comes Chad. Farr 's Friend and one of his Swearers till convicted for Perjury habited like a Drover Quoth Farr How now Dick What 's the best Newes Are my Cattel come He bare-header and with a long scrape answered No Sir The great py'd Oxe is fallen lame so that we were forc'd to stay at such a Place naming a Town on the Road Why then sayes Farr my Cattel will not be here to Night No saith Chad. 'T is well if they get them here soon enough for to Morrow Market At that Farr stamp'd and swore he knew not what he should do for he wanted Money to prepare for his Morrows Tryal which he pretended to be of great Consequence and that therefore he must retain the greatest Council he could get Farr then asked Whether his Friend naming the Grasier was come Chad. replyed No He stayes to come along with the Cattel for he hath some of his fallen lame too At which Farr seemed exceedingly discontented as not knowing what to do Whereupon the Inn-keeper believing from their discourse and the behaviour of Chad. to his supposed Master that he was really a great Grazier and could not have less than 5 or 600 Pounds worth of Cattel coming up asked him What Money would serve his turn He said 20 Pound The Inn-keeper prayed him not to trouble himself then for he would supply him so farr as 20 or 30 Pound went Which Farr with great acknowledgement of the Civility accepted and promised to repay it on the Morrow The Inn-keeper fetch'd him 20 Pound and Farr received it and went away as being in haft upon his business saying to Chad. Come Dick goe you along with me for I shall have occasion to send you on an Errand or two So away they went but the Inn-keeper heard no more of his Grazier Being at Mr. Durwins formerly mentioned in Ploenix-Alley there came in one Mr. Hollinsby a Blackwel-Hall Factor who in discourse was telling him That a Customer of his a West-Country Weaver had a Parcel of Sayes to sell and that he would sell them a Pennyworth and would take half his Money down and half at six Months end Farr told him He would help him to a Customer and desired they might be sent into his House and laid in the Belcony Room one pair of Stairs and he did not question to give an account of them by next Morning The Goods were accordingly sent in and laid where he order'd himself being then not at home Farr conveys away the Goods into a Vault or Common-Shore that he could goe into out of his Cellar breaks a Pane of Glass out of the Belcony Door and sets the Door open as if some Thief had by breaking the Glass put in his hand and opened the Door and stole the Sayes away When Mr. Hollinsby and his Country Chapman came next Morning Farr pretended himself Robb'd and so Cheated the poor Man of his Goods nor could he ever get a farthing satisfaction About this time also a young Gentlewoman upon some discontent and difference by his advice withdrew her self with what of her most rich Goods she could take with her from her Friends to Lodgings which he provided for her in Blackmores-Alley where when she had continued for sometime he perswaded her to remove to other Lodgings which he had taken for her more private and convenient whereunto she consented and he under colour of removing her Goods to the said new Lodgings conveyed them all away leaving her nothing but her Smock and an under-Petticoat and never came near her afterwards He coming in the Garb of a Gentleman to Mr. Newman a great Builder in Lincolns-Inn-Fields took of him one of his Houses there and lived in it paying him the first Quarters Rent punctually but afterwards would not pay any When he was run three Quarters behind his Landlord thought it time to look after him and having heard something of his former manners did not care how soon he was rid of such a Tenant he therefore sues him for his Arrears of Rent and also seals a Lease of Ejectment against him but Farr alters the Month of Mr. Newman's Acquittance which he gave him for his first Quarters Rent and at the Tryal had his Witnesses to swear the alteration of the word by Mr. Newman himself when the Money was paid and so Mr. Newman lost his three Quarters Rent his Charges and was overthrown in his Ejectment as having sued before his time Farr knowing there was no staying in the House for him takes away the Lead out of the Belcony and the Leaden Pipes and sells them finds a Tenant of whom he takes a Fine and lets it at a small Rent and so leaves him in the House to lose his Fine and answer for the waste he himself had done He with one of his Complices coming into a Coffee-house sate down at a Table where was other Company Farr drew out his Watch pretending to see what a Clock it was A Gentleman sitting by asked him What it was a Clock he thereupon gave him his Watch to look When he had seen Farr 's Friend took the Watch from him as if he also would see what time of the Day it was and with it went