were at the bar, in order to their being discharged out of Newgate, the Recorder, with his usual humanity, represented to them the danger there was of their coming to a bad end, in case they should be set at liberty and get again into the company of their old comrades who might seduce them to their former practices, and thereby become the means of their suffering a violent and ignominious death; advising them at the same time rather to submit to a voluntary transportation, whereby they would gain a passage into a new country, inhabited by Englishmen, where they might live honestly without dread of those reproaches to which they would be ever liable here.  But they insisting upon their discharge and promising to live very honestly for the future, their request was complied with, and they were set at liberty.

One of the first crimes committed by Dyer afterwards was robbing a victualler coming over Bloomsbury Market,[90] between one and two o’clock in the morning, and from whom, having thrown him down and stopped his mouth, they took his silver watch, seventeen shillings in money, two plain rings, and the buckles out of his shoes.  They robbed another man in the Tottenham Court Road coming to town, tied him and then took from him two-and-forty shillings.  Dyer also happening to be one day a little cleaner and better dressed than ordinary, was taken notice of in Lincoln’s Inn Fields by one of those abominable, unnatural wretches who addict themselves to sodomy.  He pretended to know him at first, and desired him to step to the tavern with him and drink a glass of wine, which the other readily complied with.  In the tavern, Dyer took notice that the gentleman had a good diamond ring upon his finger, and then suddenly taking notice of a hackney-coach which drove by with a single gentleman in it, he pretended it was a friend of his and that he needs must go down and speak a word with him.  Under pretence of doing which, he went clear off with the diamond ring.  Two or three days after, he met the same person with a man in years, and of some consideration.  Upon his asking Dyer how he came to go off in that manner from the tavern, he, who was accustomed to such salutations, gave him a rough answer, and the spark fearing a worse accusation might be alleged against himself, thought fit to go off without making any more words about it.

I am not able to say how long after, but certainly it could be no very considerable space before he and Dumbleton robbed Mr. Bradley, in Kirby Street, by Hatton Garden, of his hat and wig, at the same time trampling on him, beating him, and using him in the most cruel manner imaginable, as was sworn by Mr. Bradley upon their trial.  However, by affrighting the watch with their pistols, they got off safe and a night or two after broke open a linen-draper’s shop, and took out a large parcel of linen.  For these two facts they were shortly after apprehended, and on very full evidence convicted at the Old Bailey.