she was all cock-a-hoop at the thought of having such a fine handsome
young blade for a husband, all the other women of the town, old and young,
were ready to tear out her eyes and boil them in their own blood with
womanly vexation and revenge, and spoke of the intended bridegroom as the
Count _Don't-know-who_!
On Thursday the bells of the old parish church rang merrily
ding!-dong!!-ding!!! and the happy couple were married, our old and
respected Rector officiating; assisted by his Curate, Rev. Mr. ----, and
all the parish was gay from one end to the other.
[Illustration]
A few hours after the ceremony had taken place, whilst the happy couple
were feasting on all of the very best with their friends and relations, a
stranger, fat and greasy, and looking like a master or journeyman butcher
in his Sunday clothes, and about forty years of age, and black whiskers,
made his appearance, and not being acquainted with the occasion that
brought the party together, without hesitation exclaimed, loud enough to
be heard by all in the room, "Well, brother-blade, you are a lucky fellow!
the business about Sal Saunders is all settled to our satisfaction, the
lawyer made a good job of it for you, poleaxed the lot on the other side
in prime style, and skinned 'em alive, so you may now return home to
Whitechapel and put on your blue apron and steel."--The company stood
aghast, the bride fainted, and all was confusion. At length it came out
that the newly-married man had a wife and four children at home, and that
his visit to the above town was in consequence of a woman swearing a child
to him. In the midst of the confusion which this discovery occasioned, the
bridegroom and his brother slaughterman from Whitechapel--which is in
London--made a sudden retreat, and--have not since been heard of.
THE EFFECTS OF LOVE.
SAD SHOCKING NEWS!
CRUEL SEDUCTION: DREADFUL WARNING TO ALL YOUNG
WOMEN IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD TO BEWARE OF
YOUNG MEN'S DELUDING AND FLATTERING TONGUES.
The following melancholy account of her cruel seduction and desertion by
her base lover was forwarded to that very worthy man Mr. ---- a
churchwarden, well-known and respected by all in this neighbourhood by
Miss S----h W----r, the night before she committed suicide.
Young lovers all I pray draw near,
Sad shocking news you soon shall hear,
And when that you the same are told,
It will make your very blood run cold.
Miss S----h W---- Is my name,
I brought myself to grief and shame,
By loving one that ne'er loved me,
My sorrow now I plainly see.
Mark well the words that will be said,
By W---- E---- I was betray'd,
By his false tongue I was beguil'd
At length to him I proved with child.
At rest with him I ne'er could be,
Until he had his will of me,
To his fond tales I did give way,
And did from paths of virtue stray.
My grief is more than I can bear,
I am disregarded every where,
Like a blooming flower I am cut down,
And on me now my love does frown.
Oh! the false oathes he has sworn to me,
That I his lawful bride should be,
May I never prosper night, or day,
If I deceive you, he would say.
But now the day is past and gone,
That he fix'd to be married on,
He scarcely speaks when we do meet,
And strives to shun me in the street.
I did propose on Sunday night,
To walk once more with my heart's delight,
On the Umber's banks where billows roar,
We parted there to meet no more.
His word was pledged unto me,
He never shall prosper nor happy be,
The ghost of me and my infant dear,
They both shall haunt him every where.
William dear when this you see,
Remember how you slighted me,
Farewell vain world; false man adieu,
I drown myself for love of you.
As a token that I died for love,
There will be seen a milk-white dove,
Which over my watery tomb shall fly,
And there you'll find my body lie.
These cheeks of mine once blooming red,
Must now be mingled with the dead,
From the deep waves to a bed of clay,
Where I must sleep till the Judgement Day.
A Joyful rising then I hope to have,
When Angels call me from the grave
Receive my soul, O Lord most high,
For broken hearted I must die.
Grant me one favour that's all I crave,
Eight pretty maidens let me have,
Dress'd all in white a comely show,
To carry me to the grave below.
Now all young girls I hope on earth,
Will be warned by my untimely death,
Take care sweet maidens when you are young,
Of men's deluding--flattering tongue.
PRINTED IN LONDON FOR THE VENDERS.
SHOCKING RAPE AND DREADFUL MURDER OF TWO LOVERS.
[Illustration]
SHOWING HOW JOHN HODGES, A FARMER'S SON,
COMMITTED A RAPE UPON JANE WILLIAMS,
AND AFTERWARDS MURDERED HER AND
HER LOVER, WILLIAM EDWARDS,
IN A FIELD NEAR PAXTON.
