Jack Tether, Bob W—r, Tom H—ll, Captain O'Kelly, and others, spent with Dick England a great part of the plunder of poor Clutterbuck, a clerk of the Bank of England, who not only lost his all, but robbed the Bank of an immense sum to pay his 'debts of honour.'
A Mr B—, a Yorkshire gentleman, proposed to his brother-in-law, who was with him, to put down ten pounds each and try their luck at the 'Hell' kept by 'the Clerks of the Minster,' in the Minster Yard, next the Church. It was the race-week. There were about thirteen Greeks there, Dick England at their head. Mr B— put down L10. England then called 'Seven the main—if seven or eleven is thrown next, the Caster wins.' Of course Dick intended to win; but he blundered in his operation; he LANDED at six and the other did not answer his hopes. Yet, with matchless effrontery, he swore he had called SIX and not seven; and as it was referred to the majority of the goodly company, thirteen HONEST GENTLEMEN gave it in Dick England's favour, and with him divided the spoil.
A Mr D—, a gentleman of considerable landed property in the North, proposed passing a few days at Scarborough. Dick England saw his carriage enter the town, and contrived to get into his company and go with him to the rooms. When the assembly was over, he prevailed on Mr D— to sup with him. After supper Mr D— was completely intoxicated, and every effort to make him play was tried in vain.
This was, of course, very provoking; but still something must be done, and a very clever scheme they hit upon to try and 'do' this 'young man from the country.' Dick England and two of his associates played for five minutes, and then each of them marked a card as follows:—'D— owes me one hundred guineas,' 'D— owes me eighty guineas;' but Dick marked HIS card—'I owe D—thirty guineas.'
The next day, Mr D— met Dick England on the cliff and apologized for his excess the night before, hoping he had given no offence 'when drunk and incapable.' Having satisfied the gentleman on this point, Dick England presented him with a thirty-guinea note, which, in spite of contradiction, remonstrance, and denial of any play having taken place, he forced on Mr D— as his FAIR WINNING—adding that he had paid hundreds to gentlemen in liquor, who knew nothing of it till he had produced the account. Of course Mr D— could not help congratulating himself at having fallen in with a perfect gentleman, as well as consoling himself for any head-ache or other inconvenience resulting from his night's potation. They parted with gushing civilities between them.
Soon afterwards, however, two other gentlemen came up to Mr D—, whom the latter had some vague recollection of having seen the evening before, in company with Dick England; and at length, from what the two gentlemen said, he had no doubt of the fact, and thought it a fit opportunity to make a due acknowledgment of the gentlemanly conduct of their friend, who had paid him a bet which he had no remembrance of having made.
No mood could be better for the purpose of the meeting; so the two gentlemen not only approved of the conduct of Dick, and descanted on the propriety of paying drunken men what they won, but also declared that no GENTLEMAN would refuse to pay a debt of honour won from him when drunk; and at once begged leave to 'remind' Mr D— that he had lost to them 180 guineas! In vain the astounded Mr D— denied all knowledge of the transaction; the gentlemen affected to be highly indignant, and talked loudly of injured honour. Besides, had he not received 30 guineas from their friend? So he assented, and appointed the next morning to settle the matter.
Fortunately for Mr D—, however, some intelligent friends of his arrived in the mean time, and having heard his statement about the whole affair, they 'smelt a rat,' and determined to ferret it out. They examined the waiter—previously handing him over five guineas—and this man declared the truth that Mr D— did not play at all—in fact, that he was in such a condition that there could not be any real play. Dick England was therefore 'blown' on this occasion. Mr D— returned him his thirty guineas, and paid five guineas for his share of the supper; and well he might, considering that it very nearly cost him 150 guineas—that is, having to receive 30 guineas and to pay 180 guineas to the Greeks—profit and loss with a vengeance.
Being thus 'blown' at Scarborough, Dick England and his associates decamped on the following morning.
He next formed a connection with a lieutenant on half pay, nephew to an Irish earl. With this lieutenant he went to Spa, and realized something considerable; but not without suspicion—for a few dice were missed.