away Farr taking no notice thereof and the Gentleman questioning nothing for that he presum'd him to be Farr 's Friend and Acquaintance as indeed he was The Man being gone Farr ask'd the Gentleman for his Watch He replyed That his Friend had it Farr said He was no Friend of his nor did he know him and told him He must look for his Watch from him took witness of the By-standers That he had delivered the Watch into his hands sued him for the Watch and recovered the value of it And this very Watch was afterwards found at a Place Pawn'd by Farr himself A Woman living near St. Giles's Church in Holborn was by a forg'd Deed of his ejected her House and her Goods seiz'd on whereupon the poor Woman hanged her self He having had some dealing with one Mr. Taylor and received some Money for him and paid it again by his Order desired then to have a general Release from him which the Man was willing to do But Farr instead of a Release presented him with a Warrant of Attorney for a Judgement for 40 Pound which the unwary Man sate his hand to and a while after was taken in Execution and forced to pay the Money He played his Pranks very severely upon one Mr. Alexander then the King's Shooemaker with whom he having some small Concern went and made Complaint to the Green-Cloath and desired liberty to sue him He had granted him an Order to summon in Mr. Alexander which he never did but he and Chad. whom he brought with him making Oath that he had summons and that he did contemptuously disobey the same he had liberty granted him to sue him which he did and by the help of good Witnesses who swore treble the Debt had Judgement which Mr.
Alexander satisfied but neglected to see Satisfaction acknowledged upon Record So that Farr some time after serv'd the Execution upon his Goods when he was out of Town and his Wife was forc'd to pay it a second time He serv'd it also a third time on his Person but he then chose rather to goe to the Gate-house than pay the Money into hands whence there was no hope of Redemption and there continued a Prisoner till Term and then was discharged But Farr durst not appear for his Ears A Friend of Farr 's being sued by one Mr. John Wotton a Country Man upon a Bond of 100 Pound employed Farr as a Solliciter When Farr heard that Mr. Wotton was come to Town in order to his Tryal he and his trusty Friend Chad. went to him to his Inn pretending to make an end of the Business but intending only to have a certain knowledge of his Person and when the Business came to Tryal Farr and Chad. swore the Bond satisfied and so Mr. Wotton lost both his Money and his Charges Another Roguery he acted beyond humanity against one Mr. Green an antient Man living in Covent-Garden and a single Man and well to pass For when he was just upon the point of Dying and not sensible Farr came with an Execution which all men believe to be forg'd and took away all his Goods but the very Bed he lay upon and for this was never so much as question'd One Project he made a very frequent and beneficial use of which was this When any Man whom he knew dyed in such a Condition as that the Widow Heir at Law would not administer or meddle but leave what there was to be divided amongst the Creditors he would be sure by a forg'd Bond to make himself a Principal Creditor and as such take out Letters of Administration and get into his hands what he could and never part with a farthing to any of the other Creditors And another way he had of somewhat a more abstruse and mysterious reach viz. He would combine with a poor Fellow to be Arrested for some small inconsiderable matter and upon pretence of not being able to get Bayl turn himself over to Ludgate where upon pitty to the Condition of the Man and the smallness of that against him they would take any slender Security for his true Imprisonment and let him goe abroad Then would Farr having a Bond of the Person for that purpose enter privately an Action against the Prisoner to a considerable value and then the Prisoner would run away and his Security not be found and so Farr would bring his Action against the Keeper and his Swearers to attest the Bond and recover the Money There is one Mrs. Lewis now a Prisoner to Ludgate a sad Instance of his mischievous malice For having pawned to her divers Goods to the value of 15 Pound he afterwards caused one of his Agents to bring an Action of Trover against her for the said Goods as his and so fetch'd them out of her hands for which she beginning to vex him by a Sute he forged a Bond of a considerable summ and arrested her never leaving till he brought her to the Place and Condition wherein she now is The like Cheat and Revenge after it did he put upon one Mr. P. a Goldsmith with whom he did often deal as Broker both for buying and selling Passing by his Shop he observed a rich Locket of Diamonds of good value He told