Transcriber’s Note
Italic text displayed as: _italic_
THE
Life, Travels, Exploits,
Frauds and Robberies,
OF
Charles Speckman, _alias_ Brown,
Who was Executed at TYBURN, on _Wednesday_ the
23d of _November_, 1763.
By far the most dexterous of his Profession in this
or any other Country.
CONTAINING,
A genuine Recital of more than Five Hundred
Thefts, Frauds, and Felonies, committed by him in
_England_, _Scotland_, _Ireland_, _North America_, and the
_West Indies_, during the Course of Fifteen Years.
WITH
Several Maxims, Hints, and Remarks, by Way of
Caution to the Public, to prevent or detect the Designs
of Sharpers and Thieves from being carried into Execution.
The whole NARRATIVE being wonderful and
surprizing, and yet in all Respects strictly true.
Written by HIMSELF,
Whilst under Sentence of Death in _Newgate_.
_LONDON_:
Printed for J. FULLER, in _Blowbladder-Street_, near
_Cheapside_. M.DCC.LXIII.
[Price ONE SHILLING.]
[Illustration: 3 daggers] This Pamphlet written for the publick Good
ONLY, is entered in the Hall-book of the Company of Stationers, and
at the Stamp-office, whoever pirates or prints any Part of it, will
be prosecuted to the utmost Rigour of the Law.
[Illustration: Decoration]
_I do hereby empower_ Mr. John Fuller, _of_ Newgate-street, _to Print
this only Genuine and True Account of my Life and Transactions for
many Years. Containing the most astonishing Variety of Incidents, of
any Person ever under the same Misfortunes with myself_.
Charles Speckman.
Press-Yard, Newgate,
22 Nov. 1763.
_Witness_,
Francis Caveac,
John Anstey.
[Illustration: Decoration]
[Illustration: Decoration]
THE
LIFE
AND
WONDERFUL TRANSACTIONS
OF
Mr. CHARLES SPECKMAN,
alias BROWNE, &c.
There is not perhaps in the world a more agreeable study than that of
Biography; nor any thing sought after and read with greater avidity,
than the lives of unfortunate men, and those who suffer under the
hands of the executioner more than any. In this narration will be
seen, the early propensity to acts of robbery, preying upon, and
living in an absolute state of war with all mankind, the long series
of years Mr. Speckman escaped punishment, in which time he committed
more robberies than any person before him brought to publick shame;
all of them related by the unhappy man himself, in the following
plain and undisguised manner.
* * * * *
I think proper for the benefit of the public, and to make all
possible attonement for the injuries I have done to my fellow
creatures, in England, Scotland, Ireland, North-America, and the
West-Indies, in all which countries I have committed acts of
hostility and depredation innumerable; I have no interest at all in
this, only to warn the unwary, how they shall in general avoid the
falling a prey to thieves and sharpers, and make those who tread in
my wretched paths, be sensible and be warned in time to sly evil
courses, as too truly will they find verified, that _the wages of sin
is death_; besides that of undergoing in their wicked career, what is
worse than death, the stings and daggers of a guilty mind: so that
let their race be as long as it will, and their illicit practices
attended with continual success, yet not one hour of true and solid
happiness is the consequence.
About sixteen years ago, to the best of my memory, my father who
lived in good reputation in London, where I was born, put me to a
boarding-school, and bestowed more money on my education, than on all
the rest of my brothers and sisters, (I was the eldest of eighteen)
for all which I never made any grateful return, which gives me great
affliction, and the most pungent remorse, when added to my present
load of trouble. To shew my early inclination to what has brought me
to this deserved doom, I well remember, as I was standing by the side
of Mr. Andrews, a waterman, in Charles-court in the Strand, my nurse
being with me, I took a fancy to pull his watch out of his fob, at
the same time laughing in his face; on detecting me, Mr. Andrews
said, my dear, you begin betimes; the nurse, however, appeased him,
so that no ill consequences followed: I mention this affair, as my
friends rebuked me many times, by telling me of this deed, and my
early inclination to what would, and indeed has proved my ruin.
I was put to board with a worthy clergyman, by my father, at thirty
pounds a year, in order to inure me to what was good, and improve me
in learning; but my delight was riding of horses at livery-stables,
ran away from school; the wicked disobedient child, soon finds
out evil courses. The first injury I plunged myself into, was
robbing my parents of a suit of cloaths, and pawning them to go to
Sadler’s-wells. Now every fraud that my fertile brain could device, I
put in practice in my father’s name, and got various sums of money,
which answered my present purpose very well; however, my father had
me catch’d, carried home, and kept me naked in a room several days,
till I found an opportunity to get my sister’s cloaths, and with them
on, I escaped from the house. I have been often brought home from
Covent-Garden playhouse, by the orange women, to whom my father gave
two shillings each time for their trouble. I was at length taken up
by my father, and put into Covent-Garden round-house; but through the
hole the prisoners received their victuals at, I escaped, though it
was so small, no one could have conceived it possible. I learned more
wickedness here in one night, than in all my preceding excursions,
and verily believe, it tended greatly to fix me in the determinate
resolution of aspiring at every act of wickedness, my unfortunate
life has since been so fruitful of; making it my daily study to
defraud every one who came in my way, and rob every one I could
conquer.
