At Salisbury gaol, just outside the prison gate, a round staple was fixed in the wall, through which was passed a chain, at each end of which was a debtor padlocked by the leg, who offered for sale to the passers-by, nets, laces, purses, etc., made in the prison. At Knaresborough the debtors’ prison is thus described:
‘Of difficult access; the door about four feet from the ground. Only one room, about fourteen feet by twelve. Earth floor: no fireplace: very offensive: a common sewer from the town running through it uncovered. I was informed that an Officer confined here some years since, for only a few days, took in with him a dog to defend him from vermin; but the dog was soon destroyed, and the Prisoner’s face much disfigured by them.’
The gaolers were not always the most gentle of men, as may be seen by the trial of one Acton, deputy-keeper and turnkey of the Marshalsea, for the murder of a prisoner named Thomas Bliss. The indictment will briefly tell the story:
‘That the said William Acton, being Deputy Keeper, under John Darby, of the said prison, being a person of inhuman and cruel disposition, did, on the 21st of October, in the Year of our Lord, 1726, cruelly, barbarously, and feloniously Beat, Assault, and Wound the said Thomas Bliss in the said Prison, viz., in the Parish of Saint George’s-in-the-Fields, in the Borough of Southwark, in the County of Surrey, and did put Irons and Fetters of great and immense weight upon his legs, and an Iron Instrument, and Engine of Torture, upon the Head of the said Thomas Bliss, called the Scull-cap, and also Thumb-screws upon his Thumbs; and the said Thomas Bliss was so wounded, fettered, tortured and tormented in the Strong Room of the said Prison (which is a dangerous, damp, noisome, filthy, and unwholesome place) did put, and him did there detain several days; by means of which excruciating Tortures, close Confinement, Duress, and cruel Abuses, the said Thomas Bliss got so ill an Habit of Body, that he continued in a languishing Condition till the 25th Day of March following, and then died.’
Although the facts of the indictment were fully borne out by the evidence, the jury acquitted Acton. I should mention that Bliss had twice attempted to escape from the prison.
Let us pass to a pleasanter theme, and see what was the inner life of a debtor’s prison about 1750, the story of which is told in a little book undated.[50] The foot-notes are taken from the book.
Close by the Borders of a slimy Flood,
Which now in secret rumbles through the Mud;
(Tho’ heretofore it roll’d expos’d to light,
Obnoxious to th’ offended City’s Sight).[51]
Twin Arches now the sable Stream enclose,
Upon whose Basis late a Fabrick rose;
In whose extended oblong Boundaries, }
Are Shops and Sheds, and Stalls of all Degrees, }
For Fruit, Meat, Herbage, Trinkets, Pork and Peas. }
A prudent City Scheme, and kindly meant;
The Town’s oblig’d, their Worships touch the Rent.
Near this commodious Market’s miry Verge,
The Prince of Prisons stands, compact and large;
Where by the Jigger’s[52] more than magick Charm,
Kept from the Power of doing Good—or Harm,
Relenting Captives inly ruminate
Misconduct past, and curse their present State;
Tho’ sorely griev’d, few are so void of Grace,
As not to wear a seeming cheerful face:
In Drink or Sports ungrateful Thoughts must die,
For who can bear Heart-wounding Calumny?
Therefore Cabals engage of various Sorts,
To walk, to drink, or play at different Sports,
Here oblong Table’s verdant Plain,
The ivory Ball bounds and rebounds again[53];
There at Backgammon two sit tête-à-tête,
And curse alternately their adverse fate;
These are at Cribbage, those at Whist engag’d,
And, as they lose, by turns become enrag’d;
Some of more sedentary Temper, read
Chance-medley Books, which duller Dulness breeds;
Or Politick in Coffee-room, some pore
The Papers and Advertisements thrice o’er;
Warm’d with the Alderman,[54] some sit up late,
To fix th’ Insolvent Bill, and Nation’s fate:
Hence, Knotty Points at different Tables rise,
And either Party’s wond’rous, wond’rous wise;
Some of low Taste, ring Hand-Bells, direful Noise!
And interrupt their Fellows’ harmless Joys;
Disputes more noisy now a Quarrel breeds,
And Fools on both Sides fall to Loggerheads;
Till, wearied with persuasive Thumps and Blows,
They drink, are Friends, as tho’ they ne’er were Foes.
Without distinction, intermixed is seen,
A ‘Squire dirty, and Mechanick clean:
The Spendthrift Heir, who in his Chariot roll’d,
All his Possessions gone, Reversions sold,
Now mean, as one profuse, the stupid Sot
Sits by a Runner’s Side,[55] and shules[56] a Pot.
Some Sots, ill-mannered, drunk, a harmless Flight!
Rant noisy thro’ the Galleries all Night;
For which, if Justice had been done of late,
The Pump[57] had been three pretty Masters’ Fate,
With Stomach’s empty, and Heads full of Care,
Some Wretches swill the Pump, and walk the Bare.[58]
Within whose ample Oval is a Court, }
Where the more Active and Robust resort, }
And glowing, exercise a manly Sport. }
(Strong Exercise with mod’rate Food is good,
It drives in sprightful Streams the circling Blood;)
While these, with Rackets strike the flying Ball,
Some play at Nine-pins, Wrestlers take a Fall;
Beneath a Tent some drink, and some above
Are slily in their Chambers making Love;
Venus and Bacchus each keeps here a Shrine,
And many Vot’ries have to Love and Wine.