Drunks, Whores and Idle Apprentices: Criminal Biographies of the Eighteenth Century

by PHILIP RAWLINGS

  [p. 14]At this time I had many friends to make application for me in mitigation of my sentence, and had the happiness to be sent abroad in the summer of 1751, there to continue for fourteen years; I sailed from Gravesend in the ship Trial, captain Johnson, for Patomack river, in Virginia;12 there went on board this ship with me Mr. Joshua West, before mentioned, to be transported as well as myself. As soon as the ship arrived, intelligence thereof was sent to colonel Lee’s, that the convict servants were come from London; we dropped anchor on a Saturday, and the Wednesday following was sale-day, and the planters came on board to buy; there was one John Burgess, a native of the country, came to me, asking very civilly what I could do; I told him I could work, but not hard; I then asked him if there were any milliners, watchmakers, or such trades as I worked at in London, he turned his head and laughed; I told him I did not care, as my father had paid my passage, but the captain replied he had not, and I having no friends was forced to submit, and be sold as others were. My master took me on shore to an ordinary, and told me if I would be a good boy and work, I should want for nothing: I then asked him, if he and I were to go halves? he replied, in what? and I said in thieving: but on telling me I was come into a wrong country for that, and practising theft would soon bring him to ruin; I urged that would certainly be his portion if he did not let me go.

  He rejoiced much at his bargain, and I at his folly. We then set out for home on horseback, I behind him, and had fifteen miles to ride; at length got home, and seeing my master’s palace, I took it for a pidgeon-house: being tired and hungry, they brought me some victuals called humeny and milk, which I thought [p. 15] very sweet and good. Next morning my master roused me by-times to grind my hoe, I looked very hard at him, and told him I was not used to that kind of work; he however took me to a field to shew me how to till-up some corn; I told him the trade I was sent from London for, was much easier than this. In short, I could think of nothing but my old trade, and soon found means to break into a neighbour’s house, with an intent to rob them of what I could catch, with a fixed resolution to ruin myself and my master, for work did never agree with me; however, I got two gold rings, and some wearing apparel, which I brought to my mistress, knowing her to conceal other things for us, but she would have nothing to do with my prize: this caused me to run away, and make my case known to a justice of the peace, who had me apprehended, and sent for my master, upon my own discovery; I was sent to goal, but my master bailed me out till sessions, when I received sentence to be whipped and pilloried, which was rigourously executed: my master was obliged to make a four-fold gratification for the injury I had done the party robbed.

  My servitude being very intollerable to me, I determined to make a trial of another escape, and for that purpose took one of my master’s horses, a suit of his cloaths, and other necessaries for my journey; but not considering the expence, the danger in crossing the rivers, and having no pass from a magistrate, I was soon taken up, and brought back to my master, who gave me a terrible whipping, he fleed me from neck to rump, so that I was obliged to lie on my belly for several days and nights; aad [and] when I was well enough to walk, he sold me into the back settlements of Virginia, I believe four hundred miles within land where I was, when general [p. 16] Braddock came with his troops from Alexandria in Virginia, on his way to the Ohio, in the year 1755, where he was defeated with great slaughter by the French; my master and his family removed for fear of the French and the scalping parties of Indians, which were scouring the country all round, and committing the most shocking and inhuman murders. I got acquainted with serjeant Campbell, of colonel Dunbar’s regiment, and begged of him to let me go to the battle; he granted my request, and I got clear of my master. After our defeat, on the 9th of July, we had a very long and tiresome march back from the field of battle, near Fort du Quesne, to Philadelphia, in Pensylvania; when there being bare of cloathing, and in want of money, being withal very hungry, I took up my London trade, and soon stole a whole piece of handkerchiefs, a dozen in number; I tarried in Philadelphia till I had got good stock of cloaths and money, meeting with continual success in defrauding the public, by my old and wicked proceedings.

