upon the bustle to do business; but Ned was “up and dressed,” and
his left hand again told upon his opponent’s mug. Cannon was not
behindhand, and some sharp blows were exchanged. Milling on the
retreat (after Tom Cribb’s successful mode) was now adopted by
Neale; he planted a tremendous blow under the listener of his
adversary, and the claret followed profusely. If this heavy blow had
been a little lower, it might have been “Good night to the Great
Gun!” Cannon, rather confused and wild, rushed in to work—he
obtained the throw, Neale went down, and Cannon also; in falling,
his nob came in contact with the stakes. Neale was the hero of the
tale.
3.—Cannon, like nothing but a game man, appeared at the scratch
smiling. This was a short round. The Great Gun tried to fire a heavy
shot, and boldly went up to his man; but the Youth hooked him round
his neck, and endeavoured to fib. Cannon proved himself the stronger
man, got Neale down, and fell on him.
4.—The Streatham Youth got away from mischief, and made good use of
his pins. Some blows were exchanged, when they closed. A desperate
struggle occurred for the throw; both down, Neale undermost.
5.—The Great Gun, as gay as a lark, went to work, but napped a
conker; yet he would not be denied, and a sharp rally was the
result. Some heavy hits were exchanged: the fire proving too hot,
Ned turned round from mischief; the Great Gun pursued him, when
Neale turned and rushed to the attack; some clumsy thumps passed. In
closing, Ned had the best of it, but fell on his head. Neale was
much shaken by the fall.
6.—The Great Gun was all for fighting, and kept to his work. Neale
was ready, but nevertheless kept a good look-out. In a rally, both
their faces napped punishment, but Ned retreated in style. In
struggling for the throw, both down, Neale undermost.
7.—The weakness of the Streatham Youth was visible to his friends,
but they still felt satisfied he must win. A good rally, and Cannon
up to the mark, giving hit for hit. In closing, they both stood
still, trying to hold the hands of each other. Ned broke away, and
tipped it to Cannon in his victualling office; he ultimately
obtained the throw, and the Great Gun came down on his nob, a
shaker. (“Neale for a thousand!”)
8.—The Great Gun showed distress on appearing at the scratch. Ned
tried to be with him, but Cannon closed in by catching Neale round
the neck. The fibbing system was adopted by Ned, and upon Cannon
getting the worst of it he dropped upon his knees. The coolness of
Neale was here seen to great advantage; he was in the act of
hitting, when he stopped himself and held up his arms, amidst loud
cheers from all parts of the ring. (“Bravo, Ned! well done, it’s
manly!”)
9.—The Great Gun was rather unsteady; but his pluck was as good as
gold. The science of Neale gave him great advantages, although he
was out of condition; he watched the movements of Cannon with the
keen eye of a general till it answered his purpose to commence
fighting. Ned planted a facer, but Cannon countered. In closing,
holding of hands to prevent punishment was again the feature; and
Neale was so weak that he could not get the best of his opponent in
his usual workman-like style. The struggle became long and
desperate, when the Great Gun went down undermost.
10.—This round was all in favour of Ned. He planted a rum one on the
muzzle of the Great Gun, repeated the dose with his left, then
brought in his right to great advantage. In closing Cannon did his
best to grasp his opponent firmly; but Neale broke away cleverly,
and planted a heavy body blow with his right hand. Cannon fought his
way into another close; in struggling both down, the Streatham Youth
undermost.
11.—The Great Gun wanted breath, and sparred for time, but anxious
not to be idle, went to work. Ned was ready for him, and some blows
were exchanged. Cannon rushed in determined, as it were, to have the
fall. In struggling he threw his opponent, although he went down
himself. Neale’s nob came in sharp contact with the ground, his face
underwent a momentary change, and he appeared hurt by the fall. He
rested his head upon the back of his bottle-holder, and his friends
became alarmed for the consequences. But when time was called, he
was ready.
12.—Neale seemed anxious to recover the accident, and put in with
the utmost ease two teasers on Cannon’s nob, right and left, that
made his pimple shake again. A sharp rally followed, and “Jack was
as good as his master.” It was Millers’ Place, Cannon Row, and
Pepper Alley, all brought down from town. Neale had the worst of the
punishment; he, however stuck close to his man. Cannon was sent out
of the ropes, and Ned also went down.
13.—Good on both sides; Cannon always ready, and no flincher. In
fact, he appeared as cheerful as if he was at work on the river.
Neale got away from mischief, but Cannon would follow him, till a
rally was the result. In closing Cannon received a cross-buttock
that shook him seriously.
14.—Neale was much distressed, and the Great Gun tried to have the
best of him by bustling. In closing he got Neale’s nob under his
arm; and the latter, for a short time, could not release himself
from his perilous situation. (“Bravo, Cannon, now’s your time! you
have got him—don’t let him go!”) Cannon at length let Neale down.
The backers of the Great Gun flattered themselves the chance was in
their favour, and actually took him at evens.
15.—Neale, aware of his weakness, acted upon the defensive; and
Cannon went to work, as the best means to turn the tide. The Great
Gun, in closing, again caught hold of Neale, the latter trying to
hold the hands of his opponent. In this unpleasant situation, both
to themselves and the spectators, they continued for a minute, until
quite exhausted they both went down, Neale undermost; Cannon for
choice, and some were jolly enough to offer 5 to 4.
16.—The Great Gun, acting under the advice of his seconds,
endeavoured to have his opponent upon the bustling system, and went
to work. He bored Neale to the ropes, and here another disagreeable
struggle took place, both for a short time hanging upon the ropes,
till they fell outside of the ring. The Great Gun was undermost.
(“Cannon for ever!” was the cry. “He can’t lose it! The battle is
changed! 6 to 4 on the Great Gun!”)
17.—At the scratch Cannon appeared the fresher man of the two. Ned
was out of wind, and sparring was necessary for both. Neale tried
his right hand, but without effect. A cessation of arms for a short
period, and both on the look-out. Cannon at length rushed upon Neale
with an intent of punishment, but Ned, wide awake, retreated,
followed by his opponent. At the ropes Cannon went to work, but Ned
put on the stop capitally. The Streatham Youth broke ground, when
Cannon would not be denied, but he napped a facer. In closing Ned
threw Cannon, and fell upon him severely.
18.—The Great Gun, rather unsteady, bored in to punish his
adversary; but Neale, who was now getting better, made use of his
pins to great advantage, and got away with ease. One severe facer
Cannon napped, a second followed without any return, and a third
finished the round, the claret running from Cannon’s nose, when he
fell exhausted. (Loud shouting for Neale, and 6 to 4 on him.)
19.—Cannon was game to the backbone, and appeared at the scratch
like a trump. Neale, with great judgment, made himself up to do
something good; he viewed his adversary well, then let fly a
tremendous nobber, which sent Cannon staggering back to the ropes;
Ned followed him and threw him heavily.
20.—Neale was on his mettle; he commenced play with his right with
good effect, and Cannon’s nob met punishment. The Great Gun was now
reduced to a little gun, nevertheless he showed fight like a brave
man, by returning hits. Ned put in another severe facer, and in
closing Cannon went down on his back, Neale upon him. (2 to 1, and
no takers.)
21.—Cannon came up quite groggy, but the fight was not out of him.
The courage and game he displayed were admirable, and he earned the
praise of all spectators. But in boxing term he was of “no use.” Ned
put in a nobber that almost stunned him, and Cannon staggered about
like a drunken man. In closing, Ned again obtained the throw, and
the fall was indeed severe. Cannon lay on the ground, declining to
be lifted up till the call of “time.”