One day I and two other boys, went into a grocer’s shop in
Drury-lane, for some sugar-candy, the grocer told me, he sold not
small quantities, on which asking him, if he was above his business,
and perceiving a watch hang up in the parlour, I rolled a halfpenny
as by accident into the parlour before me, I got the poor grocer’s
watch; in coming out, he asked me, how I dared to go there? he was
answered by my throwing some powder sugar in his eyes, which was
lying on the counter, and got off without any molestation.
Soon after this, coming from Westminster with my two companions,
there was a man had a stand by the Horse-guards, to sell all sorts
of handkerchiefs, muslin, lawn, stockings, and other things in the
pedlery way; I made bold to take him on one side, to talk about what
I was to buy of him, which he was told was to a considerable amount;
whilst I was thus amusing him, my two comrades made off with the
pedlar’s whole stock, to the amount of fourteen pounds, and upwards:
I however resolved to leave my companions, being determined, for the
future, not to keep company with any, but act entirely on my own
bottom.
I now set out for Newmarket; and, on my return home, hired a horse,
under pretence of going express for a certain lord, well known on
the turf, and came full gallop to the Blue Boar inn in Whitechapel,
where I instantly ordered twelve stalls for the horses of my lord,
which was to be there that night; telling the landlord, I was going
to Hyde-park-corner for a running horse, and my haste occasioned me
to come from my lord, without a sufficiency of money to defray all
expences, and therefore begged him to let me have twelve guineas,
to pay the charges of the horse and servant, and let his own servant
go with me, to assist in bringing to the Blue Boar the running horse
this night; all this he readily complied with; but the inn-keeper’s
servant I took French leave of in Piccadilly, put my horse up in the
usual stable and then went home to my lodgings.
Shortly afterwards, I took upon me to go about the town in a genteel
dress, with a green apron on, as a watch-maker, under pretence of
buying pieces of handkerchiefs to send abroad to my friends; I
commonly found fault with the thinness of them, holding them up with
one hand, and putting a dozen, or a piece, with the other into my
apron: generally in these expeditions, after a sufficient quantity
was obtained, I went into the country, and what could not immediately
be sold, were raffled for.——In practicing one of these tricks upon a
good worthy woman, who kept shop in the Borough of Southwark, I was
detected putting a piece into my apron; I immediately flattered the
honest woman, that I was a weaver in Spitalfields, telling her, my
uncle had a journeyman who had stole four pieces, and had sent me
with that piece to match the other, upon information my uncle had,
that the pieces were sold by his man at this shop; by this means I
got clear off, the unsuspecting woman not knowing her own.
In genteel apparel I next went among the silver-smiths and jewellers,
where my dexterity and success was so great, that I used among them
in their respective branches, it is almost incredible what quantities
of spoons, rings, buttons, buckles, stones, &c. I stole; the
robberies of this kind are so numerous, that I cannot particularize
them, but I made bold to borrow something from every silver-smith
and jeweller in the bills of mortality, and not only in all these
attempts had the good fortune to escape, but on many occasions, had
the most lavish encomiums passed on me, for the honesty of my looks,
and the humanity expressed in the lineaments of the countenance.
Alas! how seldom is it, that the outward appearance corresponds with
the inward disposition. I am a shocking instance that my face was the
most deceitful in the world. Of this kind of fraud and robberies, I
believe I have not perpetrated less than two hundred.
I went one day to Mr. Brogden, in Long-lane, West-smithfield, who
lent out wearing apparel, of him I hired a suit fit for any little
master in London; bought at the same time a satchel to put some books
in, thus equipped, I went to Mr. Greg, a watch-maker in St. James’s
street; on going into the shop, I perceived there was but one man
therein; upon his being told my father had bespoken a watch for me,
and I wanted to know if it was ready, he replied, as indeed well he
might, that he knew nothing of the matter, but that Mr. Greg his
master, being at the coffee-house, he would go to him, and ask the
question; the minute he was gone, I fixed my eye on a gold watch,
chain and seal, with which I marched off with all speed, took a
hackney coach in Pall-mall, away to Holbourn, and sold the watch,
though it was worth fifty-five, for seven guineas only, to Mary Keen,
a woman who understood that business much better than myself. She has
been transported four times.
At this time, and with this money, I went down to Reading in
Berkshire, where I took great delight in going out with my gun;
at length money falling short, I went to a milliner’s shop, under
pretence of buying some lace, to go round a cap and handkerchief,
for my sister; the milliner asked if I was not too young a man to
be a judge of lace? I replied, being young I should hope for better
usage, and left it entirely to her generosity to serve me of that
which was best of the kind; at this moment I fixed my eye on a
particular piece; pretending to have a bad cold, took my handkerchief
out to wipe my nose, laid it down on this piece of lace, which
repeating again, I took the lace up with my handkerchief, and put
it in my pocket, and then told the milliner, I would stay till I
was grown older; though it is clear I was too old for her now. I
took my leave, and marched gravely off, without the least suspicion;
and went directly to the Crown, the grand inn in Reading, hired a
horse for Maidenhead, but pushed on for London, sold the horse in
Smithfield for five pounds ten shillings, and the lace to a milliner
at Charing-cross, at a very decent price; at the same time cheapening
some of her lace, made bold to steal one piece.
