Chapter XV: Part THE FIRST: Printed and Sold in London (4)

His after career was very chequered. Soon after his accession to regal dignity, he was apprehended as an idle vagrant, tried at the quarter sessions at Exeter, and transported to Maryland, where on his arrival he ran away. He, however, gave himself up, and was severely punished with a cat-o'-nine-tails, and had a heavy iron collar fastened round his neck. He excited the pity of some ships' captains, who helped him to fly, by giving him some biscuits, cheese, and rum; he travelled some time until he fell in with some friendly Indians, who relieved him of his iron collar. He gave them the slip, and stealing one of their canoes, landed near Newcastle, in Pennsylvania. Here he plied his old trade of deception, pretending to be a Quaker, and made it pay very well. Thence he got to New York, and set sail for England, where he rejoined his beloved gipsies. His ultimate fate is unknown, but he is said to have died in 1770, aged 77.

There seem to have been at least two books written about him during his lifetime--"Accomplish'd Vagabond, or compleat Mumper, exemplify'd in the bold and artful Enterprizes, and merry Pranks of Bamfylde Carew" (Oxon., 1745); and "An Apology for the Life of Bamfylde Moore Carew (by Robert Goadby)" (London, 1749).

_The Fortunes and Misfortunes of_

=Moll Flanders=

WHO WAS BORN IN NEWGATE.

And during a life of Continued Variety for Sixty Years was 17 times a W---- 5 Times a Wife, whereof once to her own Brother, 12 Years a Thief, 11 Times in Bridewell, 9 Times in New Prison, 11 Times in Woodstreet Compter, 6 Times in the Poultry Compter, 14 Times in the Gate house, 25 Times in Newgate, 15 Times Whipt at the Carts tail, 4 Times Burnt in the Hand, once Condemned for Life, and 8 Years a Transport in Virginia. At last grew rich, lived honest, and died penitent.

PRINTED AND SOLD IN ALDERMARY CHURCH YARD. BOW LANE LONDON.

Defoe wrote "Moll Flanders" in 1721, and his book is chiefly remarkable for the graphic account of the plantations in Virginia. This Chap-book is a condensed version, and is not very edifying reading. Its contents may be imagined by the titlepage, which is far fuller than Defoe's.

YOUTH'S WARNING-PIECE

OR, THE TRAGICAL

_HISTORY_

OF

GEORGE BARNWELL

WHO WAS

_UNDONE BY A STRUMPET_

THAT CAUSED HIM

TO ROB HIS MASTER, AND
MURDER HIS UNCLE.

By other's harm learn to be wise
And ye shall do full well.

STOCKTON

PRINTED AND SOLD BY R. CHRISTOPHER.

And behold there met him an Harlot, subtle of heart; and she kissed him, and said unto him, I have decked my bed with fine linen, come let us take our fill of love until the Morning.

The lips of a strange Woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is sweeter than oil; but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

Editions of this popular story were published in several towns, and the present one has been chosen as having the most curious illustrations, there being none specially illustrated to exemplify the text, any female head doing duty for Sarah Milwood. The story of George Barnwell, of his lapse from virtue, and his rapid declension from theft to murder, together with his penitence and execution, is so well known that it needs no repetition. It is a very old story, dating back, it is said, to Queen Elizabeth's time. The earliest ballad on the subject in the British Museum is,[24] "An excellent ballad of George Barnwell, an apprentice in the City of London, who was undone by a strumpet, who caused him thrice to rob his master and murder his uncle in Ludlow" (London, 1670). Lillo dramatized it in 1731, and within very few years since it was always acted at the minor theatres on Boxing night, previous to the pantomime, as a warning to apprentices.

[Footnote 24: (643, m. 10)/109.]

THE

=Merry Life and Mad Exploits=

OF

CAPT JAMES HIND

_The great Robber of England_.

NEWCASTLE: PRINTED IN THIS PRESENT YEAR.

The history of the famous highwayman Captain Hind, is evidently taken from a little black-letter book, published 1651, Old Style (or 1652 of our calendar), called "Wit for Money;" and in that also is found the original of this frontispiece, even more roughly executed. In place of "The true portraiture," etc., is

"I rob'd men neatly
as is here exprest.
Coyne I ne'r tooke
unlesse I gave a Jest."

