Ex Libris 
 C. K. OGDEN
 
 Swindling Unmasked. 
 AUTHENTIC ANECDOTES, 
 
 OF 
 
 HENRIETTA KENERITZ, 
 
 ALIASj 
 
 Barontfs de Menckwitz ; 
 
 Otherwife Miss Price Lady Douglas Mrs. Douglas 
 -Mrs Wray- Mrs. Hughes, &c. Sec. Sec. 
 
 WITH AN ACCOUNT OF 
 
 Joham Henrich Ferdinand, 
 
 Baron de Menckiuitz ; 
 NOW CONFINED IN THE FLEET PRISON. 
 
 GIVING A PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OF 
 
 The Baron and Baroness's Depredations on the Continent their 
 Swindling Practices on their arrival at London Defrauding a 
 Merchant of Twelve-hundred Pounds their infamous Thames- 
 street conexion with Hughes and Smith her Swindling Practices 
 on Dr. B d m, &c. &c. &c. 
 
 DISPLAYING THE MOST 
 
 r WONDERFUL ACTS OF DEFRAUD 
 
 That were ever practised in this Kingdom. 
 
 For her fins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her 
 iniquities. 
 
 Reward her even as (lie rewardeth you ; and double unto her double 
 according to her works : in the cup that fhe hath filled, rill her double. 
 
 Rev. xviii. 5, 6- 
 
 PRINTED BY AND FOR THE AUTHOR, S. PERCY, MILLMAN- 
 
 ROWj CHELSEA, AND SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS 
 
 IN TOWN AND COUNTRY. 
 
 **# Orders for the Author taken in at No. 3, Princes-strut, 
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 [ PRICE HALF A-CROWN.]

 
 TO THE 
 
 P UBLIC AT LARGE. 
 
 
 
 JL HE neceffity of publifhing thefe Anec- 
 dotes is obvious : and in fuch a widely- extended 
 field of action as London, uncommon periever- 
 ance was required. The turpitude of the mind 
 of the parties is manifeft : thanks to the gentle- 
 man whofaflened up the man. Bafe as he is, his 
 field of adion is prefcribed ; but even there he 
 has brought to beggary fome credulous women. 
 By the German hand-bill they were obliged to 
 fly their native land, and become fugitives and 
 vagabonds, with a price fet upon their heads. 
 The man was heard to fay (in the vexation of 
 his heart) of his partner in iniquity, " that if 
 two roads were pointed out to her, the one ftrait 
 the other crooked, the perverfenefs of her nature 
 is fuch, that fhe would take the crooked ;" and 
 thofe who were in the habits of intimacy with 
 her, confirm it. They fay " fhe is devoid of 
 every particle of gratitude, and would facrificc 
 the bed friend the moment her turn is ferved 
 that fhe is devoid of every particle of remorfe, and
 
 the man whom me treats with the utmofl dal- 
 liance this moment, fhe would betray and ex- 
 ecute the next that her art is fo exceffive, that 
 though you were warned againft her, me would 
 find out new ways to deceive you that with 
 thofe with whom fhe M familiar, me makes no 
 fcruple to tell all the tales of her infamous life 
 with the utmoft levity, laughter, and exulta- 
 tion, and has frequently declared that lawyers 
 fhould come and converfe with her, to learn 
 their bufinefs." 
 
 From fuch a pi6ture of abandoned depravity, 
 what has not humanity to dread, if her means 
 were equal to her will ? a total diiTolution of fo- 
 ciety muft be the confequence. 
 
 She has the tongue of a Syren, the bite of an 
 afp, and the fangs of an harpy. Like the Egyp- 
 tian fphinx, though me has the front of a wo- 
 man, me has the rear of a bead : me is as pollut- 
 ed in mind, as me is proftituted in body ; and 
 when fome jail has difgorged her, me is full- 
 freighted with the cadaverous refinements, and 
 the dregs of every crime. 
 
 Let the unthinking and the unwary revolve 
 in their mind this mocking picture : let them 
 contemplate it with horror as a body hung on a 
 gibbet : Ihun it as they would a mafs of corrupt- 
 ed matter floating on the furface of a flagnate 
 pool. 
 
 " For her feet go down to death her steps lay hold on hell.'*
 
 A 
 
 SHORT ACCOUNT 
 
 OP THE 
 
 BARONdeMENCKWITZ. 
 
 Baron Menckwitz, now a prifoner in the Fleet, 
 was born at Upper Laufnitz. in Bohemia, to whofe 
 difcharge feveral objections were made on account 
 of his having taken the benefit of fundry infolvent 
 adts, palTed within thefe eight years, and who was 
 fully remanded as a notorious Swindler. He came 
 over to this country from Hamburgh in 1795. 
 He commited a great nnmber of frauds in Vienna : 
 from whence he efcaped with the female who re- 
 prefented herfelf as his wife; and both were ad- 
 vertifed there by hand-bills (an original is now in 
 the hands of a refpeftable Merchant in the city 
 of London, and a copy is here annexed.) 
 
 This Merchant he defrauded of upwards of 
 1200!., by pretending to be a Baron; but after- 
 
 B
 
 wards proved to be a difmiffed Lieutenant from the 
 Imperial fervice. 
 
 The Baron and lady now took an houfe in 
 Somerfet Street, Portman Square, for fix months, 
 and hired a fct of fervants; alfo a chariot, the 
 better to carry on their depredations. They 
 pawned the jewels and plate which by fraud they 
 had obtained at Vienna ; and they afterwards, with 
 a bill of exchange drawn from Hamburgh for 
 about 6ool., introduced themfelves to the acquaint- 
 ance of the Merchant alluded to, to whom, about 
 three weeks after application was made for the 
 loan of ipol. ; offering as a pledge a diamond ring 
 with brilliants : and who, believing their affertion 
 that they were difappointed, but in expectation of 
 remittances, accommodated them. This fum being 
 repaid within fourteen days; another requeft was 
 made about a month after to borrow nooL for 
 the purpofe of completing a payment for the 
 purchafe of horfes bought by order of and for 
 the ufe of the grand duke Ferdinand, which 
 were to be immediately mipped off by way of 
 Yarmouth ; and having infinuated that it was the 
 intention of the Emperor to recal his minifler 
 the Count Starenburgh, whom he was to fuc- 
 ceed and offered to {hew his credentials and 
 introductions to Baron Jacobi the Pruflian, and 
 other foreign Minifters, by whom (according to 
 their afiertions) they were frequently vifited ; 
 together with many other plaufible (lories, which
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 induced that gentleman to fupply them with that 
 fum. About a montll after 650!. was repaid, 
 leaving a balance of 450!. 
 
 During this time two Diamond Merchants and 
 Jewellers had like wife entrufled the Baron and 
 Baronefs with fundry articles, to the value of 
 8ool. ; and having arrefled the pretended Baron, 
 it was infmuated that the Jewellers had offered 
 the articles on fale; and if not approved, to take 
 the fame in return for others ; but that owing to 
 difappointment they were pledged for a few 
 hundreds. 
 
 The Baron being anxious not to difclofe his em- 
 barraflments, by the very preffing requeft and 
 pofitivc afTurances that remittances would fhortly 
 come forward, the Merchant alluded to became 
 bail, and was in truth obliged a few months after- 
 wards to pay the money, and furrender the 
 pretended Baron to prifon ; who in return, and as 
 a compenfation for the lofs of his property, has by 
 various falfe affertions harafled his creditor (if he 
 can be called fo, which we deny), and put him 
 to confiderable expences. 
 
 The female afterwards affirmed the name of 
 Mrs. Douglas ; deferting her husband whom fhe had 
 previoufly married, foon after his being furrender- 
 
 B 2
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 ed to prifon, in order to carry on her depredations 
 as a Fcmme Convert ; and has been fuccelsively in 
 all the prifons for thefe eight years paft. She was 
 firfl taken to Bow Street, upon defrauding a jewel- 
 ler in New Street, Covent Garden, of a diamond 
 bracelet. Another time fhewas carried to Hick's 
 Hall, for fwindling a Silverfmith in Holborn, to 
 
 whom me had been introduced by Dr. B m ; the 
 
 Doclor believing <lie was what me reprefented her- 
 fdf, a lady of quality, and offering to procure cer- 
 tificates for the Dr. from feveral generals and perfons 
 of great character in Germany, to atteft the 
 wonderrull effects of his medicines. 
 
 We here introduce the tranflation of the Ger- 
 man hand-bill. 
 
 DESCRIPTION 
 
 N. 1311. 
 
 Of Joham Hcnrich Ferdinand, Baron de Menck- 
 ivitz, tuho after many depredations committed here, 
 privately efcapcd, and "with him, faffing for his 
 wife, Henrietta, pretended Baronejs de Kene~ 
 ritz. This de Menckivitz is 28 years of age, 
 and claims to be de Menckwitz, born in Upper 
 Laufnitz, is Jingle, a Knight of the Holy Order 
 of Staniflaus, 'which he wears upon a coat, and
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 is a difmijfed Lieutenant from the Imperial fervlce. 
 He is about five feet, eight inches high\his hair in- 
 clined to a reddijh colour, 'which in general he has 
 'worn here cut round, after the Engliflifafliion, and 
 fane times tied and in a bag. In the face he is 
 blotched, has grey eyes, is rather thin and tall, 
 but well made. His wearing apparel is no f fb 
 diftintfly to be defcribed, he having different cloaths 
 to wear in change. 
 
 The pretended Keneritz is above 24. years 
 born at Drejden, is Jingle, and a Roman Catholic, 
 five feet high, is rather thin, but of Jlrong feature ; 
 has quite black hair and eye-brows, fomewhat 
 brown complexion ; has black eyes ; hair quite ne- 
 gligent or looj'e, without powder. Whoever can 
 dijcover, and caufe them to be apprehended, is to give 
 immediate information to the magijlrates and will 
 be liberally rewarded. 
 
 Subfcribed, 
 
 ERCHARD LEY. 
 
 Imperial Magiflrate, and 
 Dire&or of the Police. 
 
 Vienna, May 2, 1795.
 
 OUR DESCRIPTION OF HER. 
 
 She is about five feet two inches high, near f&rty 
 years of age, rather plump, or what the French 
 call Enbonpoint, of a brown complexion, paints 
 highly (except foe -varies it for deception) ; wears 
 different coloured wigs, mojtly a brown ; check 
 bones remarkably high, rifing almojl up to her eyes, 
 'which in conversation, the fiefli on them feems to 
 prefs ; her eyes are remarkably dark and brilliant 
 (particularly when/tie ufes all her arts to deceive) ; 
 her eye-brows are thin and arched; her nofe has 
 hardly any bridge, and is inclined to be thin and 
 the end is a little fnubbed. The J pace between the 
 nofe and month is an inch; the bone is round in the 
 front, till it comes in contra ft with the cheek; the. 
 upper lip is thin, the under lip rather full; upon 
 the whole her mouth is very large, efpecially when 
 file laughs. Her teeth are of a midling fize, the 
 Jfde ones rather^ a/under. 'The excejjive fwell of 
 her cheek bones in front, would give you an idea of 
 a boy's whipping top. On her forehead between 
 her eyes, if you look clofe, is the mark of a cut. 
 Her ajpetf is altogether foreign, and /he has a 
 foreign accent. Her hair was formerly very black, 
 but if you take off her wig, you will find it grey ;
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 and if flie is /tripped, under her left breaft is the 
 mark of a cut or /tab. Vide Anecdotes. 
 
 Dated January 18, 1805. 
 
 Here follows another public document, evident- 
 ly calculated to commit a further depredation on 
 this Gentleman, as mortly after its appearance, a let- 
 ter was fent him not to pay any bills that might be 
 prefented, though it is evident none exifled. 
 
 " Public Ledger, Oft. 16, 1796. 
 
 * 4 On Sunday night, about half p aft 'Ten o'Clock, 
 " as the Baronefs Menckwitz was returning home, 
 " to her houfe in Charlotte Street, Bloom/bury, 
 " flie was knocked down in Thorn haugh Street, by 
 " two fellows, who, after cutting off her pockets, 
 4(> which contained bills to a large amount, ft abbe d 
 " her in the fide with a knife, of which file now 
 ** lies dangeroufly ill. She had obferved the 
 " villains follow her up Holborn, but loft fight of 
 " them for fome time, and did not perceive them 
 again till /he came into Thornhaugh Street; 
 " and what is very extraordinary, /fie lay weltering 
 ' in her blood, on the ground where /fie fell ^ till 
 44 near one o'clock. 
 
 As this fcheme brought no money, the next at- 
 tempt came from a perfon in Newgate ; who (aid a
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 friend of his had a number of letters, which pafsed 
 between the Merchant and Menckwitz, which 
 would be given up for a fmall gratuity. This 
 likewife failed; the application was treated with 
 the contempt it merited The advertifement only 
 excited the merchant to write to his correfpond- 
 ent in Vienna, and with his anfwer he fent one of 
 the German hand-bills.
 
 ANECDOTES 
 
 or THE 
 
 Baronefs de Menckwitz. 
 
 THE JEra at which we commence our know- 
 ledge of the Heroine of thefe anecdotes is, when 
 one of the prifons had difcharged her in nearly a 
 ftate of nudity. She then went to refide at a houfe 
 ofill-fame in Greek Street, Soho, kept by a man 
 and woman of the name of Davis. After remain- 
 ing there fome time, me was difcovered,and fome 
 fay on account of the woman thinking fhe made 
 too free with the man ; after which fhe went to 
 
 lodge at a Mrs. W , Hollis Street, by the 
 
 name of Mifs Price. She had not got much in the 
 firft houfe,for fhe was in a moft diftreffed condition : 
 Poverty is no crime if there is an honeft feme at- 
 tached to the perfon. Here fhe warned in the 
 day, the habiliments by which fhe better carried 
 on the bufmefs by night. During her refidence 
 here flic quarrelled with one of the fifterhood, and 
 was taken to Malbrough Street Police Office.
 
 Bail however was procured, at the expence of 
 two guineas. After this we hear nothing of her 
 till (lie got into Newgate, and we are told fhe had 
 here too fervants in livery to attend her ; this was 
 in 1797. 
 
 During her flay here fhe managed to fleece a 
 poor Jew out of a quantity of Muflins, &c. She 
 was here at the fait of a Linen Draper. How fhe got 
 out we do not know ; but during her confinement 
 
 fhe became aqua inted with Mrs.L who went 
 
 there frequently to fee this Jew. Upon her re- 
 leafe fhe went to lodge with her ; they ate and 
 flept together: and as fhe found the victuals, 
 no charge was made for lodging, 
 
 Mrs, L f had been in trouble after the 
 
 death of her hulband, and was neceflitated to pawn 
 many valuable articles : Her lodger contrivedtofteal 
 the duplicates, and fold them to one El c m, 
 Corn-chandler, London-road. She then afTumed 
 the name of Douglas. One day fhe laid, " mother, 
 I will buy you a fliawl;" " no, faid the other 
 "Wait till you are richer." " Well, then, mother, 
 I will buy you a ribbon :" fhe little thought it 
 was with her own money the other was fo 
 liberal. 
 
 Shortly after this, Mrs. D left Mrs. 
 
 L f, and in a little time the duplicates were 
 
 miffed ; Mrs. L f was in the utmoft per- 
 plexity to know how they were gone, and
 
 after repeated fearch, all to no purpofe, flic 
 went to the Pawnbroker's to flop them; but 
 to her greaf aftonifhment, me found they were 
 already gone. She was abufed, and threatened to 
 
 be taken before a magiflrate. Mrs. L f 
 
 went home deploring her lofs, incenfed at the 
 treatment fhe had received, and confounded at the 
 manner in which they were taken. 
 
 One day as fhe was grieving about them, a 
 boy, (fon of an acquaintance) accidentally came 
 in, and feeing her in fuch grief, enquired the 
 caufe. On being informed, he faid he could give 
 her an account of them ; and faid he was fent on 
 a mefTage to El c- m' s, and feeing them looking 
 over pawnbroker's dnplicates, he noticed among 
 them, her name. She inftantly fet offto the place, 
 -and when me enquired, received a good portion 
 of abnfe. At lafl fhe threatened them with a ma- 
 giftrate and went away. They however, found 
 
 means to have an interview witU Mrs. D ; 
 
 and flic by fome means beft known to herfelf, 
 raifed the money fhe received for them (eleven 
 guineas), and repaid this El c m, and the 
 duplicates were returned. 
 
 She now quitted Mrs. L and went to 
 
 lodge with Mr. Schurreh, the corner of New- 
 man Street ; This was about the latter end "of 
 January 1798: and here fhe continued till the 
 
 c 2
 
 June following, paffing for a fmgle woman. Her 
 landlord, however, becoming preffing for his 
 money, {he pretended fhe was arrelled, left his 
 lodging, and went to a Mrs. Cotton's, No. 55, 
 Poland Street, where fhe aflimied the lady of 
 quality ; and had the whole houfe at four guineas 
 a-week. He however followed her, and ferved 
 her with a copy of a writ; which, with the law 
 expences, foon amounted to an arreft. She entered 
 into an agreement to pay him by inftalments half a 
 guinea a-week: this proves how fmallher refources 
 were at this time, and that the fellow fhe had ab- 
 fconded with from Vienna, had deferted her, or 
 fhe him, 
 
 She paid her inftalments two or three weeks, 
 and then defifted. Butchers, Bakers, Chandlers, 
 and Coal-fheds were ranfacked for credit ; and 
 many there bear the impreflion of her march ; 
 but ftill fhe had tow'ring ideas ; fhe had a wonder- 
 ful itch for the acquaintance and vifits of Ambaf- 
 iadors. Her lodgings were not fufficiently elegant ; 
 fhe muft have them more in flate : but ftill fhe 
 was too humble to attempt an Oakly, and there- 
 fore contented herfelf with a Jew Broker in 
 Holborn. She told him fhe wanted elegantly 
 framed prints or pictures (we do not know which), 
 and fome glafTes, as flie expected a vifit from a 
 foreign AmbafTador in a few days. Here we fup- 
 pofe fhe commenced her acquaintance with the 
 Spanifh AmbafTador.
 
 { '3 ) 
 
 Moles furnifhed her with the articles fhe want- 
 ed : Shortly after Mrs. L f called on her 
 
 from the Jew, into whofe debt fhe had got, while 
 confined in Newgate ; (for he was releafed, and 
 lodged with Mrs. L f ;) andlikewife to re- 
 mind her of her ingratitude to her. She foon 
 pacified her, by faying, " you fee I can do fome- 
 thing yet ; by C d you thought I could do 
 nothing, but you fee what fine things I can 
 get." 
 
 In a little time her finances growing low, me 
 thought flie would make free with Mofes firft, 
 and accordingly went to another Jew, and told 
 him flie had fome pictures and glaffes to fell. 
 The^Jevr appointed his time to view them, but not 
 caring to truft to his own judgment, called on his 
 brother Mofes, to take him with him; but what was 
 Mofes' furprife when he entered the room, to fee 
 his own pictures offered for fale to another. He 
 exclaimed, " by C d thefe are my pictures." 
 The lady not a whit difcompofed, faid, " d m 
 you, take them with you." 
 
