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irons about his legs； ‘but I hope to exchange them ere long。' His good…
humour remained with him to the end。 He jested in prison as he jested on
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the road； and it was with a light heart that he mounted the scaffold built for
him at Worcester。 His was the fate reserved for traitors： he was hanged；
drawn； and quartered； and though his head was privily stolen and buried
on the day of execution； his quarters were displayed upon the town walls；
until time and the birds destoyed｛sic｝ them utterly。
Thus died the most famous highwayman that ever drew rein upon an
English road； and he died the death of a hero。 The unnumbered crimes of
violence and robbery wherewith he might have been charged weighed not
a feather's weight upon his destiny； he suffered not in the cause of plunder；
but in the cause of Charles Stuart。 And in thus excusing his death； his
contemporaries did him scant justice。 For while in treasonable loyalty he
had a thousand rivals； on the road he was the first exponent of the grand
manner。 The middle of the seventeenth century was； in truth； the golden
age of the Road。 Not only were all the highwaymen Cavaliers； but many
a Cavalier turned highwayman。 Broken at their King's defeat； a hundred
captains took pistol and vizard； and revenged themselves as freebooters
upon the King's enemies。 And though Hind was outlaw first and royalist
afterwards； he was still the most brilliant collector of them all。 If he
owed something to his master； Allen； he added from the storehouse of his
own genius a host of new precepts； and was the first to establish an
enduring tradition。
Before all things he insisted upon courtesy； a guinea stolen by an
awkward ruffian was a sorry theft； levied by a gentleman of the highway；
it was a tribute paid to courage by generosity。 Nothing would atone for
an insult offered to a lady； and when it was Hind's duty to seize part of a
gentlewoman's dowry on the Petersfield road； he not only pleaded his
necessity in eloquent excuse； but he made many promises on behalf of
knight…errantry and damsels in distress。 Never would he extort a trinket
to which association had given a sentimental worth； during a long career
he never left any man； save a Roundhead； penniless upon the road； nor
was it his custom to strip the master without giving the man a trifle for his
pains。 His courage； moreover； was equal to his understanding。 Since he
was afraid of nothing； it was not his habit to bluster when he was not
determined to have his way。 When once his pistol was levelled； when
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once the solemn order was given； the victim must either fight or surrender；
and Hind was never the man to decline a combat with any weapons and in
any circumstances。
Like the true artist that he was； he neglected no detail of his craft。 As
he was a perfect shot； so also he was a finished horseman； and his skill not
only secured him against capture； but also helped him to the theft of such
horses as his necessities required； or to the exchange of a worn…out jade
for a mettled prancer。 Once upon a time a credulous farmer offered
twenty pounds and his own gelding for the Captain's mount。 Hind struck
a bargain at once； and as they jogged along the road he persuaded the
farmer to set his newly…purchased horse at the tallest hedge； the broadest
ditch。 The bumpkin failed； as Hind knew he would fail； and； begging the
loan for an instant of his ancient steed； Hind not only showed what
horsemanship could accomplish； but straightway rode off with the better
horse and twenty pounds in his pocket。 So marvellously did his
reputation grow； that it became a distinction to be outwitted by him； and
the brains of innocent men were racked to invent tricks which might have
been put upon them by the illustrious Captain。 Thus livelier jests and
madder exploits were fathered upon him than upon any of his kind； and he
has remained for two centuries the prime favourite of the chap…books。
Robbing alone； he could afford to despise pedantry： did he meet a
traveller who amused his fancy he would give him the pass…word （‘the
fiddler's paid；' or what not）； as though the highway had not its code of
morals； nor did he scruple； when it served his purpose； to rob the bunglers
of his own profession。 By this means； indeed； he raised the standard of
the Road and warned the incompetent to embrace an easier trade。 While
he never took a shilling without sweetening his depredation with a joke； he
was； like all humorists； an acute philosopher。 ‘Remember what I tell
you；' he said to the foolish persons who once attempted to rob him； the
master…thief of England； ‘disgrace not yourself for small sums； but aim
high； and for great ones； the least will bring you to the gallows。' There；
in five lines； is the whole philosophy of thieving； and many a poor devil
has leapt from the cart to his last dance because he neglected the counsel
of the illustrious Hind。 Among his aversions were lawyers and thief…
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catchers。 ‘Truly I could wish；' he exclaimed in court； ‘that full…fed fees
were as little used in England among lawyers as the eating of swine's flesh
was among the Jews。' When you remember the terms of friendship
whereon he lived with Moll Cutpurse； his hatred of the thief…catcher； who
would hang his brother for ‘the lucre of ten pounds； which is the reward；'
or who would swallow a false oath ‘as easily as one would swallow
buttered fish；' is a trifle mysterious。 Perhaps before his death an
estrangement divided Hind and Moll。 Was it that the Roaring Girl was
too anxious to take the credit of Hind's success？ Or did he harbour the
unjust suspicion that when the last descent was made upon him at the
barber's； Moll might have given a friendly warning？
Of this he made no confession； but the honest thief was ever a liberal
hater of spies and attorneys； and Hind's prudence is unquestioned。 A
miracle of intelligence； a master of style； he excelled all his
contemporaries and set up for posterity an unattainable standard。 The
eighteenth century flattered him by its imitation； but cowardice and
swagger compelled it to limp many a dishonourable league behind。
Despite the single inspiration of dancing a corant upon the green； Claude
Duval； compared to Hind； was an empty braggart。 Captain Stafford
spoiled the best of his effects with a more than brutal vice。 Neither Mull…
Sack nor the Golden Farmer； for all their long life and handsome plunder；
are comparable for an instant to the robber of Peters and Bradshaw。 They
kept their fist fiercely upon the gold of others； and cared not by what
artifice it was extorted。 Hind never took a sovereign meanly； he
approached no enterprise which he did not