St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-24
GALLANT CLAUDE DUVAL.
An Incident in the Wild Career of
the Famous HiShwayman.

The following is an extract from the
Memoirs of M. du Vail, containing the
history of his life and death. wherunto
are annexed his last speech and cpl
taph:
HE, with his Squadron, Overtakes a
Coach which they had set over Night,
having intelligence of Booty of four
hundred Pounds IN it. In the Coach
was knight, his Lady, and only one
Serving maid, who, pereeiy9g. we
emily imagined that they were beset;
and they were confirmed in this Appre-
hensiOn by seeing them whisper to one
another and ride backward and for
ward. The lady, to show that she was
not afraid, takes a f1agOlet out of her
pocket and plays. Du Vail takes the
Hint, plays also, and eXcellentfy we'll.
upon flageOlet of his own, and
in this Posture he rides up
to the Coach-side. Sir says he
to the Person in the Coach, your
Lady plays excellently, and / doubt not
but that she dances as we'll. Will you
me have the Honor to dance the Currant
with her upon the Heath?' Sir said
the Person in the Coach, 4 dare not
deny anything to one of your Quality
and Good Mind. You seem a Gentleman,
and your request is very reasonable
Which said, the Lacquey opens the
Boot, out comes the knight, Du Vail
leaps lightly off his horse. and hands
the lady out of the coach. They danced,
and here it was that Du Vail performed
marvels; the best master in London,
except those that are French, not being
able to show such footing as he
n ~ hi II
ing boots. The dancing being
over there being no violins, Du Vail
sang the currant himself) he waits on
the lady to her coach. AS the Knight
was going in, says Du Vail to him {:
Sir, you have forgot to pay the
Musick.' No. have not replies the
Knight; and putting his hand
| under the Seat of the Coach, pulls out a
| hundred Pounds in bag and delivers
it to him, which Du Vail took with a very
| good grace and cOurteOuSfy answered j:
Sir, yOu are liberal, and shall have no
cause to repent doing so; this Liberality
OF yours shall excuse you the other
Three Hundred Pounds, and giving the
Word that if he met with any more of
the Crew he might pass undisturbed,
he civilly takes his leave of him. He
manifested his agility of body by lightly
dismOunting off his horse and with Ease
and Freedom getting up sgain when he
| took his Leave: his excellent DepOrt-
ment by his incompatible Dancing and
his graceful manner of taking the hun
dred Pounds"
That so gifted and elegant ruffian as
this should, in an age of gayety and
| fine manners, when morality was never
considered, have met his fate by having
a cart pulled away from under him
is, to my thinking, melancholy
reflection on the ingratitude OF
mankind. Why, this was a man after
Charles Ills own heart, and not unlike
him, except that he was better looking.
To do the king justice. however, 1 think
he would have spared the highwayman
if he had had his way. 1t was the Judge
who presided at the trial who hung the
accomplished Claude. as it was the
judge who, with so fragrant disregard
for right feeling, interrupted the solemn
pOst-mOrtem celebrations, when the de-
funct hero lay in state in the Tanglen
tavern, st. Giles. in room covered with
black cloth, his hearse blazing with es-
cutcheons, eight wax tapers burning
and as many tall gentlemen with black
clOakS in attendance. "Mum was the
word, as if for fear of disturbing the
sleeping lion; and the night was stormy
and rainy, as if the heavens sympathized
with the ladies, echoed over their signs,
wept over. again their tears"