 One night flie got Mrs L f (as flie lives 
 
 near the Fleet Prifon) to go with her into the 
 Fleet, faying fhe had fome bufmefs with her 
 hufband. When they entered the room, the 
 cloth was laid for flipper, and two knives and forks, 
 
 and two plates, which ftruck Mrs. L f, that 
 
 her hufband was to have company. She rowled 
 her eyes about to Mrs. D , who took the
 
 hint; and going to the bed which was turned up, 
 faid, " Pray madam walk out." A female came 
 from behind, faying, " You left your hufband to 
 ftarve, but for me. I am the daughter of an 
 Englifh Baronet, and no importer ;" the other faid 
 to Menckwitz, " You villain! have I notSwiNDLEo 
 for you? He replied in German. She anfwered, 
 44 Speak in a language that every perfon under- 
 ftands-." Thus ended the interview. 
 
 A lady of her confequence would not long want, 
 for fhortly after fhe fold the blankets, the counter- 
 pane, and the window-curtain ; Evil tongues went 
 fo far as to fay fhe fold the bed. Be this as it may; 
 while fhe had Mrs. Cotton's houfe, fhe pcr- 
 fuaded the fervant maid of the houfe to be- 
 come of her party. The meafure of her iniquity 
 was now brim full, and fhe was fafely lodged in 
 in the King's Bench. Here flic became acquainted 
 with one Wray, and it is fuppofed he found the 
 means to effect her liberation. 
 
 Upou her enlargement from the King's Bench, 
 fhe took a houfe in Hah Moon Street Piccadilly : 
 this was in 1798. Here (he affumed the name of Mrs. 
 Douglas, Fancy Drefs Maker. Her houfe was in- 
 tended to be the rendezvous of all the idle and 
 diffipated; in fhort it was a place of mutual conve- 
 nience. Here fhe affumed a new profelfion ; fhe 
 engaged with a Tally-Man. Left our reader fhould 
 not uiiderftand the term, a Tally-Man is a perfon
 
 ( '5 ) 
 
 who lets out rich drefles for females, by the day, or 
 week. She had a number of thefe ladies, which 
 (he attired for the Play or Opera Houfe, and at- 
 tended them there, taking care to introduce them 
 to proper cuftomers. She had one cuftomer, a 
 Coal Merchant, who bargained for Young Ladies, 
 and he paid a iuperior price. Like Henry VIII. 
 he was a wonderful judge ; for he was fup- 
 plied with caft-offs, a little while kept up from, 
 practice ! 
 
 With all her different profeflions of Mantua- 
 Maker and Procurefs, her finances were in a totter- 
 ing ftate, and fhe had recourfe to flratagem, Dr. 
 
 B of Syrup memory, ufed to vifit herhoufe, 
 
 and feems to have been very intimate ; but there 
 is fome excufe for him, on account of his coming 
 from the lame country (or near it) with our heroine* 
 She went to his Silver-Smith in Cheapfide and be- 
 fpoke Plate to the amount of 140!. in the Dr's. 
 Name . When they were finifhcd the Silver-Smith 
 refufed to let her have them, but went to the Dr. 
 to know how they were to be difpofed of : The 
 Dr. refufed having any thing to do with them, or 
 to be refponfible. She went to him, and remon- 
 ftrated, and reprefented that if fhe did not get 
 them fhe would be ruined, as flie was to have a large 
 party to dine ; that flie was to receive gooL the 
 following week, and would then repay him. The, 
 Dr. however perfifted in his refufal. She then 
 told him, if he did not oblige her by giving his.
 
 note, fhe would publifh tranfations that would be 
 his ruin. This alarmed his fears ; and after much 
 reluctance he gave his note, and fhe received the 
 Plate. When however the note was due, the Dr. 
 refufed to pay, and the Silver-Smith, uot caring 
 to drive things to extremity, waited fome time 
 before he forced payment ; but finding neither 
 party intended to pay, he declared if it was not 
 duly honoured by fuch a time, he would proceed 
 againft them both as Swindlers : She had no 
 character to lofe, but the Doclor had, he there- 
 fore paid the money. In afew days after the plate 
 made its final exit. 
 
 Soon after the plate was paid for, fhc paid 
 another viiH to the Doclor ; and after acknow- 
 ledging the obligation fhe was under, and told 
 him flie had it now in her power to make his 
 fortune : He had his doubts ; till me explained : 
 and expatiated on the benefits that would arife 
 to him. She then informed him fhe had painted 
 his profeffional talents in the mofl glowing colours 
 to his Excellency the Spanifh AmbafTador ; that 
 me was invited to dine with him ; and through 
 
 her he had invited Doftor B- like wife. 
 
 The Quack, whom nobody noticed, notwith- 
 ftanding the flafh he cut with a Vis-a-Vis, fervice 
 of plate, and three or four courfes for dinner,, 
 thought this was the happy moment his fancy 
 long' predicted to flicw off his magnificence in 
 meridian lullre: he was highly fenflble of the
 
 ( '7 ) 
 
 favour, and thought her his beft friend, his 
 guardian angel. He accepted the invitation with 
 rapture, as he very naturally expelled all the 
 world of fafliion would be there. We doubt not 
 but fbme men in his fit nation would have taken a 
 cooling draught to temper their brain ! However, 
 his diamond button fuit was ordered to be aired ; 
 his diamond fet-fnuff-box, and his rings, were 
 burnifhed up to the utmoft tone of brilliancy. 
 The day at lafl arrived and likewife the hour. 
 In all the pharapanalia of ftate he fet off. 
 
 Reader ! haft thou feen a Lord Mayor's (hew ? 
 if you have, contrail your ideas to one carriage, 
 and one individual, and you will have fome idea of 
 the pomp and magnificence of the Dodtor ! He 
 arrives at HalfMcon Street after waiting a little 
 time his hoftefs appears ; and with a face well for- 
 med to the occallon, informs him 'tis impoffible 
 me can accompany him that day; an inexorable 
 creditor having put an execution in the houie for 
 2ool. ; that fhe mail be ruined, her credit undone. 
 This was a cruel diiappointment after fuch tower- 
 ing hopes ! At laft, after much hefitation, the 
 Doftor gave a check on his Banker. This re- 
 vived the lady's fpirits, and after difpatching the 
 myrmidons of the law, away went the Doctor 
 and the lady, Vis-a-Vis, to the Ambailador's. 
 But alas! the Doctor's evil genius {till followed 
 him; fqrlo! though the Ambaflkdor received him
 
 very cordially, he was ' fohis ; and he ordered 
 liimil'lf to be denied to every body elfe. 
 
 Reader ! think if you were bedizened with 
 coftly baubles, and there was nobody to look at 
 you, how would your vanity be mortified ! 
 Think if you were a lady and had with care and 
 coft got ready for a birth day exhibition, and it 
 was poftponed ! then you will eafily conceive the 
 fenfation of a fortunate Quack Doftor, when, 
 after giving a check for 200!. there was nobody to 
 look at him. The Ambaffador was dreffed in an 
 old brown coat, and the lady had obtruded herfelf 
 through his fears, left fhe fliould expofe the obje<ft 
 of his vifits to her hotvfe ; and the Corps Diplo- 
 matique be ridiculed in the News-Papers. It 
 is faid the Doctor returned home lamenting his 
 haAI fate ; and the thoughts of his check deprived 
 him of fleep that night : It was, however, fortu- 
 nate that he had not the gout in his ftomach, or 
 an apoplectic fit did not take him that night; 
 and have died ; if they had, Hiftory would have 
 falfely recorded that he died of grief. 
 
 "Whether there was an execution in her houfc 
 or not at the time, we know not ; but Mr. Squibb 
 Shortly after had. Thefe were fmall things to her 
 great mind ; for it did not damp her fpirits. The 
 Jew whom (he got in debt with while in Newgate, 
 whenever he called for his money, fhe made*
 
 ( '9 ) 
 
 .uiminifter to her wants ; for in his bill (which we 
 faw) are entered, f^ax Candles , Tea, and Five 
 Bottles of Rum*. 
 
 Mr. Squibb called one day to fee how matters 
 flood ; when the door was opened he thought he 
 had miftaken the houfe ; till looking more carefully 
 at the fervant, found it to be one of his own men, 
 dreffed up in new livery. Afking the meaning, 
 
 lie was informed Mrs. D was to have a 
 
 large party that day, and had them all put into 
 livery to receive the company ; and he fuppofed 
 he was invited alfo. 
 
 The bufmefs of the houfe, however, took a 
 more gloomy afpeft ; and (lie was once more upon 
 the wide world. She was acquainted with a noto- 
 rious character of the name of Sp g : he was 
 
 employed to find her an houfe, which he did in 
 Gerard Street: It was occupied by two ladies 
 in a public line of bufmefs ; they confented to 
 refign for fix guineas. 
 
 Y 
 
 She came to fee the houfe (drefled in a fcarlet 
 fpencer) and liked it mightily : She had removed 
 
 * This poor man died with Mrs L , at No. 10, Be!! 
 
 Savage Yard ; and as he could not pay her for her lodging, 
 trouble, and attendance ; he gave her this debt, as the only 
 remuneration he had in his power. 
 
 D 2
 
 all the mo v cables fiie could from out of the lafl houfe, 
 even to the empty finall beer barrels. She 
 gave twenty guineas for entrance. Her friend, 
 it is (aid, went to the adverfe Attorney, as (he 
 was out upon bail, and informed him fhe intended 
 to fet off. He then faid her bail was meditating to 
 furrender her; but fhe was determined, however, 
 to have the ftart of them, and went to her old 
 friend the Conftable, (who now keeps a Lock-up 
 houfe, No. i, Warwick Court, Holborn,) and 
 defired him to put her into Newgate. She was 
 in fuch a hurry to be fent to Newgate, that 
 fhe would hardly permit the Officer to eat his 
 dinner ; and to hurry him the more, fhe threaten- 
 ed " If he did not make hafle, fhe would cut 
 her throat." At laft fhe was put under fafe 
 
 keeping. 
 
 i 
 
 This was what her worthy friend wanted, as all 
 the articles fhe concealed and got away from the 
 laft houfe were depofited here ; he likewife kept 
 pofleflion of the houfe till the landlord wa$ 
 obliged to give him twenty guineas to quit. 
 
 She had not been long there before fhe picked 
 a quarrel with a debtor, and gave him a box on 
 the cheek ; at the fame time fhe put a guinea into 
 his hand, and defired him to fwear an afTault 
 againft her, which he did ; and fhe was removed 
 to the Felon's fide. This was a manceuvre to
 
 prevent her being removed to the Bench by 
 Habeus Corpus. 
 
 We forgot to mention while fhe was at Half 
 Moon Street, (he was put into the Fleet, by 
 Mr. Wellis, Oilman, of New Bond Street ; but 
 he let her out, as not being worth Powder, as 
 beggars are termed, 
 
 In Newgate flie remained for fome time ; and 
 when liberated fhe changed her name to Wray; 
 and in that name me and Wray took an houie, 
 No. 3, John Street, Golden Square, at two 
 guineas a-week ready furnifhed. There fhe had 
 it reported that the houfe and furniture were 
 her's ; and it was Uke wife reported that the land- 
 lord only flept there out of companion; though 
 he informed us he had a lodging more airy for 
 his health. Wray and fhe were in feveral trades, 
 in the Tallow Selling, and Manufacturing of 
 Sugar ; and during the courfe of their experi- 
 mental life, they found nothing added to the 
 weight more than fand. We are not in pofTeflion 
 whether any Grocer taught them or not; though 
 we know by experience, fome Grocers that 
 play that game : We rather fuppofe their own 
 fagacity was their guide. They fold two hun- 
 dred pounds worth of fugar to one perfon, and 
 had an order for four hundred pounds worth 
 more ; buf one of their own party, Mi;. N ,
 
 toeing jealous of the new firm; gave the pur- 
 chafer the hard -word, and fpoiled their trade. 
 She carried on, however, one or two trades more. 
 She drew a note, and perfuaded a perfon's wife 
 who was in the King's Bench, to accept it: 
 They both went in a coach to a perfon in Pall- 
 Mall, who took it for goods, and gave them 12!. 
 in csfh. Mrs. Wray's part was immediately taken 
 to the gentleman under the Golden Ball. She had 
 another fcheme againft the perfon whofe hpufe 
 they hired. The man was in an ill ftate of 
 health; therefore had a lodging at fome diftance, 
 which made him let the houfe at a cheap rate. 
 She pretended what wonderful intereil (he had 
 through her hufband's connexions, pafling Wray 
 for a Merchant, (indeed the Sugar trade gavq 
 4pme colour to it,) and faid fhe would get a boy of 
 their's into the Blue-Coat School, and took the 
 mother to Alderman Coombe's, with whom fhe 
 laid ihe was intimately acquainted (at the fame 
 time no doubt but fhe knew that tue Alderman 
 was out of town). She even afterwards forged 
 a, letter, (or had it done) in the Alderman's name, 
 Signifying the child fhould be admitted as foon as 
 he iiad patted through the necefTary forms of 
 examination, as to health, flate of body, Sec. 
 and fent the letter by pofl to the parents, incloflng 
 the certificate of their marriage, and the copy or 
 the father's freedom of the city of London. 
 She even got herfelf introduced to the nurfe by 
 Mrs. L f, that fhe might afterwards tke
 
 the mother to drink tea with her, which (he 
 actually did ; uling the fame familiarity with her 
 as if me was an old acquaintance. 
 
 By thefe ftratagems me fb far wrought upon the 
 credulity of the parents, that nothing they 
 could do for her was enough ; and me particularly 
 applied herfelf to the man : but the wife was a 
 little too clear fighted. She went to Alderman 
 Coombe's to return thanks, but here the bufmefs 
 was unraveled. It feems this artful woman had 
 gained over one of the Alderman's fervants to her 
 intereft, and he connived at her fchemes. The 
 Alderman, however, very fharply reprimanded 
 him ; nor would he permit the fellow to make the 
 leaft defence. During the fliort time they were 
 permitted to remain in this houfe. they were 
 beginning to ftrip it: The firft thing that was 
 made away with was the counterpane off the 
 bed; but Alderman Coombe's bufmefs expedited 
 their expulfion, and omiting payment completed 
 it. 
 
 On their quitting this houfe the name of Wray 
 ceafed ; and from a houfekeeper, fhe was reduced 
 to become an inmate in her old lodging, the 
 King's Bench, once more. She became acquainted 
 with an elderly woman of the name of H yes : 
 This was in 1 800. The Mock Baronefs general- 
 ly manages not to be confined in the fame Prifon 
 till the lapfe of time has given it a new fet of
 
 lodgers; as from her having played fo many tricks 
 upon the old ones, fhe would be in danger of 
 liar v ing. She applied to this Mrs. H yes for 
 bed-furniture, and moft pointedly for a white 
 counterpane, as fhe declared fhe could not deep 
 under a coloured one, and a mattrefs for her 
 maid. 
 
 Be it remembered the maid fervant lived with 
 Mrs. Cotton of Poland Street, when (he ftripped the 
 lodging of part of the furniture. Therefore having 
 feduced her from her duty, fhe was the fitteft 
 perfon for her purpofe. The next day they were 
 fent to pawn; and fhe and her maid could then 
 deep without either bed or counterpane. 
 
 Though in prifbn, and not knowing when fhe 
 (liould be liberated, fhe was continually planning 
 frefh fchemes. There was a German Count, 
 named B g d ff in prifon alfo ; and it is more 
 than probable, he was the principal inftument 
 who put together the Swindling Catalogue. 
 There was a French Teacher in alfo, and they 
 made a capital Trio. She now pretended the 
 Teacher was making out an account of an eflate in 
 Norwich, that was to be fold for 14.000!. The 
 Blackheath Swindling leems to be planned on 
 this idea; for they originated from the fame 
 firm. But in faft he was tranflating into Englifh 
 this German Bantling. Whoever aflifled her, 
 little inferior to herielf: be this as it may,
 
 The (lory of the Norwich eftate was a cover to 
 this buiinefs, and gave her confequence as being a 
 woman of fortune. 
 
 She knew this Mrs. H yes fupported herfelf 
 
 in prifon, by the hire of two beds and bedding, 
 and that fhe had fome table linen; me now 
 pretended fhe had a daughter that was boarding at 
 a fchool at Kenfmgton ; that fhe and her gover- 
 nefs was to dine with heron a certain day; that 
 (lie was fourteen years of age, and was to fignher 
 confent that this eftate fliould be fold; but coining 
 in a female line, it could be only fold for their lives, 
 and that as me was to have Lawyers, fhe mufl 
 
 appear refpe&able. She afked Mrs. H to lend 
 
 her a Damafk table-cloth, and feeing her inclined 
 to comply, fhe defired it might be a large one. 
 This was Jikewife fent to pawn. She next applied 
 for bed -furniture, for a woman ftiled the Baronefs 
 Wotenburgh, who came to lodge contiguous to 
 the Bench , to attend on her hufband ; and me faid 
 fhe would be anfwerable for their fafety and pay- 
 ment. Mrs. H anfwered, very innocently, 
 
 fhe would let the lady have them, and take the 
 refponfibility on herfelf. The objedt was to get 
 this bed alfo ; but the anfwer defeated the fcheme, 
 and it was no more mentioned. She next applied 
 for a bed for the perfon who was writing for her, 
 refpefting her Norwich eftate, and whom fhe could 
 not pay till it was difpofed of; fhe knew, how- 
 ever, fhe would not let him have it, as he was in 
 her debt already. During the convcrfation, as if
 
 it was planned, he came in, and on her refponfi- 
 bility (he agreed. She then afkecl what room 
 
 it mould be lent to. Mrs. D anfwered, 
 
 bring it here, and he fhall take it to his room him- 
 
 felf. Mrs. H found afterwards that it was 
 
 pawned that night by a meflenger of the name of 
 Thompfon, and a good fupper was provided, and 
 count Roggend---iFwas df the party. 
 
 The next affair was, Baron W came into 
 
 the room where the tranflating prifoner, Mrs. 
 
 O , and Mrs. H , were fitting. Mrs. 
 
 D defired the Baron to amufe himfelf with 
 
 reading over that catalogue, giving him, it is 
 fuppofed, the German one. When he was feated, 
 {he beckoned the tranflating prifoner out, whom 
 
 we {hall hereafter call Mr. G , and mortly 
 
 after returned and called her fervant maid out, 
 and gave her fomething as {he \vas entering, which 
 {he, the maid, threw the tail of her gown over. 
 
 Mrs. D came immediately up to the table 
 
 and putting one hand over the Baron's chair, and 
 the other over Mrs. H 's, who was fit- 
 ting fewing, as if to fee what the Baron was 
 reading, (but in fat to cover what \vas acting in the 
 backfcene.) Mrs. H accidentally turned 
 her head round, and faw Stora, the maid, thruft 
 fomething behind the bedftead. Shortly after the 
 Baron retired. It muft be remarked the Baron 
 was reputed a very carelefs man and frequently or 
 always left his door open (a proof he was but a 
 novice among thefe harpies). Mrs. D
 
 ( '7 ) 
 
 knowing this, faid fhe would have a good joke at 
 his expence fome time or other, and this was the 
 time to put it in practice ; and in beckoning Mr. 
 
