of life, he never could get higher, till his mistress, a Lady at Putney, procured him a subscription of 50%. as it was pretended, to equip him out for the Weft-Indies. With this money James clothed and equipped himself in a very gay manner, and applied himfelf fo effectually to the affections of Mr. Maclogen's daughter, at the Golden-fleece in Oxford-road, a confiderable dealer in horfes, that he gained her in marriage, and a handsome fortune. Being made eafy with his wife's fortune, he took a house in Welbeck-ftreet near Cavendifb-fquare, and kept a Grocer and a Chandler's fhop for about three years; in which time he had two daughters born: one is yet alive. But, being #oo much addicted to gaiety, and his wife dying, he left off trade; turned his children upon his mother-in-law; and, with near three hundred pounds, still in hand, he purfued all forts of pleasures in the moft extravagant tafte, efpecially at public entertainments: took an elegant apartment in Deanfreet, Sobo; frequented coffee-houfes, with cloaths half-trimmed: and was often seen abroad in a chaise and pair, and on horfe-back: which alarmed the neighbourhood, who knew his i finances to be much deficient for fo great profufenefs; and they watched his motions fo narrowly, that he thought it convenient to move his lodgings to Down-fireet, near Hyde-park corner. Where imagining himfelf to be entirely concealed, he enriched his drefs, fafhed away, and affumed the ftile of an Irish Gentleman of 700l. per ann. And by that means, and a good affurance, mixed with the gay part of life, at all public diverfions, and contract ed acquaintance with fome women of family and reputation. And happy had it been for him, could he have fatisfied himself in the purfuit of a fortune, which he was very near carrying off, by confent, under this appearance of a Gentleman: but his vicious inclinations led him at the fame gime into great fcenes of debauchery, where he himself became the tool of fome of the finest kept women of the town. So that he very foon came to the bottom of his flender fortune, and became an eafy prey to the advice of his intimate acquaintance, and future accomplice, Plunket; who taking the advantage of Maclaine's defperate circumftances, which now, at the profpect of his exhausted substance, threw him into a great dejection of counte nance; and being himself equally ne ceffitous, perfuaded him to venture his neck to fupply his purse, by robbing on the highway, and promifed to accompany him in that way of life. The firft conception of the confequences, should he be taken in fuch a course of life, shocked Maclaine; but his pride, indolence, and prefent neceffity, prompted him forward, and forced him to yield to the temptation : from that time (about 8 months after his wife's death) he entered into that vile affociation with Plunket, who agreed to run all rifques together, and prefent or abfent at any enterprife, to fhare all profits. The fatal contract thus made, they confulted in what manner they might carry on their wicked intentions with the greater fafety to their perfons. And in order to prevent a difcovery, they kept horfes at Hydepark-corner, which they frequently took out, under pretence of taking the air in Hyde-park, till an expedition was defigned; and they put them up at another place at other times, as if on a journey, to prevent fufpicion.-As to their perfons, Plunket chofe to live quite retired; and till he found himself fufpected by his hoft, lodged at a Shoemaker's in Round-court, in the Strand, and afterwards in Bab-mafe-meufe in Jermynfireet, St. James's, incog. But Marlaine, as a gay life was his inclination, took a firft floor at a tradefman's house in St. James's-fireet; where he ap. peared in a very grand manner, dref fed, in the morning, in his crimsondamask banjan, a filk-fhag waiftcoat trimmed with lace, black velvet breeches, white filk ftockings, and yellow yellow Morocco flippers; and, in the day, with fome of the finest fuits of velvet and cloth richly trimmed; by which, as obferved before, he gained too easy access to perfons of fortune; but had the inconfiderate mortification to find himself always flighted by people of fenfe and difcernment; whofe education enables them to discover, in the most dazzling 'drefs, affurance and infolence from good-breeding. Yet, though this difguife, in a great meafure, concealed his roguery, procured him fome friends, and gained him admittance into many parties of pleasure, his mind was distracted; his confcience continually upbraided him; and that fober and good education, infilled by his father, would