Mrs. P. who for the most part kept the Shop and was then in it That he knew a Lady would buy the Locket and at a Price had it delivered to him to shew the Lady He got it pattern'd exactly by a Locket of Bristol Stones and took his opportunity to come when only the Apprentice a young Lad was there and delivered it to him in presence of a Gentleman whom he brought with him to witness it bidding him to carry it in to his Mistress who receiving it took not so much notice of it at first as to perceive the Cheat but soon after did but to little purpose for Farr was gone And being afterwards taxed he denied the thing stoutly So the Goldsmith sued him but to no effect for observe what a Freak Farr finds out to supersede him in his Prosecution Mr. P. one of the King's Trumpeters having lost his Trumpet which he much valued for its goodness spent much money and time in looking after it but could not retrive it Farr hearing of it repairs to him and told him He knew where his Trumpet had been The Gentleman glad thereof went presently with him He directed him to this Mr. P. his House where he made demand of his Trumpet The Goldsmith denied his having any such thing Whereupon the Trumpeter went to the Place where he had left Farr and his Friend expecting the issue and told Farr what the Goldsmith said Farr answered That he saw it in his hands at such a time and so did that his Friend and that if he would have the Goldsmith by a Warrant before a Justice they would both swear it and they were as good as their words The Goldsmith fearing the dangerous Consequence not only to his Estate but his Life also of having to do with such Swearers gave the Gentleman Satisfaction for his Trumpet and let fall his Sure against Farr for his Locket He also put the Change upon a Jewellers Apprentice his Friend in Crutched-Fryers taking away a very large Diamond and leaving a Bristol Stone in the room of it When he was a Prisoner in the Kings-Bench in Southwark he observed a pretty Garden-house to stand empty he thought it pitty it should want a Tenant and resolved on this Plot He went to the Landlord in a very gentile Garb and told him He had taken much notice of such a House and had a great mind to build himself one exactly after that pattern and desired That he might have the liberty to bring a Carpenter go take a just measure of the scantling The Gentleman could not deny so small a Civility but told him that he should do it when he pleased He thereupon went to a Carpenter and told him That he was about to buy a House hard by desiring him to goe along with him and give him his estimate of it The Carpenter went readily with him they call upon the Landlord and so goe to the House together The Carpenter took an exact account of the Butts and Bounds of the House in writing as Farr had directed him Which Farr having received from him got a Lease drawn at a very low Rent upon consideration of a large Fine in the Lease mentioned to have been paid And you may be sure he wanted not for Witnesses to attest it Demanded shortly after Possession of the House At which the Landlord seemed to be startled as knowing of no such Contract as Farr laid claim to Whereupon Farr sued him his own Instruments swore the Lease and
be guilty of taking away any mans life So he was acquitted of which he made so good use by his fair tongue that many beleived him innocent And Mr. Skipwith having at Farrs motion bought of one Halfepenny 2 or 3 Tenements in Phenix Alley by Long Acre put him into possession and sealed him a lease of them the credit of which he so exceedingly improv'd to his further Rogueries and took lodgings with him and removed his goods thither some loose most in trunks Mr. Skipwith being diverted by busines and often being for aweek or fortnight together at his brothers in Hartfordshire Farr had his opportunity to do as he pleased he took away out of his chamber first such things as were loose which Mr. Skipwith took little notice as thinking they were layd somewhere else Afterwards he got a false key to his desk where all the keyes of his trunks were which he ransakt of the best and choicest goods And when Mr. Skipwith mist them and askt Farr about them He told him that Mr. Stanton the upholster had amongst the things that he layd claim to as Mis. Rayes taken away out of his trunks wherein were the things he mist advised him to sue him offering himself a witnes both to the fact and also to the value of the trunk Mr. Skipwith hereupon went to the Upholster demanded his trunk and had it sent home When he opened it Farr having called some neighbours for witnesses was present The trunk was empty excepting some few things of no value Farr thereupon prayed them to take notice that the Lock of the trunk had been taken of for the nayles were not clincht on the inside indeed himself at the robbing of the trūk had so drawn off