The Life, Voyages And Adventures Of Bampfylde-Moore Carew; Commonly Called, King Of The Beggars Price Thomas Ed

Later edition. Engraved frontispiece portrait. 12mo. Half blue calf over boards. Gilt titles, spine and corners rubbed but binding sound. Frontispiece browned and a few spots within. [2], [2 ads], 212pp. London, J. Barker; Bristol, Mr. Brown; Exeter, Mr. Fish, n.d. One of many eighteenth century publications telling the life of itinerant swindler and imposter Bampfylde Moore-Carew (1693-1759), known as King of the Gypsies. Born into the well known family of the Devonshire Carews, his father was Rector of Tiverton. Owing to a school escapade he ran away and joined the Gypsies, eventually being elected as their leader, upon the death of chief Claus Patch. After a long series of entertaining swindles he was convicted of idle vagrancy and transported to Maryland. He and escaped to the woods in iron shackles, and was aided by Native Americans in their removal. Later he went to Pennsylvania and at a prayer-meeting passed himself off to the celebrated Whitfield as a Quaker, and received money from him. He then went to New York and other towns, and finally returned to Bristol, England, from New London. He was again transported, and this time got away to Boston. Accounts are given of the people, and various towns visited by him. The final 8pp comprises a glossary of Cant. The various editions of this work, published under different titles, have been ascribed to Thomas Price (listed in this case as editor), Robert Goadby, his wife Mrs. Goadby, and Carew himself. Sabin gives the earliest of these the date of c.1699. ESTC records another variant of this edition, with Bristol misspelled on the title-page. ESTC, N55155; Howes, C132.