Reading Booklet and Activities

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The Highwayman

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Pre-Reading: Dick Turpin – A famous highwayman

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Dick Turpin was born in 1706 in Essex, the son of John Turpin, a small farmer and some-time keeper of the Crown Inn. As a youth, he served an apprenticeship with a butcher in Whitechapel. During his apprenticeship he "conducted himself in a loose and disorderly manner." When his apprenticeship was over, he opened a butcher shop, and began to steal sheep, lamb and cattle. Caught in the act of stealing two oxen, he fled into the Essex countryside to save himself. Many people think of Dick Turpin as a lone highwayman; however, for the majority of his criminal career he was a member of the Essex Gang.

Turpin and his gang invaded isolated farmhouses, terrorising and torturing women into giving up their valuables. A typical attack took place at Loughton, in Essex, where Turpin heard of an old widow rumoured to keep at least £700 in her house. When the woman bravely resisted all of Turpin's efforts to discover the money's hiding place, he hoisted her into the open fire until she gave up her treasure. Robbing remote farmhouses was the Essex Gang's speciality, and it was only towards the end of his criminal career that Turpin was actually involved in highway robbery.

By 1735, the London Evening Post regularly reported the adventures of Turpin and 'The Essex Gang' and the King had offered a reward of £50 for their capture.

EPPING FOREST

Turpin headed back into the familiar East Anglian countryside and lived rough for some time, until he began working with 'Captain' Tom King, one of the best-known highwaymen of the day and the kind of swashbuckling, devil-may-care character into which legend would later transform Turpin. From a cave in Epping Forest from which they could watch the road without being seen, they robbed virtually anyone who passed their hiding place. Locals started to carry weapons for protection. By 1737, a bounty of £100 was placed on Turpin’s head - a reward that transformed him from a common thief into a murderer. On 4th May, 1737, a gamekeeper called Morris tracked Turpin to Epping Forest, but when he challenged Turpin at gunpoint, Turpin drew his own gun and shot Morris dead.

THE END OF THE ROAD

Realising that he could not long escape capture if he remained in the London area, Turpin set off for Yorkshire, where he lived under the false name of John Palmer, funding his fancy lifestyle with frequent trips into Lincolnshire for more horse and cattle stealing and the occasional highway robbery. One day, returning from an unsuccessful hunt he shot his landlord's rooster. When the landlord complained he threatened to kill the landlord as well. He was taken into custody while local authorities made enquiries as to how exactly 'Mr. Palmer' made his money. Turpin was held in the dungeons of York Castle while these charges were investigated.

Convicted of murder, Turpin was sentenced to death. He bought new clothes and shoes and hired five mourners for 10 shillings each. On 7th April, 1739, Dick Turpin rode through the streets of York in an open cart, bowing to the staring crowds. At York racecourse he climbed the ladder to the gallows and then sat for half an hour chatting to the guards and his executioner.

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The PoemThe Highwayman The wind was a torrent of darkness upon the gusty trees, The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, The road was a ribbon of moonlight looping the purple moor, And the highwayman came riding-- Riding--riding-- The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn door.

He'd a French cocked hat on his forehead, and a bunch of lace at his chin; He'd a coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of fine doe-skin. They fitted with never a wrinkle; his boots were up to his thigh! And he rode with a jewelled twinkle-- His rapier hilt a-twinkle-- His pistol butts a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.

Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard, He tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred, He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there But the landlord's black-eyed daughter-- Bess, the landlord's daughter-- Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

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Dark in the dark old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked Where Tim, the ostler listened--his face was white and peaked-- His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay, But he loved the landlord's daughter-- The landlord's black-eyed daughter; Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say:

"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart; I'm after a prize tonight, But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light. Yet if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day, Then look for me by moonlight, Watch for me by moonlight, I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."

He stood upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand, But she loosened her hair in the casement! His face burnt like a brand As the sweet black waves of perfume came tumbling o'er his breast, Then he kissed its waves in the moonlight (O sweet black waves in the moonlight!), And he tugged at his reins in the moonlight, and galloped away to the west.

He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon. And out of the tawny sunset, before the rise of the moon, When the road was a gypsy's ribbon over the purple moor,

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The redcoat troops came marching-- Marching--marching-- King George's men came marching, up to the old inn-door.

They said no word to the landlord; they drank his ale instead, But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed. Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets by their side; There was Death at every window, And Hell at one dark window, For Bess could see, through her casement, the road that he would ride.

They had bound her up at attention, with many a sniggering jest! They had tied a rifle beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast! "Now keep good watch!" and they kissed her. She heard the dead man say, "Look for me by moonlight, Watch for me by moonlight, I'll come to thee by moonlight, though Hell should bar the way."

