TALL TALES

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I have an audacious plan. Naturally I can not return there, but you are unknown Jake. My second in charge is likely to now be taking the church service so you turn up and sit at the end of a pew close to the vestry. Then when the acting pastor calls everyone to prayer you sneak into the unlocked vestry which will be unlocked and retrieve the stash from the secret compartment. Only take items you can put in your pockets, then at end of the service you mix with the crowd as they leave.
 
A good plan and thanks Rev but there is an issue in that my wife, family, children, my little street princess and most of my extended family usually attend your Chapel, and to tell one is to tell all. Or in incognito some would surely recognise me! From my gait, physique, stance or voice singing those dreary hymns.
How about using the back door into your Vestry, while the congregation is singing hymns or your substitute is preaching. Maybe it's left unlocked, or it's locked. In that case I have "skeleton key tools".
Or, most Reverend Flasher, might you still have the key to the Vestry's backdoor? That would be very helpful.
Better than my crowbar.
 
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My audacious plan just sprung a leak, chuckle chuckle. Ok you go ahead Jake with yours. I believe I still have the Vestry key the Rev said ruffling thru his breast pocket then removing the said key and handing it to the burly smithy. Meanwhile Molly and I will take rooms at an inn. Do make haste good friend Jake as I fear the Runners are closing in. When you return we must ride in haste to London to book our passage on a ship bound for the colony of Jamestown in the New World where we will put our life of crime behind us. There are honest riches to be made in America in one of the 13 established British colonies along the Atlantic coast. Jamestown is in Virginia in the south and should suit us handsomely.
 
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Jake I am so pleased you agree as we dont want to spend the rest of out lives in an English prison. Molly will agree too I hope. She has always been a sensible girl
 
"Molly, any chance you could make me a mask to hide my face when I sneak into the Chapel's Vestery to retrieve the stash of loot Rev hid there.
A couple of sacks too if I can grab the lot.
I can get them. Would two large sacks be enough Rev?
Where do you both want to be as I do the heist."

Jake told Rev and Molly his existential pain on leaving England.
'I told my wife I'd return within ten years and if not to count me as dead and perhaps remarry?
We both agreed that's fair.
She now owns the House, the Forge which my cousin will now be in charge of as Master Smith, and my Stables not forgetting my numerous children and a large extended family, and my horses including your own two. They get rented out to Toffs from London a lot for their upkeep. The Constable keeps a close eye on them so to be discreet I took these two worn out nags that were due for the Knacker's yard, but great for kids to learn on. Go easy with them. Inconspicuous they are..
 
Grier said:
Where do you both want to be as I do the heist."
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Here as I said Jake. We take rooms at the Little Hampton Inn and use it as our base to keep an eye out for the Runners to warn you before you ride into their trap as they are certain to have your description. You will need to break into the vestry at nite while the pastor, who happens to be a heavy sleeper, will be in his church lodgings about 1000 yards from the church. No bags, my friend, only take the money, jewels and any small but expensive items which you can secrete on your person and are sure you can fence.
 
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The Rev and Molly had stayed awake keeping watch for the county constabulary till the early hours then were forced to sleep. As it turned out luck remained with them as two hours later an exhausted Jake, who had ridden thru the nite, pulled up his trusty nag outside the Little Hampton Inn, dismounted and went inside. He then booked lodgings with the landlord and descended the stairs, yawning audibly as he headed for his room at the top of the landing. Meanwhile Molly and the Rev were dead to the world in their warm, comfortable beds..
 
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Exhausted Jake fell on his bed and was asleep before his head hit the pillow despite his deep pockets stuffed with the Vestry stash.
 
Molly slept soundly, she was back with her boys and they had some loot, she had hidden the newly made masks for their next heist. It had been a long night and they needed their sleep.
 
Next morning the three met secretly and discussed their immediate plans to ride to London, fence the stash and book their passage. As they were in the west of Kent the 85 mile ride took them only five hours. Jake then visited his most reliable fence while the Rev and Molly booked the earliest sailing ship bound for Charleston, South Carolina, under the names of Thomas Lowell, Timmothy Lowell and Edward Marshall. Once all this was carried out they set off by foot to London Docks where their ship was departing the following afternoon...
 
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Jake was sad selling his prize stallion despite the handsome price he got for it. He kept his saddle and saddle bags, but his nags gave free to needy families via Mad Murphy's Pettycoat Lane tax.
Jake gave up the 2 nags at once and asked for an urgenr expediency

With some of the money he bought a large range of top quality Smithie tools, and fine clock, lock and watch tools. No Anvil of course.
Even buying fake papers in the names of Thomas Lowell, Timmothy Lowell and Edward Marshall from a very good Forger on Blackwall street.

