Highway robbery was, unfortunately, very common in this reign; but the perpetrators were mostly pitiful wretches, whose career, while it lasted, was far from brilliant, and generally it was a very short one. All the romance of the highway died with Claude Du Val, who was executed on Jan. 21, 1670, in the 27th year of his age. His short career ended ingloriously, for he was taken, when drunk, at the 'Hole in the Wall,' in Chandos Street.
Whatever caused the furore over the poor rogue? We are told:[642] 'There were a great Company of Ladies, and those not of the meanest Degree, that visited him in Prison, interceded for his Pardon, and accompany'd him to the Gallows, with swoll'n Eyes, and Cheeks blubber'd with Tears under their Vizards. After he had hang'd a Convenient Time, he was cut down, and by Persons well dress'd carry'd into a mourning Coach, and so Convey'd to the Tangier Tavern in St. Giles's, where he lay in State all that Night, the Room hung with black Cloth, the Herse cover'd with Scutcheons, eight Wax Tapers burning, as many tall Gentlemen with long Cloaks attending; Mum was the Word, and great Silence expected from all that visited, for Fear of disturbing the sleeping Lion. And this ceremony had lasted much longer, had not one of the Judges sent to disturb this Pageantry.... He was bury'd with many Flambeaus, and with a numerous Train of Mourners, most whereof were of the beautiful Sex; he lyes in the Middle Isle of Covent Garden Church, under a White Marble Stone, whereon are curiously engrav'd the Du Val's Arms.'
The stories of their feats are very much alike, varied only in their degree of brutality. One however, if true, is somewhat out of the ordinary ruck, and it is told[643] of the same Lord Mohun ('Dog Mohun,' as Swift calls him) who fought the Duke of Hamilton.
'Another time Ned Wicks meeting with the late Lord Mohun on the Road betwixt Windsor and Colebrook, attended only with a Groom and one Footman, he commanded his Lordship to stand and deliver, for he was in great Want of Money, and Money he would have before they parted. His Honour, pretending to have a great deal of Courage, swore he should fight for it then. Wicks very readily accepted the Proposal, and preparing his Pistols for an Engagement, his Lordship seeing his Resolution, he began to hang back, which his Antagonist perceiving, he began to be Cock on hoop, saying "All the World knows me to be a Man; and tho' your Lordship was concern'd in the Cowardly murdering of Mumford the Player, and Captain Cout, yet I'm not to be frighten'd at that; therefore down with your Gold, or else expect no Quarter." His Lordship now meeting with his Match, it put him into such a passionate Fit of swearing, that Wicks not willing to be outdone in any Wickedness, quoth he, "My Lord, I perceive you swear perfectly well ex tempore; come, I'll give your Honour a fair Chance for your Moneys, and that is, he that swears best of us two, shall keep his own, and his that loseth." His Lordship agreed to this Bargain, and throwing down a Purse of 50 Guineas, which Wicks match'd with a like Sum; after a quarter of an Hours Swearing most prodigiously on both Sides, it was left to his Lordship's Groom to decide the Matter; who said, "Why, indeed your Honour Swears as well as ever I heard a Person of Quality in my Life; but, indeed, to give the Strange Gentleman his Due, he has won the Wager if 'twas for a thousand Pounds." Whereupon Wicks taking up the Gold, he gave the Groom a Guinea, and rid about his Business.'
A highwayman certainly carried his life in his hand—he was a Wolf's head, and, every man's hand being against him, he was shot whenever he could be, and a reward of forty pounds was given for the capture of one of them. In 1712 one Joseph Reader, a miller of Shaftesbury, was attacked by a highwayman, who fired twice at him, and missed doing him any injury. The miller, judging that he had expended his ammunition, closed with him, knocked him off his horse with his cudgel, and beat him senseless. He then dragged him to a tree, and hanged him with his own belt. For this, Reader was tried at Dorchester, and acquitted; and a subscription was got up for him in court, which amounted to over 30l.
Ward describes a typical highwayman: 'Another you needs must take particular notice of, that pluck'd out a pair of Pocket Pistols, and laid them in the Window, who had a great Scar cross his Forehead, a twisted Wig, and lac'd Hat on; the Company called him Captain; he's a man of Considerable Reputation amongst Birds of the same Feather, who I have heard say thus much in his Praise, that he is as Resolute a Fellow as ever Cock'd Pistol upon the Road; and indeed I do believe he fears no Man in the World but the Hang Man; and dreads no death but Choaking. He's as generous as a Prince, treats any Body that will keep him Company; loves his friends as dearly as the Ivy does the Oak, will never leave him till he has Hug'd him to his Ruin. He has drawn in twenty of his Associates to be Hang'd, but had always Wit and Money enough to save his own Neck from the Halter. He has good friends at Newgate, who give him now and then a Squeeze when he is in full Juice; and give him their Words to stand by him, which he takes as a Verbal Policy of Insurance from the Gallows, till he grows Poor thro' Idleness, and then, (he has Cunning enough to know) he may be Hang'd thro' Poverty. He's well acquainted with the Ostlers about Bishopsgate Street, and Smithfield; and gains from them Intelligence of what Booties goe out that are worth attempting. He accounts them very honest Tikes, and can with all safety trust his Life in their Hands, for now and then Gilding their Palms for the good Services they do him. He pretends to be a Disbanded Officer, and reflects very feelingly upon the hard usage we poor Gentlemen meet with, who have hazarded our Lives and Fortunes for the Honour of our Prince, the Defence of our Country, and Safety of Religion; and after all to be Broke without our Pay, turn'd out without any consideration for the dangers and difficulties we have run thro'; at this rate, Wounds, who the Devil wou'd be a Soldier?'
