THE LIFE Of Captain James Whitney. Containing, his Most Remarkable Robberies And other Adventures, etc. CONTINUED To his Execution near Smithfield Bars the first of February 1692/3. Aude aliquid brevibus Gyaris & carcere dignum Si vis esse aliquid.— LONDON, Printed for A. R. near Temple-Bar. MEMOIRS OF Capt. James Whitney, etc. TO Commence our History from the very Birth of our Hero, the Subject of our present Treatise, he descended from very bumble Parentage, being born near Hitchin: About the Age of 14 he was put Apprentice to a Butcher at Cheston, in Hertfordshire; but before he had half served his time, being too Masterly for a Servant, and having a Natural Aversion to so sordid a Profession, his higher Thoughts led him to a contemptible Opinion of at least so slovenly an Occupation of Throat-cutting, possibly fancying himself Capacitated for more manly Attacks than upon Tame Heifers and blearing Sheep, insomuch that he got lose from that Subjection by consent of all sides; and then Marrying a Countrywoman thereabout, he took the Bear Inn in Cheston. In this Post his Fortune was no ways answerable to his Expectation, our Hero found not half. Trade enough to make the Pot Boyl; till 'twas observed that once in four or five Days a Jolly Troop of well Mounted Gallants would visit his House, and by spending and Revelling at a very high rate, make a little amends for the slow do all the Week besides. 'Twas thought that this Jovial Gang laid the first Foundation of his Ambition in Emulating those Gay Examples; and thence aspiring to the Mercurial Life of a Rover and Son of Fortune. For very soon after, our Spigget Merchant made his Abdication from Cheston, for farther Walks abroad, and bolder Adventures. Now his poor Domestic Householdstuff, his Wife, as troublesome Lumber was dropped at a poor cott near Enf●ild; where nevertheless, though his now more elevated Gentleman Appetite disdained the Despicable course Far of an homely Mattimon●al Dish, as daily Feasting and Rioting upon the variety of Gay Misses, and Lond●n Dames; however he took that care as now and then to drop a Guinea in his Travels to Melancholy Spouse at home; and in fine, to keep her House over her Head, and Bread in Cupboard. I am the more short in this Part of our Sorry, as that several little Pamphlets, already peeped abroad, have been more prolix in this part of his Life, and therefore I shall not treat my Reader with so insipid a Repetition. Nor shall I make it my Business to Enumerate every particular grosser Robbery, which affording little Matter more than the rough Compliment of Stand and Deliver, would consequently make but a dull and undivertising Narration, such as the Robbing the Lancashire Carrier, his Butchery of the poor Horses at Mimms Wash, or any other of his heavyer Feats of Activity, as the tiresome Pamphleteers upon the same Subject have foolishly done before me. No, the design of this Treatise is only to select those more Intriguing and more Comical Rencounters of his, of which kind near four years' Reign of his cannot want Variety; and thereby make my Reader a more pleasant Entertainment. To return therefore to our Captain, and shorten the Saturnine part of our History. I shall only inform you that to qualify him for this resolute Employment, he was one of the greatest Dear-stealers in the Nation, an excercise highly in fashion with him in his very Prenticeship; and a very good Initiation to him for the Hazards and Hardiness of the Highway. In the beginning of his performance for some considerable while he exercised his Prowess in Robbing alone. But when Time had laid Honour and Reputation upon his Back, a great many young Adventurers were proud of Listing under so brisk a Leader, and the Jolly Troop increasing he acquired the honourable Title of Capt. Whitney. And now notwithstanding I have sought and received the most substantial Authority for the Credit and Truth of the following Narrations; however, I have not tied myself up to that nicety, as to be too critical in the exact order and succession of his Exploits, that difficult and needless Information is more than our Subject requires, or my Reader may expect; as to all other. Points we value ourselves upon playing the Faithful Historian. But before I proceed to our History, I shall only tell you that his first Desertion of his Inn-keeping, was on this occasion: One of the Gang of his highflown Guests being Apprehended about four years since for suspicion of Robbery, his kind Host was pleased to offer himself and another Man, a pretended Londoner, to be his Bail before Sir H— G— a worthy Justice of Peace of Hartfordshire; but Sessions soon after Drawing on, the Principal and both the Seconds, all three of the Birds were fairly flown, and from that day the Captain was no farther seen or heard of thereabouts, but in the Fame and Trumpets of his public Achievements, etc. And so to come to our Memoirs, etc. Being one Evening alone upon the Parade near Newberry, he over took a good Motherly neat Country woman, and a very Pretty young Creature her Daughter, both indifferently Mounted, and in very deep Tears and Lamentation. The Captain could not forbear looking with a great deal of Compassion upon the Sweetness and Innocence of the young Damsel, especially in that wailing condition. And hereupon (though indeed already suspecting the Cause) he asked the occasion of so much saucy sorrow, that durst give so violent a Disturbance to the sweet Eyes of so pretty a Creature. The Mother, of the two, being the readier with an Answer, immediately told him, That herself and her Daughter had been most inhumanly Robbed of the sum of forty Pounds, that they were both utterly undone, for that very Money was her Daughter's Portion, the all in the whole World she had to give her, and that to morrow she was to have been Married to a very honest Countryman, a Mealman, near Newberry, that had long Wooed her; and that now the Loss of the Money would not only undoubtedly break off the Match, but likewise be the utter inevitable Ruin of her poor miserable Child. The Captain, who presently smelled the Rat, and was partly satisfied which of his Gang had done this Execution; nevertheless felt a great deal of tenderness for the Afflicted Damsel, and endeavoured to pacify both Mother and Daughter, by telling them, That the Bridegroom intended, could never be such a Barbarian sure, as to desert his contracted Bride for what was her Misfortune, not her Fault. That considering the Beauty and Charms of so pretty a Creature he was going to possess certainly so poor a Trifle as the inconsiderable Sum of Forty Pounds, would break no squares, nor make any Bars to either of their Happiness. Alas, replied the Mother, you are a Gentleman, and I suppose a Man of an Estate, and forty Pounds may be little in yo●● Pocket, but truly, 'tis a great sum in a poor Countryman's Purse. A Pox of Money (replied the Captain, interrupting her) does not he Love her? Ay, Sir, rep'yed the Young Virgin, He does Love me, and hearty too, otherwise I should not be such a foolish Creature as to Sacrifice my whole Life to a man that did not Love me. But, alas, Sir, you Courteirs and Gallants have a great deal higher Notions of Love, than poor Country Folks; Love with us must have Convenience go along with it. A●d as much Beauty and Charms and other fine things, as you are pleased to lay to my Charge, if my Portion be to seek, I may go seek for a Husband too. A great deal of Discourse past more upon the same Subject, but to come to Business, the Captain offered to Inn with them at Newberry, and wait the Lovers intended Visit next Morning, (as he understood he was to meet 'em there) and see what persuading Influence he could have over him, or at lest what he would propose towards making an Accommodation in this business. They accepted the Gentleman's kind offer, though with very little hopes of success from it, for they were pretty well assured that a few kind pacyfying words, for that was the most they could expect from a Stranger, would do burr little in so important a Negotiation. As they traveled soberly towards the Town, the Captain desired them to make no Noise of their Loss at the Inn, but hush their Misfortunes for some Reasons he would give them there: As they traveled along the old woman told him how they had been at London, to fetch this money from a Friend, in whose hands it had been Lodged there for her Child's sake, and afterwards gave him a long Relation of her own Family and her Affairs, in which there was nothing worth the Captain's remembrance, except a very comical description of the hard Labour she had with this poor Girl to bring her into the World, and the harder Labour she had to Nurse her up. When they came to the Inn, the matter was discussed over again, where 'twas urged, that the Husband designed was a wary thrifty Man, and would no more Marry a Beggar though with all the Charms of an Arch Angel, than he would build Churches. And in short, nothing but Ruin and Despair lay before 'em, for truly the Girl did very much love him, and really had cause for it, for he had wooed her 2 whole years together, with all the Passion and Faith imaginable, and more to that purpose, etc. The Captain by this Time, mightily smitten with