the lock and when the upholster came to seize Mis. Rayes goods purposely clapt it in amongst them for adisguise cloak of what he had done prest M. Skipwith again to sue him But he began now more to suspect Farr then the upholster which Farr perceiving and knowing that the consequence of it must be the discovery of him he cryed whore first and by way of prevention clapt an Action of 120 pound debt upon him and while he was in the custody of the Baylies removed all his other goods Hereupon Mr. Skipwith took out a warrant against him took also with him two Constables and two Beadles to execute it They found most of the goods in rhe house a watch a silver bottle a pair of silkstockings and some jewells about him They had him before Iustice Peaps who committed him to Newgate The first sessions he got his tryall put off but was to remaine in prison without bayle yet within tendayes he prevailed with his keeper to go out with him he served a warrant upon Mr. Skipwith and swore felony against him before the said Iustice The next sessions Farr came to tryall Mr. Skipwith the two Constables two Beadles swore the goods were found about him But he so ordered his busines by crosse oaths that he was acquitted having his liberty he continually vexed him with fresh suits and informations for the space of 3 or 4 years insomuch that the Gentleman to be rid of such a rascall betook himself for some time to travell I made mention a little before of Mis. Ray a midwife I shall now give a Relation of that affaire Mis. Ray by will made Mr. Stanton her Executor and Farr overseer of her will The Executor finding Farr to be knowing and thinking him to be honest intrusted him to manage the whole busines He seizd upon all the goods and remov'd them to his own house and intentionally wholly to his own use And Mr. Stanton the Eexecutor was forced to get them from him by Replevy and in removing of them Farr designedly clapt Mr. Skiwiths trunk which he had robd amongst them and some few things of his own Whereupon to ground his vexatious Actions at law and not prevailing with Mr. Skipwith to meddle he went in his name laid claim to severall goods as his which did indeed belong to Mis. Ray and had them delivered unto him and did from himself and otheers create so much trouble to the Gentleman that he had better to have given 200 pound then have been made Executor Now being weary of his wife and able to live without her and having found out one Mis. Chadwick fitter for his purpose and of a more suitable temper found out this way to be rid of her He prevailed with her partly by Threatnings partly by suggestion of great benefit to themselvs by it to swear her self with child by a Gentleman he had some controversy with she went with him to a Iustice to swear it but when the Iustice understood what it was she was about to swear he told her of the Danger she brought her self into for it was when Olivers Act against adultery was in force whereupon she recoyled and would not do it But her husband took advantage of what she had confessed though t is thought she was no way guilty and turnd her out of Doores to shift for her self refusing also to keep the Childe Mr SK Sold his Houses to the Mr of the Goat-Tavern in Smithfield whom Farr foon finding to be a Person somewhat better able to deal with him faceth about and placeth his Artillery against a more easie Fort one Mr. Durwin a Glazier in the Cole-Yard near Drury-Lane his antient and real Friend and good Benefactor He forgeth a Lease to himself from Mr. Skip at an easie Rent offers and sells this Lease to his said Friend Durwin a good pennyworth if he could have made his bargain good delivereth Possession and Mr. Durwin cometh and liveth in it Not long after the head-Landlord comes to demand the Rent of the Tenant in Possession together with all the Arrears due from Farr he telleth Farr of it but nothing o◠redress from him The Tenant not paying it his Goods were seized on by the Landlord his Fine paid to Farr utterly lost and himself ejected the House Upon this hard measure he sues Farr upon the Covenants of his Lease but Impar Congressus Farr was too hard for him and being provoked turn'd upon him and never left till after his Estate was almost consumed in Law he got him a Prisoner into Newgate where for grief he dyed Nor was he much kinder to his Relations after hi◠death for he endeavoured by a forg'd Deed to have Cheated the Widow of some Tenements in the said Cole-Yard and did really Cheat his Daughter by a Trick of 1◠Pound in ready Money besides houshold Goods and wearing Apparel And it is worth the remembring the whilst M◠Durwin lived in the House Farr forged a Deed of Sal◠to himself of the Fee simple from Mr. Skip and brought a Gentleman a Draper in Fleet-Street to see it with intent of buying it and no doubt but Farr would have sold him a Pennyworth rather than no◠taken his Money But
