Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

Mistress Cotton lived in the neighbourhood, knew his parents and him when young, they were brought up profanely, he married a wife at an alehouse thereabouts, hath been a notorious wretch many ways, hath committed many robberies, had the country in such awe that the carriers paid him rent – duty – to let them alone. Others let him money, that he might let them pass quietly. I have seen him pass ordinarily in the road. He led his horse lately down the street at Wakefield, was generally known, yet none were so hardy as to lay hands on him, though there was £20 by proclamation to him that should take him. But he is at last gone, and hath left much debt at several alehouses in the country where he haunted.

Comment

Comment

Heywood comments:

[T]he wise inherit glory, but shame shall be the promotion of fools, a shameful death, it may be promotion to the gallows is their utmost preferment, this poor man at last found and confessed that his sabbath-breaking, drinking, lewd company and courses had brought him to that shameful end, it’s said he was a papist and had his pardon in his bosom, Oh that all his thievish and drinking companions might learn by his example to leave their wicked ways and fear god! his time is come, and he is gone to eternity, their time will certainly, may suddenly come, little did he think the morning of that day whereon he was taken what that day would bring forth, but the text saith, he that being oft reproved and hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy: there’s no remedy, Satan’s martyrs are numerous and adventurous, they will on though they see apparent death before them, Oh what a shame it is to Christ’s soldiers that will not on though they see a crown of life before them, our Lord Jesus endured the cross despised the shame and is set down at God’s right hand, he hath done much for us, oh that I could do and suffer for my gracious Lord! Be ashamed, oh my soul, to see thieves dying to gratify a lust, and thou art so unwilling to suffer pain, and shame and death for thy dearest Lord, chide thyself, and learn to die daily and be willing to die at his command.

For a sample of the credulous nonsense written about Nevison, try his Wikipedia page. The DNB (Wales 2004) entry is good, and led me to this marvellous judicial deposition by the gang’s moll, who, by betraying them, hoped for clemency in a charge of stealing clothes in Mansfield. Unfortunately her safe house was in Nottinghamshire, not Yorkshire:

Jan. 3 [1684] Before Sir John Reresby, Bt. Elizabeth Burton saith, that she, being discontented with her friends, went to service in Newark, where she fell acquainted with Edmond Bracy, of the county of Nottingham, John Kevison, of the county of York, Thomas Wilbore, of the county of Nottingham, Thomas Tankard, of the county of Lincoln, John Bromett, Wm. or Robert Everson, of no certain abode, but commonly at the Talbot in Newark, all highwaymen, who tabled this informant at a house in Newark, and maintained her with apparel, and all other necessaries, for two years, and as much as since May last. That the said Bracy, &c., have committed several robberies within the time before mentioned; and hired a room by the year at the Talbot, in Newark, where they commonly met, after any robbery done, and divided the spoil; to which place they did usually send for this ex^t [what’s that?], and did give her some part of what they got. The robberies which this ex^t did hear them confess they had committed were as follows:

1. One between Grantham and Stamford, done by three of them (viz.) Nevison, Everson, and Bromett, where they took about 300l. from a shop-keeper; of which this ex^t had as much as paid for a quarter’s table.
2. One near to Maltby in Yorkshire, done by three, Nevison, Bracy, and Tankerd, where they took about 200l. from one Malim of Rotherham, when he was going towards Gainsbrough mart was a twelve month; whereof they gave this ex^t 2l.
3. That of Lincolnshire, where they took a great booty, but which of them committed the same she knoweth not.
4. One in Yorkshire, committed by Nevison, Bracy, Tankerd, and Wilbore, where they took above 300l., of which this ex^t had 9s. to buy her a white petticoat.
5. One between Gainsbrough and Newark, committed by Nevison, Everson, and Tankerd, where they took about 200l. from a Londoner, that had been at the last mart; as also one candle cup of silver and a tankard and two silver bodkins. All which she found in the portmanteau, and is now, or was lately, in their room at the Talbot, marked with the letter T, except the two bodkins, which they gave her, one of which she lost, the other she yet hath. As also 25s. to (buy) her a serge petticoat, and a pair of bodies [body-cloths].
6. One between Long Billington and Gunnerby, on Whitsun-Monday last, committed by Bromett and Bracy, where they took about 30l. from a drover, supposed to be a Yorkshireman. Of this they gave this ex^t so much as paid for a quarter’s table, and bought the waistcoat on her back.
7. One near Edlington in Yorkshire, committed by Nevison and Bracy, between Martinmas and Christenmas last, where they got about 50l.
8. One near Stilton, in Huntingdonshire, about May was a twelvemonth, committed by Tankerd and Bromett, where he took but 5l., of which they only gave this ex^t a new half crown.
9. That near Rotherham, from a butcher on Rotherham fair day was twelve months, committed by Bracy and Nevison, where they took 30l., and gave to this ex^t 16s., wherewith she bought four ells of Holland [fine linen].
10. One near Royston, between Mayday and Lammas last, committed by all the six, where they took 250l., of which this ex^t had two pieces of gold, as much silver as paid for half a year’s table, and 6s. 8d. more, to buy her some shifts.

