M – t L – s [Edward and Margaret Lines], three or four Pieces for three Pence per Yard, we gave them one Piece for their Trouble;12 and divided the Rest into three Parts. I sent mine to Bath to J – n R – ts’s [John Roberts’s], where it lay for some Time, till he got me a Dyer to dye it: and the Remainder was left at the Rock Tavern with our Landlord and Landlady, who never paid any Thing for it to this Day. Some Time after, I sold twenty eight Yards of mine to Mary Brown, alias Dawson, after it was dyed; but when she had it made up, she told me she would not pay me for it, for I had better Luck than her Husband and Allen had with theirs; they all well knowing the Callimanco to be stolen, and from whence; and, if we or any Body else was to carry the King’s Crown to the Rock Tavern, they would to my Knowledge, secrete it.
Soon after, I and Thomas Tobin went to Grantham, in Lincolnshire, and met with one Walter Cauhone; and there we defrauded an old Farmer of fifteen Guineas, at the old Nobb, call’d Pricking [p. 8] in the Belt. From thence Tobin and I went to Nottingham, where we met with several of our Accomplices; but Luck running bad that Day, Tobin, Hurst, and I went on the Sneak, and stole a silver Tankard without a Lid, from the Black- Moor’s Head, and paying Hurst for his Part, we went for the Rock Tavern again; but Money being short there, we carried it to B – grove [Bromsgrove], in Worcestershire, to G – e L – ll [George Linsdale], a Shopkeeper there, and Tobin sold it to him; but I cannot say he knew it to be stolen, for I was not present, but I have seen G – e L – ll [George Linsdale] buy stolen Goods of several Persons, he well knowing the same to be stolen.13
Tobin and I went directly for York, and on our Journey into Yorkshire, we dined at an Inn, and there stole a large silver Spoon; but where the House is I cannot recollect. We arrived at York, and went to see an old Friend and his pretended Wife, and the next Day went to a Fair, and defrauded a young Gentleman of seven Pounds at the Belt; and came back the next Day to York, being the Day before the Judges came into Town. The next Day Tobin and I went on the Sneak to the Black Swan Inn in Coney Street York, and stole from thence a Silver Tankard, and a large Sugar Caster and carried them to Christopher Fet—one [Fetherstone],14 and his pretended Wife Sarah Ca – n [Cagan], to keep them for us till we went out of Town, and told them from whence they came. The same Day I, Tobin, Fet—one [Fether-stone], Sarah Ca – n[Cagan], went to the same House on purpose to steal some more Plate, but the People had lock’d the Rest up, to our Disappointment. The next Day Tobin and I went for our Plate, which Sarah Ca – n brought us; and we gave her a large Silver Spoon for her Trouble, which we had stolen, but where I cannot recollect. Then we went directly to London, where I sold the Tankard and Caster to a Silver Smith near Smithfield Bars, in St. John-Street, but he did not ask me any Questions how I came by them.
I went just after to J – n R – ts’s [John Roberts’s] at Bath, to meet the rest of my Accomplices at our old House, where I was sure to hear News, and a Welcome into Bath. The latter End of April there was twelve of us together, all Gamblers and Pickpockets, to our Landlord’s Knowledge. We all went into the West for Sampford Peveral [Sampford Peverell], and made three Setts; two Setts got ten Pounds a Piece, from two Farmers that had just sold their Cattle, at the unlawful Game of Pricking in the Belt. The Farmer I was concerned with, swooned away for the Loss of his Money; we made a Pretence to fetch some Water to bring him to himself, but went clear off, not regarding whether he lived or died. Two Setts went to Great Torrington [Torrington]; and one Sett, just as they had got into the Fair picked up a Flat, and got twenty Pounds of him, which so Alarmed the Town, that the rest came away for Exon [Exeter]: So all dis[p. 9]persed but John Brown and I, and we defrauded a Man in Exon of five Pounds.
We then went to Crewkerne, where we heard at the Green Dragon that our Accomplices were gone forward: The next Day we rode out of Town, but promised to come back the same Night, which we did: But just before we came into Town, we heard that two Sharpers were taken up at S – l C – l’s, and that their Horses were there: So we called, and the Horses were delivered to us, to take them away for Fear they should be stopt; for they were both stolen, one by William C – s, and the other by William S – w, both then Custody at Crewkerne, for defrauding a Man at Chard of five Pounds; and one of them stole a Great Coat at Chard, and they were both cast for Transportation at Bridgewater for the same.15
Brown and I took the two Horses to Bath, to John R – s [Roberts], and told him what had happened, and that he must sell the Gelding, and Mare: We told him where they were stole from, and he said it was far enough off, and asked us what we would have for the Gelding; we told him four Pounds; he said that if we would take a Thirty six Shilling Piece he would run all Hazards; so we agreed for him: And he told us if any Body asked what he cost, we must say four Pounds, for he would sell him to a Farmer that he bought his Straw of, that never went five Miles from home.
