WILLIAM NEVISON.
The advancement of the arts and sciences is not more rapid than the progress of folly and vice. In the following memoir it will be demonstrated, that the best education may be perverted by vicious dispositions.
William Nevison was born at Pomfret, in Yorkshire, about the year 1639, and his parents, being in good circumstances, conferred upon him a decent education. He remained at school until he was about thirteen years of age. During that period, his expanding talents promised a luxuriant harvest; but the general bent of his future character, and the ruling motive of all his actions, were exhibited at that period. He commenced his depredations by stealing a silver spoon from his own father. The too indulgent parent, instead of chastising him for the crime, transferred the unpleasant work to the schoolmaster. The father who resigns authority over his own children may expect either to lose them altogether, or to have his heart grieved and his family dishonored by their conduct. The schoolmaster having punished young Nevison for the theft, he spent a sleepless night in meditating revenge. He knew that the pedagogue had a favorite horse, which grazed in an adjacent paddock. William rose early in the morning, moved quietly into his father’s closet, stole his keys, and supplied himself with cash to the amount of ten pounds; then, taking a saddle and bridle from his father’s stable, he hastened to the paddock in which the schoolmaster’s horse was accustomed to feed; and, having saddled and bridled the animal, with all haste rode towards London. About a mile or two from the capital, he cut the throat of the poor horse, for fear of detection. Arrived in London, he changed his name and clothes, and then hired himself to a brewer.Although circumstances compelled him to be for a while industrious, in order to obtain the necessaries of life, his mind was always upon the stretch to invent some more expeditious mode of acquiring money than the slow return of annual pay; accordingly he often, ineffectually, attempted to rob his master. One evening, however, the clerk happening to use his bottle too freely, Nevison followed him into the counting-house, and, while he was enjoying a recruiting nap, stole the keys of the desks, and relieved them of their burden, to the amount of about two hundred pounds. Without waiting to discover whether the clerk or the servant would be blamed for the cash, he sailed for Holland.
But change of climate had no effect in changing his nature. Through his instigation, the daughter of a respectable citizen robbed her father of a large sum of money, and a quantity of jewels, and eloped with the Englishman. They were pursued, taken, and committed to prison. Thus detected, Nevison would certainly have finished a short but villanous career in a foreign land, had he not fortunately effected his escape.
With no small difficulty he arrived in Flanders, and enlisted into a regiment of English volunteers, under the command of the duke of York. In that station he behaved with considerable reputation, and even acquired some money; but his restless temper and disposition to acquire riches, by whatever means, did not permit him to remain in a situation of industry or sobriety. He deserted, went over to England, with his money purchased a horse, together with all other necessaries, and commenced his depredations in a systematic form. His success was uncommon, and he every day found means to replenish his coffers, and to nourish his extravagance. Nor would he unite his fortune with any one, who, from selfish motives, might feel disposed to participate in his lucrative employment.
One day Nevison, who went otherwise by the name of Johnson, travelling on the road, and scouring about in search of a prize, met two countrymen, who, coming up towards him, informed him that it was very dangeroustravelling forward, for that the way was set, and they had been robbed by three highwaymen, about half a mile off; and if he had any charge of money about him, it was his safest course to turn back. Nevison asking them what they had lost, they told him forty pounds: upon which he replied, “Turn back with me and show me the way they took, and my life to a farthing, I’ll make them return you your money again.” They rode along with him till they came in sight of the highwaymen, when Nevison, ordering the countrymen to stay behind him at some distance, rode up, and spoke to the foremost of them, saying, “Sir, by your garb and the color of your horse, you should be one of those I looked after; and if so, my business is to tell you, that you borrowed of two friends of mine forty pounds, which they desire me to demand of you, and which, before we part, you must restore.” “How!” cried the highwayman, “forty pounds! What! is the fellow mad?” “So mad,” replied Nevison, “that your life shall answer me, if you do not give me better satisfaction.” Upon which he drew his pistol and suddenly clapped it to the other’s breast, who finding that Nevison had also his rein, and that he could not get his sword or pistols, yielded, telling him his life was at his mercy. “No,” said Nevison, “it is not that I seek, but the money you robbed these two men of who are riding up to me, which you must refund.”
