“As you can vouch, sir, I knew myself not to be destitute of courage; what, then, could hinder me from entering on such enterprises? Having thus resolved, I soon provided myself with the necessary habiliments for my scheme, carried it into immediate execution, and continued with great success, never having failed till now. Instead of riding to market, or travelling five or six miles about some piece of business, (the usual pretences with which I blinded my husband,) I would, when out of sight, take the road to the house in which we now are, where I metamorphosed myself, and proceeded to the road in search of prey. Not long since, my husband had one hundred pounds due to him about twenty miles from home, and appointed a certain day for receiving it. Glad I was to hear of this, and instantly resolved to be revenged on him for all the injuries and churlish outrages he had committed against me; I knew very well the way he went, and understood the time he intended to return. I waylaid him, and had not to wait above three hours, when my lord and master made his appearance, whistling with joy at his heavy purse. I soon made him change the tune to a more doleful ditty in lamentation of his bad fortune. I permitted him to pass, but soon overtook him, and keeping close by him for a mile or two, at length found the coast clear, and, riding up and seizing his bridle, presented a pistol to his breast, and in a hoarse voice demanded his purse, else he was a dead man. This imperious don, seeing death before his face, had nearly saved me the trouble by dying without compulsion; and so terrified did he appear, that he looked more like an apparition than any thing human. ‘Sirrah!’ said I, ‘be expeditious;’ but a dead palsy had so seized every part of him, that his eyes were incapable of directing his hands to his pockets. I soon recalled his spirits by two or three sharp blows with the flat of my sword, which speedily wakened him, and, with great trembling and submission, he resigned his money. After I had dismounted him, I cut his horse’s reins and saddle-girths, beat him most soundly, and dismissed him, saying: ‘Now, you rogue, I am even with you; have a care, the next time you strike a woman, (your wife, I mean,) for none but such as dare not fight a man, will lift up his hand against the weaker vessel. Now you see what it is to provoke them, for, if once irritated, they are restless till they accomplish their revenge to their satisfaction: I have a good mind to end your wicked courses with your life, inhuman varlet, but I am loth to be hanged for nothing, I mean for such a worthless fellow as you are. Farewell! this money shall serve me to purchase wine to drink a toast to the confusion of all such rascally and mean-spirited things!’ I then left him, and—”
This extraordinary character was about to proceed with the narration of her exploits, when the servant announced the arrival of two gentlemen. Our heroine left the room, and returning with her friends, apologized to our adventurer for the interruption, but hoped he would not find the company of her companions disagreeable, whom he soon discovered to be likewise females in disguise. The conversation now became general, and, upon condition of Rumbold stopping all night with them, the Amazon promised to finish her adventures next day. This accorded with the wishes of Rumbold; and when they retired to rest, he found the same room was destined for them all. His curiosity was, however, overcome by his covetousness; for, rising early next morning, and finding all his companions asleep, he rifled their pockets of a considerable quantity of gold, and decamped with great expedition, thus disappointing the reader in the continuation of a narrative almost incredible from its singularity.
Our adventurer had frequently observed a goldsmith in Lombard street counting large bags of gold, and he became very desirous to have a share of the glittering hoard. He made several unsuccessful attempts; but having in his possession many rings, which he had procured in the way of his profession, he dressed himself in the habit of a countryman, attended by a servant, and going to the goldsmith’s shop, proposed to sell one of these rings. The goldsmith, perceiving it to be a diamond of considerable value, and from the appearance of Rumbold supposing he was ignorant of its real worth, after examining it, with some hesitation estimated its value at ten pounds. To convince the countryman that this was its full value, he showed him a diamond ring very superior in quality, which he would sell him for twenty pounds. Rumbold took the goldsmith’s ring to compare with his own, and, fully acquainted with its value, informed him that he had come to sell, but that it was a matter of small importance to him whether he purchased or sold. He accordingly pulled out a purse of gold, and laid down the twenty pounds for the ring. The goldsmith stormed and raged, crying that he had cheated him, and insisted on having back his ring. Rumbold, however, kept hold of his bargain, and replied, that the other had offered him the ring for twenty pounds; that he had a witness to his bargain; there was his money, and he hoped that he would give him a proper exchange for his gold.
The goldsmith’s indignation increasing at the prospect of parting with his ring, he carried the matter before a justice. Being plaintiff, he began his tale by informing the magistrate, that “the countryman had taken a diamond ring from him worth a hundred pounds, and would give him but twenty pounds for it.” “Have a care,” replied Rumbold, “for if you charge me with taking a ring from you, which is, in other words, stealing, I shall vex you more than I have yet done.” He then told the magistrate the whole story, and produced his servant as a witness to the bargain. The goldsmith now became infuriated, exclaiming, that “he believed the country gentleman and his servant were both impostors and cheats!” Rumbold replied, that “he would do well to take care not to make his cause worse; that he was a gentleman of three hundred pounds per annum; and that, being desirous to sell a ring at its just price to the goldsmith, the latter endeavored to cheat him, by estimating it far below its value.” The magistrate, accordingly, decided in favor of our adventurer, only appointing him to pay the twenty pounds in gold, without any change.
