LIFE AND ADVENTURES 
 
 OF 
 
 RICHARD TORPIN, 
 
 A MOST 
 
 NOTORIOUS HIGHWAYMAN, 
 
 COMPRISING 
 
 Jl particular account of all his Robberies, hh Ride to 
 York, and hi* Trial and Execution for Horse- stealing, 
 
 April 7th, 1739. 
 
 (Illustrated with Coloured Plates.) 
 
 Tnr pin putting the old Woman. <m the Fire, to make her confess wh 
 
 the had hid her money. 
 
 i ere 
 
 LONDON : 
 Printed by W. 8. FORTEY, Monmouth Court, Bioomsbury, W.C. 
 
 mm 
 
BUUHMi tt naii i tw Mi fj i 
 
. THE LIFE AND ADVENTURED 
 
 OF 
 
 RICHARD TURPIff. 
 
 A MOST 
 
 NOTORIOUS HIGHWAYMAN, 
 
 COMPRISING 
 
 A Particular account of all his Robberies, His Ride to York, and his Trial 
 and Execution for Horse- stealing, April 7th, 1739. 
 
 Turpin Putting the old Woman on the Fire, to make n.cr Con/t&s where 
 
 She had hid her Money. 
 
 RICHAIID TURPIN was born at Hampstead, in Essex, where his fatht r 
 kept the sign of the Bell ; and after beiti*: the usual time at school, lis was 
 bound apprentice to a butcher in Whitechapel, but did not serve out hfe time, 
 for his master discharged him for impropriety of conduct, which was not in the 
 least diminished by his parents' indulgence in supplying him with money, winch 
 enabled him to cut a figure round the town, among the blades of the road ^nd 
 the turf, whose company kr usually kept 
 
 His friends, thinking that marriage would reclaim him, persuaded him to marry, 
 which he did with one Hester Palmer, of East- Ham, in Essex, but he had not 
 long been married before he became acquainted with a gang of thieves whose 
 depredations terrified the whole county of Essex, and the neighbourhood of 
 London. He joined sheep-stealing to foot-pad robbery ; and was at last obliged 
 to fly from his place of residence for stealing b young heifer, which he killed, 
 and cut up for sale. 
 
J THE LIFE OF RICHARD TURPIN. 
 
 8#on after, he itole two oxen from one Farmer Giles, of Plaistow, and drove 
 them to a butcher'* slaughtering-house, near Waltham Abbey. 
 
 He was followed there, but made his escape out of the window of the house 
 where he was, just as they were entering the door. 
 
 He now retreated into the Hundreds of Essex, where he found greater security : 
 he adopted a new scheme j and that was to rob the smugglers but he took cue 
 not to attack a gang, only solitary travellers, this he did with a colour of jus- 
 tice, for he pretended to have a deputation from the Customs, and demanded 
 their property in the king's name. 
 
 He again joined the gang with whom he had before connected himself, the 
 principal part of whose depradations were committed upon Epping Forest, &c. 
 
 But this soon becoming an 'object of magisterial enquiry, he again returned 
 to the solitude of the country, with some more of the gang, and they became 
 notorious deer-stealers, and Turpin being a good shot, sent many a buck tip to 
 his connections in London. 
 
 They next determined to commence house-breakers; and in this they were 
 much encouraged by joining with Gregory's gang, as it was then called, a com- 
 pany of desperadoes that mude the Essex and adjacent roads very dangerous to 
 travel. 
 
 They robbed the house of Mr. Strype, an old man, who kept i chandler's 
 shop at Watford, where they got a good booty. 
 
 In one night this gang robbed Chingford and Barking churches of all the move- 
 ables left in the vestries, but the plate of both places being placed in the re- 
 spective churchwardens' possession, they got but an indifferent booty. Turpin 
 eluded, with some of his companions, the search that was made after them ; but 
 three were taken, one of whom turning evidence, the other two were transported. 
 