 G <- out, it was to rob his room ; and the 
 
 parcel me called the maid out to receive, was a 
 double-milled great coat, and a waiftcoat. The 
 Tailor, a German prifoner, charged {even pounds 
 for them. They might be faid to be new, as the 
 Baron had them on only two, or three times. 
 
 Shortly after the Baron retired. Mrs. H 
 
 knowing Mrs. D 's intention, faid, "lord, 
 
 madam, you have been playing fome tricks with 
 the Baron ;" me anfwere4, " Did you fee?" " Yes, 
 madam, I did." She then ordered Stora to bring 
 them from behind the bed, and mew them to her ; 
 
 which Stora did. Mrs. H was going to 
 
 take hold of the waiftcoat to look at the pattern, 
 but drew it back, recollecting herfelf, faid, " She 
 would not touch it." " Oh, ho, you are going to 
 turn King's evidence, we'll fwear you:" She 
 anfwered, " She would have nothing to do 
 
 with it." Mrs. D : faid, " I will 
 
 perfuade the Baron to have them cried, and offer 
 five {hillings reward for the finding, which five 
 flullings I will lay out in a leg of mutton, and 
 invite him to dine on it, and you know he will eaf 
 the greateft part ; and thtr* I will inform him he 
 has dined at his own expence: it will teach him to 
 be more careful s hereafter." They were cried: 
 The manner of crying Mrs D claimed 
 
 B2
 
 much merit for; and, as it was clone by her, it 
 excited the laughter of all the prifoners, and the 
 Baron not underftanding Eriglifh fufficiently\ 
 it was a mofl ridiculous jargon. No coat was 
 
 found. Next morning Mrs. H- went 
 
 up to her room ; the moment me entered, the 
 other faid look here, putting her hand into a cup- 
 board and pulled out a Pawnbroker's ticket, Mrs, 
 
 H faid, " What is that," me anfwered, 
 
 44 It is the ticket of the Baron's great coat and 
 waiftcoat for eighteen millings." No more was 
 faid reflecting it is at this time, 
 
 A fortnight previous to her difcharge, (he was 
 taken ill, and kept her mattrefs. A prifoner's 
 
 wife told Mrs. H that flie was afraid 
 
 Mrs. D had pawned her down bed, 
 
 as a bed was feen removing from count 
 R g ff's room. She hafted direftly to. Mrs. 
 
 D 's room, to know the truth. Mrs. 
 
 D pretended to be extremely ill, and her 
 
 great modefty never permitted her to rife 
 before any perfon ; therefore me requefled Mrs. 
 
 H would retire, which fhe did. She had, 
 
 however, fome fufpicion Mrs. H- would 
 
 pay her a vifit again, therefore fhe borrowed the 
 Count's bed. Be it remarked her down bed was 
 in a checque cafe, which was detained, and the 
 Count's bed was now put into it to blind Mrs. 
 
 H (which accounts for her modefty; as 
 
 her manner of life bears teftimony of confumate 
 art), and had fhe arofe in the prefence of
 
 Mrs. H before the cafe was on, the trick 
 
 would have been found out. Mrs. H returned 
 
 to know the truth of the bed. The bed-cloaths 
 were now a little removed, prievous to her 
 entry, and on feing lv?r checque cafe, and the 
 fwell of the bed, concluded all was fafe, and 
 that the report was through malice. 
 
 We fhall now leave the lady, happy in the en- 
 joyment of her fuperior talents; and, like the 
 Devil on Tiuo Sticks, take a review of Count 
 R g ff s affairs. A Mrs. Brown, whom he 
 had hired a bed from, coming in at this unfor- 
 tunate junfture, miffed her bed out of the Count's 
 room. She fet up the Hs.e and Cry ; and the bed 
 was obliged to be produced to gratify her, and 
 Mifs Price, Baronefs, alias Kev.ri'z, alias Mcnck- 
 luitz, alias Lady Douglas, alias Mrs. Diuglas, 
 alias Mrs, Wray, was obliged to rife and deliver 
 up the bed her modefly to be difcompofed, 
 and her delicate frame, that could not deep on a 
 down bed, without a white counterpane, obliged 
 to bear the rude embrace of a mercilels facking 
 bottom. Oh rueful iituation ! What's to be done ? 
 Thefe curfed beds ever kept her wits at work; 
 but great genuifes always find means to extricate 
 themfelves; whereas common capacities would be 
 abafhed. A moment's paufe effefted the bufinefs. 
 The mattrefs is mounted aloft upqn fix chairs; 
 
 which vipon Mrs. H -'s entry, two days 
 
 after, quite aftonifhed her. With a very grave 
 and ferious face me informed her the Doctor had
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 ordered her not to fleep upon a bed at prefent, as 
 it too mnch weakened her. The bedflead where 
 me thought her bed was, was turned up; me faid, 
 when it was down, it took up too much room. 
 The maid and the miftrefs flept together on the 
 mattrefs, and without a white counterpane. Ne- 
 ceffity levels all diftinctions, and drives away 
 all the little impertinences of pampered con- 
 fequence. 
 
 The morning of her difcharge, which was on a 
 Saturday, the Doctor ordered her'not to go immedi- 
 ately into the air, but to feafon h erfelf by degrees; 
 and as (he had got beds and bedding, fhe now wanted 
 a fhawl. She therefore, fent Stora to requeft 
 
 Mrs. H would be fo good as lend her one. 
 
 This fhawl Mrs. H valued at two guineas : 
 
 (he got it ; and without remorfe left the prifon 
 
 that evening. She told Mrs. H me mould 
 
 not leave the prilbn till "Wednesday, and as fhe had 
 had the Baron's great coat and waiftcoat fo long, 
 
 me mould get them on Monday, and Mr. G - 
 
 mould put them into the Baron's room fecretly, 
 and not let him know how they came back. 
 At the fame time fhe defired her to get her bill 
 ready by Monday, and fhe would pay her, and 
 her property mould be returned, and invited her 
 to dine with her on Monday, with feveral women 
 prifoners, to whom fhe would give a good dinner. 
 
 On Monday, when the dinner hour was come, 
 all was anxiety ; none had feen the Baronefs that 
 day : at laft tumult and uproar feized their flo-
 
 ( 3' ) 
 
 machs. Alas ! there was nothing but patience to* 
 appeafe ^ie diforder No Baronefs No dinner. 
 Let the hungry or epicure draw a picture of their 
 feelings! Mifery without and commotion within! 
 No doubt but on Monday, Tuesday, and Wed- 
 nefday (lie enjoyed their forrow with a mind as 
 cafe-hardened as the blade of a Damafcus fabre. 
 
 On -Wednefday the Marfhall ordered the door, 
 to be opened. Reader! contemplate this fcene. 
 Unlike the prime Minifter whom we have read 
 of, who, when his enemies entered his fecret room 
 where they thought the pillage of the nation was 
 hid, they found only the emblems of his inno- 
 cence his humble garb, and fhepherd's crook. 
 Here was expofed the proofs of her infamy here 
 was only one mattrefs, one blanket, and one pil- 
 low, and one coverlid. For the Marfhall 
 
 there was an oldPelifTe, that afterwards fold for a 
 few (hillings, towards defray ing the rent of the room. 
 
 Mrs. H afked Mr. G for the bed 
 
 which he had got, but was informed he never had 
 it. Thus was me plundered of two beds, three 
 blankets, three fine flieets, a white counterpane 
 and pillow cover, befitting a lady as me thought of 
 an cftate of r^ooo/. : thefe were all this poor wo- 
 man had to fuftain her in the Bench, and which 
 this unprincipled imp of Hell robbed her of; and af- 
 terwards made a boaft of it, and lamented fhe had 
 no more. 
 
 While fhe was in the Bench, a woman who fold 
 fowls to the prilbners, attended one day as ufual :
 
 ( 3' ) 
 
 ."Mrs. D called to her from the two pair of 
 
 Hairs landing (the woman being on the firft) and 
 afked her how fhe fold her fowls: being anfwered, 
 {he replied they were too dear for her. The 
 woman went inttf a prifoner's room, and left her 
 basket on the landing place 'till her return. It is 
 cuftomary with thofe fort of people to have two forts 
 of fowls, the beft under the cloth in which the 
 upper ones are wrapped; fhe watched her oppor- 
 tunity during the woman's abfence, flipped down 
 foftly, and carried off, unpercieved, one of the 
 poor woman's beft fowls : fhe told this ftory with 
 peculiar fatisfa&ion. 
 
 We have to remark what makes her character 
 more black, is, when her difcharge came, fhe took 
 
 Mrs. H by the hand, and faid, " fhe would 
 
 be able to get her out of prifon;" and fhe wrote fome- 
 thing to the Attorney that put her in, but what 
 the purport was fhe did not know, as fhe declared, 
 " flic would die in prifon rather than pay an unjuft 
 debt." Her anfwer was, " that her character was none 
 of the beft ;" but finding fhe fire d at fuch an im- 
 putation, fhe changed ground, and faid, " fhe 
 meant only her warm temper was not in her favor; 
 yet fhe would be her friend; fhe would get her 
 out; but fhe muft fign a paper, that whatever fhe 
 fhould do for that purpofe, fhe mould be fanctioned 
 in, and no harm mould come from her." The 
 other anfwered, " She would do no fuch thing; 
 fhe would fign nothing but what fhe underftocd." 
 It was intended by this artful woman only to trick
 
 her out of an iuflrument; that fliould afterwards 
 act againil herfelf, when (he mould claim her beds, 
 c. The Baronefs propofed to her to accept a 
 note, to get money upon : the other replied, 
 " Who will pay any regard to the acceptance of 
 a prifoner:" but that was got over by faying," 
 
 4 > That was her bufinefs." Mrs. H -, 
 
 however, fully denied doing any thing of the 
 kind. 
 
 She was fo well known in the Prifon, that fhe 
 kept very cLofe, left thofe who knew her might 
 mform the ftrangers of her tricks, and put them 
 on their guard; therefore, when fh.e took the 
 benefit of the air, it was always by night. On 
 the door of her room being opened, and the poor 
 woman's property \vas found to be made away 
 with, all mouths were open against her : it feems 
 her moveables were eafily carried, as her own 
 back anfwered the purpofe of a fervant and 
 porter. TJip daflung fhawl went a great way 
 (like a Spanifh cloak) to cover her under garments. 
 During her flay in prifon, me borrowed Baron 
 
 \V 's feal, and kept it, and afterwards had 
 
 the impudence to affix it to her cards, and feals 
 all her letters with it to this day, and fays it is her 
 family arms.* 
 
 * Menckwitz sent a letter to Mrs 1- , requiring to 
 
 .sec her, she suspecting nothing, went to him, he had nothing 
 on but a dressing gown when she entered, he told her he could 
 
 F
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
 Being once more at liberty, me went to No. 3, 
 John Street. (Notwithftanding fhe had played the 
 people there fuch a trick,) and fupplicated them 
 to let her and her maid fleep together ; they com- 
 paffionated her diftrefs, and humanely let her in. 
 She was fo extremely induftrious in her calling, 
 that no weather could keep her in the houfe ; fhe 
 has often returned wet to the {kin. Somehow or 
 other a table-fpoon was miilTng ; me gave half 
 a guinea to ftop their mouths. She now (trove to 
 reconcile herfelf to Mrs. L , whofe dupli- 
 cates fhe had made away with. She fell on her 
 knees, and in the moft abject manner fupplicated, 
 her to forgive her : The poor woman was eafily 
 duped ; a well wrought tale was lure to interefl 
 
 her, which Mrs. D very well knew; flie 
 
 applied the proper falve to the weak part. Mrs. 
 
 I. introduced her to a Mrs. A , of 
 
 Fleet Market ; Mrs. A to Mr. R , 
 
 who afked him to get fome friend to difcount a 
 
 get out of prison if he could raise 40l. ; and asked her to accept 
 a note for him, and he would repay her by instalments, and give 
 her a good premium for doing it, She told him she would do 
 no such thing. He fastened the door, and attempted to lay his 
 hand on her breast ; she flew in a passion : He told her he had 
 pistols. She then very composedly sat down, and told him, she 
 valued not her life : He might take it : Finding he could do 
 nothing with her, he let her go. We saw a letter of his, pre- 
 tending to explain it away ; but in our mind, only more firmly 
 confirmed her story ; it is signed Minck z, but it is the same 
 hand-writing with a note of his, in the hands of the Merchant 
 alluded to in the beginning of these Anecdotes.
 
 ( 35 ) 
 
 bill for 15!. as me reprcfented herfelf to have a 
 number of wax figures in the Cuftom Houfe, that 
 fhe wanted to clear of the duties, and produced the cat- 
 alogue inmanufcript, that was compiled in the Bench. 
 In corroboration. From the number of figures, he 
 was fure that an exhibition would be fuccefsful; 
 but he obje&ed to the perfon on whom the bill 
 was drawn, one Vin, an Attorney. She, however, 
 leffened that objection, by propofmg him a very 
 lucrative fituation in her houfe, as cafhier, 
 machinift, and overfeer of the whole bufinefs. 
 
 Shortly after, with the help of her afTociates, 
 fhe got an houfe in George's Street. She then 
 mewed him the leafe, which intirely removed his 
 fcruples. She next applied to him to recommend 
 her a perfon where fhe could get a number of 
 pieces of linen, which he did from a perfon in 
 Oxford Street. The next objet was to get wax 
 heads, which fhe did, from fome poor Italian in 
 Holborn, who made wax dolls, and thefe, fhe 
 pretended came from abroad. She perfuaded the 
 landlord of the houfe, No. 3, John Street, to 
 procure her credit for icl. worth of baize, from 
 the houfe where he was clerk. She likewife got 
 
 acquainted with a Mrs. II gs, who lent her 
 
 furniture, which was afterwards fold; and the 
 real proprietor got no part. She perfuaded Mrs. 
 Heathcote, an old infirm woman to lend her lol. 
 fhe made her a prefent of a gown, and foiae 
 trifliilg articles, and repaid her the money. A 
 little while after fhe borrowed 2oL from her, 
 
 F 2
 
 which fhe never intended to pay, and the poof 
 inn died in the greatefl diftrcfs. 
 
 While the bufineis was going on, fome of her 
 creditors fee n ted her out, and arrefted her: fhe 
 
 applied to Mr. R to bail her, or join her 
 
 in a note, and promi&d to give him a fum in the 
 (veiling to fettle the debt, and the overplus fliould 
 be for himfelf. After much reluftance, and 
 fearing the bufmefs wonidbe cut up, he confented, 
 bnt he afterwards had to pay the debt, together, 
 with all the law expences, which with the 
 facrifice of his time; amounted to a round fum. 
 During thefe tranfa&ions, fhe ftill kept, her eyes 
 
 upon Dr. B , and as me had done all me 
 
 could perfonally, fhe now determined to make a 
 pufh for her friend, Count R g ff. He invited 
 the Dr. to dine with him: A fmgle man is not 
 fuppofed to have many rooms; if the cheer is 
 good, and abundant, it fupplies the place of the 
 decorative and fanciful. The Dr. was highly 
 pleafed with his reception, and with his hofl, the 
 Count; for we find an intimacy took place, and 
 the vacant place in his Vis-a-Vis, was occupied 
 by him. Had a fortune-teller informed him he 
 thould be elevated to this honour, he would have 
 rather thought fhe meant the gallows. Be his 
 ienfations what they might refpecling that, his 
 mind was not unemployed, as he helped himfelf 
 to 250!. 
 
 Afterwards when fhe was in Newgate, this 
 Count's name was mounted upon the door, he
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 attempted to get muffs and tippets from Mrs- 
 
 L ; then reiiding in Sackville Street, 
 
 but the money was required to be paid before their 
 delivery; As {he feemed to be in a fair way to 
 
 get forward, her old friend Mrs. L , and 
 
 her daughter, paid her a vifit. A maid fervant, 
 told her, her miftrels was at home. As flie did 
 not wifh to remember old favors, another fervant 
 maid fnid, the former hadmiftook, for her miftrefs 
 
 was not at home. Mrs. L , was highly 
 
 vexed ; and when me returned home, (he wrote a 
 farcaftic epiftle, which occailoned the following 
 reply. 
 
 *' Mrs. Douglas's compliments to Mrs. and Miss L ; 
 
 rt is extremely sorry that she was not at home to receive Mrs. 
 
 " L- , with that politeness which is due to Mrs L 'a 
 
 11 quality; as Mrs. D happened to be forty miles out of 
 
 " Town; but if Mrs. L will give herself the trouble 
 " another time to send her Page the day before, to signify the 
 
 '' honor she intends ; Mrs. D will certainly wait her 
 
 " pleasure." 
 
 Mrs. L wrote as follows. 
 
 " Mrs. L , has just sat down to write her mind to Mi i. 
 
 " D . Mrs. L 's great quality was very great, 
 
 " when she degraded herself to go to Newgate to see Mrs. 
 
 " D ; recollect, you were not so great then you were 
 
 " humble enough when I visited you in the Fleet. Then you 
 
 " was glad to see me. I took you when you left that place, 
 
 " when yoi\ had not one penny in your pocket, nor a change 
 
 " to your back. You borrowed my daughter's shift and cap, 
 
 " and after taking you to my bed. Oh blush ! when you read 
 
 " this, how you served me stole my duplicates, and sold 
 
 " them. Is lhat your great quality, that you boast of? At the
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 ' time you was at my house, you bought a goose, and a leg or 
 
 ' pork, and left them both for me to pay for. Is that your 
 
 ' quality you boast of so much ? I have no Page, nor have I 
 
 * any quality to boast of. But I have an honest character, and 
 
 ' that is more than you have. Now, madam, I want to be paid 
 
 ' for your board and lodging, and my daughter's shift and 
 
 1 cap, &c. &c. 
 
 Mrs. H in the Bench, was fo irritated, 
 
 when fhe found her beds, Sec. were gone, that 
 that ihe fent ail her acquaintances to work to find 
 her out. The poor woman mufl have ftarved, 
 but for a niece of her's, who lent her a bed to 
 hire out. At lafl fhe was found in George's 
 Street. 
 