the young Bride, very frankly offered to lay down the 40 l. which he had in Gold about him, to make up the Portion, and reconcile the Lovers. They were ●oth astonished at this surprising Goodness, and could not really believe him in Earnest in so great a Favour, unless he had some hard Terms to join with it, and therein they were not deceived, for truly the Captain in all the insinuating smooth Language he could dress it, told 'em that he would not lend, but present her with the Money, for to lend it, as that he might do, and force her Husband to pay it afterwards, would not only be a very great hardship upon him, but possibly make a great fraction in their Peace, and raise an irreconcilable Feud betwixt Man and Wife; no, he would accommodate her on much gentler Terms; what Return he expected, (as really he could not but be so much mercenary) was the happiness of this one Night's Lodging with the Bride. The Mother and Daughter, as you may well imagine, were highly startled at such a Proposal, which the Capt. had no ways to excuse, but by urging the strange hold that this young Creature, though in so short a Conversation, had got upon his Heart, with a 100 more passionate Expressions upon so tender a theme to the same amorous tune. A very great flood of Tears followed from the fair Eyes at so harsh a motion: but to draw matters to a point, and omit the Arguments bandied on both sides; the loss of a Husband, the loss of a Fortune, and indeed all the poor Girls expectation in this World, were such potent considerations, that in fine, to repair so fatal a Breach, as this Gentleman's kind 40 l. would re-cement, the Mother's heart beginning to mollysy first, she could not, though with much Regret, but yield. And truly to soften the Daughter, after some small reflections upon the Gentleman's hard terms, she used a Motherly Authority, to induce her Daughter to Compliance; 'tis true, indeed she objected, that 'twas a little severe to rob a poor longing Bridearoom of an expected Virginity; yet considering that means might be used to make him wholly unsensible of his Loss, what the Eye saw not the Heart rued not; besides the hardship and Calamity that lay upon her must oblige her to a Consent, which would be a great lessening to her Fault, under her necessity that forced it. The Capt. too exercised his softening Talon, and amongst other pressing Arguments, he told the young Girl 'twas not so heinous a fault as perhaps she fancied it. The time was when by the custom of some Tenors in some Countries the Lords of the Manor claimed the first Night with the Bride, and that with the very Husband's consent, but this gentler Night carried with silence and secrecy, would be a ten times easier and more venial Trespass At last, the Fort being won, it was concluded, (after a splendid Supper at the Capt's Charge, in which, a cheaful Glass of Wine had perhaps a little helped forwards,) that their Bedchambers being chosen next Room to each other, the Mother should leave the door a-jar on purpose for the Captain's admission, and then retire herself to his bed chamber, for the Captain's Accommodation with the Daughter. The Plot thus laid, I dare not recount the Sweets the Capt. tasted at the first gathering of such unblown Roses; 'tis enough to tell you, that the Capt. applied that substantial Eloquence to his sweet Bed-fellow, as softened infinitely more than all the ver●al Rhetoric he had used before; insomuch that not altogether so much repining at the Captain's hard Terms (as we called 'em before) she had not quite so resenting a thought of her Bridegroom's Hardship, nay truly, before morning (such miraculous operation had one short night wrought) that she could not forbear, amongst other Endearments, to tell her bed-mate, That truly her Bridegroom (as much as we told you she loved him before) was but an ordinary Countryman, and truly she could wish he were but half so sweet a Person as himself; but that was a happiness too high for a poor Country Girls Ambition, etc. How ravishingly the Capt. spent his dear Night, may be better guest than told. Let it suffice, he was so pleased with his Bedfellow, that he threw in a Five Pound Peice of Gold to the 40 before stipulated. Early in the morning the Bridegroom, and some few friends attended the supposed Virgin Bride, and amongst many Country Jokes, some of his friends were pleased to droll upon the hard Night's Labour he must expect, little imagining that the Capt. had taken that Toil off his hands. The Bride was pleased to recommend the Capt. to her Husband's Acquaintance, telling him, that she had fortunately met a Gentleman that proved to be a Cousin of hers, one Mrs. such a one, his second Cousin, being a first Cousin to a third Cousin of hers, Marry such a one, or some such kind of Altiance between 'em; insomuch that several mutual Compliments passed upon the Claiming Kin to so Honourable a Relation. To conclude, the Capt's Affairs not permitting him to make one at the Wedding, tho much invited, all the fair Bride at parting could do, was to tell him, her husband's house was at such a Place, and to make her husband Join with her in the same request, etc. to conjure him, whenever he travelled that way, to make their house his home; and so they shook hands, and kissed, not without a falling Tear, a Pearl bestowed upon the Capt. at parting, from the fair Bride, in spite of all her endeavours to conceal it. This Adventure not ending here, it happened that about Ten Months after, the Capt. in his Travels that way, made bold to accept of the Invitation aforesaid, and made the New Couple a Visit at their house near Newberry. Now it fell out that the poor woman was then in the Straw, having lain in about 3 Weeks. Here was great Joy of all hands for their long looked for Gentle Cousin, more particularly on the female side. The husband (it being nigh Suppertime) presently kills a couple of the fattest Fowls, and makes preparations for an extraordinary Entertainment; but the good Lady not being satisfied with those Regales the house could afford, besought her dear Spouse to take a Walk to a Neighbouring Miller's, something above half a Mile off, for a brace of Trout. The good man offered to send his Servant; but the good woman (for Reasons that shall be nameless) thought her husband the properest messenger; telling him, that his Man was such a Blockhead he knew not a Fish in season from one out of it. No, she was resolved none should manage a Dish for her Couzen's Entertainment but himself. When the good man was upon the march for the Fish, the good Dame, who had her Nets to lay, was extremely fond of her Visitant; nay, she could not forbear telling him, that the thumping Boy she showed him in the Cradle, was his own proper flesh and blood; desiring him to number back Weeks and Days to that dear Night with him at Newberry, and he should find the Account exactly agreeing: besides, she was pleased, amongst a great many amorous Caresses, to let him know, she tasted those blisses that Night which were never equalled since, intimating, that there was not Manhood enough at home to go to the making of so Lusty a Bantling. This Conversation, assisted by the husband's absence, made way for some nearer and dearer familiarity; and tho, 'tis true, a green woman, yet the Capt. not valuing colours, and the Lady trusting to the strength of her Constitution, gave him the Invitation of laying a foundation for a New Scion from the same fruitful Stock. Before the husband's Return, being all alone with the Capt. and being now a little hardy Love-Combitant than in her first Engagement with him, she laid heads together with him for his company the whole night with her; the design being much favoured by the dismission of her Nurse the day before to a new Mrs. Now all things convenient, and the Guest-Room for Lodging of Strangers being a lower Parlour, and lying beyond her husband's bedroom, through which he must pass, she durst not advise him to come and steal that way up to her Chamber, as being too dangerous a hazard. Upon mature result, it came to this conclusion, that the Captain having a small backdoor into the Yard from his Chamber, and the Room next to hers was a kind of Granary, into which her husband craned up all his Sacks of Meal, etc. it was agreed he should, after the whole house was in bed, steal out to the Crane, and she would draw him up (being a matter not beyond her strength) into the Granary, and so take him to bed with her. After this Project was laid, the Husband returned with a Brace and an half of good Trout, which, together with some other Provisions, made a sumptuous Banquet. During Suppertime, amongst other discourse in praise of the Trout, the Captain was pleased to say, he was a piece of a Fisherman himself, but all the Trout he took were with tickling; which the smiling Young Dame was pleased to say, was a very pretty way of fish catching. Bed time drawing on, and the Capt. being introduced to the Parlour, to his intended Lodging, he undressed himself for Bed; but as soon as by all signs he found all fast, he slipped on his Coat, Breeches and Shoes only, and softly unbolting the back door. went to the Crane, where the kind Lady above soon hoisted him up; and nothing now but a clear Stage, and from