There are two stories of how Captain James Hind stole a horse.
In the first, walking along the road, he sees a horse tied to a hedge with a brace of pistols close by. Looking around, he sees the owner ‘untrussing a point’…or, in laymans terms, peeing.
Not one to miss an opportunity, Hind jumps into the saddle, at which point the owner realises what’s happened. Turning, he cries that the horse belongs to him, but Hind replies that he should be grateful that he’s left the money, so it’s not like he can’t buy another, and “which you had best lay out before I meet you again, lest you should be worse used!”
totally did not just submit du vall to fuckyeahhistorycrushes nuh-uh.
totally not thinking about submitting hind too.
Another time, Captain James Hind had been reduced to hiring an old hack horse on which to carry out his work. Being overtaken by a gentleman on the road, they began talking, and Hind was very keen to compliment the other man’s finely bred mount. Boasting, the gentleman recited all the things his steed could do, saying that it could easily jump the wall at the side of the road.
Hind, quickly formulating a plan, bet a bottle that it couldn’t. The gentleman swiftly proved otherwise, and Hind was quick to admit his poor judgement. However, he argued, the bet would only be valid if the horse could repeat it with another rider, say…Hind himself?
Yup, you guessed it. The gentleman obliged, and Hind, mounting the horse, jumped the wall and rode away.
(Source: bonnarpetit, via contradictionaddiction)
During the time of the English Civil War, Thomas Cromwell was probably the most powerful man in the country.
That didn’t stop the two highwaymen, Captain James Hind and Thomas Allen, from attempting to rob him, however, on his way from Huntingdon to London. Unfortunately, as his coach began to stop, no less than seven guards came to meet them, soon overpowering Hind and Allen. Allen was captured, and executed not long after.
Hind escaped…
Captain James Hind c. 1616-1652
James Hind was born and raised in Chipping Norton, and up to his late teens showed no signs of any wayward career, having initially been apprenticed to a butcher. However, moving to London after fleeing his master, he soon discovered the pleasures of the city.
It was while in the company with one ‘woman of the town’ that his new life began. Having pick-pocketed a gentleman of five guineas, the woman was taken to the Poultry Compter, and Hind was taken along as her assumed accomplice despite his innocence.
Nonetheless, it was this event that led him to meet and befriend the noted highwayman Thomas Allen, and they soon went out together to Shooter’s Hill. It being Hind’s first night, Allen allowed him to rob the first gentleman alone, in order to prove his bravery.
Stopping the man and his servant, Hind took from them a total of fifteen pounds…before returning to them 20 shillings to cover the costs of their travel. The gentleman was so taken aback with his conduct, pleasantry and generosity that he declared he would never ‘hurt a hair of his head if ever it should be in his power.’
Allen, watching, was too so impressed that he proposed an allegiance, and the two highwaymen swore to ‘stand by one another to the utmost of their power.’
However, there was a Civil War on, and so, unfortunately, this didn’t last long…
You’ll be pleased to know that I actually have some posts planned!
They’re all on Captain James Hind, 17th Century Highwayman and Royalist ;D
I actually feel really bad about not posting here, I’m afraid it’s become an ‘as-and-when-I’m-researching-for-my-EPQ’ sort of blog, which isn’t what I intended at all.
Thank you all for sticking with me though! :D x
The Good News is that the school Librarian is helping me to look into getting hold of some old, out-of-print History/Folklore books for me, like older and more complete editions of the Newgate Calendar. [I know they’re available online but I quite like old school research too.]
The Bad News is I forgot the name of the website she told me to look on DAMNIT.
However, I did find out that, allegedly, Charles II tried to persuade the judge to back down on Du Vall’s death sentence as well as all the ladies. He only gave in when the judge threatened to resign.
I thought that was cool.
George Lyon was a Lancashire Highwayman in the early 19th Century. Local legend states he and his accomplices would plan the robberies in the pubs of the village Upholland. They once returned from a hold-up so quickly that when the victims arrived later, they and other locals were able to lie about them being there the whole time.
He was hanged for a burglary in Wigan, in April 1815 at Lancaster.
contradictionaddiction:
Guys it happened again.