Drunks, Whores and Idle Apprentices: Criminal Biographies of the Eighteenth Century

by PHILIP RAWLINGS

  Jenny finding Money coming in pretty fast this Way, applied her Time very diligent in this new Study; and in order that she might be well vers’d in this new Employ, and learn the Cant Language, one of her Companions used to come every Day to instruct her in the Theory of her new Calling, as well as the practical Part; in order to which, she used to set aside two Hours every Day for this Purpose, and soon became a good Scholar, and well versed in the aforesaid Tongue; Jenny’s Master coming often to instruct his new Pupil, they contracted such a Respect for each other, that they agreed to live together.

  By this Time Jenny was grown a compleat Artist, and got great Reputation amongst her Companions. One Day when they were all out together upon Business, at a noted Meeting-house in the Old Jewry, where abundance of People were crowding, in order to get in, Jenny being very genteely dressed, she observ’d a Gentleman who was a very Rum Muns, (that is, a great Beau) who had a very handsome Glim Star, (that is, a Ring) upon his Feme, (that is, Hand) which she longed to make, so giving the Hint to her Companions to Bulk the Muns forward, (that is, Push) they pushed him quite in; whereupon the Meeting being pretty full, as soon as he was in, Jenny held up her Hand to the young Spark, that he might help her forward, which he perceiving, very complaisantly gave her his Hand, in order to assist her, which she readily accepting of, she griped his Hand very fast, and while she had hold of his Hand, the People who were on the outside striving for Entrance, and Jenny’s Companions pushing forward, in the Scuffle she squeez’d his Hand so hard, that he was glad to get it away, and did not perceive her take off his Diamond Ring, which as soon as she had effected, she slip’d behind her Companions, saying at the same Time, it is in vain to get in, I’ll come another Time, when there’s less Crowd; her Companions convey’d her clean off, before the Gentleman had Time to miss his Ring, who called out to stop the Woman, but ’twas too late, for she had brush’d off with the Booty, this gain’d her great Applause amongst her Companions, who now appointed her an equal Share of every Thing they got.

  The next Exploit that Jenny went on was, Slanging the Gentry Mort rumly with a sham Kinchin, that is, (Cutting well the Women big with Child) which was thus perform’d, Jenny had got 2 false Arms made, and Hands, by an ingenious Artist, and dressing herself very genteely, like a Citizen’s Wife big with Child, with a Pillow artfully fixed under Coats for that Purpose, and her Arms fix’d on, she by the Contrivance of the Pillow hid her real ones under her Petticoat, and the artificial ones came across her Belly; dressed in this Condition, with one of the Gang in the Habit of a Footman, she takes a Chair and goes, (it being on a Sunday Evening) to the Meeting-house already mention’d; now it was so contriv’d by the rest of the Gang, that one should go before as a Scout, and bring Word to the supposed Footman in what Part of the Meeting set the rummest Froes; and likewise to Saweer clearly, (that is, to keep a good look out) that they should have Vid Loges (repeating Watches) by their Side, that Jenny’s Footman might place his Mistress accordingly. Now it was so ordered, that our big-belly’d Lady was plac’d in a Pew between 2 elderly Ladies who had both repeating Watches by their Side; she sat very quietly all the Time of the Service, but at the Conclusion of the last Prayer, the Audience being standing, she took both the Ladies Watches off, unperceiv’d by them, and tip’d ’em to one of her Companions, who was ready planted for the Purpose (and who went and tip’d them to Slang upon the Safe; and then went back to be ready for Business) Now the Congregation breaking up, every body was in a Hurry to get out, and the Gang surrounding the Ladies in order to make a greater Croud, and help Jenny off if she should be smoak’d.

  The two Ladies had no sooner got out of the Pew to the Door, but they missed their Watches, and made a terrible Outcry, which alarmed that Part of the Audience, who enquiring what was the Matter, was answered that the Ladies had lost their Watches, and being asked again who took them, answered, nobody, without the D– –l and the big-belly’d Woman had, who was now got far enough off. Nay, says one of the Ladies, that’s impossible, for she never moved her Hands from her Lap, all the Time of the Service. This Accident gathered a great Mob round the Ladies, some enquiring, others confounded at the Strangeness of the Robbery: In the mean while Jenny was slipp’d out to a House hard by, and had alter’d her Dress, and delivered herself of her great Belly, and returned with the utmost Precipitation to her Companions, in order to be assisting in the helping of with more Moveables, who was very busy with the rest of the Crowd, and while they were astonished at the Accident, they took Opportunity to make the Gentleman’s Loges and Tales, (or Men’s repeating Watches) and to Chive the Froes of their Bungs, (or cut off the Women’s Pockets.)

