Tales and Legends of the English LakesArmistead, Wilson
General
Tales and Legends of the English Lakes
Armistead, Wilson
Folklore -- England -- Lake District; Legends -- England -- Lake District; Tales -- England -- Lake District
Soon after ten o'clock he sent for the _Carlisle Journal_, and perused
it for some time. A little after he had laid aside the paper, two
clergymen (Mr. Pattison of Carlisle and Mr. Mark of Burgh-on-Sands),
attended and prayed with him for about two hours, and drank coffee with
him. After they left him, about twelve, he wrote some letters, and in
one he enclosed his penknife; it was addressed to London. About this
time he also shaved himself; though intrusted with a razor, he never
seems to have meditated an attempt upon his life; but it was generally
reported on Friday night that he had poisoned himself, though without
foundation. To all who spoke with him, he pretended that what he had to
suffer was a matter of little consequence. He preferred talking on
indifferent subjects. At three, he dined with the jailer, and ate
heartily. Having taken a glass or two of wine, he ordered coffee. He
took a cup a few minutes before he set out for the place of execution.
The last thing he did was to read a chapter from the 2d Corinthians. He
had previously marked out this passage for his lesson before he was to
mount the scaffold.
The sheriffs, the bailiffs, and the Carlisle volunteer cavalry, attended
at the jail door about half-past three, together with a post-chaise and
hearse. He was then ordered into the turnkey's lodge, for the purpose of
being pinioned, where he inquired of the jailer, who were going in the
chaise with him? He was told the executioner and the jailer. He
immediately said, "Pray, where is the executioner? I should wish much to
see him." The executioner was sent for. Hatfield asked him how he was,
and made him a present of some silver in a paper. During the time of his
being pinioned, he stood with resolution, and requested he might not be
pinioned tight, as he wished to use his handkerchief on the platform;
which was complied with. A prodigious crowd had assembled; this was the
market day, and people had come from the distance of many miles out of
mere curiosity. Hatfield, when he left the prison, wished all his
fellow-prisoners might be happy; he then took farewell of the clergyman,
who attended him to the door of the chaise, and mounted the steps with
much steadiness and composure. The jailer and executioner went in along
with him. The latter had been brought from Dumfries upon a retaining
fee of ten guineas.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account