[59] Captain Edward Low was one of the bloodied of the pirates. 
        He served under Lowther until 1722, when he smarted on his own
        account.  After many atrocities he was taken by the French and
        hanged, some time in 1724.  A full account of him is given in my
        edition of Johnson’s History of the Pirates, issued in the
        same series as the present volume.

   [60] Belsize House was opened as a place of amusement, about
        1720, by a certain Howell, who called himself the Welsh
        Ambassador.  At first it was a fashionable resort, but it soon
        became the haunt of gamblers and harpies of both sexes.

The Life of ROBERT HARPHAM, a Coiner

In my former volume I have taken occasion, in the life of Barbara Spencer, to mention the laws against coining as they stand at present in this kingdom.  I shall not, therefore, detain my readers here with the unnecessary introduction, but proceed to inform them that a multitude of false guineas being talked of—­the natural consequence of a few being detected—­great pains were taken by the officers belonging to the Mint for detecting those by whom such frauds had been committed.

It was not long before information was had of one Robert Harpham and Thomas Broom, who were suspected of being the persons by whom such false guineas had been made.  Upon these suspicions search warrants were granted, and a large engine of iron was discovered at Harpham’s house, with other tools supposed to be made use of for that purpose.  On this, the mob immediately gave out that a cart-load of guineas had been carried from thence, because those instruments were so cumberous as to be fetched in that manner; though the truth, indeed, was that no great number of false guineas had been coined, though the instruments undoubtedly were fitted and made use of for that purpose.  Harpham, who well knew what evidence might be produced against him, never flattered himself with hopes after he came to Newgate, but as he believed he should die, so he prepared himself for it as well as he could.

At his trial the evidence against him was very full and direct.  Mr. Pinket deposed flatly that the instruments produced in Court, and which were sworn to be taken from the prisoner’s house, could not serve for any other purpose than that of coining.  These instruments were an iron press of very great weight, a cutting instrument for forming blanks, an edging tool for indenting, with two dies for guineas and two dies for half-guineas.  To strengthen this, William Fornham deposed in relation to the prisoners’ possession, and Mr. Gornbey swore directly to his striking a half-guinea in his presence.  Mr. Oakley and Mr. Tardley deposing further, that they flatted very considerable quantities of a mixed metal for the prisoner, made up of brass, copper, etc., sometimes to the quantity of 30 or 40 pound weight at a time.