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Jaws, the Barber, on the danger to be apprehended from the progress of Popery, by the alarm justly occasioned on the detection of a Popish schoolmaster, exercising his unlawful occupation, in the village of Rathcoole, in the year 1726. He married a sister of the late Alderman Sir Anthony King, Tinman of Cook-st. so celebrated for making candlesticks, and for his military skill in taking of UMBRAGE, in the year 1779. With this accomplished lady, he received a marriage portion of thirty pounds, two feather-beds, and a quire of Kilkenny blankets, and was ap. pointed Ironmonger to Newgate, a place then vacant by the death of Mr. Sheriff Mousetrap, who was killed at a Bull-beat, in the Tenterfields, formerly part of the estate of the priory of St. Thomas, a property vested by the illustrious Wife Butcher, Henry the VIII. in the family of Brabazon, the representative of which now commands the celebrated Liberty Rangers.

His ingenuity and industry in the manufacture of neck yokes and fetters, with his other business, enabled him to cut a very fashionable figure among the proudest of municipal of ficers, and gave the most flattering hopes that he would one day arrive to the honours of the Lord Mayor's chain; but the caprice of fortune, that plays with the brightest prospects, and ob. scures the fairest character, tricked our hero from the high road of honorable distinction. He, unwittingly, though otherwise praise-worthy, incautiously purchased from a committee of chapel robbers, which a loyal man would now only consider a Society for propagating the Gospel, a collection of Bronze figures of the saints, stolen from a Friary in Cook-street, and in defiance of the duties of allegiance which every Judge of British manufacture ought to possess, he was convicted of being an accessary, and was sentenced o wear his own belts

A man's

in Newgate, three years. misfortunes, like his successes, may owe their existence and perpetuity Overto very trivial circumstances. whelmed with odium and infamy, the companions of his former days forsook him; his expulsion as a representative of the Common Council, was moved and carried, and not one advocate appeared to interpose, or to shield him from the reproach and misfortune to which he was abandoned. During his confinement his father-inlaw died, and his wife, who ought to sustain his hopes and mitigate his misfortunes, perhaps the victim of poverty, listened to the voluptuous addresses of Barbolt, the Sheriff's Bailiff, and to him resigned her honor, by sacrificing her duty as a wife. The accumulated mischiefs that now surrounded our friend, were supportable, as the kindness of his fellow-prisoners, and the constant succession of them that daily came in as candidates for exhibition at Stephen's-green, furnished such a circulation of novelty and dissipation, that the days went insensibly over, in riot and pleasure; but when the infidelity of his wife reached his ears, with the course taunts and jokes of his iron-mounted companions, so aggravated his condition, that he took the resolution of hanging himself at his own expense. He provided a rope, prepared the noose, from frequent tying specimens of Tom Meighan's, who then occupied the place of executioner, and when he thought his fellow-prisoners were deep to the chin in their whiskey methers, he stole off, to take his departure to the region of spirits. After adjusting the rope to a staple on the stairs, by the aid of a stool, he got his head through the loop, and was just finishing the first kicking, when Mrs. Meighan, who was mounting the steps with an additional charge of spirits for the company, struck her head violently against the breast of poor Limbertip. Her screams brought the merry gentle

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men to her assistence, and fortunately, in the nick of time to prevent the finale of the catastrophe. They instantly cut down the dangling victim; and after a little time he was persuaded to reconcile himself to life, forget his rib, and bury the history of his mischances in another round of his country liquid. The night went briskly round, and the intrusion of Aurora, who stole between the many tiered bars, found our heroes yet at the festive bowl, nor was it until the Sheriff rapped at the gates, desiring the attendance of Ned Sweeny, one of the company, on an excursion to King William, agreeable to the advice of twelve shopkeepers, that broke up the happy meeting. Ned, after whispering to a clergyman, putting on a clean shirt, and shoving his night-cap into his pocket, shook hands with Limberlip, and his other lamenting mates, slid down the stairs, and was handed into a cart by Mr. Robinson, the High Constable, who, at that period, acted as gentleman usher on such occasions. He was now on the third year of his probation, in which time he witnessed many events in human affairs, and had much experience in the unadorned history of his many fellow-lodgers. He saw them flourish in all the gaiety and heedlessness of youth, and he saw them depart like the vapour before the sun; and yet, an intimacy with such lessons and misfortunes, had no effect in diminishing in him the fear of death; perhaps the lesson of hanging he gave himself, had the effect of giving him a most decided aversion to this mode of extinction, for in no case of his subsequent experience, could he be persuaded to embark in any adventure, either for revenge or profit, that had a shadow of hanging at the tail of it.

