I I - American Memory

m
C 103 1
(lie Robbery for which I am now condemnM for,NTO.sCom-'
mitted as generous a one, and with as much Civility anA
good Manners fhewn to the Lady Manly and Daughter,'
as Things of that Nature admits of, for the Lady was
not infulted in the Stile that is common to he fpol^e on
foch Occafions. I was not under the Fear or Apprehenfions
of being taken, altho' I was guilty, I muft confefs
I fliou'd be cautious and take the necefary Means
to preferve my Life ; bat the various Circumftances of'
this Robbery having been inferted at larg« in raoft of
the publick Papers, I was informed by feveral Butchers
of my Acquaintance, that the whole Neighbourhood
fufpefted me as concern'd in that Robbery.
At laft however, a certain Perfon who dwelt in the
Neighbourhood of Neiugate-Market refolv'd to ruin ms
jif poflible, and without any legal Warrant, Power or'
Authority, whatfoever to fecurc me, clandeftlncly procured
feveral other Confederates to affift him, and ti •
fefted by Stratagem what he dreaded to attempt by oper;
Force ; a generous Enemy may be guarded againft, but
there is no avoiding the treacherous Dcfigns of a periidioustriend.
In order to accomplifli this his Schenu',
£e fent for me to the Red-Hart iv. Foye-jlreet, by a fpecial
Meffenger under the fpecious Pretence of Buiinefs of
the utmoft Importance, I went to him, to be let into
the weiglity Secret. Soon after I had enter'd the
Pafiiige of the Ale-houfe, which is long and dark, the
lurking Perfon flruck at me with a Dagger, which he
had conceal'd in his Bofom, but by more Accident tlian
Art I warned off the Blow ; and as any Man of the
leaft Courage or Refolution would in the like Cafe,
dofed him and leiz'd him by the Throat, but whillt I
was thus warmly engag'd with an arm'd Antagonilt in
my own Defence, and with one whom I could not fee,
two of his Affociates barbaroufly with Bludgeon* feli'd
me to the Ground, and then fecur'd me.
This Perfon likewife in order to haften my End, as
foon as I was thus taken into Cufiody, mad'e it his Builners
to find out Mr. Manly, whofe Lady had been
E 4 robb'd.