The Mysteries of the Court of London

Front matter

(IF THE MYSTERIES OF the COURT OF LONDON BY GEORGE W. M. REYNOLDS, AUTHOB OF THE FIR8T AND 8FCOND SERIIFS OF " THE MYSTERIIS OF LONDON," " THE DAYS HOGARTH," " FAUST," " WAONER, THB WEHR-WOLF," " ROBEKT MACAIRE," " THE PIXY ' "THE CORAL ISLAND," "THE BRONZE STATUE," "THE SEAMSTRESS," &C. WITII FIFTY -TWO ILLUSTRATIONS. DRAWN BV HENRY A N E L A Y AND ENORAVED BY E. HOOPER. VOL. I LONDON: PUBLISHED, FOR THE PROPRIETOR, BY JOHN DICKS, AT THE OFFICE OF "RETNOLDS'S MISCELLANY," 7, WELLINGTON STREET NORTH, STRAND. 1850. INDEX TO ENGRAVINGS. No. PiaB. 1. The Coffee Room of the George and Blue Boar, Holborn .... 4 2. Octavia and Pauline Clarendon ......... 10 3. The Disowned Child . . 16 4. Octavia and Mr. Harley . 29 5. The "Kinchin-Ken" ... 31 6. Octavia Supplicating her Lover 42 7. Lord Flon-mcl ami Mrs. Brace . . 49 8.

Portrait of Octavia Clarendon. 9. Lord Florimel and Pauline ...64 10. Mr. Piige's Visit to Julia 80 11. Caroline at the Midwife's House 87 12. Scene at Carlton House . 91 13. Suicide of Foster, the Merchant 95 14. Portrait of the Amazon. 15. Attempted Murder upon the Thames , . 115 18. The Fashionable Milliner and her Husband . . . . .128 17. The Prince and the Magsman 130 IS. Caroline and Fernanda . 143 19. Scene between the Prince and Mrs Fitzherbert . . ... i . 153 20. The Bill Room . 157 21. Room at the House in Thackers' Court 163 22. Fernanda in the Bed-room of Arthur Eaton • .... 176 23 Female Felons' Ward in Newgate 183 24. The Magsman in Newgate 185. 25 Portrait of Mrs. Brace. 26 The Trial at the Old Bailey 205 27. The Duehess and the Countess 206 28. The Chapel in Newgate • 225 29.

The Execution 227 30. The " Subject" for Dissection 234 31. Portrait of the Countess of Desborough. 32. Bali-Room at Carlton House 256 33. Bed-Room at Carlton House 264 34. The Sisters 271 35. Portrait of Pauline Clarendon. 36. Tim Meagles and Lady Lade . . ...... 286 37. Interview with George III .... 283 38. The Perilous Descent ... 300 39. Mrs. Brace's Sleeping Apartment 302 40. The Murder Beneath the Stone ... 319 41. The Prince and the Ballet Girls 328 42. Portraits of the Princesses Sophia and Amelia. 43. The Working Man's Abode. 338 44. The Library at Stamford MFinor '. 352 45. Portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire. 46. Vestry-Room of Salem Chapel 368 47. Murder on Board the Royal George 376 48. The Likeness Recognised 380 49. Portrait of Rose Foster. 50. Octavia a Lunatic 366 61. The Earl and Countess of Desborough **02 62.

Chapter I

At that time King George III was in the thirty fifth year of his reign ; and his scape-grace sou, the Prince of Wales, was already verging towards that important climacteric which is generally denominated " the prime of life" — his age being thirty-three. Pitt was then in power: the Reign of Terror ll.-tii TBE CATALOGUE OF CRIMES. Our narrative opens in the month of January, 1795, — a date belonging to one of the most eventful periods .11 the history of Great Britain, or indeed of Europe. THE MTSTEBIH". just closed in Paris, leaving the French Republic in ihe hands of the Jacobins and the Thermidorians ; — and the English armies, underthe Duke of York,had reaped nothing but disgrace from the previous "*"n paigna in the Netherlands. John," he continued, as he threw aside the largo woollen article that had enveloped his neck, turning at the same time towards the waiter whom he thus addressed, " get me a nice steak and oyster sauce ; and send Boots with a pair of slippers."