The thief was forced to consent, and readily to deliver such part as he had, saying his companions were in possession of the rest; so that Nevison, having made him dismount, and taking away his pistols, which he gave to the countrymen, ordered them to secure him, and hold his own, while he took the thief’s horse, and pursued the other two, whom he soon overtook; for they, thinking him their companion, stopped as soon as they saw him; so that he came up to them in the midst of a common. “How now, Jack,” said one of them, “what made you engage with yon fellow?” “No, gentlemen,” replied Nevison, “you are mistaken in your man: Thomas—for by the token of your horseand arms, I perceive you are Thomas—he hath sent me to you for the ransom of his life, amounting to no less than the prize of the day, which if you presently surrender, you may go about your business; if not, I must have a little dispute with you at sword and pistol!” At which one of them fired at him, but missing his aim, received Nevison’s bullet in his right shoulder; and being thereby disabled, Nevison was about to discharge at the other, when he called for quarter, and came to a parley, which, in short, was made up, with Nevison’s promise to send their friend, and their delivering him all the ready money they had, amounting to a hundred and fifty pounds. Having obtained his booty, he rode back to the two countrymen, and released their prisoner, giving them their whole forty pounds, with a caution for the future to look better after it, and not, like cowards, as they were, to surrender the same on such easy terms again.
In all his exploits, Nevison was tender of the fair sex, and bountiful to the poor. He was also a true loyalist, and never levied any contributions upon the royalists. One day, fortunately encountering a rich usurer, he stopped his coach, and demanded that he would deliver the money which he had extorted from poor widows and orphans. The pistol presented to his breast, and the reproaches of the highwayman, filled his guilty mind with inexpressible terror, and he began to expostulate for his life. “That shall be granted,” replied Nevison, “upon condition of your surrendering your gold.” The other reluctantly drew out sixty broad pieces of gold; but this sum being inadequate to the necessities of Nevison, he constrained the usurer to mount upon the postilion’s horse, and allowed the coach with the three ladies in it to proceed. The poor Jew, now thinking that the hour was verily nigh at hand when he would be bereft of life and separated from his treasures, experienced all the violent emotions of terror, chagrin and despair. Nevison compelled him to draw a note upon sight for five hundred pounds upon a scrivener in London. He then permitted himto ride after his friends to acquaint them with his misfortunes, while he himself rode all night, that he might have the money drawn before advice could be forwarded to stop the payment.
After several adventures of a similar nature, Nevison one day robbed a rich grazier of 450l.and then proposed to himself to retire with the spoil. Accordingly, he returned home, and, like the prodigal son, was joyfully received by his father, who, not having heard of him during seven or eight years, supposed that he had been dead. He remained with his father until the day of the old man’s death, living as soberly and honestly as if no act of violence had ever sullied his reputation. Upon the death of his father, however, he returned to his former courses, and in a short time, his name was a terror to every traveller upon the road. To such an extent did he carry his plans, that the carriers and drovers who frequented that road willingly agreed to leave certain sums at such places as he appointed, to prevent their being stripped of their all.
Continuing his wicked course, he was at last apprehended, thrown into Leicester gaol, put in irons, and strictly guarded; but, in spite of all the precautions of the county, he effected his escape. One day, two or three of his trusty friends visited him, one of whom, being a physician, gave out that he was infected with the plague, and that, unless he was removed to a larger room, where he might enjoy free air, he should not only himself perish, but communicate the infection to all the inhabitants of the gaol. He was instantly removed, and the gaoler’s wife would not allow her husband to go farther then the door of his room, for fear of the infection, which afforded Nevison and his friends time to perfect their scheme. The physician came twice or thrice every day to see him, and continued to declare his case hopeless. At last a painter was brought in, who painted all his body with spots, similar to those that appear upon a person infected with the pestilence. In a few days after, he received a sleeping draught, and was declared to be dead. The inquestwho sat upon his body were afraid to approach in order to make a minute inspection, and thus a verdict was returned that he had died of the plague. His friends now demanded his body, and he was carried out of prison in a coffin.
This insertion into a coffin only rendered him more callous and daring in vice. He, with redoubled vigor, renewed his depredations, and, meeting his carriers and drovers, informed them, that it was necessary to increase their rents, in order to refund his expenses while in gaol and his loss of time. It was at first supposed, that it was his ghost, who carried on the same pranks that he had done in his lifetime. The truth of this, however, came to be suspected, and the gaoler offered a reward of 20l.to any person who would restore him to his former domicile.
