Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 276: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

eS ee _—____annnainnDnnTDnnDUnREURDDUNUNERUNINDINENeemea ean RRR 2 96 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ee EE then fall heavily on the floor of the apartment in which he had been sitting. Yes, there lay Andrew Marvel, jinert, enfeebled, ' senseless, and his enemy watching him. It was something almost frightful to observe the silence that ensued between these two persons. The one convulsed by the narcotic seemed to be experiencing the most horrible agonies., The other scarcely breathing, and fixing his eyes in a wild and ghastly manner on the quivering body before him. Satisfied, after a lengthened scrutiny, that he had succeeded in his object, the latter rose from a kneeling posture, and exclaimed— “It is done! the opiate has taken effect, plunged in stupor and delirium, he will be incapable of ——”’ Wirth Wolfgang's sentence was cut short=by a loud knocking that proceeded from the outer door. It was shortly opened, when Amos Marrowfat, the sheriff “in esse” and alderman “in posse,’’ made his appearance, followed by several officers of Newgate. “Where is blandly. The Dutchman shook his head, and seemed to “marvel ’’ himself, “We want the executioner.” “Yaw! yaw! I see,’ replied the apparently en- lightened foreigner, ‘‘you mean Jean Ketch. I tink—dat is, I dare say he is taking von leetle rap.” The sheriff eyed the hangman and then the table, on which still remained several bottles, On which discovery he apologetically observed : “T am afraid he’s been drinking ?”” “Yaw.” *“‘ That’s irregular,” “Very,” was again the monosyllabic answer. The sheriff proceeded to shake Andrew Marvel, but he would have been better employed in shaking the feather-bed with which the room was garnished, for despite the agitation of the perturbed Amos Marrowfat, the prostrate man refused to stir. ‘‘What in the name of patience am I to do?” exclaimed the sheriff, ‘‘ Thisis, indeed, unfortunate, The presence of this drunken reprobate is absolutely indispensable, or I shall have to hang Jack Shep- pard myself, and that is a duty I didn’t calculate upon when I accepted my office.” No, Amos had brighter visions. Civic honours. Turtle soup. Green fat. Calapash, Calapee, &c., &e., &c. “ Mynheer,” said Worth Wolfgang, in assumed composure, “ give yourself no furder trouble about dis matter.” ‘‘T haf hit upon von plan,” he continued, “ dat vill draw you from dis embarrassment.” “‘ Indeed, I am very glad to hear that,’’ said the sheriff, brightening up at the intelligence he received, “ What means,” he resumed, ‘‘do you propose ?” “ T know some von dat will ondert ake your vork.” “You do not say so |” “ Yaw, andif you consent—”’ “ Willingly, if you think he is able to—” J will answer for dat,” “Has he performed the office before ?” * He has put away more dan you tink for,” “ Quick, then, bring the substitute here.”’ “He is here already. ’Tis meinself dat shall hang dat teufel’s imp, ‘Jack Sheppard,’” replied Wirth Wolfgang, whose response moxe than ever eee the delicate nerves of the over-sensitive sheriff, Marvel?” inquired the official, CHAPTER CXXX. TYBURN, JACK SHEPPARD was doomed to die on Monday, the 16th of November, 1724. As early asnine o’clock in the forenoon, the sheriffs and their officers had arrived at the county goal of Middlesex. As they did so, the bell of Newgate began to toll slowly, in company with the deep-toned bell of the church of Saint Sepulchre. The morning was a dismal one, and well fitted to the melancholy occasion. All was astir with despondency and gloom, and the general depression was heightened by the foggy atmosphere, which imperfectly disclosed the dense mass of human beings that had congregated around the prison which still confined the criminal. _ At no previous execution within the memory of man, had there been so vast a concourse of persons as at that of Jack Sheppard, Their number seemed almost to be countless. It was one cloud of heads as far as the eye could reach, While in the vicinity of the doleful scene, house top, eminence, and projection was occupied by every description of human being, rich and poor— man, woman, and child, In a short time a profound silence had assumed dominion over the anxious multitude—then a cry resounded through their ranks— “ He is coming.” The shout proclaimed that Jack Sheppard had left Newgate. He was carried out in a cart containing his coffin, The coffin serving for a seat to himself and the hangman, who, as the reader has been made aware, was Wirth Wolfgang. This vehicle was protected by a strong force of constabulary and soldiers furnished with ball cartridge. | The mournful cavalcade slowly descended Snow hill, and reached Holborn-bridge. Here the mob, which had offered interruption, were dispersed, but not without bloodshed. The train in a short time after this contretemps, came to the Crown public house, commonly called «St. Giles’s Bowl.” Here a criminal taken to execution at Tyburn was allowed to halt, and take a draught of nut- brown ale for his finishing cup on earth. The odd custom is thus described by an eminent writer— On the site of the present church of St. Giles for- merly stood a hospital for Lazars. Chained to the gates of the edifice was a vessel of wood or broad-bottomed bowl. The prisoners conveyed from the City of London to Tyburn, and there to be executed for treasons, felonies, and other crimes were presented with this bowl. The same being filled to the brim with strong ale, of which they could drink as much as pleased them. The ancient Lazar house falling to decay, still left its bowl which was removed to the “ Crown” tavern, where the malefactor still continued to drown his fears,in the tipple: that deluded his ride to the “ Nubbing Cheat” or Gallows. Sto When the cart which bore Jack Sheppard stopped before the ‘‘ Crown,” the landlord as usual issued from the house with the liquor destined to be given to the condemned criminal. Jack raised it to his lips and quaffed, “ Your father, Jack, refused it,” said the land- lord with a malicious smile. Eomichooks co