he was enabled to purchase the rules. Soon after this the marshal of the King's bench dying, he was obliged to pay for the rules a second time. He now sued for an allowance of the groats, according to the act, which were paid him for about a year, but being afterwards neglected, he got out of prison, and took a shop in the Mint, Southwark, where he car ried on his business with some success, his wife maintaining the family in the country. At length.

he was arrested by another creditor, and waited two years for the benefit of an act of insolvency. On his going to Guildford, to take the benefit of the act, he found that the marshal had not inserted his ; name in the list with the names of the other prisoners; and having informed his creditor of this circumstance, the marshal was obliged to pay debt: and costs; the debtor was discharged, and the mar shal fined 100l. for his neglect. Having now ob tained his liberty, and his wife dying about the same time, and leaving four children, he sent for: them to London; and not long afterwards married; a widow, who had an equal number of children.He now got unfortunately acquainted with Duncalf and Burrell, the former a native of Ireland, and a notorious thief; the latter a soldier in the guards. These men advising him to commence robber, he fatally complied with their solicitations, and joined: in their nocturnal depredations Between Stockwell and Clapham they overtook two men, one of whom speaking of the probability of being attacked by footpads, drew a knife, and swore he would kill any man who should presume to molest them. The parties all drank together on the road, and then proceeded towards London, when Cooper threw down the man that was armed with the knife, and took it from him, and then robbed him and his

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his acquaintance of a watch, about 20s. and their handkerchiefs. Their next robbery was on Mr. James, a taylor, whom they stopped on the road to Dulwich, and took from him his watch and inoney. He gave an immediate alarm, which occasioned a pursuit; but the thieves effected an escape. Two of the three robbers wearing soldiers' clothes, Mr. Jaines presumed that they were of the guards, and going to the parade in St. James's park, he fixed on two soldiers as the parties who had robbed him. These soldiers were accordingly sent to prison, brought to trial, and acquitted, as it was proved they had been at Dulwich about the time the robbery had been committed.-- While Cooper and his party were on the look out near Bromley, Duncalf saw a gentleman riding álong the road; and kneeling down, he seized the bridle, and obliged him to quit his horse, when the others robbed him of his watch and two guineas and a half. Meeting afterwards with a man and woman on one horse, near Farnborough in Kent, they ordered them to dismount, robbed them of near 40s, and then permitted them to pursue their journey. Soon after they heard the noise of a number of people who were in pursuit of them; on which Cooper turning about, they passed him, but seized on Burrell, one of them exclaiming, "This is one of the rogues that just robbed my brother and sister!” On this Burrell fired a pistol into the air, to intimidate the pursuers, among whom were two soldiers, whom Duncalf and Cooper encountering at this instant, one of them was so dangerously wounded by his own sword, which Duncalf wrested from his hand, that he was sent as an invalid to Chelsea, where he finished his life. The brother of the parties robbed, and a countryman, kept

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up the contest, till the former was thrown on the ground, when Burrelt beat him so violently that he died on the spot. The robbers now pursued their way to London, where they arrived without fur. ther molestation. Duncalf being provided with a bag, now went with Cooper to a farm-house, and stole all the fowls that were at roost, saying," the first man we meet must buy my chickens." They had not travelled far before they met with a man, whom they asked to buy the fowls. He said he did not want any; but they seized his horse's bridle, knocked him down, and robbed him of above 121. his hat and wig, watch, and great coat. On one of their walks towards Camberwell, they met a man of fortune named Ellish, whose servant was lighting him home from an assembly. Putting pistols to the gentleman's breast, his servant attempted to defend him; on which they knocked him down with a bludgeon; and the mas ter still hesitating to deliver, they threw him on the ground, and robbed him of his watch, money, and other articles; then tying him and his servant back to back, threw them into a ditch, where they lay in a helpless state, till a casual passenger released them from their disagreeable situation. After plundering several others in a similar manner, Cooper was resolved to be revenged on Mrs. Pearson, of Hill-farm, Essex, who was the first that arrested him. Accordingly, he and his accomplices went to the place, and learning that she was on a visit, waited till her return at night, when they stopped her and her servant, and robbed them of eight guineas. On the following day Mrs. Pearson went to a magistrate, and charged a person named Loader with having committed this robbery; but it appearing that this man was a prisoner for debt at the

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time, the charge necessarily fell to the ground.Soon after, Cooper and his associates met a farmer named Jackson, in a lane near Croydon, who violently opposed them; on which they knocked him down, and dragging him into a field, robbed him of his watch and money, tied him to a tree, and turned his horse loose on a common. For this robbery two farriers, named Shelton and Kellet, were apprehended, and being tried at the next assizes for Surrey, the latter was acquitted, but the former was convicted on the positive oath of the person robbed, and suffered death. The three accomplices being out on the road near Dulwich, met two gentlemen on horseback, one of whom got from them by the goodness of his horse, and the other attempted to do so, but was knocked down and robbed of his watch and money. In the intérim, the party who had rode off (whose name was Saxby) fastened his horse to a gate, and came back to relieve his friend: but the robbers first knocked him down, and then shot him. Having stripped him of what money he had, they hastened towards London; but a suspicion arising, that Duncalf was concerned in this robbery and murder, he was taken into custody on the following day; and Cooper being taken up on his information, Burrell surrendered, and was admitted an evidence for the crown. Duncalf did not live to suffer the punishment he merited; for he had not been long in prison, before the flesh rotted from his bones, and he died a dreadful monument of the Divine vengeance, though not before he had acknowledged several enormous crimes; particularly that a custom-house officer had suffered transportation, by his having taken a false oath. Cooper frequently expressed himself in terms of regret, that a villain so abandoned as Burrell should

should escape the hands of justice. In other respects his behaviour was very resigned, and becom ing his unhappy situation. He acknowledged he had frequently deliberated with Burrell on the intended murder of Duncalf, lest he should become an evidence against them: but he now professed his happiness that this murder had not been added to the black catalogue of his crimes! When brought to trial he pleaded guilty, confessed all the circumstances of the murder, and after sentence was passed upon him, appeared to be a sincere penitent for the errors of his past life, He suffered at Kennington Common, Aug. 26, 1750.

COWLAND, JOHN, (MURDERER,) was the son of reputable parents, who apprenticed him to a goldsmith, but of a vicious irascible disposition. -He and some other bon vivant had followed Sir Andrew Slanning, bart. who had made a temporary acquaintance with an orange-woman, while in the pit at Drury-lane play-house, and retired with her as soon as the play was ended. They had gone but a few yards before Mr. Cowland put his arm round the woman's neck; on which Sir Andrew desired he would desist, as she was his wife. Cowland, knowing Sir Andrew was married to a woman of honour, gave him the lie, and swords were drawn on both sides: but some gentlemen coming up at this juncture, no immediate ill consequence happened. They all now agreed to adjourn to the Rose tavern; and Capt. Wagget having there used his utmost endeavours to reconcile the offended parties, it appeared that his mediation was attended with success; but, as they were going up stairs to drink a glass of wine, Mr. Cowland drew his sword, and stabbed Sir Andrew in the belly, who finding himself wounded, cried out "murder." One of

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