  I travelled with all possible diligence to New York, where I found a great many milliners; I thought of immediately touching them with my London mode; into one shop I went to practise in my usual way, but going to sell the lace, I was apprehended by one of the aldermen, upon suspicion of stealing it, and the owner hearing of the affair, came and claimed the lace, brought me to trial, and I was sentenced to be whipped behind a cart, at the corner of every street in the city, which was executed upon me, brought back again to the goal, and in a few days ordered out of the city, never more to return, on pain of having my sentence again repeated. I was passed twenty miles by constables, and then left to myself to proceed wherever my fancy led me: in walking about two [p. 17] miles farther, I fell into company with one Browne, a namesake and farmer; he asked me if I could work, I told him but a little, though very willing to learn. He took me home, used me very well; however, I had not been with him long, before he sold a plantation, and observing where he put the money and the key of the chest, took my opportunity to seize all his money in dollars and paper, amounting to one hundred and ten pounds, with a horse, saddle and bridle, made off directly for New York, where altering my dress, and proceeded direct for Philadelphia, there putting up at the sign of the Indian King, I was obliged to sell my horse and buy another, intending to get a little farther out of the way of enquiry, at least for the present.

  For this purpose I continued my route to Winchester, in the back settlements of Virginia; when finding myself near my old master, made enquiry for him, found him out, and made him a present of a silver watch, besides some money which contented the old man very well. He then gave me up my conviction, and went with me to Winchester, where he procured a pass as a free man for me to go wherever I had a mind without molestation. From this place I went to Port-Tobacco, to see my first master, to let him know I had mended my fortune with other peoples gains; he wished me joy on the occasion, and in a few days took me leave of him, and steered my course for Charles Town, in South Carolina, bought a gun to amuse me on the road, and had near nine or ten horses, I swapped, changed, and defrauded people off, under pretence of going with an express to Charles Town; where at length arriving, I met with my brother, that I had not seen for twelve years and upwards; he looked very cold [p. 18] and indifferent upon me, thinking I should bring him to disgrace and shame, as I had done in England. I got acquainted with one Joseph Warren, and hired myself to him, as an overseer of his Negroes. I had not been in this station long, before he sold me a horse at my own price, which I immediately sold in town, and went on board the Three Brothers, captain Holliday, bound for Antigua; the greatest reason for my retiring thus hastily from Charles Town, was, I had got acquainted with one Mrs. Broughton, a married woman; her husband swore he would cut my ears off, or take away my life, if I dared to continue any intercourse with his wife, he was extremely jealous of me, and indeed not without sufficient cause.

  We proceeded on our voyage, and had got within two days sail of Antigua, when we fell in with four French privateers, after a stout resistance of sailing and plying our wooden guns, of which we had mounted twenty two, we were taken and carried into Martinico, there remained three weeks, till a cartel ship came and carried us to Antigua: in this island I assumed the character of a master painter, and got a job to paint the Duke of Cumberland privateer, belonging to George Walker, which having finished, I was paid. I now went to St. Christopher’s, in the packet, where I had not been long before I entered on board the Fox privateer, captain Woolford, for a six months cruize, but had no success, we returned to the same port: as I had been thus unfortunate at sea, was willing to try my luck by land, I went into the country to a gentleman, told him I was courting a young lady of fortune, and begg’d him to lend me a suit of his cloaths, he very willingly did; I took him into a house, where we had some [p. 19] punch,
which having drank, I went out and left him to amuse himself with his own folly. I sold the cloaths, without the least probability of discovery; I secreted myself a few days, and went on board a vessel then ready to sail for Philadelphia.

