A vile impostor was detected in January 1757, and committed to Bridewell by John Fielding, Esq. This wretch had a practice of lying upon his back in some court or narrow passage, and feigning insensibility; at other times he would appear in the habit of a countryman just arrived in London, where he knew no person, and would declare that, being destitute of money, he had not eaten for four days: another trick represented him as an old worn-out and pennyless Soldier, just arrived from Jamaica; but the repetition of the first performance proved fatal to his finesse. A physician found him in the fainting scene, conveyed him to a comfortable bed, and gave him money; but meeting Master Anthony Needham a second time, to all appearance breathing his last, he adopted a new prescription, which procured the healthful exercises of Bridewell. Cash and provisions were found in his pockets when he arrived at the Police-office, though he had just declared he had fasted four days.
When an author is to be found who disinterestedly examines into any particular abuse, another writing on the same subject cannot surely do amiss in quoting such facts from his publication as may suit his purpose. A person who assumed the signature of Philanthropos exposed the villainy of Register-offices, as they were in 1757, in the following forcible manner: "I come now to the article of places under the Government, &c. to be sold, which we see frequently advertised from Register-offices in these or such like terms, and which you generally find in their hand-bills: 'A place to be disposed of for 100 guineas, which brings in 100l. per annum. A public office to be sold, where nothing less than gold is taken for any business transacted, &c.'
"I have the happiness to assure the publick, that most of the advertisements that have appeared within these twelve months past have been carefully perused, and an impartial enquiry made after several of the places to be disposed of (which are not confined to private life, but comprehend Church and State), by a public-spirited gentleman, who has been at the expence of applying to the offices from whence they were advertised, and was so kind as to furnish me with the remarks I offer to the publick, on the exposing to sale public offices and employments. The result of an enquiry after the place which brought in 100l. per annum, and might be purchased for 100 guineas, was, that the proprietor of the office took one shilling for answering to the question, 'What is the place?' notwithstanding it was so publicly advertised; and then told the gentleman, that it was a place in the Custom-house, and that he must apply for particulars to Mr. ——, at a certain Coffee-house. This the gentleman patiently submitted to; but when he came there, on enquiring for the person he was directed to, he was told at the bar, that he was just gone, and the place sold; and, notwithstanding the most diligent enquiry, the gentleman could never find out either who bought, or who sold the place. On his return to the Register-office, he naturally demanded his shilling again; but was told it was only the customary fee of the Office, that it was a pity he had not applied earlier (it was then only three o'clock on the very day the advertisement appeared in the paper); and if the place had not been gone, perhaps it would not have suited the gentleman's talents, as accompts were requisite; and if that had been the case, it was no fault of the Office; thus intimating, let what would be the success attending the enquiry, the Office-keeper was intitled to one shilling. It is highly probable that eight or ten more might have paid for the same enquiry."
Sir John Fielding received an involuntary present, in November 1757, from a number of Publicans, consisting of Billiard-tables, Mississippi-tables, Shuffle-boards, and Skittles, which the worthy Magistrate caused to be piled in a pyramidal form, near thirty-feet high, at the end of Bow-street near the Police-office, where they were consumed. A good hint for the Magistrates at present, as the word Billiards is really very conspicuous in various parts of the Metropolis every night, and, indeed, may be found not an hundred doors from the facetious Knight's old office.
One of the most wicked impositions practised by knaves in London, is the adulteration of Bread. The wretch who improves his circumstances by this detestable method of increasing his profits, is an assassin, full as wicked as the celebrated Italian Tophana: that human fiend poisoned her victims by degrees, suited to the malice of her employers; the Baker who throws slow poisons into his trough does worse, for he undermines the constitutions of his supporters, his customers. He that eats bread without butter or meat, throughout London, at the present moment, and afterwards visits a friend in the country who makes his own, cannot fail of perceiving the delicious sweetness which the mercy of our Creator hath diffused through the invaluable grain that produces it; the inducement held out to us, to preserve life by the most innocent means, is thus in a great measure lost to the inhabitants of London. I once broke a piece of alum with my teeth, which lay in the depth of a slice of bread, when at breakfast, as large as a pea; and was only deterred from prosecuting the baker by the dread of that obloquy which attends the least interested informers. At another time I lodged a week at a baker's house in a country-town, and during a lazy fit, strolled into the bake-house where bread was mixing; in an instant my landlord's countenance changed, and I was rudely desired to leave the place, as he would allow no one to pry into his business. This conduct from a man who had before behaved with the utmost civility, convinced me all was not right, and that other materials were within view than simple flour, yeast, and a little inoffensive salt. Let me not, however, be understood to apply this censure indiscriminately; it is aimed only at the guilty; the honest baker will adopt my sentiments, which are merely an echo of a little work published in 1757, intituled, "Poison detected: or, Frightful Truths, and alarming to the British Metropolis," &c. The Author asserts that, "Good bread ought to be composed of flour well kneaded with the slightest water, seasoned with a little salt, fermented with fine yeast or leaven, and sufficiently baked with a proper fire; but, to increase its weight, and deceive the buyer by its fraudulent fineness, lime, chalk, alum, &c. are constituent parts of that most common food in London. Alum is a very powerful astringent and styptic, occasioning heat and costiveness; the frequent use of it closes up the mouths of the small alimentary ducts, and by its corrosive concretions, seals up the lacteals, indurates every mass it is mixed with upon the stomach, makes it hard of digestion, and consolidates the fæces in the intestines. Experience convinces me (the Author was a physician) that any animal will live longer in health and vigour upon two ounces of good and wholesome bread, than upon one pound of this adulterated compound; a consideration which may be useful, if attended to in the times of scarcity."
After explaining many deleterious effects produced by alum, the Author proceeds, "But it is not alum alone that suffices the lucrative iniquity of bakers: there is also added a considerable portion of lime and chalk; so that if alum be prejudicial alone, what must be the consequences of eating our bread mingled with alum, chalk, and lime? Obstructions, the causes of most diseases, are naturally formed by bread thus abused. I have seen a quantity of lime and chalk, in the proportion of one to six, extracted from this kind of bread; possibly the baker was not so expert at his craft as to conceal it, the larger granules were visible enough: perhaps a more minute analysis would have produced a much greater portion of these pernicious materials."
An Author cannot be suspected of wishing to restrain the inoffensive liberty of the press; but he may, without fear or resentment, venture to reprobate the turpitude which it too often promotes. There have been, and still are, persons who will take a few facts, and compound them with many falsehoods, and, thus prepared, present them to some hungry printer or editor, to answer their own base purposes; the unsuspecting read them with avidity, and public bodies and individuals suffer without remedy; an instance of this description produced the following address to the community from John Fielding, Esq. in November 1759.
