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JONATHAN WILD.
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THE LIFE OF JONATHAN WILD, FROM HIS BIRTH to his DEATH.

CONTAINING His Riſe and Progreſs in ROGUERY; his firſt Acquaintance with THIEVES; by what Arts he made himſelf their HEAD, or GOVERNOR; his Diſcipline over them; his Policy and great Cunning in governing them; and the ſeveral Claſſes of THIEVES under his Command.

In which all his INTRIGUES, PLOTS and ARTI⯑FICES are accounted for, and laid open.

To which is added, A true COPY of a PAPER deſign'd to be de⯑liver'd by him at the Place of Execution, to the Reverend Mr. Edwards.

Intermix'd with Variety of diverting STORIES.

The Second EDITION.

By H. D. late Clerk to Juſtice—

LONDON: Printed for T. WARNER, at Black Boy in Pater⯑noſter-Row. 1725. [Price One Shilling.]

THE PREFACE.

[v]

THE Account which the Reader will here find, of the moſt extraordinary ROGUE that ever yet Suffer'd in England, was pick'd up, for the moſt Part at ſeveral Times, from his own Relations and Stories of him⯑ſelf; which are the beſt Authorities that can be produced for Things which, according to the Iniquity and Nature of them, were tranſacted with ſuch extreme Caution.

[vi]And it is certain, that the greateſt Part of his dark Proceedings wou'd ſtill have continu'd a Secret to the World, had it not been, that in his gay Hours, when his Heart was open, he took Pleaſure in recounting his paſt Rogueries, and, with a great deal of Humour, bragg'd of his biting the World; often hinting, not without Vanity, at the poor Underſtanding of the greateſt Part of Mankind, and his own ſuperior Cunning.

And indeed, when we conſider that it is not a Man's Grandeur, or high Station in the World, but the ſtrange Adventures of his Life, and his Art and Conduct in the Manage⯑ment of Things, which gives us a Curioſity of looking into his Hiſtory—I ſay, when this is granted, we need make no Apology for collecting theſe Materials, and offering them to the Publick—for here they will meet with a Syſtem of Politicks unknown to Machiavel; they will ſee deeper [vii] Stratagems and Plots form'd by a Fellow without Learning or Educa⯑tion, than are to be met with in the Conduct of the greateſt Stateſman, who have been at the Heads of Go⯑vernments.

And indeed, when Things are right⯑ly compared, it will be found that he had a more difficult Game to play; for he was to blind the Eyes of the World, to find out Tricks to evade the Penalties of the Law; and on the other Side, to govern a Body of People who were Enemies to all Go⯑vernment; and to bring thoſe under Obedience to him, who, at the Ha⯑zard of their Lives, acted in Diſobe⯑dience to the Laws of the Land—This was ſteering betwixt Scylla and Cha⯑rybdis; and if he had not been a very skilful Pilot, he muſt long ſince have ſplit upon a Rock, either on one Side or the other.

To conclude: We have not taken ſo much Pains to multiply a Number [viii] of Stories, which wou'd have ſwell'd the Bulk of theſe Sheets, and increas'd the Price, and perhaps tired the Reader; we have only endeavour'd to trace him thro' his ſeveral Steps and Gradations, to account for the Policy and Cunning of his Manage⯑ment, and relating only ſuch Facts as have not yet been made publick con⯑cerning him.

P.S. As to the Paper he left be⯑hind him, and which we have annex'd to this Edition, it was given me by a Perſon, who being of his Acquaint⯑ance, was admitted frequently to his Company after his Conviction, and which he aſſures me he had from his own Hands; the Reverend Gentle⯑man there mentioned, whom I know nothing of, can beſt tell whether he had ſuch a Deſign of communicating himſelf to the Publick in that manner, and there I leave it.

THE LIFE OF JONATHAN WILD, From his BIRTH to his DEATH.

[1]

JONATHAN WILD was born of very honeſt Parents in the Town of Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford. His Father was not rich; however, he provided handſomly for his Family while he lived, by his Trade, which was that of a Carpenter: But he dying, and [2] leaving four or five ſmall Children for the Widow to bring up and ſubſiſt, 'tis no won⯑der if their Education was no better taken Care of. As for Jonathan, he ſhew'd early Signs of a forward Genius, and, whilſt a Boy, would commit a thouſand little Rogueries among thoſe of the ſame, or a ſuperior Claſs, in which he diſcovered a ready Wit, and a Cunning much above his Years, tho' theſe Actions did not extend to robbing, or any ſuch Crime; but I mean little colluſive Tricks, which ſerv'd to impoſe upon his own Companions, who had a leſs Faculty of diſ⯑cerning than Jonathan had.

At the uſual Age, when young Jonathan had been inſtructed to a moderate Degree of Learning, ſuch as Writing and Accounts, he was put 'Prentice to a Buckle-maker, whom he ſerv'd ſeven Years honeſtly enough; when that Time was expired, he carry'd on a little peddling Buſineſs himſelf in the ſame Way; but Jonathan wanted Application, which is generally obſerv'd to be the Fault of Men of brisk Parts: Work and he were too much at Variance for him to thrive by his Trade; he ſeem'd to follow it only at a Diſtance, often playing the Looſe, wandering from one Ale⯑houſe to another, with the very worſt, tho' the merrieſt Company in the Place; and was particularly fond of the ſtrolling Actors that now and then frequented that Country.

[3]After this Manner Jonathan liv'd three or four Years, leading a Life of Pleaſure, diſturb'd with nothing, unleſs it was now and then at the Noiſe of a Drum, which he had as great Antipathy to as ſome Folks to Cheeſe or a Cat. This was in the Heighth of the late War between France and the Confederates, when the Officers went down into the ſeve⯑ral Counties for Recruits for Flanders, for which Kind of Service Mr. Wild had perhaps more Averſion than for any other Thing in Life; this was not for want of Courage, as we ſhall prove in the Courſe of his Hiſtory; but he thought a Man of Stratagem might puſh his Fortune ſome better Way than by ſtanding to be ſhot at, and therefore 'twas neceſſary that he ſhould employ the utmoſt Cunning to avoid it, which however Jona⯑than could never have done, but by a Trick which he was more beholden to Nature for than Art; this was a Knack of diſlocating his Hip-bone, which he could do without Pain, and thereby render himſelf a Cripple, and repoſe it in its Place again without Trouble, whenever he pleas'd; this was particularly uſeful to him, and which he conſtantly per⯑form'd whenever his unlucky Stars brought him within Sight of a red Coat, which he us'd to paſs by in ſo decrepid and deform'd a Poſture as never fail'd to move Pity in the Beholders towards ſo miſerable an Object; and he was no ſooner out of Sight of 'em, [4] but he walk'd as upright and as firm as any Man.

In the Courſe of Jonathan's Trading, he viſited ſome Market-Towns to put off his Wares, as other Dealers did, at which Time he us'd to hire a Horſe of his Neighbour's, (for Jonathan's Stock would not amount to one of his own;) and at a certain Time when Trade grew bad on his Hands, he ſells his whole Cargoe for what he could get, and rides up the Horſe to London, inſtead of re⯑turning home to Wolverhampton; and the Owner heard nothing of his Beaſt, till 'twas ſold, and all the Money ſpent.

While Jonathan was ſpending, in Gaiety and Pleaſure, the little Fortune he had ac⯑quir'd by the Sale of his own Stock, and his Neighbour's Horſe, he got acquainted with ſeveral Perſons of both Sexes, who were Peo⯑ple of Merit, in their Way; by whoſe Inte⯑reſt, and the Vivacity of his own Parts, he was recommended to an Employment of Truſt, in which he acquitted himſelf very handſomely, conſidering the Corruption of the Times; but after a while, Jonathan find⯑ing it rather a Poſt of Honour than Profit, reſign'd, and went down into his own Coun⯑try again. The Employment I mean, is that of a Bailiff's Follower; the Qualifications of which are Vigilance, Sagacity, Patience, Quick⯑ſightedneſs, cum multis aliis, which our Jona⯑than had frequent Opportunities of exerciſing.

[5]One of the firſt Viſiters Jonathan had upon his Return to Wolverhampton, was Mr. —, who lent him his Horſe; to whom he open'd his Caſe, letting him know that he was not one Farthing the richer by living at London, that he had ſpent every Groat, and if he threw him into Priſon, he would loſe his Money, but that if he would favour him ſo as to give him Time, he would pay for his Horſe at a Shilling in the Pound per Month, till the whole was paid; and he ſhould apply himſelf with Aſſiduity to his own Buſineſs, to enable him to make good theſe Conditions; which the Creditor con⯑ſidering, came into, and ſo the Agreement was made.

Mr. Wild, purſuant to the above Terms, made two Payments at the Time they be⯑came due, but neglecting the third for a Fort⯑night or three Weeks, Mr. — gave Jon⯑athan a gentle Dun, telling him at what time the Month was up, and ſo forth, but was very much ſurpriz'd to find that Mr. Wild was ſo far from making any Excuſe for his Omiſſion, that he told him plain⯑ly he ſhould pay him no more Money, and wonder'd at his Aſſurance of making De⯑mands on him. Why, ſays the Creditor, did not you run away with my Horſe, ſell him at London, and put the Money in your own Pocket? I did ſo, anſwered Jonathan, but that affair was ſettled by an Agreement be⯑tween [6] us that I ſhould pay you ſo much Mo⯑ney by Monthly Payments, in Conſideration thereof; therefore that Cauſe is at an End. Very well, reply'd the Creditor, why don't you pay me according to that Contract then? No, quoth Jonathan, that Contract is obſo⯑lete and of none effect. How ſo? ſays the Creditor. Why you'll allow, ſays Jonathan, that Articles of Agreement, or Contracts, not fulfill'd, are broken, and Articles once broken, cannot ſubſiſt afterwards: Now our Articles are broken, continued he, for I have made but two Payments, when there are three due long ago, therefore I owe you nothing.

I mention this Story to ſhew that Jona⯑than had a Genius for the Study of the Law; and had not his Practice taken another Turn at firſt, I don't know whether, better or worſe, as it is practiſed of late, he might have been as eminent, and made as great a Figure as ſome of his Countrymen.

It was not long after this, that Jonathan found the making of Buckles too mecha⯑nick an Employment for him; his Soul was too great to be confin'd to ſuch ſervile Work; and what was worſe, he eaſily perceiv'd he had Occaſion for more Money than his Hands could procure him in that narrow Way of Buſineſs; therefore he ſpurn'd at the Trade, and reſolv'd, ſome how or other, to transfer the Labour from his Hands to his Head, as being the moſt likely Means of getting a Livelihood fit for a Gentleman.

[7]Big with Hopes, he ſet out for London once more; but as if he threw himſelf en⯑tirely upon Fortune, and reſolved to court her Favours, he begun his Journey on foot, and with no more than nine Pence in his Pocket; and the firſt Day he was ſo lucky as to meet with the Goddeſs in the ſame ſhape the Poets deſcribe her, viz. That of a Woman, travelling on the Road. The Lady was on Horſeback, but however ſhe was ſo good-natur'd as to let Jonathan keep Pace with her for three or four Miles, till by a little Converſation they grew intimate, and acquain⯑ted with each other's Circumſtances: She told Jonathan ſhe was an itinerant Doctreſs and cur'd People of all Diſtempers; that ſhe had been riding about the Country for the Good of the Publick, and was then going to Glouceſter; whereupon Jonathan being in a merry Humour ask'd her Opinion concern⯑ing his Leg and Thigh, which he preſently put out in the manner before mentioned; the Gentlewoman alighted from her Horſe, and handling Jonathan's Parts, ſhe found his Hip-bone was out of its Socket, a great Ex⯑uberance on the back Part thereof, and his Knee and Foot turn'd almoſt behind him.

She was amazed to ſee this ſudden Altera⯑tion, without being ſenſible of the Cauſe, and was very much troubled to know what ſhe ſhould do with the poor Fellow in that Condition; but Jonathan preſently put her [8] out of Pain, deſired her to mount her Horſe and he would accompany her into Town. He thereupon replaces the Joint, and walks along before her with great Briskneſs and A⯑gility. When ſhe was thoroughly inform'd of the Trick, ſhe intimated how uſeful this Deceit might be made to them both, if he would leave it to her Management; and all the Trouble he ſhould be at, was to lie a Bed for a Fortnight, and eat and drink what⯑ever he had a mind to. Upon which ſhe let him into a Secret, that ſhe knew no more of Phyſick or Surgery than her Horſe, and only pretended to it for a Livlihood.

It may be imagin'd, that Jonathan was not difficult to be wrought on to ſuch good Purpoſes, for he was never an Enemy to Eating and drinking in his whole Life; ac⯑cordingly the Plan was laid, and Jonathan hopp'd into Town in the Evening in the Cir⯑cumſtances of a poor decriped Beggar-man.

The Doctreſs ſet up at the beſt Inn in Glouceſter, ask'd for a Room, and call'd the Landlord, telling him, ſhe found a poor miſerable Object upon the Road, that ask'd Alms of her, which ſhe preſently relieved, ſeeing him in a Condition that render'd him uſeleſs to the World, and burthenſome to himſelf, adding that ſince he might be able, if his Lameneſs could be cured, to get an ho⯑neſt Livlyhood by his Labour, 'twas a Thou⯑ſand Pities he ſhould not be taken Care of. [9] The Landlord could ſay nothing to that, 'twas the Pariſh's Buſineſs where he was born, he ſaid, who ſhould take Care of him? ſays ſhe, if you have any eminent Surgeon in Town, a Man of Honour and Probity, that will undertake his Cure, I will be at the Ex⯑pence of it my ſelf, and give him a ſuitable Reward. The Landlord Commended her Ladiſhip's Charity, and Jonathan pray'd a⯑loud for his Benefactreſs.