frequently condemn him. He confeffed to Dr. Allen, that from the time he had taken to the Highway, he had never enjoyed a calm and easy moment: That, when he was among the Ladies and Gentlemen, they could obferve his uneafinefs, and did often afk him, Why he feemed fo dull? And his friends ufed to tell him, that they were afraid his affairs were under fome embaraffment. That though he could boaft of as much natural courage as any man; yet in, every scheme of villainy his confcience made him a coward, and made him put his affociate Plunket always on the moft hazardous poft. And when that fame Divine asked him, If it was true, that he had fquandered away, at a Mafquerade and with gaming, the fum which his friends had fupplied him with to try his fortune in an honeft way at Jamaica? He explicitly confeffed the truth of that accufation; and added, That was the beginning of his forrows that he went to three Masquerades and that he gamed with hopes of bettering his fortune: but that he had never been guilty of murder; though he had committed many robberies in company with Plunket, his only accomplice. The firft robbery committed by thefe two in partnership was, according to the beft information, on HounslowHeath; where they took fixty pounds and upwards from a Grazier returning from Smithfield market. In which enterprize, he did no more than look on, without fpeaking a word, or drawing his piftol; and, as he confeffed, was inwardly in greater agony than the man that was robbed. Their next attempt was in the North-road on a coach from St. Alban's, which he was by agreement to ftop. But, though he rode frequently up with intention to give the word, his heart failed him, and, at laft, Plunket, fearing they fhould lose the booty, did it himfelf; and it was with fome faultering, that Maclainė demanded their money, after the coach was stopped. For which Plunket ral. lied him feverely afterwards with an imputation of cowardice; which, with the means of fupplying his defire of money, coming in fo plentifully, with feeming fecurity, fpirited him up fo much, that he alone was refolute enough to rob a Gentleman on horfeback of his watch and money in Hydepark; and confeffed himself to be the acting man in the robbery of the Hon. Horatio Walpole: in which attempt his piftol went off accidentally. In this manner he, for a confiderable time, fupplied all the extravagancies of his vicious inclinations; and renewed his talent of fortune hunting, with fo much art, that he had worked himfelf into the affections of a Gentlewoman of fortune, and had certainly, gained her perfon in marriage, had not a Gentleman providentially faved her from that ruin by a timely information of her fuitors real character. Thefe repulfes, which he often met with, obliged him frequently to leave his lodgings: but this difappointment chagrined him fo much, that he had the confidence to fend the good Gentleman above-mentioned a challenge: and, upon his refufal to accept of it from one that was no Gentleman, he had the impudence to fhake his whip over his head, and to tax him with cowardice, as he met him accidentally in St. James's Park. At lafi juftice overtook him in a manner he leaft expected. He and his accom plice Plunket, about two a clock in the morning, of the 26th of June last, waited with Venetian masks on, at the place the horses usually ftale, near Turnham-green, topt the Salisbury flying-stage-coach; in which were five men and a woman. Plunket obliged all the men to come out one by one; and, being affured by the firft of them, that they would make no refiftance, he, at his requeft, uncocked, and put his piftol into his pocket; rifled the Gentlemen; and fo proceeded with them all, one after another; and then placing them all in a row, he took what the Lady in the coach pleased to give. him, without putting her into more fear. Then demanding the clokebags out of the boot of the coach, the coachman firft handed out Mr. Higden's, and then one belonging to a Romih Prieft, who was also a paffenger, and expoftulated with Plunket on the ungenteel treatment of taking a man's apparel from him, telling him, that he would not leave him a shirt to fhift him. To whom Plunket replied, that he was very glad to hear there was fuch a good fupply of body-linnen, of which they were in great want: that it was neceffity which forced them upon fuch hazardous enterprizes; that they did not rob through wantonnefs, as the great ones did, who fcrupled not to rob them of millions, for the fupport of luxury and corruption: but that they were driven to it for their immediate fubfiftance. So