An equally base Englishman.

Cockaigne, the English Spy.

So many examples of treachery, perpetrated and prompted by Irishmen, have been given in the foregoing pages, that it will prove, to Irish readers at least, a refreshing relief to find Englishmen equally base; and that the legal profession has not been degraded exclusively in Ireland. It will also appear from the following, that Mr Pitt, the prince of English statesmen, was not less’ unscrupulous as an instigator than Castlereagh or Sirr.

“The Rev. William Jackson,” observes Mr Charles Phillips, “was a clergyman of the Church of England, and arrived in Dublin on a treasonable mission from the Committee of Public Safety, then sitting in Paris.Having been formerly secretary to the Duchess of Kingston, he wrote her letters in the celebrated correspondence with Foote the acton. In her house he made the acquaintance of her attorney, a Mr Cockaigne, and, unhappily for himself, now renewed that acquaintance on his passage through London.

It was my lot in after-life to have had a singular interview with this man. Somewhere about the year 1822, after I had been some short time at the English bar, a tall and venerable figure entered my chambers with a brief, which he presented with much courtesy. There was something, however, unusual in his manner. He lingered and hesitated, and seemed as if doubtful what to do. At last it was all explained. ‘To tell you the truth, sir,’ said he, ‘I have ventured to make this brief the medium of an introduction to you. Some occurrences took place in Dublin many years ago, with which I was mixed up: and as you may have heard of them, perhaps you would permit me to give my explanation - my name is Cockaigne!’ I felt for the moment as if stunned. The man had long been matter of history to me. I had thought him in his grave. Yet there he stood, the survivor of his victim and his patron, still living on the wages that had purchased life! I had hardly nerve enough to say to him, ‘Sir, when I tell you that I was the intimate friend of Curran, and often spoke with him on the wretched Jackson’s fate, you must see the futility of any explanation.’ He uttered not a syllable, and left the room.

Jackson was in difficulties, and, it was said, had received relief from Cockaigne; hence arose an intimacy. He revealed the treasonable mission to his friend, and his friend revealed it to the minister. Mr Pitt desired Cockaigne to accompany Jackson on his embassy, to encourage his confidence and treasure up its fruits. It was during Rowan’s imprisonment that they arrived in Ireland, and by Macnally, a barrister, [Mr Phillips always refused to believe in the now admitted 4uplicity of Macnally.] (who had known Jackson,) they were introduced to him in Newgate, and also to Theobald Wolfe Tone. The plans of Jackson were discussed amongst them, and Tone consented to proceed to France, accredited by Jackson to the committee, in order to disclose the state of Ireland, and discuss the policy of a French invasion. The officiousness of Cockaigne, however, seems to have alarmed Tone, and he resigned his mission with the shrewd remark, ‘This business is one thing for us Irishmen, but the Englishman who embarks in it must be a traitor one way or the other.’

“Mr William Curran, in his very admirable life of his father, relates a hateful anecdote of this man. Macnally; counsel in most of the high-treason cases, entertained the strangers at dinner. The conversation was getting imprudent, when the butler, beckoning his master out of the room, warned him to be careful, ‘for, sir, the strange gentleman who seems to be asleep is not so, but carefully listening to everything that is said, for I have seen his eye glistening through the fingers with which he is covering his face.’ This was Cockaigne! - in the midst of conviviality lying in wait for life.

At length Tone drew up a paper for the French committee, detailing the actual state of Ireland. This was copied and given to Jackson, who intrusted it to Cockaigne to put in the post, under cover, to a confidant at Hamburg. The pear was now ripe. The traitor having given the signal to headquarters, he was himself arrested, and the farce was performed of his examination by the Privy Council. This, of course, was a blind, but proved so effectual, that after Jackson’s arrest, which ensued immediately, he and Rowan received Cockaigne’s condolatory visit in prison, and heard and believed his friendly protestations.

Jackson, after twelve months’ imprisonment, was tried and convicted of high treason on the evidence of the single witness, Cockaigne! When Jackson was called up for judgment, a very melancholy scene ensued. His appearance in the dock, from the moment of his entrance, indicated extreme indisposition. Gradually becoming worse and worse, during the addresses of Messrs Curran and Ponsonby, his counsel, he at last sank down exhausted. Lord Clonmel seeing it, said, “If the prisoner is insensible, it is impossible for me to pronounce judgment on him.” A medical man, who happened to be in court, was requested to examine the prisoner; having done so, he declared that he was dying. In a few minutes, Jackson was dead!

Lord Clonmel - “Let an inquest, and a respectable one, be held on the body. You should carefully inquire by what means he died.”

The body lay all night in the dock, and next day a jury found that he had taken poison. There could have been no doubt of it. Soon after he appeared the day before, seeing Mr MacNally pass, he grasped his hand, and faintly whispered, “We have deceived the senate.”

Curran ably defended the Rev. Wm. Jackson in a speech which thus concluded:-” Cockaigne came over to be a spy - to be a traitor - to get a pardon, and to get a reward; although, if you believe him, it was to be all common *agreeable *work, to be paid for, like his other ordinary business, by the day, or by the sheet. He was to be paid so much a day for ensnaring and murdering his client and his friend! Do you think the man deserving of credit who can do such things? No, gentlemen of the jury: I have stated the circumstances by which, in my opinion, the credit of Mr Cockaigne should be as nothing in your eyes.”

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