The whole of this almost incredible exertion was rendered the more extraordinary in that his irons were on all the time. When at liberty, he went into an adjoining field and knocked them off; and, astonishing to relate, that very evening robbed a pawnbroker’s house, where among other things he found a handsome suit of black clothes, in which he dressed himself, and carried the booty to two of his female companions. He now went to visit his companions in their scenes of iniquity, and drinking at a brandy shop, was discovered by a boy who knew him. The boy had no sooner recognised Jack than he ran to give information, so that he was almost immediately apprehended and reconducted to his old quarters in Newgate, amid a vast crowd, who ran from all parts to see such an extraordinary character; but he was so intoxicated at the time that he was scarcely conscious of his miserable situation. To prevent the possibility of a third escape, they never permitted him to be alone, and made the contributions of those who came to see and converse with such a singular character pay for their additional trouble. He was now the topic of general conversation, and multitudes, not only of the common ranks of society, but many in the more elevated ranks of life, flocked to see him. In the most ludicrous and jocular manner he related his adventures, exerting all his low wit and buffoonery to amuse those who visited him, and to exact money from them. In this manner were the last days of this unhappy mortal spent, in diverting his mind from serious reflection, and the awful scene before him. Nor was he even destitute of the hope of pardon, from the distinguished persons who visited him, and who seemed to pity his misfortune. But these hopes were vain, and the attentions of these persons proved worse than useless. He was removed to the bar of the court of the King’s Bench, in November, 1724, and an affidavit made that he was the same John Shepherd mentioned in the record of conviction. Judgment was awarded against him, and the day of his execution fixed. But such was his strong desire of life, and his belief that his resources would never fail him, that he prepared a knife to cut the ropes of the cart which should carry him to Tyburn, in hopes of running off among the crowd. This knife was, however, with no small difficulty, taken from him by force. As his last refuge to provide against every possible event, he employed a friend, to whom he had given all the money he had reserved from his visiters, to take his body away with all possible haste, put it into a warm bed, and draw a little blood, thus to use every possible means to recover life. He finally enjoined, that if all means should prove unsuccessful, his body should be decently interred, and the remainder of the money given to his poor mother.