This is a most revolting murder. It appears Jane Williams was keeping
company, and was shortly to be married to William Edwards, who was in the
employment of Farmer Hodges. For some time a jealousy existed in John
Hodges, who made vile proposals to the young girl, who although of poor
parents was strictly virtuous. The girl's father also worked on Farmer
Hodges' estate. On Thursday last she was sent to the farm to obtain some
things for her mother, who was ill; it was 9 o'clock in the evening when
she set out, a mile from the farm. Going across the fields she was met by
the farmer's son, who made vile proposals to her, which she not consenting
to, he threw her down, and accomplished his vile purpose. In the meantime
her lover had been to her house, and finding she was gone to the farm,
went to meet her. He found her in the field crying, and John Hodges
standing over her with a bill-hook, saying he would kill her if she ever
told. No one can tell the feelings of the lover, William Edwards. He
rushed forward, when Hodges, with the hook, cut the legs clean from his
body, and with it killed the poor girl, and then run off. Her father
finding she did not return, went to look for her, when the awful deeds
were discovered. Edwards was still alive, but died shortly afterwards from
loss of blood, after giving his testimony to the magistrates. The farmer's
son was apprehended, and has been examined and committed to take his trial
at the next assizes.
Thousands of persons followed the unfortunate lovers to the grave, where
they were both buried together.
COPY OF VERSES.
Jane Williams had a lover true
And Edwards was his name,
Whose visits to her father's house,
Had welcome now became.
In marriage soon they would be bound,
A loving man and wife,
But John Hodges, a farmer's son
With jealousy was rife.
One night he met her in the fields,
And vile proposals made;
How can I do this wicked thing,
Young Jane then weeping said.
He quickly threw her on the ground,
He seized her by surprise,
And did accomplish his foul act
Despite her tears and cries.
Her lover passing by that way,
Discovered her in tears,
And when he found what had been done
He pulled the monster's ears.
Young Hodges with the bill-hook,
Then cut young Edwards down;
And by one fatal blow he felled
Jane Williams on the ground.
There side by side the lovers lay
Weltering in their blood:
Young Jane was dead, her lover lived,
Though ebb'd away life's flood.
Old Williams sought his daughter dear,
When awful to relate,
He found her lifeless body there,
Her lover's dreadful fate.
Now in one grave they both do lie,
These lovers firm and true,
Who by a cruel man were slain
Who'll soon receive his due.
In prison now he is confined,
To answer for the crime.
Two lovers that he murdered,
Cut off when in their prime.
[Illustration]
_A Funny_ DIALOGUE
BETWEEN A
FAT BUTCHER
And A
[Illustration]
MACKEREL
_In Newport Market_
Yesterday.
BUTCHER.--Well, Mr. Mackerel, pray let me ask you how you come to show
your impudent face among those who don't want to see you or any of your
crew?
MACKEREL.--That my company is not agreeable to many such as you I very
well know; but here I am, and will keep my place in spite of you. Don't
think to frighten me with your lofty looks, Mr. Green. You are an enemy to
the poor, I am their true friend, and I will be in spite of you.
BUTCHER.--I will soon see the end of you and your vain boasting. What's
the poor to me?
MACKEREL.--I and thousands of my brethren are come to town for the sole
good of the industrious poor. We will soon pull down your high prices,
your pride and consequence, and Melt your fat off your overgrown Carcass.
I am their sworn friend, and although you are biting off your tongue with
vexation, yet I am determined they shall have a cheap Meal--good, sweet,
and wholesome--put that in your pipe and smoke it.
BUTCHER.--Aye, aye. You are a saucy set, confound you altogether.
Oddzbobs, I wish the Devil had the whole of your disagreeable tribe.
MACKEREL.--I would advise you, Mr. Green, not to show your teeth when you
can't bite. Millions of my friends are on their way to town to make the
poor rejoice. We have had a fine seed time, everything looks promising.
Meat must and will come down. The poor will sing for joy, and you may go
hang yourself in your garters.
[Illustration]
Catnach, Printer, 2, Monmouth Court,
Cards, Bills, &c., Printed on Low Terms.
Catnach, to the day of his retirement from business in 1838, when he
purchased the freehold of a disused public-house, which had been known as
the Lion Inn, together with the grounds attached at Dancer's Hill, South
Mimms, near Barnet, in the county of Middlesex, worked and toiled in the
office of the "Catnach Press," in which he had moved as the pivot, or
directing mind, for a quarter of a century. He lived and died a bachelor.
