be let at Coventry; but, while he was giving directions for the pating up of a new sign, he was observed by a timber merchant, named Smith, to whom he owed fifty-five pounds.

Mr. Smith rode forward to an other inn, where he learnt that Roberts had taken the house where he had seen him; and, on his return to London, he sent a commission to an attorney to arrest him for the sum above mentioned. Roberts found means to compromise this affair; but his other creditors learn. ing whither he had retired, it soon became necessary for him to conceal himself.

Thinking it would be unsafe to remain long in Coventry, he commissioned Mrs. Bristow to purchase all such goods as she could get on credit, and send them to the inn, with a view to carry them off to some place where they were not known.

After some articles had been obtained in this manner Roberts was necessitated to make a precipitate retreat, owing to the following circomstance:-Ao attorney and bailiff, having procured a search-warrant, employed some dragoons who were quartered in the town to search Roberts's house, on pretence of find. ing stolen goods: but the dragoons were no sooner entered than they were followed by the bailiffs, on which Roberts dropped from the window of a room where he had concealed himself, and escaped through the garden of his next neighbour.

As it now became necessary that he should retire from Coventry, he left Mrs. Bristow, and came to London, desiring that she would send the goods she had obtained by a waggon, directed to him in a supposititious name.

Pursuant to his instructions, she loaded a waggon with these ill

gotten effects; but some of the cre ditors, having obtained intelligence of what was intended, attached the goods.

Hereupon Mrs. Bristow wrote word to Roberts, giving a short account of what had happened; on which be sent one Carter to obtain full information respecting the af. fair; bet Carter staying much longer than he was expected to do, Roberts set out for Coventry, not. withstanding the risk to which he knew be exposed himself by appearing in that place.

On his arrival he found the house stripped of every thing but a small quantity of beer, with some benches and chairs; and observed that Mrs. Bristow and Carter were in a high degree of intimacy. However, he did not stay long to examine into the state of affairs; for the woman told him it would be prudent for him to conceal himself in some retired place till she came to him.

Pursuant to this advice he waited at the extremity of the town more than three hours, when the other parties came to him, and advised him to retire to London with all possible expedition; but did not give him money to defray his expenses. He was greatly incensed at this behaviour; not, however, expressing his resentment, as he was fearful of being arrested if he should provoke the other parties.

He was soon followed by Mrs. Bristow and Carter; but, as they brought no more money with them than about fifteen pounds, he was exceedingly mortified: however, as he was still in possession of the lease of the house, he knew he could not be legally deprived of it while he duly paid the land-tax and ground-rent.

Roberts now moved the Court of King's Bench for a rule against his creditors, to show cause why

they had attached his goods; and the Court recommending to each party to settle the matter by arbitration, it was awarded that Ro. berts should receive one hundred and thirty pounds, and give his creditors a bill of sale for the lease and effects; but Roberts not having paid for the fixtures, the owner of them instituted a suit for recovery; and on the day the other creditors took possession of the house an execution was returned from the Court of Common Pleas.

Another suit arose from this circumstance; but, a writ of inquiry being directed to the sheriff of Coventry, a verdict was found for the creditors under the award, because that order had been made prior to the execution.'

While these matters were pending, Roberts, being distressed for cash, borrowed five pounds, for the payment of which Carter was security; but the debt not being paid when due, Carter was arrested for the money, while Roberts secreted himself in a lodging at Hoxton, where he received the one hundred and thirty pounds decreed to him by the award above mentioned.

Carter soon finding Roberts's place of retreat, a quarrel arose between them; but at length the former asked Roberts to lend him twenty pounds, saying he could acquire a fortune by the possession of such a sum; and that he would repay the money at twenty shillings a month, and give a good premium for the use of it.

Roberts asking how this money was to be employed to such advantage, the other said it was to purchase a liquid which would dissolve gold; whereupon the former said he would not lend him the money; in revenge for which Carter caused him to be arrested for the five pounds above mentioned.

Roberts now took refuge within the rules of the King's Bench, while Carter, who had found means to raise money for his purpose, took to the practice of diminishing the coin, in which he was so successful that he soon abounded in cash on this the other became very anxious to know the secret, which Carter refused to discover, saying he had been ill treated in their former transactions.

Carter's method of diminishing the coin was by a chymical preparation; and Roberts imagined he had learned how to do it, for which purpose he purchased a crucible; but his experiment failed in the first attempt. Hereupon he again sought for Carter, whom he found in company with some other diminishers of the coin, and offered him money to give him the necessary instructions.

Carter took the money, and desired Roberts to wait till he fetched some tools; but, in fact, he went for two sheriff's officers to arrest him. The transaction had passed in a public house, and Roberts, seeing the bailiffs crossing the street, made his escape by a back window ; but, in his hurry, went off with Carter's hat instead of his own.

Having thus escaped from immediate danger, he became apprehensive that Carter might be base enough to indict him for felony; on which he returned the hat, with a letter, earnestly entreating a reconciliation. Carter went to him, and told him that, for twenty guineas, he would teach him his art; but Roberts offering a much inferior price, no agreement took place.

Roberts now again took refuge within the rules of the King's Bench; and, having failed to obtain the desired secret, determined on a practice equally dishonest and

dangerous, which was that of filing of gold.

Mrs. Bristow still cohabited with him; and, when he had filed off as much dust as was worth ten pounds, he put it into a tobacco-box, under his bed, which she stole, and sold the contents; but after this he obtained a considerable sum of money by employing a person, at half a crown a day, to sell the filings.

