The execution of Lords Kenmure and Derwentwater, and the sentence on Lord Wintoun, sobered the spirits in Newgate, where the too profuse liberality of the outside Jacobites had caused many of the captive rebels to put off dignity and decency, for riot, revelry, and licentiousness. The author of the ‘History of the Press Yard’ states, that they, after a time, lived profusely and fared voluptuously, by the help of daily visitors, and of sympathisers who sent their money, but avoided personally appearing. ‘While it was difficult to change a guinea almost at any house in the street, nothing was more easy than to have silver for gold, in any quantity, and gold for silver, in the prison; those of the fair sex, from persons of the first rank to tradesmen’s wives and daughters, making a sacrifice of their husbands’ and parents’ rings and other precious movables, for the use of those prisoners.’ The aid was so reckless that forty shillings for a dish of early peas and beans, and thirty shillings for a dish of fish, with the best French wine, ‘was an ordinary regale!’ [Sidenote: _GENERAL FORSTER’S ESCAPE._] During the first ten days of April the Jacobite sympathy was everywhere manifested for ‘General Forster,’ who was to be tried on the 18th. On the 11th of the month, Jacobite London was in ecstacy. In every Jacobite mouth was the joyous acclaim: ‘Tom Forster is off and away!’ The Whigs damned themselves, the Tories, and Pitt, the keeper of Newgate, that ‘the rascalliest of the crew had broke bonds.’ The Government shut up Pitt in one of his own dungeons, offered 1,000_l._ for the recovery of the ‘General,’ and ordered strict examination of all persons at the different sea-ports attempting to leave England. Forster did not intend to come in the way of such examination. His escape was well planned and happily executed. His sharp servant found means to obtain an impression of Pitt’s master-key, from which another key was made and conveyed to Forster, without difficulty. Pitt loved wine, and Forster seems to have had a cellar full of it. He often invited the governor to get drunk on the contents. One night Pitt got more drunk than usual, finished the wine, and roared for more. Forster bade his servant to fetch up another bottle. This was the critical moment. The fellow was long, and Forster swore he would go and see what the rascal was at. On going, he locked the unconscious Pitt in the room, and, the way being prepared by his servant, and turnkeys, as it would seem, subdued by the ‘oil of palms,’ master and man walked into the street, where friends awaited them. Pitt soon sounded an alarm, but everything had been well calculated. A smack lay at Holy Haven, on the Thames, which had often been employed by the Jacobites in running between England and France. ◆[Sidenote: _A RIDE FOR LIFE._]◆ At midnight two gentlemen, a lady, and a servant arrived in a coach at Billingsgate, and made enquiries touching this suspicious vessel. So ran a popular report.