The History and Remarkable Life of the Truly Honourable Colonel Jacque, Commonly Called Colonel JackDefoe, Daniel
General
The History and Remarkable Life of the Truly Honourable Colonel Jacque, Commonly Called Colonel Jack
Defoe, Daniel
Adventure stories, English; England -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction; Picaresque fiction
To shorten the story, I pulled it out, and he was content to take it,
giving me his note, with interest, for the whole sum, which amounted to
£94; that is to say,
£25 The first money.
9 For six years’ interest.
60 Now paid him.
———
£94
I came away exceeding joyful, made him abundance of bows and scrapes,
and went immediately to shift my clothes again, with a resolution to
run away from London and see it no more for a great while. But I was
surprised the very next morning, when, going cross Rosemary Lane, by
the end of the place which is called Rag Fair, I heard one call
“Jacque.” He had said something before, which I did not hear, but upon
hearing the name Jacque I looked about me, immediately saw three men,
and after them a constable coming towards me with great fury. I was in
a great surprise, and started to run, but one of them clapped in upon
me, and got hold of me, and in a moment the rest surrounded me, and I
was taken. I asked them what they wanted, and what I had done. They
told me it was no place to talk of that there, but showed me their
warrant, and bade me read it, and I should know the rest when I came
before the justice; so they hurried me away.
I took the warrant, but, to my great affliction, I could know nothing
by that, for I could not read; so I desired them to read it, and they
read it, that they were to apprehend a known thief, that went by the
name of one of the three Jacques of Rag Fair; for that he was charged
upon oath with having been a party in a notorious robbery, burglary,
and murder, committed so and so, in such a place, and on such a day.
It was to no purpose for me to deny it, or to say I knew nothing of it;
that was none of their business, they said; that must be disputed, they
told me, before the justice, where I would find that it was sworn
positively against me, and then, perhaps, I might be better satisfied.
I had no remedy but patience; and as my heart was full of terror and
guilt, so I was ready to die with the weight of it as they carried me
along. For as I very well knew that I was guilty of the first day’s
work, though I was not of the last, so I did not doubt but I should be
sent to Newgate, and then I took it for granted I must be hanged; for
to go to Newgate and to be hanged were to me as things which
necessarily followed one another.
But I had a sharp conflict to go through before it came to that part;
and that was before the justice; where, when I was come, and the
constable brought me in, the justice asked me my name. “But hold,” says
he, “young man; before I ask you your name, let me do you justice. You
are not bound to answer till your accusers come;” so, turning to the
constable, he asked for his warrant.
“Well,” says the justice, “you have brought this young man here by
virtue of this warrant. Is this young man the person for whom this
warrant is granted?”
_Con_. I believe so, and please your worship.
_Just_. Believe so! Why, are you not sure of it?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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