No More Learning

THOMAS & ANN SHAKE SHAFT, ( Claiming tile Flitch of Bacon. )
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 151
A custom was instituted, in or about the year 1 1 11, by Robert, son of Richard Fitz-Gilbert, Earl of Clare, that if any married couple would take a prescribed oath, kneeling upon two bare stones within the church- door, before the prior and brethren, they should have a gammon of bacon freely delivered to them, which is
done with great ceremony.
THE OATH.
" You shall swear, by the custom of our confession, " That you never made any nuptial transgression;
" Since you were married man and wife,
" By household brawls or contentious strife ;
georce 11. ]
" Or otherwise, in bed, or at board,
" Offended each other in deed or in word; " Or, since the parish-clerk said Amen,
" Wished yourselves unmarried again ;
" Or, in a twelvemonth and a day,
" Repented not in thought any way,
" But continued true and in desire,
" As when you joined hands in holy quire: " If to these conditions, without all fear,
" Of your own accord you will freely swear,
" A gammon of bacon you shall receive,
" And bear it hence with love and good leave ;
" For this is our custom, at Dunmow well known, " Though the sport be ours the bacon's your own.
X2
152 MEMOIRS OF [george ik
The happy pair are then taken upon men's shoul ders in a chair (kept for that purpose) and carried round the scite of the priory, from the church to the house, with minstrels of every description, and the gammon of bacon borne high on a pole before them, attended by the steward, gentlemen, and officers of the manor, and the several inferior tenants, carrying wands, &c. A jury of bachelors and maidens (six of each sex) follow two and two, with an immense mul titude of other people, young and old, from all the neighbouring towns and villages thereabouts, and
several more, that came from very great distances (to the amount of many thousands in the whole) rending the air with shouts and acclamations.
This custom is still kept up at Dunmow in Essex, which was formerly a priory. The last couple that claimed the bacon was Thomas Shakeshaft, of the parish of Weathersfield, in the county of Essex, weaver, and Ann his wife, who went to demand, and actually did receive, a gammon of bacon ; having first knelt down upon two bare stones, within the church- door, and taken the oath pursuant to the ancient custom, in manner and form prescribed as aforesaid,
the 20th of June, 1751 ; in commemoration of which a picture was painted, representing the procession^
George H. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 153
and containing the portraits of the affectionate and
happy couple.
Before the dissolution of monasteries
it does not
appear, by searching the most ancient records, to have been demanded above three times, and, including
this, just as often since ; so rare are the instances of
perfect conjugal felicity in the marriage-state !
A similar custom with that at Dunmow prevailed
in the county of Stafford. Sir Philip de Somerville held the manors of Whichenovre, Scirescot, Ridwane, Netherton, and Cowlee, all in the county of Stafford, of the earls of Lancaster, by this memorable service: "The said Sir Philip shall find, maintain, and sustain, one bacon-flitch, hanging in his hall at Whichenovre, ready arrayed at all times of the year but Lent, to be given to every man or woman married, after the day and the year of their marriage be past, in form follow ing: —Whensoever that any such before-named will come to inquire for the bacon, in their own person, they shall come to the bailiff, or to the porter of the lordship of Whichenovre, and shall say to them in the manner as ensueth : ' Bayliff, or porter, I do you to know, that I am come for myself, to demand one bacon-flyke, hanging in the hall of the lord of Whichenovre, after the form thereunto belonging. '
154 MEMOIRS OF [george ii.
After which relation, the bailiff or porter shall assign a day to him, upon promise by his faith to return, and with him to bring twain of his neighbours. And in the mean time, the said bailiff shall take with him twain of the freeholders of the lordship of Whichen- ovre, and they three shall go to the manor of Rudlow,
to Robert Knightleye, and there shall summon the aforesaid Knightleye, or his bailiff, com manding him to be ready at Whichenovre, the day appointed, at prime of day, with his carriage, that is to say, a horse and saddle, a sack and a pryke, for to convey the said bacon and corn a journey out of the county of Stafford, at his costages. And then the said bailiff shall, with the said freeholders, summon all the tenants of the said manor, to be ready at the day appointed at Whichenovre, for to do and perform the services which they owe to the bacon. And at
the day assigned, all such as owe services to the bacon shall be ready at the gate of the manor of Whichenovre, from the sun-rising to noon, attending and awaiting for the coming of him who fetcheth the bacon. And when he is come, then shall be delivered to him and his fellows chaplets, and to all those which shall be there, to do their service due to the bacon. And they shall lead the said demandant with
belonging
georqe ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 155
trumps and tabors, and other manner of minstrelsy, to the hall-door, where he shall find the Lord of Whichenovre, or his steward, ready to deliver the bacon in this manner;— '
He shall inquire of him which demandeth the bacon, if he have brought twain of his neighbours with him ; which must answer, ' they be here ready. ' And then the steward shall cause these two neighbours to
swear if the said demandant be a wedded man, or have been a man wedded ; and since his marriage, one year and day be past and he be freeman, or
villain. * And his said neighbours make oath, that he hath for him all these three points rehearsed, then shall the bacon be taken down and brought to the hall-door, and shall there be laid upon one half- quarter of wheat, and upon one other of rye. And he that demandeth the bacon shall kneel upon his
knee, and shall hold his right hand upon book, which book shall be laid upon the bacon and the corn, and shall make oath in this manner —
Hear ye, Sir Philip de Somervile, Lord of Which enovre, mayntener and gyver of this baconne: that
•That as the words then meant, 'a free man or servant. '
is,
a
:
a
I,
'
a
if
;
