prove　that　he　was　unfit　to　be　tried　or　hanged。　　Argument　failing；　the
  munificent　Clerk　offered　fifty　pounds　for　the　life　of　his　friend。　　But　to　no
  purpose：　the　valiant　wrestler　was　carried　to　the　cart　in　a　chair；　and　so　lifted
  to　the　gallows；　which　cured　him　of　his　gaping　wounds。
  When　the　Commonwealth　administered　justice　with　pedantic　severity；
  Briscoe's　influence　still　further　declined。　　There　was　no　longer　scope　in
  the　State　for　men　of　spirit；　even　the　gaols　were　handed　over　to　the　stern
  mercy　of　crop…eared　Puritans；　Moll　herself　had　fallen　upon　evil　times；　and
  Ralph　Briscoe　determined　to　make　a　last　effort　for　wealth　and　retirement。
  At　the　very　moment　when　his　expulsion　seemed　certain；　an　heiress　was
  thrown　into　Newgate　upon　a　charge　of　murdering　a　too　importunate　suitor。
  The　chain　of　evidence　was　complete：　the　dagger　plunged　in　his　heart　was
  recognised　for　her　own；　she　was　seen　to　decoy　him　to　the　secret　corner　of
  a　wood；　where　his　raucous　love…making　was　silenced　for　ever。　　Taken　off
  her　guard；　she　had　even　hinted　confession　of　her　crime；　and　nothing　but
  intrigue　could　have　saved　her　gentle　neck　from　the　gallows。　　Briscoe；
  hungry　for　her　money…bags；　promised　assistance。　　He　bribed；　he
  threatened；　he　cajoled；　he　twisted　the　law　as　only　he　could　twist　it；　he
  suppressed　honest　testimony；　he　procured　false；　in　fine；　he　weakened　the
  case　against　her　with　so　resistless　an　effrontery；　that　not　the　Hanging　Judge
  himself　could　convict　the　poor　innocent。
  At　the　outset　he　had　agreed　to　accept　a　handsome　bribe；　but　as　the　trial
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  approached；　his　avarice　increased；　and　he　would　be　content　with　nothing
  less　than　the　lady's　hand　and　fortune。　　Not　that　he　loved　her；　his　heart　was
  long　since　given　to　Moll　Cutpurse；　but　he　knew　that　his　career　of
  depredation　was　at　an　end；　and　it　became　him　to　provide　for　his　declining
  years。　　The　victim　repulsed　his　suit；　regretting　a　thousand　times　that　she
  had　stabbed　her　ancient　lover。　　At　last；　bidden　summarily　to　choose
  between　Death　and　the　Clerk；　she　chose　the　Clerk；　and　thus　Ralph　Briscoe
  left　Newgate　the　richest　squire　in　a　western　county。　　Henceforth　he
  farmed　his　land　like　a　gentleman；　drank　with　those　of　his　neighbours　who
  would　crack　a　bottle　with　him；　and　unlocked　the　strange　stores　of　his
  memory　to　bumpkins　who　knew　not　the　name　of　Newgate。　　Still　devoted
  to　sport；　he　hunted　the　fox；　and　made　such　a　bull…ring　as　his　youthful
  imagination　could　never　have　pictured。　　So　he　lived　a　life　of　country　ease；
  and　died　a　churchwarden。　　And　he　deserved　his　prosperity；　for　he　carried
  the　soul　of　Falstaff　in　the　shrunken　body　of　Justice　Shallow。
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  GILDEROY　AND　THE
  SIXTEEN…　STRING　JACK
  I　GILDEROY
  HE　stood　six　feet　ten　in　his　stockinged　feet；　and　was　the　tallest　ruffian
  that　ever　cut　a　purse　or　held　up　a　coach　on　the　highway。　　A　mass　of　black
  hair　curled　over　a　low　forehead；　and　a　glittering　eye　intensified　his
  villainous　aspect；　nor　did　a　deep　scar；　furrowing　his　cheek　from　end　to　end；
  soften　the　horror　of　his　sudden　apparition。　　Valiant　men　shuddered　at　his
  approach；　women　shrank　from　the　distant　echo　of　his　name；　for　fifteen
  years　he　terrorised　Scotland　from　Caithness　to　the　border；　and　the　most
  partial　chronicler　never　insulted　his　memory　with　the　record　of　a　good
  deed。
  He　was　born　to　a　gentle　family　in　the　Calendar　of　Monteith；　and　was
  celebrated　even　in　boyhood　for　his　feats　of　strength　and　daring。　　While
  still　at　school　he　could　hold　a　hundredweight　at　arm's…length；　and　crumple
  up　a　horseshoe　like　a　wisp　of　hay。　　The　fleetest　runner；　the　most　desperate
  fighter　in　the　country；　he　was　already　famous　before　his　name　was
  besmirched　with　crime；　and　he　might　have　been　immortalised　as　the
  Hercules　of　the　seventeenth　century；　had　not　his　ambition　been　otherwise
  flattered。　　At　the　outset；　though　the　inclination　was　never　lacking；　he
  knew　small　temptation　to　break　the　sterner　laws　of　conduct。　　His
  pleasures　were　abundantly　supplied　by　his　father's　generosity；　and　he　had
  no　need　to　refrain　from　such　vices　as　became　a　gentleman。　　If　he　was　no
  drunkard；　it　was　because　his　head　was　equal　to　the　severest　strain；　and；
  despite　his　forbidding　expression；　he　was　always　a　successful　breaker　of