I left Brown at R – ts’s [Roberts’s] with the grey Mare, whilst I, William Elger, and John Allen, alias Robert Jones, alias Robert Graham, went to the Rock Tavern, to see his Wife and Child, that was at Nurse there: from thence we went into the North of England to Fairs, Horse Races, and Cock Matches, on the Sharping Lay, and won between thirty and forty Pounds at Cards, alias Broads. From thence we went to Newcastle upon Tine, where we got about three Pounds from a Butter Man at the Belt, or Nobb. From thence we went into the South again; and picked up in our Way Money enough to bear our Expences to Bath for the Benefit of the Waters, to the great Joy of our Landlord. We stayed off and on at Bath about six Weeks, and passed for Smugglers:16 We used to give seven Shillings a Pound for Tea and sell it again for four Shillings and Six-pence, on purpose to make People believe we were Smugglers. We went to a Fair now and then in that Time, and if we could not get any Money at the Nobb, we would buy a Horse or two, and give our Notes for the Money, telling the Dealer we lived at a Town where we did not. This is called Masoning.
July the 2d, 1752, I and William Elger, John Brown, alias Dawson, John Allen, alias Robert Jones, alias Robert Graham, and Thomas Walker, went to Blandford Races,17 where we met Charles Handy: We went to the Cocking in the Morning, and to the [p. 10] Races in the Afternoon; some went on to the Turn to the Booths, and others to laying Wagers on the Course: A flattish Gentleman laying seven Pounds with one of us, they both asking who should hold Stakes, one of us sitting on Horseback just by on Purpose, says, put it in that Man’s Hand, pointing to one of us that was well dressed; the Money being so delivered, the Man winning, he that held the Stakes rode off the Course. After the Races we all meet at Blandford, and agreed to go on the Sneak for any Thing we could get. In the Dusk of the Evening, we went to the Crown Inn, and stole, out of the fore Parlour, a large Portmanteau Trunk, and carried it into the Fields to skin it, that is, to search it, when we found in it the following Things, viz. Eighteen Guineas, a Jacobus, and several other Pieces of Gold and Silver Coin, a Gold Repeating Watch, with all the Trinkets thereunto belonging, a Pair of Gold Shoe Buckles, a Gold Coral and Bells, a Gold Girdle Buckle, and Necklaces set in with green Stones, a great Quantity of Jewels, a fly white Petticoat, a great Quantity of young Girls wearing Apparel, and one pair of Sheets.18 Thomas Walker and I carried the Gold Watch and Jewels to London, and Walker sold them to a Person unknown to me, because I was not with him; but he said, he told the Man he sold them to, that he got them at Sea, in a Prize. He brought me Twenty-seven Pounds for the Watch and Jewels. We then came back to Popham Lane, to the Sign of the Wheatsheaf, where our Accomplices were waiting for us; we there divided the Money equally between us, and came to Bath, where I sold the Pair of Sheets to J – n R – ts [John Roberts] for two Shillings, and the fly Petticoat worked with a Needle for a Guinea, tho’ it was worth four: he secreted the rest for me in a Closet. Just after I sold a red Silk quilted Petticoat to M – y G – a [Mary Gea], for her Daughter, for Half a Guinea: At the same Time she begged a lace Cap, with Wire about the Border; and I told her she must not let her Daughter wear it, for it was stole from a Portmanteau at Bla
ndford and that it was advertised at the same time in Bath: She said I need not fear, for it should be altered, she well knowing the same to be stolen and from whence.
I sold the Bells, Seal, Shoe Buckles, and Girdle Buckles, all of Gold, to J – n F – d [John Ford],19 a Silversmith in Bath, and he melted them down before my Face, into an Ingot of Gold, not quite an Ounce. I told him from whence they came, and he said he did not care if they came from the Ruffen, (that is the Devil) I wish we had as much as you and I could put out of Twig, or break in sunder.20
We went out of Bath, to Corsham Fair, about eleven Miles from Bath; that is, l, William Elger, John Brown, alias Dawson, John Allen, alias Robert Jones, alias Robert Graham, and we stole a silver Tankard from an Inn in Corsham:21 I brought it directly to J – n [p. 11] F – d [John Ford] at Bath, who not being at Home, I told his Wife we had stole a Silver Tankard from Corsham, and wanted to melt it down; I then went up Stairs with her, and she fasten’d a Pair of Sheers into a Vice, and began to cut it in Pieces; when her Husband came in, and told us, he had heard of the Tankard, and where it came from, but he would soon put it out of Twig; and said, Betty go and make a Fire in the Shop, and bring a large Crucible; which she did, and they melted it down before my Face; and she said, Mr. Poulter, at any Time, if you have Gold or Silver, I will melt it down for you if my Husband is not at Home; but you must not take any Notice to my Brother of what passes between my Husband and you: At the same Time she ask’d me for a Shilling for her Trouble, which I gave her. They both knew the same to be stolen, and from whence.