She twisted her hands behind her, but all the knots held good! She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with sweat or blood! They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like years, Till, on the stroke of midnight,

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Cold on the stroke of midnight, The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!

The tip of one finger touched it, she strove no more for the rest; Up, she stood up at attention, with the barrel beneath her breast. She would not risk their hearing, she would not strive again, For the road lay bare in the moonlight, Blank and bare in the moonlight, And the blood in her veins, in the moonlight, throbbed to her love's refrain.

Tlot tlot, tlot tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hooves, ringing clear; Tlot tlot, tlot tlot, in the distance! Were they deaf that they did not hear? Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill, The highwayman came riding-- Riding--riding-- The redcoats looked to their priming! She stood up straight and still.

Tlot tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot tlot, in the echoing night! Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light! Her eyes grew wide for a moment, she drew one last deep breath,

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Then her finger moved in the moonlight-- Her musket shattered the moonlight-- Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him--with her death.

He turned, he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood Bowed, with her head o'er the casement, drenched in her own red blood! Not till the dawn did he hear it, and his face grew grey to hear How Bess, the landlord's daughter, The landlord's black-eyed daughter, Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.

Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky, With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high! Blood-red were his spurs in the golden noon, wine-red was his velvet coat When they shot him down in the highway, Down like a dog in the highway, And he lay in his blood in the highway, with the bunch of lace at his throat.

And still on a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees, When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, When the road is a gypsy's ribbon looping the purple moor, The highwayman comes riding-- Riding--riding-- The highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.

Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard, He taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred, He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there But the landlord's black-eyed daughter--

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Bess, the landlord's daughter-- Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

Alfred Noyes

Notes on the TextA French cocked-hat An old-fashioned three corner hat.claret Dark red, like wine.pistol butts The handles of the pistol.rapier A long thin sword.stable-wicket Stable door.ostler A person who looks after horses at an inn.peaked Having a sickly look.harry me Hound me- chase me.casement Window.tawny Yellow, golden.musket An old-fashioned rifle.jest Joke, something to laugh at.priming Charging muskets with gunpowder.blanched Went pale.

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Summary

What to do:

(1) Read the sentences below.(2) Fill in the missing words. Choose your words from the Word Box below.

The poet begins by describing the _______________ for the events of the poem: it is a

______________ night on the purple moor and a highwayman rides towards an old inn. The

poet then describes the highwayman’s ________________________ in detail for the reader:

he is wearing a French cocked hat, a red _______________ jacket, brown doe-skin

_________________and thigh high leather riding ______________. He is armed with a long,

thin sword called a rapier and he has two pistols which sparkle with __________________ in

the moonlight.

The poet then describes what the highwayman is doing: he taps with his whip on the

________________________ but they are closed so he whistles a _________________ to

the window. An attractive young woman called Bess appears at the window. She is the

landlord’s _______________________ and she is in love with the highwayman.

However, in the doorway of the stables nearby, a young man called Tim is watching

and listening. Tim is in love with Bess but she does not have feelings for him. His eyes are

described as “hollows of __________________” and his hair is “like ___________________

hay”. Tim hears the highwayman ask Bess for a kiss and he tells her he will be back to see

her the next night. Then, the highwayman gallops away to the ______________________.

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WORD BOX: Use each word only once.

madness daughter velvet setting shutters

tune mouldy trousers west

appearance windy jewels boots

Summary 2

What to do:

(1) Read the sentences below.(2) Fill in the missing words. Use words from the Word Box below.

Part Two of the poem describes events which take place during the following 48 hours.

King George’s guards come _____________________ to the old inn and spend the evening

drinking in the bar. Then, they go upstairs to Bess’ bedroom and _______________ her up at

the window as bait to lure the highwayman into their trap. The guards place a

________________ under Bess’ chest to prevent her from _____________________ herself.

Having set their _______________, King George’s guards lie in wait for the

highwayman. Desperate to warn her lover of the terrible danger he is in, Bess struggles to

free herself and manages to place the tip of her finger on the ___________________ of the

musket. As the highwayman approaches the inn, Bess pulls the trigger and shoots herself to

warn him it is a trap.

The highwayman turns and _______________. The following morning he learns that

it was Bess who has died and so, in a ________________ temper, he rides back to the inn for

a shoot-out. However, King George’s guards are lying in wait for him and he is shot and

__________________ on the highway.

Still, during a full moon on a _________________ night, the sound of a horse’s hoofs

can be heard on the cobbles and the ___________________ of Bess appears at the window,

waiting for her __________________ to return.

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WORD BOX: Use each word only once. Make sure you spell these words correctly.

flees lover marching trigger

trap killed ghost freeing

furious tie Winter’s musket

The journal of Tim, the ostler

What to do:

(1) Read the sentences below.(2) Fill in the missing words. Use words from the Word Box below.

