In every age the question may be asked, 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?' and it might have been à propos in 1703, when 'A Thieftaker was also brought upon his Tryal for Picking a Man's Pocket in Bartholomew Fair, and Acquitted': so, let us hope, he was innocent.
Of course, if people were so stupid as to bedizen their children with gold chains, they could not well grumble, and only had themselves to blame, if 'fat squat' wenches occasionally took advantage of their trustfulness and appropriated the trinkets. 'A Child about 6 Years Old being led away by a Fat Squat Wench, on Monday, being the 13th Instant, at 5 of the Clock in the Evening, from Brook Street in Ratcliffe to Golden Lane without Cripplegate, being robbed of a Gold Chain marked A. H. and a Silver Thimble and Purse. Whoever can discover the Wench, so as to be taken, shall have a Guinea Reward, or if Pawn'd or Sold their Money again at Thos. Townsend's at the Jamaica Coffee House in Cornhill.'
As a rule, people were only too glad to get back their property, and felonies were compounded in the most unblushing way—'No questions asked' being almost universally a portion of an advertisement for missing or stolen property.
One parish was very zealous in its work of criminal purgation. 'A Reward for Apprehending of Thieves in the Parish of Stoak Newington, in the County of Middlesex, that shall commit the Fact in the said Parish.
'Whosoever shall apprehend, or cause to be apprehended, any Person or Persons for Felony or Burglary, or for any petty Larceny, committed within the said Parish within one year from the date hereof, shall receive for every person so apprehended and convicted of petty Larceny, 40s. which shall be paid by the Church Wardens of the said Parish, upon demand, after Such Conviction, and the said Church Wardens shall be at all Charges of the Prosecution, they being order'd to do so at a Vestry held for the said Parish, on the 26th of December 1704.'
'Knights of the Post' have been previously mentioned, but, for a bit of hard swearing, the following anecdote will hold its own. It is told of a vagabond who was hanged in 1704.[647] 'Another Time Tom Sharpe being very well dress'd, he went to one Councellor Manning's Chambers in Gray's Inn, and demanded 100 Pounds which he had lent him on a Bond. The Barrister was surpris'd at his Demand, as not knowing him; and looking on the Bond, his Hand was so exactly Counterfeited, that he could not in a manner deny it to be his own Writing; but that he knew his own Circumstances were such, that he was never in any Necessity of borrowing so much Money in all his Life of any Man; therefore, as he could not be indebted in any such Sum, upon the account of borrowing, he told Tom, he would not Pay 100 Pounds in his own Wrong. Hereupon Tom, taking his Leave, he told him, he must expect speedy Trouble; and in the meantime, Mr. Manning expecting the same, sent for another Barrister, to whom opening the matter, they concluded it was a forg'd Bond; whereupon Mr. Manning's Council got a general Release forg'd for the Payment of this 100 Pounds; and when Issue was join'd, and the Cause came to be try'd before the late Lord Chief Justice Holt, the Witnesses to Tom Sharpe's Bond, swore so heartily to his lending of the Money to the Defendant that he was in a very fair way of being cast; 'till Mr. Manning's Council moving the Court in behalf of his Client, acquainted his Lordship that they did not deny the having borrow'd 100 Pounds of the Plaintiff, but that it had been paid for above three Months. Three Months! (quoth his Lordship) and why did not the Defendant then take up his Bond, or see it cancell'd? To this, his Council reply'd, that when they paid the Money, the Bond could not be found, whereupon the Defendant took a general Release for Payment thereof; which being produced in Court, and two Knights of the Post swearing to it, the Plaintiff was cast. Which putting Tom Sharpe into a great Passion, he cry'd to his Companions, as he was coming through Westminster Hall, Was ever such Rogues seen in this World before, to swear they paid that which they never borrow'd?'
There were plenty of 'Chevaliers d'Industrie' in those days, and many were the traps set for the gullible and unwary. 'Like a couple of Sweetners in search of a Country Gudgeon, who thro' Greediness of Gain, would Bite at his share in a drop'd Half Crown, a Gilded Ring, or Rug and Leather.'
Who can the various City Frauds recite,
With all the petty Rapines of the Night?
Who now the Guinea Dropper's Bait regards,
Trick'd by the Sharper's Dice, or Juggler's Cards?
Why shou'd I warn thee ne'er to join the Fray,
Where the Sham Quarrel interrupts the Way?
Lives there in these our Days so soft a Clown,
Brav'd by the Bully's Oaths, or threat'ning Frown?
I need not strict enjoyn the Pocket's Care,
When from the crouded Play thou lead'st the Fair;
Who has not here, or Watch, or Snuff Box lost,
Or Handkerchiefs that India's Shuttle Boast?
'To prevent People being imposed upon by Beggers, The President and Governors for the Poor of the City of London give Notice, that on the 18th of this instant April one Eliza Cozens was brought into the Workhouse for Begging, with a Paper on her Breast, viz. These are to certifie all Persons whom it may concern, that the Bearer hereof, Eliza Cosens, a Captive among the Turks for the Space of 11 years and more, and because she would not renounce the Christian Religion they cut out her Tongue. Being ransomed with some other poor Slaves 6 years ago, in the Reign of the late King William, coming to her Native Country of England, and having no Friend to help her, she being reduc'd to the utmost poverty. We whose Names are hereunto set, do grant her this Certificate for her more secure Travelling, that she might partake more easier of all good Christian's Charity wherever she comes.
| Ralph Freeman | Two of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace forthe County of Hartford, at our Meeting, beingthe Petty Sessions at Buttingford. | |
| Thomas Burgrief |