 In January 1801. Mrs H applyed to the 
 
 Marfhall for redrefs ; but no notice was taken of 
 application. She then fent for one of the Majef- 
 trates, who took her affidavit concerning the lofs 
 of her property, but took no further fleps. She 
 then procured a day rule, for which fhe was obliged 
 to pawn her bed furniture. She then applied to the 
 fitting juftice's in the Borough fora warrant to ap- 
 prehend her. They told her the builnefs refted 
 with the Marfhall ; and that he fhould have granted 
 
 a warrant to take Mrs. D up ; let her be in 
 
 what part of the kingdom fhe might. Mrs. H 
 
 told them he had refufed ; and fhe like wife told 
 them w here her beds were ; and that money was 
 borrowed on them ; and begged of them to flop 
 them ; but they refufed, " counfel faid th*t they 
 had a right to take the property under the Pawn-
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 brokers al." Mrs. H next went tq 
 
 Mr. Templar's, but he not being at home, as 
 her laft refource, me went to George's Street, 
 
 At fight of her, Mrs. D feemed much 
 
 confounded. Upon her demanding her property, 
 (he took her up to the drawing room, and fell 
 upon her knees (Reader, remember fhe is good 
 at that!) and promifed fervently her beds mould 
 be got that day, as fhe expelled money every 
 hour. She alfo demanded her fhawl: Mrs. 
 D - faid, it was almoft worn out; but flie 
 fliould give her a cloak, worth three guineas, in 
 lieu of it ; and then mewed her the cloak : She 
 waited the whole day. At five o'clock fhe 
 begun to be very uneafy, as fhe feared fome trick, 
 and wifhed to fee Mr. Templar: There was no 
 figns of either money or beds. Mrs. D 
 then told her, if the money did not come that 
 night, fhe would pay for a frefh rule, to enable 
 her to come in a few days. Seven o'clock ar- 
 rived, and no money. She was told the cloak, 
 which fhe intended to give her in lieu of her 
 fhawl, was fent to pawn, to procure money for 
 a frefh rule (as it is to be obferved, a guinea and 
 a half is paid for a frefh rule ; and to obtain it, 
 this poor woman was obliged to pawn her bed- 
 curtains; and with the expences of the man who 
 attends, amounts to near two guineas) Oh, 
 monftrous ! What excufe can be made for this 
 exa&ion.
 
 She got a frefh day rule and waited on Mrs. D . 
 
 again : me was dreffing; but in a few minutes came 
 down. She laid {he was going to the Bank for 
 
 money ; that on her return Mrs. H mould 
 
 go in a coach with her, and get her beds. A good 
 dinner was provided, and about two o'clock flic, 
 returned. Dinner was ordered, viz, a goofe, apple 
 pye, foup, &c. a fcrvant in a green livery with 
 gold enaulcts to attend ; but, lo ! when all was 
 
 ready, Mrs. D entered, and told her 
 
 guefts there was an execution in the lioufe; all was 
 conftifion and for once flie was frightened, or me 
 otherwife a<ftcd her part welJ. In a little time t 
 flie recovered herfclf, and faid, the BalifFs 
 fhould be discharged ; flie would lend for her 
 Attorney. About fevcn o'clock (he arrived, and 
 told her, nothing but paying the debt would do. 
 
 Mrs. H r- was obliged to return to Jail once 
 
 more, without her beds. She went twice after- 
 wards, but no beds were to be had. A fortnight 
 
 after, Mrs. D was fent -to Newgate herfclf, 
 
 where me remained until June, with ten detainers 
 againft her. However, her affociates managed to 
 get bail for her, as their trade would be at a {land 
 for the want of her fuperior talents. In Newgate, 
 {lie became acquainted with Hughes ; and me 
 managed to procure his liberation. They went to 
 lodge with one Bryant, a Milkman in Bimop's 
 Court, Old Bailey. Shortly after his liberation, 
 the Officers were in fearch of him for a capita)
 
 ( 4' ) 
 
 offence : how the profecution was flopped we know 
 not *. 
 
 The creditor who confined her, called at New- 
 gate one day to enquire after her ; and finding (he 
 was out, faid he would not reft till {he was in 
 again. The Turnkey anfwered, " fend her to 
 the Fleet, or the devil; but for God's fake don't 
 fend her here." While fhe was in ftie breathed 
 vengeance to her creditor, and threatened him 
 with the pillory. He fent her the two following 
 letters in confequence of her infolence. 
 
 " Madam, 
 
 " I arrested you for nineteen pounds, and you 
 " could get no person to bail you ; now if nineteen pounds sent 
 " you to Newgate, where was the 20,0001. that was necessary to 
 
 " carry your schemes into effect 1 will answer in the 
 
 " pockets of the nobility, which you wanted by a legerdemain 
 
 " trick to transfer into yours The pass begone, was the 
 
 " word with you ; and Mrs. D , alias, alias, alias, to the end 
 
 " of the alphabet, would be gone also, and credulous John 
 
 * Passing for a Baroness, she by her well-feigned stories, and 
 the connivance of those about her,, so ingratiated herself with 
 Briant's wife, that she lent her ten pounds, which she paid in a 
 short time ; then in a little while afterwards she attempted to 
 borrow twenty pounds more ; but that failed ; and;no doubt but she 
 sorely bewailed her having paid the former sum. She even 
 wrought upon the woman so far, that she got from her, writings 
 which gave them claim to a small farm in Ireland ; where she 
 aid she had property, and her agents should get it sold for her. 
 No doubt she and her agents were good at selling and pawning. 
 The husband made her return them.
 
 ( 4* ) 
 
 " Bull would hare been been laughed at. Had you been an artist 
 " there would have been some chance ; because abilities would 
 " have made up the difference. But an impudent impostor, that 
 ' is as various in her shapes as the caraeleon in tints; con- 
 " nected with a set of sharpers, intending to gull a nation, is 
 " monstrous ! Does not the pillory glide across your mind's 
 "eye. 'Tis on these grounds I shall oppose you. Reflect upon 
 " these at leisure and repent." 
 
 The Second. 
 
 " Madam, 
 
 " Independant of what I informed you respecting 
 " your mode of life for years back, I shall now remark upon 
 " your catalogue : it was one of the most impudent swindles ever 
 " attempted upon the British nation ; and it is by such people as 
 " you that the nation does not encourage real merit. You sent 
 " a catalogue, for which you never paid, wherein were por- 
 " traits inserted, not one of which you had or could have : and 
 " the two or three you had, were not likenesses of the persons 
 " now, but had been been eleven years back. What was the 
 " intent of the catalogue? to actuate the nobility to send money, 
 " that you might hum them. John Nokes would be Tippoo 
 "Saib, Peter Stiles would be the emperor of Germany. Our 
 " old friends, John Doe and Richard Roe would personate other 
 * potentates* if they were ever personated at all. To come to 
 " the point, your giving Wells a power of attorney for 5001. 
 
 " when you acknowledged to S you had not 1001. pro- 
 
 " perty in the house. Thank God ! bad as the times are, we 
 " have a Lord Kenyon, and a Lord Eldon, who have long claws, 
 '* and well sharpened, and ready to scratch such backs as 
 " yours. We say, would to God none was allowed redress in 
 " a court of law, but those who entered them with clean hands ; 
 " then would the country boast of a real good." 
 
 This woman, after all the crimes fhe had com- 
 mitted, had been in this houfe but about three 
 months, when the account againfl her flood as follows:
 
 ( 43 ) 
 
 Mr. Wells, Tailor, Swallow Street 640 
 Mr. Banoe, Cafhier and Machinifl 107 
 
 Mr. Fitter, Laceman, Pall Mall 84. 
 
 Mr. Bollancl, Hair-drefTer, St. James's Street* 
 
 money borrowed, and law expences 64. 
 Mr. Williamfon, Chandler, Swallow Street 24. 
 Mr. Jones, Chapel Street, Printer 24 
 
 Mr. Percy, Statuary, Chelfea 22 
 
 Mr. Stevenfon, Tin-man, Brewer Street 52 
 Mr. Jackfon, Linen-draper, Oxford Street 24. 
 Mr. Jackfon, China-man, Saville Paflage 16 
 Mr. Harrifon, Bead-maker, Gerrard Street *. 
 Mr. Woodftock, Butcher, Tyler Street 15 
 Mr. Windus, Baker, Swallow Street 7 10 
 
 Mr. Richardfon, Copper-fmith 7 10 
 
 Mr. Grenftead, Carpenter, Warwick Street 30 
 Mr. Coal-merchant 23 
 
 Mrs. DrefTer to the Theatre 14 . 
 
 Mr. Wakeling, Turner, Silver Street 7 10 
 
 Mr. Mufician, Rathbone Place 14 
 
 Mr Schurrah, Chandler, for lodging, law 
 
 expences, &c. 60 
 
 Mr. Glindon, Printer, Rupert Street. 
 
 We a(k the candid reader, is he not furprifed 
 that a notorious public depredator fhould be 
 able to get this credit, when the greatefl abili- 
 
 * This creditor was paid by M -, tailor, and the next 
 week he was a bankrupt. 
 
 G 2
 
 ( 44 ) 
 
 ties, and highly moral character, cannot get 
 500!. through the whole cities of London and 
 Weftminfter, to carry on a moil praife-worthy 
 bufincfs! Yet we know a perfon who has by 
 effrontery, "by artifice, by lies, and by impu- 
 dence, got gulls fufficient to fubfcribe 18000 
 guineas to a mufeum, that was to be opened 
 years fince ; which mufeum has been collected 
 
 from the misfortunes of ingenious men who 
 
 pretends to be in raptures when one of his 
 organs are [playing, though he does not know a 
 ilngle note of mufic, yet in the broad face of 
 day, afferts he is the maker ; who aftonimes the 
 ignorant where he gets the money, not knowing 
 he is connected with 'money-lending attornies. 
 It is from ignorance that our good government 
 permits the ingenious men of the country to 
 languifh, while the cheat and the monopolifer 
 batten in funmine. 
 
 This fraudulent exhibition was faid to be 
 under the aufpices of the Prince of Wales. It 
 muft have been procured through misrepre- 
 fentation ; as we know the moft trifling 
 performances fometimes obtain the fanftion of 
 royalty, while the beft and moft valuable artifls 
 are fcarcely known. 
 
 " Far from the madding crowds ignoble strife 
 " Their sober wishes never learn 'd to stray : 
 
 " Along the cool sequestered vale of life*. 
 " They kept the noiseless tenor of their way."
 
 A 
 
 CATALOGUE 
 
 or THE 
 GRAND UNION MUSEUM, 
 
 CONSISTING OF 
 
 TEN ROOMS AND A NUMBER OF CABINETS. 
 
 Under the Patronage of 
 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 Erected at the Expence of 
 SUBSCRIBING AMATF.URS 
 
 OF THB 
 
 FINE ARTS AND SCIENCES. 
 
 TO ILLUSTRATE THE GLORY OP 
 
 THE BRITISH NATION, 
 
 BY A 
 
 NEW, COSTLY, AND PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS 
 
 The Grand Union Museum will open February 5th, 1801. 
 The hours of admittance are from six o'clock in the afternoon, 
 till twelve Sundays excepted. 
 
 The Nobility and Gentry are respectfully informed, that the 
 Grand Union Museum is in great forwardness, and now open, 
 and are requested to send their Subscriptions, when they shall re- 
 ceive a Ticket, which will entitle him or her to Admission for a 
 Twelvemonth, and they will please to specify, whether the 
 Ticket is for a Lady or Gentleman, as they are not transferable. 
 
 If at any time, a party should wish to visit the Grand Union 
 Museum in private, by giving a day's previous notice, such 
 party or parties may be accommodated, and an hour will be ap- 
 pointed, out of the regular lime, for that purpose.
 
 ( 46 ) 
 
 The Grand Union Museum is composed of upwards of three 
 hundred and ninety figures, properly and magnificently deco- 
 rated, each according to the costume of their respective rank, 
 and a great number of curiosities, which have never been before 
 offered tor public inspection. 
 
 First Room. 
 
 A view representing a beautiful landscape; The scene is laid on 
 Parnassus Apollo, surrounded by the Nine Muses. The names 
 of the Subscribers will be printed on white sattin, and elegantly 
 framed. The Patron of the Museum. 1 Milton. '2 Skake- 
 speare. 3 Pope. 4 Newton. 5 Sheridan. 6 Herschell. 
 7 Franklin. 8 Burke. 9 Rollin. 10 Fox. 11 Lavater. 12 
 Home Tooke. 13 Sir Joshua Reynolds. 14- Rubens. 15 
 Vandyke. 16 Mrs. Siddons in 'the character of Elvira in 
 Pizarfo. 17 Mrs. Jordan in the character of Angela, in the 
 Castle Spectre. 
 
 Second Room, 
 
 Represents the King and Queen of Great Britain sitting on the 
 throne, receiving the compliments of the royal family, and the 
 nobility, on the occasion of the Princess Royal's marriage with 
 his serene highness the duke of Wirtemburgh ; the whole group 
 consisting of 40 persons, all in the most superb and splendid 
 court dresses; the ladies' heads in the most fashionable style, 
 adorned with a profusion of diamonds. 
 
 THE DIFFERENT PERSONAGES. 
 
 1 The King. 2 The Queen. 3 The Princess Royal, having 
 her train borne by two young duchesses. 4 The Duke of 
 Wirtemburgh. 5 The Prince of Wales. 6 The Princess of 
 Wales. 7 The Duke of York. 8 The Duchess of York. 9 
 The Duke of Clarence. 10 The Duke of Kent. 11 The 
 princess Augusta Sophia. 12 The princess Elizabeth. 13 The 
 Duke of Cumberland. 14 Prince Augustus Frederic. 15 
 Prince Adolphus Frederic. 16 Princess Maria. ^ 17 Princess 
 Amelia. 18 The princess Charlotte of Wales, with 19 Lady 
 Elgin. 20 The Duke ; of Gloucester. 21 Prince William of 
 Gloucester. 22 Princess Sophia of Gloucester. 23 The Prince 
 of Orange. 24 The Princess of Orange. 25 The hereditary 
 Prince of Orange. 26 The hereditary Princess of Orange. 
 27 The Duchess, train bc-arer. 28 A Duchess, train bearer. 
 29 The arch-bishop of Canterbury. 30 The bishop of London. 
 31 The right hon. William Pitt. 32 The right hon. Henry 
 Dundas. Attendants, Guards, &c. &c. &c.
 
 Third Room, 
 
 Is a chamber in the Turkish Seraglio finished in all the oriental 
 splendor, suitable to the Haram of Tippoo Saib. The whole con- 
 tains 29 figures. 1 General Harris is represented in the attitude 
 of asking the two sons of Tippo Saib, after they were made pri- 
 soners, what servants should attend them. The general in one 
 hand holding the standard of Mysore, taken by him, which was 
 sent to Fort William ; it is made of light green silk, with a red 
 hand in the middle, which was never hoisted but on the palace at 
 Seringapatam '2 The eldest son of Tippoo. 3 The second son 
 of Tippoo. 4 Tippoo Saib in his last moments, weltering in his 
 blood. 5 The Sultana, 20 years of age, dressed in a white robe, 
 spotted with silver ; and round her neck, four rows of beautiful 
 pearls; her head dress, a turban with a profusion of brilliants. 
 The Sultana is attended by four female slaves, and five mutes. 
 A number of British officers and slaves. 
 
 Fourth Room, 
 
 Is an elegant saloon, in which fifty persons can assemble at a time, 
 and in wiiich will be exhibited the representation of \hefcte chum- 
 petre given by their Sicilian Majesties, in the Royal Gardens at 
 Palermo, in honour of Lord Nelson, created Duke of Bronti. 
 
 This apartment is occupied by 1 9 figures. 
 
 In the middle of the garden, is a temple of Glory, surrounded 
 with fountains, playing lavender and rose water, on which are 
 placed three pedestals. On the first pedestal is a bust represent- 
 ing Baron Nelson of the Nile ; the next, a female figure, in an 
 elegant attitude, representing Fame with her Trumpet ; and the 
 face a perfect representation of Lady Hamilton, and the resemb- 
 lance of Lord Nelson. On the brow of the figure is. placed a 
 wreath of laurel, which his Sicilian Majesty takes off from the me- 
 dallion, and places it on the head of the noble admiral ; round the 
 temple are also fixed four Egvptian pyramids, on which are in- 
 scribed the names of the most distinguished heroes of the war in 
 Europe ; and on the tunic and robe ot France, are embroidered the 
 names of those heroes, who particularly distinguished themselves 
 in the battle of the Nile various instruments are heard playing 
 Rule Britannia, and God save the King. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES. 
 
 1 His Sicilian majesty in full dress, with a wreath of laurel, 
 placing it on the head of the noble admiral Baron Nelson, Sec. 
 2 The Queen of Naples, having a medallion in her hand, with her 
 majesty's picture richly set in diamonds, with these words inscribed,.
 
 " Friendship, Gratitude, and Remembrance," hanging ii round 
 Lady Hamilton's neck. 3 Lady Hamilton dressed in a most ele- 
 gant robe of white and gold ; her head-dress consists of a cap of 
 Britannia. 4 Lord Nelson, dressed in a naval uniform. 5 Sir 
 William Hamilton, dressed in a Windsor uniform, and the order 
 of the Bath. 6' The hereditary Prince of Naples. 7 The heredi- 
 tary princess of Naples. 8 A prince. 9 A prince. 10 A prin- 
 cess. 1 1 A princess. Gentlemen and ladies belonging to the 
 
 court of Naples, &c. 
 
 Fifth Root/if 
 
 Represents an apartment in the Pope's palace at Rome pope 
 Ganganelli is discovered in his coffin, the papal crown lying at 
 his feet ; the apartment is hung in black velvet, a casturm dolore 
 is seen, the most magnificent ever beheld, round it placed two 
 hundred wax lights ; the room is crowded with a number of eccle- 
 siastics of all orders, and of the highest dignity. This room repre- 
 sents 40 figures. ] The pope. 2 Two cardinals. 3 Two bi- 
 shops. 4 Two arch-deacons. 3 Two sub-deans. 6 Two do- 
 minicans. 7 Two Franciscans. 8 Two Jesuits. 9 Two Augus- 
 tins. 10 Two capuchins. 1 1 Two of the order of La Trappe. 
 12 Two Carthusians. 13 Two of the order of St. Lazarus. 14 
 Two brothers of the Holy Charity. 1 5 Two of the order of Mal- 
 ta. 16 Two chamberlains. 17 Two secretaries. 18 Four no- 
 bles. 19 Two guards and an officer. 
 
 Sixth Room, 
 
 Represents a most superb bed-chamber ; in the bed is sleeping the 
 Venus de Medicis (a fine figure), in which is combined all that 
 taste and magnificence can unite ; at the moment, the eye is daz- 
 zled with the costliness of every surrounding object, the ear is ra- 
 vished by an invisible melody, almost celestial ; at the same time a 
 most grateful perfume is diffused through the apartment ; illumina- 
 tions the most superb, adorn this place ; and one would be induced 
 to imagine that a supernatural power conducted you to an enchant- 
 ed palace : Adonis is seen undrawing the curtain of Venus's couch ; 
 one of the r.vmphs appears ready to disrobe herself ; a group of 
 nymphs are seen playing with the god of Love, whilst others are 
 amusing themselves with harnessing Venus's dove to her car. 
 
 The whole apartment is illuminated by the reflection of lights 
 placed in glass baskets. 
 
