CHAP. II.] CoticJis T^'ial, and Rog7ies Diary. 6g 



says he will not stir in my case until he receives the 

 four pounds. Please send the money as soon as possible 

 to allow the man of law to prepare his brief. With 

 many wishes for your welfare, 



*' Your's very truly, 



'^ Henry Couch.'^ 



The trial took place, and the sentence was one year's 

 imprisonment with hard labour. Throughout the pro- 

 ceedings, the demeanour of the accused was eccentric and 

 defiant, and on the foreman of the jury returning the verdict 

 of " guilty,^' the prisoner exclaimed, " Well, gentlemen of 

 the jury, you have fallen six feet in my estimation with- 

 in the last few seconds. '^ On Sergeant Miller resuming 

 his seat after closing the case for the prosecution,Couch 

 leant over the dock, and touching him on the shoulder, 

 said : " I say, lawyer, was that your first brief ? ^' 

 During his term of imprisonment, he was allowed to 

 write an account of his proceedings, from the time he 

 deserted from Canterbury, to the day of his apprehension 

 at Skipton in Lincolnshire. In this remarkable record of 

 a rogue's evil deeds. Couch gives a minute account of 

 each day's proceedings, with the names and personal de- 

 scriptions of the various people he cheated and deceived. 

 Having provided himself with a forged furlough, he went 

 from town to town, obtaining billets at the difierent 

 public-houses, and on plea of being a soldier in distress, 

 getting money from the magistrates whose residences he 

 happened to come across on his road to London. He 

 pursued the same tactics until he reached Thrapston, 

 when, finding that he was under suspicion, he changed 

 his mode of action and became a recruiting-serjeant, and 



