King's Bench. The record of his conviction at
the Old Bailey sessions was then read; and as no objection was offered
to it, the Attorney-General moved that his execution might take place on
Monday next. Upon this, Jack earnestly and eloquently addressed himself
to the bench, and besought that a petition which he had prepared to be
laid before the King might be read. This request, however, was refused;
and he was told that the only way in which he could entitle himself to
his Majesty's clemency would be by discovering who had abetted him in
his last escape; the strongest suspicions being entertained that he had
not affected it alone.

Sheppard replied by a solemn assertion, "that he had received no
assistance except from Heaven."--An answer for which he was immediately
reprimanded by the court. It having been stated that it was wholly
impossible he could have removed his irons in the way he represented, he
offered, if his handcuffs were replaced, to take them off in the
presence of the court. The proposal, however, was not acceded to; and
the Chief Justice Powis, after enumerating his various offences and
commenting upon their heinousness, awarded sentence of death against him
for the following Monday.

As Jack was removed, he noticed Jonathan Wild at a little distance from
him, eyeing him with a look of the most savage satisfaction. The
thief-taker's throat was bound up with thick folds of linen, and his
face had a ghastly and cadaverous look, which communicated an
undefinable and horrible expression to his glances.

Meanwhile, the mob outside had prodigiously increased, and had begun to
exhibit some disposition to riot. The coach in which the prisoner had
been conveyed was already broken to pieces, and the driver was glad to
escape with life. Terrific shouts were raised by the rabble, who
threatened to tear Wild in pieces if he showed himself.

Amid this tumult, several men armed with tremendous bludgeons, with
their faces besmeared with grease and soot, and otherwise disguised,
were observed to be urging the populace to attempt a rescue. They were
headed by an athletic-looking, swarthy-featured man, who was armed with
a cutlass, which he waved over his head to cheer on his companions.

These desperadoes had been the most active in demolishing the coach, and
now, being supported by the rabble, they audaciously approached the very
portals of the ancient Hall. The shouts, yells, and groans which they
uttered, and wh