. I must confess, said Mistress _Mary_, that in the recital I made you of my actions, I only recounted to you those things which did pertain to my own story, as thinking it impertinent to relate any others; but if I had thought it pleasant, I could likewise have told you of some such Robberies and Cheates, as some of my acquaintance were engag’d in. It is not too late to do it now, said I to her; and seeing Mistress _Dorothy_ is not yet pleased to continue her story, I pray you therefore to let us know some of your experience in this nature. I shall not deny your request, replyed Mistress _Mary_, and therefore after some little pause to recollect her self of what she had to say; she thus began.

I must confess that I had several of my Customers whilest I liv’d publickly at _London_, who although they come to me full, return’d empty, and then necessity put them upon unlawful courses, and when they could not live of themselves, then they liv’d by shirking upon others; this was their first step, and when this would not do, and they began to be angry and discontented that they could not wear money in their pockets, they then fell to gameing, and all the Cheats of that Mystery were put in practice; when that course left them, the next was to pick pockets, steal Cloaks, and a hundred such kinde of shirking tricks, till from one degree to another they came to the high pad, and from thence to the Goal, and so to the Gibbet; many I say, of my acquaintance did run through all these Courses, and beginning, as they say, with a pin, proceeded to a point, and so to a biggar thing, till the rope held them; but I alwayes made it my business to leave them off when they began these Courses. Among others that came to me, I had a Country Gentleman who designing to deal honestly with a shop-keeper, had occasion to out-wit him, who intended to cheat the Country-man. The Countrey Gentleman when he came to me had his Pockets well lined with Half-Crown Pieces, but he loving his pleasure I made him pay for it so considerably, that his Pocket was well near emptied: he had twenty Pieces of Gold and several Rings, part of which I design’d to be Mistress of, but he was to wise and wary to part from any such precious Commodities: but an urgent occasion happening, and mony being wanting, he was resolved to sell a Diamond Ring that he had, which was worth fifty pounds, wherefore he keeping a Servant took him along, and to _Lombard-street_ they went, when he came there, pitch’d upon a Goldsmiths Shop where he intended to sell it; he therefore drew off his Ring, and ask’d the Goldsmith what it was worth? The Goldsmith looking on him, and then on the Ring, did hope to make this Ring his own for a small matter; and seeing our Countrey-man in a plain Countrey Habit, did believe that he had little skill in Diamonds, and that this came accidentally to his possession, and that he might purchase it very easily, wherefore he being doubtful what to answer as to Price, told the Countrey-man that the worth of it was uncertain, for he could not directly tell whether it was right, or counterfeit; As for that, said the Countrey-man, I believe it is right, and dare warrant it, and indeed I intend to sell it, and therefore would know what you will give me for it: Truly, replyed the Goldsmith, I believe it may be worth ten pounds; Yes, and more money, said the Countrey-man; Not much more, said the Goldsmith, for look you here, said he, here is a Ring which I will warrant is much better than yours, and I will also warrant it to be a right good diamond, and I will sell it you for twenty pounds: This the Goldsmith said, supposing that the Countrey-man who came to sell, had no skill, inclination, nor money to buy; but the Countrey-man believing that the Goldsmith onely said thus, thinking to draw him on to part from his own Ring the more easily, and by that means cheat him, resolv’d if he could, to be too wise for the Goldsmith; wherefore taking both the Rings into his hands as to compare them together, he thus said: I am sure mine is a right Diamond: and so is mine, reply’d the Goldsmith: and said the Countrey-man, shall I have it for twenty pounds? Yes, reply’d the Goldsmith; but said he, I suppose you come to sell, and not to buy; and since you shall see I will be a good Customer, I will give you fifteen pounds for yours. Nay reply’d the Countrey-man, since I have had my choice to by or sell, I will never refuse a good Penny-worth, as I think this is, therefore Master Goldsmith, I will keep my own and give you money for yours: Where is it? said the Goldsmith hastily, and endeavouring then to seize on his Ring; Hold a blow there, said the Countrey-man, here’s your money, but the Ring I will keep. The Goldsmith seeing himself caught, flustered and flounced like a mad man, and the Countrey-man pulling out a little Purse, told down twenty Pieces of Gold, & said, Here Shop-keeper, here’s your money; but I hope you will allow me eighteen pence a piece in exchange for my Gold. Tell not me of exchange, but give me my Ring, said the Goldsmith: It is mine, said the Countrey-man, for I have bought it and paid for it, and have witness of my Bargain. All this would not serve the Goldsmith’s turn, but he curs’d & swore that the Countrey-man came to cheat him, & his ring he would have; & at the noise several people came about his Shop, but he was so perplexed that he could not tell his Tale, and the Countrey-Gentleman could; at length a Constable came, and although the Goldsmith knew not to what purpose, yet before a Justice he would go: the Countrey-man was content, and therefore together they went; when they came there, the Goldsmith who was the plaintiff, began his Tale, and said, that the Countrey-man had taken a Diamond Ring from him worth one hundred pounds; and would give him but twenty pounds for it, have a care what you say, reply’d the Country-man; for if you charge me with taking a ring from you, I suppose that is stealing; and if you say so, I shall vex you farther than I have done, and then he told the Justice the whole story as I have related, which was then a very plain case, & for proof of the matter, the Countrey-Gentleman’s man was witness. The Goldsmith hearing this, alleadged, that he believed the Countrey Gentleman and his man were both Impostors and Cheats: to this the Countrey-man reply’d as before, that he were best have a care he did not make his case worse, and bring an old house on his head by slandering of him, for it was well known that he was a Gentle-man of three hundred pounds _per Annum_, and liv’d at a place he nam’d but twenty miles from _London_; and that he being desirous to sell a ring, came to his shop to that purpose, but he would have cheated him; but it prov’d he only made a rod for his own breech, and what he intended to him, was fallen upon himself: thus did the Country Gentleman make good his discourse, and the Justice seeing there was no injustice done, dismiss’d them; but order’d that his Neighbour the Goldsmith should have the twenty pieces of Gold for twenty pounds, though they were worth more in exchange; and this was all the satisfaction he had. The Country Gentleman went presently to a Citizen, an acquaintance of his, to whom he deliver’d the ring he had so purchased, desiring him to sell it for him which he did; for being known to be a Citizen, the Goldsmith that bought it offered him at the first word Ninety five pounds for it, and in the end gave him forty shillings more, with which money he returned to the Countrey-man, and he giving him the forty shillings for his pains, returned with the rest to me, relating all the matter as it had passed. I was as much pleas’d as he, because I question’d not but I should partake with him, and so I did; for he gave me ten pound to buy me a Gown; and thus was our Goldsmith well enough serv’d. And it was not long after, before another Goldsmith had a considerable loss, and thus it was.