  They were succesful that Day, for no sooner was they got to the Biding (or Place where they divide the Booty) but they examined the Contents of their Booties, which was three Bungs, with Lowers (Purses) in each Lower there were ten Ridges (or Guineas) and two Vid Loges. These, with the Money they had got, and 2 Tales (or Swords) amounted to 30 Ridges a Piece, after they had fenced the Loges, &c. which was all carried abroad, and disposed of by R– – –J– – –n,8 since dead.

  [p. 8]After this Robbery, the Gang consulted together, and thought it proper not to steer that Way for some Time, for Fear of being discover’d. Jenny got so great a Name by this last Affair, that they all swore to act for the future according to her Directions in every Thing, which she thanked them for, and then made the following Speech.

  “It is now 2 Years since I entered into this honourable Society, and I think it is a Duty incumbent upon me to advise for our general Preservation, that the following Articles ought to be made for the Use of our Gang.

  I. That no one else be admitted without the Consent of the whole Gang. II. That no one presume to go upon any thing by him or herself upon Pain of being entirely turn’d off, and left to shift.

  III. That if any new Member be propos’d by any of the Gang, that he or she shall be a Month upon Trial, and all that Time shall be instructed at convenient Seasons in the Cant Tongue, so that they may speak intelligibly to nobody but the Gang.

  IV. That if any of the Gang should happen to be taken upon any one Action, that the rest shall stand by him, or her, and swear any thing in order to get such releas’d; and if convicted, a sufficient Allowance to be given him or her in Prison out of the Common Stock, that they may live in a Gentleman or Gentlewoman-like Manner. These Articles were agreed to and sign’d by ’em all”.

  Their next Adventure was in St. James’s-Park upon a fine Day, when abundance of People of Fashion were walking. In that Place, Jenny being well dressed, and her sham great Belly, with one of the Gang in the Habit of a Servant attending her, they took the Opportunity coming out at Spring Garden Gate, when a great Concourse of People were crouding, for the sham Lady to make a false Step and Stumble; presently abundance of good-natur’d Gentlemen and Ladies seeing a big-belly’d Woman ready to fall, was very busy striving who should first lend their Assistance, notwithstanding which, the Lady fairly contriv’d to fall down, and when they went to help her up, she made Signs, and gave ’em to understand that she had so hurt herself by the Fright, that she could not presently recover so as to be able to stand upon her Legs; by this Time more People came up to see what was the Matter, and she had so order’d it as to fall just in the Middle of the Passage; and while the Croud was gazing on, and commiserating the Case of the poor supposed distressed Lady, the rest of the Gang were very busy in speaking with their Pockets, Diamond Girdle Buckles, &c. They manag’d their Business so dextrously, that they got by this Adventure, two Diamond Girdle Buckles, a Gold Watch, a Gold Snuff Box and two Purses which contain’d upward of twenty Guineas; the next Day the Buckles, Watch, &c. were advertized, and a large Reward offer’d for them; which M– – – y9 proposed to restore for the Reward, when Jenny started up and ask’d who would venture Home with them? I, says M– – –y,10 would you? do you not consider the Consequence of returning them? why reply’d the other, there is no Questions to be ask’d, What then, repli
ed Jenny, suppose there is not, apprehend you no farther Consequence than that; no, replied the other; why then resumed Jenny; my Reason is this; suppose you go Home with them and get the Reward offered; here lies the Case, the Parties injured, will, though they ask you no Question, take particular Notice of your Person, and some time or other when you are out upon Business, you may be smoak’d, and then perhaps all may be blown; so my Advice is, that whatever Things may be got, though we can Fence ’em but for two Thirds of the Value offer’d, yet it is much the safer Way, and less dangerous. This Reason the Gang applauded much, and presently consented to send them to their usual Fence, (who was one who used to trip over to Holland very often upon the Smuggling Business, and who gave most Money for Goods got in that Manner) and the Gang for the future very seldom made Restitution, but generally dealt with this Fence.

