_Account of my Situation at Bury St. Edmunds.—Obstinately
determine to relinquish it, and return to London.—Defraud
several Tradesmen.—Quit the Town, and arrive in the
Metropolis.—Obtain a quantity of Wearing Apparel under false
Pretences._
I found Mr. Dalton to be a gentleman of high respectability in his
profession, and of the most prepossessing manners. He gave me a very
kind and polite reception, and after some conversation, conducted me
himself to the best inn in the town, where he ordered that I should be
entertained at his expense, until I could provide myself a convenient
residence. Mr. Dalton had a very handsome house, and kept several
servants, but, being a bachelor and a good deal from home, it was not
convenient for me to reside with him. The day after my arrival, he,
therefore, advised me to make inquiry for board and lodging in some
regular and decent family, and to consult him on the eligibility before
I made any engagement. I accordingly began my inquiries, and at length
found accommodation in the family of a tradesman of whom Mr. Dalton
approved. Here I was to be lodged and boarded very comfortably at nine
shillings per week! This charge, to me, who had been accustomed to the
expenses of London, appeared moderate in the extreme: however, being
willing to make the best bargain I could, I informed the good woman, that
as I should receive my salary quarterly from Mr. Dalton, I could only
undertake to pay her at the like period, to which proposal she therefore
readily consented. My motive in this proceeding was, that in case I
quitted Bury before the end of the first quarter, I might decamp without
coming to a settlement, and by this means have my weekly pay of twenty
shillings entire for other purposes.
Having removed from the inn to my new abode, I was instructed by Mr.
Dalton in the nature of my employment, which was chiefly to copy or
engross deeds in conveyancing, and other similar documents, peculiar to
country practitioners. In a few days I had a correct idea of what was
necessary to be done, and Mr. Dalton perceiving I required no instruction
from him, gave me sole charge of the office, which was detached from
his house, and left it to my discretion as to the hours or duration
of my attendance. This liberty I did not abuse, but kept every thing
in such exact order that I had soon the pleasure of giving him entire
satisfaction.
Mr. Dalton kept a gig, and two blood-horses: as he had a good deal
of public business, relating to county matters, and was one of the
commissioners for the redemption of the land-tax, which sometimes
obliged him to attend meetings at the several market-towns round about
Bury, he often took me with him in his gig, attended by his servant on
horseback. On these occasions there were usually public dinners at the
principal inns, provided at the expense of the county, or the persons
interested. The fare was always sumptuous, and there was no stint of the
best wines. At other times I was detached on horseback, accompanied by
the servant as a guide, to transact business with different clients, in
various parts of the county. I was not limited in my expenses, and the
account I presented on my return, was freely liquidated by Mr. Dalton.
Upon the whole, this was one of the most agreeable employments I ever
engaged in, and had I prudently retained it for a few years, there is
no doubt but I should have met with the most liberal encouragement from
my employer. But my natural inconstancy still prevailed; and I had
been but a few weeks at Bury, before I grew tired of the country, and
thought of nothing but returning to London, with such spoil as I could
obtain from the credulity of the tradesmen in the town. With this view,
I bespoke clothes, boots, linen, and other articles at various shops,
informing the parties that I should expect credit till the expiration of
my quarter, to which, on account of the respectable gentleman I served,
they readily consented. As soon as any of these goods were brought home,
I immediately packed them up in small portable parcels, which I sent up
to London by the coach, consigned to a pawnbroker with whom I was on
intimate terms; desiring him to receive and keep them safe, until he saw
me. I also coached off in the same clandestine manner, such of my own
apparel, _&c._, as I had in my trunk, in which, to prevent discovery, I
deposited stones or bricks to preserve its gravity. By these means I had
nothing to impede my sudden departure, when rendered necessary by the
arrival of the expected quarter-day.
I must here observe, to meet any surprise the reader might feel on
the subject, that as I had never at this time been connected with
downright thieves, so I had never yet committed an actual theft, save
the embezzlement of money at Liverpool; (which indeed the law has lately
made a felonious taking;) though I therefore scrupled not at practising
a fraud, I was not yet sufficiently depraved to commit a robbery. This
will account for my not robbing the premises of Mr. Dalton, which at a
subsequent period of my life, would have been my primary object, as I
had access to every part of the house, and have frequently viewed with
longing eyes, the servant cleaning a handsome service of plate in the
pantry.