Prisoner and pleading Poverty got of him Five Pound for his Forty and gave him a Discharge And I think he fared better than most that had to do with him He put a handsome Trick upon one in Barbican thus Pretending to goe a Journey into the Country he pack'd up in a Trunk most of his best Apparel both Woollen and Linnen and sent for a Porter to carry the Trunk into Aldersgate-Street to the Carriers When the Porter came he bid him take notice of what he put into the Trunk for fear it should any way miscarry which the Porter did Then he sent away the Porter to buy a Cord and when he was gone unpack'd the Trunk of the Cloaths and fill'd it with Raggs Brick-batts and Pieces of Wood and lock'd it up The Porter returning corded up the Trunk and so away with it he went and Farr with him When they came to the Inn the Carrier of the Place whither he pretended he would have sent it was gone out of Town the day before and would not come again till next Week He therefore ordered the Porter to take the Trunk and goe with him and so he carried it to one whom he knew in Barbican and desired That he might leave it there till next Week that the Carrier came to Town and then he would come for it the Man let him leave it The next Week Farr taking the same Porter went for the Trunk but pretended That he had present use of something that was in it and therefore in presence of the Porter opened the Trunk which being so differently fraught from what the Porter saw it fill'd with at first he call'd to the Man of the House told him That his Truâ—k was opened and his Goods taken away and that Rubbish left in the room the Porter justified the same The Man as he had good cause pleaded ignorance but it little availed him for Farr brought his Action against him and by Mrs. Chadwicks and another of his Swearers Oaths together with the Porter 's recovered against the Man 20 Pound besides Costs of Sure In the same manner almost he served a Watch-maker in Lombard-Street He in company of two more whom he brought with him upon Design left with the Watch-maker his Watch to be mended and within a short time after came for it The Watch-maker had fixed it and offered it to him He told him That was none of his Watch described his to be one of a farr greater value The Watch-maker being confident that was the Watch he left would give him no other Whereupon he sued the Watch-maker and brought his two Agents to swear the delivery of such a Watch as Farr claim'd and so recovered treble the value of the Watch. He also shewed a kind of a slippery Trick to one Mr. Boucher To whom he brought a Man that sold him a Suit of Tapestry Hangings for 15 Pound A while after he brought another Man to him who laid claim to the Hangings and said They were stole from him and that if he would not deliver them he would indite him Farr also told him That the Person of whom he had them was a Stranger to him nor did he know how to find him or where to enquire after him The Man therefore for fear of a worse thing return'd the Hangings and lost his Money but afterwards understood that the Hangings were really Farr 's who had thus Cheated him A Man would think that all these successful Villanies could not but have made him rich but he was very profuse in his Expences and in his Law-Sutes could not be sparing for a good Cause may be starved much more will a bad and weak One call for strong support so that it doth appear that he was but meanly moneyed For being worsted in a Suit about his Covent-Garden Houses he was shopp'd in the Fleet upon an Execution but of Threescore Pound which he could not or would not pay till he found out a Trick to do it by in this manner It hath been formerly intimated that he generally practised Brokeage between Buyer and Seller and that very frequently for Goods stollen and indirectly come by Being therefore now a Prisoner in the Fleet the Parties that had robb'd Mr. L. Mercer in Lombard-Street came to him and desired him to dispose of such things for them he undertook it and dealt with an Old Gentleman a Physician then a Prisoner also in the Fleet and a miserable penurious Man to lend him 120 Pound upon the Goods which he did and the Goods pack'd up in Hampers were set up in his Chamber and put under his Bed Farr having finger'd the Money went to the Warden of the Fleet paid off his Execution and so had his liberty of going abroad He went to the Person robb'd and told him That he thought he could do him some service towards the recovery of his Goods Farr had a Bond seal'd to him for Thirty Pound payable upon the receiving of the Goods The Mercer with some Friends went and procured the Lord Chief Justice his Warrant and came with Farr to a Tavern hard by the Fleet. Farr told them He would not appear himself but gave them punctual directions to the Chamber whither they went with