On Mr. B—, a Surgeon, was ſent for, to whom Madam declared her ſelf in like manner; and the Surgeon took a Survey before all the Houſe of the Part affected: He ſaw the Nature of his Lameneſs, and therefore only ask'd Jonathan how long ago this Misfortune happen'd to him? He an⯑ſwered, in a whining Tone, About eight Years; and thereupon relates a plauſible Story of his falling off a Tree in a Country Village, where no help was to be met with, and his Mo⯑ther being a poor Woman had not where⯑withall to pay a Doctor, and the like; but pretended to be very much caſt down, when the Surgeon, addreſſing himſelf to the Gen⯑tlewoman, ſaid, Madam, it would be no leſs than a Robbery to take your Money, for there's no poſſibility of ſerving him, the Bone hav⯑ing been ſo long miſplac'd has contracted a new Situation, and the Head of the Bone has formed a new Socket ſo formidable, that 'twould be unnatural now to remove it thence, [10] ſo that we muſt let it reſt as it is. This did not ſeem to ſatisfy the Gentlewoman, ſhe was ſure, ſhe ſaid, the Limb might be reduc'd to its proper Place, with Care taken, if he would apply Fomentations, and other topical Medi⯑cines to the Part, for the Relaxation of the Ligaments, &c. in Preparation for the Re⯑duction. This was diſputed ſome Time with Warmth, between the Male and the Female Surgeon, till it ended, as often Arguments do, in a Wager of fifty Guineas; and the La⯑dy her ſelf was to take the Matter into her own Hands.

Whereupon the Patient was blooded, and then put ito a warm Bed: Stupes were made of a thouſand Herbs, and the Fomen⯑tation apply'd, or pretended ſo to be, ſeveral times a Day. Mr. B— viſited him once in twenty four Hours; and the Gentlewo⯑man continued with him all the while for ten Days together; in which time honeſt Jo⯑nathan acted his Part ſo well that he roar'd himſelf hoarſe, for the Pain he underwent (as it was thought) in this Extraordinary Ope⯑ration. At length, one Morning, as Mr. B— the Surgeon, our Quack Doctreſs, and three or four of the Town (for the Affair had made ſome Noiſe) were coming up Stairs, they heard the Patient, inſtead of groaning and making other diſmal Cries, as he us'd to do, ſinging whiſtling, and what not; ſo they all burſt into his Chamber, and preſently [11] ask'd the Occaſion of his Mirth; Jonathan told them he never knew ſo much Pleaſure in all his Life-time, for now he ſaid he was as free from Pain as ever a one in the Room.

The ſly Doctreſs deſir'd to be inform'd how and at what time the Pain left him? He anſwer'd, that about three a Clock that Morning (not having ſlept for four Nights before) he fell into a Doſe, and dream'd that two Angels lifted him out of Bed, and car⯑ried him thro' ſeveral Regions, of which he could give no Account, and ſet him down up⯑on a fine Bank of Flowers, on the Side of a Rivulet; on the other Side of which were beautiful Walks, pleaſant Groves, and curi⯑ous Water-works, and in the Center of all, a Pavillion of Ivory, of extraordinary Work⯑manſhip, particularly the Sculpture; the Roof was adorn'd with Birds of all kinds, inlaid; and on the Inſide a Throne of pure Gold, where ſat his kind and good Benefactreſs. At the Sight of her, continued Jonathan, I roſe up in Haſte, thinking to ſwim the Rivulet, when a Noiſe like Thunder awaken'd me, and I found my ſelf in this Bed, in per⯑fect Health and Eaſe. The cunning Gentle⯑woman cry'd out, at that Inſtant went the Bone into its Place. With that they turned down the Bed-cloaths, and found Jonathan a whole Man, to the great Surprize of all the Company.

[12]This extraordinary Cure was look'd upon as a kind of Miracle: Mr. B— believ'd it as ſuch, paid the Money, (viz. fifty Gui⯑neas) and clear'd the Caſe up to every Body from any Imputation of Deceit. Jonathan in two or three Days came Abroad, but limp'd a little; and Madam Doctreſs gave publick Notice that ſhe would ſtay a Week in that Town, for the ſake of the diſeaſed Poor of the Country, for whom ſhe would make up ſome Papers of Powders that ſhould cure them of all Diſorders, and make it the healthieſt Part in the whole Kingdom, for which ſhe would take nothing of them but what the Medecines coſt her out of her Poc⯑ket, according to the Cant of all Quacks.

The News run, like that of a great Victory gain'd over the French and Spaniards, and People of all Conditions, Age and Sexes, came into Glouceſter, ſo that Jonathan could not pound Brick-duſt faſt enough for Sale; the Price of a ſmall Paper of which, with a Mixture of Brimſtone and —, came but to ſix Pence.

By this Stratagem the Woman's Fame was ſo rais'd, that when Jonathan and ſhe compu⯑ted their Gains, they found after all Charges were deducted, that they were much about 100 l. in Pocket, with which they ſet out early in the Morning, and arriv'd at London ſafely in three Days following. Here Jona⯑than liv'd a merry Life as long as the Money [13] laſted, and being ſeduced by the Pleaſures of the Town, had no Thought of getting more till urg'd thereto by Neceſſity. But now an unlucky Accident happen'd, which ſeem'd to give an ill turn to his Affairs, for his Lady Doctreſs took it into her Head to fall out with him; whether it be that ſhe was jealous of his having ſome new Amour, (for Jonathan was always a great Man amongſt the Ladies) or whether ſhe could not bear his Extravagance, is a piece of Hiſ⯑tory we cannot clear up; but let it be which it will, there aroſe ſo furious a Quarrel be⯑twixt them, that Jonathan was laid aſide and oblig'd to ſhift for himſelf. He was after this Footman to one Mr. Daniel a Barriſter of Law, in whoſe Service he ſpent ſome Time; in which nothing remarkable happening, we paſs over in Silence. A little Time after he was arreſted in an Action of Debt; and he being deſtitute both of Credit and Friends, cou'd meet with no Body who would venture to bail him, ſo that he was thrown into the Compter, where he lay a conſiderable Time.

Here Jonathan laid the Foundation of all his future Greatneſs; for it muſt be obſerv'd, that the Compter is the Place where com⯑mon Thieves and Pickpockets taken in the City, are firſt carried as ſoon as they are apprehended: Jonathan took care to culti⯑vate an Acquaintance and Intimacy with them all, and as they are an enterprizing [14] Body of Men, there ſeem'd to a kind of Sympathy betwixt their Natures and that of Jonathan, ſo that they ſoon crept into one another's Secrets; he became acquainted with all their Tricks and Stratagems, and when the Iron Hand of Juſtice had laid hold of them, and they were entangled in Difficul⯑ties, he often put ſuch Quirks and Evaſions in their Heads, and gave them ſuch Ad⯑vice, as ſometimes prov'd of great Advantage to them, ſo that he became a kind of Oracle amongſt the Thieves.

After he had laid a conſiderable Time in the Compter, he was aſſiſted by a Friendly Gen⯑tleman in Little-Britain, who getting a ſmall Contribution among his Neighbours, procur'd Jonathan's Liberty with it.

He had now a numerous Acquaintance, with whom he conſtantly aſſociated, theſe were the Thieves (as has been before obſer⯑ved;) there was no Enterprize they went upon, whether in Town or Country, but they acquainted Jonathan with the Particulars of their Succeſs, what Booty they got, and what Hazzards they run, ſo communicative are theſe Gentlemen to thoſe who keep them Company; yet, at the Beginning, he had ſo much the Fear of the Gallows before his Eyes, that they cou'd never prevail with him to go with them upon any Adventure, and ſhare in the executive Part.

[15]At firſt, Jonathan drove but a poor ped⯑ling Trade, only helping People to Wri⯑tings which the Thieves cou'd make no Pro⯑fit of, and which cou'd be of no Uſe but to the Owners, and in this he at firſt acted with ſuch extream Caution, for fear of coming within the Penalty of the Laws, that after he had bargain'd with the People, and they were come by his Appointment to pay the Money, and receive the Writings, he led them into a Room contriv'd for that Purpoſe; where puſhing back a ſmall Pannel of the Wainſcot, a Hand us'd to appear with the Writings in it, and the Parties were to take them out of that Hand, and to put the Money into it, without their ſeeing the Body which belonged to it; ſo that they cou'd not ſay he had ever taken any of their Money, or receiv'd the ſtolen Goods; yet the Succeſs and Encouragement he after⯑wards met with, made him more careleſs to his great Sorrow.

The firſt Thing that gave him any Fame, was a Diſpute he had with Cornelius a Til⯑burgh, a noted Quack Doctor, who being robb'd of ſome Goods, and hearing of Jona⯑than Wild, apply'd to him for the Recovery of them; but after they had treated ſome Time they cou'd not agree about the Price; upon the whole, Tilburgh was vex'd he cou'd not have his Goods again, and thinking Jo⯑nathan had them, he arreſts him in an [16] Action of Trover; Jonathan gave bail to the Action, and ſo a Suit of Law was com⯑menced, which was ſo well defended on Jonathan's ſide, that the Doctor was non-ſuited, and Coſts were given to Jonathan.

This gave him a great Reputation, among his good Friends the Thieves, who thought Jonathan the beſt Factor or Agent they cou'd employ, ſo that his Buſineſs ſo in⯑creas'd, that 'tis thought he got two or three hundred Pounds a Year by Commiſſion.

But it is no wonder he ſhould thus by de⯑grees increaſe in Buſineſs and in Fame, for no Man grows great at once. Having now engroſs'd the whole Traffick of ſtolen Goods to himſelf, he became as uſeful to the Thieves as they were to him; for now by his Credit they had a ſafe way of making Money of every Thing that fell into their Hands, whereas before they run as great Hazzards, of being diſcover'd and brought to Juſtice when they went about to diſpoſe of their Goods, as they did in ſtealing them.

But as the Thieves firſt ſet him up only as their Factor, he by degrees made himſelf their Maſter and their Tyrant; he divided the City and Suburbs into Wards or Di⯑viſions, and appointed the Perſons who were to attend each Ward, and kept them ſtrictly to their Duty; he alſo called them to a very exact Accuont, and made them produce what they had got, and tho' it were Money he [17] wou'd have his Dividend; and it was no leſs than Death to ſink upon him, as he term'd it; for there was ſcarce any Thing ſtole which was worth having again but he heard of it, and knew who the Perſon muſt be that took it, as well as thoſe who loſt it. This is plain by what follows:

Some time ſince, the Dutcheſs of Tyrconnel being at Maſs, at the Chapel of his Excel⯑lency Count Staremberg in the Pall-Mall; her Grace in the Height of her Devotion had her Gold Watch ſtolen from her Side, which was enter'd next Day in Mr. Wild's Office, who aſſur'd her Grace that the Buſineſs was perform'd by a regular Hand, and therefore he doubted not the Recovery of it. Fox, alias Vaux, a dextrous Fellow, having his Station about Weſtminſter-hall, the Court of Re⯑queſts, and at the Cathedral and Parochial Churches, Wild was aſſur'd muſt be the Man, tho' he intending to bite Jonathan of his ſhare, denied it obſtinately at firſt; but Mr. Wild uſing Menaces, and threat'ning, if he perſiſted, to ſend him to his triangular Home, he con⯑feſs'd the Bill, and paid back (as the Thieves term it) the Watch to the Dutcheſs, for twen⯑ty five Guineas.

However fond Jonathan appear'd to be of getting Money, he ſhew'd a Generoſity to his Friends, not common with People who prac⯑tiſe the Law, of which I could give number⯑leſs Inſtances: Particularly, an Acquaintance of [18] his who lived in the Mint, having loſt a Gold Watch (for there were Gold Watches there ſometimes) he paid back the Watch without one farthing Expence; he return'd me a Pocket Book with ſome Notes of Va⯑lue, which I advertis'd in one of the Papers, gratis, but gave me this Caution to keep better Company: And one Mr. H—ll, then a Juſtice of the Peace, told me that once going to a Country Fair, he met Jonathan upon the Road, who gave him a Watch-word, by uſing which, he ſaid, if he met any of the Prigs that were out in theſe Hundreds, he would paſs ſafe. Mr. Giles Taylor, a tall Attorney, loſing his Snuff Box, he could not prevail with Jonathan to trouble himſelf about ſuch trivial Things as he called it, but Mr. Taylor telling him he valued the Box, and withal reminded him that he us'd to come with Briefs to his Maſter Counſellor Daniel, whom he had the Honour to ſerve in the Quality of a Footman: O Sir, ſays Wild, I cry your Mercy, you have given me many a Six-pence, call in a Day or two and you ſhall have your Box again; which was accordingly left for him at a Tavern in the Old-Bailey without a Fee.

