_Some Instructions given me by our Grand master-Thief._
After I was sworn, and full bowls of Sack had trould round, our grand
Master-Thief, composing his Countenance, and looking very gravely, Come
my new and young Knight of the Road, be ruled by me, whose long
experience makes me able to command, and my love to you willing to
instruct you. Ever lurk or lie in some by-place most advantageous and
least suspitious which yields the eye the prospect of the Road: so
strictly view the Booties, that other mens misfortunes may enrich your
condition, and the honest mans loss be your gain; and be sure you draw
every advantage that may promote your cause, to the longest extent. For
your Masks and Chin-cloth, thus must you place them and fit them at a
moment to disguise your face, thereby to blind the intellects of such as
by constraint pay tribute to your wants; who then can know & with
considerate heed directly swear you are the man, when these artificial
vizards are withdrawn, and so the visible tokens vanish that might
inform mens knowledge what you are? and that your words may have a
different sound, alter your voice, that so as your habit, face, and
haire obscure your discovery, your speech (reputed undisguiseable) will
add to your concealment and security.
Be sure you ingeniously contrive a Watch-word to your selves that may
occasion no suspition; as, we are like to have a fair day or a foul,
according as the weather is like to prove; which being nam’d, let every
man fall to his work; those that are strongest at the grasp, and have
hearts accordingly, let them seize first, alwayes duly observing this,
to catch the bridle by the left hand, and with the right draw your
Sword. If he or they resist, the one prevents his flight, the other
cuts, and so cools his courage. The weaker sorts charge is to bid stand,
and confronting the Horses head, present a Pistol fit for to discharge.
If they deny delivering patiently what they have, but contend, you must
wave all niceties, but cut them soundly; if that will not qualifie their
foolish presumption, be sure you fire not without doing Execution, and
then with all speed fly, after you have with expedition taken the
pillage of the field.
If you are pursu’d by an Hue and Cry, obscure your self in some place or
other, and let it pass by you, and then to be sure it will never
overtake you. If a prize comes by, or in your sight, if up the Hill,
meet him; if down, follow close at the heels, and having more in company
then your self, let each man single out his choice which he likes to
deal with: the coast being clear, fall up all to your close order and
side, be sure that you joyntly seize your prize. But here observe, let
not any baseness of spirit unman you. For (_speaking to me_) nature hath
bestow’d on you the full proportion of limbs, and thou seem’st a man of
courage, suitable to the largeness of thy manly size, but be not
surpriz’d with fear or cowardise if the assailed boldly assaults thee.
Full fraught with the Documents which I receiv’d from my old experienced
Master, I resolv’d upon some atchievement: between two and three in the
afternoon, I my self with four more set out; we planted our selves in a
convenient place, only I was sent out for a discoverer: not rightly
understanding my trade, I wandered too far, but in my digression I met
with a single person whom I bid stand, which he would have done, and as
willingly have surrendred his purse, but that he was mounted on a
stone-horse, I on a Mare. Assoon as I had given the word, his
stone-horse wheel’d off and came in the rear of me: I thinking he
intended to crupper me, endeavoured all wayes imaginable to prevent him,
for there was something it seems under my Mares tail more powerful,
which at that time I dreamt not of. I led him round and round several
times circularly: the poor harmless Gentleman fearing he should provoke
me too much by delays, the unruliness of his Horse hindring my seising
the Booty, cry’d out, Worthy Sir, take what I have and spare my life: at
that very instant his Horse reared his two fore-feet upon me and my
Mare, in so much that I thought he said, I’le take both Life and Money
too presently; fear had then rendred me so incapable of performing the
office of a Thief. With that I put spurs to my Mare, and flew through
the air for the procuration of my safety. Notwithstanding I made what
speed I could, the other was close at my heels: striving and kicking
with both my legs, one of my Pistols went off in my Pocket: the
apprehension of the present danger had bereft me of the true use of my
sense, for I imagined that my back-friend had discharged at me, which
made me roar out for quarter. He on the contrary concluded I fought
_Tartar_-like flying, and that I had fired it at him, which made him
with much eagerness eccho out with repetition this expression, _As you
are a man, shew your self merciful_. Sometimes he would say, For heavens
sake hold, good Sir stop; which made me ride more furiously, thinking he
called to the Country, Hold him, stop him; at last do what I could, his
Stone-horse leapt up upon us, at that instant (by what means I know not)
we all came headlong to the ground. I expected now that my imaginary
adversary would be upon me, and cut my throat before I could recover my
legs, wherefore I started up, and found my mortal foe up before me, and
upon the run. I could have hang’d my self to think I should be reckoned
among the number of men, and yet want that spirit and courage which
compleats a man: but loosing no time, I pursu’d him, and easily made my
self possessor of what he had; Sirrah, said I, if e’re I meet thee
again, and find thee so obstinate, or durst resist, as now thou hast
done, I will tye thee to a Tree in some obscure place, where none can
hear thy doleful cryes, and there for six days thou shalt have no other
food but what I shall bring thee. Once a day during that term I will
visit thee, and each days Meat shall be either a piece of thine own
Sword broken into small bits, or those Bullets (which thou intendest for
the destruction of honest men) dissolv’d, and mingled with Gunpowder,
which shall be convey’d to thy mouth through the muzzle of thine own
Pistol. It pleased me exceedingly to see how pitifully and submissively
he look’t: for verily I durst not have utter’d half so much if he had
shown an austere countenance.