She further saith that she thinks the master of the Talbot is privy to their carriages, for that she hath often seen them whisper together; as also one William Anwood, the ostler there, she having often seen the said parties give him good sums of money, and order him to keep their horses close, and never to water them but in the night time. She further saith, that they do keep another woman at Lincoln in Castlegate, at the house between the signs of the Swan and the Crown. One Hugh Peter lives at one end of the house, she at the other. She hath been maintained by them four years, and hath had a child to Bracy, which is dead. She further saith that she came from Newark to see some friends about Sheffield, but was diverted to Rotherham by reason of hiding herself after the clothes taken at Mansfield. And that the two men that came to her at Rotherham the Monday before Christmas day last was Bracy and Tankerd. They came to see her, and to charge her to keep counsel, and gave her two pieces of gold.
(Raine 1861)

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Original

Upon Thursday March 6 168¾ one Mr J. Hardcastle of Penthorp [Painthorpe] near Wakefield, understanding that John Nevison, the highway-man, was drinking at an alehouse near Sandalcastle, took some with him, and so apprehended Nevison, brought him to Wakefield, Mr White made him a mittimus [warrant], sent him to York, in midst of the Assize, the judge proceeded on his former conviction, condemnation some years ago, he had his pardon, but it was conditional, if he would leave the kingdom, but he had stayed so forfeited his life, the judge told him he must die, for he was a terror to the country, pronounced the sentence, which was executed on March 15 (my baptism-day) 1681 – he was something stupid, yet at the gallows confessed that he killed Fletcher (the constable near Hooly [Howley, near Batley]) in his own defence, but did not betray his companions, there was none but he executed at this Assizes, thus at last he is found out, and taken to his mischief, his time was come, though he had a long reign, he was born at Wortley, betwixt Penistone and Rotherham, Mtris Cotton lived in the neighbourhood, knew his parents and him when young, they were brought up profanely, he married a wife at an alehouse thereabouts, hath been a notorious wretch many ways, hath committed many robberies, had the country in such awe that the carriers paid him rent, duty, to let them alone others let him money, that he might let them pass quietly, I have seen him pass ordinarily in the road, he led his horse lately down the street at Wakefield, was generally known, yet none were so hardy as to lay hands on him, though there was 20li by proclamation to him that should take him, but he is at last gone, and hath left much debt at several alehouses in the country where he haunted.

316 words.

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• 📌Batley (6) ·
• Cambridgeshire (3) ·
• Christmas (15) ·
• Droving (2) ·
• Gainsborough, Lincolnshire (6) ·
• Great North Road (Great Britain) (7) ·
• Hanging (24) ·
• Highwayman (4) ·
• Howley Hall (1) ·
• Huntingdonshire (1) ·
• John Nevison (1) ·
• Lincoln, England (1) ·
• Lincolnshire (15) ·
• Livestock (3) ·
• London (74) ·
• Maltby, South Yorkshire (1) ·
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• Marketplace (8) ·
• Murder (38) ·
• Newark-on-Trent (2) ·
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• Painthorpe (1) ·
• 📌Penistone (8), market town and parish in South Yorkshire/the West Riding west of Barnsley ·
• Protection racket (2) ·
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• 📌Sheffield (72) ·
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