From Riding Officer James Harden’s Notebook
05: Harden’s Tale
On the evening of 6th February 1768 I repaired to the House of Jewels with some Colleagues to celebrate the successful conviction of Black Jake, the notorious Highwayman. I remarked a Gentleman across the Room giving a fine spiel encouraging the enlisting of some young Ne’er-do-wells in the Dragoons. I surmised that the Gentleman was Colonel Mustard of whom I had heard a good deal, but had never made acquaintance. As my Colleagues were leaving and the Night was yet young, I crossed the Room and introduced myself as a former fellow Dragoon Officer.
After catching up on a few mutual Acquaintances, the Night was winding down. Myself, Colonel Mustard and his Companion, a Mr. Blunt, were asked over for a few Minutes by Madame Zelide. She raised the Matter of People hanging around the Area with an unsavoury Appearance. One or two Customers had asked when Mustard likely to be around. She told us that an upstairs Window would give a View of someone looking out from a Garret on the other Side of the Street. The name Jonathon Budge was mentioned.
We left the House of Jewels via a discreet Door and first headed away along the Street, before returning as though we were a different Party. Blunt had picked up a Link, and opened the Door to the Building containing the aforementioned Garret. He climbed over a few slumbering Beggars in the Corridor and then headed carefully up the Stairs, followed less carefully by myself and Mustard. We arrived at the Level where the Watchers were believed to be and, as per our normal Custom on such Raids, I knocked sharply on the Door and then booted it open. A Pistol was fired narrowly missing, but still somewhat discommoding me, but Mustard followed the Villain out of a Window onto the Roof. I followed him as the Fugitive headed across the Roof and tried to climb up a Ladder. Mustard in close pursuit, managed to grasp his Legs to prevent his progress up the Ladder and struck him heavily on the back of the Head. I arrived and between us we managed to get our unconscious Quarry back through the Window.
Blunt hurried off to Madame Zelide’s, again using the discreet Entrance and organised a Carriage to Dr Whiteman’s. On the body Mustard and I found a Horse Pistol, some Pocket Change, and, sewn into his Trouser Band, some Gold Coins of eastern, possibly Indian origin. He was dressed in poorish Clothing, but was not swarthy in Complexion. There was an ugly Swelling on the back of his Head, and his Breathing was very laboured. We also found some Notes in the Garret, which we kept for later perusal. Madame Zelide was able to positively identify him as one of the Faces she had seen at the Window.
The three of us accompanied the injured man to Dr Whiteman’s Surgery and watched as he took great delight in using a trepanning Machine to relieve the Pressure in the Man’s Head. He told us to return in the Morning to see how the Patient progressed.
We spent some time looking at the Notes we had confiscated. They seemed to record the Comings and Goings and seemed to be written in three different Hands.
I checked on Jonathon Budge in the Bow Street “well-known” Files. There were a Number of J Budges in the Files. Some were too poor to be the right Person. There was one known to be a Fence, or Intermediary. He was known for receiving the Proceeds of Crime, laundering them and passing them on. He was at a low Level of the Chain, but maybe he could afford to frequent Madame Zelide. He was a youngish Man, and there was a Reward out for him. The Description given was within the Parameters of the Description given by Madame Zelide. He was a Freelance, a youngish Go-Getter. He was known to be an in-town Man, but was suspected to have Country Connections. He did move around on a regular Basis, and his last known Address was 6 Months old.
We returned as requested to Dr Whiteman’s surgery. The Patient was conscious but Dr. Whiteman didn’t think he would be around for long and he had no Feeling in his Limbs. The Doctor had given him Laudanum, so he was very willing to talk. He said that his Name was Paul Whitefield and he denied knowing Mustard, except as his Pursuer across the Roof. He admitted watching Madame Zelide’s and said that he was employed by a Mr. H. Hunter.
Whitefield described Mr. Hunter as wearing a Coat and Wig, someone important, a rising Man doing his boss a Favour. He had been paid in India Company Gold. A Friend of his, called Adam, had recommended Whitefield to Hunter. He told us that Adam could be found at the Dog and Fox. He described him as a very tall, very pale Man with faint Eyes. He named the other Watchers as Joe and Mick and told us that they were to report at end of the Month to Hunter. Deciding that Whitefield had no more to tell us, we told him to concentrate on getting better, even though there seemed little Hope of that Occurrence, and left.