if a
if,
156 MEMOIRS OF [george ii.
A, sithe I wedded B, my wife, and sithe I had hyrin
my keepying, and at my wylle, by a year and a day after our marriage, I would not have changed for none other ; farer ne fowler; richer ne pourer; ne for none other descended of greater lynage; sleeping ne wak ing, at noo tyme. And if the seyd B were sole, and I sole, I would take her to be my wife before all the wymen of the worlde, of what condiciones soever they be, good or evylle ; as help me God and his seyntes, and this flesh and all fleshes. '
" And his neighbours shall make oath, that they trust verily he hath said truly. And if it be found, by his neighbours before-named, that he be a freeman, there shall be delivered to him half a quarter of wheat and a cheese ; and if he be a villain, he shall have half a quarter of rye without cheese. And then shall Knightleye, the lord of Rudlow, be called for, to
carry all these things tofore rehearsed ; and the said
corn shall be laid on one horse and the bacon above it; and he to whom the bacon appertaineth, shall ascend upon his horse, and shall take the cheese before him, if he have a horse. And if he have none, theLord of Whichenovre shall cause him to have one horse and saddle, to such time as he be passed his
lordship; and so shall they depart the manor of
•eorge
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 157
Whichenovre with the corn and the bacon, tofore him that hath won with trumpets, taborets, and other manner of minstrelsy. And all the free-tenants of Whichenovre shall conduct him to be passed the lordship of Whichenovre. And then shall they all return except him to whom appertaineth to make the carriage and journey without the county of Stafford, at the costs of his Lord of Whichenovre. "
VOL. IV. Y
it,
158 MEMOIRS OF [george n.
Robert Sfjort
This young man, from his childhood, had laboured under the dreadful disorder of the stone and gravel, for which he could not obtain the least relief, and continued to linger many years in excruciating agony
and torment. His parents and friends, from the poverty of their circumstances, were unable to ad minister such comforts and surgical aid as his case required, and were compelled to apply to the charita ble and laudable establishments of one of the public hospitals. Having procured a ticket. Short was ad mitted as an in-patient into St. Thomas's
Hospital, Southwark ; and, after a proper interval of time, under
went an operation, when, by the care and skill of the ablest surgeons, a stone was extracted from him
of most extraordinary dimension,
inches in circumference. He continued in the hos pital until a perfect cure was effected ; and the case was deemed so singular, that a portrait of the man
was engraved, with an exact representation of the stone.
measuring eight
Robert Short.
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 159
Remarkable as the case of Robert Short may appear, it is by no means without a parallel; many instances of similar cases often occurring. One in particular was that of Nicholas Byfield, a clergyman, in the
reign of King James I. who had a benefice at Chester, but resided many years at Isleworth. This gentle man had a stone extracted from him of still greater
than that taken from Short; was com pletely cured, and lived many years after the opera tion was performed. A portrait of him, from an original painting, in which is preserved the figure of the stone, was engraved for, and published by, William Richardson, printseller, in the Strand, in 1790.
george ii. ]
magnitude
"
160 MEMOIRS OF [george n.
fgenra) Simons
Henry Simons. , a Polish Jew merchant, putting up at an inn, at Cranford-bridge, in the county of Middlesex, pretended to have been robbed by God- dard, the innkeeper, of 554, ducats he had about him in a belt. Upon this charge Goddard was tried
at the Old Bailey, in September, 1751, and honorably acquitted : on which he preferred a bill of indict- ment against Simons for wilful and corrupt perjury; the grand jury finding it a true bill, a warrant was issued to apprehend the Jew. Mr. James Ashley, of the London punch-house, Ludgate-hill, happening to see him on the Essex road, gave a clue to his appre hension ; but Ashley by this became involved in a scene of difficulty and trouble he little expected to experience, and which compelled him, on his own
account, to prosecute the Jew for an assault. The particulars given by Ashley, on the trial, which took place at Chelmsford, 1752, were, " That, on the 6th of October, 1751, he was coming to London from a journey, when, between Ilford and Stratford, he saw
HE N RY
SIMONS, ( The Polish Jew. )
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 161
Simons travelling on foot towards Ilford ; that he
crossed the road with his chaise on purpose to have a full view of him, attracted by the uncommon habit he
wore ; and recognizing him to be the Jew who ac cused Goddard, on the following day he waited on Mr. Ford, Goddard's agent, informing him where he had seen Simons, the Jew, travelling. Mr. Ford ear
george ii. ]
him, the witness, to take a warrant that he had in his hands against Simons, for per jury, and pursue him, and that his clerk, Mr. New man, should accompany him. With great reluct
ance he consented ; and Mr. Newman set out with him in a chaise that afternoon, towards Harwich, be lieving that Simons was going out of the kingdom. Near Witham, in Essex, witness was informed by a boy, to whom he described Simons, that he was not far before ; he then encouraged the boy, who was on horseback, to pursue Simons, which he did, and pre sently after they came up and took him; they then placed him in a cart that was going to Witham, from out of which Simons jumped, and endeavoured to make his escape, but was soon after re-taken, and carried to Witham ; where they delivered him, with
the warrant, into the hands of Mr. Hubbard, the con stable, who kept him all night. The next morning
nestly pressed
MEMOIRS OF [george tt.
they went with him before Justice Bragg, and as the justices were sitting at Chelmsford, it was deemed advisable to take him there ; but the justices not
choosing to commit him, advised witness, and the constable who had the charge, to carry him to London. While at the Saracen's-head, in Chelms ford, he observed Simons, who sat in one corner of the room, pull out a green purse, and count some money ; and witness thought there was some gold in it : after this Simons desired to speak with him, but he refused, and soon after went out of the room to engage a post-chaise, to carry them to London. When witness returned, Simons again desired to speak to him, which he consented to, and stooped down to hear what he had to say; but presently after
Simons called out My gilt! my gilt! my gilt! my ducats in pocket, and pointed to witness's pocket; but, not conceiving what he meant, the defendant cried out, Ne, ne, not dat pocket, toder pocket; when the witness pulling his handkerchief from his right-
hand pocket, there dropped out a ducat : this much surprised witness, who said, • Here is some of the man's money, indeed ; but how it came here I cannot tell. ' Feeling again, he found two ducats
more, among some walnuts that were in his pocket ;
george ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 163
he then informed Alderman Gascoigne (who was at that time in the house) of what had passed, and by his orders the defendant was searched, but they found about him only one shilling and nine- pence halfpenny ; he afterwards brought the defendant to London, who, on being carried before Justice Field ing, was committed to New Prison. "
On his cross-examination he was asked, when he met Simons, he did not speak to him, and pull out some ducats, or other gold, and shew them to Simons Mr. Ashley said, he only crossed the road to look at him, but did not speak to him, or pull out
and that he never had seen ducat in his life before those he took from his pocket at
Chelmsford.