" Yes, sir," replied the waiter, immediately afterwards disappearing to execute the commissions specified. Room was now made for Mr. Page near the fire; and, having taken his seat, he held his hands close to the cheerful grate until a genial warmth began to pervade his form. He was a mun of about five-and-forty, with a thin, sallow, and angular countenance, small restless grey eyes, and a good set of teeth. His forehead was remarkably high, and his head was bald on the crown ; but on each side the bushy iron grey hair stuck out, mingling with the whiskers which, of a somewhat darker hue, met underneath his chin. His whole appearance gave the idea of one of that bustling kind of persons who are remarkably shrewd in matters of business and know tolerably well how to take care of " Num ber One."

The memorable trial of Warren Hastings was then in progress: that of Hardy, Tooke, and Thelwall, the people's staunch champions, had recently terminated in a alorious triumoh- The Habeas Corpus Act was suspended : for de mocratic opinions were spreading rapidly throughout England— and the doctrine of " the divine right of Kings" was falling to a miserable discount. The Ministers were demanding more money to sarry on the war against France ;— Wilberforce was agitating the question of the slave-trade :— and the approaching marriage of the Prince of Wales with the Princess Caroline of Brunswick had been an nounced to the nation. This rapid glance at the state of political awaits will not only give tbe reader an idea ofthe interesting period at which our tale commences, but is likewise in certain points an indispensable preface to the in cidents that are to follow.

"Where do you come from to-day, Page?" in quired the commercial traveller who had made room for him near the fire, and next to whom ho was therefore seated. it was, then, in the beginning of January, 1795, and on a fine frosty evening, that a number of bag men, or commercial travellers, were assembled round* a blazing tire and sipping their hot toddy in the room especially set apart for their accommodation at the George and Blue Boar, Holborn. Some of them were about to depart that very night upon their journeys in various directions : others had just returned from long tours, and were felicitating themselves on the prospect of a few weeks' holiday. Those who were on the point of setting out, were already equipped to encounter the nipping chill of the weather, save in respect to their heavy great-coats which hung to the pegs in the apartment ; while those who had come home again, were indulging in the luxurious indolence of dressing-gowns and slippers.

The conversation was general : for the bag-men, frequenting that tavern, were all well known to each other —and even when a new-comer in the "profession'' appeared amongst them, their convivial heartiness of disposition and frank hospitality of character soon placed him on terms of ease and familiarity. For there is no class of men more generous nor more in tellectual and enlightened, taking them as a body, than that of commercial travellers. " I slept at Aylesbury last night, and started for town at nine this morning," was the answer. " Forty good miles is not such a bad day's work, take it : but you know that I don't drive the worst bit of horse-flesh on the road. I've been out for the last four months, and have not been idle, I car. assure you. There are few places in all the Mid land counties that I have not visited; and I think that my governors, Hodson aud Morley, will bo pretty well satisfied when I call upon them in Wood Street to-inoriow morning with all the fresh or ders I have got and the monies I have collected."

" Any news up Ayiesbury way ?" asked one of the travellers. " I am well acquainted with all that part of Buckinghamshire, and feel an interest in it." " Then perhaps you know Sir Richard Stamford — eh ?" exclaimed Page, becoming suddenly excited, as if he had something of importance to communicate, and which was at that moment revived in hia memory. "I can't say that I ever saw Sir Richard, to my knowledge," answered the individual who had pre viously spoken: "but I know him by name and all about him, us well as we may be aware of everything in the life of King George himself, without ever having seen his Majesty." It was between six and seven o'clock on the even ing of which we are speaking, and the bag-men were in the middle ofa warm though perfectly good-tempered discussion on some political subject, when the door opened, and a short, thin man, who looked like a locomotive mummy, so completely w as he enveloped in great-coats and " comforters," bustled into the room.

