1 W.f the - - f ," ; ' CHEAPSIDE APPRENTICE, OR THE . Fl HISTORY OF r, ik selling forth the Danger of playing with Edge-Tools ; shewing also, how a gay Life may prove a short one; and that a merry Epening may pro- duce a sorroTcful Morning. * "Old by HOWARD and EY-AN& gions Tracts} WOHard m 2 ' LoNg " Lan ^ West-Smithpield, and also by r a ' And bv fi 9 °i CADILLV » Londjn Bv s - MA«ARi>. "*A na ^Countrv Bjok! *Uers, Newsmen, and Hawkers, in PRlPi? 01 /^? ™ iU he made t0 Shopkeepers and Ihncknv. ' ICE 2 E PENNY ' <** Pc-Hund.cd. cntei-eu at §,tat;' C ners Dait, THE CHEAPSIDE APPRENTICE. 4 TTEND, ye young men, who are about to A enter into trade, for to yuu I write my story. I was bound apprentice to a respectable tradesman mCheapside. My master, Mr. Vincent, had ac- quired a very fair character, whilst he was making a comfortable fortune. His wife was a dressy, flashy woman, who liked visiting and jaunting more fan taking care of her family, whilst my master was plodding late at night in the counting -house, Mrs. Vincent and her daughters were either mak- ing parties abroad, or giving entertainments at home, we kept no footman, 1 was allowed, when top was shut, to run from one public place to an- ' er to call a coach, to bring Mrs. Vincent and her igbtcrshome. To lounging about the purlieus aplaybouse 1 owe my ruin. I was generally ped i to be a handsome well-made young man; « unfortunately drew upon me the notice of a ■ o those wretched women who nightly crowd" the hilt t° Uld haVG been deli S hted Wlth th e "O- Wiu ° A°, f me ' had not mv vanity whispe-ed kon J!' p » nccnt was in lovc with me - Thi * UkiZ " y confirm cd to me by one Potter, K h ^ave l^v n ^ C u , blU f ° r whose w,cked ' ldvice I |The idea I ^P 1 ^ and-died virtuously, L^^mpt? lss Y incent was in lov * ***h me, r ni y busin ' nhe COXCOnlb i 1 now neg- lhe !h S> and to dress out mv P erson be ~ P U ll tcle tr-i n ? Ct °* m y th °ugh» ! 1 began to I UUs on m y master, in order to ob- ner of a tain money to dress out; for ever since Pott j laughed me out of my religion, every pn n 1 1 moral honesty sat loosely upon me. P I am sorry to say the holy Sabbath in our familv was only distinguished from other days by the J ting of the shop ; my masterspent the greater m of it posting his books, and my mistress. and fa daughters were either dressing to go abroad, or else to receive company at home. We young men* deed, were sent to church, but as we had no ex- amples set us by the heads of the family going* ther themselves, Potter and I generally hired aj| and dashed away from one tea- drinking place! another; these scenes soon made me lose all re- spect for Virtue and Religion. It was at the Dog and Duck I first saw the infamous Miss Wesuis was many years older than myself, her person* as lovely as her heart was wicked. She w»j sooner informed that I was to come into posses- sion of £5000 the day I came of age, than she mi use ofall her deceitful arts to ensnare both rays" and body, as she often prompted me to defraud Jf master to supply her extravagance. My merit to Miss Vincent was now on the decline,^ Miss West had so far wrought upon my vanit)V to make me believe that so handsome a you"? low as I was, should lo«k higher than a tr^% daughter. From that moment I treate ^'^ cent with the most marked neglect, aithou^^ my conduct cut her to the heart; yet; a ^ time was I base enough, to borrow mjM^ which I wantonly squandered away on i _ When Potters apprenticeship exp 1 ^ ^ Improving his fortune by throwing « 11 ^ plunged at once into all the vices or 1 plausible kind of prate, which caused ; 10886 l ^pointed Chairman to oiir club, which ( liieV composed of clerks and apprentice WaS Potter's principal excellence consisted in bo ? s : a merr y song, telling an indecent story, and 3? .his heroes to laugh at morality, and set all Ln at defiance ; for religion, he maintained, was only an old woman's tale, invented by cunning heads to keep children and Tools in order. There was an honest old porter lived in our fa* mily.who tor some time had set himself to watch my conduct, and at lengt h he made such a faithful report of it to my master, that he gave up my in- dentures., and turned me out of doors, [was too much delighted with my liberty to feel (lie least sense of shame at the means by which I obtained it. I was sorry, however, to break off entirely with Hiss Vincent, fori still had a lurking