I I - American Memory

[ io8 ]
the PiUoI was, and juft as I had cock'd it, my De-
fign was to have /hot that Perfon which does not live
far from llenvgatcMarket, but he muft thank the other
Perfon who had me by the other Arm for clapping his
Hand upon mine, and taking the Piftol from me, who
faid, What are you at ?
The next Day after I had committed this Robbery,
it was blown all over Newgate-Market by one Whitaker,
well known by the Title of the Boxing Drover, at a
CofFee-Houfe there kept by a- Butcher, who addreffed
jhim in the following manner. What do you think Ma-
fitr ! Daddy Everett they fay Tejierday committed a B.oh-
hery on the Highivay, and the 'whole Tonjjn rings oti't.
He had not been five Minutes gone away to fpread the
News, (and ill News fpreads faft enough in Confcience)
but I came into the CoiFee-Houfe myfelf; the Mafter
•and I was old Cronies, Egad, (fays he) Jack / am
heartily glad to fee you, a?id ivifh a flying Repvrt that
Whitaker is 'very hufy in fpreading ot'cr the Neighbour-
Jiotd, may not prcve of 'very ill Confequence to you ; fo
told me the Charge that was father'd upon me: I own
I was damnably nettled, and fwore (God forgive me)
a good round Hand, and vow'd to be reveng'd on
Whitaker for an officious Fool, for endeavouring to blail
the Charadler of one who had never oiFended him.
This was not only the Refult of a hafty Paffion, but
I was refolutely bent upon the Jixecution ; whereupon
the next Evening between four and five o'Clock, I
charged a Brace of Piftols with Powder and Ball, and
marched up to Iflington to examine all his Haunts,
being well acquainted with all his private Sot-holes and
Places of Refort} I heard of him at feveral Ale-
houfes, but (as J then thought) unfortunately miffed of
him, wliich now I am glad of, fince I have not now
the Sin of Murder to anfwer for, which I then had in
my Heart, for which wicked Intention I beg God and
his Pardon, and hope to find Forgivenefs from them
both.
When