Thus I found a method to deal among the milliners, without much
danger of detection, women being less on their guard than men, and
always delighted with any one who will hear them prate and chatter.
Very few milliners escaped my dexterity, for my youth, simplicity
of manners, and engaging behaviour, caused me always to pass
without suspicion; nay, on many occasions, I have been treated with
extraordinary marks of civility and politeness, and with the best the
house afforded, even after I had robbed them, which sometimes has
squeezed my heart a little, but I was too far gone in the road of
perdition to think of returning back.
I now thought of amusing myself in the country; accordingly set out
for Bath, Bristol, &c. in the first of these cities I took a room
for myself in a widow-gentlewoman’s house, who kept a shop in the
drapery way; she had a daughter, a neat, pretty, genteel girl, whom
I courted more for the sake of being free with her, than any real
love; then the mother began to trust me, and place great confidence
in me, upon her daughter’s account, which continued to the mutual
satisfaction of us all, till I found an opportunity to make off with
between twenty-five and thirty pounds-worth of goods, taken out of
the shop, and retired to Bristol, where I dealt a little among the
milliners: returned for London, but being taken ill on my journey
thither, I stopt two or three days at the Castle at Marlborough,
where I observed a great quantity of plate, and other things of
value lie very carelessly about, I only borrowed a silver tankard,
and six table spoons, to assist in defraying my expences on the
road: at Brentford I sold the tankard and spoons for five pounds ten
shillings, and stole two pair of silver paste buckles, proceeding
directly for London. I committed about fifty other robberies in the
small way, which, as being trifles, are not worthy of farther mention.
I have sometimes, for the sake of variety, gone to dyers and scourers
shops, in the character of a gentleman; on seeing none but a woman
there, I asked for my servant, who came there for my cloaths; being
told there had been none, then on asking if my cloaths were done,
(they not knowing but that I had some there) shewed me several
suits, clean, and not clean, but I never took a cleaned suit, always
pretending they should be wore once more before cleaned, desiring my
servant might be sent home as soon as ever he came; so tying them up
in a handkerchief, left the poor dyers and scourers to lament their
folly and precipitation. I used to serve the hatters in the same
manner, both in gold and silver laced hats, without being in the
least suspected.
I waited on a mercer on Ludgate-hill to cheapen some silks for
waistcoats, with sattins, and some for gowns; I requested of the
mercer to make a bill of parcels, put them up, and send his servant
with me to my lodgings in Pall-mall; which being done and come
there, on opening the bundle, told the servant there wanted a piece
of sattin, and sent him immediately home for it: The bill amounted
to forty-three pounds, and the parcel heavy, yet I easily (in the
interval of the servant’s departure and return) found means to walk
off with all. I left an answer on the bill of parcels which was
left upon the table, that my judgment was not sufficient for such a
large sum, without advice whether I should pay him at his return, or
never. I went directly to Mr. Howard’s, in Long-lane, Smithfield, and
sold the whole parcel for eighteen pounds; telling me, any quantity
brought to him he would buy. This gave me great encouragement to
continue in the mercers business: I served several other mercers in
the same manner.
Not long after this I went to a gentleman in Long-acre, hired a
chariot and pair of horses, to go to Windsor, intending to stay a
fortnight; accordingly I set off, and stayed pretty near the time
agreed on; I sent my servant to Eton, with a view of defrauding my
landlord, and for this purpose asked him for twenty guineas, with
which he very readily complied; the pretext was to purchase a pair
of horses: having thus succeeded, I slipped on one side, and set off
for London, leaving the man, chariot and horses to come at their
leisure. The next day I sent for a sword-cutler, to bring me half a
dozen swords to my own lodgings in the Hay-market, that I might take
my choice in variety, but brought never a cut and thrust, I sent him
back for some; and when he was gone, I took a walk out with the half
dozen swords, with an intention never more to return.
I then took lodgings in Duke’s court, St. Martin’s lane, where I had
not been long, but I sent the servant of the house to a jeweller, to
bring me a variety of rings, the jeweller immediately sent one of his
servants with some of all sorts; no sooner were they under my eye but
I fixed on two, set with diamonds; I told the man, as I was no judge
of their value, he would give me leave to shew them to a friend at
next door, he readily assented, and so left the honest servant for
his own amusement in my new lodgings: for I used to take a lodging
one day, and serve a tradesman in this manner, and leave it the next.