him no Favour, etc. Thus they continued all night, till a glimmering of day began to appear. But as a spiteful piece of Ill Luck, the poor husband feasting a little too hearty in the Entertainment of his Cousin, had a necessity to go to the backside for a certain occasion. From whence returning, he spied the Parlour open, at which a little surprised, he made bold to peep into the Captains Room, where by the small dawn of day he plainly perceived the bed empty, seeing only the Hat, Wig, and some other of the Capt's Accoutrements remaining on the Table. In some sudden start hereat, led by an unhappy haste, he went up Sta●rs in some Precipitation, to discourse his dear Sp●u●e upon the Subject of his surprise. Just at this minute it fell out that the Lovers very carefully were upon drawing off, and the Lady at the Crane just letting him down, when the husband bolting in upon her, she gave a great shriek and let the Crane go, and the Capt. drop; and he being at that time out of the window, and within 5 or 6 foot of the ground, the suddenness of the fall made a noise, and occasioned the husband to cry, What's that? but she, after her shriek, wisely flinging her Arms round her husband's neck, (as if the Effect of her Fright) held him in that close hug so long till the Capt. had time to recover his chamber. The hu●band mightily wondered at finding his wife in such an unwomanly exercise as handing of Cranes; but she, ready provided with an answer, told him, that such a motherly woman had told her it was for her health, and that she had practised it for above a week together; which fatisfied the credulous husband; and in answer to the shriek she made, 'twas occasioned she said, by her start at the sudden encounter of her husband at that unseasonable hour. All matters thus adjusted, the hour of uprising drew on, and the Capt. complaining of the new Cider he had drank over-plentifully last night, cunningly gave his host some sort of hints, that it had opened more back-doors than one and so left him to believe, that his missing him from his bed proceeded from the very same occasion of his own over-early rising in the Morning; and consequently hushed all farther curiosity; insomuch that nothing but Mirth attended a very cheerful breakfast. So the Capt. having his Belly well filled, and possibly the good Dame hers so too, parting drew on, and so making a small Oblation of a Broad Price, to buy the Boy a Coral, he took his Leave of his kind Landlord and kinder Landlady. Another comical Adventure of his: He over-took a Jacobite Captain bound towards London, pretty well mounted (en Cavalier) with a good Sword, a brace of Pistols, and other suitable Habilements; the Captain, who never feared a single Adversary though never so martially accoutred (and perhaps had never less occasion than here) was pleased fairly to bid him Stand and Deliver: Stand and Deliver, dear Joy, replied the poor Teague (being indeed a true Hero of the Bogland-breed) letting fall his Bridle upon his Horse-neck, both Eyes and Hands up-lifted, and almost Thunderstruck with two such terrible hard Words; and what must ee deliver and please thy sweet Face! Your Purse, you Dog (answered the Captain.) My Purse, noble Shoul; I profess indeed ee have a Purse, and dat Purse have 20 Guinea's in the Belly of it; but by my Shalvation, dear Joy, if dou do taake it from me (as by St. Patrick I hope dou wilt not) me self and three other noble Eerish Captains more, must be force to make starve for three whole Mont together; ford is 20 Guinea is the whole Sum that ee have gather from the noble Friend in the Country, to keep my shelf and the other three to buy Bread, and Drink, and Snush, for all five of us, from Whitsuntide to Christmas, that be three whole long Winter Mont: And that dou mayst believe, sweet Colonel, that the poor Eerish Captain do scorn to make Lie upon thee sweet Faace, look here be the Letter, if dou be Scholar to make read, that vill tell thee de Trute and the whole Trute, that does 20 Guinea be the noble Bounty of honourable Friends and Cousins in the Country, that have make Charity to keep me own self and three Brother Captains from make starve. And so (says the Captain) belike you and your Irish Brethren have been soliciting your kind Patrons and Benefactors, the Country Jacobites, and they have chosen you for their Commissary general to raise Contributions. By St. Patrick, dear Joy, dou have the deep Sense and the great Shoal, and dou speak like de Oracle and de Prophet: Ara, Joy, ee had de great Grannum that was Hang for the great Witch, and by Creese she had not half the great Brain-piece as dou have: Verily, as thou say, I have been de Commishary sheneral, and have raise does poor 20 Guinea— Damn your wild Irish Gibberish, replied the Captain, and deliver your 20 Guinea's with a Pox to you, and go and beg more like a Scoundrel, or rob like a Gentlemen as I do; what a Plague are you and your Brother Bogtrotters to me? In short, the poor O hone was forced to dismantle the whole three months' Fortification and Provision; but with so doleful and rueful a Countenance, that the Captain could not forbear smiling at the extraordinariness of the Figure; and being a little diverted with the odd Phys of the Fellow, and the lamentable Moan he made for his Loss, he road along with him, and examined him how he came to be a Captain? By my Showl, dear Joy, (quoth Teague) ee will tell dee de whole Story of all me Renown and Glory, if dou vill promise to make Mercy and Compassion upon me. Well, well (says the Captain) tell me the Story first, and trust to my mercy afterwards, as I find you deserve it. Hereupon the poor Teague, very formally tells him, That in the beginning of his dear Master King James his Reign, he came over with a great many hundred more of his dear Countrymen, in those blessed days of Irish Honour and Preferment; that truly having a great mind to speak a word to his Majesty for a Captain's Plaace, a wicked Heretic English Man, had the Impudence to ask him Half a Crown to write a Petition for him; but truly, Money being hard with him, he did buy a white Sheet of gilt Paaper for a Halfpenny, and he did present it to his Majesty's Graash at St. James his Park, upon his Knee; and did tell his Majesty ●ere was the Paper for the Petition for the Captain's Place in the Irish Army: And that his English Majesty's Grace being very kind and generous, and knowing his want and occasion as well as himself, did order a Letter to his Irish Majesty's Grace Tyrconnel (for he, God bless him, had Half a Crown to pay for Writing though poor Teague had not) and hereupon he did kiss his Royal Hand, and return to his own Country; and his Graace Tyrconnel did give him a Commission, and dub him a Captain. Here, in fine, he run on at a high Rate, how many Heroic Feats he had performed, how many Men, Captains and Colonels, he had killed with his own Hand, and what extraordinary Proofs of Manhood he had shown in all the Battles from before Londonderry to Agrim. Our Captain, whose Patience almost tired, having heard him out with a seeming Admiration of so renowned a Commander, could not forbear throwing in this unlucky Question; Prithee, dear Captain, says be, if thou hast been in so many Skirmishes, and Battles, and Sieges, and behaved thyself in all of 'em with such signal Testimonials of thy undaunted Valour; how comes it about, that with a good Horse under thee, a pair of Pistols before thee, and all things answerable, thou hast so tamely and coldly suffered one single Man, no better provided than thyself, to rob thee of all thou hast in the World, to keep thee from starving, without the least dispute or resistance for so important a Preservation? Alas, dear Joy, replies Teague, dou dost not know the great occasion that tie up my Arm; for I have made solemn Vow and Oat upon the Virgin Psalter, that I will ne'er draw Sword nor handle Weapon, till that blessed day when my great Master set Foot again upon English Ground. Oh, is it so! Says the Captain, than you have sworn you'll ne'er fight till King James' Return; and therefore, in complaisance to that religious loyal Oath, you stood still to be robbed. By St. Patrick, and the Devil taake me, so I did (cries Teague.) Oh dear Joy, dou dost not know de Honour and Conscience of an Oat; ee would not break my Oat for ten thousand Worlds: No, I perceive so (replies the Captain.) To conclude, the Captain being highly and humbly pressed, by his Jacobite Petitioner, for a little pity and mercy upon his great Poverty, at last he was so molifyed, that he resolved he would not starve four Men by one Robbery, and so e'en returned him his Purse and Guinea's again. Poor Teague was so highly transported at this unexpected Favour, that he gave him a hundred Prayers; but above all, besought him to take care of his sweet Life, and not fall into the Heretic Hands of Law, till his great Master came to his Crown again; which would be as soon as ever King Lewis could land him on Shore, and lead him to Whitehall; and than if he had committed ten thousand Robberies, this one favour to poor Teague, should seal him a Pardon for 'em all. Our Captain, more especially in the beginning of his Travels, was extreme hardy, and would daily venture into several