Volume II
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executed on 11th of August, 1703 reputation, at Gloucester. When he was about fifteen years of age his father put him apprentice to a barber surgeon in London, with whom he lived two years, and then, running away, engaged himself in the service of-------- Needham, Esq., who was page-of-honour to King William III. ; but his mother writing to him, and intimating in the vulgar phrase that "a gentleman's service was no in- heritance," he quitted his place, and going to Gloucester engaged in the business of a butcher, being the profession of several of his ancestors. He followed this trade for some time, and served as master of the company of butchers in his native city; after which he abandoned that business and took an inn ; but it does not appear that he was successful in it, since he soon afterwards turned grazier. Restless, however, in every station of life, he repaired to London, where he commenced as prizefighter, at Mayfair. At this time Mayfair was a place greatly frequented by prize- fighters, thieves and women of bad character. Here puppet shows were exhibited, and it was the favourite resort of all the profligate and abandoned. At length the nuisance increased to such a degree that Queen Anne issued her proclamation for the suppression of vice and immorality, with a particular view to this fair; in consequence of which the justices of Peace issued their warrant to the High Constable, who summoned all the inferior constables to his assistance. When the constables came to suppress the fair, Cook, with a mob of about thirty soldiers and other persons, stood in defiance of the peace officers, at whom they thrcw brick bats, by which some of the latter were wounded. Cooper, the constable, being the most active Cook drew his sword and stabbed him in the belly, and he died of the wound at and (as it was deposed upon his trial) while he was in a public house there he swore in a profane manner, for which the landlord censured him, and told him there were persons in the house who would take him into custody for it; to which he answered: "Are there any of the informing dogs in Ireland? We in London drive them; for at a fair called Mayfair there was a noise which I went out to see six soldiers and myself the constables played their parts with their staves, and I played mine; and when the man dropped I wiped my sword, put it up) and went away." Cook, having repeatedly talked in this boasting and insolent manner, was at length taken into custody and sent to Chester, whence he was removed by writ of habeas corpus to London; and being tried at the Old Bailey was convicted, and received sentence of death. Having received the sacrament on the 21st Of July, 1703, he was taken from Newgate to be carried to Tyburn, but when he got to High Holborn, opposite Bloomsbury, a reprieve arrived for him till the following Friday. On his return to Newgate he was visited by numbers of his acquaintance, who rejoiced on his narrow escape, except those who would assist him in his devotions. On Friday he received another respite till the 11th of August, when he was executed. |