The Wife of Mr. Chiſelden, a famous Sur⯑geon, having been robb'd of a Diamond Buckle at the Bath; Mr. Chiſelden, together with a creditable Shop-keeper, near the Old-Bayley, waited on Mr. Wild for his Advice; [19] Wild being very drunk, receiv'd him with a great deal of Rudeneſs not uſual with him, but he ſignified the Cauſe of his Diſguſt to him; for he told the Surgeon that he had diſſected ſeveral honeſt Fellows that were his Friends and Acquaintance, and that he ſhould be d—d before he ſhould have his Buckle again, which he aſſured him was diſſected, and divided amongſt the jolly Fellows, who had fairly ventured their Lives for it, and ſo diſmiſſed Mr. Chiſelden.

I mention theſe Inſtances, to ſhew that Jonathan's Practice was fairer than ſome other Peoples, and that he was capable of more honourable and friendly Actions, than thoſe that made ſo great a Noiſe of their Charity, their Generoſity, &c. It is certain, as the elegant Author of the Weekly Journal ob⯑ſerves, Jonathan hated theſe Pretenders to his Art, and call'd them the Quacks of the Profeſſion which every Science was peſter'd with.

One time an accident happen'd to a Gen⯑tlewoman at Hackney, who us'd to let Lodg⯑ings: A Lady, who came attended by a Foot⯑man and a Maid, took a Lodging in her Houſe; the firſt Day they had Poſſeſſion of it, they broke open a Scrutore belonging to the Gentlewoman of the Houſe, which was full of Chince and Muſlin, and very dex⯑terouſly carried off the whole Cargoe; it was a great Loſs to the poor Woman, who [20] lamenting with her Neighbours, they advis'd her to go to Jonathan Wild, and offer a Sum of Money to recover it; ſhe went ac⯑cordingly, and when ſhe gave him an Ac⯑count where ſhe lived, and what ſhe had loſt, he call'd to his Book-keeper to ſearch the Books, to know if any of their People had been lately out to take the Air at Hackney: The Fellow having examin'd, anſwered imme⯑diately that Wapping Moll had been there, and that Tawny Beſs was her Maid, and Harry Smart her Footman; Jonathan ap⯑pear'd in a Paſſion, and curs'd them ſuffi⯑ciently, but appointed the Gentlewoman to come again in a little Time, when he pro⯑cured the Things upon her paying the Money agreed for.

Thus he made them all pay Contribution, whether they made Uſe of him in diſpoſ⯑ing of the Things or no: And when the late Act was made, which gives a Pardon to one Felon for convicting another, he became ab⯑ſolute over them all; for if any of them diſoblig'd him, or, as he call'd it, rebel'd, he took them up, and thereby got the Reward appointed by Act of Parliament for taking Highwaymen: On the contrary, when any of his own People were taken, which he had a Mind to ſave, then he endeavour'd to take ſome other; then his own Man by claiming the Benefit of the Act became an Evidence. When ever any interloping Tra⯑ders [21] ſtarted up in the Buſineſs, that is, Peo⯑ple who ſet up for themſelves without pay⯑ing him any Contribution, or Homage, or holding any Correſpondence with him, he did all he cou'd to take them; and if ſuch were otherwiſe taken up upon Suſpicion, or upon any Information, and Evidence was wanting to convict them, nothing was more common than for him to take up one of his own Fellows, whoſe Life was always in his Power, and make him ſwear himſelf in⯑to ſome of the Robberies, of which the others were ſuſpected, whereby their Evidence might obtain ſome Credit with a Jury, and Jona⯑than was intitled to the Reward if he was the Perſon who took them.

And thus by taking ſome of his own Gang now and then, becauſe they had diſoblig'd him, and apprehending others becauſe they were not of his Gang, and hanging them in the manner before deſcribed, he was rec⯑koned a very uſeful Man, and was often call'd upon by the Court to look at the Pri⯑ſoners, and give them Characters; which ſeem'd to have great Weight at that time. And ſometimes, by ingenious Quirks, or by managing the Juries or Evidences, he has brought off ſome of his Favourites, who had been taken in the very Facts for which they were committed; as he did once by two Fel⯑lows, who having committed a Robbery on the Highway, and ſeveral Perſons well mount⯑ed [22] and arm'd happening to come by imme⯑diately, they were purſued and taken, with the Gentlemens Watches and Rings about them; and being forthwith carried before a Juſtice of Peace, were committed to New⯑gate; within a Day or two of the Seſſions, Jonathan, whoſe Wit ſeldom fail'd him at a Pinch, enquiring the Names of the Proſe⯑cutors, went to them, and asking them if they had not been robb'd by ſuch and ſuch Fellows, now in Newgate? The Gentlemen anſwered they had. Jonathan pretending a great Spleen to thoſe Fellows, who he ſaid were the greateſt Rogues in the whole World, and that he would have hang'd them long ago if he could have found them; and there⯑fore begg'd of the Gentlemen that he might aſſiſt them in managing the Proſecution, and he wou'd engage the Raſcals ſhou'd not e⯑ſcape: The Gentlemen, very willing to have Part of the Trouble taken off their Hands, accepted his Offer, knowing Mr. Wild to be a Perſon very well skill'd in thoſe Affairs. Ac⯑cordingly, they appointed to meet at a Ta⯑vern in the Old-Baily, on the Morning which was appointed for the Trial of theſe Highway⯑men: When they met, Jonathan told them there was a great Croud in the Court, and that they had better ſtay there till the Trial ſhou'd begin; which he ſaid wou'd not be till about Three a Clock in the Afternoon. In the mean time a Dinner was beſpoke, to be rea⯑dy [23] at One; and Jonathan ſent a Man to wait in the Court, with orders to call them when the Trial came on. Jonathan made ſuch good Uſe of his Time, that whether by putting ſomething into the Liquor, or by fair Drinking, is not known; but it is certain he made the Gentlemen very drunk, who paſs'd away the Time till Evening without thinking of the Matter; at which Time one of them wondring that their Meſſenger had not call'd them, they ſent another to the Court, to know what was doing there; when they found the Court was broke up, and the two Highwaymen were diſcharg'd, there having no Evidence appear'd againſt them.

In an Affair like this, Jonathan did not come off quite ſo well, tho' the Buſineſs was managed with equal Succeſs; the Story is this, One Arnold Powell, a notorious Houſebreaker, was committed to Newgate, and a Proſecu⯑tion carrying on againſt him by one Mr. Eaſt⯑wick, a Glaſs-grinder, near Bridewell. Jo⯑nathan pays his Reſpects to the Proſecutor, and acquaints him how ready he ſhould be to bring ſuch a Villain to Juſtice, and if he would leave the Matter to his handling, he ſhould certainly ſend him to ſleep with the Fathers, for that was his Expreſſion. Ac⯑cordingly Mr. Eaſtwick commits the Ma⯑nagement of the Suit to him, and choſe to be directed by him; who, he was ſatisfied, [24] had a better Underſtanding in thoſe Affairs than himſelf.

Before the Seſſions, Jonathan, tho' retain'd on the other Side of the Cauſe; viſits Mr. Powell, tells him of the dangerous Circum⯑ſtances he was in, and at the ſame Time en⯑quires into the Value of his perſonal Eſtate; the Thief apprehended his meaning, and made him ſenſible that forty Pounds ſhould not part them, (for it ſeems this Fellow never came into Jonathan's Books) whereupon the Bargain was ſtruck, the Money paid down, and Mr. Wild left him with this Bleſſing, Live and proſper.

When the Seſſions came on, a Bill was found for Felony and Burglary againſt Mr. Powell, for breaking open, and robbing the Houſe of the ſaid Mr. Eaſtwick; ſo far Mr. Eaſtwick ſaw Matters were carried fair: When this was done, Mr. Wild deſir'd the Proſecutor and his Witneſſes to go to his Houſe in the Old-Bayley, that they might nor wait about in the Seſſions houſe-Yard, till the Tryal came on, which they readily agreed to; from thence Jonathan carried them to an Alehouſe at the Upper-end of the Street, quite out of the hearing of the Court, and there plies them with Liquors by one of his Agents; in the mean Time he gets Powell ſet to the Bar, and the Witneſſes call'd over and over, time after time, but no Body appearing, nor any Account to be given why they did not, the Priſoner was acquitted.

[25]When Mr. Eaſtwick found how the Game had been play'd, he complains to the Re⯑corder of the Abuſe, who was very ready to do Mr. Wild all the Juſtice in the World, and therefore commits him to Newgate, in order to be try'd at the enſuing Seſſions for the Offence; and Powell, tho' acquitted then for want of Evidence, was detain'd in Cuſto⯑dy, and convicted the next Seſſions, perhaps for another Fact, and executed; but honeſt Jonathan alighted upon his Legs like an ex⯑pert Tumbler, and came off unhurt.

However, this was by diſcerning Men look'd upon to be a kind of a Slur upon Jo⯑nathan's Character; he found himſelf, that after this he had not that Credit with the Court upon the Tryal of any Criminal, as he us'd to have; and he took as odd a way to retrieve it as ever was thought of; for in order to inſinuate himſelf into the good Graces of the R—r, he ſets one of his Gang to ſteal the Velvet Seats out of his Coach, and then waited upon him with a Tender of his Service, to recover them without any Expence to his Honour; but Sir W—m deſpis'd his Offer, and generouſly choſe rather to ſit down with the Loſs, than to recover them, by giving Countenance to ſuch ſcan⯑dalous Practices.

By all the before-mentioned Tricks and Ar⯑tifices, Jonathan paſs'd for a Man of ſo much Underſtanding and Intereſt, that the Thieves [26] began to think he could hang or ſave whom he pleas'd; ſo that all Malefactors, whether of his own Gang or not, after they were taken, uſed to flatter themſelves that if they cou'd raiſe any Money for Jonathan, he wou'd bring them off; and even after they were condemned, they were of Opini⯑on that his extraordinary Intereſt might pro⯑cure them a Reprieve, or have the Sentence chang'd to Tranſportation.

It is certain that it was one of his Arts to make them believe ſo; and he uſed par⯑ticularly to affect an extraordinary Intimacy with certain Juſtices of Peace; and as it is ſaid he ſometimes drank with thoſe Gentle⯑men at Taverns, he uſed to leave word at Home, that if any Body ſhould enquire for him, he was gone to ſuch a Tavern, to meet Juſtice ſuch-a-one. The Uſe he made of inſinuating this Notion into their Heads was, that if any Information ſhould be given to theſe Juſtices, againſt any of his Friends, he ſhould have timely Notice of it, from them or their Clerks, ſo that the Party might get out of the way; which was a material Thing towards keeping his People always depending upon him.

The Reader will imagine, by what has been here related, that Jonathan muſt be a Perſon of no uncommon Parts:—To go⯑vern a Commonwealth already fix'd and e⯑ſtabliſh'd, is no more than what may be done [27] by any common Capacity; but to form and eſtabliſh a Body of ſuch lawleſs People into what we may call a Form of Government; to erect a Commonwealth like that of the Bees, in which there ſhou'd be no Drone, in which every Member was oblig'd to go forth and labour, and to bring an Offering to him their King, of Part of the Product of their Cunning and Induſtry; to be able ſo many Years to evade the Puniſhments ap⯑pointed by the Laws of all Nations, for ſuch Perſons as make no Difference betwixt Meum and Tuum; and to live not only in a Tolera⯑tion, but even in a kind of Credit, amongſt the People he was robbing every Day, and to eſcape the Plots and Conſpiracies of his own treacherous Subjects—I ſay, to be able to manage all this, muſt proceed from an admira⯑ble Wit and Cunning, and thorough Obſerva⯑tion of the Humours and weak Sides of Men.

But to return to our Subject, we have taken Notice in what manner Jonathan's Revenues were rais'd and encreas'd; but as his Subjects were ſo frequently taken off by untimely Ends, his Royalty wou'd by degrees have declin'd and ſunk at laſt to little or nothing, if he had not by admirable Fore⯑ſight and Care provided future Thieves both for himſelf and the Gallows.

The Mint in Southwark was the Country where Jonathan uſually went to raiſe Re⯑cruits when his Army began to grow thin [28] and weak; there I ſay he conſtantly beat up for Voluntiers, and moſt of his beſt Men came from thence.

He knew it was the Place where Tradeſ⯑men who had met with Misfortunes firſt re⯑tir'd to, that it was the conſtant Retreat of all thoſe whom Idleneſs, or Extravagance had render'd obnoxious to the Law—He knew alſo that People under thoſe Circum⯑ſtances commonly brought a little Money with them at their firſt going over, which being ſoon ſpent, by reaſon of their being out of Buſineſs to get more, they muſt of Conſequence be reduc'd to extream Neceſſity, till which Time he did not judge them right⯑ly qualified for his Service.

As I was let into this Secret of his Pro⯑ceedings by a Story from his own Mouth, I ſhall relate the Method and Way he went to work with the Gentlemen Minters.

Firſt, He made himſelf acquainted with all the People who kept publick Houſes, whether Taverns, Ale-houſes, or the Vend⯑ers of the royal Liquor commonly call'd Gin; from theſe he learn'd from Time to Time what People were newly come over, and if he lik'd the Deſcription of their Perſons, and the Account of their Circumſtances, he took ſome Opportunity of getting into Com⯑pany with them; and Jonathan, being face⯑tious as well as frank and open in Con⯑verſation, made himſelf very agreeable to [29] thoſe ſort of People, who are call'd merry Fel⯑lows; beſides, Jonathan always pretended to compaſſionate their Misfortunes, and to ſhew his Generoſity would treat them, and make them drunk, and ſometimes perhaps lend them ſmall Matters in their extream Neceſſities—So that he has ſometimes confeſs'd, that by half a Crown well diſpos'd, that is lent with a certain Manner of which he was Maſter; he has ſometimes got fifty, and ſometimes a hundred Pounds; which it muſt be confeſs'd was laying Money out to a very good Ad⯑vantage.

