Page:Life of Richard Turpin, a most notorious highwayman.pdf/24

24 acquainted with; though he at the same time acknowledged he had a wife and child of his own.

He was carried in a cart to the place of execution, on Saturday, April 7th, 1739, with John Stead, condemned also for horse-stealing. He behaved himself with amazing assurance, and bowed to the spectators as he passed. It was remarkable that as he mounted the ladder, his right leg trembled, on which he stamped it down with an air, and with undaunted courage looked about him; and after speaking near half an hour to the topsman, threw himself off the ladder, and expired in about five minutes.

He was buried next morning, in St George's church-yard, without Fisher-gate Postern, with this inscription, R. T. 28. (He confessed to the hangman, that he was thirty-three years of age.) The grave was dug very deep; and the persons whom he appointed as mourners, as above-mentioned, took all possible care to secure the body; not withstanding which, early on Tuesday morning, some persons had taken it up. The mob having got scent where it was carried to, and suspecting it was to be anatomised, went to a garden in which it was deposited, and brought away the body through the streets of the city, in a sort of triumph, almost naked, being only laid on a board, covered with straw, and carried on 4 men’s shoulders, and buried it in the same grave, having first filled the coffin with slacked lime.

THE END.