He was one morning, about Shrove tide, sitting at the fire, assisting Meighan, the hangman, to make out his accounts to furnish on the Sheriff, for various pieces of work done during

the past quarter, when a person sa, luted him with the pleasing intelligence, that his pardon was obtained from the Lord Lieutenant through the interposition of the Lord Mayor, who had taken a particular interest in his suf ferings, as his Lordship, who had received his education in one of the Charter-schools, where the pupils on the establishments are carefully charged with those parts of parliamentary christianity, that declared popery and property should not be united in the same person, and under its operation, the law of forfeiture extended so far, that a papist dare not possess a horse worth more in value than five pounds, The good Lord Mayor, who had the advantages of this theological and political instruction, though much to the prejudice of other literary acquirements, as to be such a slow hand at reading, that he generally spent a week getting through one newspaper. He could not, however, reconcile to himself, that a loyal citizen should be immured in a prison, for stealing copper saints, when the law, that suppressed idolatry, extended to the very confiscation of popish horses. In a few days our hero was restored to society, and to enable him to poise the constitution in church and state, his benevolent patron had him appointed one of his advance men, to bear a long pole before his Lordship on all public occasions.

After the expiration of the Lord Mayor's year, he was some time unem. ployed, but was fortuate enough to distinguish himself in the suppression of a riotous mob, who issued from the Earl of Meath's Liberty, into the city, for the purpose of wreaking their ven geance on such shops as exposed Eng. lish manufactures for sale, which at that time, as it is now, was carried to such an extremity, that more than twenty thousand of the manufacturing poor, in the Liberty, were starving. The exasperated insurgents were ad. vancing in great numbers, with an intention of paying a visit to the Parlia

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sment then sitting, and to wreak part of their vengeance on the Legislating Patriots, to whom they very justly ascribed the prevailing influence of English interest, which extinguished domestic industry. Limberlip, by some means obtained a knowledge of the destination of the hungry weavers, and with a vigilance which should govern every man, who admires the happy connexion, he communicated the affair to Sheriff James, a gentleman since much distinguished by his ignorance and loyalty. The Sheriff, as all Sheriff's of Castle Manufacture should do, gave the alarm to his masters in the Castle; the entire garrison were called out, and a dissolution of the upright legislature, by vulgar hands, was happily prevented; a sufficient crowd of examples strewed the streets, by some well-directed fires, which terminated this unpleasant affair. This eminent piece of service was rewarded, by making our friend a door-keeper to that House of Commons he contributed to save, and was decorated with the Greyhound by the hands of the patriot Mr. Faster.

His new condition, as an Undermember in the Irish Senate House, afforded a means of living much superior to any thing he experienced since the period of his entrance into New-gate, He now saw company, figured in the loyal associations formed for resisting the claims of the Papists-and the system of National Union recommended by the Presbyterians, became so distinguished among the lower ranks of Statesmen of the British Schools, that he was frequently employed during the recess to sound the people in the north of Ireland, and collect their opinions, in a registry for the purpose, which he deposited monthly in the Head Department of Espiouage esta, blished at COLLON. He even acted in a military character on several occasions, when any of the armed force was ordered into actual service, for the

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suppression of superstitious meetings, and checking the superabundant population. He distinguished himself at the celebrated massacre of Tallon'stown,' in the year 1793, when 160 poor men and women were cut to pieces while they were saying their prayers. His abhorrence of popery and rebellion, which he saw extending to an alarming degree over the country, was greatly encreased by the judicious arrangements made by his Pa.. tron, for the conviction of the higher, ranks of Catholics, in proper time, lest they might, on some future occasion, become leaders of the disaffected. The plan for hanging gentlemen of this description, in time, was submitted to his inspection; and after maturely considering the weight and number of his materials, he digested a part of it, on a small scale, in so handsome a manner, as to be highly approved by. his friend; and it was settled, that by the way of experiment it should be reduced into activity. A very plausible opportunity offered, at this time, to give public character to the meditated measures. An established priest of the name of Butler, had much distinguished himself in the capacity of Man-hunter and Man-sorter, which begat or provoked a kind of re-action in his ragged adversaries, who very brutally shot him one summer's evening as he was returning from one of his works of mercy. The alarm on this occasion was as loud and enlarged as the nature of the case demanded, and immediately Mr. Limberlip and his friend, put their little machinery into motion. Three Catholic Merchants in Drogheda, Messrs. Bird, Hamill, and Delahide, and an eminent inhabitant of Navan of the name of Fay, were arrested and imprisoned for shooting the Constitutional Clergyman. The alarm on the popish side was as great, but more serious, as the one on the other, because they saw the real drift, and were in possession of the real secret, and dreaded the revival of

ancient

ancient and established practices, for justifying confiscations and executions. It went on as they predicted; the Drogheda Gentlemen were brought to trial, for the forms were not yet dispensed with; Limberlip was catechis ed, and drilled as chief Book-hand, and nothing but the interposition of Providence could have saved the unfortunate men of being hanged for the murder, for Limberlip had his proofs so well arranged, that no human precaution could succeed in diverting him from his game.

