The Chronicles of Crime or The New Newgate Calendar. v. 1/2: being a series of memoirs and anecdotes of notorious characters who have outraged the laws of Great Britain from the earliest period to 1841.Pelham, Camden
History
The Chronicles of Crime or The New Newgate Calendar. v. 1/2: being a series of memoirs and anecdotes of notorious characters who have outraged the laws of Great Britain from the earliest period to 1841.
Pelham, Camden
Crime -- Great Britain; Criminals -- Great Britain; Newgate (Prison : London, England)
"By the examination of Valiere and Bara, and of many others who lived
about Dover, and were employed by them, a discovery was made of a
constant intercourse they were in with Calais, under Harley's
protection. They often went over with boats full of wool, and brought
back brandy, though both the import and export were severely prohibited.
They, and those who belonged to the boats carried over by them, were
well treated on the French side at the governor's house, or at the
commissary's: they were kept there till their letters were sent to
Paris, and till returns could be brought back, and were all the while
upon free cost. The order that was constantly given them was, that if an
English or Dutch ship came up with them, they should cast their letters
into the sea, but that they should not do it when French ships came up
with them: so they were looked on by all on that coast as the spies of
France. They used to get what information they could, both of
merchant-ships and of the ships of war that lay in the Downs, and upon
that they usually went over; and it happened that soon after some of
those ships were taken. These men, as they were Papists, so they behaved
themselves insolently, and boasted much of their power and credit.
"Complaints had been often made of them, but they were always protected;
nor did it appear that they ever brought any information of importance
to Harley but once, when, according to what they swore, they told him
that Fourbin was gone from Dunkirk, to lie in wait for the Russian
fleet, which proved to be true; he both went to watch for them, and he
took the greater part of the fleet. Yet, though this was a single piece
of intelligence that they ever brought, Harley took so little notice of
it, that he gave no advertisement to the Admiralty concerning it. This
particular excepted, they only brought over common news, and the Paris
Gazeteer. These examinations lasted for some weeks; when they were
ended, a full report was made of them to the House of Lords, and they
ordered the whole report, with all the examinations, to be laid before
the Queen."
Upon the conviction of Gregg, both houses of parliament petitioned the
Queen that he might be executed; and, on the 28th April, 1708, he was
accordingly hanged at Tyburn.
While on the scaffold, he delivered a paper to the sheriffs of London
and Middlesex, in which he acknowledged the justice of his sentence,
declared his sincere repentance of all his sins, particularly that
lately committed against the Queen, whose forgiveness he devoutly
implored. He also expressed his wish to make all possible reparation for
the injuries he had done; and testified the perfect innocence of Mr.
Secretary Harley, whom he declared to have been no party to his
proceedings. He professed that he died a member of the Protestant
church; and declared that the want of money to supply his extravagances
had tempted him to commit the fatal crime, which cost him his life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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