but the robbers firing a pistol over their heads, the guardians of the night decamped.

Hawkins had now refolved to carry the booty obtained in feveral late robberies to Holland, but Jonathan Wild having heard of the connection, caufed fome of the gang to be apprehended; on which the reft went into the country to hide themfelves.

On this occafion Hawkins and Wilfon went to Oxford, and paying a vifit to the Bodleian library, the former wantonly defaced fome pictures in the gallery; and 100l. reward was offered to difcover the offender: and a poor taylor being taken up on fufpicion, narrowly escaped being whipped, merely because he was of whiggish principles.

Wilson and Hawkins returning to London, and the former coming of age at that time, fucceeded to a little estate his father had left him, which he fold for 350l. a fmall part of which he lent to his companions, to buy horfes, and foon diffipated the reft at the gaming-table.

The affociates now ftopped two gentlemen in a chariot on the Hampstead Road, who both fired at once, by which three flugs were lodged in Hawkins's fhoulder, and the highwaymen got to London, with fome difficulty. On Hawkins's recovery they attempted to ftop a gentleman's coach in Hyde-Park; but the coachman driving haftily, Wilfon fired, and wounding himself in the hand, found it fficult to scale the Park wall, to effect his efcape.

This circumftance occafioned fome ferious thoughts in his mind, in confequence of which he fet out for his mother's houfe in Yorkshire, where he was kindly received, and fully deermined never to return to his former practices.

While he was engaged in his mother's bufin fs, and planning schemes for domeftic happiness, he was fent for to a public-house, where he found his old acquaintance, Hawkins, in company with George Simpfon, of whom we fhall have occafion to relate more in the courfe of this narrative.

Wilson was shocked at feeing them, and asked what could induce them to take fuch a journey. Hereupon Hawkins fwore violently, faid Wilfon was impeached, and would be taken into cuftody in a few days. This induced him to go to London with them; but on his arrival he found that the ftory of the impeachment was falfe.

When in London they formed connections with other thieves, and committed feveral robberies,' for which fome of the gang were executed. They frequented a public-houfe at London-Wall, the master of which kept a livery ftable, so that they rode out at all hours, and robbed the stages, as they were coming into town. They took not only money, but portmanteaus, &c. and divided the booty with Carter, the mafter of the livery stable.

In this practice they continued a confiderable time, till they were apprehended for robbing the mail, which we fhall have occafion to mention in' the fequel.

GEORGE SIMPSON was a native of Putney in Surry. His father was a wine-merchant, but being reduced in circumstances, removed into Lincolnshire. Young Simpfon kept a public-house at Lincoln, and acted as a fheriff's officer; but quitting the country, he came to London, and was butler to Lord Caftlemain; after which he lived in feveral other creditable places.

He now became acquainted with Hawkins, in company with whom he stopped the carriage of Richard Weft, Efq. behind Buckingham houfe,

from

from whom they took a gold watch, and other valuable articles.

Soon after this he robbed the Portsmouth coach, in company with Wilfon, when one of the company fired at them. Thus they continued their depredations on the public, till one of their affociates, named Child, was executed at Aylefbury, and hung in chains, for robbing the mail. This incenfed them to fuch a degree, that they determined to revenge the fuppofed infult by committing a fimilar crime.

They mentioned their defign in the presence of Carter, the ftable keeper, who advised them to ftop the mail from Harwich; but this they declined, because the changing of the wind must render the time of its arrival uncertain. At length it was determined that they would rob the Bristol mail; and they fet out on an expedition for that purpose.

It appeared on the trial that the boy who carried the mail was overtaken at Slough, by a countryman, who travelled with him to LangleyBroom, where a perfon rode up to them and turned back again. When paffing through Colnbrook they faw the fame man again, with two others, who followed them at a small distance, and then pulling their wiggs over their foreheads, and holding handkerchiefs in their mouths, came up with them, and commanded the poft-boy and the countryman to come down a lane, where they ordered them to quit their horfes, and then Hawkins, Simpfon and Wilfon tied them back to back, and faftened them to a tree in a wet ditch, fo that they were obliged to ftand in the water. This being done, they took fuch papers as they liked out of the Bath and Briftol bags, and hid the reft in a hedge.

They

They now croffed the Thames, and riding a little way into Surry, put up their horfes at an inn in Bermondfey-street. It was now about fix in the morning, when they parted, and went different ways to a public-houfe in the Minories, where they propofed to divide their ill-gotten treasure.

The landlord being acquainted with the perfons, and knowing the profeffion of his guests, fhewed them a private room, and fupplied them with pen and ink. Having equally divided the bank notes, they threw the letters in the fire, and then went to their lodgings in Green-Arbour-Court in the OldBailey.

In

A few days after this tranfaction they were taken into cuftody, in the following manner. formation having been given at the Poft Office, that fufpicious people frequented the house of Carter, the ftable-keeper at London-Wall, fome perfons were fent thither to make the neceffary difcoveries. Wilfon happening to be there at the time, fufpected their bufinefs, on which he abruptly retired, flipped through fome bye allies, and got into the Moorgate coffee-house, which he had occafionally used for two years before, on account of its being frequented by reputable company, and therefore lefs liable to be fearched for fufpicious people.

He had not been long in the house before a quaker mentioned the search that was making in the neighbourhood, for the men who robbed the mail. This fhocked him fo that he inftantly paid his reckoning, and going out at the back door, went into Bedlam, where the melancholy fight of the objects around him, induced him to draw a comparison between their fituation and his own; VOL. I. No. 8. Oo

and he concluded that he was far more unhappy through the weight of his guilt, than thofe poor wretches whom it had pleafed God to deprive of the ufe of their intellects.

Having reflected that it would not be fafe for him to ftay longer in London, he refolved to go to Newcastle by fea, and he was confirmed in this refolution, on reflecting that a perfon who wished his fafety had informed him that he and his companions were the parties fufpected of having robbed the mail. This friend likewife advised him to go to the Poft-Office, furrender, and turn evidence; hinting that if he did not, it was probable Simpson would: as he had asked fome queftions which feemed to intimate fuch a defign.

Wilson neglected this advice; but held his refolution of going to Newcastle; and with that intention quitted Bedlam; but by Moorgate coffeehoufe he met the men he had feen at Carter's. They turned and followed him: yet, unperceived by them, he entered the coffee-houfe, while they went under the arch of the gate, and if he had returned by the door he entered, he would have again efcaped them; but going out of the foredoor of the houfe, they took him into cuftody, and conducted him to the Poft-office.

On his firft examination he refused to make any confeffion and on the following day, he feemed equally determined to conceal the truth, till two circumftances induced him to reveal it. In the first place the Poft Mafter General promifed that he fhould be admitted an evidence if he would difcover his accomplices; and one of the clerks calling him afide, fhewed him a letter, without any name to it, of which the following is

a copy:

"SIR,