His only idea of all earthly happiness and mental enjoyment was now to get
away in retirement to a convenient distance from his old place of
business, so to give him an opportunity occasionally to go up to town and
have a chat and a friendly glass with one or two old paper-workers and
ballad-writers, and a few others connected with his peculiar trade who had
shown any disposition to work when work was to be done. To them he was
always willing to give or advance a few pence or shillings, in money or
stock, and a glass--
"Affliction's sons are brothers in distress;
A brother to relieve, how exquisite the bliss!"
But Jemmy knew the men that were "skulkers," as he termed them, and there
was no coin, stock, or a glass for them. He invariably drank whiskey, a
spirit not in general demand in England in those days. Gin was then, as
now, the reigning favourite with the street folks. When the question was
put to him in reference to his partiality to whiskey, he always
replied--the Scotch blood proudly rising in his veins, and with a strong
Northumberland burr, which never wholly forsook him, particularly when
warmed by argument or drink--that, "He disdained to tipple with 'stuff,'
by means of which all the women of the town got drunk. I am of Catnach.
Yes! there's Catnach blood in me. Catnach--King Catnach--Catnach, King of
the Picts. We descend in a right straight line from the Picts. That's the
sort of blood-of-blood that flows in the veins of all the true-bred
Catnachs." Jemmy would be for continually arguing when in his cups, and
the old and the more artful of the street-folk would let him have all the
say and grandeur that he then felt within him on the subject, well knowing
that they would be much more likely to have their glasses replenished by
agreeing with him than by contradicting him. Even in his sober moments
Jemmy always persisted, right or wrong, that the Catnachs, or Catternachs,
were descended direct from a King of the Picts. Yet, what is somewhat
anomalous, he was himself a rigid churchman and a staunch old Tory, "one
of the olden time," and "as full of the glorious Constitution as the first
volume of Blackstone."
On Catnach's retirement from the business, he left it to Mrs. Annie Ryle,
his sister, charged, nevertheless, to the amount of £1,000 payable at his
death to the estate of his niece, Marion Martha Ryle. In the meanwhile Mr.
James Paul acted as managing man for Mrs. Ryle. This Mr. Paul--of whom
Jemmy was very fond, and rumour saith, had no great dislike to the
mother--had grown from a boy to a man in the office of the "Catnach
Press." He was therefore, well acquainted with the customers, by whom he
was much respected; and it was by his tact and judgment that the business
was kept so well together. He married a Miss Crisp, the daughter of a
publican in the immediate neighbourhood.
Catnach did not long enjoy or survive his retirement. After the novelty of
looking, as the poet Cowper puts it, and no doubt in his case found it,
"Through the loop-holes of retreat, to see the stir of the Great Babel,
and not feel the crowd," had worn itself out, "James Catnach, Gentleman,
formerly of Monmouth Court, Monmouth Street, Printer," grew dull in his
"Old Bachelor's Box;" he was troubled with hypochondriasis, and a liver
overloaded with bile, and was further off than ever from being a happy
man. He had managed to rake and scrape together--as far as we can get any
knowledge--some £5,000 or £6,000, although £10,000 and upwards is mostly
put down to him. However, he had grabbed for and caught a fair amount of
"siller and gold," but it failed to realize to him--
An elegant sufficiency, content,
Retirement, rural quiet, friendship, books,
Ease and alternate labour, useful life,
Progressive virtue, and approving Heaven!
No! all he had realized was that unenviable position so popularly known as
of a man not knowing what to do with himself. His visits to town were now
much more frequent and of longer duration, and for hours he would sit and
loiter about the shops and houses of his old neighbours, so that he might
catch a glimpse, or enjoy a friendly chat with his old friends and
customers. At length he got sick at heart, "wearied to the bone," and
sighed for the bustle of London Life.
From the following letter written to his sister, Mrs. Ryle, in 1840, and
now before us, we glean something of his state of mind and bodily
health:--
July, 4th, 40.
Dear Sister,--
I have been very ill for these last three weeks. I was obliged to send
for Dr. Morris to cup me, which did some good for a few days, since
then the pains have gone into my breast and ribs, and for the last
three days I have kept my bed, and could take nothing but a little tea
and water-gruel. I wish you to procure me 6 Bills to stick on my
window shutters, outside and in, "This House to be Let," and send them
with 1/2lb Tea as soon as possible--but do not send them by Salmon's
Coach, for he will not leave them at Jackson's as Wild does, but
sends a boy with it, which costs me double porterage. I feel the loss
of my jelly now I am so ill, and can eat little or nothing, it would
have done my throat good. I have a great crop of black and red berries
[currants] if you choose I will send them up, and you can make some
jelly for us both; let me know as soon as you can, say Wednesday
morning and I will make the Postwoman call for the parcel at
Jackson's. I also wish you to enquire of Carr what is the lowest he
will take for the rooms over Mrs. Morgan, by the 1/2 year.