Resolved to visit the capital, he upon his journey met a company of canting beggars, pilgrims, and idle vagabonds. Continuing in their company for some time, and observing the merry life that they pursued, he took an opportunity to propose himself as a candidate for admission into their honorable fraternity. Their leader applauded his resolution, and addressed him in these words:—“Do not we come into the world arrant beggars, without a rag upon us? And do we not all go out of the world like beggars, saving only an old sheet over us? Shall we, then, be ashamed to walk up and down the world like beggars, with old blankets pinned about us? No! no! that would be a shame to us, indeed. Have we not the whole kingdom to walk in at our pleasure? Are we afraid of the approach of quarter-day? Do we walk in fear of sheriffs, bailiffs, and catchpoles? Who ever knew an arrant beggar arrested for debt? Is not our meat dressed in every man’s kitchen? Does not every man’s cellar afford us beer? And the best men’s purses keep a penny for us to spend?” Having, by these words, as he thought, fully fixed him in love with begging, he then acquainted the company with Nevison’s desire, in consequence of which they were allvery joyful, being as glad to add one to their society, as a Mussulman to obtain a proselyte. The first question they asked him was, if he had anylourein hisbung. Nevison stared on them, not knowing what they meant; till at last, one informed him it was money in his purse. He told them he had but eighteen pence, which he gave them freely. This, by a general vote, was condemned to be spent in a booze for his initiation. They then commanded him to kneel down, which being done, one of the chief of them took agageofbooze, which is a quart of drink, and poured the same on his head, saying, “I do, by virtue of this sovereign liquor, install thee in the Roage, and make thee a free denizen of our ragged regiment. So that henceforth it shall be lawful for thee to cant, only observing these rules:—First, that thou art not to wander up and down all countries, but to keep to that quarter that is allotted thee; and, secondly, thou art to give way to any of us that have borne all the offices of the wallet before; and, upon holding up a finger, to avoid any town or country village, where thou seest we are foraging for victuals for our army that march along with us. Observing these two rules, we take thee into our protection, and adopt thee a brother of our numerous society.”
The leader having ended his oration, Nevison rose up, and was congratulated by all the company’s hanging about him, like so many dogs about a bear, and making such a hideous noise, that the chief, commanding silence, addressed him as follows:—“Now that thou art entered into our fraternity, thou must not scruple to act any villanies, whether it be to cut a purse, steal a cloak-bag, or portmanteau, convey all manner of things, whether a chicken, sucking-pig, duck, goose, or hen, or to steal a shirt from the hedge; for he that will be aquier cove, (a professed rogue) must observe these rules. And because thou art but a novice in begging, and understandest not the mysteries of the canting language, thou shalt have a wife to be thy companion, by whom thou mayest receive instructions.”And thereupon, he singled him out a girl of about seventeen years of age, which tickled his fancy very much: but he must presently be married to her after the fashion of theirpatrico, who, amongst beggars, is their priest. Whereupon the ceremony was performed after this manner:—
They took a hen, and, having cut off the head of it, laid the dead body on the ground, placing Nevison on the one side, and his intended on the other; this being done, the priest, standing by, with a loud voice bade them live together till death did them part; then shaking hands, and kissing each other, the ceremony of the wedding was over, and the whole group appeared intoxicated with joy. Night approaching, and all their money being spent, they betook themselves to a barn not far off, where they broached a hogshead, and went to sleep.
Nevison, having met with this odd piece of diversion in his journey, slipped out of the barn when all were asleep, took a horse, and posted directly away. But, coming to London, he found there was too much noise about him to permit him to tarry there: he therefore returned into the country, and fell to his old pranks again. Several who had been formerly robbed by him, happening to meet him, imagined that his ghost walked abroad, having heard the report of his pestilential death in Leicester gaol. In short, his crimes became so notorious, that a reward was offered to any that would apprehend him: this made many waylay him, especially two brothers, named Fletcher, one of whom Nevison shot dead; but, going into a little village about thirteen miles from York, he was taken by captain Hardcastle, and sent to York gaol, where, on the 15th March 1684, he was tried, condemned, and executed, aged forty-five.