Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.
a description as had been expected, being very laconic, and
conveyed in the following language:--“We have got him.”
“Yes, yes, it is all right--come, Jack, serve us out some
grog, and then to business.”
The poor Comedian in the mean time was left in the utmost
anxiety and surprise to form an opinion of his situation;
for as he had heard something about trepanning, pressing,
&c. he could not help entertaining serious suspicion that he
should either be com-pelled to serve as a soldier or a
sailor; and as he had no intention “to gain a name in arms,”
they were neither of them suitable to his inclinations.
“Come,” (said one) walk up stairs and sit down--Jack, bring
the lush “--and up stairs they went.
Upon entering a gloomy room, somewhat large, with only a
small candle, he had not much opportunity of discovering
what sort of a place it was, though it looked wretched
enough. The grog was brought--“Here's all round the grave-
stone, (said one)--come, drink away, my hearty--don't be
alarm'd, we are rum fellows, and we'll put you up to a rig
or two--we are got a rum covey in the corner there, and you
must lend us a hand to get rid of him:” then, holding up the
light, what was the surprise of the poor Comedian to espy a
dead body of a man--“You can help us to get him away, and
by G----you shall, too, it's of no use to flinch now.”
A circumstance of this kind was new to him, so that his
perplexity was only increased by the discovery; but he
plainly perceived by the last declaration, that having
engaged in the business, it would be of no use to leave it
half done: he therefore remained silent upon the subject,
drank his grog, when Jack came up stairs to say the cart was
ready.
“Lend a hand, (said one of them) let us get our load down
stairs--come, my Master, turn to with a good heart, all's
right.”
With this the body was conveyed down stairs.
At the back of the house was a small yard separated from a
neighbouring street by a wall--a signal was given by some
one on the other side which was understood by those within--
it was approaching nine o'clock, and a dark night--“Come,
(said one of them,) mount you to the top of the wall, and
ding the covey over to the carcass-carter.” This being
complied with, the dead body was handed up to him, which was
no sooner done than the Carman outside, perceiving the
Watchman approach--“It von't do,” said he, and giving a
whistle, drove his cart with an assumed air of carelessness
away; while the poor Comedian, who had a new character to
support, in which he did not conceive himself well up,{1}
was holding the dead man on his lap with the legs projecting
over the wall; it was a situation of the utmost delicacy and
there was no time to recast the part, he was therefore,
obliged to blunder through it as well as he could; the
perspiration of the living man fell plentifully on the
features of the dead as the Charley approached in a position
to pass directly under him. Those inside had sought the
shelter of the house, telling him to remain quiet till the
old Scout was gone by. Now although he was not fully
acquainted with the consequences of discovery, he was
willing and anxious to avoid them: he therefore took the
advice, and scarcely moved or breathed--“Past nine o'clock,”
said the Watchman, as he passed under the legs of the dead
body without looking up, though he was within an inch of
having his castor brushed off by them. Being thus relieved,
he was happy to see the cart return; he handed over the
unpleasant burthen, and as quick as possible afterwards
descended from his elevated situation into the street,
determining at all hazards to see the result of this to him
extraordinary adventure; with this view he followed the cart
at a short distance, keeping his eye upon it as he went
along; and in one of the streets leading to Long Acre, he
perceived a man endeavouring to look into the back part of
the cart, but was diverted from his object by one of the men
who had introduced him to the house, while another of the
confederates snatched the body from the cart, and ran with
all speed down another street in an opposite direction. This
movement had attracted the notice of the Watchman, who,
being prompt in his movements, had sprung his rattle. Upon
this, and feeling himself too heavily laden to secure his
retreat, the fellow with the dead man perceiving the gate of
an area open, dropped his burden down the steps, slam'd the
gate after him, and continued to fly, but was stopped at the
end of the street; in the mean time the Charley in pursuit
had knock'd at the door of the house where the stolen goods
(as he supposed) were deposited.
1 A cant phrase for money.
It was kept by an old maiden lady, who, upon discovering the
dead body of a man upon her premises, had fainted in the
Watchman's arms. The detection of the running
Resurrectionist was followed by a walk to the watch-house,
where his companions endeavoured to make it appear that they
had all been dining at Wandsworth together, that he was not
the person against whom the hue and cry had been raised. But
_old Snoosey_{l} said it wouldn't do, and he was therefore
detained to appear before the Magistrate in the morning. The
Comedian, who had minutely watched their proceedings, took
care to be at Bow-street in good time; where he found upon
the affidavits of two of his comrades, who swore they had
dined together at Wandsworth, their pal was liberated.