I have nothing more to say but to be remembered to Mary and Paul, and
remain
[Signature: Yours truly
James Catnach]
Pray send a paper of the execution of the Valet, and the trial of
Oxford--Mrs. Westley has not sent me 1 paper since I was last in
town--neither has Thornton.
Mrs. Ryle,
2 & 3, Monmouth Court,
Compton Street, London.
Ultimately Catnach hired the rooms he speaks about in the body of his
letter to his sister, which were on the first floor of No. 6, Monmouth
Court. All the vacant space in his old premises being now fully occupied
by Mrs. Ryle, and her assistants, now "the humble cottage fenc'd with
osiers round," which to his leisure afforded no pleasure, was entirely
deserted, and in London he fretted out the remaining portion of his life.
He soon grew peevish, and his brain got a little out of balance, then he
listlessly wandered in and out of the streets, courts, and alleys, "infirm
of purpose." On stormy days and nights to stand and view the lightning
from Waterloo Bridge was his special delight, and wonder. His temper and
liver were now continually out of order, and which whiskey, even
"potations pottle deep," failed to relieve. At length he died of jaundice,
in the very London court in which he had muck'd and grubbed for the best
part of his life, on the first day of February, 1841. Like other great men
of history he has several _locales_ mentioned as his final
resting-place--Hornsey, Barnet, South Mimms, &c.
_Urbes, certarunt septem de patria Homeri,
Nulla domus vivo patria fuit._
Seven cities strove whence Homer first should come, When living, he no
country had nor home:--_Tom Nash, 1599._
Seven Grecian cities vied for Homer dead,
Through which the living Homer begged his bread.
Seven cities vied for Homer's birth, with emulation pious,--Salamis,
Samos, Colophon, Rhodes, Argos, Athens, Chios.--_From the Greek._
But Catnach lies buried in Highgate Cemetery, in one of the two plots that
Mrs. Ryle purchased sometime previous to her brother's death. The official
number of the grave is 256, SQUARE 29, over which is placed a flat stone,
inscribed:--
IN MEMORY OF
JAMES CATNACH,
_Of Dancer's Hill_.
DIED 1ST FEBRUARY, 1841,
Aged 49.
ANNE RYLE,
Sister to the above, and widow of Joseph Ryle, who died in
India, 10th October, 1823. She died 20th April, 1870,
Aged 75.
_Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord._
The freehold in the other plot of ground, after Catnach's death, was
transferred to Mr. Robert Palmer Harding, the accountant of London, who
married Catnach's niece. The stone records the death of ELIZABETH
CORNELIA, third daughter of Robert Palmer Harding and Marion Martha
Harding, born 9 June, 1848, died 8 of November, 1848; and GREVILLE, second
son of the above, born 29 May, 1856, died 3 September, 1856. This grave is
now numbered 5179. We have been thus minute in respect to Catnach's grave,
from the circumstance of our having received so many contradictory
statements as to its whereabouts. But however, we have removed all doubt
from our mind by a personal visit to the Highgate Cemetery where under the
guidance of the very civil and obliging superintendent of the grounds, Mr.
W. F. Tabois, we were conducted to the spot we required, then introduced
to Mr. Marks, the sexton, "here man and boy thirty years," and whom we
found very intelligent and communicative on various _subjects_--
"From _grave_ to gay, from lively to severe."
After Catnach's death, Mr. James Paul entered into partnership with Mrs.
Ryle, and then the business was carried on under the title and style of A.
Ryle and Paul. In 1845 the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Paul receiving
£800 in settlement. He then entered into the public line taking the
Spencer's Arms, at the corner of the Monmouth Court. A son that was born
to him in 1847, he had christened James Catnach Paul. He died in the year
1870, just six weeks after Mrs. Ryle, and lies buried in the next grave
but one to Catnach and his sister.
After Mr. Paul had left the business it was carried on as Ryle & Co., and
ultimately became the property of Mr. W. S. Fortey, who still carries on
the old business in the same quarter.