 Two months after this, he had the audacity to venture as far as Suson, in Esse> , 
 whither his wife had retired, and here he lived unnoticed six months; but being 
 discovered, he made a quiet retreat, and nothing mor« was heard of him till 
 the robbery of Farmu Lawience, wwen he joined with others, called the Essc-x 
 gang, the principal of whom were Ned Rust, George Gregory, Fielder, Rose, 
 and Wheeler. 
 
 Somehow or other, Turpin became acquainted with the circumstances of an 
 old woman, that lived at Loughton, that kept a great quantity of cash by her; 
 whereupon they agreed to rob her ; and when they came to the door, Wheeler 
 knocked, and Turpin and the rest forcing their way into the house, blind-folded 
 the eyes of the old woman and her maid, and tied the legs of her son to the 
 bedstead, but not finding the wished-for booty, they held a consultation, as they 
 were certain she must have a considerable sum concealed,, Turpin told her that 
 he knew she had money, and it was in vain to d-eny it, for have it they would. 
 The okl lady persisted she had none, but Turpin insisting she had money, he 
 swore he would put her on the fire. She continued obstinate and endured for 
 tome tfrne, when they took her off the grate, and robbed her of all they could 
 And, upwards of four hundred pounds. 
 
 Early in 1730, they robbed a farmer near Barking, where the people not 
 eoming to the door woon, they broke it open. They then gagged,tied, and blind- 
 folded all they could find in the place, and robbed the house of about 700/., 
 winch pleased Turpin so much, that he exclaimed, " Aye, this is the thing, 
 that's voursort for the rag, if it would but last !" And they safely retired with 
 their prize* The keeper of Epping Forest was fixed upon to feel the effects of 
 
THE LIFE OF RICHARD TURPIN. 
 
 their resentment for his vigilance in disturbing their poaching. But Turpin wai 
 not concerned in this affair, for, being in London, he forgot his appointment 
 
 Turpin 's absence was a very unfortunate circumstance to the keeper's family, 
 for they proceeded to greater lengths in their mischief than he would have per- 
 mitted, as he was always satisfied with the plunder, without cruelty. In the gene- 
 ral wreck, a China punch-bowl was broke, and out of it dropped 122 guineas, 
 which they picked up and retired with. 
 
 They then took the road to London, and coming through Whitechapel, they 
 met Turpin, with whom they went to the Bun-house, in the Rope-fields, where 
 they shared their booty with him, which proves the old adage, " There is honour 
 among thieves." 
 
 Their next robbery of note was about seven or eight o'clock n the evening. 
 Rust, Turpin, Fielder, Walker, and three others came to the house of Mr. Saun- 
 ders, a wealthy farmer, in Kent, and knocking at the door, which being opened, 
 they all lushed in, went to the parlour, where Mr. Saunders, his wife, and *oin« 
 uu-nds, were at cards; but desired them not to be frightened. The first thing 
 they Laid hands op was a silver snuff-box, and then *ecurea the company, obliged 
 Mr. Saunders to open his closets, boxes, &c, from whence they took upwards 
 oi 100/., and all the plate in the house, finding some wine and eatables they en- 
 joyed themselves, and got away safely. 
 
 They next proceeded into Surry, where Turpin and his company robbed Mr. 
 Sheldon's house, near Croydon Church, where they arrived about seven o'clock 
 in the evening:. They secured the coach-man in the stable. His master hear- 
 ing some strange voices in the yard, was proceeding to know the cause, when 
 he was met by Turpin, who seizing hold of him, compelled him to show them the 
 way into the house, when he secured the door, and confined the rest of the 
 family in one room, here they found but little plate, and no cash. From Mr. 
 Sheldon's person they took eleven guineas, two of which Turpin returned him, 
 begged pardon for what they had done, and wished him a good night. 
 
