Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents, and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents, and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Legends -- England -- Yorkshire; Yorkshire (England) -- Miscellanea
Next morning the Duke sent him two guineas; but as he was not permitted
to take money, he informed his captain, who said, as it was the Duke's
money, he might take it, but observed that he should give his Royal
Highness's servants a treat (he had only three servants with him--viz.,
his gentleman, cook, and groom). So the next night two of them paid
Metcalf a visit, and a merry party they made, the captain ordering them
plenty of refreshments.
In a little time they proceeded on their march, and engaged the gallant
army of the Prince on Culloden Moor. The battle ended in the total rout
of the army of the young "Pretender," and the somewhat severe treatment
of his soldiers by the "Butcher" Duke.
The English prisoners were all liberated. Three of Captain Thornton's
men had died in prison; the rest returned home.
The rebellion having been completely suppressed and peace restored,
Captain Thornton returned home, accompanied by Metcalf, who had the
happiness to find his faithful partner and children in good health.
Blind Jack being now at liberty to choose his occupation, attended
Harrogate as usual; but having in the course of his Scotch expedition
kept his eyes open (if we may use such an expression of a blind man), he
had become acquainted with various articles manufactured in that
country, and judging that some of them might find a market in England,
he repaired in the spring to Scotland, and supplied himself with various
articles in cotton and worsted, especially Aberdeen stockings. For all
these articles he found a ready sale at the houses of gentlemen in the
county of York; and being personally known to most of the families, was
everywhere kindly received. He was never at a loss to know among one
thousand articles what each had cost him, as he had a method of marking
them which enabled him to distinguish them by the feel. It was also
customary with him to buy horses for sale in Scotland, bringing back
galloways in return. He was an admirable judge of horses by running his
hands over them.
He also engaged pretty deeply in contraband trade, the profits of which
at that time were so considerable as to make it worth while running the
risk. Once, having received a pressing letter from Newcastle-upon-Tyne
requiring his speedy attendance, he set out on horseback from
Knaresborough at three in the morning, and got into Newcastle the same
evening about six o'clock, a distance of nearly seventy-four miles, and
did not feel fatigued.
Having received some packages, he employed a few soldiers to convey them
to a carrier, judging that men of their description were least liable to
suspicion. After sending off his goods, he stayed two nights with some
relations, and then set out for home. He had with him about a
hundred-weight of tea, cased over with tow, and tightly corded up; this
he put into a wallet, which he laid across the saddle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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