Six witnesses were called, and examined on the
part of the prosecution, who all corroborated, in every particular, the deposition of Mr. Ashley, the first wit ness. In defence, the counsel for the prisoner called
Hyam Levi Jew) who being sworn deposed, that, on the 8th day of August last, he and Henry Simons, the defendant, landed at Harwich, from
Holland that, when they came on-shore, they were examined by the Custom-house searcher, as usual; that Simons had large belt on that would hold
any money
a
;
? ;
(a
a
if,
164 MEMOIRS OF [GEORGE IT.
above a thousand ducats, and that it appeared to be above half full ; that it is the custom of the Polish Jews to carry their money about them in a belt, which is hollow, and opens near the buckle, for the purpose of receiving money. He advised Simons to leave his money with a gentleman at Harwich, who would send it him to London ; but that Simons replied, he would not leave it with any person ; no, not with his own father. That at Harwich, he, the witness, pulled out a gold watch to see what it was o'clock; which the defendant observing, said, he should want two gold repeating-watches, and desired
that he would help him to a good workman likely to use him well, for that he had resolved to have the best, if he gave 40/. or 501. each for them. — Witness came on for London, and left the defendant behind, who would not travel on the sabbath. That on the Tuesday following, he saw the defendant in London, and went to lodge with Barrant Abrahams. Being asked, if he counted the number of ducats the defendant carried about him ; said, he did not, but supposes there were above half a thousand, for the
belt was above half full.
William Payee, searcher of the customs at Har
wich, deposed, that he examined Henry Simons, the
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 165
defendant, when he landed at Harwich, the 8th of August last ; that he then saw the defendant had a large quantity of ducats about him in his belt. On his cross-examination, he was asked, if the defendant pulled out all that was in the belt? and if he were
sure the belt contained nothing but ducats ? he re plied, that the defendant shook into his hand, he be lieved, forty or fifty ducats ; and that, knowing it was the custom of those people to carry their money in belts, he concluded the whole quantity to be ducats.
Sarah Abrahams deposed, that about the 12th of August last, Henry Simons, the defendant, came to
lodge at her house ; that he said, he came from Poland, and shewed her his belt, wherein was a large quantity of ducats, which he told her he brought into England to lay out in watches, and other goods. The defen dant lodged with her till he left London for Bristol ; and, on his putting his ducats in the belt, she counted them, and is certain there were 554, at that time.
Many Jews, of respectable character, among whom was the clerk of the synagogue, deposed to the know ledge of his having a large sum of money ; and to his subsequent distress, insomuch as being obliged to pawn his veil, which is a thing the religious
the Jews never do, but at the last extremity.
VOL. iv. z
oeorge ii. ]
among
166 MEMOIRS OF [george ii.
The judge having summed up the evidence on both sides, the jury brought the defendant in guilty. Some mistake appearing as to the express terms in
which the jury had delivered their verdict, applica tion was made to them severally, when they declared on oath, that they did not find Simons guilty of putting the ducats into the prosecutor's pocket with a felonious intent. On this the Court of King's
Bench was moved for a new trial, which was granted ; and, in the mean while, actions were brought against Ashley, the constable, and lawyer's clerk, for alter ing the warrant, and illegally detaining in custody Henry Simons, until the warrant was properly backed. The cause was tried before Lord Chief- justice Lee, at Guildhall, July 9, 1752, when the Jew obtained a verdict, with 200/. damages, against
James Ashley, Richard Taylor, and John Newman. Henry Simons was a second time tried at the Sum
mer assizes, at Chelmsford, in Essex, before the Hon. Mr. Justice Dennison, 1752, and acquitted.
That the Jew was in possession of a considerable sum of money, on his arrival at Harwich, is proved by the evidence of William Payee, the searcher of the customs at that port; and it is very likely he lost the money in Goddard's house, at Cranford-bridge, but
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 167
could not bring the robbery home sufficiently to con vict Goddard. All the recompense the Jew received for the loss of his money was, the 200/. damages against Ashley, and two others, for false imprison ment.
george ii. ]
z2
168 MEMOIRS OF [george n.
Layton Smith was confined many years in the Fleet-Prison, for debt; and, on his first entrance into that place, made a solemn vow never to have his beard shaven, until he should obtain his release. Acts for the relief of insolvent debtors were not in his time so frequent as they have been of later years ; and, since Lord Redesdale's bill to limit the term of imprisonment for debt to three months duration, none but the most barefaced fraudulent debtor are re tained in confinement longer than is absolutely ne cessary to comply with the regular forms specified in the bill. Poor Smith, it appears, kept his vow religiously, and died under confinement, without per mitting a razor ever to touch his chin. It was not vanity that induced him to sit for his portrait; but the singularity of his appearance and character, gave rise to John Faber's engraving, and publishing his like ness. A still more extraordinary person than this man, was Richard Smith, a bookbinder, and prisoner
for debt within the liberties of the King's-Bench ;
LiAYTON SM1TII.
george ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 169
who, on Tuesday, the 18th of April, 1732, was, with Bridget his wife, found dead in their house in Black- man-street, Southwark. They were discovered, about eight o'clock in the morning, hanging near their bed, about a yard distant from each other, with a loaded pistol by the man, and a case-knife by the woman ; and, in another room, their little child, about two years old, was found in a cradle shot through the head. In the room were found the following letters; one directed to his landlord, in which were enclosed the two others to Mr. Brindley, a bookbinder, in New
Bond-street, and the shilling as therein-mentioned
To Mr. Brightred.
" Sir. —The necessity of my affairs has obliged
I hope I have left more than is sufficient for the money I owe you. I beg of
me to give you this trouble ;
you, that you'll be pleased to send these enclosed
as directed, immediately, by some porter, and that without shewing them to any one. Your
papers
humble servant,.
