“A melancholy gentleman, who lived a very solitary life, had a large carp in a shady pond in a meadow close to his house; he was exceedingly fond of it, and used to feed it with his own hand, the creature being so tame that it would put its snout out of the water to be fed when it was whistled to; feeding and looking at his carp were the only pleasures the poor melancholy gentleman possessed.  Old Fulcher—­being in the neighbourhood, and having an order from a fishmonger for a large fish, which was wanted at a great city dinner, at which His Majesty was to be present—­swore he would steal the carp, and asked me to go with him.  I had heard of the gentleman’s fondness for his creature, and begged him to let it be, advising him to go and steal some other fish; but old Fulcher swore, and said he would have the carp, although its master should hang himself; I told him he might go by himself, but he took his son and stole the carp, which weighed seventeen pounds.  Old Fulcher got thirty shillings for the carp, which I afterwards heard was much admired and relished by His Majesty.  The master, however, of the carp, on losing his favourite, became more melancholy than ever, and in a little time hanged himself.  ’What’s sport for one, is death to another,’ I once heard at the village-school read out of a copy-book.

“This was the last larceny old Fulcher ever committed.  He could keep his neck always out of the noose, but he could not always keep his leg out of the trap.  A few nights after, having removed to a distance, he went to an osier car in order to steal some osiers for his basket-making, for he never bought any.  I followed a little way behind.  Old Fulcher had frequently stolen osiers out of the car, whilst in the neighbourhood, but during his absence the property, of which the car was a part, had been let to a young gentleman, a great hand for preserving game.  Old Fulcher had not got far into the car before he put his foot into a man-trap.  Hearing old Fulcher shriek, I ran up, and found him in a dreadful condition.  Putting a large stick which I carried into the jaws of the trap, I contrived to prize them open, and get old Fulcher’s leg out, but the leg was broken.  So I ran to the caravan, and told young Fulcher of what had happened, and he and I helped his father home.  A doctor was sent for, who said that it was necessary to take the leg off, but old Fulcher, being very much afraid of pain, said it should not be taken off, and the doctor went away, but after some days, old Fulcher becoming worse, ordered the doctor to be sent for, who came and took off his leg, but it was then too late, mortification had come on, and in a little time old Fulcher died.