tears, while the unfortunate husband declared that he could now, with Christian fortitude, submit to his unhappy fate. During the greater part of the night he slept but little. About four o'clock in the morning, his sleep was however observed to have become sound, and according to the best recollection of his attendant, he continued in this sleep rather more than an hour; so that he could not have heard the fatal machine in its passage to the debtors' door. His voice preserved its usual strength and tone to the end; and though very particular in his questions respecting the machinery in every part, yet he spoke of his approaching execution and death with perfect calmness. At half after six in the morning, his prison-attendant going to his cell, was asked by him "whether the noise he heard was not that of erecting his scaffold ?" He was humanely replied to in the negative. The ordinary, Dr. Ford, soon after entered, when the prisoner devoutly joined him for some time in prayer. They then passed on to an anti-room, when the Governor asked, "whether it was a fine morning?" On being answered in the affirmative, he said, "the time hangs heavily: I am anxious for the close of this scene." One of the officers then proceeded to bind his arms with a cord, for which he extended them out firmly; but recollecting himself, he said, "I beg your pardon a moment:" and putting his hand in his pocket, he drew out two white handkerchiefs, one of which he bound over his temples, so as nearly to conceal his eyes, over which he placed a white cap, and then put on a round hat; the other handkerchief he kept between his hands. He then observed, "the cord cuts me; but it's no matter." On which Dr. Ford desired it to be loosened, for which the prisoner bowed, and thanked him.

As the clock struck eight, the door was thrown open, at which Sheriff Cox and his officers appeared. The Governor approaching him, said, "I attend you, sir;" and the procession to the scaffold, over the debtors' door, immediately succeeded. He had no sooner ascended it, accompanied by the Ordinary, than three successive shouts

from an innumerable populace, the brutal effusion of one common sentiment, evidently deprived him of the small portion of his fortitude which he had summoned up. He bowed his head under the extreme pressure of ignominy, when the hangman put the halter over it, but took it off again to replace it; this done the Governor stooped forward, and spoke to the Ordinary, who, no doubt at his request pulled the cap over the lower part of the face, when in an instant, without waiting for any signal, the platform dropped, and he was launched into eternity!

From the knot of the rope turning round to the back of the neck, and his legs not being pulled, as at his particular request, he was suspended in convulsive agony for more than a quarter of an hour. After hanging a full hour his body was cut down, put into a cart, and immediately conveyed to a building in Cow-cross-street, to be dissected. He was dressed in a mixed coloured loose coat, with a black collar, swan-down waistcoat, blue pantaloons, and white silk stockings. He appeared a miserable and emaciated object, never having quitted the bed of his cell from the day of condemnation till the morning of his execution. The crowd, though prodigious, was said to be not so great as that which attended the execution of Adamson and Wilkinson for forgery, about three years before; but the public indignation had never been so high since the death of Mrs. Brownrigg.

The body of the unfortunate Governor was not exposed to public view, as usual in such cases. Mr. Belfour, Secretary to the Surgeons' company, applied to Lord Kenyon, to know whether such exposure was necessary; and, finding that the forms of dissection only were required, the body, after those forms had passed, was consigned to the relations of the unhappy man, upon their paying fifty guineas to the Philanthropic Society. His remains were interred in the Church-yard of St. Pancrass.

CHARLES PRICE,

FORGER

THE subject of this narrative was born about the year

1730, in London-his father lived in Monmouth-street, and carried on the trade of a salesman in old clothes-here he died in the year 1752, of a broken heart, occasioned, it is said, by the bad conduct of his children.

In early life Charles manifested those traits of duplicity for which he was afterwards so greatly distinguished. One instance shall be mentioned; he ripped off some gold lace from a suit of old clothes in his father's shop, and putting on bis elder brother's coat, went to sell it to a Jew. The Jew, most unfortunately, came and offered it to the father for sale, be instantly knew it, and insisted on the Jew's declaring whence he received it. The boys passing by, he pointed to the elder, on account of his coat, as the person of whom be bought it, and he was directly seized, and severely flogged. His protestations of innocence were in vain, the father was inflexible, whilst Charles, with an abominable relish for hypocrisy, secretly rejoiced in the castigation.

His father, tired of the tricks and knaveries of his son Charles, put him an apprentice to a hosier in St. James'sstreet. Here he continued but for a short time; he'robbed his father of an elegant suit of clothes, in which he dressed himself, went to his master in this disguise, parchased about ten pounds worth of silk stockings, left his address, Benjamin Bolingbroke, esq. Hanover-square, and ordered them to be sent him in an hour's time, when he would pay the person who brought them. His master did not know him, and, to complete the cheat, our hero

came back in half an hour in his usual dress, was ordered to take the goods home, which he actually pretended to do, and thuss were both master and father robbed. He was, however, soon afterwards found out, and discarded, g

Henceforward, therefore, we are to regard him in society, where he, for a series of years, practised the most, putrageous arts of duplicity. Soon after this period he set off for Holland, under the assumed name of Johnson. Forging a recommendation to a Dutch merchant, becomes his clerk, debauches his master's daughter, is offered her in marriage, robs his master, and returns to England. He conducts this business with the most consummate villainy. He now contrived to become clerk in his majesty's small-beer brewhouse, near Gosport. At this place he behaved himself with so much propriety, that he was on the point of forming a matrimonial connexion with his master's daughter.

Every thing, however, was soon laid aside by an accidental discovery. The Jew, to whom he had formerly sold the gold lace, happened to live at Portsmouth, by whom his character was soon disclosed. Thus were his hopes, pat to flight; and he was again thrown upon the wide world. As his wits were never long unemployed for some deceptive ends, he thought of advertising for a partner in the brewery line; and actually issued the following curious advertisement in the year 1775

"WANTED,

"A partner of character, probity, and extensive acquaintance, upon a plan permanent and productive fifty per cent. without risk, may be obtained. It is not necessary he should have any knowledge of the business, which the advertiser possesses in its fullest extent; but he must possess a capital of between 500 and 1000 pounds to pur✨ chase materials, with which, to the knowledge of the advertiser, a large fortune must be made in a very short `time.

cod ebong adi adet "P. S. None but principals, and those of liberal ideas, will be treated with."

"

To this advertisement the famous comedian, Samuel Foote, Esq. paid attention. Eager to seize what he thought a golden opportunity, he advanced the sum of 5001. for a brewery; we need not add, that the sum soon disappeared, and Foote was wrung with the anguish of disappointment. Price, however, had the impudence to apply to him again, wishing him to unite in the baking trade; the comedian archly replied: "As you have brewed so you may bake; but I'll be cursed if ever you bake as you have "brewed !”

C

After this unfortunate business, Mr. Price turned methodist preacher, and in this character defrauded several persons of large sums of money. Advertising in order to get gentlemen wives, he swindled a person of the name of Wigaiore of fifty guineas, for which he was indicted; but having refunded a part, effects his escape. These, and other fraudulent practises, were long the objects of his athbition; though they are all the sure and certain roads to infamy. Such was his strange propensity.

With astonishing impudence he again sets up a brewery in Gray's Inn Lane; and after various frauds, he became a bankrupt in 1776. Ever fruitful in resources, he set out for Germany, but in Holland he gets into prison for a concern in a smuggling scheme, by which three hundred pounds were obtained. By his artful defence he escaped, and returned to his native country. Here he once more engaged bis attention, by a sham brewery at Lambeth, where he was married. Continuing, however, to practise his deceptions, he was obliged to decamp, went actually to Copenhagen, and, after some time, came back to England, where he was doomed to close his days.

His breweries having failed, he now proceeded to study how in other ways he might most effectually ravage socie