a Constable the Warden giving leave and found the Goods and seized them So the poor Old Man lost his Money and soon after his Life for grief A strange Man to carry his Life in his Purse A while after the Merchants came to call their Factor to an account for their Money He told them He had no Money were not the Goods seiz'd on At which they grumbling he bade them be gone while they were well or else he would pay them with a Halter This Money with the 30 Pound of the Mercer which was duly paid him set him a clear board And now Mounsieur L. Mountebank appears upon the Stage afresh where his first Patient is A young Merchant or whole-sale Dealer in Stuffs To whose Ware-house he went in a very Gentile habit told the Gentleman That he was newly come from Cadiz and that he had occasion for some of his Commodities and that if he had to furnish him he should bestow near 1000 Pound with h im before his departure but for the present look'd out and order'd to be sent into his House about 100 Pounds worth The Merchant sent in the Goods and his Servant with them When he came to Farr 's House he was conducted into the Dining-Room which was very compleatly furnished and hung with Tapestry Farr comes to him with his Foot-Boy behind him whom he presently upon fight of the Man bade goe to his Mistress for the Key of his Closet The Boy as instructed brought word That his Mistress was gone over the Water to give a visit to a Lady whom he named VVhereat Farr storm'd and seemed much discontented and after near an hours stay very complementally told the Young Man He was very sorry that he was forced thus to
him but that very suddenly thereupon he was sworn his Majesty'd Shooemaker and so Farr durst not arrest him But Mr. Labbey could not think himself safe till he saw him hang'd and put up into his Coffin so great a dread had his Villanies imoress'd upon him While he was a Prisoner in the Fleet at the Sute of one Mr. Chambers of whom we shall have further occasion to speak hereafter he played a most treacherous part to one of his acquaintance and fellow-Prisoner Mr. Wotton Who having some Goods lying in a Place where he feared they were not very safe told Farr of it who could goe abroad but this Wotton could not Farr thereupon told him That he would if he pleased remove them to his House and there he should have the use of a Room to lay them in which Wotton accepted of and thanked him So Farr went and took all his Goods and sold them putting the money into his own Pocket and brought with him to Wotton a Key as of the Door where the Goods were lock'd up but that Key was all that Wotton could ever get for all his Goods Now also was it when one Diamond a Weaver in Spittle-fields having served him with some Process out of Chancery at the Sute of Mr. Alexander formerly mentioned he in revenge got a Warrant to search his House for stoln goods and taking a Constable with him broke open his doors and under pretence of searching in the Bed clapt his own Watch between the Sheets and a while after upon a more exact search found it there and thereupon took the Man out of his house had him before a Justice swore felony against him and got him committed to Newgate where the poor man was clapt into Irons and so lay all night but the next morning some friends of his went to the Iustice and informed him of the whole business who there upon took Bail for him and the next Sessions Farr not prosecuting he was discharged About this time also did he most brutishly ruine a young man whose name was John Chambers by Trade a Grocer who having been arrested and thrown into the Counter had taken of all the things that were then brought against him only there stood enter'd in the Book against John Chambers not this man but the Silk-throster Farrs great Antagonist and Action of 500 l. at Farrs sute This young man therefore sent for Farr and desired him to certifie that he was not the person that so he might be discharged Farr privately when no body was in presence would confess that he was not the man but would not doe it before any witness unless the man would give him 10 l. which rather than doe he turn'd himself over a Prisoner to the Kings Bench which was his utter undoing Then also did he by his friend Chadw lay a bait for a Gudgeon that bit and was upon the hook but proved not to be worth the catching Chadwick had told a young man he was acquainted with that he could help him to 50 l. upon security which the young man propounded and the other accepted Farr then a prisoner in the Fleet was the man that should lend the money At a time agreed on the principal with his two friends came to the Fleet Farr told them that being a Prisoner he would not have it known that he had any money for that he should never be free then from borrowers bad them go to an Ale-house in Fleet-yard and he would come to them They did so he