22, and last.—The Great Gun came up like nothing but an
out-and-outer, but his shot was not point-blank, and he swerved and
reeled unsteadily. Neale put in a left-handed push, when the Great
Gun rolled through the ropes and fell outside. He was in a state of
stupor. His seconds brought him into his corner, but while they were
busy the umpire declared he had not answered the call of “time.” The
referee agreed, and the victory was declared to Neale. The battle
lasted only thirty minutes. Neale cut several capers at the
announcement, and returned to his carriage, while the defeated man
was taken to his quarters at Staines.
REMARKS.—The report here given leaves little room for comment.
Cannon, whose courage had “moulted no feather,” was beaten by
freshness, activity, and a better style of boxing than his own. This
was his last fight, and thus, after his defeat by Jem Ward, the once
formidable bargeman, like many another champion who has “trusted to
the energy of a waning age,” furnished one more instance of the
truism that “youth will be served.”
At Sam Tebbutt’s opening dinner on the occasion of his taking the
“Bull’s Head,” Saffron Hill (another of the demolished purlieus of Old
Smithfield), Uncle Ben expressed his “Nevvy’s” desire to meet Neale once
more in the lists, provided Ned would deposit £250 against £200 of “mine
uncle’s” money. Neale closed with the proposal, and posted £10, but
Neale’s principal backer considering the conditions imprudent, he wrote
from Brighton, whither he had gone, forfeiting the £10 down.
A few weeks afterwards, however, articles were signed at the “Castle,”
Holborn, for Neale to fight Jem Burn, £120 to £100, and the day fixed
for Tuesday, Nov. 13th, 1827. So confident was Neale of the result that
he named Monday, Nov. 12th (the day before the fight), for his benefit
at the Tennis Court. After the sparring, Neale, accompanied by Harry
Holt, started for Bagshot, to be near the proposed field of action.
Early on Tuesday morning the road to Staines was covered with all sorts
of vehicles from London, and Shirley’s, the New Inn was overflowing with
first-rate company. Winkfield Plain, in Berkshire, was the spot in view,
and the fancy lost no time in surrounding the ring. Near the appointed
hour Jem Burn threw his hat into the ropes, accompanied by Tom Belcher
and Tom Cannon as his seconds. Neale was close at his heels, and
delivered his tile with the utmost confidence, attended by Josh Hudson
and Harry Holt. The colours—blue, with a white spot, for Ned, and a
Belcher handkerchief for Burn, were tied to the stakes. The men shook
hands smilingly, and at eight minutes past one commenced
THE FIGHT.
Round 1.—On peeling, Jem looked the picture of health. He weighed
thirteen stone, and was three inches taller than his adversary.
Neale did not exactly answer the expectations of his friends; he
looked pale, and his back and bosom were covered with a scorbutic
eruption. Ned did not exceed twelve stone. He held his left hand
remarkably high in defence, and in every other point seemed prepared
for attack. Burn kept manœuvring to obtain an opening, but Neale was
too wary to give a chance away. Jem at length let fly at the body,
but Neale was away. Jem then tried left and right, but Neale, as
before, got out of mischief. Burn, puzzled, made another attempt
with his left hand, which alighted slightly on Ned’s left ogle.
Neale, in return, endeavoured to plant a heavy right-handed hit on
the nob, but it fell short on the shoulder. Burn, anxious to do some
execution, again let fly right and left, but out of distance. Ned
took advantage of the mistake, went in to his man, and by a heavy
right-handed blow on the side of his head, floored Burn like a shot.
First event for the Streatham Youth.
2.—Jem came well up to the scratch, and commenced offensive
operations right and left, but Ned, laughing, said it was “no go,”
and got out of the way of mischief like a skilful tactician, yet
instantly returned to the attack, when Jem napped another floorer,
to the great joy of the Streathamites. The Yorkites began to look
blue.
3.—Jem could not measure his distance, and again threw his blows
away, when Neale went in to punish _sans cérémonie_. (“Hit with
him,” says Tom Belcher. “Yes,” replied Josh, “he will get much the
best of that.”) Burn stopped some hits, and returned on Neale’s nob.
The latter, however, soon resumed the lead. Jem was once more sent
down with comparative ease, and Neale rested himself on his second’s
knee.
4.—Short but sweet to the Streatham Youth; Jem could not plant his
blows, when Neale put in a throttler which sent Burn down in a
twinkling. It is impossible to describe the exultation of the
friends of Neale. Two to one offered.
5.—This was more a wrestling than a fighting round; both combatants
were down side by side.
6.—Neale seemed perfectly awake to every move of his adversary, and
got out of trouble with the utmost _sang froid_. In closing, Jem
struggled hard, and both down.
7.—Jem endeavoured to plant two well-meant hits, but the science of
Neale rendered them harmless. After a little manœuvring, Ned went to
work, when Jem was soon sent down on his latter end.
8.—Jem had a small slice of luck at the opening of this round, by
planting a left-handed hit on the right peeper of Neale, which
produced a slight tinge of the claret. (“First blood,” was claimed
by the friends of Jem, but the Streatham Youth laughed, and said, “I
shall soon make that even.”) A sharp rally concluded the round, in
which Jem threw many blows away, while Ned administered pepper until
Jem went down staggering.
9.—Burn endeavoured to do something, but his blows generally fell
short. Ned was always with his adversary upon the slightest mistake,
and Jem was ultimately down.
10.—This was a well-fought round on both sides. Jem’s right hand
told on the side of Ned’s head, and several other blows of Burn were
also planted with effect, when Ned fell on the ropes and went down.
(“Go along, Jem! that’s the way to win! Keep it up, my lad,” from
his backers.)
11.—Burn put on the stopper well; and in closing Burn got down
cleverly from the fibbing system attempted by his adversary.
12.—The nob of Jem looked rather the worse for wear; but he planted
some slight facers. Neale fought his way into a rally, had the best
of it, and in closing Burn was down.
13.—Jem went to work rather wild, but planted a hit or two. Ned,
however, was with him, and dropped Burn by a blow in the mouth, like
a shot.
14.—This round proved extremely serious to the Burnites. The
combatants soon got into a rally, in which the blows of Neale
operated like cannon-shot, till Jem was quite abroad, and went down
of no use. (This severe punishment operated so severely upon the
feelings of Uncle Ben that he fell on his back on the ground
dreadfully convulsed. Several men who immediately ran to render
Uncle Ben assistance could scarcely hold him during the time he was
bled by a surgeon. On his recovery, he was immediately conveyed to
Staines, and put to bed in a very exhausted state of body and mind.)
15.—Jem appeared at the scratch quite in a groggy state. The
pepper-box was again administered in the most effectual manner by
Neale; resistance seemed almost out of Jem’s power, until he once
more measured his length on the grass.
16.—Burn could not measure his distances, and fought wildly. Ned had
it all his own way, punishing right and left, until Jem was down.
17, 18, 19.—In all these rounds Jem not only napped it in all manner
of directions, but was sent down.
20.—Burn missed a well-aimed left-handed blow at the head of his
opponent, when Neale, in return, planted a tremendous hit on his
sensitive box, which not only produced the claret freely, but
floored him. (Any odds, but no takers.)
21.—The quality of game could not be denied to Jem; he stood and
took the milling like a receiver-general. He was knocked off his
pins without any ceremony.
22.—The left hand of Neale met Jem bang in the middle of the head,
which produced the claret in torrents, as he measured his length on
the grass.