" Richard Smith. "
" P. S. I have a suit of black clothes at the Cock, in Mint-street, which lies for 17s. 6d. If you can find
170 MEMOIUS OF [GEORGE II.
any chap for my dog and ancient cat it would be kind. I have here sent a shilling for the porter. "
" Cousin Brindley,
':1 ■ "«<. -'
" It is now about the time I promised payment to Mr. Brooks, which I have performed in the best manner I was able. I wish it had been done more to your satisfaction; but the thing was impossible. I
here return you my hearty thanks for the favors which I have received ; it being all the tribute I am able to
There is a certain anonymous person, whom you have some knowledge of, who, I am informed, has taken some pains to make the world believe he has done me services; I wish that said person had never troubled his head about my affairs; I am sure he had no business with them ; for it is entirely owing to his meddling, that I came pennyless into this place; whereas, had I brought twenty pounds in with me, which I could easily have done, I could not then have missed getting my bread here, and in time have been able to come to terms with my plaintiff ; whose
lunacy, I believe, could not have lasted always. I must not here conclude, for my meddling friend's man, Sancho Pancho, would perhaps take it ill, did I not make mention of him ; therefore, if it lies in
pay.
oeorge ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 171
your way, let Sancho know, that his impudence and insolence were not so much forgotten, as despised. I
shall now make an end of this epistle, desiring you to publish the enclosed ; as to the manner how, I leave
Richard Smith.
P. S. If it lies in your way, let that good-natured man, Mr. Duncome know, that I remembered him with my latest breath. "
To Mr. Brindley.
"These actions considered in all their circum
stances, being somewhat uncommon, it may not be improper to give some account of the cause, and that it was an inveterate hatred we conceived against poverty and rags ; evils, that through a train of un lucky accidents were become inevitable; for we appeal to all that ever knew us, whether we were either idle or extravagant ; whether or no we have not taken as
much pains for our living as our neighbours, although not attended with the same success. We apprehend, the taking our child's life away to be a circumstance for which we shall be generally condemned ; but, for
That all happiness may attend you and yours, is the prayer of your affection
it entirely to your judgment. ate kinsman even to death.
172 MEMOIRS OF [george u.
our own parts, we are perfectly easy upon that head. We are satisfied it is less cruelty to take the child with us, even supposing a state of annihilation, as some dream of, than to leave her friendless in the world, exposed to ignorance and misery. Now, in order to obviate some censures, which may proceed either from ignorance or malice, we think it proper to inform the world, that we firmly believe the existence of Almighty God ; that this belief of ours is not an implicit faith,
but deduced from the nature and reason of things; we believe the existence of an Almighty Being, from the consideration of his wonderful works ; from a consi deration of those innumerable celestial and glorious bodies, and from their wonderful order and harmony. We have also spent some time in viewing those won ders, which are to be seen in the minute part of the world, and that with great pleasure and satisfaction ; from all which particulars, we are satisfied that such amazing things could not possibly be without a first mover, without the existence of an Almighty Being ; and, as we know the wonderful God to be almighty, so we cannot help believing but that he is also good, not implacable; not like such wretches as men are; not taking delight in the miseries of his creatures; for
'which reasou, we resign up our breath unto hire
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 173
without any terrible apprehensions, submitting our selves to those ways, which in his goodness he shall please to appoint after death: we also believe the ex istence of unbodied creatures, and think we have reason for that belief; although we do not pretend to know their way of subsisting. We are not ignorant
of those laws made in terrorem, but leave the disposal of our bodies to the wisdom of the coroner and his jury; the thing being indifferent to us, where our bodies are laid ; from whence it will appear how little
anxious we are about a hie jacet ; we, for our parts, neither expect nor desire such honours, but shall content ourselves with a borrowed epitaph, which we
shall insert in this paper.
Without a name, for ever silent, dumb; Dust, ashes, nought else is within this tomb ; Where we were born or bred, it matters not,
Who were our parents, or hath us begot;
We were, but now are not; think no more of us,
For as we are, so you'll be turned to dust.
It is the opinion of naturalists, that our bodies are, at certain stages of life, composed of new matter; so that a great many poor men have new bodies oftener than new clothes : now as divines are not able to inform us which of those several bodies
VOL. iv. 2 A
georoe i1. ]
174 MEMOIRS OP [georce ii.
shall rise at the resurrection, it is very probable, that the deceased body may be for ever silent as well as any other.
" Richard Smith. "Bridget Smith. "
The coroner's inquest for prisoners in the King's Bench sat on the body of the man, and brought him in felo de se; and the inquest for the lord mayor's liberty sat on the bodies of the woman and the child, and brought in the woman the same; and that the man was guilty of wilful murder as to the child.
We find that in every neighbourhood where they formerly lived, they were esteemed among the neigh bours as an honest, industrious, frugal, and loving couple; and, to the last part of the character, their pitiable catastrophe forms too convincing and melan choly a testimony. This poor man was so honest,
that he went, a few days before his tragical end, to a neighbouring woman, to whom he owed the small sum
of four shillings, and told her he could not give her money, but that ifshe would come to his house, and select from what he possessed, any thing she stood in need of about that value, she should have it : the woman generously refused the offer, and told him he
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 175
should pay it when he was able ; and if he were never enabled, she would forgive him the debt.
Layton Smith, during his confinement in the Fleet prison, rendered many essential services to his fellow- prisoners. Under an impression of one of his por traits is inscribed :—
" Reader,
" Behold here the portrait of Layton Smith, who,
during the raging of a contagious fever in the Fleet prison, administered to the wants and necessities of the persons confined there, like the good Bishop of Marseilles, till it pleased the Almighty to assuage the raging of the fever ; and, like a second Phineas, he es caped from the evil of the epidemic calamity, unhurt or unimpaired in health ; but remained a monument of charity and beneficence towards his fellow-pri soners.
george ii. ]
2A2
176 MEMOIRS OF ' [georgk n.
&>atmaf) &tte&
Hannah SnelL was born in Fryer-street, Wor cester, on the 23d of April, 1723; her father carried on the business of a hosier and dyer, in that city ; and brought up a family of nine children, three sons and six daughters ; all of whom, except one daughter, became either soldiers or sailors, or intermarried with them. The eldest of the sons, Samuel Snell, enlisted himself a soldier, in Lord Robert Manners' company, of the First Foot Guards, commanded by His Royal
the Duke of Cumberland ; when he was draughted to go for Flanders, and, at the battle of Fontenoy, received a mortal wound ; of which he ex
pired in the hospital at Doway.