We ſhall prove this by an Example—Jonathan came acquainted with A. B. a broken Cheeſemonger, who had taken Re⯑fuge in the Mint; this poor Fellow, being charm'd with the Converſation of the inge⯑nious Jonathan, ſpent the little Money he had ſaved from the Ruin of his Trade, in keeping him Company; when all was gone, Jonathan now and then lent him ſome ſmall Matter, and obſerving him to be young, ac⯑tive, and a Fellow of Spirit, work'd upon him, and brought him into his Meaſures, by repreſenting to him the miſerable Proſpect he had before him; telling him he deſerv'd to be damn'd if ſuch a clever Fellow as he ſhou'd want good Cloaths on his Back, or Money in his Pocket, and that all the World wou'd deſpiſe him; therefore, ſays he, take my Advice, and get Money—The Advice [30] was good and ſeaſonable; for there was no⯑thing in the World the poor Fellow wanted more: But how to do it was the Difficulty—therefore he beg'd his Friend Jonathan to give him ſome Advice in that important Af⯑fair; Z—ds, ſays Jonathan, I know a great many clever Fellows, who keep the beſt Com⯑pany in Town, and make very ſmart Figures, and if they have not Six-pence in their Pockets now, they'll have Money enough before they go to Bed, that is, if there be any Money to be had betwixt this and Bath, or this and Tunbridge.

Now the Cheeſemonger began to appre⯑hend his Friend Jonathan, and in his Ne⯑ceſſity and Deſpair, ſaid he wou'd do any thing; but he had neither Horſe nor Arms, nor any means of purchaſing them; but Jo⯑nathan, who did nothing by halves, directed him where good Horſes were to be hired for the Uſe of the Gentlemen of the Snaffle, and gave him as much Money as wou'd pay for the Hire, for he was too cunning to ap⯑pear in the Matter himſelf; he alſo directed him to go upon the Epſom Road, telling him there were no Gentlemen out upon the ſame Lay that way—and thus our Cheeſemon⯑ger was turn'd into a Gentleman, and equip'd like a Knight Errant in ſearch of Adventures.

After he had loiter'd about the Road for ſome time, he ſaw one Man a Horſeback coming towards him without any Servant [31] or Attendance, which proved to be a peace⯑able Citizen; him he ventur'd to ſtop, and commanding him to deliver, the Citizen ſurrender'd all the Money he had without any Words, which prov'd to be nine Guineas: As ſoon as our new Highwayman found himſelf in Poſſeſſion of the Money, he made the beſt of his way Home to his Kennel the Mint, without ſeeking any more Adventures that Day.

He was no ſooner alighted, but he found Jonathan, who waited to receive him, to whom he very frankly gave an Account of what he had done, and what he had got with all the Circumſtances, thinking he had behaved himſelf very handſomly for a new Beginner; nay, Jonathan himſelf prais'd him, and for his Encouragement took from him but ſeven Guineas of the nine, leaving him two as a mark of his Favour.

Perhaps ſome may be of Opinion, that this Dividend was a little unequal, and that he who ventur'd all ſhou'd have had the greateſt Share of the Booty; but it muſt be conſider'd on the other Side, that now he was initiated, he was become the Subject, nay, the Slave of Jonathan, who had power of Life and Death over him; and that ſo far from mur⯑muring at what he took from him, it was Jonathan's Opinion he ſhould think himſelf oblig'd to him that he did not hang him.

[32]The Fellow continu'd every now and then to make Excurſions, ſometimes on one Road, ſometimes on another, conſtantly doing Buſi⯑neſs by himſelf; and if we may believe Jo⯑nathan, he always left the Fellow ſome ſmall Matter of what he got, whether it happen'd to be little or much, but this we muſt take upon his Credit; but however that be, the Cheeſemonger was ſo diſcontented, that he reſolv'd to deſert, and ſee what he cou'd do for himſelf.

Accordingly, ſome time after he diſap⯑pear'd, nor cou'd Jonathan find him out by all the Inquiry and Search he cou'd make; Jonathan rail'd loudly at him, ſaying, Thus am I ſerv'd by a parcel of Raſcals when I have put Bread into their Mouths, but I'll hang him if there was not another Rogue left in England.—While Jonathan was thus enrag'd againſt the Deſerter, ſome Peo⯑ple who had been robb'd upon the Oxford Road, came to make Propoſals for the Re⯑covery of ſome Watches and Pocket Books which had been taken from them; Jona⯑than conſulted his Books, (for it muſt be obſerv'd, he was very exact in minuting down all his Orders) and found that no Gentlemen under his Command had been out upon the Road for a Fortnight before; wherefore he was very inquiſitive to know what ſort of Man the Perſon was who had committed thoſe Robberies; and according [33] to their Deſcription, and by other Circum⯑ſtances, he was pretty ſure it muſt be the deſerting Cheeſemonger.

Jonathan therefore ſet out towards Ox⯑ford well mounted, and well arm'd, intend⯑ing to renew his Acquaintance with his old Friend, who, according to ſeveral Reports, had met with good Luck upon that Road; he jog'd on eaſily, viſiting all the Villages which lay in the By-Roads, both on the Right and Left, going into every Inn, look⯑ing into the Stables to ſee the Horſes, and drinking with all the Oſtlers and Chamber⯑lains, and enquiring of them what Company was in each Houſe, and what Company they lately had; which was his conſtant Method when he went in ſearch of a Deſerter.

He ſpent a good deal of Time in this man⯑ner to no purpoſe, when moving on to⯑wards Oxford, he met a Coach which had been juſt robb'd; the Coachman giving him warning to take care, and telling him the Place where they had been attack'd, was not above a quarter of a Mile off: Upon this, Jo⯑nathan enquires the Number of the People who had robb'd them; the Coachman told him it was done by a ſingle Man, and in deſcrib⯑ing him, confirm'd Jonathan it muſt be his Cheeſemonger: Upon this Aſſurance, Jona⯑than ſets Spurs to his Horſe, and coming to the Spot which had juſt before been the Scene of Action, he haſtes, and takes a [34] View of the Ground like an experienced General; and conſidering with himſelf what a Man of any Diſcipline wou'd do after ſuch an Incident, in order to puzzle and beguile his Purſuers in caſe any Hue and Cry ſhou'd be rais'd to purſue him, he ſpied a Lane upon the right Hand, and wiſely concluded with himſelf, that if the Cheeſemonger was a Man of Conduct, he muſt have ſtruck down that Lane, after he had finiſh'd his Adventure; therefore he doubled his Pace, and after a ſhort Gallop came in ſight of a Man in a great Coat, well mounted; he judg'd now that he was come to the end of his Enquiry, and therefore ſlacken'd his Pace, that he might prepare himſelf for Battle, (for Jonathan's Courage was equal to his Conduct). The Man before hearing the Tread of a Horſe, look'd back; but ſeeing no more than one Man, he thought it had not the Appearance of a Purſuit, and therefore he never mov'd a Step the faſter; and it was at ſuch a Diſtance, that he did not know the ſweet Fiz of Jonathan. Jonathan, who was ſtuck round with Piſtols, as thick as an Orange with Cloves, or like the Man in an old Alma⯑nack with Darts, was not idle all this while, but took care to be well cock'd and prim'd, which Part he manag'd under his Great Coat; for he took care to conceal his war⯑like Appointment, leſt it might put the E⯑nemy into a Poſture of Defence.

[35]As he approach'd nearer, the Man caſt an⯑other Look back, and immediately knew it was Jonathan: Upon which he faced about manfully, and drawing his Piſtol, bid Jona⯑than ſtand off, for he had done with him. Jo⯑nathan put on the Fox's Skin, and employing all his Oratory (for he had an excellent Ta⯑lent at wheedling) begg'd that they might be good Friends, and go and drink together, ſwearing that he loved Men of Courage, and that he deſired nothing but that they might be good Friends as before—But the valiant Cheeſemonger told him his Mind in few Words; Jonathan, ſays he, you have led me here into a damn'd Trade, which I am weary of, and now I've got Money in my Pocket, I am reſolv'd to go over to Holland, and try to put my ſelf into ſome honeſt Buſineſs, by which I may get my Living, without Fear or Danger. Jonathan, having a Piſtol in his Hand, under his Great Coat, which the other could not ſee, ſtill continued his Wheedling, and approaching nearer and nearer, that he might have a ſure Mark, he of a ſudden drew forth his deſperate Hand, and let fly a Brace of Bullets in the Face of the valiant Cheeſemonger, and drawing forth a ſharp Hanger at the ſame Inſtant, flew upon him like a Tyger, and with one Blow fell'd him to his Horſe's Feet, all weltring in his Gore—So have I ſeen, and with as little Mercy, a gallant Ox fell'd to the Ground by ſome fierce [36] Butcher, and ſo, like Jonathan, have I ſeen him beſtride the mighty Beaſt, and ſtrip him of his Skin.

Jonathan thus having obtain'd a compleat Victory, and being Maſter of the Field, im⯑mediately fell to plundering—He found fifty odd Guineas in the Fellow's Pockets, with ſome Moveables of Value, of which having taken Livery and Seiſin, according to the Law of Arms, he went to the next Town, leading the Horſe of the ſlain in a kind of Triumph, as a Mark of his Victory; and en⯑quiring for the next Juſtice of Peace, he ſur⯑render'd himſelf, telling him that he had kill'd a Highwayman; and giving a Direction where he had left the Body, the Juſtice ſent and had it taken up, when he was known by ſome Stage Coachmen and others to be the ſame that had infeſted that Road for ſome time paſt: Jonathan at the ſame time ſigni⯑fying to the Juſtice that he was the famous Wild the Thief-catcher; the Juſtice took Bail for him, and Jonathan return'd Home to his Wife loaded with Victory and Plunder.

I preſume this Story may ſuffice to let the Reader know by what kind of Policy this Machiavel of Thieves ſupply'd his Common⯑wealth with Subjects as faſt as they were cut off—Thoſe whom he obſerv'd to be active, brisk and couragious, he put into his Ca⯑valry; there was another Corps which we may call his Dragoons, becauſe they ſerv'd ſome⯑times [37] on Horſeback, ſometimes on Foot, as was moſt conſiſtent with the Service; theſe ſometimes went forth doubly arm'd, and on the wide extended Common attack'd the Stage Coach in open Day; other whiles they laid Ambuſcades, and lying perdue in ſome Ditch, ſurpriz'd the heedleſs Traveller on Foot, and were counted his beſt Men, being, as the Saying is, in utrumque parati, or hav⯑ing two Strings to their Bow.

But as Jonathan was a deep Studier of Na⯑ture, he knew that Mens Talents were diffe⯑rent, and that he who had not Courage e⯑nough to bid a Man ſtand, upon the Road, might nevertheleſs make an excellent Pick⯑pocket; and he took care that no Man's Parts ſhould be miſapply'd: Nay, it is ſaid that nothing pleas'd him more than to ſee a Child or Youth of a promiſing Genius, and that ſuch never wanted his Encouragement; inſomuch that a little Boy in a Crowd, hav⯑ing at a certain, time ſtole a Pair of ſilver Buckles out of a Man's Shoes, without be⯑ing felt, his Mother, not a little proud of her Child's Ingenuity, preſented him to Jona⯑than, who gave him half a Crown, with this prophetick Saying, My Life on't, he'll prove a great Man—But I muſt obſerve, that Jonathan's Prophecy never was fulfill'd, the Youth dying before he came to the Age of Manhood, for he was hang'd before he arriv'd at ſixteen.

[38]He had another Sort of Gentlemen under his Command, whom in the Cant or Lan⯑guage of the Profeſſion, he diſtinguiſh'd by the Name of Spruce Prigs; theſe were Per⯑ſons not qualified for the bold and manly Employment of Knocking-down, Houſe-break⯑ing, &c. but being Perſons of Addreſs and Behaviour, were diſpatch'd to Court on Birth-Nights, to Balls, Operas, Plays and Aſſemblies, for which Purpoſe they were furniſh'd with laced Coats, brocade Waſtcoats, fine Perri⯑wigs, and ſometimes equipp'd with handſom Equipages, ſuch as Chariots, with Footmen in Liveries, and alſo Valet de Chambres, the Servants being all Thieves like the Maſter.

This Body of Gentlemen were generally choſen out of ſuch as had been Footmen, who by waiting at Tables, and frequenting publick Places with their Maſters and Miſ⯑treſſes, knew ſomething of the Addreſs and Diſcourſe uſed among Gentlemen; and the better to qualify them to acquit themſelves handſomly at Balls, Jonathan ſometimes paid a Dancingmaſter to teach them to dance; that is, after he loſt his own Dancingmaſter, the celebrated Mr. Lun, who died in his own Profeſſion, viz. dancing; being hang'd at Kingſton, for a Robbery on the Highway; who he ſometimes ſaid was a great Loſs to the Corporation.

