Part 1 (1/2)
The History of the Remarkable Life of John Sheppard.
by Daniel Defoe.
TO THE CITIZENS
OF
_London_ and _Westminster_.
GENTLEMEN,
_Experience has confirm'd you in that everlasting_ Maxim, _that there is no other way to protect the_ Innocent, _but by Punis.h.i.+ng the_ Guilty.
_Crimes ever were, and ever must be unavoidably frequent in such populous Cities as yours are, being the necessary Consequences, either of the_ Wants, _or the Depravity, of the lowest part of the_ humane _Species_.
_At this time the most flagrant Offences, as_ Burning of Dwellings; Burglaries, _and_ Highway Robberies _abound; and_ Frauds _common_ Felonies, _and_ Forgeries _are practic'd without Number; thus not only your Properties, but even your very Lives are every way struck at_.
_The_ Legislative Power _has not been wanting in providing necessary and wholesome Laws against these_ Evils, _the executive part whereof (according to your great Privileges) is lodged in your own Hands: And the Administration hath at all times applyed proper Remedies and Regulations to the_ Defects _which have happen'd in the_ Magistracy _more immediately under their Jurisdiction_.
_Through the just and salutary Severities of the Magistrates, publick excessive_ Gaming _has been in a manner Surpress'd; and some late Examples of divine Vengeance have overtaken certain of the most notorious lewd_ Prost.i.tutes _of the Town, which together with the laudable endeavours of the great and worthy_ Societies, _has given no small check to that enormous and spreading_ Vice.
_But here's a_ Criminal _bids Defiance to your_ Laws, _and _Justice _who declar'd and has manifested that the_ Bars _are not made that can either keep him_ Out, _or keep him_ In, _and accordingly hath a second time fled from the very_ Bosom Of Death.
_His History will astonis.h.!.+ and is not compos'd of Fiction, Fable, or Stories plac'd at York_, Rome, _or_ Jamaica, _but_ Facts _done at your Doors_, Facts _unheard of, altogether new, Incredible, and yet Uncontestable_.
_He is gone once more upon his wicked Range in the World. Restless Vengeance is pursuing, and_ Gentlemen '_tis to be hoped that she will be a.s.sisted by your Endeavours to bring to Justice this notorious Offender_.
THE LIFE OF
_JOHN SHEPPARD, &c._
This _John Sheppard_, a Youth both in Age and Person, tho' an old Man in Sin; was Born in the Parish of _Stepney_ near _London_, in the Year 1702, a Son, Grandson, and great Grandson of a _Carpenter_: His Father died when he was so very Young that he could not recollect that ever he saw him. Thus the burthen of his Maintenance, together with his Brother's and Sister's, lay upon the Shoulders of the Widow Mother, who soon procured an Admittance of her Son _John_ into the _Work-House_ in _Bishopsgate-street,_ where he continued for the s.p.a.ce of a Year and half, and in that time received an Education sufficient to qualifie him for the Trade his Mother design'd him, _viz_. a _Carpenter_: Accordingly she was recommended to Mr. _Wood_ in _Witch-Street_ near _Drury-Lane_, as a Master capable of entertaining and instructing her Son: They agreed and Bound he was for the s.p.a.ce of seven Years; the Lad proved an early proficient, had a ready and ingenious Hand, and soon became Master of his Business, and gave entire Satisfaction to his Master Customers, and had the Character of a very sober and orderly Boy. But alas unhappy Youth! before he had compleated six Years of his Apprentices.h.i.+p, he commenced a fatal Acquaintance with one _Elizabeth Lyon_, otherwise call'd _Edgworth Bess_, from a Town of that Name in _Middles.e.x_ where she was Born, the reputed Wife of a Foot Soldier, and who lived a wicked and debauch'd Life; and our young _Carpenter_ became Enamour'd of her, and they must Cohabit together as Man and Wife.
Now was laid the Foundation of his Ruin; _Sheppard_ grows weary of the Yoke of Servitude, and began to dispute with his Master; telling him that his way of Jobbing from House to House was not sufficient to furnish him with a due Experience in his Trade; and that if he would not set out to undertake some Buildings, he would step into the World for better Information. Mr. _Wood_ a mild, sober, honest Man, indulg'd him; and Mrs. _Wood_ with Tears, exhorted him against the Company of this lewd Prost.i.tute: But her Man prompted and harden'd by his HARLOT, D--- n'd _her Blood_, and threw a Stick at his Mistress, and beat her to the Ground. And being with his Master at Work at Mr. _Britt's_ the _Sun_ Ale-house near _Islington_, upon a very trivial Occasion fell upon his Master, and beat and bruised him in a most barbarous and shameful Manner. Such a sudden and deplorable Change was there in the Behaviour of this promising young Man. Next ensued a neglect of Duty, both to G.o.d and his Master, lying out of Nights, perpetual Jarrings, and Animosities; these and such like, were the Consequences of his intimacy with this she _Lyon_; who by the sequel will appear to have been a main loadstone in attracting of him up to this Eminence of Guilt.