"About twelve months ago a very salutary law took place, to the great benefit of a large and useful body of men, commonly called Coal-heavers. By this law they were not only relieved from the impositions they then complained of, and the profits of their severe labour secured to themselves; but a provision was made for the infirm, sick, and disabled coal-heavers, and their dead buried, by their paying two shillings in the pound out of their earnings into an office established by the said law, and under the inspection of so worthy and so able a magistrate in the City, that it is impossible for any coal-heaver to be deprived of any advantage, privilege, or support, that the nature of this institution entitles them to. On Sunday the 28th of last month, one Patrick Crevey, a coal-heaver, chairman, and an Irishman, was buried according to the usual custom of burying coal-heavers, and was carried from Gravel-lane to St. Pancras church-yard; his corpse being preceded, as is customary, by the beadle of the coal-heavers' office, with a long staff in his hand, the common ensign of his office; the pall was supported by six chairmen, and eight others followed the corpse as mourners in black cloaks; for whenever a chairman is buried, he is constantly attended by as many of his brethren as can be got together: these mourners were followed by a considerable number of coal-heavers, who walked two and two. This procession gave rise to that extraordinary paragraph in the London Chronicle, on the 30th day of October last, wherein it is confidently asserted, that a Roman-catholic was carried through the streets of London to be buried at St. Pancras, and that the Host was carried, and Priests walked publicly before the corpse; and that the numerous attendants that followed, insulted and knocked down all who did not pay due obedience to their foreign foppery, and beat many persons whom common curiosity excited to ask any questions relative to the said procession. Should any part of this alarming account be true, the offenders cannot be punished with too much severity; but should it be a misrepresentation of facts, the publick would be equally pleased to be undeceived, and he who indiscreetly or wickedly propagated the report without foundation will be the only offender.
"In order therefore to get at the real truth of this matter, a few days ago, the informations on oath of the beadle of the said coal-heavers office, of the pall-bearers, mourners, undertaker, his servant, the landlord of the house from whence the corpse was carried, and some other inhabitants who followed the corpse (several of whom were Protestants), were taken before John Fielding, Esq.; and they all positively declared that at, or from the house, whence the man was carried to the grave in Pancras church-yard, no Host, representation of Host, crucifix, or other visible and external mark of the deceased Patrick Crevey being a Roman-catholick, was carried either before or after the said corpse; and that no Catholic Priest of any sort, to their knowledge, attended the said burial; but that the said Crevey (though a Roman-catholic) was buried by a Clergyman of the Church of England, and strictly conformable to the ceremonies of the said Church. And the aforesaid beadle, pall-bearers, mourners, and undertaker, further declare, that they themselves during their passage from the house to the grave, neither met with, nor were witnesses to any obstruction whatever; but that they afterwards heard that some of the coal-heavers who were at farther distance from the corpse behind had some dispute, which occasioned blows, with some persons who imitated the Irish howl, and called out Paddy, by way of derision to the deceased and his attendants, &c. &c.
THE COCK-LANE GHOST.
There is something so absurd and ridiculous in the terrors spread by Miss Parsons, that I think it hardly fair to class her operations with really serious offences against the laws of morality; but, recollecting that her knockings indicated a charge of poisoning, my scruples are removed, and I proceed to sketch the principal outlines of an incident that agitated the public mind till 1762, when all who had "three ideas in continuity" were convinced that the spirit possessed no supernatural powers.
For two years previous to the above date, knockings and scratchings had frequently been heard during the night in the first floor of a person named Parsons, who held the office of Clerk to St. Sepulchre's-church, and resided in Cock-lane, near West Smithfield. This man, alarmed at the circumstance, made several experiments to discover the cause, and at last had the amazing good fortune to trace the sounds to a bedstead, on which two of his children reposed after the fatigues of the day; the eldest of whom, though a most surprising girl of her age, had numbered but twelve winters. Justly supposing the children might suffer some dreadful injury from the knocker, this affectionate parent removed them a story higher; but, horror upon horror, the tremendous noise followed the innocents, and even disturbed their rest for whole nights. But this was not all: a publican, resident in the neighbourhood, was frightened into serious illness by the form of a fleeting female ghost, which saluted his vision one fatal evening when in Parsons's house; nay, that worthy Clerk saw it himself about an hour afterwards.
Facts of this description cannot be concealed: reports of the noises and of the appearance of the phantom spread from the lane into a vast circle of space; numbers visited the unfortunate house, and others sat the night through with the tortured infant, appalled by sounds terrific; at length a Clergyman determined to adjure the Spirit, and thus obtain direct replies to the following questions: "Whether any person in that house had been injured?" The answer, expressed by the number of knocks (as the ghost was denied the power of speech, and of shewing herself within reach), was in the affirmative. "Was she a woman?"—"Yes; the Spirit then explained, that she had been kept by Mr. ——, who poisoned her when ill of the Small-pox, and that her body was deposited in the vault of St. John's-church, Clerkenwell." During this examination, the girl exhibited a considerable deal of art, but betrayed herself decidedly in several instances. The result was, that the Spirit ardently desired the murderer might be punished for her alledged death. A wise-acre, who narrated the above particulars in a newspaper of the time, observes, with wonderful sagacity, "What is remarkable is, that the Spirit is never heard till the children are in bed. This knocking was heard by the supposed woman when alive, who declared it foretold her death." Another account of the affair asserts that the person accused had married two sisters, and that Fanny, the daughter of Parsons, had slept with the lady that appeared by knocking and scratching during her husband's absence at a wedding; but the knocking the deceased heard, was declared by the girl to be caused by the Spirit of the previously deceased sister; if so, the girl's infernal acts may have caused the death of the woman, as it is well known the agitation of a mind under the terrors of supposed supernatural visitation must have a fatal tendency in such a disorder as the small-pox.
As an astonishing proof of the folly of certain persons on this occasion, I shall quote the following paragraphs from the London Chronicle, vol. XI. p. 74, which conclude a string of questions and answers, put to, and received from the horrid girl, who, young as she was, richly deserved hanging, with her prompters. "What must occasion credulity is, the afflicting an innocent child, whom this Spirit acknowledges to be so, and that it is not the part of a good Spirit so to do, while, she knocks that she is, and permitted by God, not by Satan, to appear. What is more astonishing, that she will not cease troubling the child after satisfaction had. There is such a mixture of truth and contradictions, that a person cannot help doubting of the veracity of this knocker. It is, we humbly presume, fit to be enquired into, for the satisfaction of the publick, and to bring to exemplary punishment the impostor or impostors, if any, to relieve a distressed family, to preserve the reputation of the innocent, or to vindicate the cause of the injured. The publick are desired to rest satisfied, as the fraud, if any, will be discovered soon; of which they may rest assured.