 These robberies had hitherto been carried on entirely on loot, witli only the 
 occasional assistance of a hackney coach, but now they aspired to appear on 
 horse-back, for which purpose they now hired horses at the Old Leaping Bar in 
 Holborn, from whence they set out about two o'clock in the afternoon, and ar- 
 rived at the Queen's Head, Stanmore, where they staid to regale themselves. 
 It was by this means that Wood, the master of the house, had so good an op- 
 portunity of observing the horses, as to remember the same again when he saw 
 them afterwards in Bloomsbury, where they were taken. About five they wem 
 from Mr. Woods to Stanmore and staid from six until seven and ihei. went to- 
 gether for Mr. Lawrence's, about a mile from thence, where they ft ot about half- 
 past seven. On their arrival at Mr. Lawrence's, they alighted from their hordes 
 at the gate; whereupon Fielder knocked at the door, and calling out Mr. Law- 
 rence. The man-servant thinking it to be some of the neighbours, opened the 
 door, upon which they all rushed in with pistols, and seizing Mr. Lawrence and 
 his man, threw a cloth oyer their faces, they then fell to rifling his pockets, out 
 of which they took one guinea, and^bout fifteen shillings in silver, with his keys. 
 They said that they must have more, and drove Mr. Lawrence up stairs, where, 
 coming to a closet, they brok* open the door, and took out from thence two 
 guineas, tea shillings, a silver cup, 13 silverspoons, and two gold rings. They 
 then rifled the house of all they could get, linen, table-clotbs, shirts, and the 
 sli««U tirota 9ft the beds ; and trod the beck under feet /o dupxwer if any money 
 
THE LIFE OF RICHARD TURPIN. 
 
 Turpin and Fielder s Cruelty to Mr. Lawrance, to make Him discover 
 
 his Money. 
 
 was concealed therein. Suspecting there was more money in the house, they 
 then brought Mr. Lawrance down again, and threatened to cut his throat; and 
 Fielder put a knife to it, as if he intended to do it ; to make him confess what 
 money was in the house. One of them took a chopping bill and threaten'd to 
 cut off his leg: they then broke his head with their pistols, and dragged him about 
 by the hair of his head. Another of them took the kettle of water off the fire, 
 and ftiirtg it upon him : but it did no other harm than wetting him, because the 
 maid had just before taken out the greatest part of the boiling water, and filled 
 it again, with cold. After this they dragged him about again, swearing they 
 would "do for him'' if he did not immediately inform them where the rest of 
 his monej was hid. They then proceeded to make a farther search ; and in 
 one of the rooms, they found a chest which belonged to Mr. Lawrence's son, of 
 which they turned out 20/., with some odd matters of plate and bed-linen, and 
 then withdrew ; threatening to return again in half an hour, and kill every one 
 they found loose. So saying, they locked them all in the parlour, and took the 
 keys of the back and front door, and threw them dow* the privy, which was in 
 the area. 
 
 Turpin by this robbery got but little, for out of the 26/. they took in the 
 whole, he distributed it among them all but three guineas and six shillings and 
 six pence.- - 
 
 A proclamation was issued for the apprehension &f the offenders, and a pardon 
 and 50/. was offered to any of the party who would impeach his accomplices. 
 which, kowever, had no effect The White Hart f m Druxy4suie, was their plac e 
 
THE LIFE OF RICHARD TURPIN. 
 
 Turpin and King, robbing M?\ Bradcte, on the Loughn Road. 
 
 of rendezvous. Here they planned their nightly visits, and here they divided 
 their spoil, and spent the property they had acquired. 
 
 The robbery being stated to the officers of Westminster, T rpfa set oft to Alton, 
 where he met with an odd encounter, which got him the beat companion he ever 
 had, as he often declared. King, the highwayman, as he was returning from this 
 place to London, being well dressed and mounted. Turpin seeing him have the 
 appearance of a substantial gentleman, rode up to him, and thinking him a fair 
 mark, bid him stand and deliver, and therewith producing his pistols, King 
 fell a laughing at him, and said " what dog rob dog ! Come, come, brother Turpin, 
 if you don't kn®w me, 1 know you, and should be glad of your company." 
 After a mutual communication of circumstances to each other, they agreed to 
 keep company, and dievid good or ill fortune, as the trumps might turn up. 
 In fact King was true to him to the last, which was for more than three years. 
 
