drove on the faster, on which he fired, and wounded one of them in the arm; but the report of the pistol bringing some people towards the spot, he gal. lopped off, and went to Mims, his old place of retreat. Coming to London next day, to sell his watches, he was seen in Cheapside by a woman who knew him, and followed him to Norton Falgate, where observing him go into a public house, she went and procured a constable, who took him into custody, and found on him five watches, and about nine pounds in money. On his examination before a magistrate, Mr. Zachary, whom he had robbed near Highgate, swearing to the identity of his person, he was committed to Newgate. He now formed a scheme to murder the keepers, and make his escape; but being detected, he was confined to the cells; and when brought to his trial at the Old Bailey, was capitally convicted. After sentence of death he for some time affected a gaiety of behaviour; but when the warrant for his execution arrived, he was so struck with the idea of his approaching fate, that it occasioned convulsive fits, from which he never afterwards recovered. suffered at Tyburn, Dec. 16, 1741.

He

COOKE, ARUNDEL, esq. (FELON,) who, with his accomplice, John Woodburne, was the first who suffered on what is called the Coventry A&t, which took its rise from the following circumstance-Sir John Coventry, in the reign of Charles the Second, having opposed the measures of the court in the House of Commons, in revenge some armed villains attacked him one night in Coventgarden, slit his nose, and cut off his lips. Shocked by so barbarous a deed, the members of both houses of parliament passed an act in a few days, by which it was ordained, that " Unlawfully cut

ting out, or disabling the tongue, of malice aforethought, or by lying in wait, putting out an eye, slitting the nose or lip, or cutting off or disabling any limb or member of any person, with intent to maim or disfigure, shall be felony without benefit of clergy. By this law it is likewise enacted, that Accessaries shall be deemed principals." Mr. Cooke was born near Bury St. Edmund's, in the county of Suffolk. His father was a man of fortune, and when he had given him an university education, he sent him to the Temple to study the law, after which he was called to the bar, and acted as a counsellor. After some time he married a young lady, the sister of Mr. Crisp, who lived in the neighbourhood of his native place. Mr. Crisp being a gentleman of large property, but of a bad state of health, made his will in favour of Cooke, subject only to a jointure for his sister's use, which was likewise to become the property of the counsellor, in case the lady died before her husband. It was not long after Mr. Crisp had made his will, before he recovered his health in some degree; but he continued an infirm man, though he lived a number of years. This partial recovery gave great uneasiness to Cooke, who wishing to possess the estate, was anxious for the death of his brother-inlaw, though, as he had art enough to conceal his sentiments, they appeared to live on tolerable terms. However, he at length grew so impatient, that he could not come into possession by the death of Mr.

*There is a similar act in Ireland, called "The Chalking Act," on which one Lamb, a butcher, was the first who suffered. EDITOR.

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Crisp,

Crisp, that he resolved to remove him by murder; and for that purpose he engaged John Woodburne, a labouring man, who had six children, to assist him in the execution of his diabolical plan; for which piece of service he promised to give him a hundred pounds. The man was unwilling to be concerned in this execrable business; but reflections on his poverty, and the largeness of his family, tempted him to comply. On this it was agreed the murder should be perpetrated on Christmas evening; and as Mr. Crisp was to dine with Cooke on that day, and the church-yard lay between one house and the other, Woodburne was to wait, concealed behind one of the tomb-stones, till Cooke gave him the signal of attack, which was to be a loud whistle. Crisp came to his appointment, and dined and drank tea with his brother-in-law; but declining to stay to supper, he left the house about nine o'clock, and was almost immediately followed into the church-yard by Cooke, who giving the agreed signal, Woodburne quitted his place of retreat, knocked down the unhappy man, and cut and maimed him in a terrible manner, in which he was abetted by the counsellor. Imagining they had dispatched him, Mr. Cooke rewarded Woodburne with a few shillings, and instantly went home; but he had not been arrived more than a quarter of an hour, before Mr. C. knocked at the door, and entered covered with wounds, and almost dead through loss of blood. He was unable to speak, but by his looks seemed to accuse Cooke with the intended murder, and was then put to bed, and his wounds dressed by a surgeon. At the end of about a week, he was so much mended, as to be removed to his own house. He had no doubt but Cooke was one

of

of the persons who had assaulted him; but had resolved not to speak of the affair till future circumstances made it necessary for him to inform a court of justice of what had happened. The intended assassination having greatly engaged the attention of the neighbours, Woodburne was apprehended on suspicion; when making a discovery of the whole truth, Cooke was also taken into custody. They were brought to their trials at the next assizes, and both convicted. When they were called up to receive sentence of death, Cooke desired to be heard ; and the court complying with his request, he urged that "Judgment could not pass on the verdict, because the act of parliament simply mentions an intention to maim or deface, whereas he was firmly resolved to have committed murder." He quoted several law-cases in favour of the arguments he had advanced, and hoped that judgment might be respited till the opinion of the twelve judges could be taken on the cause. The counsel for the crown opposed the arguments of Cooke-insisted that the crime came within the meaning of the law, and hoped that judgment would pass against the pri-› soners. Lord Chief Justice King, who presided on this occasion, declared he could not admit the force of Mr. Cooke's plea, consistent with his own oath as a judge for (said he) it would establish a principle in the law, inconsistent with the first dictates of natural reason, as the greatest villain might, when convicted of a smaller offence, plead that the judgment must be arrested, because he intended to commit a greater. In the present instance (said he) judgment cannot be arrested, as the intention is naturally implied, when the crime is actually committed.' His lordship said, that "Crisp was assassinated in the manner laid in the indictment

it is therefore to be taken for granted, that the intention was to maim and deface; wherefore the court will proceed to give judgment:"-and accordingly sentence of death was passed on Cooke and his accomplice. After condemnation, the former employed his time principally in endeavours to procure a pardon, and when he found his expectations failed him, he grew reserved, and would not admit even the visits of his friends. On the contrary, Woodburne was all penitence and contrition-sincerely lamenting the crime he had been guilty of, and the miserable situation in which he left his poor children. A short time before the day of execution Cooke wrote to the sheriff, requesting that he might be hanged in the night, to prevent his being exposed to the country people, who were expected from all the adjacent towns and villages; and, in consequence hereof, he was hanged at four o'clock in the morning, and Woodburne was executed in the afternoon of the same day. The latter behaved with every sign of penitence; but Cooke's conduct was very unfeeling, and he absolutely refused to confess his crime. He suffered at Bury St. Edmund's the 5th of April, 1722.

COOPER, JAMES, (MURDERER) was the son of a butcher at Lexden in Essex, who having whol ly neglected his education, employed him in his own business at the early age of ten years. Hav. ing lived with his father till he was 22, he then married and opened a shop at Colchester, where he dealt largely as a butcher, and likewise became a cattle-jobber. At the end of thirteen years he found his losses so considerable, that he could no longer carry on business; and one of his creditors arresting him, he was thrown into the King'sbench prison; but as his wife still carried on trade,

he