He continued to play at Harrogate in the season; and set up a four-wheel chaise, and a one-horse chair, for public accommodation, there having been nothing of the kind there before.—He kept those vehicles two summers, when the innkeepers beginning to run chaises, he gave them up; as he also did racing, and hunting; but still wanting employment, he bought horses, and went to the coast for fish, which he took to Leeds and Manchester; and so indefatigable was he, that he would frequently walk for two nights and a day, with little or no rest.
Going from Knaresborough to Leeds in a snow-storm, and crossing a brook, the ice gave way under one of his horses, and he was under the necessity of unloading to get him out; but the horse as soon as free ran back to Knaresborough, leaving him with two panniers of fish, and three other loaded horses, which, together with the badness of the night, greatly perplexed him:—After much difficulty, however, he divided the weight amongst the others, and pursuing his journey, arrived at Leeds by break of day.
Once passing through Halifax, he stopped at an inn called the Broad Stone. The landlord’s son and some others who frequented Harrogate seeing Metcalf come in, and having often heard of his exploits, signified a wish to play at cards with him: he agreed, and accordingly they sent for a pack, which he desired to examine a little. The man of the house being his friend, he could depend upon his honour in preventing deception. They began, and Metcalf beat four of them in turn; playing for liquor only. Not satisfied with this, some of the company proposed playing for money; when engaging at shilling whist, Metcalf won fifteen shillings. The party who lost then proposed to play double or quit, but Metcalf declined playing for more than shilling points; till at last yielding to much importunity, he got engaged for guineas, and, favoured by fortune, won ten, the whole sum late in the possession of the loser, who took up the cards, and going out, soon returned with eight guineas more: Metcalf’s friend examined the cards, to see that they were not marked; and finding all fair, they went on again, until those eight pieces followed the other ten. They then drank freely at Metcalf’s cost, he being in good circumstances to treat. About ten at night he took his leave, saying he must be at Knaresborough in the morning, having sent his horses before. On his way he crossed the river Wharfe about a mile below Poole: the water being high, his horse swam, but he got safe home; and this ended his pursuits as a fishmonger, the profits being small, and his fatigue very considerable.
From the period of his discontinuing the business of fishmonger, Metcalf continued in the practice of attending Harrogate, as a player on the violin in the Long-room, until the commencement of the Rebellion in 1745.
The events of that period having been so numerously and so minutely detailed, that any one the least conversant in the history of this country cannot be unacquainted with the origin, progress, and termination of the civil commotions which agitated it,—it would appear unnecessary to obtrude the narration of them here, further than may seem needful to introduce the part in which Metcalf bore a personal share. The circumstance of his commencing soldier, was at that time, and will still by the reader, be looked upon as a very extraordinary proceeding of one in his situation.
The alarm which took place, in consequence of that event, was general; and loyalty to the reigning Sovereign, and Government, with measures for resistance to the Rebel Party, shone no where more conspicuous than in the County of York.
Amongst the many instances which mark this, none were more striking than the signally gallant conduct of the late William Thornton, Esq; of Thornville.
The opinion of that gentleman, as delivered at the General County Meeting held at the Castle of York, was, that the four thousand men, (for the raising, cloathing, and maintaining of which ninety thousand pounds had been subscribed) should be embodied in companies with the regulars, and march with the King’s forces to any part where their services might be required.—This mode of proceeding, however, not meeting the opinion of the majority of the gentlemen present, he determined to raise a company at his own expence.
In consequence of that resolution, Mr. Thornton went to Knaresborough about the first of October, 1745; and Metcalf having for several years been in the practice of visiting that gentleman’s mansion, (particularly at the festive season of Christmas, where, with his violin and hautboy, he assisted to entertain the family) Mr. Thornton was well acquainted with his extraordinary disposition, and, imagining that he might be of service to him in his present undertaking, sent for our blind hero to his inn, treated him liberally with punch, and, informing him “that the French were coming to join the Scotch rebels, the consequence of which would be, that if not vigourously opposed, they would violate all our wives, daughters, and sisters,” asked him if he had spirit to join the company about to be raised. Metcalf instantly giving an affirmative answer, was asked whether he knew of any spirited fellows who were likely to make good soldiers; and having satisfied his patron on this head also, he was appointed an assistant to a serjeant already procured, with orders to begin recruiting the next day. This service went on with rapid success: several carpenters, smiths, and other artificers were engaged, to all of whom Metcalf promised great military advancement, or, in default of that, places of vast profit under Government, as soon as the matter was over, which he called only a bustle; thus following the example of other decoy ducks, by promising very unlikely things.
Such was their success, that in two days only they enlisted one hundred and forty men, out of whom the Captain drafted sixty-four, (the number of privates he wanted) and sent immediately to Leeds for cloth of a good quality for their cloathing. The coats were blue, trimmed and faced with buff; and buff waistcoats. The taylors he had employed refusing to work on a Sunday, he rebuked their fanatical scruples in these words: “You rascals! if your houses were on fire, would you not be glad to extinguish the flames on a Sunday?” which had the desired effect. Arms being procured from the Tower, the men were constantly and regularly drilled. Such of them as had relations in the public line, would frequently bring their companions to drink, for the benefit of the respective houses; and Metcalf never failed to attend one or other of those parties, his fiddle and hautboy contributing to make the time pass agreeably: and the worthy Captain was liberal in his allowance of money for such festive purposes, insomuch that had he wanted five hundred men, he could easily have obtained them. Soon after he brought them to Thornville, where he ordered every other day a fat ox to be killed for their entertainment, and gave them beer seven years old, expressing a great pleasure at its being reserved for so good a purpose.