Will got notice of this just time enough to run for it and not to be taken; and away he came to look for me; but, as my good fate still directed, I was not at home neither. However, he left all his booty at my lodging, and hid it in an old coat that lay under my bedding, and left word that my brother Will had been there, and had left his coat that he borrowed of me, and that it was under my bed.
I knew not what to make of it, but went up to go to bed; and, finding the parcel, was perfectly frighted to see, wrapped up in it, above one hundred pound in plate and money, and yet knew nothing of brother Will, as he called himself, nor did I hear of him for three or four days.
At the end of four days I heard, by great accident, that Will, who used to be seen with me, and who called me brother, was taken, and would be hanged. Next day a poor man, a shoemaker, that used formerly to have a kindness for me, and to send me of errands, and gave me sometimes some victuals, seeing me accidentally in Rosemary Lane, going by him, clasped me fast hold by the arm. «Hark ye, young man», says he, «have I catched you?» and hauled me along as if I had been a thief apprehended, and he the constable. «Hark ye, Colonel Jacque», says he again, «come along with me. I must speak with you. What, are you got into this gang too? What, are you turned housebreaker? Come, I’ll have you hanged, to be sure».
These were dreadful words to me, who, though not guilty of the particular thing in question, yet was frighted heartily before, and did not know what I might be charged with by Will, if he was taken, as I heard that very morning he was. With these words, the shoemaker began to hale and drag me along as he used to do when I was a boy.
However, recovering my spirits, and provoked to the highest degree, I said to him again, «What do you mean, Mr. – ? Let me alone, or you will oblige me to make you do it»; and with that I stopped short, and soon let him see I was grown a little too big to be haled about as I used to be when I run of his errands, and made a motion with my other hand as if I would strike him in the face.
«How, Jacque!» says he; «will you strike me? Will you strike your old friend?» and then he let go my arm, and laughed. «Well, but hark ye, colonel», says he, «I am in earnest. I hear bad news of you. They say you are gotten into bad company, and that this Will calls you brother. He is a great villain, and I hear he is charged with a bloody robbery, and will be hanged if he is taken. I hope you are not concerned with him. If you are, I would advise you to shift for yourself, for the constable and the headborough are after him to-day, and if he can lay any thing to you he will do it, you may be sure. He will certainly hang you to save himself».
This was kind, and I thanked him, but told him this was a thing too serious, and that had too much weight in it, to be jested with, as he had done before; and that some ignorant stranger might have seized upon me as a person guilty, who had no further concern in it than just knowing the man, and so I might have been brought into trouble for nothing. At least people might have thought I was among them, whether I was or no, and it would have rendered me suspected, though I was innocent.
He acknowledged that; told me he was but in jest, and that he talked to me just as he used to do.
«However, colonel», says he, «I won’t jest any more with you in a thing of such a dangerous consequence; I only advise you to keep the fellow company no more».
I thanked him, and went away, but in the greatest perplexity imaginable. And now, not knowing what to do with myself, or with the little ill-gotten wealth which I had, I went musing and alone into the fields towards Stepney, my usual walk, and there began to consider what to do. And as this creature had left his prize in my garret, I began to think that if he should be taken, and should confess and send the officers to search there for the goods, and they should find them, I should be undone, and should be taken up for a confederate; whereas I knew nothing of the matter, and had no hand in it.
While I was thus musing, and in great perplexity, I heard somebody halloo to me; and, looking about, I saw Will running after me. I knew not what to think at first, but seeing him alone, was the more encouraged, and I stood still for him. When he came up to me I said to him, «What is the matter, Will?» «Matter!» says Will. «Matter enough; I am undone. When was you at home?»
«I saw what you left there», says I. «What is the meaning of it, and where got you all that? Is that your being undone?»
«Ay», says Will, «I am undone for all that; for the officers are after me; and I am a dead dog if I am taken, for George is in custody, and he has peached on me and all the others to save his life».
«Life!» says I; «why should you lose your life if they should take you? Pray what would they do to you?»
«Do to me!» says he; «they would hang me, if the king had ne’er another soldier in his guards. I shall certainly be hanged as I am now alive».
This frighted me terribly, and I said, «And what will you do then?» «Nay», says he, «I know not. I would get out of the nation, if I knew how; but I am a stranger to all those things, and I know not what to do, not I. Advise me, Jacque», says he; «prithee tell me whither shall I go. I have a good mind to go to sea».
«You talk of going away», says I; «what will you do with all you have hid in my garret? It must not lie there», said I; «for if I should be taken up for it, and it be found to be the money you stole, I shall be ruined».
«I care not what becomes of it, not I», says Will. «I’ll be gone. Do you take it, if you will, and do what you will with it. I must fly, and I cannot take it with me». «I won’t have it, not I», says I to him. «I’ll go and fetch it to you if you will take it», says I; «but I won’t meddle with it. Besides, there is plate. What shall I do with plate?» said I. «If I should offer to sell it anywhere», said I, «they will stop me».
«As for that», says Will, «I could sell it well enough, if I had it; but I must not be seen anywhere among my old acquaintance; for I am blown, and they will all betray me. But I will tell you where you shall go and sell it, if you will, and they will ask you no questions, if you give them the word that I will give you». So he gave me the word, and directions to a pawnbroker near Cloth Fair. The word was Good tower standard. Having these instructions, he said to me, «Colonel Jacque, I am sure you won’t betray me; and I promise you, if I am taken, and should be hanged, I won’t name you. I will go to such a house» (naming a house at Bromley, by Bow, where he and I had often been), «and there», says he, «I’ll stay till it is dark. At night I will come near the streets, and I will lay under such a haystack all night» (a place we both knew also very well); «and if you cannot finish to come to me there, I will go back to Bow».
I went back and took the cargo, went to the place by Cloth Fair, and gave the word Good tower standard; and without any words, they took the plate, weighed it, and paid me after the rate of 2s. per ounce for it. So I came away and went to meet him, but it was too late to meet him at the first place; but I went to the haystack, and there I found him fast asleep.
I delivered him his cargo. What it really amounted to I knew not, for I never told it; but I went home to my quarters very late and tired. I went to sleep at first, but, notwithstanding I was so weary, I slept little or none for several hours. At last, being overcome with sleep, I dropped, but was immediately roused with noise of people knocking at the door, as if they would beat it down, and crying and calling out to the people of the house, «Rise, and let in the constable here. We come for your lodger in the garret».
I was frighted to the last degree, and started up in my bed; but when I was awaked I heard no noise at all, but of two watchmen thumping at the doors with their staves, and giving the hour, «Past three o’clock, and a rainy, wet morning» – for such it was. I was very glad when I found it was but a dream, and went to bed again, but was soon roused a second time with the same, very same noise and words. Then, being sooner awaked than I was before, I jumped out of bed and ran to the window, and found it was just an hour more, and the watchmen were come about: «Past four o’clock», and they went away again very quietly; so I lay me down again, and slept the rest of the night quietly enough.
I laid no stress upon the thing called