Cornish Characters and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Cornish Characters and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Cornwall (England : County) -- Biography; Cornwall (England : County) -- History; Legends -- England -- Cornwall (County)
Sir John S. Aubyn, of Clowance, now took an active part in
endeavouring to secure the fugitive, and handbills descriptive of
Rogers were circulated along the road to London, whither it was known
he was making his way. Near Salisbury a postboy, driving homewards a
return post-chaise, was accosted by a stout man walking with a gun in
his hand, who requested to be given a lift. The boy drove him to the
inn, where he procured a bed; but the circumstances and description
had excited strong suspicion, and he was secured in his sleep. The
prisoner was removed to Cornwall. He and his man Street were tried at
the assizes at Launceston on August 1st, 1735, were both found guilty
of murder, and were both hanged.
It is not possible to withhold sympathy from both men, especially
Street, who acted on the belief that it was his duty to be true to his
master, and to defend him and his property to the utmost.
Mr. Davies Gilbert gives the minutes of an interesting conversation he
had with the son of Henry Rogers who was hanged.
"On the 30th October, 1812, I called on Mr. Henry Rogers, formerly a
saddler at Penzance, but then residing there in great poverty, being
supported by a small allowance from a club, and by half a crown a week
given him by the Corporation, nominally for yielding up the possession
of a house, but in truth to prevent his becoming a common pauper.
"Mr. Henry Rogers was then eighty-four years of age and remembered the
unfortunate transactions at Skewis perfectly well; he was between
seven and eight years old at the time. He recollected going out with
his father into the court after there had been some firing. His father
had a gun in his hand, and inquired what they wanted. On this his
father was fired at, and had a snuff-box and powder-horn broken in his
pocket by a ball, whilst he stood on the other side.
"He recollected that whilst he was in bed, several balls came in
through the windows of the room, and after striking the wall rolled
about on the floor.
"One brother and a sister, who were in the house, went out to inquire
what was wanted of their father, and they were not permitted to return.
"On the last night, no one remained in the house but his father,
himself, and the servant-maid. In the middle of the night they all
went out, and got some distance from the house. In crossing a field,
however, they were met by two soldiers, who inquired their business.
The maid answered that they were looking for a cow, when they were
permitted to proceed. The soldiers had their arms, and his father had
his gun. The maid and himself were left at a farmhouse in the
neighbourhood, and Mr. Rogers proceeded on his way towards London."
The authorities for the story of the siege of Skewis are: Richard
Hooker's _Weekly Miscellany_, 9 August, 1735; George Harris's _Life of
Lord Chancellor Hardwick_, I, pp. 295-303; Caulfield's _Portraits of
Remarkable Persons_, 1813; and Davies Gilbert's _Parochial History of
Cornwall_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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