I had now been about two months at Bury, and had no intention of
absconding till the expiration of the third; when an accidental event
induced me to hasten my departure. One afternoon Mr. Dalton had written
several letters in the office, and the footman being elsewhere engaged,
he requested me to drop them in the post-office, in my way home. I
accordingly brought them out in my hand, and happening inadvertently to
cast my eye on the superscriptions, I perceived that one was addressed
to Mr. Lyne, tailor, Cecil-street, Strand, London. Being curious to know
what correspondence Mr. Dalton could have with a tailor, I opened this
letter, and found the contents to the following effect: “Mr. Lyne,—By
the waggon which goes from hence on Monday next, and arrives at the
Blue Boar in Bishopsgate-street on Wednesday night, I shall send you a
portmanteau corded and sealed, but not locked, containing two coats,
sixteen waistcoats, fourteen pair of breeches, and a suit of uniform of
the city Light Horse[15]. Most of these articles are nearly as good as
new, but as they have now become unfashionable, I desire you will dispose
of them to the best advantage, on my account, and send me down by the
same conveyance, two suits made in the present taste,” _&c._
It immediately struck me, that if I took measures accordingly, I might
arrive in town time enough to intercept and obtain this trunk from the
inn; for which purpose I put this letter in my pocket, and the others in
the post-office. The next day, happening to go into Mr. Dalton’s kitchen,
I there saw the portmanteau corded up, and directed; and on questioning
the servant in a careless manner about it, he informed me that he was
going to carry it to the ⸺ inn, the following evening, in readiness for
the departure of the waggon. The same afternoon it happened, (which was a
most fortunate circumstance for me,) that Mr. Dalton again begged of me
to put some letters in the post-office, which he had not done above twice
or thrice since I came into his service. Looking at these letters, I saw
to my surprise, another addressed to Mr. Lyne as before, which, eagerly
opening, I found was to mention something Mr. Dalton said he had forgot
in his letter of the preceding day. I immediately destroyed this second
letter, which (had it come to hand) might have frustrated my design.
I now prepared matters for eloping, and sent off the remainder of my
effects by the coach as before: but my good fortune produced another
windfall of which I had no expectation. The day before my intended
departure, I was walking in the market-place with a young man, who was
clerk to another attorney in the town, and the conversation turning upon
watches, my companion observed that if I wished to purchase one, he would
introduce me to a maker of his acquaintance, who would use me well on
his account. I took him at his word, and begged he would immediately do
so. We were then within a few doors of the shop, into which we entered;
and I perceived over the window in large characters, “Lumley and
_Gudgeon_, Watchmakers.” I laughed inwardly at the singularity of the
latter name, which I considered ominous of my success in the imposition
I meant to put upon him. After a short preliminary conversation, my
acquaintance having business to do, took his leave, and Mr. Gudgeon
himself proceeded to shew me several watches. I informed him that I
wished to have a good one, but my circumstances would not allow me to
go to a high price. Mr. Gudgeon assured me it was better to have a good
one at once, and recommended me a very handsome gilt watch, capped and
jewelled, and his own make, which he said he could warrant to perform
well, and for which he asked me eight guineas. I replied that as my
weekly salary from Mr. Dalton was but one pound, I could not afford to
give so much, and began to examine others of a cheaper kind, but still
letting him see that I had a strong inclination for the one he had
recommended. This induced him to repeat his praises of the latter, and to
press me with greater energy, to fix upon it. I at length (with a shew
of much reluctance) suffered myself to be persuaded; but I begged leave
to observe, that as I was influenced in every thing by the advice of
my good master, Mr. Dalton, I would not venture to make so expensive a
purchase without his approbation; that if he would therefore intrust me
with the watch, I would consult Mr. Dalton and give him (Mr. Gudgeon,) a
decisive answer the next morning: this he declared himself willing to do,
on which I took both the watch and my leave together, and returned home.