23.—Jem hit down before he had scarcely got up his arms.
24.—Jem slipped down by accident.
25.—Burn was piping, and almost abroad; but Belcher was on the alert
to keep Jem at his work. (“Be ready, my dear boy,” cried Tom; “hit
with him, he’s coming.” “Yes,” replied the John Bull Fighter, “Ned
is coming, and your man will soon be going—or rather, like the
auctioneer, gone!”) Neale received a facer which produced the
claret; but he returned the favour with interest, and Jem was again
sent down.
26.—Jem now tried desperate fighting, hitting away in all
directions; but Ned was too leary. The latter boxer got a stopper on
the nob; but Jem was again down. (“You must admit, gents,” observed
the elegant Holt, “that Jem is a _down-y_ one; he has been down
almost to the end of the chapter. The finish is also near at hand.
I’ll bet any odds.”)
27, 28, 29, 30.—In all of these rounds the lead and punishment were
decidedly in favour of Neale, and Jem was sent down in every one of
them.
31.—Jem showed fight, and planted a facer; but it was too slight to
do anything like damage to Neale. The latter followed Jem all over
the ring, until he sent him down. (Tom Cannon, by way of raising the
spirits of Burn, said, “He can never lick you, Jem.” “Yes,” replied
Ned, “and you afterwards, and no mistake; and I’ll try it, if you
like.”)
32, 33, 34, 35, 36.—It is true that in some of these rounds Jem
planted facers which produced the claret, but he could not turn a
single round in his favour. Ned was continually administering
punishment, and Jem was down in all of these rounds. (“Take him
away!”)
37.—Jem was cruelly distressed, but he would not say “no,” and
showed fight at the scratch. He napped lots of milling in a rally,
and went down as heavy as lead. (“Take him away! he’s of no use!”)
38.—Down, and no return; so much did Neale show his superiority over
Jem.
39.—Of the same class; he appeared at the scratch only to be milled
down. (“It’s a shame to bring him up! Take him home, Belcher!”)
40.—Burn, almost as a forlorn hope, went to work with more spirit
than could have been expected from his exhausted state, and planted
several hits in better style than in most of the preceding rounds;
but this exertion was now too late, and he was milled down flat on
his face. (The cries were extremely loud: “Take him away; you’ll be
lagged else.” “Why don’t you listen to the advice of your friends,”
said Josh, “if you wish to prevent serious consequences to
yourselves?”)
41.—It was all the cash in the Bank to a ninepence that Jem must
lose it; in fact, his backers and seconds ought to have had him
taken out of the ring. Jem down, with his face on the earth.
42.—Nearly U P; Burn was down as soon as he appeared at the scratch.
43, and last.—Jem could scarcely show at the scratch, he was so
completely exhausted. He staggered about like a drunken man, when
Neale did little more than push him down. It was all over; and when
picked up by Tom Belcher, his head fell on his shoulder, and he was
insensible. The fight continued forty-six minutes. Jem was bled on
the ground; nevertheless, he remained in a state of stupor for
several minutes. He was severely punished about the head, while
Neale was scarcely the worse for the fight. In truth, so little did
he care for the punishment he had received that he offered to fight
Tom Cannon off-hand, for £100 a-side, and it was a matter of
difficulty that Neale’s friends made him quit the ring. £7 10s. only
were collected on the ground for Jem Burn.
REMARKS.—The perusal of the rounds of the above battle are so
decisive in themselves as scarcely to require any observation. Ned
had it all his own way, from the beginning of the fight to the end
of the contest. His superior confidence, united with the science
which was conspicuous in every round, pronounced him a master of the
art of self-defence. Coolness is a winning faculty on the part of
Neale, who possesses it in an eminent degree. Jem fought bravely, no
one can deny; but contending in long blows instead of close quarters
rendered his blows non-effective, and he was completely beaten at
out-fighting. It is, however, due to Jem Burn to state that he
contested every inch of ground like a man of the highest courage. He
would not say no, and refused to be taken away, which he might have
done without compromising his character as a pugilist. He never left
the scratch until nature had deserted him; and the best man in the
world must, like Jem, submit to the fortune of war. Neale, in this
conquest, obtained in such a superior style, placed himself high in
the ranks of pugilism; and his backers entertained so high an
opinion, not only of his talents, but of his integrity and thorough
trustworthiness, that it was resolved to match him against the
accomplished Jem Ward.
The very next day, at Burn’s benefit at the Tennis Court, Neale, whose
face was but slightly disfigured, mounted the stage after the principal
bout, between Jem Ward and big Bob Burn, in which Jem sent the burly one
off the platform with surprisingly little damage to his sixteen stone
carcass, and presented himself to the amateurs. He offered, such was the
readiness of good men in those days, to meet Baldwin for £250 to £200 or
£500 to £400, that day week, or that day month, or two months, at his
option; or he would fight Tom Cannon, Reuben Martin, or any twelve stone
man in England, for any sum they pleased; or he would fight the three
men named within three months, with a month’s interval. This sweeping
challenge brought up Ned Baldwin, who said he was not at that moment
prepared to make a match, but would appoint an evening for the purpose,
and give Neale notice to attend. Tom Cannon next showed. “Gentlemen,”
said the Windsor Gun, “I am out of condition, and both my shoulders are
bad. I have now plaisters on my chest. But I hope to be well by April,
when Neale shall not want a customer.”
At a sporting dinner on Thursday, Nov. 22nd, 1827, at Sam Tebbutt’s, the
“Bull’s Head,” Peter Street, to celebrate Neale’s victory, Ned was
surrounded by backers and friends. The chairman (Pierce Egan) reviewed
the victorious career of Neale, stating his battles, and that his name
had never yet been associated with defeat—that he had proved himself as
honest as he was brave, a dutiful son, an affectionate brother, a
kind-hearted husband, and a sincere friend—in short, a true man in all
the relations of life. He therefore proposed a subscription to present
him with a silver cup of the value of one hundred guineas, as a
testimony to his upright and brave conduct. The proposition was agreed
to, and twenty-one guineas subscribed in the room.
The subject of a match between Jem Ward and Ned Neale was on the carpet
at the Castle Tavern, Holborn, on Tuesday, Nov. 20th, 1827, when two
gentlemen posted £5 a-side, to be made £100—£15 a-side to be posted the
next evening. On the Wednesday Neale’s backer announced that he had not
been able to see Neale, and wished a postponement; but Ward’s friend
claimed forfeit, and it was paid over accordingly. £20 was then
deposited by a friend of Neale’s, to be made £200 if Neale consented to
fight Ward in two months—the money to be returned (less half-a-dozen of
wine) in the event of Neale’s non-compliance. On Friday, Nov. 23rd, an
immense assemblage of the fancy took place at the “Castle,” when, Jem
Ward not being present (he did not appear during the whole evening),
forfeit was claimed. The gentleman who backed Ward demurred, stating he
knew Jem was ready to go on with the match, and he was ready with a
further deposit. Neale, who was in attendance, said, as the deposit had
been made to fight for £200 within two months, he must decline complying
with those terms. He did not think he could get into sufficient
condition to meet such a man as Jem Ward, and he was resolved never to
peril his own reputation, and the interest of his friends, by entering
the ring unfit. The deposits were hereupon drawn.
