Highwayman Revisited - Los Angeles Times
- Select a language for the TTS:
- UK English Female
- UK English Male
- US English Female
- US English Male
- Australian Female
- Australian Male
- Language selected: (auto detect) - EN
Play all audios:
Stan Delaplane’s mention of Dick Turpin in his Nov. 15 column sparked a reminiscence. As a child, a favorite ballad in our family told of the exploits of the famous highwayman and of his
horse: “No toll gate could stop her or ever distress, For she flew o’er them lightly, my bonny Black Bess.” But when I got to York the city tour bus driver maintained that Dick Turpin was no
Robin Hood. “He stole from everyone and kept it all. And he never _ had_ a horse named Black Bess!” he said scornfully. Well, there went another childhood illusion. A week later, in the
Public Records Office just off Fleet Street in London I came across a yellowing document in a glass case. It was a police report of a stolen mare and foal. The thief named was one Richard
Turpin, and the value placed on the mare was as much as a man’s wages for a year in those days. So she may not have been named Black Bess, but Dick Turpin had a very good horse. Now, if I
could just find that bus driver I would give him an argument. LESLIE STEWART Santa Monica MORE TO READ