There were another Claſs of the ſame Sort of Gentlemen, but who did not ſtrike ſuch [39] bold Strokes as the other; or, as we may ſay, did not fly at ſuch high Game; theſe ap⯑pear'd commonly like young Mercers or Dra⯑pers, being always dreſs'd very clean in plain Cloth, good Wigs, and good Linen, with a Ring or Rings on their Fingers; the Pla⯑ces which they haunted moſt, were Sadlers-Wells, and all the Hops about the Town: They were alſo great Practicers of the Art of Dancing; and ſome of them were famous for Hornpipes.

Their Buſineſs was to promote Country-Dancing, and while the young Fellows and their Girls were very earneſt at their Diver⯑ſion, they were to aſſiſt a Confederate (for nothing cou'd be done without a Partner) to carry off the ſilver Swords, and Canes, if there were any; whilſt the Dancer himſelf was to ſtand his Ground, always pretending to have loſt a Cane, or Hat, amongſt the reſt, and making the greateſt Clamor of all.

The genteeleſt of theſe Sort of Gentlemen ſometimes took handſom Lodgings of two or three Guineas a Week; and being attend⯑ed by their ſham Servants, theſe Servants were to give out that their Maſter was juſt return'd from his Travels; that he was a Peer, or at leaſt a Baronet of a great Eſtate: And the better to carry on the Bite, they took care to aſſume the Name of ſome Perſon of great Eſtate, who was actually Abroad—that his Father, or ſome Relation, being late⯑ly [40] dead, was the Occaſion of his coming o⯑ver in Haſte, to take Poſſeſſion of a great Eſtate; and that His Lordſhip, or Honour, wou'd not appear, nor have it known he was arriv'd, till he had put himſelf and all his Servants in Mourning; wherefore a Dra⯑per was ſent for, and a vaſt Quantity of fine Cloth was agreed for; not only for his own Family, but he was to give Mourning to all his Relations—The Draper was generally recommended by the Landlord, who thought himſelf very happy in having ſuch a Cuſtomer as His Lordſhip—As ſoon as the Cloth came in, it was immediately ſent off, being carried away by ſome Accomplices who waited in the Way, and repreſented Porters, before the Draper cou'd come for his Money—But if, as it ſometimes happen'd, the Draper came himſelf at the ſame time with the Cloth, why then His Lordſhip was ſo buſy in his Cloſet that he could not ſpeak to him, but he ſent him out a Banker's Note, deſiring him to give the reſt; but if the Draper had not Mo⯑ney enough about him, then he was to go and receive the Whole, and bring His Lord⯑ſhip the reſt; but as ſoon as his Back was turn'd, the whole Poſſe mov'd off, leaving generally an empty Trunk or two to pay for the Lodging.

This Trick has often been play'd in the Streets betwixt the Temple and Somerſet-houſe, the Situation of thoſe Places being very com⯑modious for making a Retreat by Water.

[41] Jonathan one Night at Southwark-Fair, was obſerv'd to ſit in one of the Booths, in a Corner of the Pit, as much out of ſight as he cou'd; and being ask'd by an Acquaintance what he was doing there?—See that Beau (ſays he) in the Side-Box, pointing to a hand⯑ſom young Fellow, who was very fine, that is one of my People, but the Son of a Whore has hid himſelf from me theſe two Months, but I'll frighten him out of his Wits; and if you have a mind for a little Sport, go to the next Tavern, and I'll divert you—We had not been there two Minutes (for I was one of the Company) when Jonathan enters, with Sir Fopling; Jonathan immediately, with many Oaths and Menaces, began to queſtion him where he had been, and what the D—l was the Reaſon he had not come near him in all that Time? The Beau, in a very great Fright, ſwore, and curs'd, and pray'd, all in a Breath, begging Jonathan to forgive him, telling him he cou'd not help it, having been in Jail in Lincolnſhire; where he went upon a very good Lay, (that was his Term) for he went down there expecting to marry a Lady of great Fortune; but that miſcarrying, that he might not loſe his Labour, he ſpoke with a ſilver Tankard and ſome Spoons, for which he was committed; however, he managed it ſo well, by the Aſſiſtance of nimble Dick, who perſonated his Servant, that nothing was found upon him, and ſo the Pimps diſcharg'd [42] him; not out of good Will, d—n them, ſays he, but for Want of Proofs. But that he was upon a Lay at that time (if he wou'd let him go) that he was ſure of getting a Gold Watch that Night; and ſwore upon his Honour he wou'd bring Jonathan ſome Mo⯑ney the next Day.

Upon theſe Proteſtations and Promiſes, and his paying for a Bottle of Wine, Jona⯑than let him go.—When he was gone, Jonathan told us he was an ingenious pret⯑ty Fellow, and wou'd live like a Gentleman in any part of the World; for that the laſt Birth-night he went to Court as fine as any thing there, and no body knowing him, he was taken for ſome young Man of Fortune, juſt come to his Eſtate; his Deſign being to pick the King's Pocket, but that he was hinder'd and interrupted by a certain Lady, a Citizen's Wife, who wou'd not let him get near enough for the Fondneſs ſhe had of ſhewing herſelf to his M—y; however, it coſt her dear, for ſhe loſt her repeating Watch by the Bargain.—He told us that he had ſav'd the young Fellow's Life once by good Manage⯑ment at his Tryal; for he thought it was pity ſuch a clever Fellow ſhou'd be cut off ſo ſoon, and that he had done a great many handſom Things ſince that Time: We de⯑ſir'd to know of Jonathan what the young Fellow was originally; he told us he was the Son of a Chairman, who living with a Lady of [43] Quality, ſhe put this young Fellow, when a Boy, into a Livery; that this Lady loving her Plea⯑ſures, and being a Woman of Intrigue, the Boy got the Reputation of being a very good Pimp; ſo that if his Lady had not died, he wou'd have been made a Page, and then perhaps Groom of the Chamber, and then recommended to my Lord for ſome conſider⯑able Poſt; ſo that by this Time he might have been a topping Grandee, if the Death of the Lady had not put an end to his Hopes of riſing that way; for after her Deceaſe, being out of Place, he had no Thought or Ambi⯑tion of going into any way of getting his Bread but by being a Servant; ſo that being nimble, and light of Body, he practis'd run⯑ning, thinking to get a running Footman's Place with ſome Perſon of Quality, when I (ſays Jonathan) happen'd to meet with him, and thinking it a pity that ſuch Parts ſhou'd be buried and loſt to the World, I took him into my Protection, and I warrant you'll ſee him preferr'd one Time or other.

But tho' it is ſome Years ſince this Thing happen'd, I was, not long ſince, inform'd by Jonathan that the Beau is ſtill alive, that he made a conſiderable Figure at the laſt In⯑ſtallment at Windſor, being the Perſon who took the Lady M—n's Diamond Buckle; that when her Ladyſhip applied to Jonathan for the Recovery of it, he ask'd her how much ſhe wou'd give; ſhe anſwer'd twenty [44] Guineas; Z—nds, Madam, ſays he, you of⯑fer nothing, it coſt the Gentleman who took it forty for his Coach, Equipage, and other Expences to Windſor.

Jonathan gave us to underſtand, that theſe Gentleman often viſited the Bath, Tunbridge, and Epſom, not ſtaying long in a Place, but going from one to the other, and always thruſting themſelves into the beſt Company; their Buſineſs there was to get Watches and Snuff Boxes, and whenever there happen'd a Crowd on the Walks, or in the long Rooms, then it is theſe Gentlemen work; and if the Things ſhou'd happen to be miſs'd while they are in the Room, the Figure they make carries them off without being ſuſpect⯑ed; but as has been before obſerv'd, for fear of Accidents, there muſt be a Footman, not only for State, but for Uſe, who to prevent the Conſequences of a ſearch, receives the Booty from the Maſter as ſoon as the Work is done, and conveys it to ſome Place of Safety.

The Footman in his Way is a Perſon of as great Service to the Commonwealth of Thieves as the Maſter; he is to inſinuate him⯑ſelf into the Acquaintance of all the Servants wherever he goes; from them he is to learn all the Circumſtances and Affairs of their reſpective Maſters and Miſtreſſes;—as what Plate they bring with them to thoſe Places of Pleaſure, when they remove to Town, or [45] to any other Place, and how they go attend⯑ed, which are very material Advices; for In⯑telligence is ſent of all theſe Things to Jona⯑than, who takes care to have them ſpoke with upon the Road, if it be feaſible and ſafe; the Footman is alſo to endeavour to corrupt ſome of the Servants he converſes with, and if they are Fellows who love Mirth and good Company, they are often delighted with theſe Fellows, who ſtudy to pleaſe; and they are by all means to come acquaint⯑ed with the Servant Maids who live in good Families, and to make Love to ſome one of them; by theſe Means they not only become acquainted with the Situation of the Houſe, and know where all the Plate and other rich Moveables are kept; but if one of the Dam⯑ſels ſhou'd happen to be captivated with the Perſon of Mr. John, or Mr. Thomas, or whatever Name he takes, ſhe may be wrought upon to let him in at Night, and ſo a good Prize may be got with little Hazard and Danger.

Jonathan told us the World was grown ſo peery, (that was his Term for ſharp) that ingenious Men (meaning Thieves) muſt have Recourſe to Stratagems, or elſe they cou'd not get Bread; for (ſays he) there are not ſo many Opportunities of working, as hereto⯑fore, there are ſuch a damn'd Number of poor People more than formerly, that are not worth robbing, and thoſe that have made [46] them poor, and got their Money, take ſo much care to keep it, and are ſo well guard⯑ed, that it is very difficult to come at them; downright robbing, or your chance Jobs are not worth a Farthing; and I may ſay without Vanity, that if it had not been for the Con⯑federacy I have form'd, the Buſineſs wou'd have come to nothing; but let them be as cautious and as cunning as they will, we'll be more cunning than they—I'll tell you a Stratagem of ſome of the Gentlemen, I have the Honour to command—There were a parcel of rich Citizens, who took a ſingular Pleaſure in ringing Bells; one Day in the Week they met and din'd together, and paſs'd the reſt of the Day in ringing; in Summer Time they travel'd from Place to Place wherever they heard of a good Ring of Bells, in order to divert themſelves with ringing, and to try where were the ſweeteſt Bells—One of our Gentry found Means of getting into their Company; and one Night when they were pretty warm with Wine, and boaſting of their great Excellence in ringing; our Spark offer'd, that he and five more he wou'd bring ſhou'd ring with them for two hundred Guineas, provided he was to name the Bells; they took him up immediately, and enter'd into Articles under the Forfeiture of an hundred Pounds to thoſe that ſhou'd fail, who named Lincoln Cathe⯑dral, [47] where they agreed to meet by a cer⯑tain Day.

Our Citizens ſet out, ſome in their own Coaches, and ſome on Horſeback with two hundred Guineas for their Wager, and each of them Money beſides for Expences; and our Spark with his Confederates met them very punctually—The Citizens immediate⯑ly ſtrip'd themſelves, in order to put on their ringing Dreſſes, conſiſting of Drawers, Waſt⯑coats and Caps; and while they were be⯑ginning to try the Bells, one of our People convey'd away their Cloaths; when the reſt ſaw him ſafe out, they ſtole off, and mount⯑ed their Horſes, which were ready, and left the Citizens to enjoy all their Muſick them⯑ſelves—This Expedition was worth near three hundred Pounds in Money; for all they carried was in their Breeches Pockets; I ſay three hundred Pounds, beſides Watches, Snuff Boxes, Tobacco Boxes, Cloaths, and Perriwigs.

We own'd to Jonathan, that this Affair was well projected, and as well executed: Oh, ſays he, this is nothing to what has been done; for one of our People once ſtole a Houſe of ſix Rooms on a Floor, and an hundred and fifty Pounds a Year Rent.

As this appear'd to be a kind of Rhodo⯑montade, we deſir'd Mr. Wild to let us know how that cou'd be done; and he being very communicative in his Temper, told us the [48] Story: A Gentleman had fitted up a Houſe in Queen's-Square, in a very handſom Man⯑ner, expecting to let it to ſome foreign Mi⯑niſter, or Engliſh Perſon of Quality; which as ſoon as 'twas ready, I equipt a Fellow, who had prov'd himſelf a Man fit for Buſineſs, in a plain neat Suit, gold-headed Cane, Snuff Box, &c. a good Chariot, with two other Rogues for Footmen: This ſuppos'd Gentle⯑man calls upon the Landlord, and offers to treat with him for the Hire of his Houſe, which he ſaid, if he lik'd his Terms, he would take a Leaſe of for twenty one Years; where⯑upon the Bargain was ſtruck, and in few Days the Leaſes were drawn, the Rent to be paid at half yearly Payments; and the Furni⯑ture was promis'd by the Squire to be brought in the Wedneſday following.