 1 Venus de Medicis. 2 Adonis. 3 A nymph. 4 God of 
 Love. 3 A nymph. 6 Ditto. 7 Ditto. 
 
 Seventh Room, 
 Repreients the Congress at Pilnitz ; the Emperor, King, Princes-,
 
 ( 49 ) 
 
 Princesses, and Nobility, in all to the number of 50 persons, sit- 
 ting together at dinner in the palace of the elector of Saxony ; there 
 never was seen before so many illustrious personages assembled to- 
 gether: 
 
 1 The erriperdr Leopold. 2 The arch-duke his Son. 3 Fran- 
 fcis, now Emperor. 4- The king of Prussia, Frederic II. 5 His 
 eldest Son, the present King. 6 The Duke of York. 7 Mon- 
 sieur, now Louis XVIII. 8 Count D'Artois, now Monsieur. 9 
 The Elector of Saxony. 10 His eldest Brother, prince Anthony. 
 11 His second Brother, prince Maximilian. 12 The Electress. 
 13 The princess Anthony. 14- The princess Elizabeth. 15 The 
 princess Mariane. The'Duke of Courland, uncle. 17 The Rus- 
 sian ambassador. 18 The Russian ambassador's lady. 19 Th 
 Emperor of Germany's ambassador. 2O His lady. 21 Lord 
 Henley, the English ambassador. 22 Lady Henley* 23 The 
 Prussian ambassador. 24- Bishopsweider, favourite of the King 
 of Prussia. 25 Count Marcoline, confidant to the Elector of Sax- 
 ony. 26 The countess Marcoline. 27 Father Hertz, confessor 
 to the Elector of Saxony. Father Hubert, confessor to the other 
 princes. ^9 Prince Charles Ligtenstein. 30 Prince Kaunitz. 
 38 Count Colloredo. 32 Thugut. 33 Count Balbi. 34 Count 
 Padiani, 35 Count Magasci. 36 Count Lindenau, master of 
 the horse to the King of Prussia. 37 Count Schulemberg, minis- 
 ter of Prussia. 38 General Benkendorft. Ladies, gentlemen, 
 
 and attendants, belonging to the court of Saxony. 
 
 Eighth Room, 
 
 Represents the Elysian Fields ; among the many who are to be 
 seen in them, are u great number of noble and illustrious characters, 
 heroes and men, who have distinguished themselves in arms, and 
 the various sciences, belles lettres> &c. 
 
 Represents Thirty-one Figures. 
 
 On entering Elysium, one sees the monument of the great Lau- 
 dohn ; the general's neice is sitting pensive ; atthe foot of it a lit* 
 tie Turkish girl, which he brought home with him from Turkey, 
 and an old soldier lamenting his death. 
 
 The empress Maria Theresa, recieving Louis XVI, her daugh- 
 ter Marie Antoinette, and the young dauphin, kneeling. 
 
 In another group, is seated on a bench the emperor Joseph II. 
 next to him on the right hand is seated the princess Elizabeth of 
 Wirtemberg ; on his knees he holds her infant daughter, of three 
 years of age ; on his left is the princess Mary, aged fifteen, his 
 infant daughter ; behind the emperor, is seen standing, general 
 Laudohn. 
 
 II
 
 Catharine, empress of all the Russias, receiving Suwarrow, wh* 
 recounts to her his battles. 
 
 George II. and queen Elizabeth, both seated, and surrounded 
 by the duke of Marlborough, general Wolf, lords Chatham nd 
 Exeter, and captain Cook. 
 
 A GROUP. 
 
 The old king of Prussia, Frederic the Great, with two goddesses 
 standing on each side of him ; thefirst givinghim to drink, the se- 
 cond putting a crown of laurel on his head. 
 
 Voltaire seated, reading to him the philosophy of Sans Souci ; 
 three little angels surround him ; he makes a sign to prince Fre- 
 deric of Orange, who is dressed in an Austrian uniform, to advance; 
 at a little distance are seen standing, generals Zeithen and Sedlitz. 
 
 1 The empress of Germany Maria Theresa. 2 Marie Antoi- 
 nette, her daughter. 3 Louis XVI. 4 The young dauphin, nine 
 years ot age. 5 The emperor Joseph II. 6 The princess Eliza- 
 beth. 7 The infant daughter of princess Elizabeth, two years of 
 age. 8 The princess Maria, the emperor Joseph's daughter, aged 
 tilteen years. 9 General Laudohn. 10 Catharine empress of 
 Russia. 11 Suwarrow. 12 George It. king of England. 13 
 Queen Elizabeth of England. 14- The Duke of Marlborough. 
 15 General Wolf 16 Lord Chatham. 17 Lord Exeter, L* 
 Captain Cook. If) Old Frederic king of Prussia. 20 Voltaire. 
 21 A goddess. 22 Ditto. 23 An angel. 24- Ditto. 25 Ditto/ 
 26 Prince Frederic of Orange. 27 General Zuithen. 28 Gene- 
 ral Sadlitz. 29 General Laudohn's neice. 30 A Turkish girl, 
 31 An old soldier. 
 
 Ninth Room* 
 
 Represents some of the greatest heroes that have distinguished 
 themselves during this war, by sea and land 
 
 CONTAINS TWENTY-NINE FIGURES. 
 
 1 Earl St. Vincent. 2 Vice admiral Lord Duncan. 3 Admi- 
 ral Winter giving up his sword to him. 4- Prince Cobourg. 5 
 General Clairfait. (j Earl Howe. 7 Lord Cornwallis. 8 Sir 
 Sidney Smith. 9 Bonaparte. 10 The Duke of Brunswick. 1 1 
 Lieutenant Coghlan, royal navy. 12 General Abercrombie. 13 
 Admiral Mitchell, near him. " 14- A Dutch peasant in the habit of 
 his country. 15 General Coote. 16 St. Graham. 7 Sir Ed- 
 ward Pellew. 18 Koskiusko. IP Lord Keith. 20 Prince Con- 
 do. 21 Prince Hohenloe. 22 Sir Edward Berry. 23 General 
 Melas. 24- General Kray. 25 Prince Frederic 'of Prussia. 
 
 Tenth Room, 
 
 Represents a sea-port town ; an English frigate is discovered at n 
 distance j the Emperor of Russia, Paul I. accompanied by his con-
 
 ( 5' ) 
 
 $rt, the Empress of Russia, the Grand Duke, and two Grant! 
 Duchesses j besides many of the nobility of the court, Sec. 
 
 . CONTAINS SEVENTEEN FIGURES. 
 
 1 The Emperor decorates Sir G. Popham with the Insignia of 
 the order of St. Jean. 2 The Empress of Russia. 3 The grand 
 Duke. 4 A grand Duchess. 5 Ditto. 6 Capt. Sir G. Popham 
 in a royal naval uniform. Nobility, officers, English sai- 
 Jors, &c. 
 
 CABINET FIRST, 
 Contains Seven Figures. 
 
 1 The Countess of Lichtenuu, commonly called Madame Ritz 
 in tier glory, when favourite with Frederic the King of Prussia, 
 2 Napper Tandy. 3 Robespierre. 4 Murat. 5 Madame L 
 Motte. 6 Culigostro. 7 Charlotte Cordc. 
 
 CABINET SECOND, 
 
 Contains Nine Figures, . 
 
 The Duchess of Brunswick in conversation with the present . 
 Queen of Prussia and her sister. 1 The Duchess of Bruusvvick. 
 
 2 The Queen of Prussia. 3 The Queen's sistor. Maids of ho- 
 nour, attendants, &c. 
 
 CABINET THIRD, 
 Contains Twelve Figures. 
 
 "The Empress of Germany, sitting at a small table, with three of 
 her children. The arch-duchess Mariane, sister to the present 
 Emperor, in full dress as lady abbess, with two nuns attending. 
 1 The Empress of Germany. 2 The Arch-Duchess lady abbess. 
 
 3 The Arch-Duchess Mario Louisa, born Dec. 12, 1791. 4 The 
 Arch-Duke Ferdinand, born April 19, 1793. 5 An Arch-Duch- 
 ess, only two jears old. 6, 7, Nuns. The rest attendants, Sec. 
 
 CABINET FOURTH, 
 
 Consists of Eight Figures. 
 
 Eloisa, after she has taken the veil, in the full habit of her order ; 
 writing her fare-well letter to Abelard ; Abelard pensive. A very 
 fine Madona with her child. 1 'Eloisa. 2 Abelard. 3 Madona. 
 
 4 Her child. 5 Warren Hastings. An old forUme-teller. 
 7 A Quaker. 8 A female Quaker. 
 
 CABINET FIFTH, 
 Represents Twelve Figures. 
 
 Sir Richard Carr Glynn's (the late lord-mayor) child in a silver 
 cradle, surrounded by eleven little boys, belonging to the various
 
 ( S? ) 
 
 public institutions. 1 The Lord-Mayor's infant 2, 3, 4, 5, 
 6,' 7. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Westminster, Charter-house, St. Paul's, 
 Christ's, St. Bride's, Greenwich, Draper's-hall, F-oundling, Free- 
 mason's,, Welch, and St. Patrick's school-boys. 
 
 CABINET SIXTH, 
 
 Contains Fourteen figures, 
 
 Representing a number of great and distinguished characters. 
 1 The Duke of Portland 2 Fhe Earl of Spencer. 3 The present 
 Lord Chancellor. 4, 5, 6, Lords Thurlow, Kenyoti, Eldon. 7. 
 Duke of Bedford. 8 Marquis of Salisbury, Lord Chamberlain. P, 
 JO, II, 12, Lords Moira, Fitzvvilliam, Castlereah, Hawkesbury^ 
 !3 Hon. T. Erskine. 14- The late Lord-Mayor (Combe}. 
 
 Represents a Chinese family drinking tea ; the apartment furnished 
 after the Chinese manner. 1, 2, An old Chinese man and woman. 
 3 A young Chinese in company with, 4- His mistress. 5 A 
 Chinese infant. 
 
 CABINET EIGHTH, 
 
 Represents Tivelvq elegant Figures. 
 
 An apartment in the Grand Signior's Seraglio ; he is surrounded 
 with his favourites. The Grand Signer seated on a couch, most' 
 superbly decorated. 1 The Grand Signor. 2 His fuvourjtq 
 Sultana. 3, 4, 5, Turkish ladies.- The rest attendants, &c. 
 
 But to return to our duty. Various were the 
 attempts made ufe of to get this engine of deftruc- 
 tion out of prifon; Count R . , offered to 
 give his note for 52!. when he partook of the en- 
 tertainment got by her tricks, and cr^ol. of Dr. 
 B , when he lent her his hired bed to perfect 
 
 her fchemes: 'tis an old adage tell me who's 
 your company, and I'll tell you who you are. While 
 
 fhe was in prifon a Mr K y occupied her 
 
 houfe. Mr. K y afked the waiter of a 
 
 coffee-houfe the corner of George's Street, 
 where in George's Street a Mr. K y lived :
 
 
 the waiter {aid he knew no fuch perfon. Mr. 
 K 'y replied, he is a man of large fortune, juft 
 come from India. A Baker's boy, who was refting 
 fiis balket on the rails, very deliberately faid : 
 44 From India! No, he is juft come out of Newgate." 
 Upon hearing this, jhe mock nabob fet off. This 
 was another mode tcv puff a ftraw man into confe- 
 quence. AS we mentioned before, this lady was 
 now once more upon the public, and pradlifejj again 
 upon the credulity of Mrs. L ; from whence 
 me ifTues with a letter from a friend to Madam. 
 Lanchefter of Sackyille Street, to get credit to the 
 value of 5!. Finding fhe V(as not at home, and that 
 her lifter did not know her, (he got to the amount 
 of 4.9!. under pretence that me was juft arrived from 
 Hamburgh, that her boxes were not landed; 
 and that fhe was to dine that day with Lord and 
 Lady Malmefbury: {he likewife perfuaded her to 
 let her have a necklace that was round her neck. 
 Having got thefe articles fo eafy, me paid another 
 
 yifit, but Madam L being at home, and 
 
 having given orders that mould fhe come again, 
 (he might not be permitted to go awny till {he faw 
 her- fhe locked the door, and called her a fwindling 
 jade, or words to that purport, defired her at her 
 peril never to come there again, or fhe would take 
 her up, and faid the letter was the caufe of her intro- 
 duftiori, but fuppofed the gentleman who wrote it 
 would reimburse her. 
 
 She had now got as much property as would 
 make her appear refpeftable, belides there was 
 fome for the gentleman under the golden balls. 
 One of her late creditors happened to fpy her, and in 
 a day or two, fhe was fafely lodged in a fpunging- 
 houfe. She was frequently aflifted by attornies, 
 whofe aftions have brought an odium on the profef- 
 {lon. If fhe by her artful tongue got a refpeftable 
 man to aft for her, he foon abandoned her to fbme
 
 ( 54 ) 
 
 wretch of the profeflion, who, like herfelf, fome 
 goal had lately difgorged.; and fet up the plea of 
 femme convert , thereby foiling honeft induftry 
 of a jufl debt, and likewife incurring her expences. 
 If the law was altered in this refpeft, there would 
 not be an incitive to this roguery ; thus by being 
 backed by unprincipled men, (he has efcaped fo long, 
 and female fwindlers have a fan&ion which the males 
 have not. The law boa.fts of equality ; but here 
 is proof to -the contrary. "Tis {aid the law is accelli- 
 ble'tp all: what was Mr. Home Tooke's anfwer 
 >* fo was the London Tavern ; you might go in, but 
 you could not eat wkhout money." The law in the. 
 hands of bad -men is a dreadful evil indeed ; it is an 
 engine to be feared even in the hands of good men, 
 for as the wifefl are but men, there are wonderful 
 provocatives towards warping them from, their 
 duty. We hope we fhall never have to complain 
 of it as the people under Rohoboam did of his father's 
 reign." My father made your yoke Jieavy, and I 
 \yill add to your yoke. My father alfo chaftifed 
 you with whips, but I will chaftife you with 
 icorpions." -Kings, chap. xii. ver. 14. Such an age 
 might be called the IRON AGE; and fhould it 
 pervade our age, no icourge can be more relentleis 
 than THESE SCORPJOKS. If a femme convert fets 
 fire to a houfe, her hufband being abfent, me will be 
 hanged for it; and if me does it in the prefence 
 of her hufband, and he drives not to reflrain her, 
 he will be hanged. We (hall afk this queflion : 
 after De Menckwitz, was rendered to prifon, he 
 married this woman : wliat was the motive fhe 
 from the portion of experience flie had of the 
 credulity of the Englifh people in giving credit to 
 thofe who had GREAT NAMES, faw, like Satan, in 
 Paradife, what a harveft fhe could make with impunity; 
 therefore we fuppofe the language fhe made ufe of 
 was this, or fimilar : " If you will many me accord-
 
 ( 55 ) 
 
 ing to the laws of this country, I will relinquifh the 
 fhare which I undoubtedly have a right to, in the 
 property you have got; but if you do not, s l will 
 turn evidence againft you, and my evidence will 
 pofitively tranfport you ; befides, by your marrying 
 me, I mail get free from my prefent confinement, 
 and be able to do you fer vices when at large, which 
 I cannot da if confined here." There is not a 
 fhadow of doubt remaining upon our mind but this 
 was her language; for they fhortly after were married 
 in Mary-le-bone church. 
 
 A gentleman has written a pamphlet upon the 
 impolicy if imprifoning the body for debt, but to 
 take the property. We differ from him, and the 
 fwindler is a ftrong pofition ; for if the body was 
 permitted to go free, there would be no law to. 
 reftrain him, and though at prefent we cry out 
 againft afew, in a few years we (liould have no crime fb 
 prevalent. If the receiver of ftolen goods is tranfported 
 for fourteen years, why not the fwindler for twenty- 
 one? and a femme couverf fwindler mould forfeit her 
 life, if it was proved, {he married to c,eta licence to 
 defraud with impunity; for if is it {aid the laws were 
 intended to be equal : here is proof againft fuch 
 being fo in faft. 
 
 Another grievance which we muft with a loud 
 voice cry out againft, is, this {windier was allowed 
 to bring a writ of error againft her landlord's claim, 
 th ough {he had robbed his houfe. We aflert, fome 
 very ftrong law is abfolutely neceflary to ftop the 
 career of fwindlers, fome ftrong brand by which 
 they fliall be publicly known ; for they evidently 
 deftroy the refpeft which the lower order of 
 fociety would otherwife have for the higher, by 
 afliiming their titles. Writs of error mould not be 
 tollerated but upon the moft mature deliberation ; 
 and if it was proved afterward, that they were got 
 only to procraftinate payment, the tradefman againft
 
 whom they acted fhould, upoil full proof, be amply 
 compcniated. They are generally the offspring of 
 hurt pride : delay in payment has been the ruin of 
 many families, and the poor-rates have considerably 
 augmented this evil. 
 
 In the' building line, we fliall mention one dirq 
 evil : a tradefman has a large bill upon a gentleman ; 
 Mr. Surveyor perhaps don't like him, he does not 
 bow low enough ; or he knows his circumflances are 
 ftraightened ; he puts oft" thefurveying ; he pretends 
 being bufy; the bufmefs is intricate; all thefe fide- 
 wind intimations the tradefman does not or will not 
 imderftand : he, perhaps, has a bill due at a certain 
 time, and the amount of this work is expedted to 
 pay it. The law mould oblige Mr. Surveyor to 
 meafure the work in fo many days after proper 
 notice is given, or elfe be refponfible for the damage 
 the tradefman fuifers by his negledb Trade mould 
 have every facility ; or elfe how are the taxes to be 
 paid, or the poor-houfes to be kept empty? only by 
 flriftncfs in payment, purity in thofe connected with 
 the execution of the laws, and probity between man ; 
 therefore let us in our feveral departments fit our 
 moulders to the great and good \vork, to buttrefs 
 and fupport the well inclined, and to crufli and make 
 examples of the bad. How is all this to be done ? 
 may be faid : the anfwer is eafy let the upper claffes 
 imitate the virtues, not the vices, and let legiflation 
 be taken from the fchool of fciencc, not from the 
 nurfery or the flews. 
 
 Let not fear 
 
 Sully thy virtue : 'tis the lot of guilt to tremble. 
 What has innocence to do with fear ? 
 
 We now come to a grand climax in the hiftory of 
 this infernal machine the formation of the celebrat- 
 ed Thames-ftreet afTociation, under the firm of Ed* 
 mitnd Smith, Hughes, Cr Co. Though we are not
 
 ( 57 ) 
 
 precifely correct in point of time, we (hall give the 
 reader a view of the houfe, and the manner of get- 
 ting it. It feems fome obflacles were made by the 
 parifh-officers ; to remove which, the name of Menck- 
 witz- was obliterated in the marriage certificate, and 
 
 H 's inferted : this was done not in the com^ 
 
 mon way, by fcraping, but by a procefs we (hall not 
 expofe : while we expofe the^villainy of ethers, we 
 (hail take ftudious care not to give even the ill-dif 
 pofed a clue to aft by. This perfectly anfwercd their 
 purpofc, as it removed all the objections. 
 