"Then you doubtless consider Sir Richard Stamford to be a very wealthy man ?" cried Mr. Page : " and may be you haveheard that he is a good husband and deeply attached to his beautiful wife ?" " Holloa, Page — old fellow — how are you ? " ex claimed every voice simultaneously ; and the demand was made with a heartiness of tone and manner which indicated how welcome was the presence of this new arrival to the travellers already assembled at the George and Blue Boar. " Those are precisely the opinions I have formed of him," was the reply. " His country seat is about three miles from Aylesbury ; and I never was in that town without, hearing the people speak in" about him— aye, and most favourably too. He ia reported to spend a deal of money in the place, and to do a world of good in the shape of charity.

Besides, he has a large share in Ramsey and Mar tin's bank, whieh is noted for the accommodation it affords the tradesmen of the town and the far mers in all that district of Bucks." " As well as ever, aud as hungry as a hunter," responded Mr. Page, who, by the assistance of the active waiter, immediately began to extricate him self from the mass of upper clothing which he wore. " But it is a precious sharp evening, I can tell you ! The roads are as hard as iron, and the (dr is what might be called quite crisp. Now, " Is n't it wonderful," exclaimed Page, his sallow countenance assuming a mysterious aspect, while all his listeners gazed upon him in mingled curi osity and amazement, -" is n't it wonderful," he repeated, " how the world may be deceived by outward appearances — and how a man may pass off for years as a saint, whereas in his heart he is a very demon all the time ?" straight off to Stamford Manor to demand explanations, but that the baronet being out at the time, he communicated the object ofhis visit to Lady Stamford,— that a little after midnight Sir Richard returned home, and was assailed by violent re proaches on the part of Air.

Ramsey and bitter up braidings from her ladyship, who was half distracted at the terrible discovery of her husband's guilt, — and that in his rage the baronet forcibly expelled Ramsey from the house, killed his wife in a paroxysm of fury, and having set fire to the Manor, doubtless for the purpose of concealing the deed of blood, immediately absconded.'' '•' But what has all this to do with Sir Richard Stamford ?" demanded several voices. " What has it all to do with kim ?" cried Page, casting a still more solemn and mysterious glance around upon the company : " why, just this— that when I came down to breakfast in the coffee-room at the inn where I put up at Aylesbury, I heard that the whole town was in consternation ; for such a complication of crimes " " The man must be a perfect monster 1" ejaculated the commercial traveller who was so well ac quainted with Aylesbury.

" I have often seen Mr. Ramsey at the bank : he is a handsome young man of some eight or nine and twenty, and very affable. At his father's death he became head of the firm, and is universally beloved in the town and district." " Crimes !" repeated several of the commercial travellers, drawing their chairs nearer to the speaker. "What?— and in connexion with Sir Richard Stamford ?" demanded the individual who had pre viously expressed his interest in all that concerned Aylesbury. " I suppose there will be a reward offered for the apprehension of the baronet?" observed another of the bag-men, " Yes — crimes, and in connexion with Sur Richard Stamford," resumed Page : * for this baronet who, as our friend here just now stated, was famous for his charities and was a sleeping -partner in the principal bank in the place — this gentleman of whom every body entertained such a high opinion " " Of course time will," responded Mr. Pago ; — "aud a full description ofhis person will be published."

" Have you ever seen him ?" inquired the previous speaker. " Two or three times," answered Page. " He bears a remarkable likeness to the Royal Family ; and people do say that when his Gracious Majesty was Prince of Wales and so mysteriously connected with the beautiful Quakeress Hannah Lightfoot " "Well — well : what has he done ?" cried several impatient voices. " Rather ask me what he has not done," said Page : " for surely all possible crimes are summed up in fraud — forgery — murder — and arson !" "Good heaven !" ejaculated the bag-men, literally bounding upon their chairs ; while the sentiments of horror, amazement, doubt, and curiosity con gealed into lines on all their countenances : " you cannot be in earnest !" The remainder of the sentence was interrupted by the sudden entrance of the waiter laden with the dinner which Mr. Page had ordered; and as this worthy gentleman had been rendered almost ravenous by the sharp frosty air, he desisted from farther observations in order to address himself to tbe succulent steak, rich oyster-sauce, and smoking potatoes which were now served up.