As I was framing a lye to delude my Comerades (when I should meet them)
into a belief how valiant I was, and dextrous in prosecution of that
design I had newly undertaken, I lookt about me & saw them all at my
elbow. I now believ’d (which I easily perceiv’d by their flearing looks)
that they were all eye-witnesses of my dangerous encounter. Oh brother,
said one, how is’t? are you well? I askt him the reason of his
impertinent question? Because, said he, we took notice of the great
danger you were in even now, narrowly escaped of being shot by a
Pocket-Inkhorn. Without doubt, brother, you are very hard hearted to fly
(riding full speed) at the very naming of, _Good Sir be merciful_. The
poor harmless soul making frequent repetition thereof, but you stopping
your ears from all intreaties, his Stone horse seem’d to be his
advocate, and to that intent ran after your Mare, endeavouring to court
her into an intercession for his Master.
I should never have stopt their mouths had I not shew’d them what I had
gotten, which was not inconsiderable.
It was twy-light as we met with another Prize, which was of a different
temper from the former. For though he and his fellow-traveller were
(comparatively to any of us) but Pigmies, yet of so undaunted resolution
and unresistable courage, that neither threats of death, or torture (I
am confident) could dull the edges of their couragious spirits, which
might be in part understood by their deportment to us: for had we not
slasht, carbonadoed, and forceably bound them, rather then they would
have yielded willingly, they would have stoopt to death. Our power
having subdued them, we withdrew them into a secret place, leaving them
not any thing valuable. Then did I learn to search with so strict care,
that sooner might the Grand _Turk_ turn _Roman_ Catholick then conceal a
penny from me; here was I taught to be deaf when the poor Traveller
cries he is undone; and to be more flinty then Adamant, not to be mov’d
with sighs or tears. Having ingag’d them by Oath not to follow us by Hue
and Cry, or by means of a general rising of the Towns adjacent; these
two fellows robbed, rifled and amazed, we left wrapt up in woes, and
hasted away to secure ourselves.
I shall conclude this Chapter with a Relation how I was quit with my
Comrades upon the account of fear or timorousness. Neither could they
justly tax me with it, since they are things entail’d upon the
profession. For every Crow that flies extracts a fear, and every thing
that doth but stir, or make the bushes rush, seem’d to our fearful fancy
a Constable to apprehend us for our Theft. I cannot forget how strong a
confusion arose amongst us by a trifle; the means were so small, and the
occasion so ridiculous, that when after I thought thereon (though by my
self) I could not forbear laughing excessively, and condemn the temerity
of such minds so meanly spirited. ’Twas thus in short: An Owle who to
gain shelter from the troubles of a Sunshine day, when all the airy
tribe (wandring) flock to him, screen’d himself in the obscure retired
residence of an hollow tree; no sooner had he cloister’d up himself, but
between discontent and something of a pleasing satisfaction he first
utter’d his amazing screeks, being in a slumber, and dreaming of the
assaults were made at him by his feather’d enemies of all sorts, and
then again awaking, whoopt for joy that he was delivered from them; thus
did he whoop and hollow incessantly, which infus’d such a terrour into
our distrustful minds, that Whips, Switches and Spurs were all too few
to expedite our hast. For we absolutely thought those Hollows were the
out-cryes of the Country following us for what we had committed. We at
length took Sanctuary in an Inn, where we had some interest and
confidence in our security.
Understanding that our days work had been prosperous, our Host calls
lustily for Sack, which the drawer doubles in the Bar; the Hostler must
be one of our company too, and hail fellow with us, who knowing what
courses we take, presume we dare not cavil, lest they betray our
practises. _Sic nos non nobis._ So we rob for them, and not for our
selves; for by that time we have profusely frolickt (a bill whereof
shall be brought in of twice as much as we called for) and have bestowed
our largesses to the Servants, and offer’d up our (expected) sacrifices
to our Landlady, or her Daughter, for some private favour received, we
find our selves to have the least share, and so betake our selves to our
trade till apprehension take from us that liberty, and the Law
sentenceth us to pay our lives as a just debt we owe to Justice.