 While this lady was in Newgate, {he formed her 
 
 connexion with H s : they went to lodge at 
 
 No. 1 6, Edward-ftreet, Portland-ftreet. Smith was 
 their landlord ; but it feems they lived feparate in 
 the houfe, at leafl at firfl. We watched the lady 
 narrowly there, but did not know of tfte prior con- 
 nexion in Newgate at that time. Smith was faid to 
 have been formerly tranfported ; others (aid, no, 
 he had been a flave-d river ; 'twas now faid he 
 was a horfe-dcaler. His houfe was furniflied by a 
 broker, for which he was to pay one-hundred and 
 fifty guineas. She fent for Smith's wife one day, 
 ad faid, " I am a lady of character and quality, 
 though I have net brought fervants to town, except 
 my footman ; but don't think it ftrange at feeing fuch 
 a number, of gentlemen with me, and no ladies. I 
 have come to town upon private bufmefs ; the gen- 
 tlemen that vifit me are my lawyers, and perfons 
 upon law affairs, refpecting an eflatc of twenty-thou- 
 fand pounds (here is the old (lory over again) : your 
 fervant mufl cook and attend me, &c." 
 
 Another time me faid, " when I am not upon 
 my law bufmefs, I am very lonely ; can't you come 
 up flairs and fit with me ? pray make free ; though 
 you little know who you have got in your houfe ; I 
 am the baronefs Menckwitz." The other thanked 
 her, but excufed herfelf by faying, " (he had work 
 
 1
 
 to do, and her children to attend to.'' kk Pray, what 
 profeflion is your hufband ?" being arifwcred, {he re- 
 joined, " I have not feen him, perhaps I could do 
 him fervice ; I have many friends." When fhe had 
 feen him, fhe and a friend of hers, faid, " fome other 
 line might be flruck out more lucrative." 
 
 A fhort time after Smith was confined in Newgate 
 for debt, and hearing he had thirty pounds towards 
 the payment thereof, flie called upon him, and after 
 fome converfation, afked him to give it her, and fhe 
 would have the remainder made up, and get his rer 
 leafe. He gave her the money ; and the captain and 
 herfelf fet off for Briftol upon their new fwindling 
 fcheme. 
 
 The day they fet off, or the day following, we 
 knew of it ; and called upon fome of the creditors, 
 and told them we were acquainted with Mr. Weeks, 
 who then kept the Bufli tavern ; that if they would 
 pay their mare of the poftage of letters, c. we would 
 write to him to get his waiters to fend circular let- 
 ters to all the different manufacturing towns, to ftop 
 their progrefs ; but the creditors were lukewarm j 
 therefore the matter dropped, and we remained ii- 
 lent, thinking fome perfon would catch them, and 
 have fpirit enough to profecute them. 
 
 We take fome cenfure for our conduct now, as had 
 we followed our impulfe, a perfon in Liverpool 
 might have faved feven-hundred pounds worth of 
 colours. The name of this perfon was afterwards 
 frequently forged, to anfwer their different purpofes, 
 Thefe very colours were fold to colour-mops (which 
 we could name), at very reduced prices afterwards, 
 with intent, no doubt, to open a book-account, to 
 fw indie them when the time fuited ; as we have in 
 our poffeffion their own London Directory (which 
 we got by ftratagem), wherein are one-hundred and 
 fifty oil and colour-men, with a crofs before their 
 names ; twenty-two with an S, and one with an O. 
 Some of the crofTes are marked with red-ink, and no
 
 ( 59 ) 
 
 doubt remains with us, but each had its proper figni- 
 fication. 
 
 We fhall novtf leave the quandcm baronefs and her 
 captain in the country, and return to Smith. 
 
 How he obtained his liberation we know not. Of 
 his character, his next-door neighbour gave the fol- 
 lowing account : " that he was a very loofe man, 
 coming home at all hours ; never was feen to ftand 
 at his door in an open manner, but always darted in 
 as if in fear ; once requested to go through his houfc, 
 to get over the wall, and fo into his own houfe, at 
 four o'clock in the morning : at the time, had his 
 clothes dirty and torn, and feemed as if he had been 
 on no good ; was not known to do any thing ; lived 
 on the beft, &c." At laft he fold his houfliold fur- 
 niture to another broker for fifty guineas (this proves 
 him a very refpeftable character), for which he was 
 to pay the original owner one-hundred and fifty. 
 
 As they were removing, one of the tax-gatherers 
 chanced to pafs by and faw them ; he met the col- 
 lector of the king's taxes : he fent for a conftable, 
 and with a fmith's fledge, he aflailed the door, aS 
 thofe within would not open it. At laft, finding it 
 give way, they cried out for a parley, and opened 
 the door. 
 
 During this tranfaction, the neighbour before 
 mentioned ran for the landlord ; be arrives, and laid 
 in his claim. The broker undertook to pay the rent 
 and taxes ; as, no doubt, feeing the ftate of affairs, 
 he availed himfelf of the opportunity, and had a 
 good bargain. The whole fifty pounds or guineas 
 were devoured by the landlord and the tax-gather- 
 ers. The owner of the furniture caught the body, 
 but by neglecting to pay the Sixpences, was libe- 
 rated. 
 
 The lady and the captain had now returned, and 
 had taken up their abode at No. 19, Downing-ftreet, 
 where they lodged for fome time. They toid won- 
 derful tales of themfelves and ther property, but.
 
 were at laft reduced to the ntmoft diftrefs ; rnfomuch 
 that they were invited to dine with their hofl out of 
 compamon : from hence they removed into Queen's 
 jTquare. 
 
 In a fhort time they made thei'r peace with Smith, 
 and he was taken in to be the head of the Thames- 
 ftreet firm. Edmund anfwercd two purpofes either 
 for Chriflian or furname. The lady faid to thofe 
 who knew nothing of No. 16, Edward- ftreet-bufi- 
 nefs, that Smith was her brotha ; but when he was 
 taken up for horfe-ftealing, me was filent on that 
 head, and he was no longer her brotha. When con- 
 viction took place, they propagated it was not their 
 Smith, and Smith was changed to Smyth on the door- 
 plate ; and in their own Directory it is altered to 
 Smyth. 
 
 They had an ingenious fellow, a porter, of the 
 name of Green, who lived at Newington ; he made 
 up the falfe parcels of flraw and brick-bats, which the 
 lady acknowledged colt twenty-feven pounds. When 
 the firm was broke up, our heroine was advifed to 
 fell fome of the flock : (he anfwered, " no, by c d, 
 
 H s fhan't lay on his return, that (he had made 
 
 away with any thing." In truth, there was no flock, 
 nor had fhe any clothes ; for now fhe lived by felling 
 
 the duplicates me had fwindled B h and other 
 
 out of i but this is premature. The only excufe we can 
 plead is, we did not make a minute inquiry refpecl:- 
 ing this laft junto, till fhe applied to be liberated 
 under the late Infolvent Al ; and we have entitled 
 our publication Anecdote j, as we were aware of the 
 difficulty refpecYmg the order of time under which 
 we laboured : but we fought for information, and 
 the caution of a Britifh public ; therefore our truth 
 and candour will make amends for that order which 
 we may want. 
 
 We went to Thames-fltreet, and contemplated 
 fhe afpeft of the houie, which feemed well calcu-
 
 ( 6. ) 
 
 lated for trade, in fituation, but more fo for trick ; 
 as there is no hack premifes, and but two count- 
 ing rooms on the ground floors, that were eafily 
 filled; but to make up for that deficiency, they had 
 five warehoufes ; fo that whatever property was 
 fent to any one of thefe warehoufes, it was inftant- 
 ly conveyed to another ; and fhould the owner get 
 any intimation of the characters of the gang, except he 
 acted very prompt indeed, his property was inevitably 
 loft to him. 
 
 Our next objeft was how to get information. 
 Seeing a chandler's fliop and green-grocer's nearly 
 oppolite, we judged we had hit upon the befb plan for 
 -our purpofe. We were informed by the perfon who 
 kept it, u that our heroine was as inflrumental in 
 the removal of the goods, as any of the firm ; for 
 from their manner, fhe ibon had fufpicion all was not 
 right, although they had all the mow of the firft 
 mercantile houfe, viz.. box upon box piled up to the 
 ceiling. However, every box or parcel that went 
 out fhe dodged, and the principal part went to Mr. 
 Watfon's, the corner of Queen-ftreet, Watling- 
 ftreet, pawbroker ; fhe made frivolous excufes to 
 want ibmething in the mop, and faw laces, veils, 
 filk-ftockings, Sec. pawning. There were five men 
 and but one woman (except the fervant maid), and 
 ihe fuppofedanfwered all the purpofes of five women.'* 
 
 The next we inquired of was a poor barber. " He 
 fhaved the pericranium of the lady twice a-week ; 
 fhe paid him honorably for fome time. He fhaved 
 the men ; they were a damned fet of thieves, for 
 they went away in his debt." 
 
 While here, the lady's old friend, Mrs. H ys, 
 
 of bed, blankets, fheets, &c. memory, found out the 
 place of her abode, and was going there to demand 
 payment of her property ; but in her way fhe met 
 her under Covent-Garden piaz,z.a. She accofled her 
 in thefe words ; " you vile wretch, you infamous
 
 jade, where are my beds *" A gentleman-like mail 
 tvas with her ; flie hadhim under the arm : upon this 
 falute he let oft', and left them. The other faid< 
 " for c d's lake dont expofe me in the ilrcet ; I live 
 at No. 200, Thames-llreet ; call on me there, and I 
 will fatisfy you ; I will do any thing you require.'* 
 
 Knowing previoufly me gave a true account, it pa- 
 cified her ; (he went there frequently afterwards, and 
 was perfuaded to work for her, me being by profef- 
 fion a mantna-maker. She thought by that means 
 Ihe would be paid; {he got fome money for her work, 
 but none for her beds, c. 
 
 The firft floor of this honfe was appropriated to 
 the pretended office for the gentlemen, and the kitch- 
 en. The front room on the fecond floor was their 
 mefs-room : none attended but one of their own 
 party. This may be called the privy-council room$ 
 where all ftate affairs were fettled. 
 
 Mrs. H. feeing them always defire a genteel-look - 
 Jng young man to hand them beer, c. me thought 
 it very ftrange, and that the friends of the young 
 man did not know how he was ufed, or they wduld 
 
 remove him ; as Mrs. D s had informed her 
 
 that the houfehad received five-hundred pounds fee 
 with him as an apprentice. " Apprentice, faid Mrs. 
 H ys, to what ?" " Lord," refumed the other^ 
 " one can never beat any thing into your head to 
 be a merchant ; we have more warehoufes than this ; 
 we have three or four more for our merchandise 
 about town ; befides, the gentleman attends the 
 
 Exchange." Mrs. H ys thought this muft be 
 
 another fcheeming bufinefs, but faicl nothing : " you 
 may think we do no bufmeis ; but when the mipping 
 comes in, we are up at four o'clock in the morning, 
 fending off goods." 
 
 A perfon \\howas a principal creditor to this 
 woman when in George's-ftreet, became a bankrupt; 
 fome days previous to his (hutting up, he ibnt a
 
 note for difcount about Oxford-ftreet ; the amount 
 was for fixty pounds, and it might have been had 
 for almoft any thing. This perion had a power of 
 attorney over all the property that was in, or to 
 come into her houfe. He took the property to 
 Norwich, and made money of the exhibition there; 
 and it is prefumed afcerwards to Hamburgh, This 
 man had a tolerable character before he became 
 acquainted with this woman, but (lie fo broke him 
 in, that he was acceflary to the forgery of Ham- 
 burgh bills of exchange, and fending them ovei* 
 here, as fhe faid, only to give the appearance of 
 refpeftability to the houfe; but they were actually 
 given to a woman to negociate, and fhe througty 
 fear returned them, left there mould b fbmething 
 in them which me did not underfland , and his 
 brother employed fome dye-finker of Birmingham, 
 to counterfeit a coin of Denmark, which were fent 
 into that country by way of Hamburgh, for which 
 he was convi&ed and imprifoned ; and we arecrcdi- 
 bly informed Aquil- r was the man who actually 
 forged the Hamburgh bills. 
 
 Thus, reader, you are required, if young in the 
 ways of the world, to guard yourfelf againft the 
 ftrft commiffion of crime : it may be called, fealing 
 your own death warrant. 
 
 The perfon who keeps No, Bell-Savage-yard, 
 is a widow, and lets lodgings to perfons confined to 
 the Rules, and is unconnected with any fchemcs they 
 may praftife. 
 
 To return to the mefs-room : Mrs. H founcj 
 
 an opportunity to {peak to the young man, but how- 
 was (he furprifed when he informed her, Mr. 
 Ramb n was his father. She found out after- 
 wards, that inflead of being an apprentice he was a 
 dancing mafter. Our heroine has made many dance 
 to Hamburgh, for fear of their necks. 
 
 One evening i^sMrs. H ys was going home*,
 
 ( 64 ) 
 
 Mrs. D- s pretended fhe had bufinefs at Strit- 
 
 fsbrd-place bank with two gentleman, therefore, 
 would accompany her part of the way home, me 
 living in jBlpomfbury. As they went through 
 
 Covent-gardenrpia^za, Mrs. D s being in con- 
 
 verfation with one of the gentlemen, the other, 
 
 $lr. B r h, &id to Mrs. H. ys, the firft 
 
 time I fa\v you, was here ; pray what was the reafon 
 you were in fuch a rage with the baronefs ; don't 
 you know ; me told me one of her clerks had 
 robbed you of beds ; did you believe it? I can't fay 
 I did; it concerned herfelf^ I thought it did. 
 Thus ended the copverfatipn ; as {he mortly after 
 parted with them. 
 
 In a little time Mrs. H rys went to Thames- 
 
 ftreet; the company prefent was Mrs. D : r , 
 
 JVir. B -h, Mrs. H ys, and the fervant- 
 
 maid, it was in the kitchen. Mrs. D- . - faidme 
 would lay him a wager that (he would produce more 
 bank-notes than he could ; the wager being laid, 
 they pulled out what they had, and fhe fomehow or 
 other won. She propofed another wager and loft, 
 She then came and fat apon his knee, as (he faw he 
 had a two-pound note in his hand, and taking hold 
 of it, (vv'heedlingly,) faid {he would have it. If 
 there had been no more familiarity than as an ac- 
 quaintance, would {he have acted fo? She pulled 
 and he pulled, but he fearing its being torn, let it go. 
 Here is a proof of Solomon's decilion between thq 
 two harlots. 
 
 Shortly after {he was called to the warehoufe ; 
 when fiie returned, {he picked a quarrel with, him 
 becaufe he did not take her tea to her; me firft 
 threw the bafon at him, then the tea-pot; {he called 
 him a beggar; he took all very quietly, faying, "it 
 would have been well had he never known her." 
 She got in a rage, and called him all the approbrious 
 names {he could fjunk of, and abfolutely kicked him
 
 tint of doors ; fhe flopped all his clothes, nor would 
 fhe give him a {ingle fhirt to fhift him. She after- 
 wards pawned them and whole parcels of pantaloons 
 bf his. She may be faid to have ruined this fnnple 
 young mart; fimple we muft call him in allowing 
 nis perfon to be fo degraded by fueh an infamous 
 woman; but fhe knew whom (lie had to deal 
 with. 
 
 The elder Mr. Hamb n was clerk in the houfe 
 at the rate of two guineas a-week. He performed 
 many extraordinary feats. A writ was out againft 
 the mock baronefs ; the men were after her, and 
 
 efpying H , they told him if he did not aflifl 
 
 them to get her, they had that againfl him as wouJ4 
 do his bufinefs. They placed themfelves in an houfe 
 oppofite, (they had been enquiring for her twice, 
 bat fhe was denied); he came up ftairs into the 
 room where fhe was, and faid, " my lady, there arc 
 officers after you." She then faid, " nd fuch 
 thing ;" he anfwered, " I am fure there are, come 
 to the window, and I will mew you them." With 
 all her art and cunning, here fhe was off her guard ; 
 and without thinking of any fnare* fhe advanced to 
 the window, which had blinds that opened on each 
 fide. He pulls them back, and faid, look there, my 
 lady ; this gave the baliffs a full view of her j 
 therefore afterwards they knew her perfon. She 
 went to her room, and locked herfelf in. But he 
 was obliged to go down flairs to them. He led 
 them up and called her down ; fhe was neceffitated to 
 eome to them, and they conveyed her to a lock-up- 
 houfe. 
 
 We now leave her once more in pofTefll n of her 
 -firm friends, and fhall return to the Anecdotes, 
 though they do not come in the order of time, but 
 we fhall firfl 'account for this man being obliged to 
 betray her. 
 
 Among the number of gentlemen belonging to the 
 
 K
 
 ( 66 ) 
 
 firm of this houfe, there were tranfaHons carrying 
 on of the mod inexplicable nature. A bankruptcy 
 was to be fattened upon one of their private friends ; 
 for that purpofe a perfon was to be found, who 
 would fwear to a debt, that would entitle him to 
 ftrike the docket. A check upon a banker was given, 
 to make him able to fwear he was worth fo much 
 money. It ran thus : 
 
 No. D 855 No. 6, Berners-ftreet, Dec. 25, 1802, 
 
 Meffrs. Marfh, Stracey, 
 Fauntleroy, and Stewart, 
 
 Pay Mr. G- 
 
 or Bearer, the Sum of Ninety-two Pounds. 
 
 r i 02. Smyth, Hughes, and Co. 
 
 7 H. *. 
 
 It feems the man had qualms, though he had 
 received this check, and to do it away, they entered 
 one hundred pounds more at bottom, by a fingle 
 figure, which mews the ignorance of the machine 
 they were debating and deceiving. This check the 
 officers knew of, and this it was that obliged their 
 
 clerk to betray her. Youth, let us in every flep 
 
 we advance in this work, warn you to beware of 
 the firfl approach of evil. 
 
 Mrs. D got acquainted with a Mr. H , 
 
 a tailor, in Conduit-ftreet, by Mr. W . His 
 
 affairs being rather precarious, me advifed him to 
 
 * Thk check shews what a set of villains were connected toge- 
 ther in Tluunes-street. Smith perhaps was most innocent ; but he 
 being cast lor death, and commuted for transportation lor life, and 
 is now aboard the Hulks at Woolwich, it was necessary to change 
 his name to Smyth. Here is a positive document of the act, under 
 their own hand ; and J. Ham!- -n is at this moment a crimping-
 
 remove what he could conveniently out of his houfe ; 
 with her they would be fafe; as a power of attorney 
 or execution would deprive him of all. He no doubt 
 thought when creditors had the upper hand, 
 they would think of the old adage, " felf-preferva- 
 tion is the firft law of Nature," and he determined 
 not to lofe fight of it. 
 
 His affairs being urgent, he fent her broad-cloths 
 and cloaths ready made, and pawnbrokers duplicates 
 to a contiderable amount ; fome of the duplicates 
 were fold by Mr. G and five guineas were 
 
 given .to Mr. H 11. Mrs. D went lo dine with. 
 
 him, and he actually gave her duplicates to the 
 amount of one hundred pounds, which me fold for 
 .nine guineas, and kept the money herlelf, and when 
 
 charged with it, fwore, " that G had fold them, 
 
 and had appropriated the money to his own account," 
 
 and {he told G ." only for him {he mould have 
 
 been made for every" If men who knew the world 
 were duped by her, what chance had females in her 
 hands. 
 
