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 Surry shore.
After this atchievement, 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
murthering the officers of justice: for my own part, I can lay my hand upon my
heart, and safely say, that I forgive from my soul the fellow by whom I was made
prisoner, although the circumstances of his behaviour were treacherous, wicked
and profane. You must know, Mr. Pickle, I was one day called into my chapel, in
order to join a couple in the holy bands of matrimony: and my affairs being at
that time so situated, as to lay me under apprehensions of an arrest, I
cautiously surveyed the man through a lettice which was made for that purpose,
before I would venture to come within his reach. He was cloathed in a seaman's
jacket and troussers, and had such an air of simplicity in his countenance, as
divested me of all suspicion: I, therefore, without further scruple, trusted
myself in his presence, began to exercise the duty of my function, and had
actually performed one half of the ceremony, when the supposed woman, pulling
out a paper from her bosom, exclaimed with a masculine voice, Sir, you are my
prisoner, I have got a writ against you for five hundred pounds. I was
thunderstruck at this declaration, not so much on account of my own misfortune,
which (thank heaven!) I can bear with patience and resignation, as at the
impiety of the wretch, firstly, in disguising such a worldly aim, under the
cloak of religion; and, secondly, in prostituting the service, when there was no
occasion for so doing, his design having previously taken effect. Yet I forgive
him, poor soul! because he knew