  hearts。　　His　very　masterfulness　overcame　the　most　stubborn　resistance；
  and　more　than　once　the　pressure　of　his　dishonourable　suit　converted　hatred
  into　love。　　At　the　very　time　that　he　was　denounced　for　Scotland's　disgrace；
  his　praises　were　chanted　in　many　a　dejected　ballad。　　‘Gilderoy　was　a
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  bonny　boy；'　sang　one　heart…broken　maiden：
  Had　roses　till　his　shoon；　　　　　　His　stockings　were　of
  silken　soy；　　　　　　　　　　　Wi'　garters　hanging　doon。
  But　in　truth　he　was　admired　less　for　his　amiability　than　for　that　quality
  of　governance　which；　when　once　he　had　torn　the　decalogue　to　pieces；
  made　him　a　veritable　emperor　of　crime。
  His　father's　death　was　the　true　beginning　of　his　career。　　A　modest
  patrimony　was　squandered　in　six　months；　and　Gilderoy　had　no　penny　left
  wherewith　to　satisfy　the　vices　which　insisted　upon　indulgence。　　He
  demanded　money　at　all　hazards；　and　money　without　toil。　　For　a　while　his
  more　loudly　clamant　needs　were　fulfilled　by　the　amiable　simplicity　of　his
  mother；　whom　he　blackmailed　with　insolence　and　contempt。　　And　when
  she；　wearied　by　his　shameless　importunity；　at　last　withdrew　her　support；　he
  determined　upon　a　monstrous　act　of　vengeance。　　With　a　noble　affectation
  of　penitence　he　visited　his　home；　promised　reform　at　supper；　and　said
  good…night　in　the　broken　accent　of　reconciliation。　　No　sooner　was　the
  house　sunk　in　slumber　than　he　crawled　stealthily　upstairs　in　order　to
  forestall　by　theft　a　promised　generosity。　　He　opened　the　door　of　the　bed…
  chamber　in　a　hushed　silence；　but　the　wrenching　of　the　cofferlid　awoke　the
  sleeper；　and　Gilderoy；　having　cut　his　mother's　throat　with　an　infamous
  levity；　seized　whatever　money　and　jewels　were　in　the　house；　cruelly
  maltreated　his　sister；　and　laughingly　burnt　the　house　to　the　ground；　that　the
  possibility　of　evidence　might　be　destroyed。
  Henceforth　his　method　of　plunder　was　assured。　　It　was　part　of　his
  philosophy　to　prevent　detection　by　murder；　and　the　flames　from　the
  burning　walls　added　a　pleasure　to　his　lustful　eye。　　His　march　across
  Scotland　was　marked　by　slaughtered　families　and　ruined　houses。　　Plunder
  was　the　first　cause　of　his　exploits；　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　death　and
  arson　were　a　solace　to　his　fierce　spirit；　and　for　a　while　this　giant　of　cruelty
  knew　neither　check　nor　hindrance。　　Presently　it　became　a　superstition
  with　him　that　death　was　the　inevitable　accompaniment　of　robbery；　and；　as
  he　was　incapable　of　remorse；　he　grew　callous；　and　neglected　the　simplest
  precautions。　　At　Dunkeld　he　razed　a　rifled　house　to　the　ground；　and　with
  the　utmost　effrontery　repeated　the　performance　at　Aberdeen。　　But　at　last
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  he　had　been　tracked　by　a　company　of　soldiers；　who；　that　justice　might　not
  be　cheated　of　her　prey；　carried　him　to　gaol；　where　after　the　briefest　trial　he
  was　condemned　to　death。
  Gilderoy；　however；　was　still　master　of　himself。　　His　immense　strength
  not　only　burst　his　bonds；　but　broke　prison；　and　this　invincible　Samson　was
  once　more　free　in　Aberdeen；　inspiring　that　respectable　city　with　a
  legendary　dread。　　The　reward　of　one　hundred　pounds　was　offered　in　vain。
  Had　he　shown　himself　on　the　road　in　broad　daylight；　none　would　have
  dared　to　arrest　him；　and　it　was　not　until　his　plans　were　deliberately　laid；
  that　he　crossed　the　sea。　　The　more　violent　period　of　his　career　was　at　an
  end。　　Never　again　did　he　yield　to　his　passion　for　burning　and　sudden
  death；　and；　if　the　world　found　him　unconquerable；　his　self…control　is
  proved　by　the　fact　that　in　the　heyday　of　his　strength　he　turned　from　his
  unredeemed　brutality　to　a　gentler　method。　　He　now　deserted　Scotland　for
  France；　with　which；　like　all　his　countrymen；　he　claimed　a　cousinship；　and
  so　profoundly　did　he　impose　upon　Paris　with　his　immense　stature；　his
  elegant　attire；　his　courtly　manners　（for　he　was　courtesy　itself；　when　it
  pleased　him）；　that　he　was　taken　for　an　eminent　scholar；　or　at　least　a　soldier
  of　fortune。
  Prosperity　might　doubtless　have　followed　a　discreet　profession；　but
  Gilderoy　must　still　be　thieving；　and　he　reaped　a　rich　harvest　among　the
  unsuspicious　courtiers　of　France。　　His　most　highly　renowned　exploit　was
  performed　at　St。　Denis；