 A fellow of the name of Fit?, d went to the 
 
 fhop of Mr. Clark, umbrella- maker, Crooked-lane, 
 and bargained for a filk umbrella ; there was fome 
 little matter to be done to it before it was complete, 
 which Mrs. Clark was doing. This fellow pretended 
 to pity her, as being too hard work for a female ; his 
 feelings were fo hurt he could npt bear to fee her, 
 he would do what was to be done to it, and took it 
 out of her hands to finifh, but he made fo poor a 
 hand of it that me was obliged to refume and got it 
 finimed; me (aid, {he had a number of children and 
 was ufed to work; he put his hand into his pocket as 
 if to get out money to pay for it, and afked her could 
 fhe change a five pound note; being anfwered in the 
 affirmative, he fai4 he had two children at fchool, 
 and afked had fhe any cheap umbrellas ; fhe faid fhe 
 could furnifli him with a couple ib low as fixteea
 
 fhillings ; that he faid was too high, as they wou!4 
 only knock them about; he wanted fomething very 
 cheap ; (he faid (lie could make up gingham ones for 
 about nine {hillings ; that lie faici would do and or- 
 cjered two ; he then wanted an umbrella for his car- 
 riage, that was agreed for likewife ; he faid he would 
 fake the filk umbrella with him, and when the others? 
 finimed, to fend a bill and receipt to No. 200, 
 rect, ar) d they would be paid for altoge- 
 ther ; this Mrs. Walfh refufed, as (he did not knovy 
 him ; " very true ;" he faid, " it was very right ; 
 but he hoped me did not think he was going to do as, 
 the man who got the faw ?" No ; flie rejoined, yet as 
 fhe did not know him, me would fend the umbrella 
 direftly to where he ordered it, which was immedi* 
 ately done. 
 
 The ftory of the Saw is as follows : A man came 
 into the (hop, like one at work, in the name of a 
 neighbour to borrow a faw, which he did with many 
 more in the fame ftreet, but none of them ever faw 
 their faws or the man again. 
 
 She hurried to get the umbrellas done, and fent 
 them home ; both times they were received by a 
 
 man in livery, who faid he was Mr. Fitz d's fer- 
 
 vant ; they called frequently for the money but Mr. 
 F. was never at home. 
 
 One time (he went (he faw Hughes in the ware- 
 room ; he pulled up his breeches and afked her di4 
 (he intend to breed a riot; he knew nothing of the 
 bufmefs. At laft Mrs. Walfh took a young man with 
 her, whom (he defired might wait near the door. 
 Mrs. D s was in the ware-room, fhe very politely 
 a(ked her in, " pray walk into the counting-houfe," 
 likewife to fit down ; then a(ked her " Did (he know 
 the people of the houfe, for (he was a lady of great 
 fortune that was jufl come from the country, and had 
 confiderable property in the houfe ?" Mrs. Walm 
 Remarked " it was a flrange place to take lodgings
 
 ( 69 ) 
 
 jn after coming from the country ; that fhe believed 
 they were a fet of rogues, and fhe was one of them/' 
 Mrs. D s Jefired her to get out for a damned bitch, 
 fhoved her into the ftreet, and fpit in her face two 
 or three times in the mod vulgar, common, and Bih 
 lingfgate ftyle. 
 
 Mrs. Walfh went to the lord-mayor for advice ; 
 he told her to call them fvvindlersor what Die pleafed, 
 and he would defend her. She then colle&ed a num- 
 ber of creditors and went down to Thames -ftreet. 
 
 A mob collected, and the iffue was that they broke 
 the windows. She found out three of the umbrellas 
 were at Mr. Waiibn's, the pawnbroker. She got an 
 order from the lord-mayor, and they were delivered 
 up, but the iilk one fhe loft. 
 
 They were as defperate in their finances here, as 
 me was in George's- ftreet ; but how can thieves, 
 rogues, and fwindlers, be otherwife ? They were 
 indebted to one Jones, a butcher, in Trinity-lane, 
 fifteen pounds ; fign of the Hatchet, public-houfe j 
 three pounds at one Baker's, who keeps a coal-fhed. 
 Henderfon and Hughes ordered cheeie at Mr. Broom- 
 field's, No. F^O, Little Eaftcheap : the order is enter- 
 ed on their books. Likewife bacon and .butter was 
 to come in from a Mr. Reynolds, but feme peribn. 
 gave him the hard-word. They paffed a bill, at 
 two months date, at No. 20, Little Queen-ftreet, 
 J^incoln's-inn-fields, for fifteen pounds. They took 
 in perfons in the following places: a fhoe-maker in 
 No wgate- ftreet ; a perfon the corner of Bedford- 
 ftreet ; No. 4.0, James-ftreet : No. 3, Great Wind- 
 mill-ftreet ; No. 3, RufTel-ftreet, Covent-garden. 
 
 H had been in Ireland for linens, and a 
 
 very large and maffy box of ftones, cvc. came to the 
 warehoufe, Thames-ftreet, manufactured in one of 
 the other warehoufes, to imitate Irifh linens ; which 
 
 it was fa id H had fent over ; and fhortly after 
 
 he appeared himfelf. He brought with him linens.
 
 ( 1 ) 
 
 jtmt it was four old fhirts. He found the bunnefs in 
 a very diftra&ed flate ; which, together with his 
 ijl-fucceis, rankled in his mind. She had fold the 
 colours which he had got at Liverpool, at very rer 
 duced prices, to the colours-mops. If (he threw the 
 bafon and tea-pot in one man's face, and kicked him. 
 out of doors, the tables were mortly to be turned 
 upon her. He and me had foine words, and one an- 
 gry word begat another, 
 
 The cook went down flairs for fometh'mg, he fol- 
 lowed her, and when he had got her in the cellar, 
 he locked her in. This was an aft of precaution, 
 left in the acts of irritation, recapitulation .of crimes 
 might efcape, and be reported. He went up ftairs 
 a^ain, and put the candles out, and beat her (oundly, 
 
 calling her all the b. y wh -s he could jLhink 
 
 of. As fail as me lighted the candles r he knocked 
 them out, and afterwards knocked her down on the 
 fender. She was nearly black and blue all over, and 
 he cut her on the forehead between the eyes (which 
 mark (lie now bears) ; (he bled from it molt profufely 
 until it ran down to her heels. At laft, by fome 
 means (he made her efcape. 
 
 After a little while he let the maid, out of the cel- 
 lar, and fat clown to drink grog for fpite. She was 
 afraid, as there was no other perfon in the houfe at 
 the time, and as a Mr. and Mrs. C ff -ce had 
 went to the play, and had left a feven-fhilling-piece 
 to get ham and porter for fupper^ me thought the 
 beft fcheme me cold form, would be to remind him 
 they would foon return, and " that (he thought flit: 
 had better go for them." He agreed : but when {he 
 got to the outfide, me determined never more to 
 enter. 
 
 Mrs. L 's was the rallying point of the 
 
 unfortunate ; here fhe found her miftrefs juft return- 
 ed from Dr. Hodfoirs, of Giltfpur-ftreet, after hav- 
 ing g ot a plailer for her face. She breathed nothing
 
 but vengeance ; but was perfuaded to go to bed, i* 
 
 being late. Mrs, L lay next to her, and the 
 
 cook lay outfide. Without flretching a point, we 
 may fay, they lay as thick as three in a bed. She had 
 not been long there before fhe determined to rife, 
 and nothing that could be faid would prevent her. 
 
 The death of H was determined on ; fhe got 
 
 one knife in her pocket, and a white-hafted knife in 
 her hand,withthe blade up her arm. Like an officer at 
 the head of his regiment away fhe marched, fwearing 
 fhe would flab him to the heart. The cook was 
 frightened, and wanted to get up to follow her. Mrs. 
 JL knew her. temper better, held her down, fay- 
 ing you fool lye where you are, fhe will foon return. 
 
 In a fhort time fhe returned, but now fhe could not 
 get in, and thofe infide were in no hurry to arife ; 
 
 ihc rapped luflily. Mrs. L faid, " 1 told 
 
 you how it would be ; fhe thought we would folr 
 low her." They let her rap fome time, before they 
 would let her in. She faid, " the houfe was faften? 
 cd, and fhe was afraid of the watchmen.". Next 
 
 day H came to Mrs. L to beat her again, 
 
 but was prevented : and that night was arrefted for 
 one-hundred and twenty pounds, and put into New- 
 gate ; afterwards he was removed to the Poultry- 
 counter, and is now in Giltfpur-ftreet-counter. 
 
 Now fhe foothed Mrs. L to take her in 
 
 again. She then put an execution into the houfe, 
 and the goods were fold to Mr. Langdon, the broker, 
 and fhe got the money. 
 
 The gang is now totally difperfed, for had they 
 attempted to deal fair, though their beginning was 
 foul, they might have got on, but the multitude of 
 fchemes and tricks they played at laft, alarmed the 
 whole city, and more particularly the inceffant com- 
 plaints to the lord-mayor. They got a load of wheat 
 or flour, but an order from him fbon removed it. 
 They got a quantity of houfehold furniture, which
 
 Coon removed likewife : a broker in Moor-field5 
 loft fixty pounds- worth. At laft the lord -may or if- 
 flied an advertisement againft them, which complet- 
 ed their deftriKlion. 
 
 She Is now fmgle once more, and fet about her 
 trade with unabated ardour. She firit prac-tifed upon 
 Mrs. L -'s credulity, though Hie had fo frequent- 
 ly dune fo before. She was frequently vifited by a 
 genteel-looking young man, who tiled to give her 
 ve guineas, three guineas, and two guineas, at a 
 time. After he had payed one of thefe vifits, her 
 landlady faid to her 4 " 1 wonder \vlio that genteel 
 young man can be ;" the other anfwered, ** Mot ha , 
 if you willfwcar never to difclofe it, I will tell you." 
 Curiofity in a female once agog, the oath is inade. 
 " Then mot ha he is a highwayman ;" the other flood 
 
 aftonifhed. Mrs. D-~ told her fome fecrets 
 
 of the mod delicate nature, which the other did not 
 believe, but was determined to find it out the very 
 firft opportunity. One fhortly offered. He came 
 
 one day when Mrs; D- was abfent ; after fomfe 
 
 little converlation he was advifed to take care, for he 
 little knew into what hands he had got. The young 
 man was altoriiflied at a flrariger taking this liberty ; 
 but one explanation begat another ; at laft fhe faid 
 ilie knew his fecret beyond the poffibility of doubt, 
 and would convince him. ** Pray have you not bu- 
 ried, in fuch a place, a bottle ?" he was almoft pe- 
 trifietl at the queftion ; but flie continued, ** and in 
 that bottle are there not a number of bank-notes ?" 
 
 He acknowledged the faft. The other faid I have 
 fworh to be filent, don't fear me, for depend upon it 
 I never will betray you, but I admonim you to de- 
 fift from the courfe you have begun, or it will end 
 in your ruin. He departed, declaring he never 
 more would truft woman. 
 
 She now determined to make her laft pufh at her 
 , good nwtha, and to throw her completely off her
 
 ( 73 ) 
 
 guard, faid fhe was fhortly to receive fix-hundred 
 pounds, and then (he would fee what fhe would do 
 for her ; fhe would lend her fifty pounds to fet up a 
 coal-fhed in tlie under part of the houfe ; and to, 
 prove that (he was in earned, fhe made her difcharge 
 a tenant out of a large front cellar, that was floored, 
 and anfwered for a carpenter's fhop ; and another 
 from a back cellar, to make way for thefe coals. One 
 day, fhe faid, " Motha, what have you for dinner ?" 
 
 the other anfwered, " nothing." C d d -n you 
 
 George " my lady." ' Clean your boots, make 
 them mining ;" kt yes, my lady ;" " you muft go out 
 with me;" ''yes, my lady." Away j they went to 
 Fleet-market, and flopping at a butcher's fhop, 
 where hung a fillet of veal, " Vat is your veal 
 a-pound ?' " Eleven pence," (Turning to George), 
 tk that is good veal ;" " yes, my lady." " Veil, fend 
 it to my hqufe, No. , Bell-favage-yard ; my 
 butcher has offended me ; will deal with him no 
 more. If you will ufe me well, I will deal with 
 you." " Thank your ladyfhip." Away went the lady, 
 and George following. The butcher thought he had 
 caught a pigeon, for the veal was not worth more 
 than eight-pence a-pound, but in facl he had caught 
 a Tartar. 
 
 She, with her man George, made fome more at- 
 tempts, and returned home. " Veil, what have we 
 got, cook ?" " a fillet of veal and fome bacon, a pig's 
 head, and a couple of fowls." " Very well ; now we 
 want fome grocery, but we can't get that and we 
 want fome gin.*' Cook was obliged to fend a gown to 
 pawn for that. 
 
 She fwindled fb fuccefsfully, that by Monday fhe 
 had the money ready for the butcher. When he 
 came with his bill, flic invited him into the parlour, 
 which fhe previoufly ordered might be made clean 
 and tidy : it then appeared like the houfekeeper's
 
 ( 74 } 
 
 room. She ordered him a glafs of wine and fom$ 
 cake, that he might make his report to his matter 
 accordingly. 
 
 The next order wa.s a leg of mutton and a piece 
 of beef: they fared fmnptuoufiy this week. On 
 Monday the bill arrived, as before : me told him 
 her fteward had neglected fending her money, but by 
 the end of the week {lie mould have it. 
 
 This week went on merrily, until the latter end, 
 when fome perfon inimical to her intereft, met him, 
 and told him he never would be paid. He, fool-like, 
 did not take the warning, he left his meat ; but h 
 never brought any more. She fwore the had fome 
 enemy about her, or me would have been able to 
 
 have got much more. Mrs. L got credit for 
 
 her at all the different places me ufed to deal at. 
 
 This Mrs. D {trained to the utmofl, and got 
 
 all me could herfelf in her name, and afterwards left 
 her to pay them as flie could. 
 
 One day, as {he was leaning her head upon her 
 hand, her cook was going to fpeak to her : (he faid,, 
 *' when you fee me thus, don't {peak to me, for I 
 am thinking. I can do more in one hour (pointing 
 to her prolific brain), than you can do in all your 
 life." 
 
 Be it remembered me was the means of ruining 
 
 the B 's. There was lace and hofiery pawned 
 
 at one M ws, in the Minories. The affidavit 
 
 of Mr. G got the lace away. This infamons 
 
 woman put lace into a fervant's box, with intent to 
 ruin the girl's character ; and when the time fuited 
 her purpofe, {he had the box broke open, and it was 
 found there. 
 
 The Thames-ftreet party entangled one C ; 
 
 We faw him in the Bench : he faid me had not injured 
 him, it was his partner. This partner, whofe name 
 was N s, changed notes with them. N 's
 
 ( 75 ) 
 
 note got into the hands of one L % who dif- 
 coiiatecl it ; and when it was due, and not honoured, 
 he arrefted N. for the payment. Mrs. D. appeared 
 in court, and fwore flic had no connexion in the houfe, 
 bat was merely the houfekeeper. She fwore no va- 
 lue was got for the note, but before the trial, me 
 tampered with both parties, and faid, whoever gave 
 
 her the moft, mould get the trial ; for L had 
 
 a piano-forte in his poffeflion, which if he would 
 give her, and a fum of money, ihe would get the 
 
 trial for him ; if not, {lie would get it for N , 
 
 which me did. 
 
 In her cups, the fame night, me faid, " I {hall go 
 
 to hell." N {aid, " never mind, you have 
 
 done right." Mrs. L 's fon was witnefs ; N 
 
 defired him to go out ; he anfwered, " no, I {han't, I 
 mould not have thought of your impudence ; go you 
 out, this is my mother's houfe, and I will remain in 
 it." 
 
 We mall fhortly confign Thames- ftreet concern 
 to oblivion, but we mail return to it. When me was 
 taken from thence, Mrs. H s, of beds, &c. me- 
 mory, was there. The cook faid to her, fome few 
 hours after, " we mall do yet, as we are to have two 
 piano-forte's come in to-night ; you are to keep 
 houfe, while I, and Green the porter, take the men 
 a couple of ftreets off, to treat them ; left, if they re- 
 main in this ftreet they will hear our character : at 
 ten o'clock they will be removed." Unfortunately 
 for thefe birds of prey, no piano's arrived. 
 
 Mrs. D. gave Mrs. L. a power of attorney to fell * 
 the remainder of the Thames-ftreet property. Here 
 comes the opening of the fraudulent parcels : Clip- 
 ftone the flieriif's officer, fold the flock in trade for 
 forty-eight pounds, which was paid into the hands of 
 Mr. Bifhop, attorney, who paid it to Mrs. L. 
 
 When the flock came to be examined, there were
 
 ( 76 ) 
 
 packets well tied up in cartridge paper, on which 
 were written Broad-ribbed Stockings, Narrow-rib- 
 bed, Sec. Sec. and on the boxes, Linens Long 
 Shaws Nankeens, c. They excited fuch laugh- 
 ter, that the pafTers-by were called to, to have whole 
 parcels, and fome were left in the houfe, till open- 
 ed by the preient pofleffor. Mrs. H. paid her a vifit 
 at Mrs. L.'s to demand her beds. She fpit in her 
 face, and did all fhe could to provoke her to ftrik'e 
 her, we fuppofe with intent to wipe off the debt, by 
 profecuting her for an affault. "When fhe could not 
 
 effeft that, fhe defired her to go to Mr. B- p's, 
 
 her attorney, though fhe knew fhe had received it 
 herfelf. She went were directed to ; he did not live 
 there. 
 
 Some little time after fhe went again, being re- 
 duced to poverty by the wiles of one or another. 
 She called her a fwindling flrnmpet, and required 
 her beds, &e. She again ftrove to irritate her to 
 itrike her ; fhe fpit in her face ; at lafl fhe took cou- 
 r.age to ftrike her firft, a battle enfued ; for though 
 Mrs. H. wanted ftrength, fhe did not want the vt ill. 
 Victory declared on the fide of the wrong; fhe got 
 her adverfary down, who finding herfelf likely to be 
 vanquished, called out " murder" luftly. But fortune 
 often declares the " race is not to the fwift, nor the 
 battle to the ftrong." In an inftant fhe turned the 
 tables, and the viftor became vanquifhed ; for ia 
 Tlriving to flop her cries for help, her linger flipped 
 hito Mrs. H.'s mouth, which fhe taking the advan- 
 tage of, bit moft manfully. Afliftance came, and 
 they were parted : the blood flowed moft plenteoufly. 
 Reader, you have feen a dog hopping on three 
 legs after an affray ; in this fitnation was the re- 
 doubted baronefs : and, like Fribble in the farce, did 
 fhe exhibit her " pretty little finger." Thus ended 
 this battle, which like one in old times, called, " the
 
 ("77 ) 
 
 battle of the fpurs", this may be termed, " the battle 
 of the teeth and claws." 
 
 While fhe lodged with Mrs. L. this laft time, (he 
 deiired a fon of her's, a rough failor, to get her a 
 quire of German paper; he mull go where that 
 fort was fold, as none other would do. He told 
 her he would go for "none, "for fuch a fwindling 
 bitch as her." Having fixed in her mind what to do, 
 {he defired George (of market-memory) to get it. 
 A fmall paper was got, left than our letter-paper, as 
 a fubftitute, the other not being to be had any where. 
 