Their personal appearance—which, it is needless to say, was not the gold-laced costume so beloved of the stage and penny dreadfuls—is given in the following advertisement: 'Stolen from Sam. Brett Servant to Mr. Bayly of Romford in Essex by two Highwaymen, one in a light colour'd Suit trim'd with the same, a light coloured Wig and hood, the other in a light colour'd Coat trim'd with Black Button holes on each side, and dark brown Hair,' etc. And their style of doing business may be learnt from the following: 'On Wednesday night the Cambridge, Norwich, and Linn Stage Coaches, were all 3 robbed by one single Man in Epping Forest.' 'Stafford 17 Feb. We have had great Robbing lately in these parts by a Gang of Highway men: On the 30th past, they set upon the Shrewsbury Stage Coach and plunder'd all the passengers; and afterwards met with 3 Country Attorneys, which they Robb'd also; one of them having put 20 Guineas into his Shooes, the Rogues for haste, cut the Straps of the Port Mantle, and threw the Shooes away; after they were gone, the Attorney took up both Shooes and Gold. On the 9th instant they set upon two Drovers coming from New Castle Fair, took a great deal of Money, kill'd one of them on the Spot, and dangerously wounded the other. On the 11th May set upon the High Sheriff of the County with his Lady and Servants, coming from Lichfield Fair took 60 Guineas from them, and cut off one of the Servants Hands. Since which several of them are taken, of which two are committed to Warwick Gaol, two to Stafford, and two men and three Women to Litchfield; one of the Women was dress'd in Man's Apparel when they robb'd the Stage Coach.'
'The Mails due at London the 10th of Sept. from Ireland and Chester, having been seiz'd by 3 Highwaymen between Dunstable and St. Alban's, and several Letters opened. These are to give Notice thereof, that care may be taken to prevent the payment of such Bills as have by this means been intercepted.'
Advertisements frequently occur of men being taken up on suspicion of being highwaymen, but one would fancy there could be but little doubt of the profession of this gentleman. 'There is now in Custody in her Majesty's Gaol of Newgate in London, James Biswick, alias Bissick, a middle siz'd Man, Aged about 40, having a high Bridge Nose, a thin Visage, pale Complexion, stooping in the Shoulders, was Apprehended the 25th of August last, suppos'd to have committed divers Robberies on the Highway, he having in his Pockets a brace of Pistols loaded and prim'd, a Mask with Strings to it and other cords; also a black Jet Mare 13 Hands high, 7 years old, a Short Bob Tail, a Scar on the near knee, a Blood Spavin behind; is suppos'd to be Stolen, is to be seen at the Swan and Hoop near More gate.'
'The foot pads are very troublesome in the evenings on all the roads leading to this Citty, which renders them very unsafe,' writes Luttrell in 1702, and that he did not exaggerate, take these two instances occurring in that year. 'Last Wednesday Night, a Fencing Master coming to Town from Pancrass, was set upon by some Foot Pads, who, finding he had no Money about him, beat him so barbarously, that his Life is despaired of.' 'On Thursday night, between eight and nine, a Gentleman, who lives at Little Chelsea, was set upon by four Ruffians on this side Chelsea College, who knocked him down, rifled him of all he had of Worth about him, and left him miserably bruis'd and beaten; but another Gentleman and his Man happening to come by, and seeing him, they together pursued the Rogues, recovered the Gentleman's Hat, Sword, Perriwig, and most of his Money, and took two of the Rogues, who are since committed; but the other two escaped with the Gentleman's Watch and Seal.' In 1703, '3 strowling Gipsies are ordered down to Huntington to be Tryed for Robbing two Women, and leaving them bound together on the Road Naked.' In 1704, 'A Gentleman going from St. James's to Kensington was met and attacked in Hide Park by two Foot Pads, who took from him his Sword, Watch, Perriwig, and Rings, in all to the value of 130l. and left him in a deplorable condition.' These are a few examples only, but they are sufficient to show us the insecurity of the public roads at that time.