Brown, Elger, and Allen, bought a Horse at the Turnpike near Corsham, of a Farmer, for six Pounds, but gave their Note for it; and St – n G – a [Stephen Gea] said he knew Brown very well to be the same Person he represented himself to be, though he knew at the same Time they were defrauding the poor Farmer.
October the 26th, 1752, I, with John Brown, alias Dawson, William Elger, John Allen, alias Robert Jones, alias Robert Graham, went from Bath in order to rob a Pack-Horse: We made the best of our Way to W – m T – ‘s [William Trinder’s], at Farrington, in Berkshire, and after Supper we called plentifully for White Wine Negus; then we ask’d W – m T – r [William Trinder] when Charley, the Coventry Carrier, came to Morton in the Marsh [Moreton-in-Marsh]: He answered, on Monday or Tuesday; and now is your Time, for he takes up all the Ribbons that are left at Stow Fair, and carries them to Bristol this Journey. To which we replied, How shall we know the right Pack? W – m T – r [William Trinder] said, you must observe the Pack that has Boxes in it, that is the right, and is either full of Ribbons, or Things of Value; and, if you succeed, bring them to me, and I will buy them all of you. We then told him we had no Sacks, and he ordered his Ostler to go and buy three new Sacks, for which I paid six Shillings before his Face. The next Morning he wish’d us good Luck, and we set out for Morton in the Marsh, where we got that Night, and put up at W – m N – s’s [William Nipps’s]. He was glad to see my Accomplices, but did not know me; after Supper we ask’d him when Charley came to Morton in the Marsh: He answered, I cannot tell, but I will go to his Brother and enquire. When he came back, he told us To-morrow Morning; but it will be late before he gets to Park corner, because he takes up Ribbons at Stow, that were left at the Fair. We did not stir out all the Time we were there; for, he said, if we were seen, it would be known who did it, for he well knew our Intent was to take one of Charley’s Packs; and [p. 12] he assurred us, that at any Time he would go and swear for us, (as he did for Robert Jones and others at Warwick,) if Occasion required. We set out the next Day for Park-corner, which Place we reached just as Charley came there; Brown then rode before us to detain Charley at a Publick-House, under Pretence of carrying a Letter for him, which he wrote and gave him: In the mean Time we went forward, and try’d the Packs as T – r [Trinder] had directed us; and catch’d the Horse by the Neck, but he was so shy and startish, that he throw’d me and Allen into a Ditch, and got away from us, so that we could not catch him any more. We then took the next, and led him down into a Park about a Mile from the Place, where we could not get out: But it was remarkable, William Elger rode a Gelding that he gave eighteen Guineas for, and in conveying along the Pack Horse, rode into a great Hole, and his Gelding and he tumbled over, when the Pack Horse ran back almost to Park-corner before we could catch him. We tied the Horse to a Bush, and gag’d him, whilst we put the Goods up in our Sacks, and left them in that Place till we rode almost to Park-corner before we could get out, and there we saw Brown and Charley going together. Charley asked us whether we had seen his Horses, and how many there were: We said six, but they were a Mile before him, and then bid him a good Night. We rode round the Park Wall, just against the Place where we left our Goods, and the Horse whicker’d: I was forced to stand upon the Horse’s Back to get over the Wall, to throw over the Goods. We then loaded our Horses, and made the best of our Way to Chapel Plaster, at which Place we arrived about Five o’Clock in the Morning, and calling up S – n G – [Stephen Gea], we stayed there that Day. I ask’d S – n G – a [Stephen Gea] to get me a Horse, and something to carry my Goods in; which he did, for he lent us his own Horse that he bought of us some Time before at Weyhill Fair, and a Pair of Butcher’s Pots, in which we packed up all our Goods except one Piece of Camblet, and twelve Pair of Scarlet Stockings, which Brown, Allen, and I, kept for our Women. We divided the Piece (I think it was thirty-nine Yards) into three Parts, and the Stockings into the same. I gave my Part to M – y G – a [Mary Gea], to keep for me, and so did they, till I came again. The next Morning we set out for Farringdon, where we arrived late at Night, it being fifty Miles from Chapel Plaster. We sent Allen before to bespeak Supper for us, and open the back Gate, and to put the Ostler out of the Way until we had