Soon after, I put on the dress of a gentleman’s servant, went
to a very great milliner’s in Pall-mall, as from a lady in
Grosvenor-square, lately come from abroad, who wanted some
assortments of her best lace, and desired one of her people with me;
according to my application it had the desired effect: I brought the
servant to a house under some repair, that I had the knowledge of;
I took the box of laces, went up stairs to shew my pretended lady,
leaving the servant in the hall, to whom immediately returning, I
told her my lady was in bed, and she must come again in an hour,
but must leave the laces, with a bill of the rates or prices of
each sort; she went away very contentedly, and I had the generosity
to follow with the whole box, and made clear off. I thought it now
high time to leave off dealing with the milliners. The garb of a
gentleman’s servant in livery, I always found the best to deceive
with at this time, and made use of it on divers occasions, with
my two companions before mentioned, Abraham Crabb, and Campbell
Hamilton, and being apprehended for a small theft, made myself an
evidence against them both; Crabb was tried at the Old Bailey,
in February 1749-50, in the mayoralty of Sir Samuel Pennant, for
stealing a peruke, value twenty shillings, and John Beaumont for
receiving, knowing it to be stolen. The evidence (as an accomplice)
I gave was, that I was about fifteen years of age, and deposed that
I had followed the business of thieving two years; the prisoners,
however, were acquitted, there being no evidence to the fact but my
own. Crabb was again indicted with Campbell Hamilton, for stealing
on the 10th of December 1749, a silver watch, value four pounds,
the property of Mr. Jonathan Scriven, in his dwelling house; and
Catherine Hall, widow, for receiving it, knowing it to be stolen:
my evidence was here also unsupported by any other; though what I
swore upon this and the former trial was nothing but the truth, with
respect to all the prisoners; the silver watch belonged to the grocer
in Drury-lane, already mentioned. I resolved never to have companions
in any of my exploits, judging that I might one day or another be
detected by my associates, as I had done by them.
Many surprizing pranks have I used with all trades in London; but
at last pursued by my evil genius, I went into the shop of Mr.
Honychurch, under St. Dunstan’s church in Fleet-street, on the 5th
of November 1750, and stole a silver watch, with which I got off,
imprudently keeping it till the next day, I offered it pawn to Mr.
Price on Snow-hill; it being advertised, he stopped me, sent for Mr.
Honychurch, and carried me out of the city to justice Fielding, who
committed me to New-prison, Clerkenwell, thence removed to Newgate,
took my trial on the 10th of December 1750, in the mayoralty of
Francis Cokayne, Esq; was capitally convicted, and received sentence
of death with fifteen others, among whom were Mr. Baker, the
sugar-baker; and Mr. Joshua West, a clerk of the Bank.
In the course of my trial, which is all fact as sworn against me,
it proceeds thus: Mr. Honychurch deposed that the watch was taken
with the prisoner on the 6th of November, was lost on the 5th, had
his name and number on it, never had been sold, and by advertising
it, by that means it was stopped. William Batersby, Mr. Honychurch’s
servant, gave his testimony, that he was alone in the shop, the
prisoner came in with a watch to have it cleaned, he then appeared
in another complexion than now, he had on a laced hat, a waistcoat
with either gold or silver button-holes; he desired his watch to be
taken to pieces, while that was doing, he said that some of the work
was dropt; adding, he was sure some of them were lost! I looked upon
the ground, there were none down, but all right before me; then he
was for taking it to show some other watch-maker, I said I must not
take it to pieces and put it together again for nothing, he said, I
will take and shew it to another man, and if he says there is nothing
lost, I will bring it again; he took it not put together, also two
new wheels, a third and contrite wheel away with him, which lay
before me; when he stayed longer than I expected, I began to suspect
him, and looking about saw a hook was empty, where a new watch hung
just before he came in. I went to the watch-maker where I supposed he
would go to, and asked for him; he told me no such person had been
there. Then I told my master the affair, who told me by his book it
was a watch he had made for a gentleman in Devonshire. When Mr.
Price sent for my master, I went with him, and knew the prisoner. On
being asked by the court, if there had been any person in the shop
betwixt the time he last saw the watch, and the prisoner’s coming in;
replied, not one person from opening the shop, till the watch was
lost, but him.
James Bruin, servant to Mr. Price, declared, that between six and
seven o’clock on the 6th of November in the evening, as he was
sitting in the parlour, somebody came in and asked for Mr. Price; on
going into the shop saw the prisoner, who was dressed in a silver
laced hat, a green waistcoat with gold button holes, who said he
wanted to see the master, if he was not engaged; on being told that
he could do as well, he took a watch out of his pocket, and I saw it
was the watch advertised that day, I went and told my master of it,
who came down stairs, and told the prisoner he had stole it, which
he denied. My master sent directly for Mr. Honychurch; his man came,
and said the prisoner was the person that was at his shop yesterday
morning. While our man was gone, the prisoner owned to my master and
I, that he had stole it; we went before justice Fielding the next
day, and the prisoner was committed. So far the trial, in which the
fact was but too plainly fixed on me: however, in my defence I urged
that all said of me was false; I did not deny but I carried the watch
to be pawned; I was coming down Snow-hill, and a well dressed man
asked me if I had mind to earn a shilling; I said yes, so carried it
to pawn; then the young gentleman said, there was a watch stolen, so
stopped me; but neither the judge nor jury paid any regard to such
a pitiful come off. I put myself in a wretched habit, thinking that
joined to my youth, might excite the pity of all parties.