" I never was more in earnest in my life, friends," responded Page, emphatically. The presence ofthe waiter reminded those bag-men who were to set out that evening of the necessity ol calling for their bills without delay ; and the con versation relative to the tragical occurrences near Aylesbury was accordingly interrupted by the bustle attendant on settling scores, remunerating waiters and chamber-maids, putting on great-coats and com forters, filling flasks with brandy, lighting cigars, shaking hands with those who remained behind, and all the usual ceremonies attendant upon departure. At length the room was cleared of two-thirds of the commercial travellers ; and as some of those who had just returned from their journeys were compelled to retire to .their chambers in order to prepare their accounts and papers for inspection by their employers on the morrow, Mr. Page shortly found himself left with only two companions out ofa dozen.

AVith those friends however he presently renewed the conversation, one of them having asked him what he was about to say when the appearance of the waiter had interrupted him. " Oh ! I remember the topic on which I was speaking," exclaimed the talkative Mr. Page, push ing away his plate after having made a hearty dinner: " I was going to observe that when his Majesty was Prince of Wales, he became connected with a certain Quakeress, named Hannah Lightfoot Some say he nrivatelv married her ; a_nd it has also bet-" rumoured " But explain — tell us how it happened," exclaimed one. " So many crimes !" observed another. * And all to be perpetrated by one man 1" cried a third. " It is scarcely probable !'' remarked a fourth. " You will cease to be sceptical when you see to-morrow morning's newspapers," said Page, shaking his nead solemnly.

" I tell you that Sir Richard Stamford, baronet," he continued in a measured ana aeeisive tone, " has taken in every tradesman at Aylesbury — committed endless forgeries on the bantc in which he is a partner — assassinated his beautiful wife— and set fire to his own splendid countrv-seat." " God help us !" cried many voices. " I did not succeed in obtaining many particulars relative to this fearful catalogue of crimes," con tinued Mr. Page ; " for the persons with whom I conversed in the coffee-room at Aylesbury, were all talking at once, each giving ___is own version of the complicated affair, and every one of these tales differing from the rest. But the outline of the dreadful tragedy appeared to be something in this shape, — that Mr. Martin, one of the banking-firm being absent, Mr. Ramsey, the other partner, discovered last evening the forgeries which Sir Richard Stamford had committed, — that he went turned towards the lire, which he poked vigorously then he took a few sips of whiskey-and-water, and tried to make himself comfortable.

But there was » feeling of uneasiness upon him, which rapidly grew more painful ; and in a few minutes he found that he was agFiin staring at the gentleman more intentl;; than at first. , , " It is impossible that I can be mistaken, ' thought the bewildered commercial traveller, fidgetting in hia chair; "and yet it is equally impossible that I can be right He would never come into a public room in this manner— particularly so soon after the event Nevertheless, the likeness is striking ! The same hair— the same high and open forehead— the same stature — the same well-proportioned form ! Upon my soul it is very puzzling,— and very, very dis ■igreeable." that there was a son born. This child — according to the same vague authority — was secretly removed to the house of the late Sir William and Lady Stamford and adopted by them, her ladyship's own infant happening to die at the period.

All this I heard at Aylesbury— but of course I don't pretend in any way to vouch for it" " I should think not, indeed ! " exclaimed a gentle man who, entering the apartment at the instant, but unperceived by the commercial travellers, had caught the latter portion of Mr. Page's observations. Tlie bag-men started as those words, uttered in a tone of mingled imperiousness and contempt, fell upon their ears ; and turning round they beheld the new-comer from whose lips the disdainful remark had fallen. He was an individual of remarkably imposing appearance. His features were handsome, though his countenance was now evidently flushed with wine : his figure was tall, well proportioned, and command ing *. — and in his gait and gestures there was an easy elegance combined with a nobility of air wliich be spoke the polished gentleman.