followed and then told them that he expected the money to have been brought before that time but 't was not yet come however since they were all there together he advised them to seal the Bond and let the Principal keep it till to morrow and then if he came he should not miss of the money This was done and so they parted for that Night The next morning the man came accordingly Farr desired him to goe to the Place they were at the last Night he with two of his Beagles whom he had gotten ready followed they fell to talk and discourse making no mention of the money till at length the man desired Farr to dispatch him Farr prayed him to let him see the Bond which having finger'd he clap'd it up into his Pocket and went his way The man followed him but could obtain nothing but ill words This Bond had certainly been put in sure some time after but that both Principal and Security prov'd leaky Vessels and sunk before they came to be boarded Nor was his Roguery confin'd to England only for one Mr. Marlow whom by continual Vexations he had almost ruin'd did to preserve himself goe with his Family to live in Virginia where he had the good hap to thrive and grow wealthy Which Farr hearing he forged a Bond of his for 50 Pound came to a publick Notary and had it certified under his hand and by proving it by the Oaths of two of his Creatures before the Lord Mayor had it avouched by the City Seal This he sent over by one Mr. Guyard Master of a Ship bound for Virginia who knowing nothing but that the Bond was real and the Debt justly due did according to his trust sue the said Marlow and recover of him the said summ of money But so great was the out-cry against him by the Planters that he durst not come on shore afterward for fear of mischief And the Brother of this Marlow sometime after coming for England found out Farr and ran him through the arm He thought be-like he was too much a Rogue for him to run the hazard of being hang'd for him He once borrowed of Mr. T. P. a great Usurer 80. Pound and being when the money was due sued for it he by the Oath of Chad. and another proved the money paid and the Bond satisfied Having gone thus far without any remarkable check or controul at least any such as might seem to bear a proportion with the wrongs and injuries which he had done I am perswaded he began to think that nothing was either dishonest or difficult that had profit at the end of it and in this perswasion fell upon a young Gentlewoman into whose acquaintance and some knowledge of her affairs he had scrued himself by means of his Mrs. Chadwick and whom being a Widow young unacquainted and as he thought un-allyed in the City he pitch't upon as likely to fall an easie Prey to his ravenous desires Her husband was living Captain of a Ship and left her in good condition about 500 l. of money in her Purse and above that value in Goods Jewels Rings c. She lodged when he first came to be acquainted with her near New-Market living upon the use of her Money the disposal of which she intrusted to a friend upon whose death Farr would have succeeded in that imployment but the young Gentlewoman did not like him so well as to trust him with that commodity He seeing his
shrewd Spirit they both were and how ready witted she was at her business Chambers proceeded to prosecute his Witnesses and convicted 11 of them some of Forgery some of Perjury and one of Barratry and by this so weakened him that as he had his belly full of him so he had but little stomack to attempt any thing else of moment upon others lying close till time and privacy should wear out the memory of these miscarriages But for present subsistence and to keep his hand in ure he did play some petty Pranks which I shall relate only first tell you that a little before this great Tryal with Chambers he twice indicted the fore-mentioned Mrs. Reynolds once for Felony another time for Trespass and this last had laid so firmly as doubtless to have hit her had not an eminent Citizen accidentally present in this Court upon hearing the Evidence voluntarily offered to be sworn in the Case for that he feared there was foul Play and being sworn related how being upon Business in Guild-Hall he heard the whole Contrivance of this Affair and did verily believe that he then saw some of those faces pointing to the Witnesses amongst them The credit of this Witness and the slender account that could be had of the other prevail'd with the Jury to acquit her And having heard that Mr. Betts Brother in Law to this Mrs. Reynolds had a Friend beyond Sea who had left with him a Trunk of wearing Apparel and other things he learn'd the Man's Name and forg'd a Bond to himself from the Person for 20 Pound though the Man were an absolute Stranger to him and never had a Penny Concernment with him in his Life and then attach'd the Goods in his hands Mr. Betts thought it