  After my arrival, I got acquainted with a recruiting officer, beating up for volunteers against the French fort on the Ohio. I enlisted with him for four years, and to be paid half the money down, I bought a horse to go with him to Carlisle, in the back settlements of Pensylvania. There I saw my captain, who was vastly pleased with me; our company was reviewed by the major of the light horse, he having the superiour command. I was pitched on for a light horse man, under the command of captain Thompson, our general Forbes being very ill, was obliged to be carried in a horse litter, between two horses; it wanted painting, I was ordered to Carlisle to buy some paint, for that service; I was ordered by one of the officers to bring his girl from Carlisle with me, which I did, and by the way, had the pleasure of giving her the compliment of a road relish; my commiting such a rash action, made me imagine the whole camp might be set on fire by her; I thought nothing was so expedient for me as desertion, for fear of bad consequences, and went off the same night, being the 10th of July 1758, with my horse, regimentals, and accoutrements, and travelled for the back settlements of Virginia; in short, I went through many dangerous places, and almost insurmontable difficulties before I reached Williamsburg; where as soon as I arrived, sold my horse and regimentals, and put on the dress of a farmer, in order to buy corn; but nothwithstanding this scheme succeeded so well as I expected, I thought of speedily shifting my quarters. For [p. 20] which purpose, I once more thought of paying a visit to Charles Town, where I entered into a regiment of Buffs, raised by the colony of South Carolina, to go against the Cherokee nation; I was made a serjeant, and being sent one day to change a ten pound bill for my captain, I had changed it at a Jew’s, who afterwards charged me with a bad bill of twenty pounds, of which I was entirely innocent; however, I was sent to Goal, and confined for two months, in as deplorable a condition, as ever poor man was. When released from prison, I was sent to the barracks, where I continued in a very bad state of health for some time. After my recovery, I became acquainted with a gentleman, he and I took to coining of bad money; which we carried on for some time with considerable success; but at length we parted good friends in the Country, and threw away our utensils. I took my course for New Bern, in North Carolina, in my way I married, and my wife’s father thinking me two great a rake, to be trusted with her portion, look’d very lightly on me; but I found means to bring him greatly in debt, and made off directly, leaving the old man, daughter and all, to please themselves in the folly of their Wisdom. I made free with one of my father’s horses, and made for a place called Brunswick, in the same province of North Carolina. Then I agreed with captain Wright, for my passage to Jamaica, we were weather-bound for three week. I then verily thought my wickedness was the cause of our delay, through the just vengeance of Almighty God. At last we had a fair wind, made sail, and had a very favourable passage to Port Royal; the next tide after our arrival here, we weighed anchor and made Kingston harbour.

  [p. 21]On my going on shore here, being very poor and distressed, I began to think of something for my appearance in so fine a place; for this purpose I got acquainted with a taylor, and told him, I was come there to settle at my trade of a limner; by this expedient I got a very good suit of cloaths, and thought myself in a good situation. The next acquaintance I had, was one Mrs. Pembruge, who had several negroes, her own property, I thought this a fine fortune, and it was certainly so to me, though I soon found her to be a married woman, but parted according to law from her husband; she had a great many gallants, I found myself her principal favourite, and must confess, I got acquainted with one of her sparks; he told me, he had a much greater regard for her, than she had for him: and said, he had a chest at his master’s accompting-house, which he believed was full of dollars: I directly acquainted Mrs. Pembruge with this, who requested me to get it from him, if possible; I then made use of every means to get the prize into my possession; he came and gave me directions how and when to send for it; I procured a negroe, and sent him agreeable to my orders; every thing succeeded, and the chest was brought to me: I went to a certain private house, examined the contents, which proved to be cambricks and lawns, which I went directly and sold for fifteen pounds sterling, leaving out two pieces for a suit of linnen for Mrs. Pembruge, but gave the gallant nothing for his pains, telling him it was of no value.