The Week after the Landlord calls at the Houſe to ſee his new Tenant, in order to promote a more intimate Acquaintance, but finds no Body there but a ſhabby old Man, and not one piece of Furniture; but on the contrary, two or three of the Marble Chim⯑ney Pieces and Slabs taken down: He en⯑quires of the old Man the meaning of it, who told him his Maſter order'd it, for he did not like the Faſhion of 'em, and was pleas'd to have them alter'd. The Landlord ſwore and ſtorm'd like a Madman, bid him get out of the Houſe, and vow'd neither he nor his Maſter ſhould have any thing to do [49] there; but at length was pacify'd upon his aſſuring him his Maſter deſign'd nothing but what was honourable, and would make him all the Satisfaction he could deſire; and that the next Day at Noon he would come him⯑ſelf and direct what he would have done: Whereupon he went away, but not very well pleas'd you may be ſure; and returning the next Day as the Fellow had appointed, he meets ſome Men at the Door, carrying out two Chimney-Glaſſes, and ſeveral Pictures that had been, fix'd to the Pannels over the Chimney-Pieces, which he ſtop'd; but the Squire happening himſelf to be in the Houſe, but without his Chariot or Footmen, re⯑quired to know by what Authority he ſtopt the Goods from going where he ſent them? Why Sir, ſays the Landlord, are they not my own? What, wou'd you pull my Houſe down before my Face, and ſend it G— knows where? why is not your own Furniture brought home as you appointed? Sir, ſays the Tenant, I have had two Children ſick of the Small-Pox, which hinder'd me from moving ſo ſoon as I expected, but to-morrow ſome of my Goods will be here. But what are you doing, replies the Landlord, with theſe that you ſend away? Why, ſays he, I am for fitting up Things according to my own Fancy, and I don't matter the Expence of it; for as I al⯑ter the Chimney-Pieces to another Form, the Glaſſes muſt be made to anſwer them, and [50] the Frames of the Pictures I ſhall have made wider, to ſquare with the Glaſſes. When I fitted up this Houſe, ſays the Landlord, I thought it might have ſerv'd any Man of Quality in the Kingdom. That might be, ſaid the Squire again, I'll have Things done agreeable to my own Humour, for all that: When your Rent's due I'll pay it; and when my Leaſe is expired, I ſhall leave the Houſe in as good Condition as I have found it.

The Landlord finding it in vain to oppoſe him, and withal that he had promiſed that ſome of his Goods would certainly be brought to the Houſe the next Day; which he hoped would be ſome Security for what he might poſſibly ſuffer by the Alterations the Te⯑nant was making, he waited till then, and came again to the Houſe; but was ſtill more provoked, to ſee that all the Furniture that was brought, conſiſted of two old Chairs and a Table, not worth half a Crown; and they had in the mean time been ſo expert in ma⯑king the Alterations, (as they call'd it) that they had took down a very fine new Stair⯑caſe, and the Wainſcot of the beſt Room. Whereupon the Landlord, finding himſelf really trick'd, arreſts the Tenant in an Action of 500 l. But I got my Gentleman bail'd, and order'd my Attorney to ſummon the Plaintiff before a Judge, to ſhew Cauſe of Action; which he failing to do, was oblig'd to take common Bail: But this not anſwer⯑ing [51] his Purpoſe, (for in reality the Defendant ow'd him nothing) the Landlord files a Bill in the Exchequer; upon which the Tenant prefers a croſs Bill, obliging him to anſwer to ſeveral Points, particularly the Letting the Houſe to him; which as he could not deny, the Landlord's Bill was diſmiſs'd with Coſts of Suit; and the Suit at Common Law went againſt him alſo, by Default: And the Te⯑nant going to work again upon the Premiſ⯑ſes, the Landlord thought fit to make Over⯑tures of Agreement; viz. That upon a Sur⯑render of his Leaſe, and giving up the Poſ⯑ſeſſion of the Houſe, in the Condition it was then in, he would pay all his Charges, and releaſe him from all Damages whatſoever: Which, ſince there was no more to be got, by my Conſent, the Terms were accepted of; and ſo the Landlord, beſides a Year and a half's Rent, ſat down at 400 l. Loſs. Which I ſuppoſe will make him take a little more Care how he lets his Houſes.

At one time the ſtealing Shopkeepers Ac⯑count-Books was grown a conſiderable Branch of Trade; of which Jonathan gave us one Inſtance, which is worth relating.

A Merchant, a conſiderable Dealer in Hops, in Thames-ſtreet, had his Books ſtole; and applying to me, offer'd ten Guineas to have them reſtor'd: The Prigs, ſays he, were in my Ken, that nim'd 'em out of his Swag. To explain this Language, it means, that the [52] Thieves were then in his Houſe, that ſtole them out of the Shop. But to go on with the Story in plain Terms; Jonathan went in⯑to the Room where they were, and made the Report; but they ſitting in Council, with two or three others of the ſame Squadron, tho' not in that Detachment, declared that they thought the Books were really worth twenty, that is, to return to the Owners; which Jonathan notify'd to the Merchant: But in ſhort, the Agreement was fifteen. But then aroſe a Diſpute about the Delivery; Jo⯑nathan propos'd that he ſhould leave the Mo⯑ney behind him, and the Books be brought to his Houſe; which he ſcrupling, Jonathan ſaid to him, Sir, do you queſtion my Honour? I ſcorn to do an ill thing by any Man. No, Sir, anſwer'd he, by no means; and then rea⯑dily laid down the Money, and went his Way: And before he got home himſelf, the Books were at his Houſe. Which ſerves to ſhew how far Jonathan's Honour was to be depended on.

Within three Weeks the ſame Gentleman came to Jonathan's Houſe upon the very ſame Buſineſs, for his Shop-Books were gone a⯑gain; and he would fain have had five Gui⯑neas bated this time, becauſe of his having been a Cuſtomer before; but Jonathan ſaid, 'twas nothing to him: If the Gentleman, ſays he, will take five Shillings, I ſhall agree to it. So, in ſhort, he paid down his Money, [53] like a fair Dealer, and was going home, as before; but Jonathan call'd him back, and ask'd him how; and in what part of his Shop, his Counting-houſe was built? He told him 'twas next the Street, and the Door open'd within-ſide, behind the Counter. Why, ſays Jonathan, you are quite wrong, you'll never keep your Books, if that's the Caſe: But I'll come to Morrow my ſelf, and ſee it, and then I'll adviſe you what's proper to be done.

The next Day Jonathan comes to Thames-ſtreet (the Books having been ſent before) and meets with the Merchant at home; He takes a Survey of the whole Affair, and ad⯑viſes the old Counting-houſe to be pull'd down, and a new one to be erected at the farther End of the Shop, and to break out a Sky-light over head; this, he ſaid, would be the only Contrivance to make all ſafe: Which was done according to Jonathan's Mo⯑del; and yet hardly a Month happen'd before it was again attack'd with the like Succeſs, and coſt him the ſame Sum over again, to get it out of Jonathan's Purgatory. The Manner of the Adventure is as follows: A Gentleman well dreſs'd, watch'd his Oppor⯑tunity, and came into the Shop, and ask'd if Mr. — was at home? Whereupon he was told that he himſelf was the Perſon. Sir, ſays he, I have two or three Words to ſpeak with you in private; and ſo walks him towards his Counting-houſe: The Hop-mer⯑chant [54] goes in firſt, expecting the Gentleman wou'd have follow'd, in order to declare his Buſineſs to him there; but inſtead of that, he only reaches out his Hand to the Desk, upon which the abovementioned Books lay, and takes them away, and at the ſame inſtant ſhuts to the Door, locks it upon the Hop-Dealer, and walks off very leiſurely.

Jonathan about this time had one of his beſt Hands deſerted him, and yet the Fellow ſtill did Buſineſs, as Mr. Wild found by his Books and the Accounts that came in. Jona⯑than's Clerk minuted down a Gold Watch, a pair of Diamond Ear-Rings, with ſeveral other Things of leſs value, which were made, that is, ſtole in their Language, by this Fellow, and yet he had miſs'd ſeveral Muſters; and Jo⯑nathan, nor any of his People, had heard one ſyllable of him for above three Months, any otherwiſe than that ſuch and ſuch Things were ſpoke with, which he knew muſt be by the Devil or this Raſcal, he ſaid, therefore 'twas time to take him off: Whereupon Jonathan was continually upon the hunt for him, but as he kept Company with no other of the Profeſſion, it was a difficult Matter for his Maſter to get Intelligence of him without his grand Maſter's Aſſiſtance; but whether the Devil did really put it into his Servant Jo⯑nathan's Head, or what other way he found it out, I can't ſay; but true it is, that at length he got certain Information where he then lodg'd.

[55]Mr. Wild had my Lord Chief Juſtice's War⯑rant in his Pocket, ſo taking two or three Conſtables with him, about four in the Morning he beſet the Houſe, which was in Biſhopſgate-ſtreet, the Corner of — ſtreet, a Publick-Houſe; Jonathan headed the Poſſe, with a Piſtol in each Hand, and up Stairs he goes to his Room, tho' not ſo ſilent⯑ly, but that he heard them upon the Stairs, and therefore he gets up, and puts on his Breeches, Shoes, and Stockings; by that time Jonathan had wrench'd open the Door (for it was lock'd within ſide) upon ſight of whom, he gave a ſpring out of the Window, which was one Story high, and came down into a little Yard, from thence leap'd over a Wall into the Street, and ran croſs the Way into a Linen-Draper's Houſe, whoſe Door hap⯑pen'd to ſtand open. At that time the Ser⯑vants of the Houſe were waſhing below Stairs, to whom the Fellow begs for Protection; for that he was purſu'd by Bailiffs, and if he ſhould be taken, he muſt be inevitably ruin'd and undone. The poor credulous Women pity'd the Man's Caſe, and told him, he ſhould ſtay with them till the Blood-ſucking Villains were gone. To return to Jonathan and the Conſtables, as ſoon as they ſaw their Man fly out of the Window, you may be ſure they were not long behind him; but as much Haſte as they made down Stairs, they ſaw not the leaſt Shadow of him, neither in the Yard, or [56] in the Street, which prodigiouſly ſurpriz'd them all: But Jonathan peer'd about, being ſatisfy'd, his Motion from the Window was downwards, therefore he muſt have taken Houſe ſomewhere; and, at laſt, ſpy'd this Li⯑nen-Draper's Door open; he goes over, ac⯑quaints the Gentleman with what had hap⯑pen'd, and aſſures him, the Rogue could be no where but in his Houſe: He ſaid, he had ſeen no ſuch Perſon, and that he had not been from the Shop above a Minute. Sir, ſays Jonathan, that was the very time he ſlipt in; give me leave to ſearch for him. Which be⯑ing granted, he went into the Waſh-houſe, where, for a good while, they deny'd they ſaw any ſuch Perſon, till being informed he was no Debtor, but a Highwayman and Houſe⯑breaker, they own'd the Matter, and told Mr. Wild, the Man he look'd for was in the Coal-hole under the Stairs; whereupon he takes a Candle, calls all his Myrmidons about him, and into the Coal-hole he goes, but no Highwayman was there; then he ſearches round the Cellar, Kitchen, and in ſhort, eve⯑ry Place where he thought a Man could be conceal'd, but no Body was to be ſeen. Jo⯑nathan own'd he never was ſo foil'd in all the Courſe of his Practice before; he came up and told the Maſter of the Houſe there was no Body there; the Waſher-women were frightned out of their Wits, believing they had ſeen a Spirit, and all look'd very fooliſh [57] upon one another, till the Linen-Draper gave them to know, that if any Man went down Stairs, he muſt be there ſtill, for he was ſure no Body had come up from thence, he having ſtaid in Sight ever ſince, and then perſuaded Jonathan to go down again, and look into all the Waſhing-Tubs, and ſearch every Place over again; for there is, ſays he, no other Way to get out, but up theſe Stairs, and ſo into the Street.

Mr. Wild was prevail'd upon at laſt, and he and the Conſtables, with his Guard de Corps, re-deſcended, and finding one of the Tubs ſtanding Bottom upwards, they turn'd that up, as the Gentleman had put it into their Heads, and there they found poor Culprit. Jonathan had no Patience, but flew upon him like a Tyger. You treacherous Dog, ſaid he, where are the Diamond Ear-Rings, and Gold-Watch you ſtole at ſuch a Place? G— d—n me, you Villain, you cheating Son of a Whore, I'll hang you, if there's never another Rogue in England, you vile Raſcal.

We muſt remark here, that tho' Jonathan in the main us'd to talk up the Gentlemen of his Game, to be generally bright clever Fellows; yet when he was angry with ſome of them, he would own there were Scoun⯑drels of the Profeſſion.

Notwithſtanding this Bounce of Jonathan's, the Priſoner underſtood how to ſoften this Machiavel [...]s Temper; and thereupon whiſ⯑per'd [58] him to go up to his Lodging, and look behind the Head of the Bed, which Jonathan did, telling the People of the Houſe, he muſt go up Stairs for the Fellow's Cloaths, which he brought down along with him, and in a Hole where the Thief directed him to, he found a gold Watch, two ſilver ones, Rings, and other Things of Value, which he put into his own Pocket, for any Body elſe would not have known what to have done with them; and the Priſoner being carried before the Juſtice, was committed on Suſpicion of Felony, and the next Seſſions no Body appearing againſt him, he was diſcharged.

The Succeſs that Jonathan went on with in his Buſineſs, render'd him famous all over London; and he made uſe of ſeveral little Arts to make himſelf appear conſiderable to diſtant Parts of the Kingdom, particularly by ſome Printers of News-Papers, and Dying-Speeches, whom he prevail'd on to give him a Character therein, in which he was generally ſtiled THIEF-CATCHER-GENERAL OF GREAT-BRITAIN. His Houſe was handſom⯑ly furniſh'd, and ſet out with Plate, Pictures, &c. and when his Wife appear'd abroad, it was ge⯑nerally with a Footman in a fine lac'd Livery. He kept a Country-Houſe, dreſs'd well, and in Company affected an Air of Grandeur. A little before his Cataſtrophe he promis'd me a Haunch or a Side of Veniſon whenever I pleaſed to ſend to him, ſaying, he had two [59] Parks at his Command, well ſtock'd with Deer.