Ned Baldwin now offered himself once again to Neale’s notice for £150
a-side. To this Neale replied, offering to fight Baldwin, as once
beaten, for £250 to £200. Articles were formulated and signed, and
Tuesday, March 11th, 1828, fixed as the day. Baldwin left town for
Leicestershire to train. Here a trivial occurrence had well-nigh wrecked
Baldwin’s chance and money, as will be seen by the subjoined letter to
the editor of the _Weekly Dispatch_:—
London, _Feb._ 2nd, 1828.
“SIR,—On my return from Melton Mowbray I was sorry to find my
character had been assailed by a Leicester paper, in which my
conduct has been entirely misrepresented. I refer to the account of
a dispute which took place between two respectable coach
proprietors, who, I hope, have settled their differences amicably.
It is stated I took an active part in the ‘disturbance.’ Now, sir,
the truth is that I was merely a passive spectator of the quarrel,
and never interfered by word or act—in fact, I was equally a friend
to both parties. Like others, I laughed, but knew my situation too
well to interfere. I knew that I was backed against Ned Neale, and
that by joining in such a dispute I should be ‘throwing a chance
away’—conduct of which even my enemies would scarcely accuse me. For
being present, however, I was taken before a magistrate, and held to
bail till the sessions, which will be held at the beginning of
April; but even this fact did not justify the false statement to my
prejudice made in the _Leicester Herald_. However, as my
recognisances only stand good till the sessions, I shall continue to
make my deposits with Ned Neale good; and I have too much reliance
on his honourable feeling not to believe, even if I am obliged to
put our meeting off for a month, that he will willingly grant me
that time. He has said that he means fighting, and so do I; and as
the articles express that the stakes shall remain till we have
fairly decided who is the best man, upon that understanding I mean
to act. I shall attend with my backers at Tom Cribb’s, on Tuesday
next, with the needful, and hope to meet my antagonist on friendly
terms. With regard to the worthy magistrate who held me to bail, I
have no doubt he felt he was justified; but when my trial takes
place, I shall be able to prove my entire innocence of any illegal
act whatever. By my profession, if fighting a few battles can be so
called, I have been taught to love ‘fair play.’ I know enough of the
sporting gentlemen of Leicestershire to believe that they are equal
admirers of that truly British characteristic; and I rest perfectly
satisfied that I shall not be sacrificed to any unjust prejudice
which may have been excited against me from my being a member of the
P. R.
“Yours respectfully,
“EDWARD BALDWIN.”
On Tuesday evening, the 5th of February, the time appointed for making
the fifth deposit, the “Union Arms,” in Panton Street, was overflowing
at an early hour. Neale and Baldwin were both present, and on “time”
being called, both said their money was ready. Baldwin, alluding to the
late unfortunate affair at Leicester, although perfectly innocent of any
act of disorder whatever, said he had been held to bail to appear at the
sessions, and also during the intervening period to keep the peace
towards all His Majesty’s subjects. This was an event which he had not
foreseen, and he hoped Neale would liberally assent to the match being
postponed for such a time as would allow him to appear at the sessions,
when he should be enabled to show that he had been the victim of
prejudice. Neale had said he meant fighting; so did he, and he hoped the
stakes would be permitted to remain till the event came fairly off.
Neale said he was willing to give his antagonist every indulgence, and
to meet his wishes to the fullest extent.
The articles were then altered according to the new arrangement, the men
to fight for an even £250 a-side, and the match fixed for the 22nd of
April. If Baldwin should be bound in recognisances at that time, he
would pay Neale’s expenses to go to France; and if imprisoned, he would
agree to forfeit £200 of the stakes down. With this all parties were
satisfied, and Baldwin was applauded for the spirit he had displayed.
On Tuesday evening, March 4th, 1828, a meeting was held at Harry Holt’s
for the purpose of making good the last deposit towards the £250 a-side.
Neale’s money was ready, but Baldwin had been disappointed in the
expected arrival of a friend, who was to have posted a portion of the
needful on his behalf. Neale said that he would not claim the forfeit.
The word of a gentleman being therefore given that the required sum
should be placed in the hands of the stakeholder in the course of a
week, it was considered as understood that the whole of the money was
made good. Another alteration was then made in the time of fighting.
Baldwin remarked that the 22nd of April (the day then fixed) was in the
week appointed for the Newmarket meeting, and this might prevent many of
the turf men from being present. Baldwin therefore proposed an
adjournment of the fight for a week. Neale said a week would make no
difference to him; but if he acceded to Baldwin’s wishes, he ought to
have the right to name the place of meeting. To this Baldwin at once
agreed, and it was therefore arranged that the fight should stand over
to the 29th of April, and that Neale should have the right to say
“where.” Ill luck, however, pursued the fixture; and on Thursday, April
29th, 1828, many hundreds left London, and returned, few of them until
the next day, after a weary journey to Liphook, in Hampshire, thence to
Guildford and Godalming, to find that warrants against Neale and Baldwin
were out in Surrey, Sussex, and Hampshire. A move into Berks was decided
on, and Bagshot made the rendezvous. Here, at Hatchard’s Lane, in the
parish of Wingfield, the ring was pitched, and shortly after Neale
arrived in the carriage of his patron, Mr. Sant. Ned quietly alighted,
and threw his hat into the ring, attended by his seconds, Josh. Hudson
and Harry Holt. Bob was equally on the alert, and repeated the token of
defiance, followed by Peter Crawley and Dick Curtis. Bob won the toss,
when the colours were tied to the stakes, a bright purple for Baldwin
and a dark blue bird’s-eye for the Streatham Youth. The betting was
seven to four on Neale. At half-past one o’clock the fight commenced:—
THE FIGHT.
Round 1.—The condition of Neale appeared good on stripping, but a
few of his friends thought he was rather too fat, and blotches on
his body were, as usual, prominent; Bob was also well, but he looked
pale. Ned was confident, and after a little manœuvring for the first
advantage, Bob hit out with his right, but Ned was leary, and it
fell short; Bob then commenced the bustling system, when a few blows
were exchanged. In closing Bob napped one on his cheek as he was
going down. Neale fell on him. “Well done, Neale!”
2.—Bob, still on the bustle, hurried to his work, but again hit out
of distance and fell on his hands. Ned missed a heavy upper-cut with
the right, that might otherwise have done mischief.
3.—Both hit short. Baldwin missed in a second attempt; but Ned
planted a nobber, then went to work in right earnest, and not only
put in a teaser on the side of Bob’s head, but closed and gave the
white-headed one a cross-buttock.
4.—Bob planted a slight facer, but received a severe return. In
closing, Ned fibbed his opponent, and then threw him like a
first-rate wrestler.
5.—On Neale’s coming to the scratch, Curtis claimed “first blood”
from Ned’s nose, but the umpires could not perceive it. This was a
short round, facers on both sides, the White-headed one again
thrown.
6.—Ned planted two severe facers; Baldwin, in return, hit out
wildly, and lost his distance. Neale repeated the dose on the left
ear of Bob, which produced the claret, and the event of first blood
was decided in favour of Neale. In closing Baldwin got down
skilfully to prevent being thrown.
7.—The right hand of Neale again told, but in struggling for the
fall Ned was undermost. “Bravo, Bob!”
8.—Nothing. Both men hit out of distance, when Bob ran in wildly
after his adversary, missed him, and fell.
9.—Bob fond of bustling, but in rushing in he napped a snorter, the
claret following the blow. In going down Neale was successful in
planting two hits.
10.—This round looked like fighting; both men were on their mettle,
and anxious to do mischief. Ned’s right hand told—ditto, ditto, and
ditto; yet Bob was not idle, and returned well; nevertheless,
Baldwin was hit down. (“It’s as right as the day,” said the John
Bull Fighter; “Ned’s turned auctioneer; he knocked down the last lot
cleverly, and Mr. Baldwin bought it.”)
