Page:Life of Richard Turpin, a most notorious highwayman.pdf/6

 Fielder, who previously bound themselves coge by oath not to leave a whole thing in the house. Fielder got over a wall and broke in backwards, when, letting in his companions, they proceeded to their business. Mr Mason was at home, sitting up by the fire in his bed-room, with his father, an aged gentleman. After their usual means of tying their hands and feet, they asked the old man if he knew them: but answering he did not, they carried him down into the kitchen, and put him under the dresser. Mr Mason had a sack forced over his head, and tied round his waist: and in the flurry his little girl got out of the bed, and without clothes on, hid herself in the hog stye. Turpin's absence from this expedition was a very unfortunate circumstance to the forest-keeper's family, for they proceeded to greater lengths in their mischief than he would have permitted them, had he been present; as he was always satisfied with plunder, without adding cruelty to oppression. They now went up stairs and broke every article of furniture in the house. The china and glass made a dreadful ringing; the chairs were piled upon the fire; looking-glasses, drawers, and tables, were beat to pieces with bed posts; while the beds and carpets were cut to pieces without remorse. This wanton havoc produced them but little besides the brutal satisfaction of revenge; and they would have retired without a single guinea, had it not been, that in the general wreck of every thing, a china puchpunch [sic]-bowl was broken that stood a little out of the way, upon an upper shelf, and out of it dropped 122 guineas and modores, which they picked up and retired with, after they had done as much mischief as they possibly could, and got safe off, no doubt very well satisfied with the severe retaliation they had made. They then took the road to London: and going through Whitechapel they met Turpin, with whom the