affection for her- 1 told Potter so : his inventive genius soon Wa plan, whereby I might get her into my power, and take a complete revenge on her whole family at Se same time. This was by writing her a letter, sett/n^ fbrth the violence of my love, the unme- med disgrace I had received from her family, and ^ tie same time requesting her to grant me a pri- J meeting, m order that I might iustify my con- fer, as otherwise I feared the violence of my P^ n would drive me to a fit of despair. andDl! P00rimprudent 8 irl met me at the time read er s w e ;! PP01nted - 1 wil1 not he,e shock m y of to com I 1 elatln £ tne vile stratagems I made use fcraendou K rUln ° f lhis y° lxn S l«% nor the triage S S 1 sw ore to repair her wrongs by ' as s ^n & I came of age, which would < « ) ; be in a very few months— this somewW t . sorrow for the very indiscreet I J The day I became of age, I WP nt Z • takei country. *My friends having bee" !Z^ k profligate life, received me fS cold I \^ teed the deepest hypocrisy on my g0 £ * tnake her believe I was quite a reft order to vveedle her out of a sum of prospect med man, in make her believe I was" qriteTj e %T"'*** order to vveedle her out of a sum of r her at the same time, I had an immeu^ ot entering into a very profitable concern with partner of great responsibility, if I could but in- crease my capital. " Frank, ( said she, with firmness,) cf there isno trusting to your promises, as long as your conduct deserved my love, you ever found me an indulgent mother, but you shall never have cause to say I acted towards you like a weak woman, by robbing my virtuous children to supply the wanton extra- vagance of a profligate son. Your wicked life, Frank, has nearly broken my heart, but it shall not shake my justice. " The well known steadiness of my mother's temper, convinced me at once she was not further to be imposed upon by the fallacy of my arguments. .1 As soon as I had settled my business, I retuined to London to Miss Vincent,, who had waited tor me with the utmost patience, fully expecting I «j come to f ulfil my promise of marriage to her. can struggle with want, dear Frank, (said she] I will never consent to live in shame/' Nothing I am certain, hardens the heart li^' □r although this poor young creature was in a very trying situation by the prospec^ ^ soon becoming a mother, I swore 1 w ° h u e jf by nuke her my wife, who had disgraced neb ( 7 ) •a me as a mistress. On hearing this, m m r lf aeonics of grief, she urged me to re- "H'Vtlf l had done her, reminding me at l" r rime of the wicked arts I had made use ° f her innocence * and then ' with clasped sel[oni,cl ^hTch rent her soul, yet still my har- daspe Aands and streaming eyes, she threw her- P her knees before me, beseeching me to pity Ld nature was untouched by her sorrow, again I solemnly swore I never would marry her. Through excess of grief she fainted away, in winch pitiable state I left her to the care of a ser- vant, went out and spent the rest of the evening with Miss West, whose flinty heart turned into ri- dicule the sorrowful tale I related to her. On returning to my lodgings the next morning, 1 was informed Miss Vincent had left them with- out leaving behind her the least information where she was to be found, and much did I rejoice when I Wit, that she had taken herself off so quietly. ! Inow lavished my money as though it would never have an end. By all I was esteemed the most * spirited fellow in the woirld, and even little . Jus would be silent in my presence, because I was to pay for the wine upon which they wers to [ 10t My cash at length beginning k> run low, as ^ sen all along drav.i.ig from the principal, I ^sect with Potter how to get furnished with fu- leverT^i advised tne gaming table as a the onl v g Wend ' sa > in £' k had lon S since been sistenci ^ reS0urco from whence he derived his sub- successful ^, advice > and for some months was so lite at th * hat 1 be gan to dash away in higher end of the town. 1 bought aa ( s ; \ j elegant photon which I drove «„ Hyde Park, with Miss West L ' ^Hif as I was driving furiously tolZ^A had the misfortune to overturn ?! ^ heavy load on his back, cewedhinUobeMr.V^ I formerly owed my disgrace rtei,to *« " Ah! ah! what is it you, youm* HonefnPv, he on seeu lg to whom he o^ved K£ thv I 'n~ mL,St need8 g ° whom the devil dn^s. thy piancmg nags may die a haiural death 2 2SBK ver !'y- ™ink 'tis more tha t be robbed of its due. What is become of w! ptty V incent, thou profligate dog, hast thou 4 ier heart, as thou hast that of her poor afflictd parents r". 