without more ceremony, Maclaine took one, and Plunket the other clokebag before them, and rode off with them without further molestation, to depofit them conveniently till they went in queft of Lord Eglington, who they were informed was to cross Hounslow-Heath that morning with a confiderable fum of money in a poft-chaife. They came up with his Lordship pretty early, but obferved him to be armed with a blunderbufs in the chaife; therefore it was refolved, that one of them should ride up and fcreen himself before the poftilion, as he ftopt the chaife, fo that his Lordship could not difchare the blunderbufs at him without killing His fervant; and at the fame inftant the other should take the advantage of the fervants being half a mile behind, and come clofe up behind his Lordship, and fwear, if he did not throw the blunderbufs out of the chaife, he would blow his brains out through his face. By which contrivance his Lordship was constrained to comply, and fuffer himfelf to be robbed; and they carried off a confiderable booty in money, and his portmanteau alfo. But this proved to be the last. For, having divided this morning's fpoil at Maclain's lodgings, James was fo infatuated, that, though the cloaths were advertised and delcribed in the public papers, he in perton offered the lace ftripped off Mr. Higden's waistcoat to the laceman, of whom it had been lately bought; and he having heard of the robbery, and immediately recollecting the pattern, acquainted Mr. Higden with his fufpicion; and promifed if the party came a fecond time he would buy it, and order him to be dogged to his lodgings; for at first they could not agree in the price. Maclaine, who had frequently bought lace for his own ufe at the faid fhop, and not meeting with a better chap, did return and, fold it to Mr. Higden; who, as promised, fent a perfon after him to find out his lodging; but, whether he was apprehenfive of it or not, in going through fome court in the Strand, he whipt into a houfe, and gave the fpy the flip; and probably might have efcaped for the present, had he not as imprudently ordered a falesman in Monmouthftreet to come to his lodgings to purchase the cloaths. Who, hav ing bought them for 4 1. 10 s. and fhewn them to a friend at home, found they answered the defcription of Mr. Higden's. And Mr. Higden, being informed thereof, applied to Juftice Lediard,for a warrant to feizę, him,at which time and place alfo the taylor, who had made the waistcoat and trimmed it, being ready to fwear, that if the lace produced before him was Mr. Higden's property, the piece fewed on the the left fleeve was longer an inch than that fewed on the right, owing to a mistake in the taylor's foreman, who had carelefly cut that piece of lace too long; the Juftice ordered it to be meafured, found it to answer the defcription, and granted a warrant to apprehend him, and to fearch Maclaine's lodgings. On Friday, the 27th of July, theConftable, Patt Henley the turnkey of the Gatchoufe, and proper affiftance, being directed to his lodgings by the falefman, finding him dreifing, thought it the fafeft way to let him come out, and to feize him in the street: and accordingly, as he walked along Rider-fireet towards Bury-freet, two came behind him, and feized hold of his arms, and a third drew his fword from his fide, and walked before him to St. James's fireet, put him into a coach, and conveyed him to Juftice Lediard's, who committed him for examination to the Gate-boufe, there being no body that could fwear pofitively to his perfon, and he perfifting in his own innocence. However, Patt Henley faid I muft put your ruffles on; and fo he did, tho' the prifoner begged hard to be excufed the hand-cuffs. But when he was informed that his lodgings had been fearched, and feveral remarkable things had been found in his cuftody to ftrengthen the former evidence, he next day defired to fpeak with the Juftice, and told him, he was defirous to make a confeffion; and, tho' that humane Magiftrate inform ed him, that a confeffion could do him no fervice, as he had no other accomplice than Plunket, who alfo was abfconded, Maclaine, who was brought under a guard of mufqueteers, confeffed feveral robberies, as well as that for which he was in cuftody, in so abject a manner, that he drew tears from many of the fpectators, who made him confiderable prefents alfo upon his declaration that he was in diftrefs for money. This confeffion fixing the crime for which he was apprehended upon him, he was brought to his trial at the Old Bailey; and though he very artfully endeavoured then to plead his