 They met with various fortunes ; but being too well known to remain long in 
 one place, and as no house that knew them would receive them in it, they formed 
 the resolution of making themselves a cave, covered with bavins and earth, and 
 for that purpose pitched upon a convenient place, enclosed with a thicket, situa- 
 ated on the Waltham side of Epping, (a place large enough to receive them 
 and their horses;) near the s'gn of the King's Oak. And while they lay quite 
 concealed, they could through several holes, discover the passengers as they 
 went along the road ; and as they thought proper, would issue out and rob them. 
 
 In this place Turpin lived, ate, drank, and lay, for the space of six years, 
 during the first three of which he Wdi enltve&eti by the drollery of his companion, 
 
THE LIFE OF RICHARD TURPIN, 
 
 Turpin meeting with King, 
 
 Tom King, who «m a fellow ut' infinite humour in telling stvries and of unshakcr\ 
 r-etolutfo in attack or defmce. 
 
 One day, as they were spying from their cave, they discovered a gentleman 
 riding by, that King knew very well to be a rich merchant near Gresham Col- 
 lege. The gentleman was in his chariot, and his wife with him ; his name 
 was Bradele. King first attacked h:m on the Laug-hton road; but he being a 
 man of great spirit, offered to make resistance, thinking there had been but one ; 
 upon which King called Turpin, and bid him hold the horses heads. They 
 proceeded first to take his money, which he readily parted with, but demurred a 
 good while upon parting with his watel , which he said was a family p : ece, being 
 the dying bequest of his father. King was insisting to take away, wken Turpin 
 interposed, and said, they were more of gentlemen than to deprive any one 
 of their friend's respect which they wore about them, and bid King upon this 
 desist from his demand. This concession on the p;irt of the robbers induced the 
 gentleman to ask a further favour, which was that they would perm'*, him to 
 purchace his watch back again 9 Upon which King said to Turpin, " Dick, he 
 seems to be a good honest fellow, shall we let him have the watch?" l< Aye," 
 said Turpin, "do just as you will. " Brndclc inquiring what would be the price. 
 King said six guineas, adding, we never sell one for more, if it be worth six-and- 
 tliirty ; upon which Mr. Bradele said he would leave the money at the Sword- 
 blade Coffee-house in Birching- Lane ; when Turpin cried out, Aye, but King, 
 insist upon no questions being asked. 
 
 On the day after this transaction they went to the Red-Lion alehouse, in 
 Aldersgate Street, where, they had not been more than an hour, when Turpin 
 heard of the approach of the chief constable and his party : they mounted each 
 each their horse ; bui before King could get fairly seated he was seized by one 
 ol the party, and called on Dick to fire. Turpin replied, " If I do, I shall hit 
 you.*' 4t Fire, if you are my friend," said King— Turpin fired, but the ill-fated 
 ball took fatal effect in King's breast. Dick stood a moment in grief, but self- 
 preservation made him urge his mare forward to elude his pursuers ; it was now 
 he resolved on a journeyto York, and raising himself in his saddle, he said, " By 
 G— , 1 will do it." He now struck into Shoot-up-hill Lane, West End, Hamp- 
 stead Heath, crossed the hill, the Hendon Road, Crachshall Common, and the 
 road to Higbgate, in sight of his pursuers. Coming to a high gate in a narrow 
 
THE LIFE OF RICHARD TURPIN; 
 
 Turpin taking a Flying Leap, over the Donkey Cart 
 path to the right, his mare carried him gaily over it, while his pursuers 'ost time 
 m opening it. He now passed on to Homsey and Duval-lane, where a crowd 
 endeavouiing to intercept him; he presented a pistol in each hand, and bore 
 down all before him. Old Hornsev toll-bar had then a "chevaux de frieze" <n 
 the upper rail, and the toll-keeper hearing the crj of" Stop him," had shut the 
 gate, but Dick patting his mare's neck, she cleared the whole, to the astonish- 
 ment of every one. He then struck into a bye lane, through Tottenhom and 
 Edmonton, and coming up to a man with a donkey and cart, who not uein°- 
 able to get out of his way, stood in the middle of the road. An encouraging 
 word to Bess made her clear the driver and his little cart, while the astonished 
 crowd saluted him with " Hark away Dick." 
 