For the purpose of clearing up, if possible, some contradictory
statements, a few years ago we made personal search through the
musty-fusty red-tapeism of Doctor's Commons for the Will and Testament--or
"LAST DYING SPEECH" of "James Catnach, of Dancer's Hill, South Mimms, in
the county of Middlesex, Gentleman, formerly of Monmouth Court, Monmouth
Street, Printer," an office copy of which, together with Probate and
Administration Act, we give below, by which it will be seen that the
Personal Effects are sworn to as under three hundred pounds. But this
gives us no idea of the value of his "Freehold, Copyhold, or Leasehold
Estate" mentioned in the body of the Will.
"Extracted from the principal Registry
of Her Majesty's Court of Probate.
"In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury--
"This is the last Will and Testament of me JAMES CATNACH of Dancers Hill,
South Mimms in the County of Middlesex Gentleman formerly of Monmouth
Court Monmouth Street Printer I direct that my just debts funeral and
testamentary expences be paid as soon as conveniently may be after my
decease and subject thereto I give devise and bequeath all my real and
personal Estate whatever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever
to my Sister Anne the Widow of Joseph Ryle now residing in Monmouth Court
aforesaid her heirs executors and administrators according to the nature
and qualities thereof respectively In trust nevertheless for her Daughter
Marion Martha Ryle her heirs executors administrators and assigns
respectively when she shall attain the age of twenty one years absolutely
with power in the meantime to apply the rents interest dividends or
proceeds thereof for and towards the maintenance education and advancement
of the said Marion Martha Ryle and notwithstanding the private means of my
said Sister may be adequate to such purpose but if the said Marion Martha
Ryle shall depart this life before she shall attain the age of twenty one
years then I give devise and bequeath all my said real and personal Estate
to my said Sister her heirs executors administrators and assigns
absolutely I hereby direct that during the minority of the said Marion
Martha Ryle it shall be lawful for the said Anne Ryle her heirs executors
administrators to demise or lease all or any part of my freehold copyhold
or leasehold Estate for any term consistent with the tenure thereof not
exceeding twenty one years so that on every such demise the best yearly
rent be reserved that can be obtained for the property which shall be
therein comprised without taking any fine or premium and so that the
tenant or lessee be not made dispunishable for waste I hereby nominate
constitute and appoint my said Sister sole Executrix of this my Will and
hereby revoking all former and other Wills by me at any time heretofore
made I declare this to be my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I
have hereunto set my hand the twenty second day of January one thousand
eight hundred and thirty nine--JAMES CATNACH--Signed and acknowledged by
the above named James Catnach as and for his last Will and Testament in
the presence of us present at the same time who in his presence and the
presence of each other have hereunto set our names as Witnesses--William
Kinsey 13 Suffolk St. Pall Mall Solr.--Wm. Tookey his Clerk."
[THE PROBATE AND ADMINISTRATION ACT.]
"EXTRACTED from the principal Registry
of Her Majesty's Court of Probate.
"In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury--
April, 1842.
"JAMES CATNACH--On the second day of April administration (with the Will
annexed) of the Goods Chattels and Credits of James Catnach formerly of
Monmouth Court Monmouth Street Printer but late of Dancers Hill South
Mimms both in the county of Middlesex Gentleman deceased was granted to
William Kinsey Esquire the Curator or Guardian lawfully assigned to Marion
Martha Ryle Spinster a Minor the Niece and usufructuary Universal Legate
until she shall attain the age of twenty one years and the absolute
Universal Legatee on attaining that age named in the said Will for the use
and benefit of the said minor and until she shall attain the age of twenty
one years have been first sworn duly to administer Anne Ryle Widow the
Sister sole Executrix Universal Legatee In trust and the contingent
universal Legatee named in the said Will and also the natural and lawful
Mother and next of kin of the said minor having first renounced the
probate and execution of the said Will and the Letters of administration
(with the said Will annexed) of the goods of the said deceased and also
the Curation or Guardianship of the said Minor and consented (as by Acts
of Court appear)--
_EFFECTS UNDER THREE HUNDRED POUNDS._
It is gratifying to be able to record that what the late Mr. Catnach was
to the masses in the way of news provider some fifty years ago, the penny
papers are now, with this exception, that the former tended to lower and
degrade their pursuit after knowledge, the latter, on the contrary,
improve and elevate them while they amuse and instruct all who peruse
their contents. With the march of intellect, and the thirst for knowledge
blended with the desire for truth, out went, to a great extent, the penny
broad-sheet. Several persons made the attempt to revive it long after the
death of the great original Jemmy Catnach, but without success.
[Illustration: FINIS.]
[Illustration: THE INDEX.]
[Symbol: Pointing hand] The be-all and the end-all here.
INDEX.
Adelaide, Queen, 89
A Funny Dialogue, 294