James Macleane (1711-1750) was the son of Scottish parson, and became known as 'Gentleman Highwayman' in partnership with his good friend Plunkett (also a Scotsman). Plunkett really was an apothecary, although it was Macleane's wife who had died. Macleane was an inveterate dandy, and this caused to make the fatal mistake of wearing a set of stolen waistcoats into the shop of the tailor who made them, leading to his arrest and subsequent hanging in November 1750.
The two aristocrats introduced to Plunkett and Macleane by Rochester are called Dixon and Winterburn. These are the names of two players - Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn - for the English football team Arsenal during the late 1980's / early 1990's and part of Arsenal's famous "back four."
During the card game, Rochester feeds his dog chocolates. Cocoa is extremely toxic to canines and even the one or two pieces Rochester gives his dog would be enough to make it severely ill.