The Wealth that he was ſuppos'd to have amaſs'd by this Buſineſs, made ſeveral Perſons look upon him with Envy; and ſome well enough acquainted in the Roguiſh Arts, at⯑tempted to ſet up againſt him a few Years ago; the Principal were, one Felt—n, a ſu⯑perannuated Thief, Riddleſd—n an Attorney and Thief, whoſe chief Merit for the Support of his Pretenſions to this Practice, was, his having ſacrilegiouſly and feloniouſly broke open the Royal-Chapel at White-hall, and ſtole thence the Communion-Plate, and Mr. H—n, City Mar—l. This laſt, and Jonathan, wrote Pamphlets againſt each o⯑ther, as it was the Cuſtom then between great Men; but Jonathan laying himſelf too open, H—n dropt the Pen, and took up the Cudgels of the Law, with which he bang'd Jonathan, ſo that he thought fit to buy his Peace at the Price of a Sum of Money.

However, none of them all was able to give Jonathan any notable Diſturbance in his Office; on the contrary, he found Means ſoon after to get Riddle—n tranſported for not complying with the Conditions of his Pardon, to make Felt—n run mad, and H—n entirely to quit his Pretenſions.

Wherefore he turn'd himſelf again to his Buſineſs.—And, as we were enumerating how [60] many Species of Thieves he had under his Command, we ſhall reſume that Part of our Story.

There were another Sort of Gentry under his Command, whoſe Buſineſs it was to loiter about the Streets in the Day-time; and as Servants, who go of ſhort Errands to a Chand⯑ler's Shop, or Baker's, are apt to leave the Door a jar, (as they call it) they were to whip in, and ſeize upon the next Thing that was portable, and bring it off. They generally peep'd in, to ſee that no Body was in the Fore-Parlours, and if by Chance any Body ſhould ſurprize them, they were ready to en⯑quire if ſome Perſon with a ſtrange Name did not live there; tho' it ſeldom falls out ſo, becauſe they generally do their Buſineſs in a Minute.

Theſe Sort of People ſometimes go in Li⯑veries, and ſometimes dreſs'd like Ticket Porters with Silver Badges either upon their Coats, or about their Necks; one of them ſome Time ſince whipp'd into a Houſe in King-Street, near Long-Acre, which is di⯑vided into Tenements, the People furniſhing their own Lodgings, and going directly up two pair of Stairs, from whence he ſaw a Woman, who inhabited it, come down; he eaſily put back the Lock, and finding nothing in the Room of any Value, except the Bed⯑ding, he tied it all up, and was carrying it off, when the Owner happen'd to meet him at [61] the lower End of the Stairs, and asking him where he was carrying that Bedding? He an⯑ſwer'd, without Heſitation, that he brought it from Mr. — the Upholſterer, and was car⯑rying it to ſuch a one, but I find they don't live here. Oh! ſays the Woman, they live at next Door; thank you, Miſtreſs, ſays the Fellow; and before ſhe got up Stairs, to find it was her own Bedding, he had got into a Hackney Coach, and carried it ſafe off.

Theſe People ſometimes went diſguis'd like Chairmen in great Coats and Harneſs, and a couple of them meeting together, ſtole the young Dutcheſs of Marlborough's Chair, as her Grace was viſiting at Mrs. H—n's in Piccadilly, her Chairmen and Footmen being gone to a neighbouring Ale-Houſe; one of her Servants thought immediately of apply⯑ing to Mr. Wild, who told him, that if he wou'd leave ten Guineas, he might have the Chair the next Day; the Man made ſome Difficulty of leaving the Money before-hand, but Mr. Wild told him he was a Man of Honour, and ſcorn'd to wrong him, and in⯑deed his Character was by this Time eſta⯑bliſh'd as a Man that dealt honourably in his Way; ſo that the Man ventur'd at laſt to leave the Money; wherefore Mr. Wild bid him direct the Dutcheſs's Chairmen to at⯑tend the Morning Prayers at Lincoln's-Inn-Chapel, and there they ſhou'd find the Chair; which the Fellows did accordingly, and they [62] found the Chair, with the Crimſon Velvet Cuſhions and Damask Curtains all ſafe, and unhurt.

And it muſt be obſerv'd, that whenever Jonathan oblig'd the Parties to leave the Money before-hand, he very punctually com⯑ply'd with the Terms of Agreement, as to the Delivery of the Goods; for one of his com⯑mon Sayings was, that Honeſty was the beſt Policy.

He frequently drew out Detachments of ſome of his clevereſt Fellows, whom he ſent out upon Command to Country Fairs; upon which Occaſion he generally march'd out himſelf, for indeed the Service could not be well carried on without him; for the common People ſeeing Jonathan there, were the more careleſs; becauſe he always gave out, that he came to take ſome Rogues whom he ſuſpected to be there, and the People had a Notion that his Preſence frightned away the Thieves; and to countenance this Belief, he went doubly and trebly arm'd, and often wore Armour under his Cloaths, which he took care to ſhew in all Companies; being attended by three or four, and ſometimes half a Dozen terrible looking Fellows by way of Garde du Corps, as if all Thieves in England had vow'd to ſacrifice him.

This Grimace took very well, for it gave him an Opportunity of protecting and carry⯑ing off the Booty which was made in theſe [63] Fairs; and if any of his Party was in Danger of being taken, theſe Myrmidons of his, who paſs'd for his Body Guard, were to run into the Crowd, and under pretence of aſſiſting the People, who were about to ſeize ſuch Rogues, were to try to ſhuffle off, and favour their Eſcape.

In fine, his Buſineſs in all Things was to put a falſe Gloſs upon Things; and to make Fools of Mankind (which was his own Ex⯑preſſion;) yet, when he had a Mind to be merry, to drink his Bottle, and to laugh at the World, he talk'd with too much Free⯑dom of himſelf, and his own Management, and not without ſome Vanity; of which there are a thouſand Inſtances: We ſhall give one, becauſe it is ſhort—A certain Tradeſman, a very honeſt Man, tho' of Jonathan's Ac⯑quaintance, going into a Tavern, where he expected to meet ſome Company, by Miſtake went in where Jonathan was drinking with ſome merry Fellows; the Tradeſman was about to draw back, but Jonathan preſs'd him to ſit down and take a Glaſs with them; the Tradeſman was a little angry with Jona⯑than for the following Reaſon; about a Week before paſſing thro' a Country Fair, he ſaw Jonathan a Horſeback, and asking him how he did, Jonathan damn'd him, and bid him not trouble him with impertinent Queſtions; therefore, the Tradeſman deſir'd to know the Reaſon why Jonathan ſnapp'd him up in that [64] rude angry Manner, when he had ſpoke to him ſo civilly? Z—ds, ſays Jonathan, you diſturb'd me in my Buſineſs, for I had at that Time twenty Pair of Hands at Work.

And indeed, he employ'd Hands in all ſorts of Works; ſo that according to the Author of the Fable of the Bees, he was a great Be⯑nefactor to Trade; for as ſome of our News Papers have obſerv'd, he kept in Pay many Artiſts for the altering of Watches and Rings; ſo he alſo kept a kind of Magazine, or Armory, of all kind of Inſtruments us'd in Thievery, as Picklocks, Files, Saws, and Engines for forcing Doors, Windows, &c. which he made no Secret of ſhewing, pre⯑tending he found them upon ſuch and ſuch Houſe-breakers whom he had taken and con⯑victed, tho' it is certain he did not ſuffer them to grow ruſty for want of Uſe; for he never went into a Houſe, but like an Engineer, he wou'd view on which ſide it might be at⯑tack'd with the moſt Advantage, and he knew better Things, than to ſend his Men upon Actions without Arms.

Sometimes Jonathan ſpoke in the Stile of a Prince; as when the Son of Mrs. Knap, who was murther'd by a Footpad, near Gray's-Inn-Wall, went to him, to deſire his Aſ⯑ſiſtance in taking the Murderer, and putting ten Guineas in his Hand for his Encourge⯑ment, with a Promiſe of forty more when the Work ſhou'd be done; Jonathan anſwer'd [65] him gravely, he might depend he wou'd pro⯑duce the Villian; for, ſays he, I never pardon Murther—and indeed he was as good as his Word, for he ſeized the Fellow at the Jeruaſalem Tavern in Clerkenwell, and he was hang'd the Seſſions following.

Whilſt he went on with this Tide of Suc⯑ceſs, and ſeem'd to carry the World before him, an ill Wind aroſe, which blew from a certain Corner of the Law, and which ſeem'd to threaten the Overthrow of his Common⯑wealth—For Sir W—m T—ſon obſerv⯑ing what Miſchiefs aroſe from the Practice of receiving ſtolen Goods, and returning them again to the Proprietors for ſuch Sums of Money as the Receiver and Proprietor agreed upon, which Money no doubt muſt be divided betwixt the Receiver and Thief; thought of putting an end to it, by bring⯑ing a Bill into the Houſe of Commons, for the more effectual tranſporting of Felons, and for preventing Burglaries and Felons, in which among other Things was the follow⯑ing Clauſe.

‘"And whereas there are ſeveral Perſons who have ſecret Acquaintance with Felons, and who make it their Buſineſs to help Perſons to their ſtolen Goods, and by that means gain Money from them, which is divided between them and the Felons, whereby they greatly encourage ſuch Of⯑fenders: Be it Enacted by the Authority [66] aforeſaid, That where-ever any Perſon ta⯑keth Money or Reward, directly or indi⯑rectly, under Pretence or upon Account of helping any Perſon or Perſons to any ſtolen Goods or Chattles, every ſuch Perſon ſo taking Money or Reward as aforeſaid, (unleſs ſuch Perſon do apprehend, or cauſe to be apprehended, ſuch Felon who ſtole the ſame, and cauſe ſuch Felon to be brought to his Trial for the ſame, and give Evidence againſt him) ſhall be guilty of Felony, and ſuffer the Pains and Pe⯑nalties of Felony, according to the Na⯑ture of the Felony committed in ſtealing ſuch Goods, and in ſuch and the ſame Manner as if ſuch Offender had himſelf ſtole ſuch Goods and Chattels, in the Manner and with ſuch Circumſtances as the ſame were ſtolen."’

We are well inform'd, that after this Act had paſs'd the R—r was pleas'd to ſend for Wild to admoniſh him, and let him know the Danger and Hazard of purſuing the ſame Courſe of Life any longer, and recommend⯑ed to him to detect Rogues and bring them to Juſtice; promiſing upon that Condition, to give him all Encouragement, reminding him of what conſiderable Sums he had got that Way already, by which he might judge that he might get ſufficient to keep him by doing good Service to the Publick, and living honeſtly.

[67]Whether theſe good Admonitions, or the Fear of this new Law, wrought upon his Conſcience, is uncertain; but there was a ſudden Damp put upon all his Buſineſs, his Books were ſhut up for ſome Weeks, and he grew ſo abſtemious, that he refuſed ſeveral Sums offer'd him for the Recovery of things ſtolen—Yet, he did not break off all Ac⯑quaintance and Correſpondence with his old Friends and Allies, the Thieves; on the con⯑trary, having the Command of ſome Money he gave them ſome ſmall Matters (juſt what he pleas'd) for what Old Nick had ſent them in their Way, and depoſited the Goods up in a Wareheouſe.

In the mean time, all Wild's Acquain⯑tance were inquiſitive to know what he in⯑tended to turn himſelf to; for they took it, for granted, that this new Act had quite cut him out of his former Buſineſs; having a Notion that he was too cunning ever to venture himſelf within the Clutches of the Law.—Wherefore he talk'd of a new Project; which was, for ſetting up a Policy, and opening an Office for taking in Sub⯑ſcriptions for inſuring againſt Robbery; pre⯑tending to ſettle a ſufficient Fund, and give good Security for the Performance of Arti⯑cles; ſometimes ſhewing a manuſcript Paper of Propoſals, and conſulting People whom he ſuppoſed to have any Underſtanding in thoſe Affairs, extolling the great Uſe and [68] Advantage this Project wou'd be to the Pub⯑lick; not doubting, he ſaid, but that all Trading People, as well as Gentlemen and Noblemen, who kept great Quantities of Plate in their Houſes, wou'd for their own ſakes encourage ſo uſeful an Undertaking; bragging that it was no South-Sea-Bubble, and that he could fairly make a great For⯑tune by it.

Whether he gave out this Report only to amuſe People, and to hinder them from en⯑quiring any farther into his Affairs; or whe⯑ther he was in earneſt, and thought to bring it to bear, I can't tell; but the Thing was generally receiv'd as a Banter, or as a Piece of Mr. Wild's Wit, and no farther Steps were taken in it.

It was about this time, that he projected the carrying on a Trade to Holland and Flan⯑ders; and thereupon purchas'd a Sloop, and put in one Roger J—ſon to command her, who had long been one of Jonathan's clever Fellows. He carry'd over Gold Watches, Rings, Plate, and now and then a Bank or Goldſmith's Note, that had been ſpoke with by the way of the Mail. His chief Trading Port was Oſtend, where he is particularly well known; from thence he uſually tra⯑vell'd up to Bruges, Ghent, Bruſſels, and o⯑ther great Towns, where he brought his Toys and Jewels to Market, and then re⯑turn'd to his Sloops took in a Lading of Hol⯑lands, [69] and other Goods, and came back to the River of Thames.