Companies in all Parts of the Town, but chief in the Outparts, as Bishopsgate-street, Minories, Spittle-fields, etc. and was many times his own Intelligencer where to set a good Prize, through his discovery which way Money travelled, and where a lumping Booty was to be gotten. He happened one Evening to drink a Glass of Wine with an old Fellow, formerly an Alderman of the City of Durham, and pretty strong in Pocket; the Captain being that time in a modest black Suit, professed himself a piece of a Doctor of Physic, whereupon the Alderman, in the mirth of his brisk Cups, began to unbosom some little part of his Soul, and tell him, He had made an Assignation with a very pretty young Girl, and the Morrow-night was to Bed with her all night; but, truly, being within a Year or two of Threescore, and under the Rose, a pretty Weatherbeaten Fornicator, really he was afraid he should not hold out, to perform answerable to his desire in the Enjoyment of so sweet a Creature; and, therefore, if 'twere possible for him to get any strengthening Cordial to invigorate Nature, and make him a little brisk for that one dear night, he would grudge no Reward to the Ingenious Artist that would accommodate him with such a favour. The Captain immediately engaged to serve him in it, and that he would prepare him a Bolus, and send it him to Morrow-morning, that should make him an absolute Boy of 22, so vigorous a Lover, etc. and indeed make him perform Wonders; that he had had experience of the Preparation already, and had gotten good Gold by it. This generous Promise extremely inliven'd the old Spark, who paying the whole Shot, about one in the morning they shook Hands, and parted, with a Promise of a Gratuity, according to the Skill of his Doctor, and the Merit of his Medicine. Accordingly, the Captain makes use of a Quack, a Friend of his, and sends him in the morning a Pot of Electuary, with Directions to take the quantity of a large Walnut, about 3 in the Afternoon, and about Bedtime he should find the Effects desired to his Heart's content. The night after the Doctor and Patient, about the hour of 9, had agreed to meet at the same Tavern, and there the Alderman was to make him a Largess of acknowledgement, proportionable to the Raptures he tasted in the soft Arms of his sweet Bed-fellow, and the prowess and puissance he had received from his inspiring Electuary. They both met at the hour precisely, and our new Doctor saluting his Patient, and enquiring how Matters stood with him? Stood! with a Pox, replies the Alderman. Ay Friend, how and how didst thou perform? How many dear Bouts old Boy? Was it not rare Physic? Did I not tell you what Miracles it would work? Hold a little (quoth Alderman) fair and softly: I tell you and your Doctorship, never was Man so abused as I have been; Electuary in the Devil's Name! If this be your Cordial, with a vengeance? Why how no Man, replies the Doctor, sure you do but banter with me; I'll stand by my Electuary to the last Penny of my Estate, and answer the Composition to the whole College of Physicians; and therefore prithee speak plain, out with it Man; what Effects, what Operation, old Lad? Operation! (quoth Alderman) with a piteous mortified Look. Ay Friend, replied the Captain, Operation. 'Tis impossible that such a Preparation should fail; and therefore to make no Secret with thy Bodily Confessor, but in the Name of soft Love and sweet Lechery, how and how my Heart of Oak? In short, after much pressing from his importunate Quack, to know the full force and effects, what it had done, and how it had wrought, etc. at last, after a very deep Sigh, this doleful Answer broke out. Only three Stools (quoth Alderman) that's all. Stools, replied the Captain, hardly holding his Countenance at so comical an Answer. Lord, Sir, 'tis impossible. Ay, Stools, quoth the Alderman, nothing in the whole World, but three wicked filthy Stools; a Plague of your beastly Physic. The Captain seemed very much concerned (hardly crediting the Relation) at such an unexpected Operation; and therefore desired the Alderman to tell him, how and when, and how much he took of it. So that the Alderman made answer, that truly he took it about the Hour of Three, according to prescription; and that being resolved not to fail in the Dose, but lay a more than ordinary Foundation for his intended Felicity, as he had ordered the quantity of one Walnut, to make sure work, he had taken the quantity of two. 'Ounds, Man, replied the Captain, you spoiled all; two Doses at once! Death, I wonder it had not killed you; three Stools! Nay, 'tis well you come off so well. Would any, but a Madman, outrun his Recipe! and be wiser than his Doctor! and so make Poison of his Physic. In fine, the Captain carried on the Rebuke with a very high Hand, and reprimanded his Patient's Folly and Frenzy at no small rate, insomuch that the Alderman cried Peccavi, imputed his Misfortune to his own Indiscretion, and the Doctor recovered his Reputation as fair and whole again as his Heart could wish. And now the poor lamenting Alderman unbosoming his whole Load of Sorrow, told him, how the contrary Effects of his Bolus had utterly disabled him from tasting any Delights at all with his young Bedfellow; nay, what was worst of all, it being his mischance to be locked up in the Room, together with her, and the Key in another Body's hand, not able to get out, he was forced to make use of the Chamber-pot, and that, as the Devil would have it, not large enough for the treble Discharge aforesaid, he was compelled to make use of the Chimney for disposing the Overplus, to his great shame and confusion, being not only a most impotent, but likewise a most unsavoury Bedfellow. And all he could do to excuse his Calamity, was by telling the whole naked Truth to the poor defeated Creature, and laying the whole Fault upon the Villainy of the Physician. That the Girl was kindly pleased (much more than he deserved) to commiserate rather than laugh at him, and that truly having atoned for his Miscarriage by a brace of Jacobusses next Morning, he had made a new Contract with her, and sent her down to a Lodging at North-hall, whether himself was next Morning to follow her, and there to enjoy her for the whole Water-season. The Captain offered his Service of waiting him thither, having (as he told him) a long Inclination to a little Diversion at those Wells, which the Alderman kindly embraced; whether lovingly letting out together early next Morning, the Doctor, at a convenient opportunity in the Road, was pleased to give his Patient a gentle Purgation of about fifty odd Pounds, and some other small Toys about him, as a Ring, Watch, etc. and so left the poor Limberham as feeble in Purse as before in Back, to his best Entertainment of his North hull Bona Roba. Another no less divertive Narrative we have to make you, viz. That one Evening, according to his customary hardiness of Company-keeping, he fell into the Society of three or four sturdy Jacobites of good Quality and Fashion. One of which a Gentleman of a considerable Estate, and a little above midway, between 20 and 30 Years old, lay under an obligation of never cutting his Beard, till K. James returned; and having commenced his Oath as far since as the first day of Abdication, etc. and being naturally a handsome black Man, his overgrown, Raven-coloured Excrescence in so many Years, unhappily brindled with a mixture of white, had reached down almost to his Waste, and perhaps altogether was not so modish nor so beavish a Figure, as otherwise so accomplished a Gentleman might have made. Nevertheless his high Adoration for his old Master, and his Veneration for the Solemnness of his Vow superseded all other Considerations, and no Advice nor Interest whatever could prevail with our resolute Nazareen to part with the least Twig from so spreading a Bush. Nay, as ill luck would have it, the Gentleman was at that time fallen desperately in Love with a young and most beautiful Lady, who had no dislike to his Person, nor any disrelish to his Addresses, only she utterly refused to marry him, till he would yield to sacrifice that unwieldy Crabnest, and bring a smooth Chin to her soft Embraces. In fine, his Beard being the only Bar to his Felicity, the Consummation, he declared, was wholly obstructed on no other account. This Subject being a great part of the present Conversation, some of the Company were pleased to applaud his Masculine Resolution, in keeping firm to his Loyal Vow, whatever the Effeminate Whispers of Love might persuade to the contrary. Others were a little more inclining to the Lady's Party, and could not but approve her Resolution in not exposing her soft Lips and smooth Cheeks to such rude and barbarous Bristles. The Gentleman for his part avowed, that he could half hang or drown to possess so sweet a Creature, nevertheless could no ways recede from his Oath; and if she persisted wholly inexorable, whatever his Sufferings would prove, he must continue deaf, even to the least thought of violation of so solemn an Engagement. In fine, as fast and as deep as the Lady was in his Heart, his Beard was as fast rooted too; and nothing but the Return of his great Master, with the bright Sword in his Hand, should ever bring the gentle Razor