 He now passed along Enfield Highway, and coolly' iightea his pipe, relying 
 ont »e bottom of his steed that he could nt* be overtaken. He stopped at a 
 pubuc house near Ware, and gavt his mare a draught of ale, and had a tankard 
 Himself; for which he gave the landlord a guinea. It now became dark but he 
 continued his solitary course, and at the end of fifty miles, Bess did not appear 
 to have turned a hair in her fine skin. He now enters Huntingdon, passes the 
 bridge over the Ouse, and as he passed through Huntingdon, the clock struck 
 ''even having rode sixty miles in four hours! Haying come up to the York 
 stage, he was recognized by a passenger, and when heliad held his hat above 
 his Head, as saluting the person, the guard fired a shot through the hat, thinking 
 it was on his head. Turpin whipping the horses on one side darted by them like 
 lightning On he rode till he passed Northampton County, and stopped at a 
 »maH public-home, called the Burleigh Arms, where the ostler lad knew him a* 
 
8 HE LIFE OF RICHARD TURPIN. 
 
 T 
 
 a good customer; here he ordered the astonished lad to bring him three bottle* 
 of brandy, a pail of water, and a good beef steak. The first was brought, 
 " But there was no fire to cook by, ,f said the lad. " Never mind that," said 
 Dick, " cut off a good slice raw." Dick then well scraped and dried his mare, 
 and washed her all over with brandy and water, and then rolled the raw beef 
 round the bit of the bridle. He had just got into the saddle again, when lie 
 heard his pursuers approaching him ; he could not go out the front way, but the 
 lad showed him a back, which led to a great declivity, over whicli they would not 
 venture to follow him : this he slid down in safety, and resumed his rapid career. 
 His mare being revived by the spirits imbibed through the skin, and the raw 
 beef-steak, seemed to fly as on wings. They now passed Grantham, and moved 
 rather slowly up Gonorby Hill. His attention was now drawn to a gibbet near 
 to the road, on which hung the skeletons of two malefactors. He now drew 
 aside to look, and reflect a little : on approaching it, he was surprised by the 
 sudden appearance of an aged female, with wild haggard look. After a little 
 conversation he learned that the two skeletons were those of her two sons, and 
 that she had been deserted by her gang, and come here determined to die in the 
 vicinity of her deceased sons. This was the old gypsy Barbara, to whom he 
 was well known in her better days. This may be my|fate was his reflection ; and 
 biild.ng ha good-mght, hu pasbCil onwards tu Newark, the Trent, the Wade of 
 Sherwood, and is now once more on Yorkshire ground, full 150 miles from Lon- 
 don ! Bawtry, Thome, and Selbv, ore now passed: on passing the deep Don, 
 he was <j\ ievccl to see that Bess appeared distressed. His fingers being numbed, 
 he bridle down, and Bess stumbled and fell, but started up immediately, giving 
 Dick a look that said, " I am not hurt/' He now gave her a bottle of liquor, 
 which so reinvigorated her, that she neighed aloud. After taking a drop from his 
 brandy bottle, he mounted as quickly as his stiffened limbs would enable him. 
 By evening he was on the road to Cawood, and the Ouse soon appeared before 
 him. Between 5 and 6 o'clock he reached the ferry of Cawood, but his galled 
 steed was nearly exhausted. He hailed the ferryman on the opposite side, and 
 the boatman had scarcely reached the middle of the stream, whew he again 
 heard the shouts of his pursuers, who had changed horses above twenty times, 
 in order to come up with, and take him. No time to be lost, he quietly walked 
 down to the river side, and Bess plunged into it with her rider, whom she bore 
 to the other side in sight of his pursuers. Refreshed by her cold bath, she soon 
 regained the road, but it was the last effort of a noble-hearted animal. Encou- 
 raged by " Harkaway Bess/' she flew on. The pinnacles of York appear. " It 
 is won," exlaimed Dick. Astonishing to relate, he reached York the same 
 evening, and was noticed playing at bowls in the bowling-green with several 
 gentlemen there, which circumstance saved him frome hands of justice for that 
 time. His pursuers coming up and seeing Turpin, knew him ; and caused him 
 to be taken into custody : one of them swore to him, and the horse he rode on, 
 which was the identical one he arrived upon in that city ; but on being in the 
 stable, and its rider at play, and all in the space of four-and-twenty hours, his 
 alibi was admitted ; for the magistrates at York could not believe it possible for 
 one horse to cover the ground, being upwards of 190, miles, in so short a space. 
 It was a race that equalled, if not surpassed, the first achievements of turf velo- 
 city. 
 
