JACK OVET.
Jack Ovet was born at Nottingham, and, after serving an apprenticeship to a shoemaker, for some time gained his bread by that industrious and useful employment: but his licentious dispositions inclining him to profligate and abandoned company, he soon took to the highway.
After having purchased a horse, pistols, and every necessary utensil proper to his projected profession, he rode towards London, and on the way robbed a gentleman of twenty pounds. That gentleman, however, not destitute of courage, and unwilling to part with his money, told Ovet, that if he had not taken him unawares, he would not so easily have plundered him of his property. The son of Crispin was not destitute of the essential qualifications of his new profession; he, therefore, replied, that he had already ventured his life for his twenty pounds; “but,” continued he, “here’s your money again, and whoever is the better man, let him win it and wear it.” The proposal being agreed to, and both employing their swords, the gentleman fell, and Ovet had the money.
But having now stained his hands with blood, it was not long before he killed another man in a quarrel. He, however, escaped from justice, and continued his depredations. One day, being greatly in want of money, and meeting one Rogers with some pack-horses, he turned one of them off the way, opened the pack, and extracted about two hundred and eighty guineas, with three dozen of silver knives, forks, and spoons. Then, tying the horse to a tree, he made off with the spoil.
Jack Ovet
Jack Ovet.P. 164.
Another time, Jack Ovet, drinking at the Star inn, in the Strand, overheard a soap-boiler contriving witha carrier how he should send a hundred pounds to a friend in the country. At length, it was concluded upon to put the money into a barrel of soap; which project was mightily approved of by the carrier, who answered, “If any rogues should rob my wagon, (which they never did but once,) the devil must be in them if they look for any money in the soap-barrel.” Accordingly, the money and soap were brought to the inn, and next morning the carrier going out of town, Jack overtook him in the afternoon, and commanding him to stop, or otherwise he would shoot him and his horses too, he was obliged to obey the word of command. Then cried the honest highwayman, “I must make bold to borrow a little money out of your wagon; therefore, if you have any, direct me to it, that I may not lose any time, which you know is always precious.” The carrier told him, he had nothing but cumbersome goods in his wagon, that he knew of; however, if he would not believe him, he might search every box and bundle there, if he pleased.
Ovet soon got into the wagon, and threw all the boxes and bundles about, till, at last, he came to the soap-barrel, which feeling somewhat heavy, said he to the carrier, “What do you do with this nasty commodity in your wagon? I’ll fling it away.” So throwing it on the ground, the hoops burst, out flew the head, and the soap spreading abroad, the bag appeared: then jumping out of the wagon and taking it up, said he again, “Is not he that sells this soap a cheating rascal, to put a bag of lead into it to make the barrel weigh heavy? If I knew where he lived, I’d go and tell him my mind. However, that he may not succeed in his roguery, I’ll take it and sell it at the next house I come to, for it will wet one’s whistle to the tune of two or three shillings.”
He was going to ride away, when the carrier cried after him, “Hold, hold, sir! that is not lead in the bag; it is a hundred pounds, for which (if you take it away) I must be accountable.” “No, no!” replied Jack Ovet, “this cannot be money; but if it is, tell theowner that I will be answerable for it if he will come to me.” “Where, sir,” said the carrier, “may one find you?” “Why, truly,” replied Jack, “that is a question soon asked, but not so easily to be answered; the best direction I can give is, it is likely that you may find me in a gaol before night, and then, perhaps, you may have again what I have taken from you, and forty pounds to boot.”
Another time Jack Ovet, meeting with the Worcester stage-coach on the road, in which were several young gentlewomen, he robbed them all; but one of them being a very handsome person, he was struck with admiration, and when he took her money from her, said, “Madam, cast not your eyes down, neither cover your face with those modest blushes; your charms have softened my temper, and I am no longer the man I was; what I have taken from you (through mere necessity at present) is only borrowed; for as no object on earth ever had such an effect on me as you, assure yourself, that, if you please to tell me where I may direct to you, I will, upon honor, make good your loss to the very utmost.” The young gentlewoman told him where he might send to her; and then parting, it was not above a week after that Jack sent a letter to the young lady, who had gained such an absolute conquest over his soul that his mind now ran as much upon love as robbery.
Unfortunately, however, the sentimental attachment of our too susceptible highwayman was doomed to suffer a defeat; and still more unfortunately, he was quite as unsuccessful in his profession; for, committing a robbery in Leicestershire, where his comrade was killed in the attempt, he was closely pursued by the county, apprehended, and sent to gaol; and at the next Leicester assizes condemned. Whilst under sentence of death, he seemed to feel no remorse at all for his wickedness, nor in the least to repent of the blood of two persons, which he had shed. So being brought to the gallows, on Wednesday the fifth of May, 1708, he was justly hanged, in the thirty-second year of his age.