Mad Murphy and other buyers gave him a great deal of money for the gang's stash in Pettycoat Lane that left Jake flabbergasted. Gold guineas aplenty! Even Molly and Rev were agog. It was the diamonds and jewels that reaped in the most money!
"I barely needed to haggle".
Jake kept a lovely sparkling zircon necklace with a matching watch for Molly, a silver fob watch for Rev and a sturdier white brass one for himself. Useful for well timed actions. Zac Newtown told him that.
Also three compasses Jake purchased.
 
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Grier said:
Even buying fake papers in the names of Thomas Lowell, Timmothy Lowell and Edward Marshall from a very good Forger on Blackwall street.
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Jake you are a wonder as I neglected to mention this before you left. I must be getting old. Is of great import having papers should anyone question our identity, which is likely to happen when we apply for a business license in South Carolina. There is one detail, however, that we have missed, a new identity for Molly as she cant remain a male once we step foot on American soil. Can you take care of that please Jake.
It was as good as done when an hour later Jake returned with the identity papers of one Rose Waltham, formerly Molly Ryan....
 
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Early the next morning, a rather overcast sky greeted Molly and the Rev. Jake had already left for the dock and was to board the Charleston Queen, a 90 foot, four masted brigantine, first then settle into his cabin. Half hour later Thomas and Timmy Lowell also boarded and they too went to their cabin with Molly a little unsure about sharing a cabin for six weeks minimum with a man, albeit a clergyman old enuff to be her father. Obviously she could not take a single cabin as a teenage boy, so Molly resolved herself to sharing with her long time friend and benefactor. Their cabin comprised a double bunk, a small sofa, a table with a lantern on top and little else. The ceiling was quite low, be difficult for a very tall man to stand without having to duck his head a touch. The person occupying the top bunk would also have to be careful....
 
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Jake as Eddy Marshall hefted his heavy bag of new Smithie tools to his cabin with a porter carrying his saddle and bags.
Entering his cabin he banged his head on a beam.
 
Grier said:
Jake as Eddy Marshall hefted his heavy bag of new Smithie tools to his cabin with a porter carrying his saddle and bags.
Entering his cabin he banged his head on a beam.
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Jake kinda wondering why you purchased smithy tools. You planing on continuing your trade in America. Would not you prefer to be a wealthy land owner with 50 even 100 African slaves under your control.
 
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"Slaves? No way Rev, so sorry to say.

I hadn't realised that possibility. Mea Culpa.
More fool me. I come from lesser stock than yourself and know the perils of servitude in its many forms.
The idea of full slavery is abhorrent to me,
So sorry to say Rev. But I won't break with you on that account.

There is however a good alternative:

I plan to open a new and a great forge Rev and Molly, on our land or not, with skilled and free artisans black, white, brown, red or yellow. I could buy one and free him or her and then employ them on a contract I think, and then employ them to pay off partly their cost to freedom.

We should build a church too, and buildings, and a mansion like grand house, a ballroom, .... Rooms for the servants and guests, ...With big stables... , and my Forge... a big one. Big enough to manufacture pistols, muskets, locks, clocks, watches, compasses and perhaps telescopes...
 
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I respect your views Jake. I suppose Molly and I can compromise and hire half white settlers to work the cotton plantation. Or we can buy the Africans then free them and pay them a small wage. But will they stay if they are free men and women. In any case we want you as our plantation foreman if you can manage the time. We will definitely build a grand mansion once the business is solvent and making a hefty profit. And the church sounds a great idea. You should forge the church bell. Once you are well known, churches across the south will want you to forge their bells too. You will be famous Jake. The Marshall Bell Company will be known thruout the length and breadth of the south.
 
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Thanks for your considerate kindness Rev but I don't want to hinder your plans.
There is an alternative though which you mentioned yourself by hiring white settlers.
Many Irish men have gone to the Americas for a better life. One only needs to hire them, not purchase them like slaves, and they work hard for minimum wages. Once the Cotton crop is in they leave looking for work elsewhere, you don't have to keep looking after them, nor worry about them escaping. Some should even be kept on permanently to help out generally about the place.

As for Black slaves, buy them but let them earn credit to eventually buy their freedom as to what they cost. It's a way to stop them fleeing and an incentive to work harder, and a kindness in their reckoning.

Lodging, food and other costs can be garnished from the wages of the Slaves and the Irish men. Also encourage the Slaves to marry and have children to give them attachment, and Church services.
Most of those Slaves that purchase their freedom would most likely stay on to work for wages. Win win.

Old Irish Tony told me all this at the Rose and Crown in Romley a while back and it makes sense to me.
 
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