Historic%20Yorkshire

180
ECHOES OF OLD LEEDS.
greatquantities,and did much damage. In 1777,an earthquake
shook the town.
The eighteenth century included for Leeds strange
stories of crime and death, butnone are noticeable except
that which occurred in 1748, and which savoursmore of
mediæval feudalismthan moderncivilisation. One Josiah
Fearne, a " domineering, villainous lord of the manor,"
entered the house of Thomas Grave, his tenant, and
inflicted four woundsupon him, of whichhe died. Fearne
was committed to York Castle for the murder, and condemned
to be hanged. After his sentence he sent his
lawyer to the widowof his victim offering her £20
a year
for life if she would sign a petitioninhis favour addressed
to the judge, and stating that that was quite sufficient
recompense for rendering her a widow, and her eight
children fatherless, but she declined the offer. A manuscript
written at the time says — " This, probably,is the
first Lord of the Manor of Leeds that made his exit on
the gallows, andGod grant thatit may be the last."
Throughoutthecountry theage was one of coin deterioration,
theclippingand sweatingofthe goldpieces, which
were 36s., 18s., and 6s. gd. A Yorkshire gang had its
chief members designated by the namesof distinguished
individuals. " King David " was the leader; he was
executed at York; and the "Duke of Edinburgh " was
one of his accomplices. A Leeds man was indicted for
issuinga bad " six-and-thirty," but was not, so far as is
known, convicted. In 1777 a press-gang visited York,
and the inhabitants were so enraged that they were with-
drawn;again,in 1780, they visited Leeds. Seizing one
Baldwin, a cropper, he was so depressed that he
John
took an earlyopportunityofhanginghimself.
The improvementsof the period include, in additionto
the widening of streets and the taking down of old
buildings,the wideningof Leeds Bridge,so as to admit
the passing of carriages. During the alteration an accident
took place, and two men were killed. In 1753 the
Corporation took steps towards great improvements,