The youngest of the daughters, Hannah, when she
was scarce ten years of age, gave evident proofs of her natural heroism ; declaring, at that early period, to her young companions, that she would be a soldier, if she
lived. As a preceding specimen of this intention, she
formed a company of young soldiers, among her play fellows ; acting as chief-commander at their head, and
Highness
HANNAH SNELL , (Born at Worcester 17 23. )
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 177
frequently parading the whole city of Worcester. — This body of young volunteers was admired all over the town ; and was styled young Amazon Snell's company. The martial spirit Hannah evinced at this early age, grew up with her, until it carried her through
the many scenes and vicissitudes she afterwards en countered.
Though the other daughters of Mr. Snell were, by those who knew them, accounted genteel, amiable women, we must pass over the other five, to notice only the subject of this memoir, who, on the death of her father and mother, came up to London, on
oeorge n. ]
17*0, and resided with her sister, in Ship-street, Wapping.
Some time after her arrival, she formed an acquaint ance with James Summs, a Dutch sailor, whom she married at the Fleet, on the 6th of January, 1743-4.
This marriage, however, turned out very unfortunate to our heroine ; who, though possessing sufficient
charms to secure the affections of any reasonable man, soon became neglected and despised by her husband. He frequented the company of women of the basest character ; made away with her things to support him and his companions in their debauchery and luxury. Hannah, during this time, proved with child, and
Christmas-day,
178 MEMOIRS OF [george n.
experienced all the biting necessities poverty could inflict, without exposing her distresses to her nearest friends. When she was only seven months advanced in pregnancy, her husband, finding himself deeply in volved in debt, made an elopement, and quitted the country; two months after she was delivered of a
daughter; which living no more than seven months, was decently buried, at her own expense, in St.
George's parish, Middlesex.
From the time of her husband's departure until the
time she put on man's clothes, she continued with her
sister, who had married James Gray, a house-carpen
ter, and lived in Ship-street, Wapping.
Being free of any incumbrance, Hannah Snell now
formed the romantic notion of putting on male attire, and of going in search of her run-a-way husband. — Dressed in a suit of her brother-in-law's (Mr. James Gray) clothes, she assumed his name; and, on the 93d of November, 174. 5, set out for Coventry, where she enlisted on the 27th of the same month, in General Guise's regiment, in the company commanded by
Captain Miller, with a view, as she expresses, of finding her husband in the course of her military
career.
Her stay at Coventry was about three weeks, when,
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 179
in company with seventeen other recruits, she was marched to the north, then the seat of war ; and where her regiment lay in quarters at Carlisle. During this march she appeared as little weary as any of her fellow-travellers ; and performed that long journey in twenty-two days. While Hannah remained at Car lisle, she fell into a very painful and disagreeable di lemma. A man named Davis, her serjeant,
george ii. ]
having formed a criminal inclination for a young woman in
that town, and looking upon Hannah as a proper per son to assist him in his vicious intrigue, disclosed his secret, and desired her assistance in accomplishing his purpose ; but naturally disliking the part she was to act, went and disclosed the whole matter to the young woman ; who, in consequence, broke of all connec tion with the serjeant, and cultivated an intimacy and. friendship- with the other. Davis, shortly after, con tinuing his customary visits, met with a repulse that greatly mortified and astonished him: jealously sus
pecting his confident as the cause, and that through his rivalship the affections of his mistress were alien ated, he determined to revenge himself, by rendering our female soldier liable to military chastisement.
He availed himself of the earliest opportunity, and accused her before the commanding-officer, for neglect
180 MEMOIRS OF [george n.
of duty ; upon which she was sentenced to receive six hundred lashes ; five hundred of which she received, having her hands tied to the Castle gates ; and the punishment of the other hundred would have been in flicted, had not the intercession of some of the officers prevented it. Not long after another accident occurred, which gave our heroine no small uneasiness. George Beck, an acquaintance of Hannah's, from having
lodged with her brother when in Wapping, happened to arrive at Carlisle ; and she fearing that he would recognise her, and betray the secret of her sex, came to the resolution of deserting her regiment, although
still smarting under the pain of her unmerited punish ment.
Thus determined, she shaped her course for Ports mouth, that being the place she designed to reach, if
When she had got about a mile from Car lisle, she observed some people picking and bagging pease in a field, and seeing their clothes lying at a distance, she pulled off her own regimental coat, and left it there, taking an old coat for it belonging to one
of the men, that she might in her travels be the less suspected for a deserter. She was about a month in travelling from Carlisle to Portsmouth ; but nothing material happened, except being very much fatigued
possible.
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 181
in her long journey, and the dread of being pursued by a party from her regiment.
Disdaining a life of indolent ease and inactivity, she resolved to go abroad ; and, in order thereto, once more boldly enlisted herself for a marine, in Captain Graham's company, belonging to Colonel Frazer's regiment. She had not been enlisted above three weeks in the marines, before a draught was made out of the same, to go on-board Admiral Boscawen's fleet, to the East Indies ; upon which she was ordered on board the Swallow sloop-of-war, Capt. Rosier, for that expedition. On the voyage she made herself remarkable by her dexterity and address ; and was greatly caressed by her messmates, for her readiness either to wash and mend their linen, or stand cook as occasion required. After a terrible hurricane, in which the fleet was separated, the Swallow sloop sprung her main-mast, and not only lost her gib-boom, but her top-masts also, and with great difficulty made the port of Lisbon in safety.