Mr. _Wood_ having Reason to suspect, that _Sheppard_ had robb'd a Neighbour, began to be in great Fear and Terror for himself. And when his Man came not Home in due season at Nights bar'd him out; but he made a mere jest of the Locks and Bolts, and enter'd in, and out at Pleasure; and when Mr. _Wood_ and his Wife have had all the Reason in the World to believe him Lock't out, they have found him very quiet in his Bed the next Morning, such was the power of his early Magick.
_Edgworth Bess_ having stol'n a Gold Ring from a Gentleman, whom she had pick'd up in the Streets, was sent to St. _Giles's_ Round-house; _Sheppard_ went immediately to his Consort, and after a short Discourse with Mr. _Brown_ the Beadle, and his Wife, who had the Care of the Place, he fell upon the poor old Couple, took the Keys from them, and let his Lady out at the Door in spight of all the Out-cryes, and Opposition they were capable of making.
About _July_ 1723, He was by his Master sent to perform a Repair, at the House of Mr. _Bains_, a Piece-Broker in _White-Horse Yard_; he from thence stole a Roll of Fustain, containing 24 Yards, which was afterwards found in his Trunk. This is supposed to be the first Robbery he ever committed and it was not long e're he Repeated another upon this same Mr. _Bains_, by breaking into his House in the Night-time, and taking out of the _Till_ seven Pounds in Money, and Goods to the value of fourteen Pounds more. How he enter'd this House, was a Secret till his being last committed to _Newgate_, when he confessed that he took up the Iron Bars at the Cellar Window, and after he had done his Business, he nailed them down again, so that Mr. _Bains_ never believed his House had been broke; and an innocent Woman a Lodger in the House lay all the while under the weight of a suspicion of committing the Robbery.
_Sheppard_ and his Master had now parted, ten Months before the expiration of his Apprentices.h.i.+p, a woeful parting to the former; he was gone from a good and careful Patronage, and lay expos'd to, and comply'd with the Temptations of the most wicked Wretches this Town could afford as _Joseph Blake_, alias _Blewskins, William Field, Doleing, James Sykes_, alias _h.e.l.l_ and _Fury_, which last was the first that betray'd, and put him into the Hands of Justice, as will presently appear.
Having deserted his Master's Service, he took Shelter in the House of Mr. _Charles_ in _May-Fair_, near _Piccadilly_, and his Landlord having a Necessity for some Repairs in his House, engag'd one Mr. _Panton_ a _Carpenter_ to Undertake them, and _Sheppard_ to a.s.sist him as a Journeyman; but on the 23rd of _October_, 1723, e're the Work was compleat, _Sheppard_ took Occasion to rob the People of the Effects following, _viz._ seven Pound ten s.h.i.+llings in Specie, five large silver Spoons, six plain Forks ditto, four Tea-Spoons, six plain Gold Rings, and a Cypher Ring; four Suits of Wearing Apparel, besides Linnen, to a considerable value. This Fact he confess'd to the Reverend Mr.
_Wagstaff_ before his Escape from the Condemn'd Hold of _Newgate_.
_Sheppard_ had a Brother, nam'd _Thomas_, a _Carpenter_ by Profession, tho' a notorious Thief and House-breaker by Practice. This _Thomas_ being committed to _Newgate_ for breaking the House of Mrs. _Mary Cook_ a _Linnen-Draper_, in _Clare-street, Clare-Market_, on the 5th of _February_ last, and stealing Goods to the value of between 50, and 60 l. he impeach'd his Brother _John Sheppard_, and _Edgworth Bess_ as being concerned with him in the Fact; and these three were also Charg'd with being concern'd together, in breaking the House of Mr. _William Phillips_ in _Drury-Lane_, and stealing divers Goods, the Property of Mrs. _Kendrick_ a Lodger in the House, on the 14th of the said _February_: All possible endeavours were us'd by Mrs. _Cook_ and Mr.
_Phillips_, to get _John Sheppard_ and _Edgworth Bess_ Apprehended, but to no purpose, till the following Accident.