"The gentleman intended to be accused in this affair, of perpetrating upon two wives the most atrocious of all crimes, was married about six months since, to a very agreeable young lady, with a fortune of 3000l. The unhappy situation in which they must both be, from so horrid an aspersion upon the former, may be more easily conceived than expressed."
This shameful affair terminated in the manner described in the ensuing words, extracted from one of the newspapers published in February 1762. "February 1. On this night many gentlemen, eminent for their rank and character, were, by the invitation of the Rev. Mr. Aldrich, of Clerkenwell, assembled at his house, for the examination of the noises supposed to be made by a departed Spirit, for the detection of some enormous crime. About ten at night, the gentlemen met in the chamber, in which the girl supposed to be disturbed by a Spirit had, with proper caution, been put to bed by several ladies. They sat rather more than an hour, and hearing nothing went down stairs; when they interrogated the father of the girl, who denied, in the strongest terms, any knowledge or belief of fraud. The supposed Spirit had before publicly promised, by an affirmative knock, that it would attend one of the gentlemen into the vault, under the Church of St. John's Clerkenwell, where the body is deposited, and give a token of her presence there, by a knock upon her coffin. It was therefore determined to make this trial of the existence or veracity of the supposed Spirit.
"While they were enquiring and deliberating, they were summoned into the girl's chamber by some ladies, who were near her bed, and who had heard knocks and scratches. When the gentlemen entered, the girl declared that she felt the Spirit like a mouse upon her back, and was required to hold her hands out of bed. From that time, though the Spirit was very solemnly required to manifest its existence, by appearance, by impression on the hand or body of any present, by scratches, knocks, or any other agency, no evidence of any preter-natural power was exhibited.
"The Spirit was then very seriously advertised, that the person to whom the promise was made, of striking the coffin, was then about to visit the vault, and that the performance of the promise was then claimed. The company, at one, went into the Church; and the gentleman to whom the promise was made went with one more into the vault. The Spirit was solemnly required to perform its promise; but nothing more than silence ensued. The person supposed to be accused by the Spirit then went down with several others, but no effect was perceived. Upon their return, they examined the girl, but could draw no confession from her. Between two and three she desired, and was permitted to go home with her father.
"It is therefore the opinion of the whole assembly, that the child has some art of making or counterfeiting particular noises[185:A], and that there is no agency of any higher cause."
Completely exasperated at the base methods adopted by his enemies to ruin his character, if not to affect his life, the injured party at length had recourse to the justice of his Country; and exactly one year after the exposure of this ridiculous as well as wicked imposture, the principals made him pecuniary satisfaction, to avoid worse consequences; but Parsons received sentence of imprisonment for two years, and to be pilloried three times; his wife imprisonment one year, and their servant six months. Thus ended the serio-comedy of Fanny the phantom, which afforded fine sport for the wits of the day; nay, Parsons shared in the joke, for the populace pitied his unmerited sufferings, and, instead of pelting, cherished him when on the pillory, and even gathered money for him.
The Mayoralty of William Beckford, Esq. was distinguished by the trial of a greater number of felons than had occurred for many preceding years: 508 were placed at the bar of the Old Bailey; 58 received sentence of death; 187 were ordered to be transported; 15 to be branded in the hand, and five to be whipped.
Amongst the mal-practices of the Century may be included the Private Mad-houses. At first view such receptacles appear useful, and in many respects preferable to Public; but the avarice of the keepers, who were under no other controul than their own consciences, led them to assist in the most nefarious plans for confining sane persons, whose relations or guardians, impelled by the same motive, or private vengeance, sometimes forgot all the restraints of nature, and immured them in the horrors of a prison, under a charge of insanity.
Turlington kept a private Mad-house at Chelsea: to this place Mrs. Hawley was conveyed by her mother and husband, September 5, 1762, under pretence of their going on a party of pleasure to Turnham-green. She was rescued from the coercion of this man by a writ of Habeas corpus, obtained by Mr. La Fortune, to whom the lady was denied by Turlington and Dr. Riddle; but the latter having been fortunate enough to see her at a window, her release was accomplished. It was fully proved upon examination, that no medicines were offered to Mrs. Hawley, and that she was perfectly sane. This fact might be supported by the cases of Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Durant, &c.
"Mr. Turlington having, in defence of the proceedings of this house, referred himself to Mr. King as the person entrusted and employed by him, the Committee of the House of Commons thought it necessary to summons him. Mr. King said he had been in the Wool-trade, but for six years past he had been employed by Mr. Turlington to keep his Mad-house: that he had received no written directions from Mr. Turlington; that he found several patients in the house on his being employed, and all lunatic; that since his being employed he had admitted several for drunkenness, and for other reasons of the same sort alledged by their friends or relations bringing them, which he had always thought a sufficient authority. As to the treatment of the persons confined, he said, that they had the liberty of walking in the garden, and passing from one room to another; and as to their diet and apartments, he said, it was according to the allowance they paid, which was from 60l. to 20l. a year. He admitted that he knew Mrs. Hawley; that she was confined at the representation of a woman who called herself her mother; and that the reason alledged by her for the confinement of her daughter was drunkenness. He said, that he did not remember that she was refused pen, ink, and paper; but at the same time acknowledged it was the established order of the house, that no letter should be sent by any of the persons confined to their friends and relations."
Dr. Battie celebrated for his knowledge in cases of insanity, related the case "of a person whom he visited in confinement for Lunacy, in Macdonald's Mad-house, and who had been, as the Doctor believes, for some years in this confinement. Upon being desired by Macdonald to attend him by the order, as Macdonald pretended, of the relations of the patient, he found him chained to his bed, and without ever having had the assistance of any physician before; but some time after, upon being sent for by one of the relations to a house in the City, and then told, Macdonald had received no orders for desiring the Doctor's attendance, the Doctor understood this to be a dismission, and he never heard any thing more of the unhappy patient, till Macdonald told him some time after that he died of a fever, without having had any farther medical assistance; and a sum of money devolved upon his death to the person who had the care of him."
Upon those and other instances of wickedness and inhumanity, leave was given to bring in a Bill "for the regulation of Private Mad-houses in this Kingdom."