11.—The right hand of Bob would have been mischievous if he could
have timed his blows; but he appeared so much in a hurry that they
fell short. Baldwin put in a heavy body blow, but was thrown.
12.—Ned took the lead, and nobbed his adversary; Bob, endeavouring
to return, missed. In closing, Baldwin slipped on his knees. Ned
threw up his hands and walked away, amidst thunders of applause.
13.—Neale again had it all his own way; he threw Baldwin. Four to
one and no takers, so satisfied were the spectators that Neale would
prove the conqueror.
14.—Baldwin’s left hand told on Neale’s cheek, but the latter
countered with effect. Bob received another severe cross-buttock.
15.—Bob could not change a single round in his favour, hitting
wildly, and quite out of distance. He received a heavy blow on the
nose. In closing Bob was thrown on the ropes.
16.—Bob did not heed scientific movements; he endeavoured to
overwhelm Neale by bustling in helter-skelter, missed his aim, and
fell.
17.—Of no importance. Bob piping. Ned planted his right hand. In
closing, both down.
18.—A straight facer, and ditto by Neale, Bob returning as wild as a
novice. Baldwin thrown.
19.—Bob had a small turn in this round. He planted a heavy hit on
the left peeper of Neale, and another blow, which produced the
claret on Neale’s cheek. In going down Neale was undermost. (“That’s
the way to win,” said Dick Curtis; “wait for him and make your right
tell.”)
20.—Both milling, counter-hits. Bob tried the bustling system again,
and bored Neale down. (“Well done, Bob!”)
21.—Bob stopped Ned’s left hand cleverly, and gave Neale a teaser on
his left eye. In struggling for the throw, both went down.
22.—This was a milling round. Bob seemed steadier, and returned hit
for hit; but Neale planted a tremendous blow on his opponent’s left
eye, and threw him cleverly.
23.—Ned got out of mischief like an able tactician. He, however,
soon returned to the charge, and with his right floored the
White-headed one. This was the first knock-down blow.
24.—Bob came to the scratch rather abroad; he ran in wildly,
slipped, caught hold of Ned, and fell on his knees. Neale again
walked away, receiving lots of applause for his forbearance. In
fact, he actually helped him up, which kindness Baldwin returned by
a shake of the hand.
25.—Bob, full of pluck, fought his way into a spirited rally, and
give and take was the feature for a short period, until Ned finished
the round by giving Bob a severe cross-buttock.
26.—Bob commenced fighting as wild as ever. Ned endeavoured to stop
his rush, when Bob slipped down with his hands up. Neale, though in
the act of hitting, restrained himself, to prevent anything foul.
27.—Ned planted his right and left with success, Bob hitting out of
all distance, as heretofore. In closing both down.
28.—Baldwin retreated to the ropes, followed by Ned. In closing at
the ropes Neale tried fibbing, and also threw Bob.
29.—Had Baldwin steadied himself, and measured his distance, he
could not have thrown so many right-handed hits away. Ned planted
some slight taps, when both went down.
30.—The blows of Ned did not appear to do so much execution as
heretofore; his friends thought he hit with his left hand open;
Baldwin was met in his rush by a flush hit on his nob. In closing,
Ned went down.
31.—Baldwin, by a sort of scrambling hit, felt for the left peeper
of Neale, but the latter made good his right and left. In closing,
both down.
32.—Neale again triumphant. He went up, _sans cérémonie_, to
Baldwin’s nob, and floored him. (A tremendous shout of applause from
all parts of the ring.)
33.—Decidedly in favour of Neale; the right hand of the latter told
with severity on Baldwin’s already damaged listener; another
desperate cross-buttock closed the round against Baldwin.
34.—The game exhibited by Bob was loudly praised; both men were
fighting at points in this round. The advantage, however, was on the
side of Neale, and Bob was ultimately thrown out of the ropes.
35.—Counter-hits. In closing, both went down; Neale struck his nob
rather in an awkward manner.
36.—In spite of all the advice given by Dick Curtis to Bob he would
still rush forward to attack his adversary. Ned, like a skilful
general, got out of the way of danger, rendering the attempts of
Baldwin abortive. Bob was thrown.
37.—The rounds now were short. Ned hit right and left, but not
severely. Both down.
38.—Neale took the lead, and planted several hits; both again went
down.
39.—Baldwin almost ran in to punish his adversary, which Neale
perceiving stepped aside nimbly, and Bob fell.
40.—Up to this period of the battle Neale was the favourite. The
latter got away from Bob’s fury, and in closing Baldwin was thrown.
41.—Bob got a small turn in his favour in this round. It is true he
was the most punished, but he did not appear reduced much in
strength. Bob again missed with his right; but in closing he made a
desperate effort, and threw Neale a severe cross-buttock. (The
friends of Bob gave him thunders of applause, and the disinterested
spectators were not backward in crying out, “Bravo!”)
42.—Both men countered well; and after a long struggle, in closing,
both down.
43.—(“Hit with your right hand,” said Dick, “and the battle must be
your own. Don’t run at your man like a mad bull.”) But all advice
was thrown away—Bob acted as heretofore, when Ned got neatly out of
trouble. Baldwin received a heavy right-hander on the side of his
head, which he endeavoured to return with his left; in so doing he
fell on his knees, but instantly jumped up to renew the fight, when
Ned obtained the throw.
44.—Ned made play with his right hand, but Bob was again on the
bustle, and in struggling for the throw got Neale down.
45.—This was a short but busy round. Both on the
alert—counter-hits—a rally, and in closing for the fall, Ned was
thrown.
46.—Ned, as if determined to finish off his man, went to fight,
_sans cérémonie_. He caught Baldwin on the right side of his nob,
threw him a heavy cross-buttock, and fell over him.
47.—Neale’s right and left told; Bob bored in, caught hold of his
adversary, and fell on his knees. Ned, instead of punishing him,
patted Baldwin on the back, and once more walked to the knee of his
second, amidst uproarious applause.
48.—Neale took the lead right and left. Bob, wild at such treatment,
closed, and got Neale down.
49.—A fighting round; capital counter-hits. Bob received so severe a
facer that he went down like a spinning-top.
50.—The game displayed by Baldwin was the admiration of the
spectators; his mug was punished, and his eyebrow badly damaged. Ned
took the lead; and Bob, anxious to return, fell in the attempt.
51.—Bob was piping, and rather abroad; nevertheless his right hand
was always dangerous; he was again unlucky in his distance. Ned
planted his right hand, and Bob found his way to grass.
52.—Bob without delay fought into a rally, when Ned got out of
trouble by turning round, but immediately resumed milling. In
closing, Bob obtained the throw, and Neale came heavily down on his
neck.
53.—Bob was no sooner at the scratch than he rushed in without any
system, and succeeded in getting Neale down.
54.—The execution of Neale was not so severe as in the early part of
the battle; and his left hand was open. In closing, Baldwin obtained
the fall.
55.—Each trying for the best; stopping and hitting until both down.
56.—Neale appeared angry, and did not deliver his blows so steadily
as heretofore. In closing, Baldwin found himself on the turf.
57.—The left hand of Neale was a little puffed, but he planted his
right severely. Both down.
58.—Bob now stood higher in the opinions of the spectators; his
strength was not so much reduced as might have been expected; but
high odds were still offered on Neale. In closing, both down, and
both weak.