1 The sudden recollection of that unfortunate {M caused such a swimming in my head, that the^ dropt from my hands, my horses took frigM it was almost a mirac le that I got home alive. — ■ I he porter's words had such an impression on mj mind, that 1 could not shake them off. Soon ate i ott& calling on me, I told him of my interview with the old p,;r- -r, and also the effect it had* m e .~<« K^nk, {.said h.rr; if a fellow of thy spint can be thus easily overcome by qualms of c«q ence, let us instantly adjourn to the tavern, m good wine is the best remedy in the world drown all uneasy recollections in." I S l fl* cepted his proposal, we called a coach and on_ went, He no sooner saw my spirits inflajn c d wine, then he drew me to the garning-tah e,* hefore morning, 1 lost every shilling I ^ . ^ world— I applied to Potter to lend me w S Ui he had won more more that ^00 of me- ^ we should live rent-free, and promised to be a lend to us."—" Ail does seem for the best now, Ideed," interrupted Mrs. Betty. " We shall see/' lid Mrs. Simpson, and thus went on — W « i now became wry easy and very happy; and ks cheerfully employed in putting our few things- ■ order, and making every thing look to the best ■vantage. My husband, who wrote all the day ■r his em ployer, in the evenings assisted me in King up niy little garden. This was a source of ■uch pleasure to us; we both loved a garden, and L were not only contented but cheerful. Our em- ployer had been absent some weeks on his annual ' urncy. He came home on a Saturday night, ■id the next morning sentfor Mr. Simpson to come Bid settle his accounts, which were got behind land by his long absence. We were just going Jp church, and Mr. Simpson sent back word, that would call and speak to him on his way home. second message followed, ordering him to come the farmer's directly — lie agreed that we would alk round that way, and that my husband should ill and excuse his attendance. The farmer, ore ignorant and worse educated than his plow- en, with all that pride and haughtiness which wealth without knowledge or religion is apt to give, ■udely asked my husband what he meant by send- ing him word that he could not come to him till the Jextday ; and insisted that he should stay and set- tle the accounts then. < Sir,' said my husband, in I very respectful manner, ' I am on my road to prch.and am afraid I shall be too late.'—* Are | ° U S °'' said the farmer. ' Do you know who sent W ° U ? y ° U may nowever g° to church, if you ui, so you ma k e haste back ; and, d'ye hear, you the house, awaked by my cries7ranYntofh? le ° f concluding some villains had broken in, andTere ( *o ) ing dreamt that I was apprehended the th e room, going to murder me. I never afterwards went into the street, but mv fears told me I was the subject of conversation of all the people I met. Once I happened to hear one man say to another, pointing to a third, "that's he, that's he, ,> I took to my heels, concluding tlut I myself was meant, and ran from one street to an- other, without knowing whither, till my sight failed me, and through loss of breath, dropped down in a fit. Some humane people, however, recovered me, and put me into a hackney-coach which carried me home. One day. a sudden gust of wind blew open my chamber-door, again I concluded the officers to coming to take me. Snatching up the poker to de- fend myself, I swore I would *iot be taken alive, when turning about suddenly, I saw a glimpse of my- self in the glass, my eyes looked wild, my lip quivered, my jaws dropped, my teeth cluttered, and my body shook, as though the last agonies of death were upon me. On finding 1 was once more become the dupe of my fears, my spirits* again, I dressed and went to the play, there 1^ Sally West, whom I had not seen for somewjjj for to say the truth, I dreaded to meet an ow quaintancc, from the time I commuted -p ■ gery— after the play, we went off together ^ ^ a* a tavern, we had not been there- a q^ ar f e , tIl6 hour, when she made an excuse for q u ' ^ ^ room, in about ten minutes -she ret " rnet t j 5 f a cti* expressing in the tenderest terms the sa she had to see me again. € » ) We were as I believed, just going to sit down per when the waiters came in followed by 1 of