Artist: Charles Williams. Published: C. Knight. The condemned cell at Newgate. Melville, as Macheath in Act III, stands with folded arms looking gloomily down. His legs are heavily shackled and he wears Highland dress. Beside him stands Pitt as Mate of the Mint, one of Macheath's band. He wears a tricorne hat, long belted coat with two pistols in his belt, top-boots, and gauntlet gloves. On the right are two jailors, or sheriff's officer and jailor: Whitbread, hat in hand, a sword under his arm, looks fiercely at his victim; Fox, holding keys, looks down and seems to be furtively prompting his companion. Melville says, adapting Macheath's words: "For my having violated an Act you see Gentlemen I am ordered to be disgraced - that the Speaker should decieve me I own surprised me T'is a plain proof that the World is all alike and that even our Gang can no more trust one another than other people - therefor Gentlemen look well to Yourselves for in all probability You may escape some Months longer." Pitt, putting a finger inside his neck-cloth, as if feeling a halter, and looking away from his friend and fellow gangster, says (quoting correctly): "We are heartily sorry Captain for your Misfortune - but t'is what we must all come to." At Melville's feet lies a scroll inscribed:

'If you mention vice or bribe 'Tis so pat to all the tribe Each cries that was leveld at me -' (from Air xxix (Act II) originally directed against politicians in general and Walpole in particular). In the background (left) two ruffians in irons sit together, smoking and drinking; one holds a foaming tankard inscribed 'W'. (for Whitbread). Through the small, heavily barred window (right) is seen George III's profile, watching his Ministers with anxious intentness. Description from the British Museum.