to his Chin. Many Arguments were bandied round amongst this jolly Company, and a great Contest of Love and Honour, betwixt Beard and Mistress, was no small piece of the Entertainment, and amongst the many Bumpers to the old Master, and the young Lady, a good Health to the honourable Beard, made one or two cheerful Glasses go round extraordinary. The Captain being as high a Jacobite as the best of them, took occasion highly to commiserate the Gentleman's unhappiness in the strange obstinacy of his fair Adored; for that was the best Name he could give to her unreasonable Denials, of so accomplished a Gentleman, on so trivial an Account. What the Devil must the Women in some parts of the World do for Husbands, if the Objection of a Beard were a sufficient refusal? Nay, what must all our great Grandmothers here in England have done in the old Days of Gravity, when thicker Chins and thinner Foretops were in fashion? Some Beard, not all Periwig; a little lower Tire, not all upper Tire, Curl and Friz. For his part, he did not doubt but if he had the Honour of seeing this fair Lady, but he should be so powerful an Orator in his behalf, as to reduce her to reason, and make an entire Accommodation in the Affair: Nay, something (he proceeded) whispered him, that he was certainly born to do the Gentleman some service in this Business, and undoubtedly obtain him his Lady. The Gentleman could not but return him his hearty thanks for the Zeal he expressed in his behalf, and that truly since all Intercession and Eloquence had hitherto proved unsuccessful, nevertheless, if he pleased to try his abler Rhetoric in the matter, he should be proud of his good Company at the Lady's at Dinner to Morrow, she living not above a dozen Miles out of Town, and whither an Hour and a half's riding in the cool of the Morning would bring 'em so early Visitants as to neck the Lady's uprising. Hands being shaken upon it, and the next Morning's loving Journey accordingly concluded, the Company soon after broke up, and the Captain failed not to awake the Gentleman out of his Bed next Morning, and to call our amorous Knight Errand for Mount and Away. The Gentleman, on his side, took no Servant with him, only the Captain had his Friend, a Gentleman who had occasion of travelling that way, and would make one to increase the good Company. So all three merrily jogging on, Convenience soon offered, when the Captain desiring to search the Depth of the Gentleman's Pocket, the Gentleman, though otherwise pretty brisk, yet well remembering, that two to one, etc. was an old Proverb, was forced peaceably to unhorsed, and surrender at discretion, and discumber his Pocket of a Gold-Watch, and about half a hundred Yellow-Boys, being at that time his whole Cargo. Nay, says the Captain, since you have so very generously resigned, though, perhaps, I may have surprised you in this unexpected Treatment, nevertheless I ●●all be as big as my Promise in serving you with your Mistress, a Compensation that shall over-pay these inconsiderable Trifles: And therefore, Tom, (says he) turning to his Comrade, Where are the Snippers? Here, Master, replies his Mate, pulling out of his Pocket a large Pair of Barber's Scissors. To come to the point, They overmastered the poor Gentleman, and getting both upon him, they held him down by main force, till Tom made a hard shift to snip off entirely just one side of his Beard, close to his Face; then giving him fair leave to rise, the Captain addressed himself in this manner: Look you, Sir, says he, here's Love and Honour reconciled. You have sworn, you would never consent to cut your Beard, till K. J. returned; and now thank Heaven for raising you those Friends that have cut it without your consent. You have sworn you'll wear a Beard, Right; but you have not sworn you'll wear one side of one, when tother's of. Your Mistress has sworn, she will not marry you with your Beard on; and I'll be sworn you have but half a Beard on to trouble her, and when you have sworn the next kind Barber you meet to take the other half off, you may be fairly sworn yourself to live and die her ever faithful Servant; and both your old Master and young Mistress have a true and loyal Vassal of you, with neither Oath broken on one side, nor Love lost of the other: And so pray present my humble Service to your fair Bride, for now I may safely call her so, and rest contented that your two humble Servants here are the best Cutbeards you ever met with, and have as honestly earned and deserved your Watch and the few paltry Guinea's you have paid us, as a Thief deserves a Halter. The Gentleman how unkindly soever he might resent this Insult and Raillery upon him, however partly as overpowered, but chief satisfied in the plain Truth of the case, (how drollingly soever the Captain had worded it,) could not forbear, after two or three hearty Oaths, telling the Captain, that By G— he was an honest fellow and had done his work for him; And therefore since he had found out so dexterous a Dispensation to his long troublesome vow, and opened so fair a path to his Mrs' Arms upon the Honour of a Gentleman he truly forgave him all he had took from him; To which were it twice as much he was hearty welcome; And to show him he was so, he kindly invited him to his Wedding, binding it with an hundred Oaths that not a Hair of his Head should suffer, if he would grant him that favour of his Company; The Captain seeing him so hearty press it, gave him as solemn a promise that he would make one at the Nuptials, and accordingly agreed that he should give him notice of the day by a Penny Post Letter left in such a name at such a House in London. 'Twas not ten days after, before the inviting Letter came, and the Day appointed, the Nuptials to be celebrated at his own Seat about 30 Miles from London. In the Afternoon about two hours after the Bridal Feast, a jolly Troop of about half a score of Sparks well mounted, all with half Vizords Lighted at the Gentleman's Gate, and desired admission as Masquers to entertain the Bride and Bridegroom, which was immediately granted, and they all very ceremoniously introduced. The Captain took the Bridegroom aside and discovered his Face, telling him he had kept his word, but withal desiring his secrecy, at the same time assuring him, that tho' the rest of his Gang were all Brothers of his own Mystery, yet as this Visit was purely Honour and Friendship, neither himself nor any one of his Honourable Guests, should suffer the least farthing either going or coming, by himself or any one of his small Troop. The Gentleman no ways distrusting his Fidelity, the best half of the Night was passed in Dancing, Feasting and Revelling, the Masqueraders performing in all points to Admiration, and gaining as far upon all the uningaged Female Hearts in the Company, as nimble Heels and half Faces could push towards a Conquest. When the Bride, not till near Cock-crowing, could get lose, stolen out by her kind Bridemaids, to the envied felicity of a Nuptial Bed, and the brisk now smooth-chinned Lover was preparing to follow her, the Captain took his leave being extremely carest by his Honourable Host. About three months after the Captain had set a Booty of two hundred pound, being some part of the Pelf of an Overgrown Miser travelling up with it to London in the Banbury Stage Coach. It happened that the Coach was full, having five Women besides Sir Mammon himself in it, who infinitely disobliged his Female Fellow Travellers by smoking all the way a sort of a Bermudas Funk, strong and cheap, and though highly courted to some moderation in his Mundungo, yet being an ill natured old chuff, and past the Age of Complaisance, not all the entreaties of the Fair Sex could prevail, insomuch that he had almost poisoned or at least half choked them. But the Captain destined for their Deliverance with 3 or 4 more of his Retinue, riding up to the Coach desired the favour of easing the Coach-box of two hundred pound burden. The old Muckworm as (you may imagine) in no small consternation at this mortal Alarm, so frighted that 'twas hard to distinguish which end of him stunk worst; the Ladies were a little startled at first, but the Captain soon dissipated their fears by professing all the kindness and civility they could desire, being indeed always generous to that Sex. However after he had uncased our fat old Fox he spied a Diamond Ring upon one of the Lady's Fingers, and a Necklace of Pearl upon another's Neck, both which he was pleased to request, which were accordingly granted him; only the young Miss from whom he took the Necklace being not above thirteen years old fell into a desperate fit of crying for the Loss of her Necklace, which the Captain perceiving, in kind pity returned it her again; and not to be partial in his favours was going to do the like by the Lady from whom he took the Ring, making her a very courteous Compliment beseeching the whole fair Companies Pardon, avowing that soft Sex should have no reason to complain of Captain Whitney, whatever murmurs the old Hunk, the gruff Sir with them might conceive against him. The Lady at the name of Whitney utterly refused the return of her Ring, desiring him to wear it for her sake, telling him that he had helped her to the best Husband