Sir John Fielding's men % Immediately, vith the greatest coolness, Miss West arose, and laying her hand on my shoulder, exclaimed, " the Philistines be upon the, Sampson, — Gentlemen," continued she to the officers, " this is my good friend Mr. Francis H — — , of whom you have been some time in search. Perhaps, Frank," continued she, "you do not know that your forgery is dis- covered, and that 1001. reward is offered for taking you, when I left the room just now it was to write a note to these gentlemen, signifying to them where you were to be found — I see you are terri- fied, but hear me for the last time, perhaps, and you will less wonder at my conduct. Early in life, Frank, I was betrayed to ruin by a base designing .mm; my reputation once blasted, I was deserted Ml the virtuous part of my own sex; by having W examples always before my eyes, 1 soon became «ned in sin and abandoned to shame. I have contracted debts ; if they are not immediate- y discharged 1 shall be sent tojaol; this jnol I ^wnothowto avoid but by sending you thither 8 ead, as the reward offered for taking you *JW*tme free from my creditors." ° * ^struck motionless with terror, and fainted b *dn n °f broaching to tie my hands tad r in r , d 1 the least recollection of what About alV rT mysielf safe locked in P ris °n. ^therewn his ' the kee P er came to tell Ve Nesi ro ' a n ? nSOnCr latel > r brou S ht in who jectof great 2 S f emg rne ' as she appeared an ob- ° ne ^VJth y u G ° tFered to conda ot me to her. , * ™* chamber, 1 saw a young woman very shabbily dressed, lying on a miserable w a very weak condition. m M " Dost thou not know me, Frank? U»\» i • hollow broken voice)-Hast thou lost alXe! branee of Patty Vincent." I felt instantly ls f struck with a thunderbolt. - MerciRii heaven' (cried I, falling on my knees by the bedside) \ m unable to bear the punishment my crimes have brought upon me ! O God of mercy support my troubled soul. " She kindly urged metobeco* forted, said she wished not to see me to reproach me for the evils I had brought upon her, but only to tell me with her last breath, that she forgave me. " It is not an hour since, Frank, (continued she) that I heard you were my fellow prisoner, and what is worse, at my father's suit I will.noi reproach you, Frank, 1 tell you again, for all the miseries you have brought upon me, because m are a prisoner and in chains: If my breath vi hold out, I will endeavour to give you a short his- tory of myself since we parted. On your refusing to majce me your lawful wife, I quitted your lodg; ings, resolving by my labor to eat the bread of 4 dustry. rather than follow a course of vice. M .wretched si*b&i stance. 1 hired a garret in n«'| born, where 1 applied for needle-work, and sooa | obtained it. tin about. three months ^ eT f l ^l ration, my infant came into the world. I SOi Jjj cloaths for my support during my.confineiiien,J that resource soon failed me. My- " ea stt i strength declined — h w:as seized with a co * j fever and cough, and quite unable .to. **y3 scanty morsel of bread for the day, y et reS -^ $\ die rather than afflict my dear parents ^'^J knowledge of my miseiy. At le* 1 ^ 'Ji iM weak to labor, 1 contracted several s h ' fj J was seized, and brought hither. I have, fiver since been prevailed upon to send my Vhalffamisted baby to my parents, hoping they S afford her thai bread which her dying mother not nsk lor herself," Observing I was speech- less witli agotiy, poor Patty, went on.— < I did not wish to see you, Frank, to afflict you, I wish only fo warn you with my dying breath to repent the evil of your ways, and humble your soul before God, Repentance for sin, Frank, though bitter for a moment, yet I have found healthful to the soul, ad however the wicked who are at ease,, mtty deride. the God who made them, yet the sighing and sorrowing heart will flee unto hi m, as the only present. help in time of trouble — I shall very soon lay down my heavy burden of sickness and sor- row, and escape from a darksome prison, as I hum- ify trust to everlasting rest O Frank ! Frank 1 [t is far safer to- die" a penitent in a gaol, than to live ma palace, with a heart untouched by God's grace." * she was interrupted by the unexpected en- ^oiMr and Mrs. Vincent. O ye who shall a o 7 read m V story, drop a tear of pity at the m »ow endured! They no sooner beheld their « erS 'r 8 - tCnderIy embmCed her ' to for K r h)r # 1Ve »ess, and gently chid ^a S a r^ g e0tt ^ aled tem&so long, adding, ^^T'^^y « bm **** g^dfy Kifthev h II g h lhe y wouId have shurmed iless - Shell! 