Dear diary

My heart is breaking! Earlier this evening, I was just finishing cleaning out the _______________ when I

heard the sound of a horse’s hooves on the ___________________ in the yard. Out of curiosity, I crept

to the stable door and peered out. There, in the darkness, was a man sitting on a black

___________________ and using a whip to tap on the shutters to Bess’ bedroom window. I know it

Is Bess’ window because I am in love with her and look up whenever I am passing to catch a glimpse of

her. She often stands in the ____________________, plaiting her beautiful, long black hair.

Wondering what the man wanted at such a late hour, I stood and watched in silence. He

_________________ a tune to the window and then the shutters opened and Bess appeared. My heart

skipped a beat but my feelings of love turned to _______________when the man called her his “lady”

and his “love” and they kissed.

Bess is clearly in love with him and it’s easy to see why. He is such a ___________________ man,

dressed in a coat of red ______________ and wearing ________________ doe-skin trousers with thigh

high leather riding boots. I once told Bess my feelings for her but she laughed in my face and told me

that she could never love me because my eyes were hollows of madness and my hair was like

__________________ hay.

As the lovers spoke, I realised the man is a highwayman – a _________________, a thief! He told Bess

he was going off to rob some late night travellers and that he would return tomorrow night to see her.

So, I have decided to report him to King George’s ___________________. When he returns tomorrow

night, the _______________ will be set as the guards will be waiting to arrest him!

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WORD BOX: Use each word only once. Make sure you spell these words correctly.

trap cobbles velvet stallion

handsome stables whistled robber

guards anger mouldy window brown

Vocabulary Check

WHAT TO DO:

Match the words in the column on the left to the correct meanings in the column on the right.

Use a dictionary to help you. Start with the ones you know – it’s easier that way!

Word from the poem Meaning of this word

galleon

rapier

breeches

bonny

claret

harry

casement

an old-fashioned word for trousers an old-fashioned word for window is the name of a ship with sails is a red-wine colour is the name of a long, thin sword is an old-fashioned word meaning to chase or follow someone is another word for pretty or attractive

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Language

Similes and Metaphors

A simile is a comparison of one thing with another thing, to make a description more clear.

A metaphor is where one thing is described as actually being something else.

Below are some similes and metaphors from the poem.

Use the definitions above to help you.

Can you work out which are similes or metaphors?

a) The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees. This is a ________________

b) The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas. This is a _________________

c) The road was a ribbon of moonlight, over the purple moor. This is a ________________

d) His eyes were hollows of madness. This is a ____________________________________

e) His hair like mouldy hay. This is a ____________________________________________

f) The road was a gipsy's ribbon. This is a ________________________________________

g) There was death at every window. This is a ____________________________________

h) The hours crawled by like years. This is a ______________________________________

i) Her face was like a light! This is a _____________________________________________

j) Back, he spurred like a madman. This is a ______________________________________

k) With the white road smoking behind him. This is a ______________________________

l) Shot down like a dog on the highway. This is a __________________________________

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MemoFrom: Editor of the Daily Record newspaper

To: trainee journalists

RE: Shocking double death!

Thanks for your offer to write this newspaper article. I’m delighted to tell you that this assignment is yours! However, I need the first draft of the report on my desk by sunset today so that it can appear in tomorrow’s edition of the Daily Record newspaper.

To help you meet this tight deadline, here’s a few prompts to organise some ideas for your report.

Make some notes on the following please:

* What King George’s guards did to Bess yesterday, and why they did this

* What Bess did to herself and why she did this

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* How the highwayman escaped being captured last night

* How and where he was killed this morning

* Also, could you come up with a couple of headlines please! Use alliteration if you can. For example,

BESS BUTCHERED!

Remember, the deadline for the first draft is sunset today! Good luck!

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The Highwayman

Task: Produce a front page newspaper article, reporting the deaths of Bess and the highwayman in detail. Use eyewitness accounts to add details.

WHAT TO DO:

1: Think of a catchy, dramatic headline. Use alliteration if you can. Egs: BESS BUTCHERED! HIGHWAYMAN HURT BY GEORGE’S GUARDS THIEF THWACKED!

2: Write two or three sentences to give your reader a brief summary of the events. It should make readers want to read on!

3: Write a paragraph on each of the following:- * where the action took place and at what time * what the guards did to Bess * why they did this to her * what Bess did to herself * why she did this * what the highwayman did * how and where he was killedMake your report as exciting and dramatic as you can.

4: Remember to include a picture to accompany your report. You could draw: * the inn where Bess died * the body of the highwayman * the guards who killed him

Don’t forget a caption, to explain what the picture shows!

5: Now, write out your report in paragraphs. Use sub-headings to divide your report up to help readers skim and scan.

THE DAILY RECORD 10th July, 1675

BESS BUTCHERED IN BLUNDER!

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