Farmer, "why, then, I must commit one in my life;" therefore, presenting his pistol, he instantly demanded his money or his life. Surprised at his client's rough behaviour, the lawyer began to remonstrate in strong terms, upon the impropriety of his conduct, urging that it was both contrary to law and to conscience. His eloquent pleading, however, made no impression upon the mind of the Farmer, so putting a pistol to his breast, he delivered his money, amounting to the sum of forty pounds; some large pieces of gold, and a gold watch.

66

One day accosting a tinker upon the road, whom he knew to have seven or eight pounds upon him, he said, Well, brother tinker, you seem to be very decent, for your life is a continual pilgrimage, and in humility you go almost bare-footed, making necessity a virtue :" "Ay, master," replied the tinker, necessity compels, when the devil drives, and had you no more than I, you would do the same." "That might be," replied the Farmer, "and I suppose you march all over England." "Yes," said the tinker," I go a great deal of ground, but not so much as you ride." "Be this as it will, I suppose that your conversation is unblameable, because you are continually mending." "I wish," replied the tinker," that as much could be said in commendation of your character." The Farmer replied, that he was not like him, who would rather steal than beg, in defiance of whips or imprisonment. Determined to have the last word of the Farmer, the tinker added, "I would have you to know, that I take a great deal of pains for a livelihood." The Farmer, equally loquacious, replied, "I know that you are such an enemy to idleness, that, rather than want work, you will make three holes in mending "That 66 " said the honest tinker, may be," but I begin to wish that there were a greater distance between us, as I do neither love your conversation nor appearance.' "I am equally ready to say the same of you; for though you are entertained in every place, yet you are seldom permitted to enter the door of any dwelling." The tinker repeated his strong suspicions of the Farmer: "Nor shall it be without a cause!" exclaimed he, "" therefore open your wallet, and deliver the money that is there." Here their dialogue being about to close, the tinker entreated that he would not rob him, as he was above an hundred miles from home. But the Golden Farmer being indifferent to all the con

one."

sequences of the loss of his money, seized both his wallet and his money, and left the poor tinker to renew his journies and his toils. This famous robber had only a few more acts of violence to perform. His actions and character being now universally known, many a hue and cry was sent after him, and conspired to his overthrow. He was seized, imprisoned, tried, and condemned. He spent his time in prison in the same merry way in which his former life was spent, and a violent death terminated his wicked

course.

THE LIFE OF SAWNEY BEANE.

THE following narrative presents such a picture of human barbarity, that were it not attested by the most unquestionable historical evidence, it would be rejected as altogether fabulous and incredible.

Sawney Beane was born in the county of East Lothian, about eight miles east of Edinburgh, in the reign of James VI. His father was an hedger and ditcher, and brought up his son to the same laborious employment. Naturally idle and vicious, he abandoned that place, along with a young woman equally idle and profligate, and retired to the deserts of Gallaway, and took up their habitation by the sea side. The place which Sawney and his wife selected for their dwelling, was a cave of about a mile in length, and of considerable breadth; so near the sea, that the tide often penetrated into the cave above two hundred yards. The entry had many intricate windings and turnings which led to the extre mity of the subterraneous dwelling, which was literally "the ha. bitation of horrid cruelty."

Sawney and his wife took shelter in this cave, aud commenced their depredations. To prevent the possibility of detection, they murdered every person that they robbed. Destitute also of the means of obtaining any other food, they resolved to live upon human flesh. Accordingly, when they had murdered any man, woman or child, they carried them to their den, quartered them, salted and pickled the members, and dried them for food. In this manner they lived, carrying on their depredations and murder,

until they had eight sons and six daughters, eighteen grand.song and fourteen grand-daughters, all the offspring of incest.

But, though they soon became numerous; yet, such was the multitude who fell into their hands, that they had often superabundance of provisions, and would, at a distance from their own habitation, throw legs and arms of dried human bodies into the sea by night. These were often thrown out by the tide, and taken up by the country people, to the great consternation and dismay of all the surrounding inhabitants. Nor could any discover what had befallen the many friends, relations, and neighbours who had unfortunately fallen into the hands of these merciless cannibals.

In proportion as Sawney's family increased, every one that was able, acted his part in their horrid assasinations. They would some times attack four or six men on foot, but never more than two upon horse back To prevent the possibility of escape, they would lay an ambush in every direction, that if they escaped those who first attacked, they might be assailed with renewed fury by another party, and inevitably murdered. By this means, they always secured their prey, and prevented detection.

