How were the highwayman killed?

Answer 1

Claude Duval Jump to: navigation, search William Powell Frith's 1860 painting, Claude Duval.

For other persons named Claude Duval, see Claude Duval (disambiguation).

Claude Du Vall (1643 - 21 January 1670) was a French-born gentleman highwayman in post-Restoration Britain.

Early lifeDu Val was born in Domfront, Orne, Normandy, France in 1643 to a nobel family stripped of title and land. His origin and parentage is in dispute. He did however have a brother Daniel Du Val. At the age of 14 he was sent to Paris where he worked as a domestic servant. He later became a stable boy for a group of English royalists and moved to England in the time of the English Restoration as a footman of the Duke of Richmond(possible relation) and rented a house in Wokingham. HighwaymanBefore long Du Val became a successful highwayman who robbed the passing stagecoaches in the roads to London, especially Holloway between Highgate and Islington. However, unlike most other brigands, he distinguished himself with rather gentlemanly behaviour and fashionable clothes. He reputedly never used violence. One of his victims was squire Roper, Master of the Royal Buckhounds, whom he relieved of 50 guineas and tied to a tree.

There are many tales about Du Val. One particularly famous one-placed in more than one location and later published by William Pope-claims that he took only a part of his potential loot from a gentleman when his wife agreed to dance with him in the wayside, a scene immortalised by William Powell Frith in his 1860 painting Claude Du Val.

If his intention was to deter pursuit by his non-threatening behaviour, he did not totally succeed. After the authorities promised a large reward, he fled to France for some time but returned a few months later. Shortly afterwards he was arrested in the Hole-in-the-Wall tavern in London's Chandos Street, Covent Garden.

ExecutionOn 17 January 1670, judge Sir William Morton found him guilty of six robberies (others remained unproven) and sentenced him to death. Despite many attempts to intercede, the king did not pardon him and he was executed on January 21 at Tyburn. He is reputed to have stopped for his last drink at the Swan Inn on the Bayswater Road, London, on the way to Tyburn, now commemorated at the pub by a plaque.

When his body was cut down and exhibited in Tangier Tavern, it drew a large crowd and was later removed to St Paul's church, Covent Garden, where it was buried under the centre aisle. His memorial inscription reads: Here lies DuVall: Reder, if male thou art,Look to thy purse; if female, to thy heart.Much havoc has he made of both; for allMen he made to stand, and women he made to fallThe second Conqueror of the Norman race,Knights to his arm did yield, and ladies to his face.Old Tyburn's glory; England's illustrious Thief,Du Vall, the ladies' joy; Du Vall, the ladies' grief.[1]

The apparently gallant highwayman inspired a number of biographers and playwrights to add to his legend, including claims of alchemy, gambling, and much womanizing.

Where in the question does it state which highwayman? There have been hundreds, buried in many places.

Answer 2

The highwayman was killed when his lover, Bess, shot herself to warn him of the ambush by the redcoats. This act caused the highwayman to expose himself, resulting in him being shot by the soldiers.