Indeed, most of the accounts of Hind are full of his "merry pranks," as, for instance, "We have brought our Hogs to a fair Market; or Strange Newes from New-Gate," etc. (London, 1652), a book which was of such importance, that two pages of "The Faithful Scout" for January 9/16, 1651-2, are taken up with extracts from it. In this book are two portraits of Hind, which, from their resemblance to each other, are probably authentic. In one he is represented as "Unparallel'd Hind," in full armour on horseback; the other is similar to that given on next page, which is taken from "The Declaration of Captain James Hind (close Prisoner in Newgate)," etc.

In "The True and perfect Relation of the taking of Captain James Hind" (London, 1651), it says that "A Gentleman or two, desired so much favour of him [the keeper], as to aske Mr. Hind a civil question; which was granted. So pulling two books out of his pocket, the one entituled, Hind's Ramble, The other Hind's Exploits, asked him whether he had ever seen them or not: He answered, yes; And said upon the word of a Christian, they were fictions: But some merry Pranks and Revels I have plaid, that I deny not." Nay, his exploits were even dramatized in "An excellent Comedy called the Prince of Priggs Revels or The Practises of that grand Thief Captain James Hind," etc. (London, 1651). A play in five acts.

Hind was born at Chipping Norton, in Oxfordshire, and, according to one account, his father was a saddler. He was sent to school, but being too fond of play, he was apprenticed to a butcher, from whom he ran away, and came to London, where he fell in with "a Company of idle, roaring young Blades," and he became a highwayman. The Chap-book is full of his robberies, and introduces "How Hind was enchanted by an old Hagg, for the space of Three Years," a performance which seems to have provided for his personal safety during that time. Finding England too hot for him, he went to Holland; but "Hind finding that this country was not fit for his purpose, resolved to retire as soon as an opportunity offered," and he went to Scotland to join Charles I. The king put him under the command of the Duke of Buckingham, "because his own life guards were full," and he was present at the engagements at Warrington and Worcester. He escaped from the latter, and came to London, where he was apprehended on November 6, 1651, in a barber's shop in Fleet Street. He was examined at Whitehall on the charge of rebellion, and committed to Newgate. On December 12, 1651, he was tried at the Old Bailey, and remanded to Newgate, where he lay till March 1, 1652, when he was sent to Reading to take his trial for killing a companion at a village called Knowl. It was, however, proved to have been only a case of manslaughter, and he was pardoned through an Act of Oblivion; only, however, to suffer death for treason against the State, being hanged, drawn, and quartered, at Worcester, on September 24, 1652.

[The true
Portraiture

of Captain
_James Hind_.

_London_, Printed for _G. HORTON_, 1651.]

THE HISTORY

OF

JOHN GREGG

_AND HIS FAMILY_

OF

ROBBERS AND MURDERERS

_Who took up their Abode in a Cave near to the Sea Side, in Clovaley in Devonshire, where they liv'd Twenty five Years without so much as once going to visit any City or Town._

_How they Robbed above One Thousand Persons, and murdered, and eat all whom they robbed._

_How at last they were happily discover'd by a pack of Blood hounds; and how John Gregg, his Wife, Eight Sons, Six Daughters, Eighteen Grand Sons and Fourteen Grand daughters were all seized and executed, by being Cast alive into three Fires, and were burnt._

LICENSED AND ENTERED ACCORDING TO ORDER.

This Chap-book is precisely similar to the History of Sawney Beane, who lived _temp._ James I., only the names and locality have been changed. The lovers of horrors can be fully gratified by reading Sawney Beane's life, either in Captain Charles Johnson's "History of the Lives and Actions of the most famous Highwaymen, Street Robbers," etc., 8vo (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 33-37, or vol. i. p. 161 of "The Terrific Registers."

THE

BLOODY TRAGEDY

OR

_A Dreadful Warning_

TO

DISOBEDIENT CHILDREN

GIVING

A sad and dreadful Account of one John Gill in the Town of Oborn [Woburn] in Bedfordshire, who lived a Wicked Life.

How, coming home drunk one Night, he asked his Father for Money to carry on his Debaucheries, who putting him off till next Morning, he grew so impatient and desparately wicked, that he arose in the Dead of the Night, and cut his Father, and Mother's Throats in their Beds.

How afterwards binding and ravishing the Maid Servant he murdered her also, and then robbed the House of Plate and Money, and set it on Fire, burning the dead Bodies to Ashes.

With the Manner of the Discovery, and being apprehended, what Confession he made before the Magistrates.

How the Ghosts of the dead Bodies appeared to him in Jail.

Together with his Dying Speech at the Place of Execution.

With several other Things, worthy the Observation of Young People.

LONDON, PRINTED IN ALDERMARY CHURCH YARD. BOW LANE.

THE UNFORTUNATE FAMILY:

_In Four Parts_.