THE POLICE.
The report of a Committee of the House of Commons, appointed in 1770, will illustrate this subject from undoubted facts. "Sir John Fielding, being asked what number of houses have been broken open in and about the cities of London and Westminster, and whether it is a growing evil, said, that all robberies, with the circumstances attending them, and particulars of goods stolen, are registered at his office; and from that register informations are grounded, and offenders are detected several years after the offences are committed; and he delivered in lists of houses broken into, with computation of the goods stolen.
From Michaelmas 1766 to 14 March 1770, in half-yearly periods, by which it appeared that from Michaelmas 1766 to Lady-day 1767, 13 houses had been broken open, and goods stolen to the value of 289l.
From Lady-day 1767 to Michaelmas 1767, 36 houses, value 627l.
From Michaelmas 1767 to Lady-day 1768, 52 houses, value 569l.
From Lady-day 1768 to Michaelmas 1768, 48 houses, value 1332l.
From Michaelmas 1768 to Lady-day 1769, 35 houses, value 1448l. 15s.
From Lady-day 1769 to Michaelmas 1769, 63 houses, value 1616l.
From Michaelmas 1769 to 14 March 1770, 104 houses, value 4241l.
He farther informed the Committee, that it is supposed the last 104 houses were broken open by a number of house-breakers not exceeding 20, and few of them more than 20 years of age, 16 or 17 of whom are in custody with little probability of their being convicted: that the evil increases amazingly, and never was at so great a height as since last Michaelmas. Being asked, what is the cause of this increase of housebreaking; he said, that felons formerly carried their goods to pawnbrokers; but by the present method of quick notice to pawnbrokers, silversmiths, and others, that plan is defeated, and the housebreakers now go to Jews, who melt the plate immediately, and destroy other things that might be evidence, which in burglary can be nothing but the goods, though in other cases the person may be sworn to; that they disguise jewels by knocking them out of the sockets, so that they cannot be sworn to; that the present gang of house-breakers are sons of unfortunate people, and of no trade; that they began when boys as pick-pockets, but turned house-breakers when they grew up, in order to procure a greater income to supply their increased expences. And he informed the Committee, that for 20 years a footpad has not escaped; that highwaymen cannot escape, upon account of the early information given to the aforesaid office, and the great number of prosecutors who always appear against them, which he thinks must in time put an end to that evil[191:A]. He then said, he had detected several persons in Duke's-place with plate, and has offered a reward of five guineas for apprehending one person in the same place. Being asked what he thought of the present method of watching the town; he said, the watch is insufficient, their duty too hard, and their pay too small; that he has known serjeants in the guards employed as watchmen; that the watchmen are paid eightpence halfpenny in St. Margaret's parish, and a gratuity of two guineas a year, out of which they find their own candle; that as they are paid monthly, they borrow their money of an usurer once a week; that in other parishes the watch are paid from tenpence to one-shilling per night; that the watch in Westminster is in every parish under the direction of a separate commission, composed of persons who have served the offices of Churchwarden and Overseer; that Commissioners of the respective parishes appoint the beats of their watchmen without conferring together, which leaves the frontiers of each parish in a confused state; for that, where one side of a street lies in one parish, and the other side in another parish, the watchmen of one side cannot lend any assistance to persons on the other side, other than as a private person, except in cases of felony.
James Sayer, Esq. Deputy High-steward of Westminster, confirmed the above evidence; and added, that St. Margaret's parish has a select vestry, the majority of which is composed of tradesmen; that they will pay no more than eightpence halfpenny a night to their watchmen, and have no way of punishing them for neglect of duty than by dismissing them, which in fact is not a punishment, for they find it difficult to get men to serve in that office; and he further said, that their number is not sufficient. Being asked the reason for changing the constables from being parochial to be constables for the whole City and Liberty, he said, that before 29 George II. constables were parochial; that he apprehended the reason for the change was, that a constable could not execute any official act out of his parish without being specially authorised so to do. He mentioned an instance of a constable's being killed when he was serving a warrant out of his parish; that the person who killed him was tried and found guilty of manslaughter only, though he would have been guilty of murder, if it had happened in the parish to which the constable belonged.
Sir John Fielding being asked what remedies he could suggest to prevent the above evils; he produced two papers relating to constables, watchmen, and other officers, which were read to and confirmed by him, and are as follows:
"Watchmen too old—should be from 25 to 50; their beats too extensive—should not exceed 20 houses on each side of the way. Watchmen too few, the sum raised for the watch too little, being only fourpence in the pound—should be sixpence.
"Ward-officers to be chosen out of those inhabitants that have served the office of constable, and to have a good salary. One half of the constables to be discharged within the year, so that one half remaining two years will be able to instruct the new officers, and the whole duty will be well done. If the new provisions for the watch can be established by the Commissioners remaining where they are, it will save trouble; for then the money may be raised by them as it now is, and every parish may pay and clothe their own watchmen; so that the appointment, distribution, direction, wages, number, and punishment of the watch, may be in the Magistrates by a new commission, and the paying and clothing be in the present Commissioners.
"The words 'A Constable of the City and Liberties of Westminster,' to be placed over the Constable's doors; the words 'Ward-officer,' over the Ward-officers' doors. Beadles by name to be discharged; and the necessary part of their duty they now do, to be performed by the Ward-officers. That it would be right to confine the intended improvement and constables to Westminster only, as the watch in the adjoining parishes of Middlesex remain on the same footing as originally settled by the Statute of Winchester."
Second Paper. "The watch of Westminster is extremely defective; the number ought to be increased, their pay augmented, and the whole direction of them put under one Commission, and that Commission should be Magistrates of the City and Liberty of Westminster; the watch should be attended by ward-officers and relieved in the night, a whole night's duty being too hard. The round-houses should be capacious, no liquor should be sold in them; publicans should be punished for permitting watchmen to tipple during their duty, and watchmen should be particularly rewarded for diligence, and punished for neglect, by the civil power. High Constables should not quit their office at the end of three years. Constables should be increased, half the number only discharged annually. The constable of the night should be considered for his attendance on that duty, and punished for neglect.
"The power for raising money at present for the watch is too confined; it should be enlarged, raised by the present Commissioners, the watchmen paid by them, but their number, direction, and appointment, be by the new Commission of Magistrates. Receivers of stolen goods, especially of those taken by burglary or highway-robbery, should be made principals, with a power of mitigation in the Judge."
