Page:Life of Richard Turpin, a most notorious highwayman.pdf/16

16 handful of silver among them, and made off; but the same evening he changed his black one for a chesnut mare, which he found in a field, and upon her made the best of his way to the forest. He next stopped a country gentleman, who clapping spurs to his horse, Turpin followed him, and firing a pistol after him which lodged two balls in his horse’s buttocks, the gentleman was obliged to surrender. He robbed him of fifty shillings, asking him if that was all, and the gentleman saying he had no more, Turpin searched him, and found two guineas more in his pocket book, out of which he returned him 5s. but at the same time told the gentleman it was more than he deserved, because of his intention to have cheated him.

Turpin had gone on for a long time in a most notorious and defying way, stopping the mail and other coaches, and robbing them of their contents and the reward for apprehending him had induced many to attempt it. Amongst the rest was the ranger, Thompson’s man. This fellow must needs go in company with a higgler. Turpin was un-armed standing alone, and not knowing the man, took him for one poaching for hares, and told him he would get no hares near that thicket. “No,” says the fellow, “but I have got a Turpin;" and presenting his piece at him, commanded him to surrender. Turpin stood talking with him, and receding back to his cave, laid hold of his carbine, and shot him dead, at which the higgler made off. This man’s death obliged Turpin to make off precipitately; so he went further into the country in search of King; and sent his wife a letter to meet him at a public-house in Hertford, who accordingly went, with two of Squire Hs’s servants. She waited for him about half an hour: and when he came to the house, he asked for her by a fictitious name, left on purpose. He seen found she