  After this, I became acquainted with Mr. Torries, a Jew, who told me he had an hundred pound bill at my service whenever I pleased, and for whatever use I had a mind to apply it: I went the next morning to a store, purchased goods to the amount of one hundred and twenty pounds, desiring the [p. 22] store-keeper to send them to my lodgings; he came with the goods himself; I then shewed him the hundred pound note, told him I had borrowed it, and was to give five pistoles to the lender for two months; on this he told me, I looked like a very honest gentleman, and would give me credit for the whole for three months; I was to have gone to him the next morning, but declined that. I run in debt with many other people upon the island, to a considerable amount: I sold all the goods to the Jew, who lent me the note for fifty pounds. Mrs. Pembruge and I made off for Spanishtown, in order to settle with her husband, and get her own slaves from him. At this time, the person who let me have the chest full of cambricks and lawns, followed us; she told him how great a fool he was to follow one who he knew full well had not the least regard for him, though he had lavished away all his own honest gains, and robbed others to support her; though she was kind to me, yet I think there never was a woman of a harder heart, or of a more cruel and ungrateful disposition in the world; those who shewed a more than ordinary regard for her, were sure of the worse treatment; now living in plenty, she forgot all former want and misery; and I do verily believe, she would have cut the throat of any man who should rescue her from want, or save her life.

  She was a good looking woman, and to those who knew her not, appeared an angel, but in truth a devil. The old gallant being stung to the quick at Mrs. Pembruge’s base behaviour, went back to Kingston, and informed against us both, and we were taken into custody, and committed to Spanishtown goal, for the fraud of the linnen; in this prison we lay three months; at length the evidence was brought to the same goal, and the re[p. 23]gard he had for this woman being still as great as ever, he wrote a letter to her, full of the most tender professions of esteem and love; begged her pardon for being the cause of her confinement; that he was sensible the charge against her and Charles Speckman was not just; nay, that he knew us both to be innocent, and that he would so swear upon the trial; and never could rest or have quiet of mind for taking this ungenerous step, to abuse and defame the character of the best woman in the world, and that of the worthy gentleman her companion. We were removed to Kingston, to take our trials at the assizes; in the interim the evidence broke goal, and made his escape, we were for want of prosecution discharged the second court-day.

  Thinking it would not be so well to continue in Kingston, I left Mrs. Pembruge, and went towards Black-river, and Savannah la Mar, where I hired a horse, and proceeded to Montague-bay: there I met with a sister, who I had not seen before for twelve years. I soon got acquaintance in the neighbourhood, and especially with a daughter of colonel Savory’s; I was determined to settle here, and live in an honest way; all her family greatly caressed and loved me, and I found that I had no small interest with her friends; I found myself absolute master of the young lady’s heart, my happiness was compleat. In a short time we were married; four days before, she made me a present of one hundred pounds in cash, to get necessaries: the day we were married, all the negroes came to wish me joy, and hoped I would make them a good master; the sight of them in a state of slavery, affected me very much; I wished to have made presents to them all, and wished myself on an immediate voyage for London, I had not enjoyed [p. 24] the married-state l
ong, till my wife was taken very ill, and soon after died; she was a very worthy woman, and her departure a great loss to me. It immediately unhinged the tranquillity of my mind, so that I determined to sell all off, and return to Kingston, and to my old practices again.

  Where being arrived, I enquired for and soon found out Mrs. Pembruge, and entirely forgot my deceased wife: we lived together as usual, but money falling short, I fell into the immediate exercise of my old pranks. I bought up a great quantity of flour, getting as long credit as I could, but sold it all again directly for ready money. In like manner I got linnen and other things from different stores, and sold them as I had done the flour. One man I run pretty deeply in debt with, and promised him a good horse in part payment; to accomplish this, I next morning hired a wherry to carry me to Passage Fort, where I hired a horse for Spanish-town, but instead of going there, returned to Kingston, and sold the horse to my merchant, and received some money in pocket. I confined myself during the remainder of my stay to my lodgings, being afraid to go out, my safety prompted me so to do, fearing the being detected, Kingston being but a small city, and not very populous; before I left the island I buried Mrs. Pembruge, and then bid adieu to Jamaica for ever.