In April 1739 a pock/marked thug was publicly executed at York. He was a brutal criminal who had terrorized rich and poor alike. But by April 1834 he was transformed into a 'rash, chivalrous knight of the road' by William Harrison Ainsworth in his novel 'Rookwood.'
Using various myths and stories of thieves and highwayman, including Claude Duval, and also Defoe's account of 'Swift Nicks', Ainsworth almost single handedly transformed Richard Turpin into an elegantly clad, courteous, dashing outlaw of legend. He became the romantic Dick Turpin, who defied corrupt authority, robbed the rich to help the poor and rode a faithful mare called Black Bess.
Surviving historical records provide us with a flavor of reality. Richard Turpin was a butcher who had drifted into crime. A hard man, capable of acts of cruelty with an uncertain temper, he was prone to violence and had no reservations, by the end of his career, about using firearms. Unlike the character in the books and on the silver screen, he knew when the best policy was to cut and run. And he never had a horse called Black Bess!
I believe this goes someway to enhancing Robert F's point. In this example from history, we can see how an unsavory criminal like Richard Turpin can be romanticized almost beyond recognition and re-invented using familiar tales from widespread sources. An ancient tradition going right back to the days of the medieval outlaw ballads, like Fulk Fitzwarin, Eustace the Monk, Adam Bell and Robin Hood.
