Transcription
The HISTORY and Comical LIFE of Jean Murphy. Shewing the enterprising scenes she came through when commanding a party of Rebels in Ireland: how she travelled Scotland in man's apparel, as a packman, and smuggling at the same time, then turned lamp-lighter in this City, when she proposed marriage with. Water Jenny, her landlady on purpose to get some money she had, the wedding day was set, Sca- vengers and lamplighters with their wives and children were invited to the dinner ; after getting tipsey, a bloody battle ensued,when heads, legs, and arms were broken, wives and beams squalling, and in the midst of the uproar she made her escape, leaving Jenny a widow of her money. THE heroine of the following memoirs, was born a few miles from Limerick, in Ireland. Her parents were in middling good cir- cumstances, which enabled them to bestow ample education on her. When she left school she could not settle herself to domestic employ- ment; being robust and rambling, she took great pleasure in doing outwork along with her father and brothers, and very often would go along with the horse and cart in the mornings to Limerick market to dispose of the produce of their small farm, on which occasions, when the mornings were cold ', she would have her brother's hat and top-coat, which made her look more like a boy than a girl. She con- tinued in this manner till the last rebellion, in which we learn she took an active part, dressing herself in man's attire, and changing her name to Patrick Murphy, joined the rebels, and after a great many skirmishes and defeats with the royalists, she was taken prisoner and confined for about three weeks, but she soon contrived to make her escape, at a time when they were marching the prisoners from one place to another. She then joined a second time time rebels, and took the command of a party, and soon after received wounds in two places, one on the thigh with a musket bull, and the oilier with a bayonet on the left cheek, which left a deep scar, and with her tall stature, being about 5 feet 9 inches high gave her a masculine appearance, so that it was impossible for any one to dis-- cover her sex. After her affairs were entirely ruined in Ireland', she for self-preservation, shipped for Scotland, and settled in Glasgow, when; she met with some acquaint- ances who had left Ireland for the same reason, but not one of them Understood . that she was a woman, having still on man's apparel. She travelled Scotland with a pack-box, dealling in jewellery, hard-ware, &c. and at times engaged with smug- gling parties both in the North and West Highlands of Scotland ; after continuing for a number of years in this manner, she settled in the metropolis, and got the birth of a lamplighter, which situation she behaved herself very expertly and honestly, (having never defrauded her employers of one gill of oil.) The house in which she lodged helonged to an old woman called Water Jenny, well known in the City, who by her frugality and in- dustry had saved about. one hund- red pounds, which Murphy ascer- taining, immediately laid schemes to get the sum in her own posses- sion ; she could line none to answer so well as to pretend love to the old wife, which she did so effec- tually, that in a few days she con- sented to the match. The bills for the money was delivered to Mur- phy, to purchase cloathes for them, and pay all necessary expences; the Priest was sent for, and guests invited to the wedding dinner, consisting of lamplighters, scavan- gers, &c. with some of Jenny's relations. The day arrived and the Company all met, Jannet as blythe and cheery as she had been a Lass of sixteen, though she was upwards of sixty-eight, with only one tooth, and one of her legs as thick as her waist below the hump on her back, while the other was as small as her wrist; the priest pro- posed to commence the ceremony, but Murphy opposed it till after dinner. After the priest said grace they attacked the dishes with tork and knife, and soon cleared the table; then Whisky came ga. lore, which soon makes an Irishman hamorsome and merry, songs and jokes make the time pass on quick, and Murphy retired, without being noticed, preparing le make her escape along with Blarney M'Shane, to whom she discovered her sex and intentions. The peace and happi- ness of the company was soon broken, by a hint Dennis gave to M'Ginnes the scavenger, about living with his supposed wife without the sanction at the church, M'Gin- nes instead of making an answer, lent him a stroke on the head with his shilelall, or rather a broom shift, then a general battle began, in which wives and children took a share, the mutches were soon below the table, hair torn out, heads, arms and legs broken, and in the midst of the affray Murphy made her e- lopement along with Blarney, to enjoy the produce of Jenny's in- dustry. Murphy in a few days sent a letter to Jenny, couched in a most affectionate manner, dis- covering her sex, which nigh hand put Jenny out of her senses. PRICE ONE PENNY.
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Probable date published:
1830- shelfmark: L.C.1268
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