At this time I had many friends to make application for me in
mitigation of my sentence, and had the happiness to be sent abroad in
the summer of 1751, there to continue for fourteen years; I sailed
from Gravesend in the ship Trial, captain Johnson, for Patomack
river, in Virginia; there went on board this ship with me Mr. Joshua
West, before mentioned, to be transported as well as myself. As
soon as the ship arrived, intelligence thereof was sent to colonel
Lee’s, that the convict servants were come from London; we dropped
anchor on a Saturday, and the Wednesday following was sale-day, and
the planters came on board to buy; there was one John Burgess, a
native of the country, came to me, asking very civilly what I could
do; I told him I could work, but not hard; I then asked him if there
were any milliners, watch-makers, or such trades as I worked at in
London, he turned his head and laughed; I told him I did not care,
as my father had paid my passage, but the captain replied he had
not, and I having no friends was forced to submit, and be sold as
others were. My master took me on shore to an ordinary, and told
me if I would be a good boy and work, I should want for nothing: I
then asked him, if he and I were to go halves? he replied, in what?
and I said in thieving: but on telling me I was come into a wrong
country for that, and practising theft would soon bring him to ruin;
I urged that would certainly be his portion if he did not let me go.
He rejoiced much at his bargain, and I at his folly. We then set out
for home on horse-back, I behind him, and had fifteen miles to ride;
at length got home, and seeing my master’s palace, I took it for a
pidgeon-house: being tired and hungry, they brought me some victuals
called humeny and milk, which I thought very sweet and good. Next
morning my master roused me by-times to grind my hoe, I looked very
hard at him, and told him I was not used to that kind of work; he
however took me to a field to shew me how to hill-up some corn; I
told him the trade I was sent from London for, was much easier than
this. In short, I could think of nothing but my old trade, and soon
found means to break into a neighbour’s house, with an intent to rob
them of what I could catch, with a fixed resolution to ruin myself
and my master, for work did never agree with me; however, I got two
gold rings, and some wearing apparel, which I brought to my mistress,
knowing her to conceal other things for us, but she would have
nothing to do with my prize: this caused me to run away, and make my
case known to a justice of the peace, who had me apprehended, and
sent for my master, upon my own discovery; I was sent to goal, but my
master bailed me out till sessions, when I received sentence to be
whipped and pilloried, which was rigourously executed: my master was
obliged to make a fourfold gratification for the injury I had done
the party robbed.
My servitude being very intollerable to me, I determined to make
a trial of another escape, and for that purpose took one of my
master’s horses, a suit of his cloaths, and other necessaries for
my journey; but not considering the expence, the danger in crossing
the rivers, and having no pass from a magistrate, I was soon taken
up, and brought back to my master, who gave me a terrible whipping,
he fleed me from neck to rump, so that I was obliged to lie on my
belly for several days and nights; and when I was well enough to
walk, he sold me into the back settlements of Virginia, I believe
four hundred miles within land where I was, when general Braddock
came with his troops from Alexandria in Virginia, on his way to the
Ohio, in the year 1755, where he was defeated with great slaughter by
the French; my master and his family removed for fear of the French
and the scalping parties of Indians, which were scouring the country
all round, and committing the most shocking and inhuman murders. I
got acquainted with serjeant Campbell, of colonel Dunbar’s regiment,
and begged of him to let me go to the battle; he granted my request,
and I got clear of my master. After our defeat, on the 9th of July,
we had a very long and tiresome march back from the field of battle,
near Fort du Quesne, to Philadelphia, in Pensylvania; when there
being bare of cloathing, and in want of money, being withal very
hungry, I took up my London trade, and soon stole a whole piece of
handkerchiefs, a dozen in number; I tarried in Philadelphia till
I had got good stock of cloaths and money, meeting with continual
success in defrauding the public, by my old and wicked proceedings.
I travelled with all possible diligence to New York, where I found a
great many milliners; I thought of immediately touching them with my
London mode; into one shop I went to practice in my usual way, but
going to sell the lace, I was apprehended by one of the aldermen,
upon suspicion of stealing it, and the owner hearing of the affair,
came and claimed the lace, brought me to trial, and I was sentenced
to be whipped behind a cart, at the corner of every street in the
city, which was executed upon me, brought back again to the goal, and
in a few days ordered out of the city, never more to return, on pain
of having my sentence again repeated. I was passed twenty miles by
constables, and then left to myself to proceed wherever my fancy led
me: in walking about two miles farther, I fell into company with one
Browne, a namesake and farmer; he asked me if I could work, I told
him but a little, though very willing to learn. He took me home, used
me very well; however, I had not been with him long, before he sold
a plantation, and observing where he put the money and the key of
the chest, took my opportunity to seize all his money in dollars and
paper, amounting to one hundred and ten pounds, with a horse, saddle
and bridle, made off directly for New York, where altering my dress,
and proceeded direct for Philadelphia, there putting up at the sign
of the Indian King, I was obliged to sell my horse and buy another,
intending to get a little farther out of the way of enquiry, at least
for the present.
For this purpose I continued my route to Winchester, in the back
settlements of Virginia; when finding myself near my old master, made
enquiry for him, found him out, and made him a present of a silver
watch, besides some money which contented the old man very well.