  Some small Time after this last Adventure, 2 of the Gang fell Sick, and were rendered uncapable of turning out upon Business for some Time; now Jenny and her Quondam Spouse were obliged to turn out by themselves upon the Slang mort Lay, described in the following Adventures. Jenny being dressed as a big-belly’d Woman already mention’d, and her Spouse as a Footman in a Livery, used to take the Opportunity of the Master of the House’s Absence in a genteel [p. 9] Street, when the Lady’s pretended Footman knocking at the Door, ask’d if the Lady of the House was at Home, and being answer’d yes, used to say, my Lady here is taken ill and desires to speak with your Mistress; and so when she had introduc’d herself and Servant, they was not idle upon the Occasion, but generally made what they could that lay in the Way. One Day Jenny and her Servant being upon Business of this Nature in Burr Street, near Wapping, Jenny’s Servant knocked at the Door, and a Person coming and enquiring his Business, my Lady, says he there, pointing to Jenny, is a little out of Order, and being some Distance from Home, desires to speak with your Mistress; the Servant desired the Lady to Walk in, and said, she would fetch her Mistress presently, who was above Stairs.

  So directly in goes Jenny grunting and groaning as if she was half dead. Down comes the Mistress, and sends the Maid in a hurry up Stairs for the Chamber-pot; while she went to fetch the Smelling Bottle. While they were gone, Jenny took the Opportunity of opening the Drawer, and taking out a fine dress’d suit, worth 60 Guineas, which she presently put in a Place made on purpose on the Inside of her large Hoop, and was got sitting in her Chair by the Time the Lady return’d in a very moving melancholy Posture, pretending to be almost dead. As soon as the Lady came, and her Servant with the Pot, the pretended Footman was ordered into the Kitchen, who had till then attended his Mistress; but out of Decency, was desired to walk down till his Mistress wanted him; while he was in the Kitchen, he took the Opportunity to convey half a dozen Silver Spoons, a Salt, and a

  Pepper-Box in his Pocket; and as the Lady and her Maid above Stairs were very busy in applying her Smelling-Bottle to Madam’s Nose, she took the Opportunity to convey the Lady’s Purse out of her Pocket, when she had so done, pretending to be a little Better, ask’d the Lady’s Pardon for the extraordinary Trouble she had given her, and returning many Thanks for her great Care and Kindness, desired her Man might be call’d to get a Coach, which he did in a Trice, and order’d the Coachman to drive to Mr.– – – naming an eminent Merchant near Tower Street, at the same Time taking Leave of the Lady, and inviting her to the aforesaid Merchant’s; but as soon as the Coachman had drove out of Sight, he was order’d to stop, and Madam Jenny pretending she could not ride easy in a Coach: Here John, says she, give the Coachman a Shilling, and let eim [him] go about his Business. As soon as this was done, John and his Mistress retreated another Way, and went clean off with the Booty; two or three Facts of this Nature put a Stop to their farther Proceedings, the Circumstances which attended the committing of, being put into the public Papers, so that they thought it safest to desist from any more Tricks of this Nature.

  Some few Days afer, Jenny’s Companion’s recovering, they pursued their old Adventures with great Success; for in less than 3 Years they acquir’d above 300 Pounds a-piece, besides Expences by these illegal Practices.

  About this Time the Gang agreed to go in the Country upon Business there; so they took a Progress down to Bristol, in the Time of the Fair, kept there in the Summer Season. Here they thought it necessary to admit a new Member, whom they found at that Place; who was esteemed a good Hand upon The Twang Adam Cove; that is (could draw him in by a fine Tongue, or Way of talking those, whom they had a Design to impose upon) him they admitted after reading the foremention’d Articles, and swearing him to Secrecy; here it was thought proper to metamorphose one of them into the Habit of a Servant in Livery. The 2 Women pass’d for Gentlewomen, Merchants Wives in London, and who had come down to see the Fair, and the 2 Men for Persons who came down as dealers, and in order that they might more safely accomplish their intended Designs, they lodg’d at separate Places, their Reason for so doing was, that if any of the Gang was detected, the others might appear for their Characters, as Acquaintance accidentally meeting there; they had their Lessons so perfect, that each knew one another’s meaning almost by a Nod: One Day the whole Gang being in the Fair, they espy’d a West Country Clother, who had just received a Parcel of Money, to the amount of 100 Pounds, which he had given to a Servant, and order’d him to carry it to his Lodgings, and lock it up in his Bureau, and likewise gave him a Key, and bad him return in about an Hour to the Sign of the Fountain, a Tavern in the High Street. The Whole Gang upon this, follows the Fellow and jostles him in the Croud, but he was so careful of his Bag that they could not get it from him [p. 10] by this Means; so they were obliged to have recourse to the following Stratagem.