1 i ? liV]n " in prosperous wkked- ^^dsmce i t Pemtent F ° r n ^ ^ reived your blessing and uve but favour more to ask in life, which is, that you, my kind father, will ext./ your pity towards that young man," an ignomi me. "O save him, if possible, fromKn! nious death, and remember that my child is also his. My business in life is done, and now, hea- venly Father! receive my spirit, and pardon mv sin, through Jesus Christ my Redeemer." Here her speech failed her, and after a few convulsive struggles she expired. Great Heaven i is there any punishment forme to suffer hereafter beyond w hat I endured at the moment? A dread silence succeeded for sometime, iny groans only were heard. As soon as Mr, Vim cent had somewhat recovered the shock, he raisei himself from the body of his child, and spoke to me as follows : " Behold, Oyoung man, the calamities which thy crimes have brought on my family ] Behold my departed child lying on the bosom of her fainting mother; yet I am not insensible to the agonies which rend thy soul, and sorry am I to add to them, by telling thee, thy excellent mother went out oi her senses on hearing thou hast committed a crime by which thou hast forfeited thy life to the laws ot thy country. O Frank! Frank! what deep dis- tress can one profligate child bring on wbole lies ! Thy crimes, alas! have brought on thy destruction, for I fear it will not be in myp?^ befriend thee on thy trial, much as I anl T ^ o l Ia{e) to do it in consideration of thy relations. , y - Frank, thou must now see how fatal an ^ es man. love of pleasure must prove to a young ™ Honest industry is generally a sure road ^ thy as a sober religious life is to happiness. ^ tthe cost thou must already have experience so, ^ wicked caa have do dependance up on ' • c thou art betrayed and brought to shame by those very friends who first led thy youth astray/' « 0, Sir," cried I, " few and evil have been my' lays, but the great God above, who knoweth the secrets ofall hearts, can alone judge of the sor- rows of mine; it is not, Sir, the punishment of death which I fear, but the just vengeance of of- fended Heaven which must follow it ; for though a very young man, 1 am a very old sinner. Alas! my dear and honoured mother, is it then true that the crimes of your own child have robbed you of your senses? And vet the merciful hand of God has hitherto withheld his vengeance from striking me dead. To whom shall I fly for mercy and pity many distress ? from the law I cannot expect it and from the offended Majesty of high Heaven 1 tenothope it, since my present punishment is e certam wages of my sin." Here I am told "to strong convulsive fits, and in that condi- gn was conveyed to my cell. the night before my Execution. ^fffff.I on my trial, and ^•'-Deadi g y he necktiJ1 1 am Dead! — n ... .. c ltl,e God ofS/ Ung men > who have for. ^ Pleasures of S- aVen tofbl,ow after the en- >ofl! h ' $ World > attend to my words £ '" w ^I ! u 8y 1Snow breaking on the at ^tlt r nhcred with & dead! 'SiSk 1 ^ 1 a min all the d all the vigour of health, I sha U this clay die a just victim- to the broken la\ Vs j my precious soul may be consigned over to lasting torments, unless the great judge of a will be graciously pleased to accept my sorrowfor my sin, through a gracious Redeemer. My days are numbered, my hours are few ami the solemn toliing bell will soon be summoning m to meet my God in judgment. The convulsive struggles of death are already upon me before [ reach the gallows, whereon 1 must shortly hang $ a warning spectacle to gaping thousands, and from whence I must shoot the great gulph which parts TIME from ETERNITY! O, blessed Lord, have nu-rcy on my soul! The above story was found in the young Mi pocket after his execution. THE HYMN. FATHER of light, O cleanse my stains, Look on a sinner vile ; In dungeon dark, oppress'd with chains, Deign thou on me to smile. Condemn'd to die by human laws, I own my sentence just , With mercy mild judge thou my cause, Who art my only trust. Tho' great my crime and short my My faith and hope receive ; Since souls enrich 'd with pard'ningg ra ' With thee shall ever live. Then farewell all beneath the skies, The sting of death is o'er; O may my trembling spirit nse, Where sin shall be no more.