nt search, had an opportunity of executing the
writ upon the defendant, who, without ceremony, broke one of his arms,
fractured his skull, and belaboured him in such a manner, that he lay
without sense or motion on the spot. By such exploits, this hero became
so formidable, that no single bailiff would undertake to arrest him;
so that he appeared in all public places untouched. At length, however,
several officers of the Marshalsea court entered into a confederacy
against him; and two of the number, attended by three desperate
followers, ventured to arrest him one day in the Strand, near
Hungerford-market. He found it impossible to make resistance, because
the whole gang sprung upon him at once, like so many tigers, and
pinioned his arms so fast, that he could not wag a finger. Perceiving
himself fairly overpowered, he desired to be conducted forthwith to
jail, and was stowed in a boat accordingly; by the time they had
reached the middle of the river, he found means to overset the wherry
by accident, and every man, disregarding the prisoner, consulted his own
safety. As for Hackabout, to whom that element was quite familiar, he
mounted astride upon the keel of the boat, which was uppermost, and
exhorted the bailiffs to swim for their lives; protesting before God,
that they had no other chance to be saved.

"The watermen were immediately taken up by some of their own friends,
who, far from yielding any assistance to the catchpoles, kept aloof, and
exulted in their calamity. In short, two of the five went to the bottom,
and never saw the light of God's sun, and the other three, with
great difficulty, saved themselves by laying hold on the rudder of a
dung-barge, to which they were carried by the stream, while Tom,
with great deliberation, swam across to the Surrey shore. After this
achievement, he was so much dreaded by the whole fraternity, that they
shivered at the very mention of his name; and this character, which
some people would think an advantage to a man in debt, was the greatest
misfortune that could possibly happen to him; because no tradesman would
give him credit for the least trifle, on the supposition that he could
not indemnify himself in the common course of law."

The parson did not approve of Mr. Hackabout's method of escaping,
which he considered as a very unchristian attempt upon the lives of his
fellow-subjects. "It is enough," said he, "that we elude the laws of our
country, without murdering the o