Unfortunately for the credit of the accusers, poor Limberlip, a few days before the Assizes, was handing the lady of Mr. into her carriage, at the west entrance of the House of Commons, and was on the point of fastening the coach door, when the horses gave a violent plunge, which threw him down, and the hind wheels passed over him and broke his thigh. The complicated nature of the fracture was so great, that little hopes were entertained of his recovery.

engaged as an evidence at several court martials, against imputed rebels, and conducted himself on such occasions, with singular accuracy. His merits were appreciated in every disturbed county in Ireland, and such a favorite was he with the late Earl of Enniskillen, that he was appointed with Wooloughan, the Boy-killer, to a place of emolument in the county of Fermanagh. At the time the Irish Parliament adjourned to Westminster, after whipping and selling their constituents. He was allowed his salary during life; and Mr. M'Clelland, one of the members who voted on the occasion, was made a judge,

When it became necessary in the opinion of the Orangemen of Mountrath, to have a Priest-killer in that ancient and loyal town, Limberlip canvassed for the appointment, and on the 12th of July, being the first day of the summer shooting Term, 1799,

he was elected into office. It was he planned the attack on the Rev. Mr. Duane's house, the P. P. of MountEvery body knows a man of the rath, in the year 1808, and were it not name of Grimes was the evidence on for the alarm given, by a blunderbuss the day of trial, and that Grimes was belonging to one of the party going so great a dunce, that on his cross-off, the killing would have been done examination by Mr. Curran, he con- in the Priest's bed-room. Mr. Duane tradicted his direct testimony, and even took the alarm and escaped out of one acknowledged the swearing costume of the windows; crossed the river, conhe appeared in, to give dignity to his cealed himself in a potatoe field, and character, was given to him by Mr. died of the cold and fright in two History will, one day, give days after. the name in full; but, as we do not want to be hanged, we must suppress it. The prisoners were acquitted and discharged; and as Grimes might be telling tales if he lived, he was tried like Father Sheey, for killing a man who is yet alive; and was hanged accordingly.

Limberlip's health was not perfectly restored for nearly two years; howver, his pay went on, and we suppose from his subsequent services, that he did not neglect his parliamentary, and other state duties-for we find he was

Limberlip fired several well-directed shots at the Priest, while in the river, but to the great injury of his charac ter, as a purple marksman, without any effect.

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Mr. Limberlip is now in town, on consultation with the Battalion of Testimony, and dines every day with Doctor Brennan and Captain Huddlestone, at Comfort Lodge, the seat of the present Commander of the Sandymount Army.

To

Letter to Dr. Brennan.

To Doctor Brennan.

SIR, Nothing but the solicitations of my friends, could induce me to a correspondence with a man, who already is so infamous in the well-grounded opinion of his persecuted countrymen. Like Titus Oates, your precursor, the profession you have disgraced to which you belong, and the Catholic religion in which you were educated; certainly you did not appear on the table of a Court of Justice, swearing to the existence of imaginary treasons to convict your innocent brethren, but you must acknowledge you collected. the game and hunted in the same couple, with your fellow Bloodhound Huddlestone; you brought your victims to the Bar, who owe their lives, not of ingenuity or industry on your part, but to the laws, that have no power to levy the penalty of death for the of fences you charged them with.

to want

The season of death has passed away; had you embarked into public speculation, in 1797, or 1798, you would have immortalized the name of Brennan in the calamities of your country; you would have outstripped the Reynold's and Armstrong's in your revenge, and your avidity for gain. Ireland you would have converted into a church-yard, and at this day, your friends Keogh and Sirr, would not have one Irishman but yourself to write their eulogiums.

You have embarked in a recent publication as a public writer; in this new piece you are as unfortunate, as in plans against the honor and liberty of your Catholic brethren; you turned public accuser, after the gallows had been sated with victims; you now become author, with as little claim to talents, as you have to shame or humanity.

You avow yourself the friend of Sirr, and I do say you are his agent of the police; you have but two niches in your Literary Temple, and already

you have occupied them with your
two favourites, John Keogh and Major
Sirr.

To say you are the admirer and
friend of Sirr, would be enough to
consign you to infamy, for a man must
be no ordinary villain that would asso-
ciate with, and hire himself to a per-
son, the very sound of whose name,
or the imputation of existing by his
friendship, would freeze the blood of
any wretch not entirely so deep in
guilt, as to despise the opinion of the
public, the duty he owes to his God,
and the allegiance due to his country.

The occupations of spy and de-
nunciator might be taken by you
through necessity, which the indi-
gence brought on by being rejected
by your profession, might tempt you
to undertake; for hunger is sometimes
excusable; but you would be a can-
nibal, you would have blood, and in
your selections you would pluck the
priest from the altar, and the parent
from his infants; and yet there are
other offences still greater, that make
up the climax of your iniquity. Hunger
might make you hire yourself against
Catholicity and your country, but no-
thing but the most abandoned heart,
and the most demoniac ferocity could
reconcile you to a monster, whose cha-
racter may be thus concisely described:
"He burnt the Widow Ratigan's
it."
house, and-

Thank God, you and your patron
are disarmed, by the general tranquil-
lity of the country. The informing
office, like the temple of Janus, is shut,
and your literary talents are so con-
temptible, that nothing but the bru
ideas could procure one
tality of your
reader, even among the ruffians in
whose service you are enlisted.

I know you are not hurt in your own opinion, by the infamy of your life, because you are candid enough to publish part of it, and therefore I neither mean to convert you, nor make you unhappy, because the want of guilt, shame, and the pride you take in

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