He then gave me up my conviction, and went with me to Winchester,
where he procured a pass as a free man for me to go wherever I had
a mind without molestation. From this place I went to Port-Tobacco,
to see my first master, to let him know I had mended my fortune with
other peoples gains; he wished my joy on the occasion, and in a few
days took me leave of him, and steered my course for Charles Town,
in South Carolina, bought a gun to amuse myself on the road, and had
near nine or ten horses, I swapped, changed, and defrauded people
of, under pretence of going with an express to Charles Town; where
at length arriving, I met with my brother, that I had not seen for
twelve years and upwards; he looked very cold and indifferent upon
me, thinking I should bring him to disgrace and shame, as I had done
in England. I got acquainted with one Joseph Warren, and hired myself
to him, as an overseer of his Negroes. I had not been in this station
long, before he sold me a horse at my own price, which I immediately
sold in town, and went on board the Three Brothers, captain Holliday,
bound for Antigua; the greatest reason for my retiring thus hastily
from Charles Town, was, I had got acquainted with one Mrs. Broughton,
a married woman; her husband swore he would cut my ears off, or take
away my life, if I dared to continue any intercourse with his wife,
he was extremely jealous of me, and indeed not without sufficient
cause.
We proceeded on our voyage, and had got within two days sail of
Antigua, when we fell in with four French privateers, after a stout
resistance of sailing and plying our wooden guns, of which we had
mounted twenty two, we were taken and carried into Martinico, there
remained three weeks, till a cartel ship came and carried us to
Antigua: in this island I assumed the character of a master painter,
and got a job to paint the Duke of Cumberland privateer, belonging
to George Walker, which having finished, I was paid. I now went to
St. Christopher’s, in the packet, where I had not been long before
I entered on board the Fox privateer, captain Woolford, for a six
months cruize, but had no success, we returned to the same port: as
I had been thus unfortunate at sea, was willing to try my luck by
land, I went into the country to a gentleman, told him I was courting
a young lady of fortune, and begg’d him to lend me a suit of his
cloaths, he very willingly did; I took him into a house, where we had
some punch, which having drank, I went out and left him to amuse
himself with his own folly. I sold the cloaths, without the least
probability of discovery; I secreted myself a few days, and went on
board a vessel then ready to sail for Philadelphia.
After my arrival, I got acquainted with a recruiting officer, beating
up for volunteers to go against the French fort on the Ohio. I
enlisted with him for four years, and to be paid half the money down,
I bought a horse to go with him to Carlisle, in the back settlements
of Pensylvania. There I saw my captain, who was vastly pleased with
me; our company was reviewed by the major of the light horse, he
having the superiour command. I was pitched on for a light horse man,
under the command of captain Thompson, our general Forbes being very
ill, was obliged to be carried in a horse litter, between two horses;
it wanted painting, I was ordered to Carlisle to buy some paint, for
that service; I was ordered by one of the officers to bring his girl
from Carlisle with me, which I did, and by the way, had the pleasure
of giving her the compliment of a road relish; my committing such
a rash action, made me imagine the whole camp might be set on fire
by her; I thought nothing was so expedient for me as desertion, for
fear of bad consequences, and went off the same night, being the
10th of July 1758, with my horse, regimentals, and accoutrements,
and travelled for the back settlements of Virginia; in short, I went
through many dangerous places, and almost insurmountable difficulties
before I reached Williamsburg; where as soon as I arrived, sold my
horse and regimentals, and put on the dress of a farmer, in order
to buy corn; but notwithstanding this scheme succeeded so well as
I expected, I thought of speedily shifting my quarters. For which
purpose, I once more thought of paying a visit to Charles Town, where
I entered into a regiment of Buffs, raised by the colony of South
Carolina, to go against the Cherokee nation; I was made a serjeant,
and being sent one day to change a ten pound bill for my captain,
I had changed it at a Jew’s, who afterwards charged me with a bad
bill of twenty pounds, of which I was entirely innocent; however,
I was sent to Goal, and confined for two months, in as deplorable
a condition, as ever poor man was. When released from prison, I
was sent to the barracks, where I continued in a very bad state of
health for some time. After my recovery, I became acquainted with a
gentleman, he and I took to coining of bad money; which we carried on
for some time with considerable success; but at length we parted good
friends in the Country, and threw away our utensils. I took my course
for New Bern, in North Carolina, in my way I married, and my wife’s
father thinking me too great a rake, to be trusted with her portion,
look’d very lightly on me; but I found means to bring him greatly in
debt, and made off directly, leaving the old man, daughter and all,
to please themselves in the folly of their Wisdom. I made free with
one of my father’s horses, and made for a place called Brunswick,
in the same province of North Carolina. Then I agreed with captain
Wright, for my passage to Jamaica, we were weather-bound for three
week. I then verily thought my wickedness was the cause of our delay,
through the just vengeance of Almighty God. At last we had a fair
wind, made sail, and had a very favourable passage to Port Royal; the
next tide after our arrival here, we weighed anchor and made Kingston
harbour.
On my going on shore here, being very poor and distressed, I began
to think of something for my appearance in so fine a place; for this
purpose I got acquainted with a taylor, and told him, I was come
there to settle at my trade of a limner; by this expedient I got a
very good suit of cloaths, and thought myself in a good situation.
