lved to go into Wales and steal horses.

This project he executed, and took one from one Mr. Lewis of a
considerable value. He sold it to a London butcher for about sixteen
pounds, at a village not far from Shrewsbury. That money did him a
little good, and therefore the next time he was in a strait he readily
bethought himself of Wales. Accordingly he equipped himself with a
little pad, and out he set in quest of purchase. At a little inn in
Wales be met with a gentleman whom he had reason to suppose had money
about him, whereupon our highwayman was very industrious first to make
him drink, and then to get him for a bed-fellow, both of which designs
he in the end brought to pass, and by that means robbed him of six
pounds odd money, taking care to go in the morning a different road from
what he had talked of, and by that means easily escaped what pursuit was
made after him.

When he had committed this fact he retired towards Canterbury, giving
himself over entirely to thieving or cheating, on which design he
traversed the whole county of Kent, but found the people so cautious
that he did it with very little advantage; until at last coming near
Maidstone, he observed a parcel of fine linen hanging upon a hedge. He
immediately bethought himself that though the people were wise, yet
their hedges might be otherwise, upon which stepping up to it, he fairly
stripped it of ten fine shirts, and so left the people who had washed
them to account for it. After this exploit, he made the best of his way
to London, where he speedily sold the stolen linen for five pounds to a
Life Guardsman; and when he had spent a good part of it, down he went
into Norfolk. And being afraid that the inhabitants would take notice of
a stranger setting up his abode there for any considerable time, he
thought fit to pretend to be very lame. Having continued as long as he
thought proper in this place, he took his opportunity to carry off a
fine mare out of the grounds of Sir John Habbard, Baronet, now the Right
Honourable the Lord Blickling. This was one of the most dangerous feats
he ever committed in his life, for the scent was so strong upon him, and
so quickly followed, that he was forced to take a multitude of byways to
get to London, where he set her up in the Haymarket. However he quickly
found there was no possibility of disposing of her here, information
having been given of her to all the great jockeys; so that for present
money he was obliged