We proceeded to the Dog and Fox. There was a mixed Crowd with the higher Echelons at one End, grading down to the other End. Food and Drink were available, so we ordered Drinks and watched. We quickly spotted a tall Gentleman with very pale hair, Adam, holding Court and invited him over for a Drink. After a few Minutes he came over and Mustard introduced himself. Adam knew him and called him ‘the famous Colonel Mustard’. Mustard suggested that if Hunter had an Interest in him he should arrange to meet and discuss it. Adam agreed to pass the Message on, he also assured us that any of his Arrangements were now cancelled but he could not vouch for Others and he knew that Others were watching Mustard and Blunt.
We then followed up on the Address that I had found for J Budge. The next door Neighbour remembered him as a real Tearaway but good to People. She said that he had changed when he had got Religion. She described the Religion as Methodists out in the Countryside. Budge had no longer had time for People – he’d seen the Truth. The next Thing she knew he had left. She remembered that he had been going to Meetings at Flights Quarry or Flight-in-the-Hole. Mustard and Blunt explained some of their previous Adventures and suggested that I search the Bow Street Record’s for Mentions of Flights Quarry and also the names Sandhurst or Tasker.
I proceeded to Bow Street to carry out my search of the Records but found that all Records relating to Tasker, Sandhurst and Flight’s Quarry were sealed. Realising that this must have come to the attention of Sir John Fielding, I forthwith arranged for a Meeting between the Magistrate and Mustard, Blunt and myself.
The next Morning we arrived at Sir John Fielding’s Residence and were shown into his Office. He first asked Mustard for a Summary of his Interest. The Colonel described the Incident at Madame Zelide’s and also the Tasker Notebook. He admitted that this might be connected to an Expedition on which he and Blunt had been involved with Captain Mayborough. This had come to Sir John’s Attention – he asked me to show the Top of my Truncheon to my Comrades. On it are inscribed Words in Enochian Script.
Fielding told us that there were a Number of Events in which Flight’s Quarry had come up and he was going to organise a Field Party to investigate. Mustard asked if he and Blunt would be free to ride along with Fielding’s Men. Fielding agreed that he would have a Warrant prepared, but just for investigation by myself with the assistance of Mustard and Blunt. He did point out that Self-Defence would be permitted. Sir John also confirmed that none of the Watchers concerning themselves with Mustard were his Men. A Warrant for Investigation of Flight’s Quarry as Part of an ongoing Investigation was drawn up and given to me and I was given Directions to the Place, which was a couple of Days ride away.
I met up with Mustard and Blunt later that Day and we set out for Flight’s Quarry. As we approached our Destination we asked Directions, but each Time received contradictory Instructions. Blunt got out his Watch and the next Attempt gained a more adequate Response. A Woman told Blunt that “if you be going to the Meeting that’s the way People are going”. We came to a charming little Village, with a village Inn – The Quarry Arms. We booked three Rooms and arranged for stabling for the Horses. There didn’t seem to be many Patrons and we were informed the Inn was quiet as People had gone to the Farm. We had a Meal and retired for the Night.
Later that Night I was awoken by the Sound of Movement outside. Looking out through my Window, I could see flaming Torches going by. People were walking very quietly and were in Bunches rather than a constant Flow. I met up downstairs with Mustard and Blunt, who had also awoken and we headed Outside. The Inn was quiet and there was a full Moon, so we headed in the direction of the flaming Torches. We could see Light ahead and the Sound of Praying or Chanting. There seemed to be dozens or scores of People. The Chanting didn’t seem to be quite the same Rhythm as Prayers. Ahead the Lights seemed to disappear downwards. We came to a Fence with the Quarry ahead. It sounded like someone was preaching to the Crowd but none of us could understand the preachery Burbling. There were over One Hundred but probably less than Two Hundred People present. We tried to merge with the Crowd.
The Crowd seemed to be synchronised, but none of us could make the correct Responses. I tried to make my Way through the Crowd to the Dais from which the Preacher was leading the Crowd. Mustard started chanting along seeming caught up with the Crowd and I almost succumbed myself. I grabbed Mustard by his Ear and he let out an “Ouch,” but we were able to continue towards the Preacher. However, there were Murmurings around us and the Preacher stopped, “I sense Unbelievers amongst us,” he announced. I moved up to arrest him and shouted to the Crowd that the Preacher was required to help with an Investigation. The Preacher resisted and tried to cast a Spell on me, but I struck him hard with my Truncheon, the Inscription of which helped to resist the Enchantment. At the same Time my Comrades struck the burly Curates assisting the Preacher and pulled them along as I supressed the Preacher and started dragging him back through the Crowd. The Crowd were muttering unhappily as I called on them to disperse but they did not prevent me from moving through the Mass with my Captive. One Woman did rescue a Curate from the Clutches of Blunt.
We made it back safely to the Inn with the Prisoner and mounted up immediately and returned to London to question the Preacher.