not his Concern to spend money in defending another Man's Sute and therefore without Opposition let him proceed to Condemnation When he came to look over the Goods he pretended That the Cloaths had been worn and the other Goods imbezzled and detrimented and so would not take the Goods in specie but demanded the Money they were appraised at which was by Chad. and another of his Companions 25 Pound The Man little imagining himself in any danger other than to deliver the Goods never looks after him So Farr by help of the two Mens Oaths obtains Judgement against him for 25 Pound takes him in Execution runs him into the Counter and forces him to pay down 25 Pound into Court Farr was so civil as to take out but 20 Pound which was his pretended Debt leaving Five Pound in Court which afterwards the Man that own'd the Goods had paid to him But Mr. Betts could never get any part of the Money back again And that a Man may see that his Condition altered not his Nature being arrested by one Mr. Williams a Bayliff at Mr. Chambers Sure because Mr. Williams would not take such Bayl as he would have him he and Mrs. Chad. swore Fellony against him viz. That he had pick'd his Pocket of Three Pound He also complained to the Knight Marshal and made Affidavit of it That Williams had taken Five Pound of him for one dayes attendance both Lyes and both so proved But being now a Prisoner to the Kings-Bench and his business but little one Esquire Ba. sometimes of Grayes-Inn now a Prisoner intrusted Farr to do his petty Businesses abroad as receiving and paying small summs of Money wherein he was punctual and true a small Balt he would not bite at But at length being intrusted by the Gentleman to goe and borrow some Money upon a Diamond Ring which the Gentleman accounted worth 50 Pound he brought the Gentleman only Four Pound and said He could get no more upon it This supplying the Gentleman's present Occasion he was contented but having often desired to have the Ring redeemed could never to this day retrive it nor would Farr confess where it was but without doubt he had sold it to its value and put the Money into his Pocket The same Trick he serv'd him in another Diamond Ring valued at 200 Pound but dipt only for 20. Pound Farr told him A Friend of his would lend him the same Money upon it at common Interest not at the Brokers rate which would be something sav'd in the Year The Gentleman prayed him to do it So he fetch'd the Ring from where it was but the Gentleman could never hear of it afterwards But the slyest Trick of all was this The Gentleman keeping his Chamber in Grayes-Inn Farr came and told him That the Door was broke open and stood so The Gentleman prayed him to see that the Goods in it were safe and to put a Padlock on the Door Hereupon Farr did indeed open the Door removed all the Goods Hangings c. and sold them and put a Padlock upon the Door as he had order carrying the Gentleman a false Key to it When Farr was convicted the Gentleman sent to him about his Rings but could get nothing of him but that he would tell him Nay he had a Note sent him about them under the Gallowes just before his Death but would not give any satisfactory answer Hereupon the Gentleman sent to have his Chamber opened but found the Key false to the Lock so they broke open the Door but found nothing but the bare VValls These Rings and Goods I question not stock't him and inabled him to creep again into the World and to take up his old imployment with his former confidence for now having liberty of going abroad gotten money into his Purse and the mark of the Pillory almost worn out he had credit enough to put a shrewd crick upon one Mr. Jay a Cornish man his fellow Prisoner in the Kings-Bench who wanting friends in the City to be security for him to goe abroad Farr told him that if he would give him counter security he would procure him two substantial Citizens upon whose security he should have liberty They agreed upon a Judgement with Defeizance upon Jay's estate which is about 50 l. per annum Farr got the writings drawn the Gentleman read it and it lik'd him very well When he came to seal Farr by a trick chang'd this Judgement with Defeizance for one absolute of the same size and form The Gentleman satisfied with his first reading it Signed and sealed and delivered And had not Farrs troubles faln upon him Jay had before this time found the effects of his unwariness for Farr would in a short time have leavyed it upon is Estate And now on went the best Cloaths again and in them with a a long Perriwig a Band with a Lace on 't worth 20 l. and a Muff he came to a Gentlewoman living near Shooe-lane who had a House that stood in Fetter-lane to be let and agreed with her for the House for 5 years paying 16 l. or thereabouts per annum Then he set Workmen to work made great stone steps at the door pull'd down the old