CONCLUSION  OS  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY,      J29

About  this  time  some  show  is  made  on  behalf  of  those
Credulous  folk  who  believe  that  all  highwayraen  in  the  good
old  times  were  brave,  dashing,  highly  educated,  and  ex-
tretncly  handsome ;  for  we  find  several  inquiries  after  rob-
bers who,  before  troubles  came  upon  them,  held  superior
positions  in  society.     Here  is  one  of  the  year  1688 : —

1X7HEREAS  Mr  HfrhfTi  J<ma^  Attomcy-at-Law  in  ihe  Town  of
^'  Monmoulb,  well  known  by  being  several  years  togclhcr  Under-
Shenffof  the  same  County,  hath  of  late  divers  times  robbed  the  Mail
coming  from  that  town  to  London,  and  taken  out  divcR  letters  and  writs,
Knd  IS  now  Dcd  from  justice,  and  supposed  to  have  sheltered  himself  in
tome  of  the  new-raised  troops.  These  arc  to  give  notice  that  whuio*
ever  fehalt  secure  the  said  Herbert  Jones,  so  as  to  be  committed  in
ofiler  to  answer  these  iaid  crimes,  may  give  notice  thereof  to  Sir
Thomas  Fowles,  goldsmith.  Temple-bar,  London,  or  to  \fr  Michael
Bohanc,  mercer,  in  Monmouth,  ond  ailiall  have  a  guinea's  reward.
Mr  Jones,  culpable  as  he  undoubtedly  was,  seems  to  have
possessed  a  sense  of  honour,  and  probably  he  served  his
friends  as  well  as  himself  by  taking  the  writs  from  the  mail.
