lieving him, as he appeared to be a gentleman, she ordered his horse to the stable, and invited him to partake of an elegant supper she had prepared for her husband, who seemed to have been detained longer than she expected. Stafford wondered at his good fortune, and resolved to make the best of this golden opportunity. To effect his purpose the readier, he pressed his hostess with wine, and entertained her with amorous songs. He succeeded to his desires, but the vicious habits in which he had now turned a proficient, had gained such an ascendancy over his natural dispositions, that in this instance he was guilty of more than common felony he, with very little gratitude for the great favours he had received, tied the lady to her bed, and forced her to discover to him where he would find the money and plate belonging to her husband. Having secured about L. 300 worth of booty, he went to the stable, mounted his horse, and proceeded to London by the most private way he could find, to avoid detection.

By success in his profession, Stafford amassed a considerable sum of money; therefore, in order to avoid discovery, as he was now well known all over the country, he retired to a village in the North of England, and there lived in the most retired and frugal manner. The more to avoid suspicion, he assumed the appearance of sanctity, attended the church, the private meetings, and exercising his talents, he soon acquired great popularity as a speaker among the simple country people. After he had conti. nued there about a year, the minister of the congregation dying, he in a little time after was called to the charge, and, with seeming reluctance, he commenced preacher, with the annual income of forty pounds. In this station, Stafford acquitted himself to the entire satisfaction of his audience, until his predeliction for the fair sex rendered it necessary for him secretly to retire from that place. Upon his departure, however, he took care to carry off the plate and linen of the church, to a considerable amount.

The Captain now assumed his proper character. About four miles from Reading, the Captain overtook a wealthy farmer who was returning from selling some wheat. He entered into conver sation with him, and learning that he was possessed of a certain sum of money, he presented a pistol to his breast, threatening him with instant death unless he delivered up his purse. The terri❤ fed farmer instantly complied, and gave Stafford thirty three

pounds. But he had scarcely taken leave of the farmer, when two gentlemen, well mounted, came up to him, and being informed of what had happened, rode after Stafford, and, in the space of an hour, overtook and dismounted him, seized the money, and carried him before a justice of the peace, who committed him to prison. At the ensuing assizes, he was tried and condemned. During his confinement, he lived in a sumptuous manner, was visited by many of his own profession, who formed a plan for his deliverance, and agreed to make him their leader. The matter, however, transpiring, the day of his execution was changed, and Stafford miserably disappointed.

The Captain was dressed in a fine light coloured suit of cloths, with a nosegay in his breast, and appeared perfectly unconcerned. In passing a tavern, he called for a pint of wine, and drank it off, informing the landlord, that he would pay him when he returned. Arrived at the place of execution, he looked wistfully around, and endeavoured to prolong the time; but when he saw none coming to his assistance, he became pale, and trembled greatly. When about to be turned off, he presented the sheriff with a paper, containing a short statement of his adventures, and the causes which led him to embrace that mode of life which brought him to such a fatal end.

THE GOLDEN FARMER.

This man's name was William Davis, a native of North Wales, but he obtained the name of Golden Farmer from his custom of paying any considerable sum in gold. At an early period of life, he removed to Sudbury in Gloucestershire, where he took a farm, married the daughter of a wealthy innkeeper, by whom he had eighteen children, and followed that industrious employment merely to disguise the real character of a robber, which he sustained without suspicion for the space of forty two years. He usually robbed alone, one day meeting some stage-coaches, he stopped one of them full of ladies, all of whom complied with his demands, ex. cept a quaker, who vowed she had no money, nor any thing valu

able about her; unwilling to lengthen the argument with her at risk of losing his booty with the other coaches, he took his leave, at the same time informing her, that he would soon return and finish the dispute. Having done so, he returned with such violence, and employing language which so terrified the poor quaker, that, notwithstanding her former grave and honest assertions, she presented him with a purse of guineas, a gold watch, and a diamond ring, and they then parted as good friends as though they had never quarrelled.

The Farmer meeting at another time with the Duchess of Albemarle, was severely annoyed with a tedious engagement with two footmen, a coachman, and a postilion, all of whom he wounded before he could reach his prey. He also found the Dutchess still more refractory than the quaker; and all his vociferations and threats could not prevail upon her to part either with her money or her property. He was therefore with great reluctance constrained to take his leave, having pulled off three diamond rings off her fingers per force, and a gold watch from her side, as he perceived at a distance a person of quality approaching with a numerous retinue of servants.