59.—Baldwin certainly appeared better, and did not pipe so much as
he had done in several of the preceding rounds. Neale went to work
right and left, Bob endeavouring to be with him, but Ned obtained
the throw.
60.—Bob left all system out of the case, and hit in all directions.
Exchanges, when Bob, in closing, almost pinned Ned to the ground by
superior strength.
61.—Counter-hits, Baldwin soon down.
62.—The right of Neale told: but with his left he could not do any
execution. Bob went down from a slight hit.
63.—Baldwin crept into favour with the spectators this round, by the
game he displayed, and his determined mode of fighting. Ned made
play, but Bob was with him; and some smart exchanges took place. In
closing, after a severe struggle, Bob got his opponent down.
64.—Bob, revived by a nip of _eau-de-vie_, planted his right well;
but Ned countered, and mischief was done on both sides. Bob pushed
on his luck, and boring in, laid hold of Neale by the neck, and in a
severe struggle for the fall the Streatham hero received a dangerous
twist, and fell in a singular manner. Ned was quite abroad for a few
seconds. Dick Curtis exclaimed, “We have won it!” The anxiety of the
spectators was intense; but Ned revived, and was ready at the
scratch when time was called.
65.—Neale was distressed by the late fall, but he began his work
well. Some sharp counter-hits. In closing, Bob again tried for the
throw, but he was not so successful. Neale punished Baldwin as he
was going down.
66.—The White-headed One was kept on the alert by his admirable
little second, Curtis, and slashed away like a good one. Had his
distances been anything like correct at this juncture, he had yet a
chance of winning. In closing, Neale was again thrown, and he told
Harry Holt “to take care of his neck” as he was picking him up.
67.—Baldwin was quite alive to the position, and neglected no
opportunity to turn it to account. He again kept Neale on the
bustle, caught the latter round the tender place on his neck, and
obtained the throw. (“Bravo, Bob! you’ll win it now, if you mind
what you are at!”)
68.—Neale still distressed; Bob to all appearance the stronger man.
The White-headed Blade now thought the bustling mode to be
successful, and tried it on at once. Neale fearlessly met him. In
closing, Baldwin squeezed his opponent, got him down, and fell on
him. (“Why, Bobby,” said Curtis, “you have found out the way at
last. You are doing the trick.”)
69.—Neale commenced milling. In closing, Bob’s strength enabled him
again to get the fall. At this moment a great bustle was heard on
one side of the ring, and a cry of, “The beak! the beak!” An
elderly, pale-faced gentleman in black was observed making his way
for the ring. He proclaimed himself a magistrate, and called upon
all parties to desist. The smooth-tongued blades of the Fancy tried
all their eloquence to appease the wrath of the beak, by stating to
him what a pity it would be, at such an interesting period, to put a
stop to the event, which, as a matter of course, an hour having
elapsed, would end of itself in the course of a few minutes.
70.—During the argument time was called, and the men appeared at the
scratch. Neale was ready, and Bob equally so—no flinching, until
Baldwin was floored.
71.—Neale rallied himself, and went to work with considerable
spirit; Baldwin attacked his adversary wildly. Both down.
72.—The beak endeavoured to break through the crowd to get at the
combatants, but he could not. Hitting away on both sides, but Neale
now and then jobbing the nob of his adversary. In closing, both
down.
73.—(“Now’s the time,” said the Pet to Bob; “go to work, hit steady
with your right hand, and you can’t lose it.” “What nonsense!”
replied Hudson; “how can you mislead the poor fellow so!”) Both on
their mettle, and several blows were exchanged. In closing, Baldwin
obtained the throw.
74.—The rounds were now very short. Baldwin bustling, while Neale
was endeavouring to catch him as he was coming in. Both down, Neale
undermost.
75.—Exerting themselves like brave men, regardless of danger, until
both of them fell out of the ropes.
76.—Neale successively planted three jobbing hits; nevertheless, Bob
returned to the attack undismayed. In closing, Baldwin pulled down
his adversary.
77.—Counter-hits, and a good round altogether, until both went down,
Baldwin uppermost.
78.—The fight had materially changed. Bob, who, in the early part of
the battle, in the opinion of nearly all the spectators, had no
chance of success, was viewed with a different eye. Neale’s left
hand was of little use to him. Both down.
79.—Neale took the lead, and planted his right and left. Baldwin
fell on his knees.
80.—Counter-hits, but not heavy enough to put a finish to the
battle. In closing, both down, Neale undermost.
81.—(The disinterested part of the ring—those persons who had not a
copper on the event seemed to think that it was anybody’s battle.)
Neale, always ready, went to work; Bob, on the bustle, endeavoured
to be with him. In closing, both down, Neale undermost.
82.—Neale hit with his left hand half open, then planted a facer
with his right. Baldwin, still wild, but determined, endeavoured to
return. His distance as heretofore proved incorrect. He rushed into
a close, when both fell.
83.—Neale had not lost his gaiety, and tried to administer
punishment. In closing, the struggle was desperate for the throw;
after a severe encounter, Bob was uppermost. Both men much
distressed.
84, and last.—Baldwin at the scratch, and Neale also ready to the
call of “time.” Both combatants went to work without hesitation.
Some sharp hits were exchanged, when both men went down in the
corner of the ring, close to the magistrate. One hour and a quarter
had elapsed.
His worship now waxed angry at the want of attention paid to his
authority, exclaiming, in a peremptory tone of voice, “I’ll endure this
no longer!” Laying hold of the arm of Josh Hudson, he told Harry Holt of
the consequences which must result to the whole of them, if they did not
put an end to the battle. Hudson, obedient to the law, resigned his
situation as second, when an amateur rushed into the ring and gave his
knee to Neale. The magistrate then spoke to Neale and Baldwin, and
observed that he had been sent for by a gentleman in the neighbourhood,
to interfere and put a stop to the fight: that he entertained no
hostility against any person present, and if they immediately quitted
the ring peaceably, he should take no further notice of what had
occurred. “If the battle is continued,” said he, raising his voice, “the
combatants, seconds, and every individual present aiding and assisting
must take the consequences.” The magistrate, however, good-naturedly
acknowledged that he had met with more civility and attention than he
could have expected from such a multitude. His worship then retired from
the scene of action, amidst loud cheers from the spectators.
Further opposition was voted imprudent, and hostilities ceased. Bob and
Ned shook hands together, left the ring, and walked to their vehicles.
The reporter asked Baldwin how he felt, when he emphatically replied,
“What should be the matter with me?” It was thought advisable by the
friends of both parties that the combatants should return to Bagshot,
and be put to bed.
It was not to be supposed that the question of superiority would remain
thus undecided between two such courageous and well-matched men; so,
after some little debate upon the “draw,” consequent on magisterial
interference, they agreed to add £50 a-side to the stakes, and to meet
once more—the time the 28th of May, 1828, the place No Man’s Land, in
Hertfordshire. How gallantly Neale fell, after a desperate battle of
sixty-six rounds in seventy-one minutes, may be read in Chapter VII. of
this volume.
Neale’s friends and admirers did not desert him in defeat. At Neale’s
benefit at the Tennis Court, on the 21st of July, 1828, at which Tom
Spring, Peter Crawley, Holt, Curtis, and the leading men appeared, a
silver cup of the value of 100 guineas was presented by Pierce Egan as a
testimonial of his “bravery, honour, and incorruptible integrity.” This
trophy for many years formed one of the treasures of the “Rose and
Crown.”