innocence, as we have related on page 140, the Jury, without going out of Court, found him guilty. When Maclaine found himself convicted, he seems to have seriously and immediately fet about making his peace with God, to avert the divine Juftice, which his education had taught him was more to be feared. For, the very next day he sent for the reverend Dr. Allen, a diffenting Clergyman, requefting his affiftance, as a Minister of the gospel, in his own preparation for death. Who gives us the following account of his penitent behaviour during the fhort time he had to live. The Doctor very judiciously queftioned him concerning his faith, rightly judging, That, if he had with his bad way of life entered alfo into the lift of Free-thinkers, and taken shelter in Infidelity to lull his confcience, he muft firft inform his judgment, and remove his prejudices. To which he answered, That, tho' the most of those with whom he had lately converfed, did ridicule all revealed religion; yet its truths were fo deeply rooted in his mind by means of a fober and good education, that he was never able to entertain the leaft fufpicion of them; no, not when purfuing courfes of the moft flagitious wickedness, when it would have been his interest to disbelieve them. know the fcriptures. In the height of my wickedness my confcience always reproached me, and made me uneafy. I have, it is true, but little time to live, and cannot fhew the fincerity of my repentance by many inftances of the fruits of it; but, if I know any thing of my own heart, I can truly fay, That I don't fear death: I That the fhame and violence of it don't give me a moment's uneafinefs. It is fit I fhould be made an example. And, if I have any defire of living, it does not arife from any confideration fo much, as that it would give me an opportunity of making good thofe holy refolutions which Ĭ have made.-What is life to me when I have loft my good name and character? Shunned and avoided by the virtuous and fober part of mankind ? Being told by the faid reverend friend, That his evafive defence (page 140.) at his trial created great fufpicion of the fincerity of his repentance: He confeffed its fallacioufnefs; and faid, what he had done on that occafion was by the advice of a Lawyer. -That no body was deceived.-That he thought it a juft defence in law; and befides, had this plea availed for the faving of his life, the difgrace an ignominious death would bring on his family would have been prevented, and he had determined by the help of God, to spend his life in fhewing the fincerity of his repentance, and the holy refolutions he had taken up. He would often fay with his eyes fixed upwards: - O God, thou knoweft the contrition of my heart; I hate and loath my fins; and I will not de spair of thy mercy. I caft myself on thy mercy, O my God, through the merits and interceffion of my bleffed Saviour: and in thee will I trust. He faid alfo, That if those in power thought it neceflary to make an example of him, in order to deter others, he acquiefced; and begged of God, that fuch wicked men as he had been might take warning by his example. And he intreated that Divine, when he was gone,to prefs his fad example as a warning to young men to fhun the courfes that had ruined him; concluding with great earneftnefs, Glad I should be, if, as my life has been vile, my death might be useful. And he continued and died in this happy temper of mind, going through that awful fcene of his execution, with a manly firmness, joined with all the appearances of true devotion; which happened on the third. day of October, 1750, in the 26th year of his age. An ACCOUNT of the LIFE of William Smith, who was executed at Tyburn, on the third of October, 1750, for Forgery. ally permitted every rural recreation,till he grew too old to fubmit to the con.. troul of a fuperior. However this way. of life does not seem to have contributed fo much to the young man's deftruction as what follows. When he was about 22 years old, he contracted an intimate acquaintance with one, who foon after married his fifter; and, having injured his own fortune by law-fuits, was obliged to leave his abode, and lived upon this youth's money till it was exhausted alfo; and then fled to England, and fhipped himself in the fquadron, called The Royal Family Privateers, leaving his brother Smith only a bond for his debt, which was never discharged. By these means Smith was reduced to a very neceffitous condition; he hafted to Dublin to feek for bread, his mother denying any further affiftance, least she fhould utterly impoverish herself. And Z z his |