The intellectuality of his face would have however been somewhat marred by its roundness, the gracefulness of the oval being destroyed by the fatness of the cheeks, — had not the high and open forehead redeemed the fault His hair was of that uncertain colour which appears of a dark chesnut in some lights, and auburn in others ; and it was naturally curled and wavy. His age seemed to be a few years over thirty ; and his attire was neat, good, but unpretending. Having reached this point in his reflections, he rang the bell violently and ordered his glass to be replenished. The waiter was evidently astonished at the excitement manifested in the summons, and begged submissively to know "whether the last tumbler was to Mr. Page's liking 1" The reply was given in the affirmative; and the functionary de parted with his feelings considerably relieved by the assurance— for he had begun to fancy that some thing had occurred to annoy one of his master's best customers.

On liis return with the hot toddy, the waiter found Mr. Page gazing with painful earnestness upon the strange gentleman, who, still unconscious of the attention vvhich his presence thus excited, was now listlessly sipping his rum-punch and looking up in a vacant manner at a picture of a sea-fight suspended between the windows. Such was the individual who made the above-men tioned remark as he entered the conmiercial-room at the George and Blue Boar; and taking off his hat, cloak, and warm gloves, he seated himself at a table. "John," 6aid the commercial traveller, in a low and scarcely audible tone, as he mysteriously beckoned the waiter close up to him ; — then, casting a furtive glance towards the stranger, he demanded laconically, " Who is that gentleman V "I really don't know, sir," was the reply, also delivered in a whisper.

" But master seemed to re cognise him when he ordered his rum-punch at the bar." Almost immediately afterwards the waiter made his appearance with a steaming tumbler of rum punch, which the gentleman had ordered as he passed the bar. But from the first instant that the stranger had met the eyes of Mr. Page, this worthy individual had not ceased to stare at him. It was not however with the offensive gaze of impertinent curiosity ; nor was it the rude survey of coarse vulgarity : — but it was the fixed contemplation of one who is suddenly struck hy a resemblance, and who fancies he knows the object of his scrutiny, yet on the other hand feel s almost certain that he must be mistaken. " Then go and ask your master who he is, John," responded Mr. Page. The waiter glided out of the room with the quick and noiseless step peculiar to liis fraternity ; and the commercial traveller said to himself, as he stirred his whiskey-toddy, " Now I shall have all my doubts cleared up — or my suspicions confirmed."

At this juncture the other two commercial travellers, rose and retired ; and Mr. Page was left alone with the stranger. But Mr. Page was doomed to experience disappointment, and to be plunged back into the bewil derment from which he sought to emancipate him self : for the waiter returned, with a solemn counte nance ; and while affecting to he busily engaged in poking the fire, — as the stranger was now looking in that direction, — he said in a low and mysterious whisper, " Please, sir, master told me to mind my own business and not ask impertinent questions."

CHAPTER IL THE FLIGHT AND THE PURSUIT.

We should observe that hitherto the gentleman whom we are still compelled to denominate " the stranger," had not noticed the searching earnestness of gaze with which the bag-man regarded him : in deed, no sooner had he taken his seat at the table, when he appeared to fall into a profound reverie, — «s if totally forgetting the observation he had made on entering — the words wliich had elicited it— and the presence of any one else in the room. " Then it must be as I thought !" murmured Mr Page; and he mechanically turned round to take another survey of the object of his attention, when he encountered the steady and almost haughty gazt of that gentleman's full blue eyes. The commercial traveUer quailed beneath the look, in which then was something so confident, proud, and self-sufficient that all the man's doubts again sprung up in his mind, and with renewed force : for ho though Mr. Page, feeling that his survey of the stranger would be deemed an impertinence, if remarked, u within himself, " That is not the air of a guilty person !" can you remain idly here, while such a person is be neath your roof V " If he chooses to come incognito," said the land lord, now growing irritated in his turn, " what busi ness is it to you or me, I should like to know ?"

Still there was something strange and mysterious m the cold and haughty silence which the gentle man preserved : for the travellers' room ata com mercial inn was a place whence frigid ceremony was banished, and where the formality of an introduction was not regarded as a necessary preliminary to conversation. " Business ! — but there he goes, by heaven ?" vociferated the excited commercial traveller, catching a glimpse through the bar-windows of the rapidly retreating form of the gentleman in his capacious cloak. As these reflections passed through the mind of Mr. Page, he suddenly recollected that the stranger had made an observation when he first entered the apartment, — an observation, too, that was at least contemptuous, if not absolutely rude. " I should think not, indeed !" was the remark that had fallen from the gentleman's lips ; and it was in reference to certain words which Page was uttering at the time.