After this narrow escape, the Swallow made the best of her way to Gibraltar; and no sooner was she refitted there, but she set sail for the Madeira islands ; where she took in such quantity of wines, and other provisions, as was thought requisite for the pursuit of
VOL. IV. 2 b
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182 MEMOIRS OF [geokge n.
her intended voyage. From the Madeiras, the fleet proceeded to the Cape of Good Hope ; and then set sail for the French1 Islands, on the east of Madagascar. Not succeeding in their attacks here, the admiral abandoned the place, and set sail directly for Fort St. David's. There the marines were disembarked : and having joined the English army, in about six weeks they arrived at Areacopong, where they directly en camped, with a firm resolution to lay siege to the place, and, if possible, to take it by storm. For nine days successively they carried on the siege, and met with a very vigorous repulse ; but, on the 10th, a shell from the English falling very fortunately on the ene my's magazine, it blew up at once ; by which means they were reduced to the necessity of surrendering at discretion. This adventure animated our heroine, and gave her a fairer opportunity of displaying her intrepidity and thirst after glory ; and she embraced
it in such a manner, that she gained the applause of all her officers. James Gray, (for that was the name she took upon herself) was one of the party that was ordered under Lieutenant Campbell, of the indepen dent companies, to fetch up some stores from the water-side, that had been landed out of the fleet ; in so doing, they had several skirmishes, and one of the
geobge ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 183
common men fell close on her right side; upon which she fired and killed the very man that shot her comrade ; and was very near Lieutenant Campbell when he was wounded. She was also in the first party of the English foot that forded the river to get over to Pon- dicherry, it reaching to her breast, and attended with great danger, as the French kept continually firing on them from a battery of twelve guns. On the 11th of August she was put on the picquet-guard, and con tinued on that guard seven nights successively ; and was one of a party that lay two days and two nights without any covering, in going through the barrier ; and as she was likewise put on duty in the trenches some part of the siege, she was compelled to sit or stand all the while near middle-deep in water. At the throwing up of the trenches she worked very hard for about fourteen days ; and was paid 5d. English money per day, by one Mr. Melton, who afterwards heard her sing at Goodman 's-fields Wells.
During this long space of time our heroine still maintained her wonted intrepidity, behaving in every respect consistent with the character of a brave British soldier; and, notwithstanding she stood so deep in water, fired no Jess than thirty-seven rounds of shot.
2b 2
184 * MEMOIRS OF [george ii.
In the course of the engagement, she received six shots in her right leg, and five in the left; and, what affected her more than all the rest, one so dangerous in the groin, that had she applied for any surgical assistance her sex must inevitably have been dis covered.
In this extremity, sooner than render herself liable to detection, she resolved on endeavouring to extract the ball ; whereupon, without discovering herself, she communicated her intention to a black woman, who attended her in the hospital ; and who had access both to medicines and surgical instruments.
The black readily afforded all the assistance she could, by bringing her lint and salve to dress the wound with ; and the manner she extracted the ball was full hardy and desperate. Though suffering under the acutest pain, she probed the wound with her fin ger till she discovered where the ball lay ; and then, upon feeling thrust in both her finger and thumb to
the accomplishment of her desires. After performing this operation, she applied some of the healing salves which the black had furnished her with, and by their help she effected perfect cure of this dangerous wound rewarding her faithful assistant with the pre
;
a
it,
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 185
sent of a rupee. As to the many other wounds she had in both her legs, they were all (through the care and skill of able surgeons) absolutely healed in the compass of three months.
During her residence in the hospital, the greater part of the fleet had sailed ; and as soon as she was perfectly restored to her health and strength, she was sent on-board the Tartar Pink, which, at that time, was riding in the harbour, and continued in it till the return of the fleet from Madras, performing the duty of a common sailor. Soon after the fleet's return she was turned over to the Eltham man-of-war, Capt. Lloyd, commander, and set sail for Bombay, where they arrived in less than a fortnight. Giving umbrage to the first lieutenant, and being accused of stealing a seaman's shirt, she was put in irons ; in which she lay
for five days, underwent the discipline of twelve lashes at the gangway, and continued at the foretop- mast-head for four hours. The shirt was soon after found in a chest belonging to the man, who it was said had lost it.
After encountering a variety of dangers and adven tures, Hannah Snell returned to Europe in the Eltham, and safely made the port of Lisbon, in the
george ii. ]
186 MEMOIRS OF [george n.
year 1749 ; where the ship was to take in a very con siderable sum of money, for the use of some of the merchants then residing in London.
One day as Hannah was on-shore at Lisbon, in her way home to England, she, in company with several of her ship-mates, by mere accident, went into an Irish house of public entertainment, in order to re
fresh themselves with a glass or two of liquor. In an adjoining box sat an English sailor, who had lately been at Genoa, on-board a Dutch vessel ; and as some of our adventurer's ship-mates knew him perfectly well, they joined company. After several merry stories had gone round, as well as the glass, Hannah being very inquisitive, and desirous, if possible, to
hear some tidings of her ungrateful husband, asked this young sailor whether he knew any thing of an old acquaintance of her's, a Dutch tar, who went by
the name of Jemmy Summs.
Upon this, greatly to her surprise, he related to the
whole company the following remarkable particulars : " While I was on-shore at Genoa, there was a Dutch man, a brother tar, of that very same name, under close confinement in the city, for having wounded
with his sneeker-snee, not only a native of the place,
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 187
but a gentleman of some distinction, so desperately, that after lingering in dreadful agonies for four days he died. As Summs was a particular acquaintance, myself, and three or four of my ship-mates, agreed to pay him a visit, to condole with him under his misfor tunes. When we got to the prison-door, and desired admittance, one of the keepers introduced us to our friend's gloomy habitation, where he lay in a very de
jected posture on the ground, with his head re clining upon his hand ; he raised himself, and saluted us in English; upon which we began to in quire into the grounds of the quarrel, and the cause of
his confinement. This he waved giving any particu lar account of; but said :—. ' My dear friends, I am con scious that I carried my resentment too far, and that death awaits me, as a punishment for my crime; It is not this, however, that renders me so dejected, so restless and uneasy ; — I have still a blacker crime to answer for, which haunts me every hour of my life. I am by extraction a Dutchman, my name James Summs ; and business calling me to London a few
years ago, I resided in Wapping for some consider able time. In this interval I paid my addresses to a young woman, whose name was Hannah Snell, and
qeorge ii. ]