It is not to be expected that Jonathan and Roger would let any one ſhare in the Pro⯑fits of ſuch an honourable Profeſſion: It would have been inconſiſtent with their Pra⯑ctice, who never paid for any thing, to pay Cuſtom; that would have been reflected up⯑on as idle and fooliſh: No, the Cargoe came generally ſafe to Land the firſt Night; and at a certain Houſe within forty Miles of Newington-Buts, moſt Part of the dark Buſi⯑neſs was acted; where Councils were ſecret⯑ly held, and the Projects form'd. But I hope from what has happen'd, ſome Perſons who are well known, will have Prudence to take Warning, ſince I can aſſure them that their Actions are ſifting into by Perſons of no ſmall Penetration, and whom they are not entire Strangers to.

But to return from this Digreſſion, Roger drove on the Buſineſs above-mentioned but two Years, which was owing to an Accident that he himſelf was the Occaſion of: It happen'd, that by ſome Negligence or other, two Pieces of Holland were loſt in the ſhip⯑ping them for England, which, when he ar⯑riv'd, he ſtopp'd out of his Mate's Wages, making him pay for the whole Loſs. This ſo provok'd the Mate, that he went imme⯑diately and gave Information of Jon—n's running ſuch Quantities of Goods. Where⯑upon [70] the Veſſel was exchequer'd in the Ri⯑ver, and he was oblig'd to ſtand a Trial with the King, in which he was caſt in 700 l. Da⯑mages; and ſo his Trade was put an End to in that particular Way.

This Stop brought Jonathan again to Con⯑ſideration; he ſoon miſs'd his Returns from Oſtend, and having three Wives living, and always a Seraglio of Miſtreſſes, no leſs than half a dozen at a time, to maintain, accord⯑ing to his Rank; and being frequently im⯑portun'd and teaz'd by People who had been robb'd, to help them to their Goods, he ven⯑tur'd to dabble a little again; but with great Caution, and for none but ſuch as he took to be Men of Honour; every now and then bringing in an Offering to the Gallows of ſome idle Raſcal who did not mind his Buſi⯑neſs, and who, according to his Notions, was fit for nothing but hanging.

Finding no bad Conſequence to proceed from his new Practice, it made him bolder and bolder, ſo that he began to think he might go on as before, and that he ſhould be connived at; in a ſmall time carrying on his Trade with very little Caution, he went publickly down to the late Inſtal⯑ment at Windſor, accompanied by his Lady Madam Wild, attended by a couple of Foot⯑men in laced Liveries; and the Detachment, he commanded down upon that Occaſion, [71] made as good a Figure, both for Dreſs and Equipage, as any People there.

As there was a very great Booty brought off ſafe from that Expedition, Mr. Wild had more than ordinary Court made to him by People of Faſhion of both Sexes, who ſolli⯑cited hard to have their Jewels, Watches, &c. return'd upon a reaſonable Compoſition; and his open Way of treating upon this Occaſion was the moſt impudent thing he ever did in Contempt of the late Act—He proceeded fo far as to break off with ſeveral People, be⯑cauſe they wou'd not come up to his Terms; and he conſiderably advanced the Price of ſtolen Goods; for whereas at firſt he took no more for any thing of Plate than its Value in Weight, now he wou'd make People pay ſomething for the Faſhion alſo, otherwiſe they ſhould never have them; intending to ſend them over to Holland, where they might come to a better Market.—

Yet no Proſecution follow'd all theſe da⯑ring Proceedings; which made him think, no doubt, that he could do any thing; yet he had not long ago a narrow Eſcape, as we ſhall ſhew by the following Relation.

Jonathan, ſitting one Day at an Inn in Smithfield, obſerv'd a large Trunk in the Yard, and imagining there might be ſome Things of Value therein, he immediately went home, and order'd one Rann, a noto⯑rious [72] Acquaintance, to habit himſelf like a Porter, and to endeavour to ſpeak with it: Rann obeys his Maſter's Commands, and accordingly ſucceeds. The Trunk belong'd to Mr. Jarvis, a Whip-maker in that Neigh⯑bourhood, who was ſending it down to a Dealer in the Country. There was in it a great Quantity of rich Linen, and other Things for a Wedding. Upon Mr. Jarvis's applying to Wild, after many Delays, he had moſt of the Goods again for ten Guineas. But ſoon after Wild and Rann falling out, he got him hang'd. And the Day before his Execution, he ſent for Mr. Jarvis, and re⯑lated to him the above Particulars: But Mr. Jarvis dying ſoon after, Jonathan had the good Luck to hear no more of the Matter.

But now it being decreed by Providence, that Jonathan ſhould reign no longer, he was infatuated to do a Thing which brought on his Deſtruction—Certain Perſons hav⯑ing Information where a conſiderable Quan⯑ty of rich Goods lay, ſuppoſed to be ſtolen, obtain'd a Warrant for the Seiſure of them; which was accordingly done: Tho' Jonathan did not go and claim the Goods as his own, he had the Aſſurance to take out an Action, in the Name of Roger Johnſton, to whom he pretended the Goods belong'd, and ar⯑reſted the Perſon or Perſons who ſeiz'd them. Thus he pretended to recover thoſe Goods by Law, for poſſeſſing which (if they [73] were found upon him) the Law would hang him—

A Proceeding ſo bare-faced and impudent, put certain Perſons upon finding out Means of bringing ſo ſturdy a Rogue to Juſtice; Jonathan was threaten'd loud, which occa⯑ſion'd a Report all over the Town, that he was fled from Juſtice; upon which Occaſion, he publiſh'd a bullying Advertiſement in ſome of the News Papers, offering a Re⯑ward of ten Guineas to any Perſon who ſhou'd diſcover the Author of ſuch a ſcanda⯑lous Report; at the ſame Time he run into all publick Places to ſhew himſelf, and let the World ſee that he was not run away as was reported—Yet, in the midſt of all this bluſtering he was ſeized and committed to Newgate.

There are ſome other Circumſtances in this Story, but as we had it only from his own Mouth, that he was malicious againſt the Perſons concerned, and endeavour'd to aſperſe them, we ſhall ſay no more of it.

How far Roger John—n was concern'd with Wild at the Time of his Apprehenſion, I leave the World to judge, when immedi⯑ately upon his being committed to Newgate, an Expreſs was ſent over, and John—n, with another of the Trade, came down to Oſtend, and appear'd like Perſons of Quality, told the News to all about him, and ſwore he'd hang both Jonathan and the B— who [74] calls her ſelf his Wife; ſo he takes a Packet and hires her for Dover, where he arriv'd: But as he has hot appear'd publickly in Lon⯑don, we may very well ſuppoſe that the hang⯑ing of them was the leaſt Part of his Buſineſs.

We can't forbear obſerving ſomething re⯑markable in the Fate of this Fellow; firſt, that he had Opportunities of eſcaping after he knew that a Proſecution was deſign'd againſt him; and ſecondly, that the Fact for which he died, was committed whilſt he was a Priſoner in Newgate; for he was ſo blind, as to imagine, that the taking but ten Gui⯑neas for the Recovery of the Lace, when the Woman offered fifteen or twenty, and refuſing to accept of any Thing for his own Trouble, and alſo that palliating Speech he made her, that he did theſe Things only to ſerve poor People who had been wronged, wou'd have been Circumſtances in his Fa⯑vour when he ſhould come to be tried; not conſidering that he directly by this Action incurr'd the Penalty of the Act of Parliament before quoted; which is a Proof that all his former Cunning and Sagacity forſook him, when he wanted it moſt, and makes good that Saying—Quem Jupiter vult perdere, dementat prius—Jupiter firſt takes away the Underſtanding of him whom he has a Mind to deſtroy.

I believe no Malefactor ever ſtood his Ground ſo long, committing every Day acts [75] of Felony in Sight of the World; ſo that I've heard him compute, that in fifteen Years he had receiv'd near ten thouſand Pounds for his Dividend of ſtoln Goods return'd, living all this while in Riot and Voluptuouſneſs.

But Vengeance at length overtook him, and from the Minute of his being ſeized, his Senſe and Reſolution fail'd; nor was he ſpi⯑rited up by the Hopes of a Reprieve, which ſome People endeavoured to flatter him with, and induſtriouſly ſpread ſuch a Rumour about, whilſt they were trembling, leſt it ſhould be ſo; becauſe, he and they are ſuppos'd to be no Strangers to each others Practices.

We ſhall not trouble the Readers with any Thing which has already been made Pub⯑lick, concerning this extraordinary Fellow, who has made ſo much Noiſe in the World; therefore we ſhall conclude, with obſerving that whoever had ſeen him in the Gaiety of his Life, when all his Rogueries were ſuc⯑ceſsful; and had alſo been Witneſs of his deplorable State of Mind after his Condem⯑nation, might have drawn a Leſſon of Mora⯑lity from it, which perhaps might have been of Uſe to an Atheiſt.

I ſay, to have ſeen one remarkable for the Gaiety of his Temper, for a vaſt Depth of Cunning, as well as Hardneſs and perſonal Courage, ſo chang'd at the Apprehenſions of his approaching Death, and the great Ac⯑count which is to follow; to have ſeen him [76] under the greateſt Diſtractions and Horrors of Mind, that human Nature is capable of ſuf⯑fering, wou'd be convinc'd, that Virtue only can give true Tranquillity, and nothing can ſupport a Man againſt the Terrors of Death, but a good Conſcience.

A true COPY of a Paper, written by JONATHAN WILDE, on Saturday the 24th Day of May, 1725, and deſigned to have been deliver'd by him at the Place of Execution, to the Reverend Mr. Edwards; but was prevented by the Draught of Opium he took the Night before his Death in the Condemn'd Hold of Newgate.

IT having pleaſed Almighty God in his Ju⯑ſtice, to put an End to a moſt vicious and wicked Courſe of Life, by a ſhameful and ignominious Death; the World will expect ſome Account of my real Sentiments, and Be⯑haviour under ſo great a Viciſſitude.

Such as expect any extraordinary Diſcove⯑ries and Confeſſions from me, will be diſap⯑pointed; for my Affairs are too much confu⯑ſed, and my Mind too ſadly perplexed to give [77] me Room to ſatisfie the Curious in a particu⯑lar Manner; neither do I believe it would be of any publick Advantage, except to ſome few Printers and Publiſhers.

Let it ſuffice, that I have gone on in a long Series of dreadful Guilt, and no Crime (Trea⯑ſon, Murder, and Sodomy excepted) eſcaped me; for which God's Vengeance has now over⯑taken me. My raſh Zeal to ſerve Mr. John⯑ſon, by directing an Action to be brought for the Recovery of his Effects, has facilitated my Fate, and utterly undone me, by putting me into the Hands and Power of my Enemies. That I had previous Notice of their Deſigns, and of Warrants being iſſued againſt me, is too no⯑torious to be conteſted; and I might have eſca⯑ped far enough out of their Reach many Times, if I had thought my ſelf in any Dan⯑ger; but I am equally ſurprized with the reſt of the World, who never thought Matters could have been carried to this Height a⯑gainſt me.

The Methods I took for to procure a Reſpite, and protract the Time of my Execution, were no other than what is natural enough to poor Wretches under the dreadful Sentence of Death, and what has been often practiſed by Malefactors of much greater Rank and Qua⯑lity than my ſelf. I mean my pretending to diſcover the Perſons that robb'd the Exche⯑quer; but the Government was wiſer, and [78] knew better Things than to be impoſed on by ſo mean and deſpicable a Criminal.

As Mr. Recorder was pleaſed at my Tryal, to ſay that the Clauſe in the Act of Parlia⯑ment, by which I now fall, was directly le⯑velled againſt me; and that himſelf had fre⯑quently admoniſhed me againſt acting in Con⯑tempt of the ſame. I do not pretend to deny it; but preſuming on the Services I did the Publick, by apprehending and bringing to Ju⯑ſtice great Numbers of Robbers, at the appa⯑rent Hazard of my Life; I hoped that Law might have been diſpenſed with, and thoſe Ser⯑vices ballance the Inconveniencies ariſing from my recovering ſtolen Goods; and indeed it was upon this Foundation that I all along acted.

I return Thanks to my Neighbours and others, who did ſo readily attend at the Seſſions-Houſe to have teſtified for my De⯑meanour amongſt them, if there had been Occaſion for it; and to all other Perſons whatſo⯑ever who have aſſiſted me in my Miſery, and wiſhed well to me.

And particularly my dying Thanks to the Reverend Dr. Knight, the Reverend Mr. Ni⯑cholſon, and the Reverend Mr. Purney, for the great Comforts their Chriſtian Labours have brought to my Soul; and to all others who have charitably aſſiſted me to undergo this great Conflict with a Chriſtian Fortitude.

The Reaſon I have to expect ill Treatment from the Poplulace, gives me much Uneaſineſs, [79] and ſtrikes me with great Terror. The bar⯑barous Inſults I met with from them after my receiving Sentence of Death at the Seſſions-Houſe, I believe were ſuch, as never was ſhewn before to a Perſon in my Circumſtances, in no Country upon Earth. I freely forgive them, and all the reſt of my Enemies whatſo⯑ever, hoping to meet with Forgiveneſs for all my enormous Crimes and Offences from the Great God of Mercy and Truth, whom I have broughout the whole Courſe of my Life grie⯑vouſly offended. Lord have Mercy upon me. Lord receive me.

JONATHAN WILDE.
FINIS.
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