in Christendom, and so small a present was the least Acknowledgement of so signal an Obligation, desiring him withal to accept of a Glass of Aqua Mirabilis, so drinking to him out of a Glass Bottle his own Health, not forgetting his Man Tom, the best mad Shaver in the three Kingdoms; the Captain pledged her, and dealt the Lady's Health round amongst his Brothers of the Pad, and so took his leave, having at least so far obliged them all, that the Old Tobacco-monger had broken his Pipe for madness at the loss of his Money, and this last sad Whiff had put him so out of all his patience, or thoughts of Smoking, that the Air began a little to clear again amongst 'em; But of all his Adventures this following is perhaps the boldest and bravest. Amongst his Intelligencers he had been advertised of seven hundred Guineas that a person of very high Quality, and a great Cock-fighter, had taken up, and such a day was to move home with them about thirty Miles Westward, and accordingly a substantial Attaque was resolved upon at such a Post in the Road; but as matters fell out, a Maggot and a Glass extraordinary in the Gentleman's Head mounted him a day sooner than resolved, insomuch that the Captain was defeated of the Prize, his whole Gang being overreached by coming a day after the Fair, and the Gentleman reaching Harbour with the Cargo safe within Walls and Sanctuary. This Disappointment vexed the Captain to the Soul, but resolved not to give over the Game as desperate as it seemed, he at last invented one of the most politic and hardiest Stratagems that possibly was ever undertaken; which take as follows. The Gentleman one day soon after, as customary with him, taking his Horse, (without any Ceremony of Retinue or Servants) to Dine with another Country-gentleman about half a dozen Miles off, in the Evening returning on the Road, and within two Miles of home, he was assaulted by five High-way-men, who led him about six or seven Pole aside into a By-Lane, but not out of sight of the Road; there they dismounted him, took away his Watch, and that little Money he had about him, and not contented with that, stripped him of his Coat, Hat, and embroidered Waistcoat, binding him hand and foot, and resolving to drag him up higher in the By-Lane out of hearing, and sight of the Road, there to gag him, and leave him bound in a Ditch all night. This Barbarity, you may well imagine, was a very terrible Apprehension to the unhappy Gentleman, who though not valuing his inconsiderable Loss, nevertheless the Dread of being exposed almost naked all night, suggested little less than his certain Death from so much Inhumanity. But just in this doleful Minute of Horror and Despair, it happened that a Gentleman very well dressed, and nobly well mounted, attended by a Servant in the Norsolk Livery, and as well mounted as his Master, travelling that way, who discovering a pack of Thiefs with an unfortunate Prey in their Talons, Lamn me says he what's yonder? Thiefs! At this his Man and he both putting Spurs to their Horses, galloped in amongst them, when the Master discharging a Pistol at the head of the first he met, who immediately dropped, and the Man as liberal of his Fire as his Master, a very brisk Encounter ensued, and Lightning and Thunder soon followed on both sides; and when all their Artillery was spent, they came to dint of Sword, to hue and slash: But to bring our Battle to a Conclusion Victory at length declared for the generous Deliverer, the Thiefs either vanquished or cowd began to give ground and move off in some precipitation; four of 'em, (two of which were he that first fell, and another who the Noble Stranger had cruppered and dismounted, who were neither so mortified, but they made a shift to recover their Saddles,) rod off full speed, the fifth only being left prisoner behind; who most piteously beseeching mercy from his Conqueror, our Hero was contented to give him a cut cross the pate, and bid him Loop Skellum; he having first refunded a Watch and some small matter of Money, and what else they had before taken from the Gentleman. Here our generous Champion and his Man both dismounted to unbind the poor Gentleman, who could scarce forbear acknowledging his Gratitude for so signal a Deliverance upon his knees. But amongst other Caresses humbly desiring to know to whom he owed this extraordinary protection; The Stranger was pleased to answer him his Name was B. H. Here the Gentleman renewed his Acknowledgements to his Deliverer, telling him he was no Stranger to that Right Honourable Name, though it was his first happiness of being acquainted with his Person, more especially on such an occasion, under such a Load of Obligations received from him. Amongst other expressions of his Gratitude, he humbly besought the felicity of doing his House the honour of Entertaining him that night, which Invitation our kind B. H. embraced, declaring indeed that it was some part of his way, being designed some few days hence for a great Horse Race near Salisbury. I will not particularise the Gallant Treatment our Right Honourable Guest received that night; let it suffice that no Entreaties could beg any longer stay than morning, though infinitely solicited, resolving to take the Cool before Sun-rise for his departure toward Sarum. The Gentleman being early up to entertain him, and visiting him in his Bedchamber, our Gallant Guest took an occasion of praising the Gentleman's House, the stateliness of the Seat, Building, etc. His kind Landlord proud of any occasion to entertain him, immediately entreated him to take a walk into some of his best Apartments, and view the House; which motion being readily embraced, he was conducted from Room to Room (the Gentleman being his only Guide and Interpreter in any piece of Painting, Rarity and Antiquity relating to the House or Family) till at last he showed him his own Bedchamber. Here our Honourable Norfolk amongst other furniture of the Room discovering a very large Rich Scrutore, was pleased smilingly to say, Well Sir, and I suppose that Cabinet there is your Treasury. Yes Sir, replied the Gentleman, that little Treasure I have, which lies in a small Room amongst hard Times and poor Tenants. Then Sir, replied our Norfolk Spark, a little changing the Air of his face, There's seven hundred Guineas there which I have a very pressing occasion for. And look you Sir to unriddle your Amazement, for I perceive you are surprised, in plain English you were a saver last night to be a loser to day; for instead of the Right Honourable B. H. I am only the Right Honest Captain Whitney, and so without more Ceremony I must have that seven hundred pound, or your Life Sir. The Gentleman finding himself in no capacity to resist, being at this time naked and unarmed, and upon unequal Terms; nevertheless had there been equality in the case, yet considering he was not stocked with more Courage than his Post required, being only a Captain of the Country Militia, 'tis thought the Contest would not have been extraordinary; so very patiently unlocking one of his Drawers, he peaceably surrendered the seven hundred Guineas. Nay, continued the Captain, I have some few Terms more to annex, which are, That you must wait upon me the Stable, and not stir out of my sight; caress me all the way without a wrinkle in your face, or so much as a side-glance to any of your Servants that shall but hint a disgust, and pay me all the Respect due to the Right Honourable B. H. till my Man and I are both mounted, or you are a dead Man. The Gentleman seeing the Pistol ready stuck under the Cloak at his Girdle, and all the symptoms of Military Execution upon the least Breach of Articles, most religiously observed the whole Capitulation, and with all the Address and Veneration, and a hundred Thanks for all Favours and Honour received, conducted him to his Horse, and saw him safely mounted, when bidding farewell, and giving a little tickle with the Spur, he and his Man trooped off with that Expedition as defied the best four Legs in his Stable to overtake them. Now Reader, having given you this choice Collection of his liveliest and sprightliest Adventures, I shall only conclude with that last Rencounter, the misfortune of which brought him to his Catastrophe. About Michaelmas last on the Essex Road, being that time by chance alone, he met a Gentleman Mounted upon a pretty indifferent good Hack, with a Pair of Pistols before him and his Lady single Horsed, attended by a sturdy Lout, with a Sword tied to his Breech. This odds of two to one disheartened not our brisk Captain, who very fairly perking up to the Master, gives him the customary salute of Stand and Deliver; The Gentleman, whether through surprise, or any other consideration, without any Resistance, very patiently delivers him the All he had, being not above five or six pounds. The Gentlewoman seeing her Husband so Cow-hearted, in so tame a submission, fell very loud upon him, called him a hundred Chicken-souled Cowards, and in short no name bad enough. The Captian seeing the Lady so Spirited a Virago, addressed himself to her, telling her, the little Money he had taken, was not worth all this Passion The Money! Damn the Money, replied the Dame, for though as little as 'tis, 'tis something in