188 MEMOIRS OF [georgb n.
was very successful and happy, as I then imagined, in my amours. In short, I married her; and, in pro cess of time, finding her with child, my love abated ; and, contrary to the ties of humanity, and the duty of a husband, I left her helpless and destitute of all the conveniences of life ; and for aught I know to the contrary, murdered her. But I hope all of you will be so charitable as to make inquiry after my poor distressed wife, and to acquaint her, if ever you should see her, that the thoughts of death do not distract my mind half so much as the conviction of the distress to which I so inhumanly exposed her; that I sincerely repent as much of my sin against her, as of that, in particular, which my life is to atone for, though my
crime, it is true, is of the deepest stain ; and could I
but hope she would pardon and forgive me, I should
die in peace. '
" After the fullest assurances that we would make
all the inquiries, and report him as he wished, we shook him by the hand, and took our last farewell. — Not one of us ever saw him after that melancholy visit ; but were informed, however, that he was not executed publicly, as malefactors are in London, but that he was sewed up in a large bag, in which was a
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 189
sufficient quantity of stones to make him sink, and then thrown headlong into the sea. "
Hannah listened with the utmost attention to this melancholy tale ; and, pondering on every little inci dent, she found the circumstances all concurred so far as to leave no question of the murderer being her unhappy husband ; and, on withdrawing from her
company, indulged in her grief for the untimely fate of the wretched partner of her bed.
Our adventurer went from Lisbon, the 3d of May, on-board the Eltham ; and, on the 1st of June follow ing, arrived, with the rest of her ship-mates, safe at Spithead. Overjoyed at the sight once more of her
native country, she went on-shore the very day of her arrival ; and took lodgings, together with several of her comrades, at the sign of the Jolly Marine and Sailor, in Portsmouth. The various adventures in this woman's life, until her return to her brother-in- law's house, in Wapping, where she was kindly wel comed, would furnish sufficient materials to fill a volume.
She now threw off her male attire, and resumed the petticoats ; and her story, and the wounds she had received in the King's service, induced some of her friends to present a petition in her favor to his Royal
vol. iv. 2 c
oeorge ii. ]
MEMOIRS OF [george n.
Highness the Duke of Cumberland, who procured a pension to be settled on her of one shilling per day for life.
Hannah Snell performed and sung several songs at the theatre in Godman's-fields, and died at the age of 56, in the year 1779-
JOHN SWAN & ELIZ. JEFFRYES.
George ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 191
Mr. Jeffries, at one time a capital butcher in London, retired to Walthamstow, in Essex, to live on his fortune ; and, being a widower, without chil dren, had taken his niece, Elizabeth Jeffries, to reside with him.
John Swan was brought up to the occupation of husbandry, and was engaged in the service of Mr. Jeffries, after having lived with several other persons.
A dreadful outcry being heard at Walthamstow, about two o'clock in the morning of the 3d of July, 1751, Mr. Buckle, a near neighbour of Mr. Jeffries,
awaked his wife, who said, "it is Miss Jeffries'
Mrs. Buckle, then going to the window, said, " There is Miss Jeffries in her shift, without shoe or stocking, at a neighbour's door. " On asking
the cause of her strange appearance at that unusual hour ? she exclaimed, " Oh ! they have killed him, they have killed him, I fear. " Desiring her to cover herself, she entreatingly said, " Don't mind me ; see
after my uncle. " Mr. Buckle went immediately to 2c2
tongue. "
192 MEMOIRS OF [george ii.
the house, and the door was opened to him by Swan. The first object was Mr. Jeffries lying on his right side, having three wounds on the uppermost part of his head. The visitor taking him by the hand, said, " My name is Edward Buckle ; if you cannot speak, signify to me on which Jeffries squeezed him by the hand. Some hours after this, Miss Jeffries de sired Mr. Buckle to send information through the country of the murder of her uncle, with an account of such effects as had been stolen ; which a Mrs. Martin said were, a silver-tankard, a silver-cup, and fifteen pewter-plates. Mr. Buckle said, " If I could light on Matthews, I would take him up. " No, said Miss Jeffries, do not meddle with him, for you will bring me into trouble, and yourself too, in so doing. Matthews, however, was taken into custody, and from his apprehension, and other circumstances, the following facts came to light. Having travelled from Yorkshire, in search of work, he was acci dentally met on Epping-forest by Mr. Jeffries, who, seeing him in distress, took him home to work as an assistant to Swan in the garden : the agreement being that he should have no wages, but his food only as
. ■, *' After he had been four days in this service, Miss
a gratuity.
george h. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 193 Jeffries sent him up stairs to wipe a chest of drawers
said,
would tell him. Swan being in the garden, Matthews went to him, and told his message ; on which Swan smiled, took him to an out-house, and promised, if he would knock the old miser, his master, on the head, he would give him 100/. Two days afterwards, Mr. Jeffries dismissed Matthews from his service, and gave him a shilling ; and Swan, about the same time, gave him half-a-guinea to purchase a brace of pistols, to murder their master.
Matthews being possessed of this cash, went to the Green Man at Low Layton, where he spent all his money, and then proceeded towards London, when, being overtaken on the road by Swan, the
latter asked him where he was going ? Matthews said to London : on which the other took him to Mr. Gall's, the Green Man and Bell, in Whitechapel, where they drank freely till night ; and, Swan being intoxicated, swore he would fight the best man in the house for a guinea. He likewise pulled off his great coat, and threw it on the fire; but the landlord taking
and some chairs; but presently following
" what will you do, if a person gave you a hundred pounds ;" he said, " any thing in an honest way;"
on which she desired him to go to Swan, and he
194 MEMOIRS OF [george n.
it off, and finding it very heavy, searched the pockets, in which he found a brace of pistols. This circum stance giving rise to unfavorable suspicions, both the men were lodged in the round-house for that night; and, being carried before Sir Samuel Gower the next day, he committed them to Clerkenwell Bridewell,
as disorderly persons.
Miss Jeffries being made acquainted with their
situation, gave bail for their appearance; and they all went to Gall's house, in Whitechapel, where she upbraided Matthews with bringing Swan into dif ficulty. He denied that he had done so ; on which she gave him a shilling, and desired Swan to tell him to meet them at the Yorkshire Grey, at Stratford. Matthews went as agreed upon, but found only Swan there, who gave him half-a-crown, and bade him meet him at six the next morning, at the Buck, on Epping-forest. This he did, and, by appointment,
came to Walthamstow on the Tuesday at ten o'clock at night.
following,
When Matthews arrived, he found the garden-door on the latch, and going into the pantry, hid himself behind a tub till about eleven o'clock, when Swan brought him some cold boiled beef. About twelve Miss Jeffries and Swan came to him ; when the latter
oeorge ii>] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 195
said, " Now it is time to knock the old miser, my master, on the head. " Matthews relented, and said, " I cannot find in my heart to do it ;" to which Miss Jeffries replied," You may be damned for a villain, for
Matthews,
Soon after this Matthews heard the report of a pistol; when, getting out of the house by the back way, he crossed the ferry, and proceeded to Enfield-chase.
