Drunks, Whores and Idle Apprentices: Criminal Biographies of the Eighteenth Century
Page 34
If there is any thing in the marks on human bodies, as the books of Astrology and Divination would feign, this person is assuredly ‘Mark’d on the back, like Cain, by God’s own hand, ‘Wander, like him, accurst thro’ all the land.’
Bad as this mirror of her sex was, she had an ancient grey headed life guardian, for her privy-councellor, confident, and servant, yet far worse than she: with this old fellow she had lived in adultery previous to the acquaintance above-mentioned, which continued, as opportunity offered, to the time the pious old soldier assisted the woman to rob her benefactor of all his property, with which they retired, as to a place of refuge, among the foot-guards and black-guards, in Peter street, Westminster. This man makes vast pretentions to religion, and a good name; yet it is plain, as the account saith, he has no just pretentions to either.