unloaded our Goods; which was done. After Supper we drank plentifully of Punch and White Wine Negus; and the next Morning we sold W – m T – r [William Trinder] all the Caps and Stockings: He got us a Box to pack up the Pieces of Stuff in, and we put it into his Warehouse, with Directions to be left at [p. 13] W – m T – r’s [William Trinder’s], at Farrington, in Berkshire, till called for. The next Morning we set out for a Fair at Newbury in Berkshire, where we defrauded a young Man of his Watch, Horse, and four Guineas in Money, at the Old Nobb, or pricking in the Belt. We then went back to T – r’s [Trinder’s]; and when we came there, he show’d us a Letter he had received from Mr. Grovenor, of Bristol, for T – r [Trinder] to make all the Enquiry he could after such Goods, among all the Shopkeepers about that Country, for he had lost a Pack: At the same Time T – r [Trinder] had bought all the Caps and Stockings of us, and had all the Pieces of Stuff in his Warehouse, and that to his Knowledge. His Wife H – h [Hannah] came to me, and desired me to ask her Husband to buy all the Stuff, for he could dispose of it all; but he refused, because it was advertised. H – h T – r [Hannah Trinder] said she would buy one Piece of Stuff for her own Use, unknown to her Husband: Then she and I went up Stairs, and she pick’d out a very large Piece of brown strong Stuff from all the rest, and gave me eighteen Shillings for the same, they both knowing the same to be stolen, and from whence. If there was not such People as these to encourage Thieves, and receive their Goods, there would be no thieves.22 We set out the next Morning for Salisbury, with the Goods that were left, thinking to sell them to C – H – [Charles Handy?]; but he was not at Home: So I carried them to Stockbrige, to another Fence of our’s, that is, a Receiver of stolen Goods, one R – t L – [Robert Lyte], a Publican, that always bought the Watches of us we got at pricking in the Belt, or any other Defraud: I sold him six Pieces and a half, which he pick’d out from all the rest, and he gave me eighteen Shillings a Piece for them, but he would have the half Piece into the Bargain. He ask’d where the said Stuff was stolen from; and I told him: He said he would sell some to one, and some to another, in the Country; but we cut off all the Marks of both Ends of the Pieces, for Fear of a Discovery. He also lent me a Box to pack up five Pieces and a half that was left, to send up to London to William
Elger, who was gone to Town to see his Friends, directed thus, For Mr. William Elger, to be left at the Swan, on Holbourn-Bridge, London, till called for; which the said L –[Lyte] did send away, he well knowing the same to be stolen, and from whence; he knowing us all to be Sharpers and Thieves, and that we had no other Way of Living but by defrauding and robbing. We went to G – a’s [Gea’s], and I sold the Piece of Stuff and four Pair of Scarlet Stockings to M – y G – a [Mary Gea]: Mary Brown, alias Dawson, had another Piece, and four Pair of Stockings: I bought the four Pair of Stockings of Mary Brown again. Frances Allen had the other Part.23
The Beginning of November, to the best of my Remembrance, I, and William Elger, John Brown and John Allen, came from Wil[p. 14]ton towards Bath, on Purpose to break open a House in Wade’s Passage, which we looked at several Times before. We stole in our Way from Wilton, a large Iron Crow from a Sheepfold on Salisbury Plain, on Purpose to wrench open the Door of the said Shop: We left our Horses at Mount Pleasant, while we went a milling that Swagg, that is, a breaking open that Shop: We wrenched open the Pad Lock, but could not open the Door, altho’ we made a great Purchase with the Iron Crow; we made several Attempts, and in the mean Time the Scout came by, that is, the Watch; but Brown took him off, while we were at Work, which is easily done for a Quart of Drink: Brown knew the Watchman, but I can’t say the Watchman knew him. If all the Doors of Shops and Houses shut as close as that did, it would prevent a great many Robberies in Cities and Towns; for no Doors ought to have any Play, if they have they are easily broke open. We tried two Shops in the Church yard, at their Windows, the one a Toy Shop, and the other a Watchmaker’s, but were disappointed by a drunken Man’s coming into the Church-yard, and sitting himself down.24 We had got a Spring Saw to cut the Bolts asunder, that F – d [Ford] made for Brown; the Iron Crow I threw over the Bridge25 on the Left Hand Side.*
Drunks, Whores and Idle Apprentices: Criminal Biographies of the Eighteenth Century Page 24