It has been mentioned, that Miss Jeffries was found in her shift, after the commission of the murder. We have now to add, that she screamed out " Diaper ! Diaper ! for God's sake, help ! murder I fire ! thieves ! " The neighbour, Mr. Diaper, saw Miss Jeffries half-way out of her window, endeavouring to get down. Mr. Diaper and a Mr. Clarke entered the house, and searched diligently ; but could find no traces of any person having quitted the premises,
as there was a dew on the grass, which did not appear to be disturbed. Swan went to fetch Mr. Forbes, a
not performing your promise. "
provided with pistols, likewise damned
and said he had a mind to blow his brains out for the refusal. Swan then produced a book, and in sisted that Matthews should swear that he would not discover what had passed ; which he did, with this reserve, " not unless it was to save his own life. "
Swan, who was
196 MEMOIRS OP [george n.
surgeon, at Woodford, who observed congealed blood in the room, and examined the wounds, which, on the
trial, he declared to have been mortal. Swan appeared much frightened at the time; and said, he wished that he had died with his master, for that he would have lost his own life to have saved him. As there appeared no marks of any person having been in the house, but those belonging to the family, violent sus picions began to arise. Mr. Jeffries died in great
agonies, at eight o'clock on the following evening. Miss Jeffries was taken into custody on suspicion, and examined by two magistrates, to whom she
confessed that she heard the report of a pistol, and found her uncle murdered. No evidence arising to criminate her, she proved her uncle's will at Doctor's Commons, and took possession of his estate ; but the coroner's inquest having sat on the body, and some further circumstances of doubt arising, she and Swan were committed to prison ; and bills of indictment being found against them, they were put to the bar, and their counsel moved for an immediate trial. This was opposed by the counsel for the prosecution , on account of the absence of Matthews, who, it was presumed, would become a material evidence. The counsel on both sides used all the arguments in their
ceorge ii. ]
power; but the trial was deferred till the following assizes. In the interim, Mr. Gall, of the public-house in Whitechapel, resolved, if possible, to take Mat thews into custody ; and, conversing with one Mr. Smith, he told him that he had seen Matthews come out of the India-house ; when, on inquiry, it was found that he had engaged to enter into the service of the East-India Company, and was at a house in Abel's-buildings, Rosemary-lane. Being taken into custody on a warrant, he was admitted an evidence for the crown, and the trial of Swan and Jeffries came
on at Chelmsford, on the 11th of March, 1752, before
Judge Wright.
Miss Jeffries fainted repeatedly during the trial,
and was once in fits for the space of half-an-hour. The evidence of Matthews was exceedingly clear ; and many corroborative circumstances arising, the
jury found the culprits guilty, and they received sentence of death. After conviction, Miss Jeffries acknowledged the justice of her sentence ; and said, she had deliberated on the murder for two years past, but could find no opportunity of getting it executed, till she engaged Swan in the business; and they
jointly offered Matthews money to perpetrate it. Swan, for some time, expressed great resentment at
VOL. IV. 2 D
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 197
198 MEMOIRS OF [geobge n.
Miss Jeffries' confession ; but when he learnt that he was to be hung in chains, he began to relent, and seemed at length to behold his crime in its true light of enormity. On the day of execution they left the prison at four in the morning, Miss Jeffries being placed in a cart, and Swan on a sledge. The un happy woman had frequent fits during the journey ; but, before she came to the place of execution, her spirits became more composed. Swan appeared to be a real penitent, and joined with the utmost ear nestness in the prayers of the clergyman who attended them. Miss Jeffries told the clergyman, that she
had been seduced by her uncle, while his wife was living, and that he had given her medicines to procure abortion at two different times ; though, for the truth of this we have no evidence but her own declaration. She fainted just before she was tied up, nor had she recovered when the cart drew away.
They were executed near the six mile-stone, on Epping-forest, on the 28th of March, 1752 ; and the body of Miss Jeffries having been delivered to her friends for interment, the gibbet was removed to another part of the forest, where Swan was hung in chains.
Miss Jeffries and her uncle had not lived on the
george n. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS.
199
best terms for some time ; he frequently expressed himself displeased with her conduct, and the day fol lowing the murder, it was Mr. Jeffries' intention to have made a considerable alteration in his will, in favor of a daughter-in-law, named Martin, and to have provided for her and her family ; this, in all probability, acce lerated the fatal catastrophe. Miss Jeffries confessed
she went into her uncle's room to see if he were asleep, and took a silver-tankard, a silver-cup, and some silver- spoons, from off a chest of drawers ; and with Swan went into the kitchen and took some pewter and brass
utensils off the shelves, which they put in a new sack, for Swan to conceal, in order to give colour to a
supposed robbery of the house.
foe MEMOIRS OF £geobge h,
John TayLor having had the fortune to perform a few successful cures in disorders of the eye, became so puffed up with pride and vanity, that he consi dered himself superior to any operator or physician of his time : nor was his son the least inferior to his father in conceit. The latter resided many years in Hatton-garden, and followed his father's profession
of an oculist, with considerable reputation. In the
1761, Mr. Taylor published the life of his father, with the following pompous title :—
" The Life and extraordinary History of the Chevalier John Taylor, Member of the most cele brated Academies, Universities, and Societies of the Learned —Chevalier in several of the first Courts in
the World—Illustrious (by patent) in the apartments of many of the greatest Princes —Opthalmiater, Pon tifical, Imperial, and Royal — to his late Majesty —to the Pontifical Court — to the Person of her Imperial Majesty —to the Kings of Poland, Denmark, Sweden,
year
JOANNE S TAYL OR, memcus, In Optica expertissimus.