James Sayer, Esq. being again examined, approved of Sir John Fielding's plan; and added, that the beadles are an unnecessary set of men, advanced in years, and servants to the Churchwardens and Overseers, are forty in number over the whole City and Liberty; they have an allowance of 20l. per annum apiece, which they make up 30l.; that he apprehends, if the number was increased to sixty, and the City and Liberty divided into so many divisions, a beadle to each division, and the object of their duty to take up vagrants, they might be of great service: that, if the beadle was to have two shillings for every vagrant he took up, and four shillings was given to any other person who should apprehend one, the one-half to be deducted out of the beadle's salary of that district where the vagrant was apprehended, it would have a good effect.
Mr. T. Rainsforth, High-constable of Westminster, being examined, said, he had been in office twelve months; that he had visited the different night watch-houses in the City and Liberty of Westminster frequently from twelve to three in the morning, found many of the peace-officers upon duty, some were not. That there is a general complaint of peace-officers neglecting their duty, to which neglect it is owing, that the watchmen and beadles are not present; and this general neglect he apprehends is the reason why so many houses are robbed; that he has frequently found seven or eight watchmen together in an alehouse; he thinks, that the High-constable should visit the round-house in the night-time, once a month at least, or oftener if required.
James Sayer, Esq. being again examined, said, that Constables are appointed under Acts 29 and 31 George II. which Acts are in many articles defective; that 80 constables, which is the number limited, are not sufficient; that they are appointed by the Leet-jury, which has been attended by great partialities; for the Leet jury being composed of the Overseers of the several parishes of the preceding year, they protect each other from serving the office of Constable; that in general opulent inhabitants are excused, and young tradesmen returned; that, if a rich man is now and then returned, he is generally got off by pleading age and infirmities; that deputies are generally hired men, and though they cannot be appointed unless approved of by the Deputy High Steward, yet, as it is impossible for him to get a true character of the person nominated, he finds many unfit persons are appointed, who, he is informed, make a trade of serving the office; for remedy of which he proposed, that the number of constables should be increased to 120. He thinks the burthen of serving the office of constable should not lay wholly on the trading inhabitants, as it does by the late Act; that, by common law, every person able and fit is liable to serve: that the fine for not serving the office should be enlarged from 8l. to 20l. which fine should be distributed among those that do serve: and he added, that twelve being obliged to attend daily during the Session of Parliament, as long as either House sits, the duty comes round to each individual every sixth day, eight being excepted, who may be sick, or kept in reserve; during which attendance the constables must necessarily neglect their own business. With respect to the High-constable, he said, it is an office of great burthen and trust; that, by law, he the witness is obliged to appoint a substantial tradesman to that office; that the person appointed is not to continue in office above three years, and is liable to a penalty of 20l. for refusing to serve, which penalty goes to the poor of the parish; upon which he observed, that the High-constable should not be a tradesman, because his power enables him to oblige the keepers of public-houses to deal with him, or those with whom he is concerned in his way of trade; that the penalty on persons refusing to serve the office should be increased; that the High-constable should have a reward for his service, and that the constables of the night should have a reward also.
Sir John Fielding being again examined, said, that ballad-singers are a greater nuisance than beggars, because they give opportunity to pick-pockets by collecting people together; that the songs they sing are generally immoral and obscene; the people themselves capable of work, and of the lowest and most abandoned order of people; for remedy of which, he proposed that all ballad-singers should be considered as vagrants, and made liable to the same punishments, no person being a vagrant now but who comes within some one of the descriptions of vagrancy in the Vagrant Act. And the High-constable being again examined, informed the Committee that he has often had warrants for taking up ballad-singers; that he has apprehended a great many, notwithstanding which their numbers increase, and they are become a very great nuisance; that they have often been dispersed, but still continue the practice.
Sir John Fielding, being again examined, said, that the City of Westminster is a franchise under the Dean and Chapter of Westminster; that the common gaol thereof is called the Gatehouse, to which offenders of every kind, apprehended within the Liberty of Westminster, have been usually committed for several years back, to the number of 600 or 700 annually; that in this gaol there is little or no allowance or provisions for the prisoners but what arises from the charity of passengers, seldom amounting to more than five or six shillings a-week, the greatest part of which is given to the beggar at the window for the day. That the said gaol appears, from experience of the Magistrates, to be too small for the number, and too weak for the safe custody of prisoners; that to this gaol persons for execution in debts recovered in the Court of Conscience, are committed; and he said, he believed this is the only gaol in England where there is not some provision for the poor and distressed prisoners; and he added, that when a Magistrate commits a man to that gaol for an assault, he does not know but he commits him there to starve. For these reasons, as well upon the principles of humanity as of civil policy, this ought to be remedied; and that, on account of the vast increase of inhabitants, property, and number of offenders, there ought to be in Westminster a strong, capacious, and useful gaol, and there is no such thing at present; that the said gaol, called the Gatehouse, is a very old building, subject to be repaired by the said Dean and Chapter, who appoint the Gaoler; that the supposed original use of this gaol was for the purposes of committing Clerks convict. The commission of Magistrates is not later than Charles the First's reign; they began first to commit offenders to this gaol, rather by sufferance than by right; and he observed that, however proper it may have been for its original purposes, it is unequal to the present occasions, and, as he apprehends, cannot be altered without a Law. And he further informed the Committee, that the Magistrates of Westminster have represented this matter to the Dean and Chapter, who acknowledge it, are willing to pull it down, and to give a piece of ground in their Royalty in Tothill-fields to build a new gaol upon, and to subject the same, with every thing thereunto belonging, to the Magistrates of Westminster, under such regulations as the Legislature shall think proper, provided a sum be granted by the publick for building the same; and he added, that estimates have been made, by which it appears that a very effectual gaol may be built for the sum of 2500l. In order, therefore, to remedy the inconveniences above-mentioned, he proposed that such gaol should be built and kept in repair out of the County rate, which he said may be done without injury to the County at large, for this reason, that there is but one rate at present for Middlesex and Westminster, near one-third of which is paid by the latter since the increase of buildings there; that this proportion is much greater than the expences required by the Act for County rates would subject Westminster to; and he added, that the gaol, called the House of Correction, Westminster, is repaired by the Magistrates of Westminster, and the expence is paid by virtue of their orders on the County Treasurer; that the same thing, if allowed by Parliament for the repairs of the proposed new gaol, will answer the purpose without separating the rate.
James Sayer, Esq. being again examined, concurred with Sir John Fielding in every particular.