1 The Constable of the night.
156~~Bob could not very well understand what was the meaning of this
lingo; he was perfectly at a loss to comprehend the terms of deadbody
snatching and the resurrection rig. The crowd increased as they went
along; and as they did not exactly relish their company, Sparkle led.
them across the way, and then proceeded to explain.
“Why,” said Sparkle, “the custom of dead-body snatching has become
very common in London, and in many cases appears to be winked at by the
Magistrates; for although it is considered a felony in law, it is also
acknowledged in some degree to be necessary for the Surgeons, in
order to have an opportunity of obtaining practical information. It is
however, at the same time, a source of no slight distress to the parents
and friends of the parties who are dragg'd from the peaceful security of
the tomb. The _Resurrection-men_ are generally well rewarded for their
labours by the Surgeons who employ them to procure subjects; they are
for the most part fellows who never stick at trifles, but make a decent
livelihood by moving off, if they can, not only the bodies, but coffins,
shrouds, &c. and are always upon the look-out wherever there is a
funeral--nay, there have been instances in which the bodies have been
dug from their graves within a few hours after being deposited there.”
“It is a shameful practice,” said Bob, “and ought not to be tolerated,
however; nor can I conceive how, with the apparent vigilance of the
Police, it can be carried on.”
“Nothing more easy,” said Sparkle, “where the plan is well laid. These
fellows, when they hear a passing-bell toll, skulk about the parish from
ale-house to ale-house, till ~157~~they can learn a proper account of
what the deceased died of, what condition the body is in, &c. with which
account they go to a _Resurrection Doctor_, who agrees for a price,
which is mostly five guineas, for the body of a man, and then bargain
with an Undertaker for the shroud, coffin, &c. which, perhaps with a
little alteration, may serve to run through the whole family.”
“And is it possible,” said Bob, “that there are persons who will enter
into such bargains?”
“No doubt of it; nay, there was an instance of a man really selling his
own body to a Surgeon, to be appropriated to his own purposes when dead,
for a certain weekly sum secured to him while living; but in robbing
the church-yards there are always many engaged in the rig--for notice is
generally given that the body will be removed in the night, to which the
Sexton is made privy, and receives the information with as much ease as
he did to have it brought--his price being a guinea for the use of the
_grubbing irons_, adjusting the grave, &c. This system is generally
carried on in little country church-yards within a few miles of London.
A hackney-coach or a cart is ready to receive the stolen property, and
there cannot be a doubt but many of these depredations are attended with
success, the parties escaping with their prey undetected--nay, I know
of an instance that occurred a short time back, of a young man who was
buried at Wesley's Chapel, on which occasion one of the mourners, a
little more wary than the rest, could not help observing two or three
rough fellows in the ground during the ceremony, which aroused his
suspicion that they intended after interment to have the body of his
departed friend; this idea became so strongly rooted in his mind, that
he imparted his suspicions to the remainder of those who had followed
him: himself and another therefore determined if possible to satisfy
themselves upon the point, by returning in the dusk of the evening to
reconnoitre. They accordingly proceeded to the spot, but the gates being
shut, one of them climbed to the top of the wall, where he discovered
the very parties, he had before noticed, in the act of wrenching open
the coffin. Here they are, said he, hard at it, as I expected. But
before he and his friend could get over the wall, the villains
effected their escape, leaving behind them a capacious sack and all the
implements of their infernal trade. They secured the body, had ~158~~it
conveyed home again, and in a few days re-buried it in a place of
greater security.{1}
Bob was surprised at this description of the _Resurrection-rig_, but was
quickly drawn from his contemplation of the depravity of human nature,
and what he could not help thinking the dirty employments of life, by
a shouting apparently from several voices as they passed the end of
St. Martin's Lane: it came from about eight persons, who appeared to be
journeymen mechanics, with pipes in their mouths, some of them rather
_rorytorious_,{2} who, as they approached, broke altogether into the
following
SONG.{3}
“I'm a frolicsome young fellow, I live at my ease,
I work when I like, and I play when I please;
I'm frolicsome, good-natured--I'm happy and free,
And I care not a jot what the world thinks of me.
With my bottle and glass some hours I pass,
Sometimes with my friend, and sometimes with my lass:
I'm frolicsome, good-natur'd--I'm happy and free,
And I don't care one jot what the world thinks of me.
By the cares of the nation I'll ne'er be perplex'd,
I'm always good-natur'd, e'en though I am vex'd;
I'm frolicsome, good-humour'd--I'm happy and free,
And I don't care one d----n what the world thinks of me.
1 A circumstance very similar to the one here narrated by
Sparkle actually occurred, and can be well authenticated.
2 Rorytorious--Noisy.
3 This song is not introduced for the elegance of its
composition, but as the Author has actually heard it in the
streets at the flight of night or the peep of day, sung in