they accordingly did.). ’Twas on this Day
Mr
Davis gave
Sheppard the Watch Springs,
Files, Saws, _&c._ to Effect his own Release; and knowing
that a Warrant was Hourly expected for his Execution
with Two others, on the
Friday following; he
thought it high time to look about him, for he had
waited his Tryal, saw his Conviction, and heard his
Sentence with some patience; but finding himself irrespitably
decreed for Death, he could sit passive no longer,
and on the very Day of the Execution of the former;
whilst they were having their Fetters taken off, in
order for going to the Tree, that Day he began to
saw,
Saturday made a progress; but
Sunday
omitted, by Reason of the Concourse in the
Lodge:
Edgworth Bess having been set at Liberty, had
frequent Access to him, with others of his Acquaintance.
On
Monday the Death
Warrant came from
Windsor, appointing that he, together with
Joseph
Ward and
Anthony Upton should be Executed
on the
Friday following, being the 4th of
September.
The Keepers acquainted him therewith, and desired
him to make good use of that short Time. He thank’d
them, said
he would follow their Advice, and
prepare.
Edgworth Bess, and another Woman
had been with him at the Door of the Condemn’d
Hold best part of the Afternoon, between five and
six he desir’d the other Prisoners, except
Stephen
Fowles to remain above, while he offer’d
something in private to his Friends at the Door; they
comply’d, and in this interval he got the Spike
asunder, which made way for the Skeleton to pass with
his Heels foremost, by the Assistance of
Fowles,
whom he most ungenerously betray’d to the Keepers
after his being retaken, and the Fellow was as severely
punish’d for it.
Having now got clear of his Prison, he took Coach
disguis’d in a Night Gown at the corner of the
Old Baily, along with a Man who waited for
him in the Street (and is suppos’d to be Page
the Butcher) ordering the Coachman to drive to Black-Fryers
Stairs, where his prostitute gave him the Meeting,
and they three took Boat, and went a Shoar at the
Horse-Ferry at Westminster, and at the
White-Hart they went in, Drank, and stay’d
sometime; thence they adjourn’d to a Place in
Holbourn, where by the help of a Saw he quitted
the Chains he had brought with him from Newgate;
and then like a Freeman took his Ramble through the
City and came to Spittle-Fields, and there lay
with Edgeworth Bess.
It may be easy to imagine what an alarm his Escape
gave to the Keepers of Newgate, three of their
People being at the farther End of the Lodge,
engag’d in a Discourse concerning his wonderful
Escape from New-Prison, and what Caution ought
to be us’d, lest he should give them the slip,
at that very Instant as he perfected it.