Sir John informed the Committee, that about six or seven years ago the Magistrates of Westminster had no other Court-house but a place at the bottom of the stairs leading to the House of Commons, called Hell, to keep their Sessions in. The increase of business and of offences in Westminster made it impracticable to carry on the business there. The nuisance was represented by the Magistrates to the Lord Lieutenant, Lord Northumberland, who said, he had then applied for redress, and told the Chairman it could not be taken up by Government then, but would be in future considered: in the mean time, at his own expence, amounting to 800l. he directed the Chairman to prepare a large house in King-street Westminster, which was formerly a tavern, to be made proper for a Court-house; that the Magistrates for their Sessions, the Burgesses for their Courts, the Lieutenancy for the Militia, Commissioners of Sewers for their business, Grand Juries for the County of Middlesex, Writs of Enquiry for the Sheriffs, and meeting of inhabitants for nominating their Representatives, should use the said building; for all which purposes it has been constantly, effectually, and conveniently used; that it is scarce possible for the above business to be transacted without it, and the establishment of it is as essential to the Civil Power as any thing that has been mentioned. That the purchase of the said building and fitting it up, cost the Duke of Northumberland near 4000l.; and he added, that this building also might be kept in repair by the County rate, at an average of 30 or 40l. a year.
Sir John Fielding said, he thinks the acting part of the Magistrates in Westminster is in as good a state as it ever was, and more free from imputation of or neglect of duty; that it would be useful to have some persons of rank and condition in the Commission of the Peace for Westminster, who would attend at the Quarter Sessions, where they would become acquainted with the conduct of the Magistrates in general, give a dignity to the Commission, support the acting Magistrates on great occasions, and give encouragement to such of them as discharged their trust becoming the honour of the Commission, and discountenance those who did not; and he added, that for the last two or three years the Magistrates of Westminster have gone through very painful duty, and have been very diligent in it; and having been sensible of the necessity of their attendance, have mutually agreed to attend at any time or place upon the least notice from their Chairman.
James Sayer, Esq. being again examined, admitted that the Magistracy at present is composed in general of persons of character, and that justice is administered with activity, diligence, and skill, but alledged that it has been otherwise formerly, and may be the case hereafter; and therefore, he was of opinion that a regulation in the Magistracy of Westminster is necessary. That there should be a qualification of Justices, that they should have a reward for acting, as the most part of their time will be devoted to the public service; that the fees to be taken by their clerks should be devoted to some public service; such as a vagrant hospital; that there should be certain Rotation-offices established by Law; that, as he apprehends, one such office might be sufficient if properly regulated; that the Rotation-office should do all the business except in emergent cases, and that the private office of Justice of the Peace should be abolished, because it sometimes happens, that a man committed for a notorious bailable offence is carried to another Justice, who bails him without knowing the enormity of his offence; and Sir John Fielding said, that in criminal offences, that nearly regard the publick, it is impracticable to use a Rotation-office as there are many things necessary to be kept secret; and, though the whole of the circumstances must be known to the acting Magistrate, yet they cannot be known by a fresh Magistrate who attends in rotation; and he added, that the great number of brothels and irregular taverns carried on without licence from the Magistrates, are another great cause of robberies, burglaries, and other disorders, and also of neglect of watchmen and constables of the night in their respective duties. That these taverns are kept by persons of the most abandoned characters, such as bawds, thieves, receivers of stolen goods, and Marshalsea-court and Sheriffs officers who keep lock-up houses. The principal of these houses are situate in Covent-garden, about thirty in St. Mary-le-Strand, about twelve in St. Martin's, in the vicinity of Covent-garden, about twelve in St. Clement's, five or six at Charing-cross, and in Hedge-lane about twenty; that there are many more dispersed in different parts of Westminster, in Goodman's-fields, and Whitechapel, many of which are remarkably infamous, and are the cause of disorders of every kind, shelters for bullies to protect prostitutes, and for thieves, are a terror to the watchmen and peace-officers of the night, a nuisance to the inhabitants in the neighbourhood, and difficult to be suppressed by prosecution for want of evidence, and, in short, pregnant with every other mischief to Society; that any person desirous of gaining a livelihood by keeping a place of public entertainment, who is of good reputation, can obtain a licence with ease from the Magistrates to keep such house, when a public-house in any neighbourhood happens to be vacant that has been licensed before; the Magistrates of Middlesex and Westminster having long held it to be a rule essential to the public good, rather to diminish than increase the number of public-houses. That persons of abandoned characters, by applying to the Commissioners of the Stamp-office, may obtain a licence for selling wine; by virtue of such licences it is that the taverns above described are kept open, for the aforesaid Commissioners are impowered by law to grant such licences to whom they shall think fit; that licences for selling spirituous liquors by retail are not granted by the Commissioners of Excise, unless the parties produce to them a licence under the hands and seals of two Justices of the Peace to sell ale. That Magistrates cannot by Law authorise any person to sell ale, without a certificate of such person's being of good fame and sober life and conversation, so that producing this licence to the Commissioners establishes their character with them, and takes away the necessity of any enquiry; for remedy of which, he proposed that Wine-licences should be placed by Law under the same restraint as the licences for selling spirituous liquors now are. This remedy, he apprehended, might probably reduce the Revenue of Wine-licences; if confined to the Bills of Mortality, it would in his opinion diminish it no more than 400l.; but if extended to Portsmouth, Plymouth, Chatham, and other Dock-yards, it might lessen it 200l. more; he added, that he thinks it more necessary to correct the evil in those parts, as it has a direct tendency to corrupt and destroy the very vitals of the Constitution, the lives of the useful seamen, who by means of these houses become the objects of plunder as long as they have any money, and are induced to become robbers when they have none; and he informed the Committee that there is another great evil which is the cause of these disorders, namely, the immense number of common prostitutes, who, mostly from necessity, infest the streets of the City and Liberty of Westminster and parts adjacent, attended by common soldiers and other bullies to protect them from the civil power; these prostitutes, when they have secured the unwary customers, lead them to some of the aforesaid taverns, from whence they seldom escape without being robbed. The cause of this evil, as he apprehends, is the great difficulty, as the Law now stands, to punish those offenders, they being, as common prostitutes, scarce, if at all, within the description of any Statute now in being; and he added, that this subjects watchmen, round-house keepers, constables, and even the Magistrates themselves to prosecutions from low Attorneys; that the remedy in his opinion should be to declare, that persons walking or plying in the said streets for lewd purposes after the watch is set, standing at the doors, or appearing at the windows of such taverns in an indecent manner for lewd purposes, shall be considered as vagrants, and punished as such. That as to the circumstance of street-beggars, it never came to his knowledge that they are under contribution to the beadles.