The gold of Lombard street still continuing to attract the attention of Rumbold, he with longing eyes one day traversed that street, attended by a boy whom he had trained in his service. The boy ran into a shop where they were counting a bag of gold, seized a handful, then let it all fall upon the counter, and ran off. The servants pursued, seized the boy, and charged him with having some of the money. Rumbold approached to the assistance of the boy, insisting that the youth had not stolen a farthing of their money, and that the goldsmith should suffer for his audacity. The goldsmith and Rumbold came to high words, and mutual volleys of imprecations were exchanged. The latter then inquired what sum he charged the boy with having stolen. The goldsmith replied, that he did not know, but that the bag originally contained a hundred pounds.
Upon this, Rumbold insisted that he would wait until he saw the money counted. He tarried about half an hour, and the money was found complete. The goldsmith made an apology to Rumbold for the mistake; but the latter replied, that, as a gentleman, no one should put upon him such an affront with impunity. After some strong expressions on both sides, Rumbold took his leave, assuring his antagonist that he should hear from him. The goldsmith was arrested the day following, in an action of defamation. The bailiff who arrested him, being bribed by our adventurer, advised him to compromise the matter; urging, that the gentleman he had injured was a person of quality, and if he persisted in the action, it would expose him to severe damages. With some difficulty the matter was settled, by the goldsmith giving Rumbold twenty pounds in damages.
A jeweller in Foster lane next supplied the extravagances of Rumbold. He had often disposed of articles for that jeweller, who had full confidence in Rumbold’s fidelity. One day, having observed in his shop a very rich jewel, he acquainted the jeweller that he could sell it for him. Happy at such information, he delivered it to Rumbold, who carried it to another jeweller to have a false one, exactly similar, prepared. He then embraced an opportunity to leave the counterfeit jewel with the jeweller’s wife, in his absence. Shortly afterwards, he met the jeweller in the street, who said he never expected to have been so used by him, and threatened to bring the matter under the cognizance of a judge; but Rumbold retreated to a remote part of the city.
Rumbold was one day travelling in the vicinity of Hackney, when his attention was directed towards a house, which he earnestly desired to possess. He approached the house, knocked at the door, and inquired if the landlord was at home. He soon appeared; when Rumbold politely informed him, that, having been highly pleased with the appearance of his house, he was resolved to have one built after the same model, and requested the favor of being permitted to send a tradesman to take its exact dimensions. This favor was readily granted; when our adventurer went to a carpenter, and informed him that he wished him to go along with him to Hackney to measure a house, in order that he might have one built on a similar construction. They accordingly went, and found the gentleman at home, who kindly entertained Rumbold, while the carpenter took the dimensions of every part of the house.
The carpenter, being amply rewarded, was dismissed, and, by the aid of the draught of the house taken by him, Rumbold drew up a lease, with a very great penalty in case of failure to fulfil the agreement. Being provided with witnesses to the deed, he went and demanded possession. The gentleman was surprised, and only smiled at the absurdity of the demand. Rumbold commenced a lawsuit for possession of the house, and his witnesses swore to the validity of the deed. The carpenter’s evidence was also produced, many other circumstances were mentioned to corroborate the fact, and a verdict was obtained in favor of Rumbold’s claim. But the gentleman deemed it proper to pay the penalty rather than to lose his house.
Rumbold, disguised in the apparel of a person of quality, one day waited on a scrivener, and acquainted him that he had immediate occasion for a hundred pounds, which he hoped he would be able to raise for him upon good security. The scrivener inquired who were the securities, and Rumbold named two respectable citizens, whom he knew to be at that time in the country; which satisfying the money-lender, he desired our adventurer to call next day. In the mean time, the lender made inquiry after the stability of the securities, and found he had not been imposed upon as to their respectability. Our adventurer again waited upon the scrivener, who having agreed to advance the sum, Rumbold sent for two of his accomplices, who personated his securities, and, after a little preliminary caution, signed the bond for him under their assumed names; and, upon Rumbold’s receiving the money, they immediately took their leave. The name which Rumbold assumed on this occasion was of further service to him; for it happened to be that of a gentleman in Surrey, whom he met with, after this adventure, at an inn. Having learned what time the gentleman intended to remain in town, and the name and situation of his estate, he determined to render his chance meeting of service to him. He accordingly again waited on the same scrivener, and informed him he had occasion for another hundred, but did not wish to trouble any of his friends to become security for such a trifle; for that, as he possessed a good estate, it might be advanced upon his own bond; and that if the scrivener could spare a servant to ride the length of Surrey, he would then learn the extent of his estate, and be enabled to remove any scruple whatever. A servant was accordingly sent, and directed to go and make inquiry after the property of the stranger whom Rumbold had met at the inn. Returning in a few days, Rumbold found the scrivener very condescending, and prodigal of congratulations upon the possession of so pleasant and valuable a property, and said he would not have scrupled though the loan had been for a thousand. Rumbold, finding him thus inclined, doubled the sum, and, after giving his own bond for two hundred pounds, left the scrivener to seek redress as he best could.