an Abdicated Officers Pocket, yet 'tis not that Trifle I am concerned for, no 'tis the Nature of the Brute, the shame of the Coward and Craven that Delivered it, that disturbs me; A fellow that has had the honour of a Commission in his Pocket, and to have a Heart no bigger. Princes are finely helped up with such doughty Commanders. Himself and his overgrown Booby at his Arse, both of 'em such a pair of Tame Turtles, to suffer themselves to be so basely and scandalously robbed. Death! If I had been half so well armed myself, I'd have changed one brace of Bullets with you before I'd have yielded. The Captain was strangely amazed and as highly delighted with the Spirit and Bravery of the Woman, together with no little charm in her Face, to add to his Delight, being indeed a very lovely Creature; And gave her a great many very caressing Compliments, which the Lady as courteously returned, at which the Captain seeing the Grey Mare the better Horse, very generously made her a present of what he had taken from her Husband, which the Lady thankfully received, telling him, that she had that veneration for so much Honour and Bravery, that if ever it were her good fortune to meet him in London, she would express her gratitude for his generosity and her esteem for his Gallantry in a more substantial acknowledgement. The Captain swore a great Oath he would make it his business to find her out there. That you may soon do, replied the Lady, if you have old-fashioned Religion enough to carry you to the Spanish Ambassadors Chapel, whither the little Devotion I have brings me generally every Morning. The Captain told her that whatever his own Religion was, his Respects to so fair a Lady could convert him to any Church, and he should not fail the Pious Assignation aforesaid. But to prevent his Quest of his fair Inviter at Chapels and High Altars, it was his Fortune to meet her in less Holy Ground; For one Morning about five or six days after, the Captain muffled in his Cloak and in a Coach with the Windows drawn up, had occasion to make a stand in the Strand for one of his Comrades to meet him there. During his stop there, through a broken Pane in the Coach Window, he discovered the very Lady at a Milliners Shop buying a pair of Gloves and some other small matters, which when she had purchased, turning her Face to the Street-ward, a Coach was called for her, which the Captain perceiving threw open the door of his Coach, and told the Lady here was one at her Service; The Lady immediately remembering the Face. Oh dear Cousin, says she, are you there! And so accepting his Kindness, immediately stepped into the Coach to him; Where the Door and Window where both presently closed again. The Captain very joyfully embracing her, and ask whither they should drive; answer was made, e'en where he pleased. Hereupon the Coachman was bid to drive to Knightsbridge, where lighting at the Swan, a very sumptuous Dinner was bespoken, and the Lovers (for so I'll venture to call 'em) left to all the Enjoyment and Felicity the Accommodation of so Hospitable a House could yield 'em. I shall not be tedious in telling you, that this Meeting ended in Love, and the best and heartiest effects of it the Captain could give her. Let it suffice the satisfaction was infinitely pleasing on both sides, the Lady amongst a hundred other Caresses, assuring him, that this was the first time she ever wronged her Husband in this kind, (at least you have the Lady's word for't if Cuckolding a Coward may be properly called wronging him, being indeed the least he deserved. Amongst the rest of the Conversation she told the Captain how her Husband was once a Cornet in K. I— s his Army, that she had always affectionately loved him, with all the Truth and Fidelity of a Wife, till that Adventure upon the Road utterly alienated her Heart from him, conceiving such a natural Aversion to a to a Coward, (in which to her long delusion, she had never till then an occasion of trial of him) that she loathed the very thought of him. This Declaration was but a new Spur to the Captain's Affections, being strangely delighted both with her Person and Humour, insomuch that before they parted, a match was struck up between 'em, that the Lady should leave her Husband, and live with him, who would take care to maintain her like a Gentlewoman, she being indeed so pleased with the Captain, that she was easily won to relinquish the broken Fortune of a slighted Husband, for the Embraces of a Darling Gallant. Accordingly, the Captain in a day or two after, (by which time she so managed matters at home, as to troop off with all the Bag and Baggage she could make) provided her a Retirement, a Lodging Alamode; And accompanied her as often as Affairs would permit, with all the Endearments and Caresses imaginable. But as Men of his cautious Profession generally make their Residences, like Tartar Camps, not long in a place, but always in motion, he danced her about from one quarter of the Town to another, and at last a Lodging was fixed for her at one Mr. Hills a Turner, his House in a Court at Houndsditch: Hither the Captain made his visits, under the Title of a Brother, his name Captain Alcock; For by this time his Fame being loud in the World, and himself under the Apprehension of too many close Hunters, he made it his study to cross the Scent by short turns, and small stops; Insomuch that his visits here were but once in five or six days, and those generally of Saturdays, and always at Night Time, not daring to stay a whole Night with his dear Mistress, and therefore on purpose dignified at this Lodging by no higher a Title than a Sister. The Landlord had some time before seen and known Captain Whitney, but this new name of Alcock, and the several years ago since this little knowledge of his person had almost defaced that remembrance, insomuch that he went and came without any curiosity or observation from his Landlord, till unfortunately about a week before his apprehension the Lady having occasion to call him back at the Stair Head, upon his departure, instead of Brother or Alcock, unluckily cried, Mr. Whitney, Mr. Whitney, one word with you before you go. This being casually overheard by his Landlord perfectly refreshed his Memory, and recollected his sleeping knowledge of the Captain; and accordingly resolving to be prepared for his next visit, and bid fair for the 40 l. set upon his Head, he had provided a Constable within call, resolved to snap him. But it fell out, as the Miss 'tis thought had some small smoking of danger, and therefore had given him some cautionary Advice, this last Visit was an extreme short one, for before the Constable could be fetched, the Captain had taken leave, and rushed by the justled Constable; but his Landlord more pressing and hardy, pushed forward, and boldly grappled him alone himself in the Street, in the surprise tripping up the Captain's Heels; but the Captain recovering himself, and getting the Advantage of his weaker Assailant, drew his Sword, and backward under his Cloak wounded the Joiner in his Thigh, at which he fell, and a great Outcry of Stop Thief ensuing, throwing off his Cloak, made a fair pair of Heels for his Life; when unluckily mistaking his way, instead of running down Bedlam Lane, he ran through a Hosiers Shop, where for want of a passage through, being stopped in the back Room, the whole Body of the Mob soon advanced, and our Captain with Sword and Pistol in hand stood at Bay and faced them, till such time Message was sent both to Major Richardson and the Sheriffs, who approaching with their Respective Retinue, Resistance was thought wholly in vain, and the Captain patiently surrendered; from whence being Hand cuffed, and put into a Coach, he was ushered in great Ceremony, (especially if Crowds and Noise be any part of State) to Newgate. In this unhappy Durance, though his Legs were a little tied, his Name roved far enough; for the whole Town rung at no little rate: His Visitants were presently numerous; for where one came under any pretence of charging him with any Robbery, a hundred came purely for a sight of his sweet Face. To these last sort of Guests he behaved himself with a sort of a pride and strutt, as if he seemed pleased with so popular a Vanity as making a Raree-show. To the other sort that came in as Spies, he desired 'em to be cautious how they charged him with any thing; for it had been a customary Fallacy amongst the Highwaymen on all occasions, to own themselves all to be Whitneys, by a trick of showing their left Hands with their Thumbs slipped into the palm of their Gloves; whereby very notorious Faults were fathered upon him, of which he was utterly innocent. Amongst his Visitants one honest Countryman came to Impeach him of a very Extraordinary Robbery, viz. a Maidenhead that the Captain had taken from a young Girl, the Countrey-mans Sweetheart, which was no little heart-breaking to him, as being no mean adorer (if that word be not too high for him) of his dear Lass thus unhappily debauched, and worse than ravished from him. The Captain was much concerned at the poor Countrey-mans Tears and Sighs on so sorrowful a Subject, and like a Man of Honour utterly abjured so much as his least knowledge of the poor Girl so traduced and