Reuben Marten now proposed to back John Nicholls for £100 a-side against
Neale, and the cartel being accepted, the match was made off-hand, at
Marten’s house, the “City of London,” Berwick Street, Soho. The deposits
were duly made until £60 was down, when Nicholls’s backers were absent,
but Neale waived the forfeit, and generously agreed to take £25 when the
fight should come off; £50 being promised by a gentleman, a backer of
Nicholls, for the fight to take place on his estate. We note this, as on
another occasion, with Baldwin, Neale waived his claim to forfeit when
£170 was down.
The day was fixed for the 23rd September, 1828, the place Fisher Street,
in Sussex. Nicholls—a fine, powerful young man, whose recent victory
over Dick Acton, a pugilist thought good enough to be matched against
Jem Ward and Peter Crawley, had raised him by a jump to the pinnacle of
fame—had good friends. The sporting men of London, however, did not
believe in a comparative novice being pitted against the victor of a
dozen battles, and seven to four was laid at the “Castle,” “Queen’s
Head,” and “King’s Arms,” on the Streatham champion.
On Tuesday morning Guildford, Godalming, and the villages near the scene
of action were all alive, the amateurs having left London overnight. An
immense cavalcade was soon on the move towards Fisher Street, where, at
the Royal Cylinder Works, the property of Mr. Stovell, preparations had
been made from an early hour. Banners were displayed, two military
bands, and six small pieces of cannon in a turf battery were discharged
occasionally, and a general rustic merry-making, more like a fair than
the preliminaries of a fight, was going on. Tables and forms, with
eatables and drinkables, were provided gratuitously for certain visitors
within the houses and factory of Mr. Stovell. In an enclosed piece of
ground a twenty-four feet ring of turf, laid and levelled, was roped in,
with seats for the umpires and referee. At a distance of twelve feet a
roped circle kept back the spectators, while round all was a double line
of wagons, the inner ones sunk in the ground by holes dug as deep as
their axletrees, the outer line being on the level of the field. The
ground was kept by 150 stout countrymen with staves, in white smocks,
with blue ribands in their hats, marshalled by the indefatigable Mr.
Stovell.
At eleven o’clock a curious procession approached. Reuben Marten and
Nicholls, in a light two-wheeler, followed by some friends, were
succeeded by Neale in a barouche, in which were seated Tom Spring and
Harry Holt, the “ribands” handled by Will Scarlett, the renowned
“dragsman.” The men were accommodated with separate apartments in Mr.
Stovell’s house till the hour of battle arrived.
At ten minutes past one Nicholls dropped his hat within the ropes, and
Neale immediately followed his example. Neale was attended by Tom Spring
and Harry Holt, Nicholls by Jem Ward and Reuben Marten. Nicholls won the
toss for corners, and both men sported true blue for their colours.
THE FIGHT.
Round 1.—Nicholls justified the report of his superior personal
requisites. He stood nearly two inches over Neale, and his weight,
thirteen stone four pounds, was well and evenly distributed. He was
indeed the model of an athlete. Neale, whose weight was twelve stone
four pounds, looked hard, brown, and muscular, and well capable of a
long day’s work. Great caution on both sides. The men stepped round
and round each other, making feints, for full five minutes—the
seconds of Nicholls advising him to use caution and let his man
“come to him,” which Neale did not seem inclined to do. At last
Nicholls sent out his right at Neale’s throat. It was short, for
Neale jumped away. More tedious sparring and manœuvring, until both
men seemed weary of holding up their hands, the young one most so.
Neale, seeing a favourable opening, sprang forward, delivering a
straight right-hander on his adversary’s collar-bone. It was
intended doubtless for the side of his head, but fell lower from the
superior height of his opponent. It was a terrific blow, and sounded
like the crack of a pistol-shot, leaving a broad red mark, that soon
after swelled, as a token of its force. A rally followed, in which
Neale planted a heavy body blow with the right, and his left on
Nicholls’s mouth, who returned on Neale’s head. Neale finished the
round prettily by getting hold of his huge adversary and throwing
him neatly from the hip. Immense applause from the Londoners.
2 to 12.—All similar in character. Neale drew his man and punished
him for coming in, Neale now and then getting down to end the round.
13.—Nicholls, finding himself out-manœuvred, rushed in ding-dong.
Neale met him coolly, and actually sent him off his legs. (“It’s all
U P,” cried Ned Stockman. “Who’ll take two to one?”)
14 to 17.—In every round Neale made his right and left tell with
effect, getting away or stopping the return, until poor Nicholls was
a pitiful spectacle. In the sixteenth and seventeenth rounds Neale
sent Nicholls down with a straight left-hander. Cries of “Take him
away.”
18, and last.—Nicholls tried to get in at his man, but was literally
hit out right and left. Neale closed and threw his man heavily. Jem
Ward stepped forward and said his man should fight no more, and
Neale, stepping up to the umpires and referee, was told he was the
conqueror.
REMARKS.—This one-sided affair hardly calls for comment. It merely
adds one more instance to the innumerable proofs that mere strength
and courage are more than balanced by the skill, readiness, and
precision of the practised master of the science of defence.
Roche, a publican of Exeter, whose provincial reputation as a wrestler
was higher than his boxing capabilities, was matched by his overweening
friends against Neale. The preliminaries duly arranged; the stakes, £100
a-side, made good; and the day fixed for the 2nd December, 1828; the men
met on the North Chapel Cricket Ground, Sussex, forty-four miles from
London by road. Neale trained at Milford, in Surrey, and there, it
afterwards came out, he was “interviewed,” as modern reporters would
style it, by an envoy from Roche’s party, who offered to secure to him
£500 to lose the fight, and a further sum of two hundred if he would
give in under fifty minutes. All this Neale communicated to his backers;
and so well was the secret kept that a double defeat awaited the
“Knights of the x,” in the disgrace of their champion and the depletion
of their pockets. Had the countermine been discovered, the defeated
Devonian declared, “all the King’s horses” should not have drawn him
into the ring. In order yet further to keep up the “fool’s paradise”
into which these bucolic knaves delivered themselves, the emissary
presented Neale with a new suit of clothes and £18 “earnest money,”
keeping £2 for commission; and on the very morning of the battle he
added £8 out of £10 entrusted to him for the same nefarious purpose. The
“cross coves,” assured that all was right, freely backed their man, and
were not aware of the mine until it burst beneath their feet, scattering
to the wind their hopes and calculations. Roche, who had come up to
London, finished his training at the renowned Johnny Gilpin’s house, the
“Bell,” at Edmonton, then a charming rural retreat, with its flower and
tea gardens; now a well-accustomed modern ginshop, resplendent in
gilding, gas, and plate glass, and belted in with brick, mortar, and
shops.
Roche, who reached Godalming overnight, set out a little before twelve
in a barouche; while Neale, in a four-horse drag, started from Milford,
and soon overtook him on the road. Tom Spring, the “Portsmouth
Dragsman,” Harry Holt, and other friends, were on the roof of Neale’s
coach, and were first on the ground. Roche soon after alighted, under
the care of Ben Burn and young Dutch Sam, who were engaged as his
seconds. His colours were a light blue, Neale’s a dark blue bird’s-eye.
The toss for corners was won by Harry Holt for Neale, who was also
waited on by Tom Spring. As the men stood up, the contrast was striking.