Mr. Rainsforth the High-constable being called, delivered in a paper called "The State of the Watch in Westminster;" which paper is hereunto annexed: and said, that all the watchmen being assembled at Guildhall on Saturday, March 24, to see the housebreakers, they appeared to him in general very infirm and unfit to execute that office.
Mr. Thomas Heath, a Burgess of the Duchy of Lancaster, being examined, said, that both the constables and watch within the said Duchy are very insufficient and defective."
The Committee concluded their Report with thirteen resolutions, exactly corresponding with the evidence received, which were all agreed to by the House, and a Bill or Bills ordered to be brought in for carrying them into effect.
The High Constable's remarks:
St. Margaret's.
"Three quarters past 11. Constable came after I was there, house-man and beadle on duty; 41 watchmen, with St. John's united, at eightpence halfpenny per night, with one guinea at Christmas, and one guinea at Lady-day, and great coats as a present; their beats large; was obliged to take a soldier into custody for being out of his quarters, and very insolent, with several more soldiers, in the streets at 12 o'clock; called out "Watch," but could get no assistance from them.
St. George's.
Half-past 12. Constable and four house-men on duty; 57 watchmen at one shilling per night, and great coats; two men had attempted to break into Lady Cavendish's house, but were prevented.
St. James's.
One o'clock. Constable and beadle on duty, streets very quiet, meeting with no disorders; 56 watchmen at one shilling per night for five months, and eight-pence for seven months, with coats, lanterns, and candles.
St. Anne's.
Half-past 1. Constable gone his rounds; 23 watchmen at one shilling per night for six months, and nine-pence the other six, with candles; no disorders.
St. Martin's.
Two o'clock. Constable, regulator, and beadle on duty; 43 watchmen at 14l. per ann. candles and great coats, every thing quiet, beats large.
Half-past 2. Constable, house-keeper, and beadle on duty; 22 watchmen at one shilling per night, down to eightpence halfpenny; no disturbance.
St. Clement's Danes.
Past 3. No constable on duty, found a watchman there at a great distance from his beat; from thence went to the night-cellar facing Arundel-street in the Strand, which is in the Dutchy, and there found four of St. Clement's watchmen drinking; St. Clement's watchmen 22 at one shilling each.
St. Mary-le-Strand.
No attendance, having only two constables which only attend every other night; 3 watchmen, Dutchy included, at one shilling each; a very disorderly cellar near the New-church for selling saloop, &c. to very loose and suspected persons."
The number of felons who had been imprisoned in Newgate during the year 1772, amounted to the amazing number of 1475; from 1747 to 1764, the number had never exceeded 1300; from the year 1763 to 1772, the greatest number of prisoners who died in Newgate within twelve months was 36, and the least 14.
Impressed with the melancholy consequences to Society from this shocking increase of depravity, Sir John Fielding thus emphatically addressed the Grand Jury at the Quarter-sessions for Westminster, October 12, 1773.
"Gentlemen of the Grand Jury,
"By virtue of the trust now reposed in you, as a Grand Jury for the City and Liberty of Westminster, you are become the temporary guardians of the lives, liberty, property, and reputation of your fellow-citizens; nor can a higher trust than this be placed in man. And in order that it may be discharged with a conscientious regard to truth, and a fidelity becoming its importance, you are bound by the solemn tie of an oath to execute this office without malice, without resentment, without favour, and without affection. Under this sacred obligation, your fellow-subjects have reason to hope and expect that you will hear with patience, enquire with diligence, judge with candour, and present with impartiality.
"I am sorry to inform you, Gentlemen, that it appears from our Calendar, that there are a number of persons in confinement charged with felonies of different degrees, but it is a melancholy truth; probably some of these unfortunate fellow-creatures may suffer ignominious punishments; but, as prevention is far superior to punishment, permit me to call forth to your attention some of those public offences which first corrupt, and then precipitate the unwary to infamy and destruction. I mean the keeping of gaming-houses, disorderly houses, bawdy-houses, for it is these seminaries of vice, these polluted fountains, that first poison the moral spring of our youth, and consequently make footpads, highwaymen, and housebreakers, of those who might otherwise have been useful, nay, perhaps honourable members of society; and although I am convinced it is in the power of many of the inhabitants of this City and Liberty to remove, by prosecution, some of these nuisances; yet I am aware that they are deterred from it by the hateful idea indiscriminately annexed to the name of an informer; and thus, gentlemen, the parties injured, by a criminal cowardice, neglect their duty to the publick, whilst the ignorant and abandoned slanderer unjustly reviles the Magistrate for the continuation of these evils; but, if public spirit should produce any prosecutors of the keepers of such houses, I hope you will do your utmost to bring such miscreants to condign punishment, that the publick may have a fair opportunity of judging in what a detestable light the Magistrates of this Bench consider such offenders and offences. Let the inhabitants but complain, and if the Justice neglect his duty, may contempt and confusion overtake him! But till then, place confidence, and pay respect to that authority where confidence and respect are due.
"And now, gentlemen, give me leave to take notice of one public offence, so alarming in its nature, and so mischievous in its effects, that, like a pestilence, it does not only stand in need of your immediate assistance, but that of all good men, to stop its corroding progress; I mean the exposing to sale, and selling such indecent and obscene prints and books as are sufficient to put impudence itself to the blush. Surely, gentlemen, Providence has placed too strong propensions in our nature to stand in need of such inflammatory aids as these; on the contrary, in this particular, we rather require restraints than encouragements; but, if at that period of life when our children and apprentices stand in need of a parent to advise, a master to restrain, or a friend to admonish and check the first impulse of passion, pictures like these are held forth to meet their early feelings, what but destruction must be the event? Indeed, by care, you may prevent youth in some degree from frequenting bad company; you may accustom them to good habits, afford them examples worthy imitation, and by shutting your doors early, may oblige them to keep good hours; but, alas! what doors, what bolts, what bars, can be any security to their innocence, whilst Vice in this deluding form counteracts all caution, and bids defiance to the force of precept, prudence, and example, by affording such foul but palatable hints as are destructive to modesty, sobriety, and obedience? But, what is still more shocking, I am informed that women, nay mothers of families, to the disgrace of their sex, are the cruel dispensers of this high-seasoned mischief; but, if duty or humanity should spirit up any one to prosecute such offenders, I conjure you as fathers, masters, and subjects, to afford them the best assistance in your power, to put a stop to this shameful and abominable practice.