The commercial traveller accordingly resolved upon making an attempt to draw the stranger into conversation ; and, with a short prefatory cough, he said, " A very cold evening, sir." " Very," w*as the laconic answer ; and the gentle man moved half round in his seat — not absolutely turning his back upon Mr. Page, but just giving him so much of the cold shoulder as to intimate pretty plainly that he did not wish to enter into conversa tion with him. And in another minute Mr. Page was bounding after him. But tripping over a mat in the passage, he fell heavily; and rising with difficulty — for he was se riously bruised in his officious haste to perform what he deemed to be a duty owing to society — he observed at a glance' that the gentleman in the cloak had succeeded in effecting his escape from the house.

Scarcely, however, had he ascertained this fact when two stout, seedily.dressed men, each carrying a short thick ash-stick in his hand, entered the tavern ; and as they crossed the threshold, one ob served to the other, " We'd better not say at fust that we're constables, Bill." " Constables ! — are you constables ?" cried Page, darting forward, in spite of his bruises : then, without waiting for an answer, he exclaimed, " Be cause if you are, I can gues3 your errand and can give you some information." The bag-man bit his lip : then, suddenly mustering np all his courage, he rose from his chair — approached the table at which the gentleman was seated —and, looking him fully in the face, said, " I beg your pardon, sir — but have I not had the pleasure of seeing you before 1" " Well— don't speak so loud about it, sir, if you please," growled one of |the men ; " 'cos vy, d'ye see, whan once it gets known in a large place of this kind that there's peace-officers on the scent the indiwidual wanted finds a many ways of es caping."

" Nothing is more probable, sir," answered the gentleman, in a haughty tone, and with knitting brows :' " but I should imagine that the mere fact of my presence here, would of itself indicate my desire to re main unnoticed and unrecognised." " Come along with me, my friends — one moment — and I shall be ready," said Page, sinking his voice to a whisper though speaking hurriedly ; and he conducted them into the commercial room. " I should think so too," ejaculated Page, with an abruptness that perfectly astounded the gentleman. " The first moment you entered the room, a suspicion of who you were flashed to my mind — and now your own words have banished all my doubts." The stranger had risen indignantly from his seat in the midst of these observations, to which he seemed prepared to give some cutting reply ; but Page, having thus hastily blurted forth the words that came uppermost at the instant, rushed from the room.

Having ruug the bell and ordered his boots — for it will be remembered that he had betaken himself to the luxury of slippers on his arrival, — he ob served in a hasty tone of interrogatory to the of ficers, " The Aylesbury business — eh ?" " Just so," was the equally laconic reply ; and the man who gave it pulled out a printed paper offering a kundred pounds' reward for the appre hension of Sir Richard Stamford. " One glance at it, if you please !" cried Page, snatching the bill out of his hand: then ra pidly casting Ms eyes over the description given of the baronet's person, he continued, speaking in quick, jerking, and disjointed sentences, — " Ah I I thought I was right— I knew I couldn't be mistaken t> TaU— well-formed— rather stout— waUts very upright— imposing gait — commanding mien— dark auburn Hair— handsome countenance blue 'eyes — rather florid complexion— fine teeth.

That's it— the baronet to a tittle ! But here's the Boots." " The unmannerly cur ! — the rude boor !" ex claimed the gentleman aloud, while rage was de picted in every lineament of his flushed and heated countenance. " Fool that I was to come hither — and thus risk discovery !" Then, without farther hesitation, he threw on his hat and cloak; and drawing up the collar of the latter so as to conceal his countenance as much as possible, he hastily quitted the apartment In the meantime Mr. Page had rushed, with frantic excitement, to the landlord, whom he chanced to find alone in the bar-parlour. With these words Mr. Page returned the biU to the constable and seized his boots from the hands of the hotel-functionary named; then, imperiously signalling that individual to leave the room, he hastily equipped himself for the purpose of accompanying the officers.