The Golden Farmer's next adventure was with Sir Thomas, a justice of the peace, whom he knew, though the Farmer was unknown to him. Riding along, he entered into conversation with Sir Thomas, and informed him that he had narrowly escaped being robbed by two highwaymen, whom he had fortunately depriv ed of forty pounds which he possessed, upon his horse being swifter than theirs. Sir Thomas replied, "That would have been very hard indeed, but nevertheless, as you would have been robbed between sun and sun, the county would have been obliged to refund your loss." In this manner, conversing with Sir Thomas, he arrived at a convenient place to effectuate his purpose. The Farmer shot the horse of the servant, and constraining him to retire at some distance, he presented a pistol to Sir Thomas's breast, demanded his money. Sir Thomas replied," I thought, Sir, that you had been an honest man." The Farmer retorted, You. see that your worship is mistaken; and if you had had sufficient discernment, you might have perceived that my countenance was the very picture of necessity, therefore, surrender immediately, for I am in haste." Sir Thomas then delivering the Farmer about

66

sixty pounds in money, he took his leave of the Justice, remind ing him, "that what he had parted with was not lost, because he was robbed between sun and sun, therefore, the county, as he told him, must pay it again."

66

Another day, a young gentleman of Enfield, possessed of a good estate, was overtaken by the Golden Farmer, who had waited long that morning for a prey. Upon seeing the young squire, the Farmer rode instantly up, and giving him a stroke upon the shoulders with his drawn hanger, he exclaimed,Plague upon you, how slow you are to make a man wait on you all this morning. Come, deliver what you have instantly, and go to for orders." This young spark, who was accustomed to more courtly language, both from his mistress and his domestics, knit his brows, and began to make excuses. Impatient of delay, and convinced that such a youth did not live upon the produce of charity or chance while travelling, the Farmer very politely searched his pockets, where he found a hundred guineas with a gold watch. He then saluted him with two strokes of his hanger upon the shoulders, admonishing him to avoid lying when any honest gentleman desired to share of his bounty.

The Farmer, now becoming more dexterous at ploughing the highway than cultivating his farm, having paid his landlord above forty pounds of rent, was desirous to regain that sum. Accord. ingly he disguised himself; followed the good gentleman, and roughly accosted him, saying: "Come, Mr Gravity from head to foot, but from neither head nor foot to the heart, deliver what you have in a trice." The old man, heaving a deep sigh, to the hazard of depriving his waistcoat of some buttons, said, that he thought that he was more of a gentleman than to rob an old man of a few shillings, which was his all. The Farmer answered, that his appearance indicated that he was better provided, therefore he demanded him to open his budget without farther delay; or else I will fall foul about your house." The landlord replied, “ Dear sir, you cannot be so barbarous to an old man. What! have you no religion, nor pity, nor conscience, nor respect for your own body and soul, that are in a miserable condition!" "What!" replied the Farmer, "talk ye of compassion, humanity, conscience, or pity! I have no more of these dull commodities than yourself; therefore deliver what you have, before this pistol make you re.

66

pent your obstinacy." The landlord being thus threatened, delivered his money, without receiving a receipt for it, as he had giv. en the farmer.

An old grazier at Putney-heath was the next victim to the avaricious Farmer Having accosted him on the road, he informed him that there were some suspicious persons behind them, whom he suspected to be highwaymen, and if that should be the case, he begged that he would conceal ten guineas for him, which would be safer with him, from the meanness of his apparel. He accepted the charge, and said, that as he himself had fifty guineas bound in the lappet of his shirt, he would deposit them along with his own. In a short time the Farmer said: "It does not appear that any per. son will run the risk of his ueck by robbing you to-day; it will therefore be as well that I do so myself." Without any further preamble, he demanded him, instead of delivering up his purse, to cut off the lappet of his shirt; but declining to comply with his request, the farmer put himself to the trouble to lighten the foregarment of the grazier.

Squire Broughton was the succeeding prey of the Golden Far mer. Happening to meet at an inn upon the road, the Farmer pretended to be on his way to the capital, concerning an offence that a neighbouring farmer had committed against him, by allow ing his cattle to break into his grounds. Meanwhile he requested that Squire Broughton would recommend him to an expert and faithful agent to conduct his cause. Similar to every other lawyer, Broughton was desirous to have him for a client, and proceeded to explain the nature of his cause. Having spent the night at the inn, they proceeded next morning on their journey, when the Farmer addressed the counsellor, saying, "Pray Sir, What is meant by trover and conversion in the law of England?” He replied, that it signified, in our common law, an action which one man has against another, having found any of his goods, refuses to deliver them up on demand, and perhaps converts to his own use. The Golden Farmer being now at a place convenient for his purpose," Very well then, Sir," said he, "should I find any money about you, and convert it to my use, it is only actionable, I find." "That is a robbery," said the barrister, "which requires no less a satisfaction than a man's life. "A robbery," replied the Golden