"I am very sensible that I have already trespassed much on your time, but cannot take my leave without acquainting you that our Courts of Judicature of late have abounded with prosecutions for wilful and corrupt perjury—dreadful offence! But, as oaths are the foundation of all our judicial proceedings, and the negligent administration of these oaths is one great cause of perjury, I do earnestly recommend it to you, Mr. Foreman, not to permit any witness to give his testimony without reminding him that he is about to speak under the sacred influence of an oath, and that he has called the great God himself to witness that he is speaking truth."
An Act, passed in 1774, has operated through the following clause, in suppressing some of the enormities which lead to the crimes Sir John deprecated. "That every watchman, as well patroles as others, and every beadle, shall, during his respective time of watching, to the utmost of his power endeavour to prevent as well all mischiefs happening by fire, as all murders, burglaries, robberies, affrays, and other outrages and disorders; and to that end, during the time of watching, each and every of them shall and may, and are hereby authorised and impowered to arrest and apprehend all night-walkers, malefactors, rogues, vagabonds, and other loose, idle, and disorderly persons, and all persons lying or loitering in any street, square, court, mews, lane, alley, or elsewhere; to apprehend and bring them as soon as convenient before the constable of the night. And if any person or persons shall assault or resist any watchman in the execution of his office, they shall pay any sum not exceeding five pounds."
The publication of obscene prints and books (though so justly reprobated by Sir John Fielding) had proceeded with very little interruption, almost through the space of time which elapsed between his charge and the termination of the century. A few prosecutions were instituted, but nothing systematic in opposition took place, till the Society for the Suppression of Vice attacked the enemies of virtue and decency with vigour, and obtained almost a complete victory. For this essential service rendered to the community they deserve every praise; and, however the publick may be divided in opinion as to their methods of proceeding, and the propriety of some of their operations, all will agree that vending obscene books and prints, riotous and disorderly houses, lotteries, and little-goes, and cruelty to animals, ought to be finally prevented. I shall close this article with a summary of their convictions during the first year of their establishment, ending in April 1803.
Profanation of the Sabbath.
| Offenders. | Punishments. | No. |
|---|---|---|
| Two hundred and twenty-two Shop-keepers, for pursuing their ordinary callings; and two hundred and eighteen Publicans, for suffering Tippling during Divine Service, (having disregarded the warning previously delivered them). | Some convicted in the full penalty, with costs, and others in costs only.—Before the Magistrates. | 440 |
Vending Obscene Books and Prints.
| Offenders. | Punishments. | No. |
|---|---|---|
| Gainer, an Itinerant Hawker. | Six Months Imprisonment.—Middlesex Sessions. | 7 |
| Harris, a Vender of Ballads and Obscene Books and Prints, at Whitehall. | Two Years Imprisonment and Pillory.—Westminster Sessions. | |
| Bertazzi*, an Italian Itinerant Hawker. | Six Months Imprisonment. Middlesex Sessions. | |
| Bertazzi, on two other Indictments. | Six Months Imprisonment for each offence, and twice Pillory.—Court of King's Bench. | |
| Ann Aitkin, Printseller, Castle-street, Leicester-fields. | One Year's Imprisonment and hard Labour.—Court of King's Bench. | |
| Baines, Keeper of a Stall, Skinner-street, Snow-hill. | One Year's Imprisonment.—Old Bailey Sessions. | |
| * N.B. This man, in connection with many others, went about the City selling obscene books and prints, at boarding-schools of both sexes. | ||
Riotous and Disorderly Houses, &c.
| Offenders. | Punishments. | No. |
|---|---|---|
| Four Keepers of Houses where unlawful Dances were held, two on Sundays; three Keepers of Public-houses, and two of Private Theatres—being all receptacles for disorderly and abandoned characters, and places for the seduction of youth of both sexes; and two Keepers of Brothels, where practices of the grossest prostitution were carried on. | All suppressed in a summary way.—Before the Magistrates. | 11 |
Lotteries and Little Goes.
| Offenders. | Punishments. | No. |
|---|---|---|
| Twenty-five Persons for illegal Insurances, &c. some principals, and some agents. | From Two to Six Months Imprisonment each.—Before the Magistrates. | 26 |
| Samuel Best, a Fortune-teller and Impostor. | Committed as a Vagrant. |
Cruelty to Animals.
| Offenders. | Punishments. | No. |
|---|---|---|
| Two Drovers. | Imprisonment One Month each.—Before the Magistrates. | 3 |
| Several persons guilty of Bear and Badger baiting, in Black-boy-alley, Chick-lane, where the most shocking scenes of barbarity had been practised for twenty-two years, even on Sundays. | Suppressed by the Magistrates. |
| Profanation of the Sabbath | 440 |
| Vending Obscene Books and Prints | 7 |
| Riotous and Disorderly Houses, &c. | 11 |
| Lotteries and Little Goes | 26 |
| Cruelty to Animals | 3 |
| —— | |
| 487 | |
Mr. Carlton, Deputy Clerk of the Peace, and Clerk to the Justices for Westminster, stated to a Committee of the House of Commons in 1782, that E-O tables were very numerous; that one house in the parish of St. Anne, Soho, contained five, and that there were more than 300 in the above parish and St. James's; those were used every day of the week, and servants enticed to them by cards of direction thrown down the areas.
I have hitherto noticed those general circumstances of depravity, which ever have and ever will prevail in a greater or less degree in every Metropolis; and shall conclude the black list with mentioning the monster, who terrified the females of London in 1790, by cutting at their clothes with a sharp instrument, and frequently injuring their persons. Renwick Williams was at length apprehended, tried, and convicted, for cutting the garments and person of Miss Anne Porter; and the horrid acts were never repeated.
Quacks—1700.
The man who, without experience or education, undertakes to compound drugs, and, when compounded, to administer them as remedies for diseases of the human body, may justly be pronounced a dishonest adventurer, and an enemy to life and the fair proportions of his fellow-citizens. Quackery is an antient profession in London. Henry VIII. despised them, and endeavoured to suppress their nostrums by establishing Censors in Physick; but I do not profess to meddle with them before 1700.
"At the Angel and Crown, in Basing-lane, near Bow-lane, lives J. Pechey, a Graduate in the University of Oxford, and of many years standing in the College of Physicians, London; where all sick people that come to him may have, for sixpence, a faithful account of their diseases, and plain directions for diet and other things they can prepare themselves; and such as have occasion for medicines may have them of him at reasonable rates, without paying any thing for advice; and he will visit any sick person in London or the Liberties thereof, in the day-time, for 2s. 6d. and any where else within the Bills of Mortality for 5s.; and if he be called by any person as he passes by in any of these places, he will require but 1s. for his advice."