This unfortunate man was the son of parents in good circumstances in the
Kingdom of Ireland, who were very careful of giving him the best
education they were capable of, both as to letters and as to the
principles of the Christian religion. Yet from some hope they had of his
succeeding in a military way, they chose rather to let him serve in the
army than breed him to any particular trade. It seems he behaved so well
in the regiment of dragoons in which he served, that his officers
advanced him to the post of sergeant, and just as the Peace was
concluded, he had hopes of being made a quartermaster. But the regiment
then being broke, his hopes were all dissipated, and he thrown into the
world to shift for himself as well as he could.
In Ireland he remained with his friends some years, but finding by
degrees that their kindness cooled, and that it would be impossible for
him to subsist much longer upon the bounty of his relations, he
thereupon resolved to come over at once to England and endeavour to live
here by his wits. The gaming tables were the places where he chiefly
resorted, but finding that fortune was a mistress not to be depended
upon he resolved to take some more certain method of living, and for
that purpose associated himself with ten or a dozen knights of the road.
He continued his practices without the least suspicion for a very
considerable time, in all which he appeared one of the greatest beaux at
the other end of the town.
But growing uneasy in the midst of that seeming gaiety in which he
lived, and being under some apprehensions that one or more of his
companions was meditating means of making peace with the government at
the expense of his life, he resolved to prevent them; and thereupon
surrendered himself of his own accord into the hands of a constable, and
gave the best information he was able against all his confederates. But
however it was, most of them had previous knowledge of the warrants
issued against them, and thereby made their escapes. Others who were
apprehended were acquitted by the jury, notwithstanding this evidence
against them, so that the public not being likely to reap any benefit by
his discovery, some people thought proper to turn his own confession
upon himself. Accordingly, at the next Sessions at the Old Bailey, he
was indicted for feloniously stealing a gold watch value twenty pounds,
out of the house of Thomas Martin, on the 30th of August preceding the
indictment. He was also indicted a second time for feloniously stealing
a diamond ring out of the shop of John Trible, on the 25th of August.
Both these facts were in the information he had made, and therefore the
proof was dear and direct against him, and beyond his power to avoid by
any defence.
Under sentence of death be behaved himself with great resignation,
seemed to be very penitent for those numerous offences he had committed,
though now and then he let fell expressions which showed that he thought
himself hardly dealt with by those who had received his confession.
However, what with fear and concern, and what with the moistness of the
place wherein he was confined, he fell into a grievous distemper, which
quickly increased into a high fever, which affected his senses, and
shortly after took away his life, just as a very worthy gentleman in the
commission for the peace for Middlesex had procured his life, which was
thus ended by the course of Nature though in the cells of Newgate, he
being then in the forty-fourth year of his age. He died on the 5th of
April, 1730.