 She had formerly got acquainted with Mr. K 1 
 
 the money-lender, and though on all hands acknow- 
 ledged to be an intelligent man himfelf, it feems he 
 was not knowing enough for her. Seeing a book of 
 letters in his bookcale, which formerly patted be- 
 tween the celebrated Perditta, &c. thefe letters 
 fhe borrowed, and fet her trufly man George to co- 
 py, to the number of twenty, tnd with a little alter- 
 ation of the dramatis perfonas, inftead of a money- 
 lender and a (trumpet, it was now to be a {trumpet 
 and an emperor ; and thefe letters me determined to 
 turn to her account, by manufacturing fome anec- 
 dotes, &c. of her own, and to have them printed, 
 and pafs them upon the Britifli public, as a corre- 
 fpondence between her and the emperor ; by which 
 {he faid {he could get three or four hundred pounds. 
 To fome of thefe letters {lie counterfeited the empe- 
 ror's name. 
 
 She told this ftory in corroboration that {he was 
 one of his miftrefTes. She was walking with her huf- 
 band in Vienna, when they accidentally met the em- 
 peror J ; he was fo enraged with her that 'he 
 
 {tabbed her in the fide, and {he actually {tripped her- 
 felf to {hew the mark, under the left breaft, to Mrs. 
 L. 's fon. That flic has fuch a mark is evident, but 
 the circumftance of {lie wing it to a lad, proves her 
 tQ be a moil abandoned and indecent woman. But
 
 tlie improbability of the (lory defeats itfelf, if there 
 were no other proofs. An emperor of Germany 
 writing to a miftrefs in Englifli in his own country ! 
 If the emperor did underftand Eriglifh, is it to be 
 fuppofed that his proftitute's education was fuch that 
 {he underflood it ? It is one of thofe ftories wherein 
 falfehood is eafily detected ; but, independent of the 
 villainous intention to debaie and defame the memo- 
 ry of a benevolent and humane prince, and "degrade 
 him below the infamy of a common afTaffin, in in- 
 tending to murder an abandoned, a bafe, and an illi- 
 terate {trumpet, which character fhe claims to be. 
 So improbable a lie was never attempted on the com- 
 mon fenfe of common understandings before ; but at 
 the time that it betrays her impudence, it betrays 
 her ignorance of every thing above the common 
 level. 
 
 Reader, furely you have not forgot the advertife- 
 ment that was publifhed in the Public Ledger, of the 
 fixteenth of Oftober, one-thoufand feven-hundred 
 and ninety-fix, which was copied from that paper 
 at the beginning of thefe Anecdotes ? Finding by 
 throwing herfelf down in the ftreet, and Jlabbing 
 herfelf, did not frighten the merchant whom fhe de- 
 ilgned to get a fum of money from, eight years after 
 fhe attempts another fcheme, "with the mark of that 
 ivonnd. Finding me could get nothing from the liv- 
 ing, flic now attempts the dead. The fable fays, " a 
 living afs is better than a dead lion ;" but here {he 
 reverfes it, for as me could get nothing from the 
 fears of a living merchant, me propofed getting fome- 
 thing by tales on a dead emperor. 
 
 Having proinifed to do wonders for Mrs L., {lie 
 now toid her me was not fit to keep money, as any 
 perfon telling her a piteous tale would be fure to 
 get it, and {he would leave herfelf bare : me there- 
 fore defired her to give it her to keep. Mrs. L. 
 knowing there was fome truth in the remark, in-
 
 ( 79 ) 
 
 tmfted the forty-eight pounds with Mrs. D. She 
 enjoyed the benefit of the Rules, and went in and 
 out of the Fleet as fhe plcafed. She picked up an ac- 
 quaintance with a merchant, who had the Rules : he 
 introduced her to his wife, and fhe to another lady. 
 She afterwards made ufe of both ladies' names to their 
 plrefs-maker in Piccadilly, and their milliner in Do- 
 ver ftreet. The firfl me fwindled out of a drefs, 
 value twelve guineas, and the milliner articles to the 
 vulue of feventy pounds ; and in thefe very articles 
 fhe prefented herfelf before the court for liberation 
 under the Infolvent A6t. 
 
 With this drefs and accompaniments me cut a 
 Brilliant appearance, and in one of her reconnoiter- 
 ing excurfions, fhe picked up a gentleman, and made 
 an engagement to meet him at the noted Mother 
 
 in Lifle-ftrcet, where by ringing a bell, a 
 
 perfon appears that will bargain for a lady at all 
 prices, from feven millings upwards. 
 
 This drefs was fent by her faithfull man George, 
 but the gentleman difappointed her ; reflection cool- 
 ed his appetite : but me determined not to be unem- 
 ployed ; fhe plied like an active citizen, and return- 
 ed in a day or two with a one-pound note, and in a 
 few days afterwards fhe fent for her robes. 
 
 Her fituation . at Mrs. L.'s was faft drawing to a 
 crifis ; fhe fent the blankets to the pawnbroker's, 
 and faid they were gone to the fcowerers ; and her 
 petticoats that were left for the wafherwoman, fhe 
 lent there alfo. 
 
 After depriving Mr. B h of all his proper- 
 ty, when fhe belonged to the Thames-ftreet-iirm, 
 and pawning them by wholefale and depriving him 
 of common ncceffaries, fhe now arrefted him, or 
 laid a detainer againfthim,for three-hundred pounds: 
 he did the fame againft her in return ; he had good 
 grouuds for fo doing ; fhe had none (except for 'work 
 done by her, as her fhoes were marked infide with
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 his name). The warden called her in, as thefecurity 
 was not fufficient. One was Burton a fheriff's 
 officer, who no doubt was paid for it ; the other was 
 
 H n, her clerk, who wrote the check upon 
 
 Berner's-flreet bank. 
 
 As foon as fhe was incarcerated, {he caufed to be 
 written the following letter, and fent copies to all 
 Mrs. L.'s creditors : 
 
 " Monday Morning* 
 " If you do not immediately proceed by law 
 
 ** againfl Mrs. L , you will all lofe your 
 
 " money ; for fhe has fold her houfe and furniture, 
 " and is going to live at Newcaflle, where fhe was 
 " born, Sec. J. BROWN. 
 
 " N. B. She has got all the cafh in her pocket fhe 
 " has fold her houfe and goods for. Do not let 
 '* her know from whom the intelligence come." 
 
 To Mr. King, Undertaker, 
 Broadway, Ludgate-hill. 
 
 When fhe laid the detainer againfl the young man 
 whom fhe had brought to ruin, fhe fwore in diret 
 contradiction to the fchcdule which fhe returned to 
 the commiffioners; and Mr. B-- h brought her own 
 .return againflher on her claiming the benefit of the 
 Infolvent Aft. This oath went fatally againfl her, 
 independent of the multitude of creditors that were 
 ready to oppofe her. She appeared in court in all 
 the frontlefs audacity imaginable, led in by a boxer, 
 called the Young Ruffian, with an impudence equal 
 to his companion. She had two counfel, who exerted 
 themfelves, worthy a BETTER CAUSE. Finding all 
 hopes of getting free at an end, fhe managed by her 
 connexion to get within the Rules. The firfl ma- 
 noeuvres fhe praftifed was, fhe had colle&ed the names 
 of thofe benevolent perfons who had fubfcribed to 
 public charities, and public inflitutions: and had a
 
 fan of a JMrs. Ad n of Fleet-market, as clerk ; 
 
 hisbufmefswas to write circular letters, to the follow- 
 ing purpofe : " That the writer is o diftreffed 
 " woman of diflinction, who had married an 
 " Englishman, who has now deferted her in a foreign. 
 " country ; that me is deftitute of the means of 
 44 returning home, &c.' 1 She raifed a considerable 
 fupply by this plan. The next was a fchool at No. 
 1 6, Fleet-lane, which fhe carried on feme time, 
 Next flie got acquainted with a woman that keeps a 
 coal-fhcd oppofite Apothecaries'-hall ; who it Teems 
 became bail for her to the perfon who kept her in 
 prifon. The induftrious man's original bill again ft 
 her was but nine pounds, fixteen millings He paid 
 iheftxpences for near two years ; and an attorney of 
 the name of P bill'd him for ievcnty-eight 
 
 pounds law expences. 
 
 Under fuch a regimen where there are attornies fb 
 unfeeling and unprincipled, no wonder the poor- 
 houfes are fo crammed, and fwindling is fo univerfal. 
 She next attempted to get a houfe, No. 45, in Kirby- 
 ftreet ; but her good name went before hand, and 
 deprived her. However, me fwindled a drefs-maker 
 in the ftreetout of adrefs, but failed getting a fecond. 
 She at that time lodged with the coal-woman, and is 
 now bufily employed in her vocation in all parts of the 
 town, and is joined by an advertising money-lender, 
 with whom fhe was conne&ed fhortly after her arrival 
 in this kingdom, who then lived in Oxford-ftreet, 
 afterwards in Poland -flreet. 
 
 This man, fbme time before her death, deferted 
 the Blackheath fwindler, Mifs Robertfon; this mews 
 the mutability of tafte, to captivate. Her he gave 
 twelve guineas for a fet of teeth, and ufed to iffue 
 from the Fleet, and have three or four lodgings, for 
 the better carrying on his bufmefs ; and when he 
 jmde a fuccefsful pounce, went into the Fleet to
 
 efcape deletion, and to fpend it in feftivity with 
 her. 
 
 As he has taken up with this IMP again, it is 
 neceflary a few of his tricks fhould be publifhed. 
 He had a place in the ftamp office in Ireland, and 
 Ib ingenious was he, that he had the dyes counter- 
 feited, and had a prefs in his lodgings : he was fb 
 fuccefsful that he was nick-named, ** Gold in all 
 pockets." He was found out, made his efcape to 
 England, was caught, taken to Bow-ftreet hand- 
 cuffed, fent back and put upon his trial efcaped 
 through an informality in the proceedings ; there- 
 fore, was an unconvitfed felon arrived again in 
 England. 
 
 The next dextrous affair that gave him a rife, 
 
 was, he lived with Madam P , who kept an 
 
 accommodation houfe, a fruit and cake-mop. He me| 
 a' countryman of the name of B n, who had juft re- 
 turned from France. Some emigrants had entrufted this 
 fcoundrel with their money to conduct them to 
 London, and buy neceffaries for them on the road : 
 he efcaped with three hundred and eighty louis. 
 He told this money-lender of it; who, in confe- 
 quence, invited him to dine with him at this woman's 
 houfe, where he introduced to him the heroine of 
 thefe meets : previous to dinner time he borrowed 
 ten pounds from another countryman, which he gave 
 
 to a French black- legs of the name of D lez, 
 
 \vhom he reported to this fellow to be as rich as 
 Crcefus. 
 
 After introduction, dinner, and the bottle being 
 freely circulated, it was fuggefted to introduce cards, 
 and as B n did not underftand them, they propofed 
 Cutting black or red for a pound. The money-lender 
 took him out and fettled it with him, that they would 
 be in halves, which was relutantly agreed to. The 
 ten-pound note was put at the front of a number of
 
 ( 83 ) 
 
 .counterfeit ones, to excite this man who was to be 
 the dupe. 
 
 The rtoney-lender (aid he would enfure fuccefs, 
 as every time the cards came to him, he would 
 manage to (hew him the bottom, therefore, he could 
 fafely guefs which was black, and which was red, as 
 there was two packs, where each colour was felefted^ 
 
 They foon won of D -lez ten pounds ; he fwore 
 
 he would cut for ten thoufand pounds, he would not 
 play for fuch trifles : the money-lender took the dupe 
 out of the room, and it was agreed they mould cut 
 for eight hundred pounds. But he took care upon 
 
 his return into the room, to flip D lez. a king of 
 
 diamonds, larger than the reft. After the prelimi- 
 naries were fettled, the. money-lender called for the 
 king of diamonds ; all vm fufpenfe ; the king of 
 diamonds was cut. The death -like calm which took 
 place but a moment before, was now fucceeded by 
 temped and uproar. The money lender out Heroded 
 
 Herod in vociferation. Madam P was not hind- 
 
 moft ; her hair beftrewed the floor in abundance. 
 Ophelia was as far outftripped by her as mad Lear 
 was by the money-lender : the dupe had no part to 
 act; he was petrified by his own folly, as by the 
 excefs of their grief; and inftead of thinking of 
 his lofs, was bufily employed to appeafe the ladies. 
 
 This rant and roar was only to get the cards out 
 of the way before his reafon returned ; they were 
 torn piece-meal and thrown into the fire. He carried 
 the dupe with him, and as they fallied out a watch- 
 man fell in their way; the money-lender prefently 
 fhivered his lanthorn to pieces : the guardian of the 
 night fprung his rattle, and in an initant our heroes 
 Svere furrounded and taken to the watch-houfe. 
 A guinea flily flipped into their hand, effected the 
 money-lender's efcape, while the dupe was iafely 
 kept in durance. He returned to the place of rendei-
 
 f *4 ) 
 
 Vcms in a hurry, left D might decamp with 
 
 the booty. Madam P- demanded a third, 
 
 as flic afferted; me played a mod difficult and diftrefs- 
 ing part. 
 
 The next affair of notoriety, was, one of the gang 
 caft his eyes upon a female that had fbme money. 
 The fellow pretended he had a very rich uncle, to 
 whom he was heir. The friends of the lady had no 
 objection, provided the old .man's conient could be 
 'u:cl. Our money-lender being a mimic, he "under- 
 took the personification : in all the paraphernalia of 
 age and dotage, he was laid out, and he acted the 
 part to admiration: the friends were perfectly fatii- 
 iied. Somehow it happened that one of them 
 called at an unexpected moment, and afked to fee Mr. 
 
 ]sj ; the icTvant makl not being in the fecret t 
 
 faid he was not at home, " pray how long has he 
 been out," he rejoined; " he has been out fiace 
 morning, but w.ould be at home at four o'clock." 
 This was enough ; he determined to watch the 
 houfe, till fuch time as he returned, to be fatisfied 
 as to his man, which being done 7 away he ran to 
 Bovv-ftreet, 
 
 Next day our money-lender was laid out as before^ 
 in expectation of another vifit from the lady's friends, 
 when his unlucky ftars would have it, they were 
 accompanied with the Bow-ftreet officers, and 
 rudely hurried away as he was, bolflered and lapped 
 rip in flannels. Conceive what a fccne! a confcious 
 villain taken in his owa trap, the fcorn and contempt 
 of all around him. 
 
 The magistrates after hearing the matter, declared 
 (however ibrry they were) they could not punifh 
 him, as no harm was done. -We declare with 
 deference that he ihould have been fent to the houfe 
 of correction to hard labour, as a rogue and vagabond, 
 and every perfon would have applauded, " a vigour
 
 beyond the law." He now fays, he is not the 
 
 N that was tried in Dublin, but we prefume 
 
 the perfon whom he brought the aftion againft, 
 for pulling his nofe in Weftminfter-hall, and 
 from whom he recovered a {hilling damages, is the 
 beft judge. 
 
 It is faid he has a number of perfons in eonftant 
 pay, who will fwear to any thing he dictates ; to 
 their horrible precaution he owes his fafety fo long. 
 Bills of dubious origin may be traced to this con- 
 nexion; and we have no donbt but inoffenfive men 
 have been corrupted, aftuated, and at lafl betrayed. 
 Several of their depraving are now in the different 
 priibns, and will ultimately be brought to an un- 
 timely end, as one of the name of W , lately 
 
 afferted before creditable witnefTes, that he was. 
 
 Every means poffible has been taken to hinder 
 thefe Anecdotes from being published ; we have 
 been infulted by boxers and bullies ; let them be- 
 ware. We have too much regard for the lawful, 
 to pay any regard to the lawkfs ; the truth by which 
 we are impelled, and the end we have in view, will, 
 if we fail in fully guarding the induftrious, aftnate 
 our legislators to make thofe laws that are abfblutely 
 Bcceflary to check the progrefs of fwindling. We 
 call upon the guardians of the laws to prelcribe fbme 
 remedy : our rude forefathers knew no fuch term ; 
 their laws were brief and fimple ; it is the nice di- 
 ftin&ions which lawyers have created that has given 
 birth .to this crime, and lawyers only are capable of 
 deflroying it. Branding on the cheek would be one 
 effectual means as after one conviction, they would 
 carry their own advertifement. 
 
 We have demonftrated that from this money- 
 lender and this woman's connexion, the Blackheath 
 fwindling bufineis originated. This fellow has done 
 more miichief than has come to light. Pretending
 
 ( 86 ) 
 
 to difeount bills to the unfortunate, at one-hundred 
 and fifty per cent, is one of his fchemes : this bufmefs 
 deferves looking too ; for often do thefe people de- 
 camp with the whole. It is in its beft form intol- 
 lerable : the money of the country that lies in the 
 public offices, would be turned to w onderful account 
 both to the governor and governed. In the prefent 
 ftate of things fwindling is an alarming evil. 
 
 This infernal machine wrote to Lord Clonciirry 
 when in the Tower, with intent to get money from 
 him, but her letter was treated with contempt. 
 She likewiie wrote to the Duke of Portland, no 
 doubt pretending to make vafl difcoveries of " plots 
 and, rumours of plots ;" and we will venture to 
 fay there are few of the nobility who have not been 
 applied to in fome form ; we know fhe attempted 
 Lord Moira. 
 
 . What aftonifhes us is, under a government fb vi- 
 gilant as ours, where taxes are fo multiplied upon 
 all ranks, and where all mufl ufe the utmofl induflf y 
 to keep themfelves from prifon, where an ambafTa- 
 clor refides, the reprefentative of a potent prince, 
 who knows the artifice this woman and her compa- 
 nion practiced in Vienna, mould not have had fome 
 confutation with our minifters to prevent the repe- 
 tition of fuch crimes, and that fhe fliould be permit- 
 ted to continue them fo long with impunity. 
 
 If government thinks there is matter in thefe 
 Anecdotes that will criminally convift, we proffer 
 our hearty concurrence to rid the country o this 
 infernal machine. 
 
 "We forbear faying what we could refpefting the 
 marmall of the King's Bench in granting day-rules. 
 Two pounds is a dreadful levy on the unfortunate ; 
 
 yet we know it falls very little fhort of it. The 
 
 utility of the Society for the protection of trade 
 againfl fwindlers and cheats, is clear, and we would
 
 ^recommend an extenfion of their powers ; It w oud 
 ake a weight off the {boulders of government, affifl 
 the magiftracy, and do honour to the character of 
 *he nation. 
 
 She has been three times in the Fleet ; three times 
 in the King's Bench, and three times in Newgate ; 
 once in Cold-Bath-Fields ; and once in Giltfpur-ftreet 
 Compter ; and me made a boaft, that flic had been 
 
 one hundred and fifty times / 
 
 <' i '" 
 
 END, 
 
 Pritttcd by S. Percy, Mllhncm-roiu, Chclsc**
 
 A 000097890