town in Wiltshire, where cohabiting with a widow women, they found means
to get so good credit as to take the town in (as Mr. Dyer expressed it)
for thirty pounds. Then packing up they marched off to a place at a
considerable distance, where Dyer entered into partnership with a
collier, being to advance fifty pounds, thirty of which he paid down and
the rest was to pay monthly; but before the first payment became due the
collier broke, and his partner, Dyer, thereupon thought it convenient to
remove to some other place.

He pitched, therefore, upon the city of Hereford, where he worked
honestly for a space, until being in company one night with a higgler,
he heard the man say he should go to a place called Ross to buy fowls.
Dyer answered that he did not care if he went with him, and in their
journey, taking the advantage of a proper place he stopped his companion
and robbed him. The man gave him two shillings out of his pocket, but
Dyer suspecting he must have some more money to buy fowls with,
searched the hampers and took out twelve pounds. Taking the man's horse
also, he rode it forty miles outright, after which he went to
Marlborough in Wiltshire, and stayed there a fortnight. But venturing to
steal a silver mug, he was for that fact apprehended and committed close
prisoner there, in order to be tried for it next assizes, but before
that time, he found a weak place in the prison, and breaking it made his
escape.

From thence he went to an aunt's house, about seven or eight miles from
Salisbury, where he stayed until her husband grew so uneasy that he was
obliged to take his leave. He travelled then to a sister of his, and
meeting there with an old schoolfellow and relation, he quickly
persuaded the lad to become as bad as himself, drawing him in to rob his
mother of fifty shillings, with which small stock they two were set up
for their old trade of gaming. But the robbery they had committed was
quickly detected. However, Dyer so well tutored his associate that the
boy could neither by threats nor promises be brought to own it, yet
their denials had not the least weight with their relations. They were
thoroughly convinced of their being guilty, and therefore were
determined that they should be punished, for which purpose they carried
them before a neighbouring Justice of Peace, who committed them to
Bridewell to hard labour.

As Dyer could not endure imprisonment, especially when hard labour was
added to it, so