Roche, who stood nearly six feet, weighed, it was reported, fourteen
stone. His advantages in weight and length, however, were fully
counterbalanced by his apparent age and staleness. His superfluous meat
hung in collops over the belt of his drawers, and he was altogether soft
and flabby. The Streatham man, _au contraire_, looked bright, sinewy,
fresh, and active, though he had trained rather lighter than on some
former occasions, weighing twelve stone two pounds. The umpires and
referee having been chosen, the men stood up, at ten minutes to one, for
THE FIGHT.
Round 1.—As Roche held up his arms and moved half round to face the
movements of Neale, he betrayed the yokel in every move. The
Streatham hero eyed him with satisfaction, and walked round him with
his hands well up. Roche flourished his long arms awkwardly, with no
particular object but defence, and as soon as Neale saw an opening
in he dashed, delivered with his left a half-arm hit on Roche’s eye,
following it by such a tremendous bodier with the right that down
went the mighty wrestler on the broad of his back, amid the shouts
of the Londoners, the long faces of the provincials, and the
consternation of the “ready-made luck” division, who were utterly
dumbfounded at such a commencement. As Roche was picked up and taken
to his corner he looked towards Neale with a mixture of surprise and
reproach, as if to say, “Is this the way I am to be served?”
2.—A repetition of Round 1. Roche made play awkwardly; Neale
retreated and shifted, stopping him cleverly. At length he in turn
stepped in, delivered his one, two, cuttingly, and down went the
Devonian. Roche was evidently remonstrating with his seconds in his
corner, while his friends of the + division were running about
frantically, hedging their bets if they could.
3.—This round only differed from the two preceding in the fact that,
after some exchanges, in which the balance was all in favour of
Neale, the latter suddenly closed, and giving Roche his leg, clearly
threw the wrestler, amid the shouts of the Londoners and the
astonished silence of the men from the “West Countrie.”
4, 5, and 6.—Ditto, ditto, ditto. Roche tried, however, a little
up-hill fighting, and hit Neale twice or thrice, but with little
effect, while Ned’s left-handers operated like kicks of a horse.
(£100 to £10 on Neale offered.)
7.—In a bustling exchange Ned sent his left obliquely over Roche’s
shoulder, who instantly clutched him, and endeavoured to bear him
down. To the surprise of all Ned fairly lifted his ponderous
adversary, and sent him down heavily by the back-heel, falling on
him. (Utter dismay among the Devonians, and uproarious joy among the
regular ring-goers. Ten to one going begging.)
It would be a mere waste of space to detail further the ensuing
rounds, which went on up to the 30th. Roche, however, cut up game,
and manfully did his best when he found how he was “sold” by his
friends, who were themselves deservedly “sold” in turn. In Round 29,
Ned being called upon by Spring to “put on the final polish,” went
and delivered a left jobbing hit; Roche shifted, and in returning
got Ned by the neck, under his arm, and fairly lifted him off the
ground. Neale was for a few seconds in a critical position, but
Roche, as he hung his weight on him, did not know what to do with
him, and instead of being severely fibbed Ned got down cleverly, to
the great relief of his anxious friends.
30, and last.—Neale broke ground cautiously, but confidently, making
play with both hands, first delivering on the head and following it
with a body blow, in the coolest and most workman-like manner, Roche
“standing it like a lamb,” as one of his backers bitterly remarked.
Neale after following him round the ring, at length caught him a
straight one on the nose, then a flush hit on the mouth, and Roche
went down on his back, Neale falling over him. When Roche was in his
corner there seemed to be a sort of conference, when Ned walked
across and assured Roche that he “meant to win and no mistake, so he
might go on if he liked.” This plain hint was duly appreciated, and
Roche declared he would “fight no more.” Time, thirty minutes.
REMARKS.—A less accomplished fighter than Roche never stripped to
contend with so tried a boxer as Ned Neale. Independent of heavy
slowness, his ideas of defence and stopping were of the clumsiest
and most puerile description. Though no doubt superior to Ned as a
mere wrestler, even in this he was taken by surprise and signally
overthrown. Great pains were taken to circulate stories of the
strength and prowess of Roche, to cover the arranged defeat of
Neale, as the vanquished man afterwards confessed. There is no doubt
that Roche first issued his challenge inconsiderately, and, from an
undue estimate of his own boxing capabilities; but that his
confidence was based upon the information that he was to have an
easy victory, all matters being made smooth for the result. Poor
Roche, in truth, was a mere tool in the affair, and paid the penalty
of his presumption and credulity.
Neale returned to the Swan Inn to dress, and after his ablutions met a
party of friends from Portsmouth at dinner, his features being without a
scratch. In the afternoon his “caravan” set out, decorated with blue and
white favours, and accompanied a pair of Kentish-keyed bugles—the
predecessors of our modern cornets-à-piston—on a drive through the
villages, amid the cheers of the multitude, to Milford, where, on
reaching his training quarters, he found the house ornamented with blue
and white bunting, and bannerets of blue and white ribbons, with mine
host Mandeville at the door, his old wrinkled face cracking like a mealy
potato as he announced dinner number two, which was prepared in his
spacious and convenient club-room. A score of smiling friends welcomed
the victor, and Ned’s health was drunk with enthusiasm. Neale declared,
in returning thanks, that “he was never happier, and hoped he had
convinced his friends that he would not deceive them, as honour was
dearer to him than money. He had punished those who would have had him
rob those to whom he owed his fame and good name, and to deceive those
who meant wrong he considered both fair and honest.”
Far different was the case with poor Roche. After being taken back to
his inn and bled—for which one of his chapfallen backers tendered the
operator a shilling—he was deserted, and but for one friend might have
been almost penniless. That the downfal of the “clever ones” was signal
was manifest, and those country friends whom they “let into the secret”
were loud in their protestations of the whole affair being “a fluke.”
Two or three London houses used by the conspirators, which had prepared
illuminations in honour of the “certainty,” were conspicuous for their
total eclipse when the real news arrived.
Neale and Roche showed on the following Thursday, at Harry Holt’s
benefit, Roche exhibiting heavy marks of head punishment, while Neale
had not a scratch.
With the close of 1828 came our hero’s retirement from the P. R., and it
is to be regretted that mine host of the “Rose and Crown”—for he had now
settled down as Boniface in the pleasant village of Norwood, then
celebrated for its rurality and gipsy encampments—did not adhere to this
resolution; but it was not to be. Some taunting words of a very “fast”
young boxer, Young Dutch Sam, led to Neale’s acceptance of his challenge
for £100 a-side. The fight came off at Ludlow, April 7th, 1829, and
after a gallant struggle of seventy-one rounds, in one hour and
forty-one minutes, Neale succumbed to his youthful and scientific
opponent. Dissatisfied with the issue, Neale lost no time in challenging
Young Sam to a second encounter, which, after an arrest of Neale and a
postponement, came off near Bumpstead, in Essex, on the 18th of January,
1831. Here the result was again defeat, this time in fifty-two minutes
and fourteen rounds. It was clear that Neale’s best days had gone by.
Prompted by courage rather than prudence, he made yet one more
appearance in the P. R. It was with an early opponent, Tom Gaynor (See
LIFE OF GAYNOR, Chap. IX., _post_), and here again he had miscalculated
his energies, succumbing after a gallant battle of 111 minutes, during
which forty-five rounds were contested.
The fistic career of Ned Neale thus closed, as with so many other
athletes, in defeat. Yet he retired with his laurels unsullied, his
character for courage and honesty unsmirched; and respected by all who
knew him, he shuffled off “this mortal coil” at the “Rose and Crown,”
Norwood, near the place of his birth, on the 15th of November, 1846.