  One of the Gang steps after him out of the Fair, and giving him a Tap of the Shoulder; Friend, says he, did not you part from your Master just now, and did not he order you to go Home with a Bag of Money. Yea, replied the Countryman, and what then? oh! says he, your Master has alter’d his Mind, and is upon the Point of Agreement for some Goods with my Mistress, and desires you will bring it, in order to pay for ’em, at the – – – naming a House where Jenny and the rest of the Gang were gone to. Oh! moighte weell, moighte weell! says the poor credulous Fellow. I’se go wi you; so Cheek by Jole they go along together.

  In the mean Time, I– – –,11 who was dressed as the supposed Lady’s Servant, amused the Countryman with what a handsome rich Lady his Mistress was, and how gloriously he lived with her; and how free she always used him.

  By this Time they drew towards the House where the rest of the Gang was waiting. When they came there, Jenny’s supposed Servant introduced the Countryman (who artfully as they pass’d along, got his Master’s Name, unknown to the poor ignorant Fellow.) When they entered the Room, who is this honest Man says Jenny, Oh! Madam, it is Mr. S– – –’s Servant, come according to his Master’s Orders. Oh! honest Friend says she, sit down, your Master is just gone a little Way, and will return presently, but you must stay till he comes back; Yea, Yea, Madam, says the Countryman, I shall weat on your Lediship. Come honest Friend says she, will you drink a Glass of Wine; No Ise thank you Madam. Come, Come, don’t be bashful, you shall drink, so pouring out a Glass of Wine, he drank it off; come now you must drink another towards your Master’s Health. S’Bleed Madaum, says the Countryman, Ise drink that, thof ’twas a whole Mile to the Bottom; so taking the Glass in his Hand, drank it off; now says Jenny, you must drink my Health, the Countryman with the two first Glasses being pretty much spiritted, chatter’d, ads Waudds, Madam, that Ise do thof it was as deep as the Sea; an I codd—and so off it goes; well done, honest Friend, says Jenny.

  Now every Glass the poor Countryman drank, was mix’d with a certain Quantity of liquid Laudanum.

  As soon as she had done this, Here John, says she, take this honest Fellow, and treat him handsomely till his Master comes, and then I’ll send for him in again; so the poor Countryman making twenty aukward Scringes and Scrapes, goes out, and was convey’d to a more close Room convenient for
the Purpose, along with his new Acquaintance.

  When they had been there about half an Hour, and drank three or four Glasses of more Wine, the Countryman began to yawn, and in sorne small Time after, fell fast asleep. As soon as he perceived this, the Signal was given, and the Gang came in, and took the poor Fellows Bag of Money, paid the Reckoning, and ordered the Servant not to disturb the poor Man, who was weary, but let him have his Nap out. They went away, and going seperately to their Lodgings, they got their Things in Readiness, and then made the best of their Way for London, leaving the poor Country Fellow to curse his new Acquaintance.

  They made so many Things at this Fair, that when they came to Town, and Fenced them, they shared Thirty Pounds a-piece, besides Expences.

  By these Means, the Gang supported themselves in the most splendid Manner, sometimes living very profusely, like People of Quality; only they kept up what they term’d a common Stock, to support themselves in Case of any Disaster, which was thus raised. When any Booty was got and sold, a Tenth Part was put by, to relieve the Gang in Time of Need, and the remaining Part, was equally divided amongst them.12

  The usual Places of Jenny and the Gang’s Resort in London, when there was no extraordinary Crowd in other Places, was the Change, the Bridge,13 &c. One Day being upon Business at the last mentioned Place about 5 o’Clock in the Evening, the Gang espy’d a Lady very well dressed, on Foot, walking over, and when she had got about half Way, a sudden Hurry of Carts and Coaches coming over at the same Instant, she stood up at the Door in order to avoid them. One of the Gang, being genteely dressed, steps up at the same Time, and says, Have a Care, Madam; and so standing before her, catches hold of both her Arms, that she should not be at Liberty to Tout the rest, and holds them up: In the mean Time [p. 10] Jenny, and the rest of the Gang, were very busy with her, and they was so dexterous, that before the Coaches got by, they made her Pocket, and walked off with it. As soon as the Hurry was over, the Lady dropp’d the supposed Gentleman a fine Curtsey, and humbly thank’d him for his great Care, and so took her Leave, little dreaming of her Loss; for they found in the Pocket upwards of 30 Guineas, a gold Snuff box worth 6 Guineas, and a Case of silver Instruments.