slandered, averring her to be a Virgin and a Saint for any thing he knew of her; and in short so salved her wounded Reputation, and so sweetened the believing good Man into an opinion of her Innocence, that he begged a hundred pardons, and immediately trooped to the very next Goldsmiths for a certain Implement called a Thumb-Ring, and thence to Snow-Hill to the first Sales-mans' Shop, resolving to rig himself for a Bridegroom immediately, and consummate before to morrow night; being only hearty afflicted that he could not have the Captain for a Brideman, unless he would make use of the Ordinary for a Chaplain. But to take our leave of his gentler Conversation his kind prison Visitants, and bring him before more formidable Faces the Session drew on, and on Tuesday the seventeenth of January, he was brought to the Old-Bayly and Indicted for a Burglary committed upon the House of John Flanders of Enfield in the County of Mialesex, on the 28th of August was twelve month last passed. Here the Evidence, as you have been told at length in the common Session's paper, not fully proving the charge upon him, he was Acquitted of this first Inditctment: But on the morrow on a new charge, for a Robbery committed at South-Mims wash, on the tenth of November last, he was pressed a little more home, and positively charged with the said Robbery, upon Coviction whereof, he received Sentence of Death. After such Serious Circumstances as the consideration of approaching Death we ought to suit our discourse accordingly, nevertheless we cannot omit one pleasant Adventure more. One of his Feminie Votaries was pleased to write him this following Letter, LETTER. SIR, I Am very sorry to hear of your Fatal Sentence, but do not presume so brave a valiant Man as yourself will fail of Pardon, but if you are in danger, send word by the Bearer, and if you think it can be procured, a Party of young Ladies are resolved to petition Their Majesties in your behalf; but I am told it cannot be done without taking for better for worse, and then I am sure there is a great Objection in the way, being yourself already in the Matrimonial Noose. Now my simple Opinion is, after Sentence is passed a Person is free, but that's but a Woman's imagination, and one that does hearty wish it may be so. If what I propose be possible, and you have Courage to venture on the most undeserving of our whole Sex, I'll venture to cross my Inclination to save what I cannot give, for I have ever been averse towards Matrimony, nor do I now do it for the sake of a Husband, or any other Self-Interest; for if I were once assured of your dear Life, I desire no more to see you. After his perusal hereof, he borrowed some Minutes from his deepest Meditations to return this Acknowledging Answer. MADAM, I Am now at a stand how to express my Thanks for your most generous Intentions towards me, and cannot imagine how I have merited two such great Favours as you are pleased to mention; first to save my Life, and then to make that happy by this way you mention. As for the Noose you speak of, 'tis easier slipped, than that I am like to come into, if not prevented by you, having no Assurance or Hopes of Life from any body. We will not presume to inquire into the Integrity of this professing kind Lady, or whether herself in the Head of her Female Troop were true to their Assignation, in meeting at the doleful Paddington Scene, in their necessary supplicating Virgin Weeds, as the forementioned charitable suppliants for his Deliverance by tying one Noose for the slipping the other; all we have to assure you is that both our Letters are verbatim from the Originals. But notwithstanding the dismal Voice of Fate; viz. To the Place of Execution, etc. the Captain so divided the Affections of the People, that the favourable Party had that extraordinary Esteem for something they were pleased to call Bravery in him, that whether from their skill in the Stars that some Benign Mercurial Planet smiled upon him, or that they fancied the Court must look upon him with Their Eyes, they concluded for certain that a Beam of Royal Mercy would shine for his Deliverance. Insomuch that his Life and Death, like the Surrender of Limerick, was the daily subject of very high Wagers. But the highflown Deliverance-Men received some small Mortification when they saw him move off up the High-Holborn Road, the Right-hand-man of the first File, with seven others of his Melancholy Brethren on Friday the 27th of January. But their drooping Hearts were soon enlivened again. For the Deputy Marshal by a Reprieve from the Court of Kings-Bench posting towards Tyburn in a Coach through Hyde-park, attended his Reception there, where the Crowd was so thick, that he could not possibly get up to the Captain but by mounting a Horse to make his way through the Press. The Captain was then dressed in a fine Silk Nightgown, a large white Wig, and a white Beaver-Hat; all which personal Embellishments more highly attracted a great many favourable, if not some wet Eyes, and possible more particularly entitled him to that last universal Civility always paid to his circumstances; viz. That every Man's handsome that goes to be hanged. But when his Reprieve came, there was no small repeated Shouts amongst his numerous Spectators. From thence presently mounted behind a Ruggedfaced Man-catcher of the Poultrey-Compter, his particular Friend, and as to the Aspect much more the Butcher of the two; and under a Detachment of some other of the Halbeteers he was with great Joy ushered back towards Newgate; where by the way, to take a cheering Cup, he was conveyed to the Fountain Tavern on Snow-Hill, and entertained for near two hours to the Tune of Two and twenty shillings Reckoning: For which his aforesaid hard-favoured Poultrey-Steward, at that time being not strong in pocket, for want of the Rhino, very kindly dropped his Silver Sword at the Bar, as honourable Guarrantee for the said sum. During his Entertainment here, the House was so thronged, that the Landlord was forced to be at the charge of Watch and Ward to keep his Door; and 'twas no small Ticket could gain Admission. Access being so difficult, amongst the other crowding Visitants, were four passionate Females, being a French Bawd, and three of her fair Nursery, who though they were Mistresses of but little English, had happily so much French Stratagem, that coming all dressed in white Sarcenet-Hoods, Night-Rails, and white Aprons, they pretended they had been at the Gallows with a design to have begged his Life, and therefore desired the honour of coming to the speech of him: So generous a pretention soon made their way up to him; but the Captain being altogether a stranger to 'em, and truly a little wanting Faith, gave 'em but a short, and not over courteous Reception. However this short-snatcht Blessing had those transporting Effects, that our four white Damsels, with two kind Cullies, their warm Companions, made a Jubilee Afternoon on't, the Revel not concluding till past Twelve at Night, in which time they made a hard shift to suck up Thirty shillings in good soft Sack, in which 'twas observed that the dear Captain's often repeated Health made it go so glibly down, that in truth they staled as much as they drank. But to return to our Captain, this short-lived Reprieve was attended by a new Summons to Mortality; viz. a new Warrant received on Sunday Morning following for his Execution at the May Pole in the Strand on Wednesday next the first of February. Here our Wager Men's Hearts began to beat again; and for a suitable Accommodation for his Funeral Guests, a great many Scaffolds were accordingly built, and seats bespoken at pretty lumping Prices, in Balconies, Windows, Turrets, etc. But 〈◊〉 their great defeat, by Virtue of a second Warrant not received till late on Tuesday night, the Tragic Scene was changed to St. Johnsstreet between Hicks Hall, and Smithfield Bars. Hither accordingly our departing Capt to bid the World adieu, was ushered with the usual Formalities; and possibly this last Exit Scene was chosen for him, on purpose to take his farewell amongst his own Original Fraternity, the Brothers of the Pole-axe and Cleaver, the Smithfield Bar Neighbourhood; and partly as a rebuke to their over insolent rejoicings at his Reprieve, and over hasty confidence of his Life and Pardon. But now to shake hands with the Rover, and to take a little Discourse with the Christian at parting. We must do his Memory this Right, that not only his whole Behaviour in the Prison was all along very Modest and Serious; but after his Sentence he was so sensibly touched with the Thoughts of Death, that he made a considerable Preparation for appearing before a Higher Tribunal. 'Tis true he did not think fit in all his penitence to oblige the World with any particular Detection of his Accomplices, or the Arraignment of any other sins but his own. And at the Place of Execution (where he received the favour of about an hour and a halfs preparation for Eternity) he was extremely penitent, prayed hearty for the King, acknowledging his grateful Thanks for his kind five days Reprieve, owning Charity to all Mankind, and dying with all the Symptoms of the most fervent Zeal and Devotion. FINIS. Page 18. l. 3. for Banbury read Bury.