The next morning I attended the office as usual, but of course took no
notice to Mr. Dalton of the affair in hand. During the space of time I
allotted myself for dinner, I again called on Mr. Gudgeon, and told him
that I should keep the watch, provided he would receive the payment by
instalments, as I could not afford to pay the whole price at once. I
therefore proposed to give him the ensuing Saturday, one or two guineas,
as I should find most convenient, and to pay him half-a-guinea a week
afterwards, until the whole was liquidated. To this he readily agreed,
and having fitted a key to the watch, he begged leave to shew me some
chains and seals. Of the former he had none but gilt ones: I selected
one of the neatest, and a handsome gold seal. I then desired to have a
bill of parcels of the whole, observing that whenever I paid a sum upon
account, Mr. Gudgeon could make a memorandum of it at the bottom by way
of receipt. Having obtained this, I departed, promising to be punctual
in paying my first instalment on the day appointed. This took place
on Tuesday, the portmanteau being now on its way to London; and the
same evening I quitted my lodgings privately, leaving nothing behind
but a trunk, containing brickbats and stones, and walked by moonlight
to a village four miles distant, through which the stage-coach was to
pass the next morning at 7 o’clock. I procured some supper at a decent
public-house, and retired to rest, desiring to be called in time for
the coach. At the expected hour the stage made its appearance, in which
I seated myself, and about eight the same evening, arrived at the Blue
Boar, just two hours after the waggon, which I perceived standing in the
yard.
As soon as I descended from the coach, I walked into the coach-office,
and inquired of the book-keeper, if the Bury waggon was arrived; he
replying that it was, I told him that I expected a trunk, and on my
describing the direction, he looked over the way-bill, and informed me
there was such an article, but the waggon would not be unladen till the
next morning, when I might obtain it by application. I now retired to
the Cross Keys in Gracechurch-street, where I procured a bed; the next
morning, having breakfasted, I repaired to the Blue Boar, where I had the
pleasure of finding the waggon unloaded; and boldly entering the office,
I inquired if I could have the trunk I had applied for the night before.
The clerk recollecting me, searched for and found it immediately; and
placing it on the counter, demanded a trifling sum for carriage. While
I was joyfully opening my purse to pay this demand, the book-keeper,
seeming to recollect himself, after a short apology, told me it was not
customary with him to deliver goods to a stranger, without he was shewn
a letter or other authority to warrant such delivery, as so many frauds
had been practised upon inn keepers of late. I affected to be a little
displeased at his suspicion, but acknowledging the justice of such
precautions, I assured him I had received a letter of advice from Bury,
but I doubted whether I had it about me, then pulling out my pocket-book,
hastily turned over a number of papers, and pretending to be a little
concerned at my want of thought, informed the clerk that I had left
the letter at home, and must therefore suffer him to send the trunk to
Cecil-street, although it would occasion an expense for porterage which
I intended to have saved; then repeating my vexation, and carelessly
arranging the pocket-book, I luckily found the identical letter, which
I had (as I pretended) overlooked in my haste. I now drew it forth in
triumph, and obliquely hinting how incapable I was of a fraudulent action
was opening the letter to shew him the contents; but this cautious person
took me aback a second time, by observing that it was unnecessary to
peruse the letter, all that he required was to see the post-mark! This
was a difficulty of which I had not the least idea, and was therefore
unprepared to meet it, and I have often since wondered that my confusion
did not betray me; but I had sufficient presence of mind to answer with a
smile, that I could account for the absence of a post-mark, by informing
him that I received this letter enclosed in a frank or envelope, which
I had destroyed. This satisfied him, and having read a few lines of the
letter, he delivered the trunk, which I brought away from the inn, and
having called a coach was driven to Aldersgate-street, where I was set
down at the end of a narrow court or passage, leading to West-Smithfield;
through this court I proceeded on foot to prevent my being traced, as no
person could follow me without my perceiving it. Being now out of danger
I took another coach in Smithfield, and was carried to my friend the
pawnbroker’s, to whom I had consigned my effects from Bury; but on my
way, I purchased a handsome large trunk, capable of containing the whole
of my property, including the contents of Mr. Dalton’s portmanteau. The
latter (on arriving at the pawnbroker’s) I removed into my new trunk,
and presented my friend with the portmanteau; then arranging also the
contents of my various parcels, and paying him for the carriage, _&c._, I
left my trunk in his care, until I had procured a lodging, which was the
next object I had in view.
I could not help applauding myself on the dexterity with which I had
accomplished this latter adventure, as well as on the general success of
my expedition to Suffolk, on which I had been absent from London exactly
nine weeks. And when it is considered that I was then but just turned of
seventeen years old, the reader must allow that I displayed a genius and
abilities which, had they been devoted to more honourable purposes, would
have done me no small credit. But I am now writing my “Confessions,” and
shall therefore not attempt to palliate my faults at the expense of my
veracity.