Crown-court, St Anne’s, and while she was in company with him, I got to the shop till, and took out about twenty shillings in silver, but was detected, and got a severe beating.
I frequently used to pick my grandmother’s pocket of two or three shillings, which she seldom missed; or if she did suspect me, or challenge me with it, I had always something to say to prove me innocent. By my laying out of nights I soon got into bad company; and they led me to the worst of houses, particularly the Two-Penny Runs in St Giles’s parish. This company persuaded me to rob my grandmother; and one morning, I opened a large chest in her house, and took away about £17 in gold and silver, and my best clothes, all which I carried to my new companions, and distributed the money very liberally amongst them, for which they greatly caressed me, made me drunk, and carried me to their house (as they called it) in Church-lane, St Giles’s, where they put me to bed, and as soon as I was asleep, they stript me stark naked, leaving me alone; and when I awaked in the morning, I found they had left me nothing but rags to cover my nakedness.
What could I do, I could not tell, for it was impossible for me to go home to my grandmother’s; at last I proposed to go to the Two-Penny Run in Vine-street, to enquire after my companions, but could hear nothing of them. The landlord took compassion on me, and gave me some victuals, and went to my grandmother’s, to let her know where I was. The old gentlewoman came crying, ready to break her heart, and after being a little composed, she asked me what I had done with her money, and how I had disposed of my clothes? I told her several impudent lies, and seemed sorrowful for my fault, though I slily laughed in my sleeve to think I had bit the old woman. The landlord was more ingenuous than I was, and told her who had brought me thither. The names of my hopeful companions were Wry-neck Jack, George Monk, Nunkey Watson, and several more, all pilfering thieves, and petty pickpockets.
None of these gentry could be found; so the old gentlewoman took me with her, and caused me to be chained to the kitchen grate, with an iron chain and a padlock she had brought for that purpose; in which confinement I was continued for three months all day long, but was indulged with a bed in the night time, and a strict watch kept on me.
On my promise of amendment I got released, and more new clothes were bought me, which, when I got, I went to my old haunts, and this being the time of Tottenham-court fair, I went thither, and saw my companions tossing up for money. They soon recollected me, and were glad to see me, so I went with them to a music booth, where they made me almost drunk with gin, and began to talk their flash language, which I did not then understand.
Night coming on, and I wanting to go to sleep, they took me to a brick-kiln in Tottenham Court Road, and the kiln being burning, they broiled some meat, and made me eat part of it.
We had not been there long, before several women came to us, who were all very ragged; they brought with them a keg of gin, which they had stolen, and began to sing their flash songs, and I was as merry as the best of them.
The women were very fond of me, and being drunk, I began to swear, which pleased them wonderfully. One of them took a silk handkerchief out of her pocket, and taking off my stock, in which was a silver buckle, she put her handkerchief about my neck, and then unbuckled my shoes, and unbuttoned the knees of my breeches, and tied my garters below knee, telling me that was the way the Bowman boys wore them.
As soon as my companions found me asleep, they stript me of all my clothes, and everything else, except my shirt, and on their taking leave, threw some water over me, for when I awaked I found myself very wet, and almost perished with cold. I began to cry and lament sadly, when two or three women came up, and offered me their service to go and find out the people who
I frequently used to pick my grandmother’s pocket of two or three shillings, which she seldom missed; or if she did suspect me, or challenge me with it, I had always something to say to prove me innocent. By my laying out of nights I soon got into bad company; and they led me to the worst of houses, particularly the Two-Penny Runs in St Giles’s parish. This company persuaded me to rob my grandmother; and one morning, I opened a large chest in her house, and took away about £17 in gold and silver, and my best clothes, all which I carried to my new companions, and distributed the money very liberally amongst them, for which they greatly caressed me, made me drunk, and carried me to their house (as they called it) in Church-lane, St Giles’s, where they put me to bed, and as soon as I was asleep, they stript me stark naked, leaving me alone; and when I awaked in the morning, I found they had left me nothing but rags to cover my nakedness.
What could I do, I could not tell, for it was impossible for me to go home to my grandmother’s; at last I proposed to go to the Two-Penny Run in Vine-street, to enquire after my companions, but could hear nothing of them. The landlord took compassion on me, and gave me some victuals, and went to my grandmother’s, to let her know where I was. The old gentlewoman came crying, ready to break her heart, and after being a little composed, she asked me what I had done with her money, and how I had disposed of my clothes? I told her several impudent lies, and seemed sorrowful for my fault, though I slily laughed in my sleeve to think I had bit the old woman. The landlord was more ingenuous than I was, and told her who had brought me thither. The names of my hopeful companions were Wry-neck Jack, George Monk, Nunkey Watson, and several more, all pilfering thieves, and petty pickpockets.
None of these gentry could be found; so the old gentlewoman took me with her, and caused me to be chained to the kitchen grate, with an iron chain and a padlock she had brought for that purpose; in which confinement I was continued for three months all day long, but was indulged with a bed in the night time, and a strict watch kept on me.
On my promise of amendment I got released, and more new clothes were bought me, which, when I got, I went to my old haunts, and this being the time of Tottenham-court fair, I went thither, and saw my companions tossing up for money. They soon recollected me, and were glad to see me, so I went with them to a music booth, where they made me almost drunk with gin, and began to talk their flash language, which I did not then understand.
Night coming on, and I wanting to go to sleep, they took me to a brick-kiln in Tottenham Court Road, and the kiln being burning, they broiled some meat, and made me eat part of it.
We had not been there long, before several women came to us, who were all very ragged; they brought with them a keg of gin, which they had stolen, and began to sing their flash songs, and I was as merry as the best of them.
The women were very fond of me, and being drunk, I began to swear, which pleased them wonderfully. One of them took a silk handkerchief out of her pocket, and taking off my stock, in which was a silver buckle, she put her handkerchief about my neck, and then unbuckled my shoes, and unbuttoned the knees of my breeches, and tied my garters below knee, telling me that was the way the Bowman boys wore them.
As soon as my companions found me asleep, they stript me of all my clothes, and everything else, except my shirt, and on their taking leave, threw some water over me, for when I awaked I found myself very wet, and almost perished with cold. I began to cry and lament sadly, when two or three women came up, and offered me their service to go and find out the people who
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