Page:Dick Turpin trial.djvu/28

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Turpin' s Confeſſion at his Execution.
23

him Encouragment to ſteal Horſes, and purſue his new Trade in Epping Foreſt on Horſeback; which he had continued about ſix years. Having been out one whole Day, without meeting any Booty, and being very much tired, he laid himſelf down in the Thicket, and turned his Horſe looſe, having firſt taken off the Saddle; when he wak'd, he went to ſearch after his Horſe, and meeting with Mr. Thompſons's Servant, he enquired, if he had ſeen his Horſe? To which Thompſon's Man anſwer'd, That he knew nothing of Turpin's, Horſe, but that he had found Turpin; and accordingly preſented his Blunderbuſs at Turpin, who inſtantly jumping behind a broad Oak, avoided the Shot, and immediately fir'd a Carbine at Thompſon's Servant, and ſhot him dead on the Spot; one Slug went through his Breſt, another thro' his Right Thigh, and a third thro' his Groin. This done, he withdrew to a Yew Tree hard by, Where he conceal'd himſelf ſo cloſly, that though the Noiſe of Mr. Thompſon's Man's Blunderbuſs and his own Carbine had drawn together a great Number of People about the Body, yet he continued undiſcover'd two whole Days and one Night in the Tree; when the Company was all diſpers'd, he got out of the Foreſt, and took a Black Horſe out of a Cloſe near the Road, and there being People working in the Field at a Diſtance, he threw ſome looſe Money amongſt them, and made off; but afterwards the ſame Evening ſtole a Cheſnut Mare, and turning his Black Horſe looſe made the beſt of his Way for London.

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