The next acquaintance I had, was one Mrs. Pembruge, who had several
negroes, her own property, I thought this a fine fortune, and it was
certainly so to me, though I soon found her to be a married woman,
but parted according to law from her husband; she had a great many
gallants, I found myself her principal favourite, and must confess,
I got acquainted with one of her sparks; he told me, he had a much
greater regard for her, than she had for him: and said, he had a
chest at his master’s accompting-house, which he believed was full of
dollars: I directly acquainted Mrs. Pembruge with this, who requested
me to get it from him, if possible; I then made use of every means to
get the prize into my possession; he came and gave me directions how
and when to send for it; I procured a negroe, and sent him agreeable
to my orders; every thing succeeded, and the chest was brought to
me: I went to a certain private house, examined the contents, which
proved to be cambricks and lawns, which I went directly and sold
for fifteen pounds sterling, leaving out two pieces for a suit of
linnen for Mrs. Pembruge, but gave the gallant nothing for his pains,
telling him it was of no value.
After this, I became acquainted with Mr. Torries, a Jew, who told me
he had an hundred pound bill at my service whenever I pleased, and
for whatever use I had a mind to apply it: I went the next morning
to a store, purchased goods to the amount of one hundred and twenty
pounds, desiring the store-keeper to send them to my lodgings; he
came with the goods himself; I then shewed him the hundred pound
note, told him I had borrowed it, and was to give five pistoles to
the lender for two months; on this he told me, I looked like a very
honest gentleman, and would give me credit for the whole for three
months; I was to have gone to him the next morning, but declined
that. I run in debt with many other people upon the island, to a
considerable amount: I sold all the goods to the Jew, who lent me the
note for fifty pounds. Mrs. Pembruge and I made off for Spanish-town,
in order to settle with her husband, and get her own slaves from
him. At this time, the person who let me have the chest full of
cambricks and lawns, followed us; she told him how great a fool he
was to follow one who he knew full well had not the least regard
for him, though he had lavished away all his own honest gains, and
robbed others to support her; though she was kind to me, yet I think
there never was a woman of a harder heart, or of a more cruel and
ungrateful disposition in the world; those who shewed a more than
ordinary regard for her, were sure of the worse treatment; now living
in plenty, she forgot all former want and misery; and I do verily
believe, she would have cut the throat of any man who should rescue
her from want, or save her life.
She was a good looking woman, and to those who knew her not, appeared
an angel, but in truth a devil. The old gallant being stung to the
quick at Mrs. Pembruge’s base behaviour, went back to Kingston,
and informed against us both, and we were taken into custody, and
committed to Spanish-town goal, for the fraud of the linnen; in this
prison we lay three months; at length the evidence was brought to
the same goal, and the regard he had for this woman being still as
great as ever, he wrote a letter to her, full of the most tender
professions of esteem and love; begged her pardon for being the cause
of her confinement; that he was sensible the charge against her
and Charles Speckman was not just; nay, that he knew us both to be
innocent, and that he would so swear upon the trial; and never could
rest or have quiet of mind for taking this ungenerous step, to abuse
and defame the character of the best woman in the world, and that of
the worthy gentleman her companion. We were removed to Kingston, to
take our trials at the assizes; in the interim the evidence broke
goal, and made his escape, we were for want of prosecution discharged
the second court-day.
Thinking it would not be so well to continue in Kingston, I left
Mrs. Pembruge, and went towards Black-river, and Savannah la Mar,
where I hired a horse, and proceeded to Montague-bay: there I met
with a sister, who I had not seen before for twelve years. I soon got
acquaintance in the neighbourhood, and especially with a daughter
of colonel Savory’s; I was determined to settle here, and live in
an honest way; all her family greatly caressed and loved me, and I
found that I had no small interest with her friends; I found myself
absolute master of the young lady’s heart, my happiness was compleat.
In a short time we were married; four days before, she made me a
present of one hundred pounds in cash, to get necessaries: the day
we were married, all the negroes came to wish me joy, and hoped
I would make them a good master; the sight of them in a state of
slavery, affected me very much; I wished to have made presents to
them all, and wished myself on an immediate voyage for London, I had
not enjoyed the married-state long, till my wife was taken very ill,
and soon after died; she was a very worthy woman, and her departure
a great loss to me. It immediately unhinged the tranquillity of my
mind, so that I determined to sell all off, and return to Kingston,
and to my old practices again.
Where being arrived, I enquired for and soon found out Mrs. Pembruge,
and entirely forgot my deceased wife: we lived together as usual,
but money falling short, I fell into the immediate exercise of my
old pranks. I bought up a great quantity of flour, getting as long
credit as I could, but sold it all again directly for ready money.
In like manner I got linnen and other things from different stores,
and sold them as I had done the flour. One man I run pretty deeply
in debt with, and promised him a good horse in part of payment; to
accomplish this, I next morning hired a wherry to carry me to Passage
Fort, where I hired a horse for Spanish-town, but instead of going
there, returned to Kingston, and sold the horse to my merchant, and
received some money in pocket. I confined myself during the remainder
of my stay to my lodgings, being afraid to go out, my safety prompted
me so to do, fearing the being detected, Kingston being but a small
city, and not very populous; before I left the island I buried Mrs.