After some time, not agreeing with the person whom he had thus employed, he determined to act for himself, and, having sold a quantity of dust to a refiner, he went to a public house near Hicks's Hall, kept by a Mr. Rogers, whom he asked to give him a bank-note for some gold. Rogers, on feeling the guineas, found that some of the dust stuck to his fingers; on which he said, What have we got here? The fellow who filed these guineas ought to be hanged for doing his business in so clumsy a manner.' Without saying more, he stepped out and procured a constable, who took Roberts into custody, but at length, after detaining him six hours, discharged him on his own authority.

Roberts was no sooner at liberty than he prosecuted the publican and constable in the Court of King's Bench for false imprisonment; but he failed in this suit, and an evidence whom he had subpoenaed in his behalf was committed on a charge of perjury, while the publican was bound to prosecute Roberts, who, taking out a writ of error, to prolong time, lodged privately at the Three Hats, a public house at Islington.

While he was in this retreat, and forming a design to go to Lisbon, Mrs. Bristow brought him a newspaper, in which his person was deribed; whereupon they went to

to Chatham, where they saw

another advertisement, offering a reward for apprehending them both. On this Roberts offered the captain of a ship five guineas to carry them to Dunkirk; but this was refused, on account of the boisterousness of the weather.

Thus disappointed, they repaired to Ramsgate, where they met Mrs. Bristow's brother, who was like. wise included in the advertisement, and they all went on board a vessel bound for Calais; but, quarrelling among themselves, the captain gave orders that they should be landed at Dover. Provoked by this, Roberts threw the captain into the sea, and, if the boat had not been sent to take him up, he must infallibly have been drowned.

The captain was no sooner on board than Roberts took the helm, and steered the vessel to her port; but, on their landing, Mrs. Bristow's brother making the Customhouse officers acquainted with Roberts's character, his boxes were searched, and the implements for filing money found; but he escaped to Dunkirk while they were making the search.

Hence Roberts went to Ostend, and, sending for Mrs. Bristow to that place, they embarked again for England, and took lodgings in Fountain Court, in the Strand, which they quitted after a residence of six weeks.

Roberts could not detach himself from the idea of procuring a subsistence by filing money; and in pursuit of this illicit practice he took a house at Bath, where he used to work at his occupation during the night.

Going to a chymist's shop one morning to purchase a liquid, he saw a gentleman who knew him ; on which he went home forth with, and told Mrs. Bristow that he was apprehensive of being taken into

custody. His presages were just, for some officers came to his house almost immediately, and conveyed him before a justice of peace, who committed him to prison, and sent notice to London of his being in custody.

During his confinement at Bath he was supplied with instruments for filing off his irons; but discovery of this affair being made, he was kept

in the strictest confinement till he was transmitted to London.

Being brought to trial at the Old Bailey, he was convicted on the fullest evidence, and received sentence of death. On the night before his execution, which took place at Tyburn, April 3, 1739, he acknowledged to the keeper of Newgate that he had murdered his first wife during her lying-in.

of the crew objecting to putting in there, they agreed to go to Minorca. When they came opposite Cape Cona, on the coast of Barbary, the weather became so foul that they were compelled to lie-to for several days, after which they determined to sail for Foviniano, an island under the dominion of Spain.

Arriving at this place, they sent on shore for water and fresh provisions; but as they had come from Turkey, and could not produce letters of health, it was not possible for them to procure what they wanted.

It had been a practice with the pirates to keep watch alternately, in company with some boys who were on board; but during the night, while they lay at anchor off this place, two of the men destined to watch fell asleep on which two of the boys hauled up a boat and went ashore, where they informed the governor of what had passed on board.

One of the parties who should have watched being awaked, he ran and called Richardson, whom he informed that the boys were gone; on which Richardson said it was time for them to be gone likewise; they therefore hauled up the long-boat without loss of time, and, putting on board her such things as would be immediately necessary, set sail, in the hope of making their escape.

In the interim the governor sent down a party of soldiers to take care of the ship, and prevent the escape of the pirates; but, it being quite dark, they could not discern the vessel, though she lay very near the shore: but, when they heard the motion of the oars, they fired at the pirates, who all escaped unwounded.

Steering towards Tunis, they stopped at a small island called Maritime, where they diverted them

selves with killing rabbits: for, though the place is apparently little more than a barren rock, yet it so abounds with these animals that a man may easily kill a thousand in a day.

Leaving this place, they stopped twelve miles short of Tunis, where Richardson was apprehended, and carried before the governor, who asking whence he came, he told him he was master of a vessel, which having been lost off the coast of Sardinia, he was necessitated to take to his long-boat, and had been driven thither by distress of weather.

This story being credited, the governor seemed concerned for the fate of him and his companions, and recommended them to the house of an Italian, where they might be accommodated; sending, in the mean time, to the English consul, to inform him that his countrymen were in distress.

When they had been about a fortnight at this place Richardson sold the long-boat, and, having divided the produce among his companions, he went to Tunis to be examined by the English consul, to whom he told the same story that he had previously told the governor: on which the consul ordered him to make a formal protest thereof, for the benefit of the owners and their own security.

Hereupon the consul supplied him with money, which he shared with his companions. Coyle kept himself continually drunk with the money he had received, and, during his intoxication, spoke so freely of their transactions, that he was taken into custody by order of the consul, and sent to England; and Richardson would have also been apprehended, but, being upon his guard, and learning what had happened to his companion, he embarked on