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there is a tradition that the Roaring Girl； hearing that Fairfax himself
would pass by Hounslow； rode forth to meet him； and with her own voice
bade him stand and deliver。 One would like to believe it； yet it is scarce
credible。 If Fairfax had spent the balance of an ignominious career in
being plundered by a band of loyal brigands； he would not have had time
to justify the innumerable legends of pockets emptied and pistols levelled
at his head。 Moreover； Moll herself was laden with years； and she had
always preferred the council chamber to the battlefield。 But it is certain
that； with Captain Hind and Mull Sack to aid； she schemed many a clever
plot against the Roundheads； and nobly she played her part in avenging
the martyred King。
Thus she declined into old age； attended； like Queen Mary； by her
maids； who would card； reel； spin； and beguile her leisure with sweet
singing。 Though her spirit was untamed； the burden of her years
compelled her to a tranquil life。 She； who formerly never missed a bull…
baiting； must now content herself with tick…tack。 Her fortune； moreover；
had been wrecked in the Civil War。 Though silver shells still jingled in
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her pocket； time was she knew the rattle of the yellow boys。 But she
never lost courage； and died at last of a dropsy； in placid contentment with
her lot。 Assuredly she was born at a time well suited to her genius。 Had
she lived to…day； she might have been a ‘Pioneer'； she might even have
discussed some paltry problem of sex in a printed obscenity。
In her own freer； wiser age； she was not man's detractor； but his rival；
and if she never knew the passion of love； she was always loyal to the
obligation of friendship。 By her will she left twenty pounds to celebrate
the Second Charles's restoration to his kingdom； and you contemplate her
career with the single regret that she died a brief year before the red wine；
thus generously bestowed； bubbled at the fountain。
II JONATHAN WILD
WHEN Jonathan Wild and the Count La Ruse； in Fielding's narrative；
took a hand at cards； Jonathan picked his opponent's pocket； though he
knew it was empty； while the Count； from sheer force of habit； stacked the
cards； though Wild had not a farthing to lose。 And if in his uncultured
youth the great man stooped to prig with his own hand； he was early cured
of the weakness： so that Fielding's picture of the hero taking a bottle…screw
from the Ordinary's pocket in the very moment of death is entirely fanciful。
For ‘this Machiavel of Thieves；' as a contemporary styled him； left others
to accomplish what his ingenuity had planned。 His was the high policy
of theft。 If he lived on terms of familiar intimacy with the mill…kens； the
bridle…culls； the buttock…and…files of London； he was none the less the
friend and minister of justice。 He enjoyed the freedom of Newgate and
the Old Bailey。 He came and went as he liked： he packed juries； he
procured bail； he manufactured evidence； and there was scarce an assize or
a sessions passed but he slew his man。
The world knew him for a robber； yet could not refuse his brilliant
service。 At the Poultry Counter； you are told； he laid the foundations of
his future greatness； and to the Poultry Counter he was committed for
some trifling debt ere he had fully served his apprenticeship to the art and
mystery of buckle… making。 There he learned his craft； and at his
enlargement he was able forthwith to commence thief…catcher。 His plan
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was conceived with an effrontery that was nothing less than genius。 On
the one side he was the factor； or rather the tyrant； of the cross…coves： on
the other he was the trusted agent of justice； the benefactor of the outraged
and the plundered。 Among his earliest exploits was the recovery of the
Countess of Gdn's chair； impudently carried off when her ladyship had
but just alighted； and the courage wherewith he brought to justice the
murderers of one Mrs。 Knap； who had been slain for some trifling booty；
established his reputation as upon a rock。 He at once advertised himself
in the public prints as Thief…Catcher General of Great Britain and Ireland；
and proceeded to send to the gallows every scoundrel that dared dispute
his position。
His opportunities of gain were infinite。 Even if he did not organise
the robbery which his cunning was presently to discover； he had spies in
every hole and corner to set him on the felon's track。 Nor did he leave a
single enterprise to chance： ‘He divided the city and suburbs into wards
or divisions； and appointed the persons who were to attend each ward； and
kept them strictly to their duty。' If a subordinate dared to disobey or to
shrink from murder； Jonathan hanged him at the next assize； and happily
for him he had not a single confederate whose neck he might not put in the
halter when he chose。 Thus he preserved the union and the fidelity of his
gang； punishing by judicial murder the smallest insubordination； the
faintest suspicion of rivalry。 Even when he had shut his victim up in
Newgate； he did not leave him so long as there was a chance of blackmail。
He would make the most generous offers of evidence and defence to every
thief that had a stiver left him。 But whether or not he kept his bargain
that depended upon policy and inclination。 On one occasion； when he
had brought a friend to the Old Bailey； and relented at the last moment； he
kept the prosecutor drunk from the noble motive of self…interest； until the
case was over。 And so esteemed was he of the officers of the law that
even this interference did but procure a reprimand。
His meanest action marked him out from his fellows； but it was not
until he habitually pillaged the treasures he afterwards restored to their
grateful owners for a handsome consideration； that his art reached the
highest point of excellence。 The event was managed by him with
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amazing adroitness from beginning to end。
It was he who discovered the wealth and habit of the victim； it was he
who posted the thief and seized the plunder； giving a paltry commission to
his hirelings for the trouble； it was he who kept whatever valuables were
lost in the transaction； and as he was the servant of the Court； discovery or
inconvenience was impossible。 Surely the Machiavel of Thieves is
justified of his title。 He was known to all the rich and titled folk in town；
and if he was generally able to give them back their stolen valuables at
something more than double their value； he treated his clients with a most
proper insolence。 When Lady Mn was unlucky enough to lose a silver
buckle at Windsor； she asked Wild to recover it； and offered the hero
twenty pounds for his trouble。 ‘Zounds； Madam；' says he； ‘you offer
nothing。 It cost the gentleman who took it forty pounds for his coach；
equipage； and other expenses to Windsor。' His impudence increased with
success； and in the geniality of his cups he was wont to boast his amazing
rogueries： ‘hinting not without vanity at the poor Understandings of the
Greatest Part of Mankind； and his own Superior Cunning。'
In fifteen years he claimed 10；000 for his dividend of recovered
plunderings； and who shall estimate the moneys which flowed to his
treasury from blackmail and the robberies of his gang？ So brisk became
his trade in jewels and the precious metals that he opened relations with
Holland； and was master of a fleet。 His splendour increased with wealth：
he carried a silver… mounted sword； and a footman tramped at his heels。
‘His table was very splendid；' says a biographer： ‘he seldom dining under
five Dishes； the Reversions whereof were generally charitably bestow'd on
the Commonside felons。' At his second marriage with Mrs。 Mary Dn；
the hempen widow of Scull Dn； his humour was most happily expressed：
he distributed white ribbons among the turnkeys； he gave the Ordinary
gloves and favours； he sent the prisoners of Newgate several ankers of
brandy for punch。 ‘Twas a fitting complaisance； since his fortune was
drawn from Newgate； and since he was destined himself； a few years later；
to drink punch‘a liquor nowhere spoken against in the Scriptures'with
the same Ordinary whom he thus magnificently decorated。 Endowed
with considerable courage； for a while he had the prudence to save his skin；
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and despite his bravado he was known on occasion to yield a plundered
treasure to an accomplice who set a pistol to his head。 But it is certain
that the accomplice died at Tyburn for his pains； and on equal