Pembruge, and then bid adieu to Jamaica for ever.
I went privately on board the brigantine Betsey, captain Goodwin,
bound for New York; at this time I pretended to be a doctor, and
having two other ships in company, whose hands were very sickly,
I was put on board one of them to bleed several of the men, which
I performed though with much fear; and one of them that I gave a
draught to, gave me four dollars for the service; soon after our
own people were taken ill; them I served in the same manner; at
length I was taken ill myself, and at our arrival at Sandy-hook, was
carried on shore, put to bed, and grew so much worse during three
weeks, that I was obliged to have the clergy by me, thinking my end
at hand: happy had it been so, but God for worthy purposes, and for
the good of the world, reserved me for an ignominious death. I had
extraordinary good usage of every kind from the gentlemen of this
city: indeed, throughout all America their generosity and hospitality
are almost boundless, especially to English people. Though I was by
these worthy citizens used in so kind a manner, I made them most
ungrateful returns. As soon as well, I enlisted as a serjeant in
captain Thompson’s company of rangers, for whom I enlisted several
men, but cheated them of their advance money; and went to several[1]
stores, took up linnen, and other effects, in the captain’s name,
to the amount of twenty pounds. Then I hired a horse, and set off
for Boston in New England; I had been no more than two days on
my journey, till I was obliged to hire a chaise and harness, &c.
to enable me to go through my long journey; this I did of an old
gentlewoman in Connecticut, and took chaise and horse to the end
of my journey, had the chaise new painted, and sold it to the best
bidder; I also sold the horse and harness. My stay was but short at
Boston, I went to Salem, about twenty miles from Boston, where I
took lodgings, courted a widow-gentlewoman’s daughter, then took a
shop, set up the business of painting, and got several considerable
jobs, but all the while run very much in debt with every body. I got
acquainted with a gamester in this town; he wanted improvement; we
contrived to touch all we could, and then make off. We had great
success, several horses, watches, and other things in trust, were
the effect of our industry. The people of Salem, are not only the
most unsuspicious, but the best dispositioned, humane and friendly,
and the most agreeable in all respects, in the whole world. I hired
a chaise at Salem, and a single horse, to carry me out for two days
pleasure; I went directly to Newport in Rhode-island, sold the
chaise, bought another horse, and with my companion, went as fast
as we could for Philadelphia; when arrived, we directly went on the
gambling scheme, and had very great luck; but not agreeing in sharing
our booty, we parted. He wanted to aspire at my art of dealing; this
I chose not to trust with any one, for reasons already mentioned.
The gamester took his passage for the West-Indies; I resolved to
continue in Philadelphia, and had thoughts of matrimony again, that
I might the better be enabled to carry on my designs, get into debt,
and in due time run away. I met with a young woman, she passed for a
very good fortune, we were soon married, but fortune she had none;
tho’ many rich and powerful relations, whose interest was for my
wife, and of great service to me, I had credit every where; but being
dissatisfied with my wife, I told her that I had urgent business at
New York, to see a commander I expected from the West Indies; as my
business lay all there, I desired her to put up in a large trunk, a
pair of sheets, a pillow, and other necessaries that I thought would
answer my purpose: I must confess, she was a compleat housewife, and
very industrious. My inclination, however, led me for England, the
first opportunity: accordingly I set out on my journey towards South
Carolina, hired a servant, and on the road, took all my effects out
of the trunk, filled it with combustables of a great weight, raised
money on it, and left it in the care of my unsuspecting landlord;
hired two horses, and went to Annapolis in Maryland; here I found
out my wife’s real character, and that she had a child at nurse,
which finding out, I bought some cloaths, and presented to her, in
remembrance of her mother. The next morning I set out for Edenton, in
North Carolina, where on my arrival, I met with some jovial company,
that pleased me extremely well: I stayed three weeks with them,
constantly gaming: I won more than one hundred and fifty pounds;
with part of this money I bought a race horse, intending to run him
as opportunity offered, on our journey to the south, which I did
several times, and always won. My servant and I agreed very well, he
was a trusty fellow, a good servant, kept my secrets inviolable, and
without any fear. Before we reached Charles Town, we had got six or
seven horses, and sold them about thirty miles from the places they
were taken from. I used often to make a halt for necessaries for
myself, and to the prejudice of the public.
We at length reached Charles Town, where I discharged my trusty
servant; enquired after my old acquaintance Mrs. Broughton, found
her, and let her know my intentions were for England; she smiled,
and told me, she could not believe it, and set forth the danger and
difficulty of such an enterprize from the enemy, together with the
hazard of the seas. I enquired for her husband, but being told he was
gone a voyage to the West Indies, this removed my fears; we drank
some bottles of wine together, repeated our old scenes of action,
though she had received many a hearty drubbing for what we had done
before, which the husband was determined never to forgive; he was a
very jealous man, but with great reason he was so; I knew that very
well, and therefore was the more conscious of my own and her crimes.