At last, however, the vast number who were slain, raised the inhabitants of the country, and all the woods and lurking places were carefully searched; and though they often passed by the mouth of the horrible den, it was never once suspected that any human being resided there. In this state of uncertainty and suspeuse, concerning the authors of such frequent massacres, several innocent travellers and innkeepers were taken up upon suspicion; because, the persons who were amissing, had been seen last in their company, or had last resided at their houses. The effect of this well-meant and severe justice, constrained the greater part of the innkeepers in these parts, to abandon such employments, to the great inconveniennce of those who travelled through that district.

Meanwhile, the country became depopulated, and the whole nation was surprised, how such numerous and unheard of villanies and cruelties could be perpetrated, without the least discovery of the abominable actors. At length, Providence interposed in the following manner to terminate the horrible scene: One evening, a man and his wife were riding home upon the same horse from a fair which had been in the neighbourhood; and being attacked, he made the most vigorous resistance; unfortunately, however,

his wife was dragged from behind him, carried to a little distance, and her intrails instantly taken out. Struck with grief and horror, the husband continued to redouble his efforts to escape, and even trode some of them down under his horse's feet. Fortu. nately for him, and for the inhabitants of that part of the country, in the mean time, twenty or thirty in a company came riding home from the same fair. Upon their approach, Sawney and his bloody crew fled into a thick wood, and hastened to their infernal den.

This man, who was the first that had ever escaped out of their hands, related to his neighbours what had happened, and shewed them the mangled body of his wife which lay at a distance, the blood-thirsty wretches not having time to carry it along with them. They were all struck with astonishment and horror, took him with them to Glasgow, and reported the whole adventure to the chief magistrate of the city. Upon this intelligence, he wrote to the King, informing him of the matter.

In a few days, his Majesty in person, accompanied by four hundred men, went in quest of the perpetrators of such cruelties: The man who had his wife murdered before his eyes, went as their guide, with a great number of blood-hounds, that no possible means might be left unattempted to discover the haunt of these execrable villains.

They searched the woods, traversed, and examined the sea shore; but, though they passed by the entrance into their cave, they had no suspicion that any creature resided in that dark and dismal abode. Fortunately, however, some of the blood-hounds entered the cave, raised up an uncommon barking and noise, indicating that they were about to seize their prey. The King and his men returned, but could scarcely conceive how any human being could reside in a place of utter darkness, and where the entrance was difficult and narrow, but as the blood-hounds increas. ed in their vociferation, and refusing to return, it occurred to all that the cave ought to be explored to the extremity. Accordingly a sufficient number of torches were provided. The hounds were permitted to pursue their course; a great number of men pene. trated through all the intricacies of the path, and at length arrived at the private residence of these horrible cannibals.

They were followed by all the band, who were shocked to be. hold a sight unequalled in Scotland, if not in any part of the uni

verse. Legs, arms, thighs, hands, and feet, of men, women, and children, were suspended in rows like dried beef. Some limbs and other members were socked in pickle; while a great mass of money, both of gold and silver, watches, rings, pistols, cloths, both woollen and linen, with an innumerable quantity of other articles, were either thrown together in heaps, or suspended upon the sides of the cave.

The whole cruel brutal family, to the number formerly mentioned, were seized; the human flesh buried in the sand of the seashore; the immense booty carried away, and the king marched to Edinburgh with the prisoners. This new and wretched spectacle attracted the attention of the inhabitants, who flocked from all quarters to see this bloody and unnatural family as they passed along, which had increased, in the space of twenty-five years, to the number of twenty-seven men, and twenty-one women, Arrived in the capital, they were all confined in the tolbooth under a strong guard; they were next day conducted to the common place of execution in Leith Walk, and executed without any formal trial, it being deemed unnecessary to try those who were avowed enemies of all mankind, and of all social order.

The enormity of their crimes dictated the severity of their death. The men had their privy-members thrown into the fire, their hands and legs were severed from their bodies, and they permitted to bleed to death. The wretched mother of the whole crew, the daughters and grand-children, after being spectators of the death of the men, were cast into three separate fires, and consumed to ashes. Nor did they, in general, display any signs of repentance or regret, but continued, with their last breath, to pour forth the most dreadful curses and imprecations upon all around, and upon all those who were instrumental in bringing them to such well merited punishments.