 For the two last years of his life he seems to have confined his residence to the 
 county of York, where he appears to be a little known. He often accompanied 
 
 W(cCU> 
 
r 
 
 
THE LIFE OF RICHARD TURP1N. 
 
 the neighbouring gentlemen in their parties of hunting and shooting ; and on> 
 evening, on a return from an expedition of the latter kind, he saw one of his land 
 lord's cocks in the street, which he shot at and killed. One Hall, his neighbour 
 seeing him shoot the cock, said to him, Mr. Palmer, you have done wrong in 
 shooting your landlord's cock ; whereupon Palmer said if he would stay whilst 
 be charged his piece he would him too. Mr. Hall hearing him say so, wentand 
 told the landlord what Palmer had done and said. Thereupon the landlord im- 
 mediately went with Mr. Hail, to Mr. Crewle, and got his warrant for appre- 
 hending him ; by virtue of which warrant he was next day taken up, and was 
 committed to the house of correction, at Beverly. 
 
 The next day Mr. Hall received a letter from Robert Appleton, Long-Sutton, 
 with this account: — that the said John Palmer had lived there about fchiee 
 quarters of a year, and had befere that been once apprehended, and made his 
 escape, and that thev had a strong suspicion he was guilty *f horse-stealing. 
 
 Another information gave notice, thnt he had stolen a horse from Captain 
 Dawson, of Ferrarby ; his horse was that which Turpin, alias Palmer rode on 
 when he came to Beverly, and which he had stole from off Hickington Fen in 
 Lincolnshire 
 The following is a letter, he wrote to his brother in Essex. * 
 
 Dear Brother, York, Feb, 1739. 
 
 / am sorry to inform you, that I am now under confinement in York Castle, 
 fvr horse-stealing. If I could procure an evidence from London to give me a 
 character, that would go a great way towards my good, and might procure 
 in the end my enlargement and acquittal. It is true I have been here a long 
 while, but never wrote before. Few people know me. For Heaven s sake, 
 dear brother, do not neglect me : you will know what I mean when I say, 
 
 I am yours, John Palmer. 
 
 His brother refused to take the letter, and it was returned unopened to the 
 post office in Essex, because the brother would not pay for it. 
 
 He wrote to his father upon being convicted, to use his interest to get him off 
 for transportation ; but his fate was at hand ; his notoriety caused application 
 to be ineffectual. 
 
 After he had been in prison five months, he was removed from Beverly to York 
 Castle to take his trial. When he was on his trial, his case seemed much to 
 effect the hearers. He had two trials, upon both of which he was convicted 
 upon the fullest evidence After a long trial, the Jury brought in their Verdict, 
 and found him Guilty. 
 
 He was carried in a cart to the place of execution, on Saturday, April 7th, 
 1739. He behaved himself with amazing assurance, and bowed to the specta- 
 tors at he passed. It was remarkable that as he mounted the ladder, his right 
 teg trembled, on which he stamped it down with an air, and with undaunted 
 courage looked round about him ; and after speaking near half an hour to the 
 topvnan, threw himself off the ladder, and expired in about five minutes. 
 
 4*/*4^*?>^ * * ^v* * * ^* *m^0*^*+*t 
 
 W. 8. FOR i EY, Prmter, Monmouth Court, Bloomtbury, W, O