In 1812, James Montgomery's Sheffield home was broken into and a treasured inkstand, a gift from the ladies of Sheffield, stolen. A public outcry ensued and the inkstand was soon returned with the following message:

"Honored sir: When we robbed your house we did not know that you wrote such beautiful verses as you do. I remember my mother told some of them to me when I was a boy. I found what house we robbed by the writing on the inkstand. Honored sir, I send it back. It was my share of the booty, and I hope you and God will forgive me."