CHAPTER I.The Period

drodeawaythemailwaswaylaidbysevenrobbers,andtheguardshotthreedead,andthengotshotdeadhimselfbytheotherfour,“inconsequenceofthefailureofhisammunition:”afterwhichthemailwasrobbedinpeacethatmagnificentpotentate,theLordMayorofLondon,wasmadetostandanddeliveronTurnhamGreen,byonehighwayman,whodespoiledtheillustriouscreatureinsightofallhisretinueprisonersinLondongaolsfoughtbattleswiththeirturnkeys,andthemajestyofthelawfiredblunderbussesinamongthem,loadedwithroundsofshotandballthievessnippedoffdiamondcrossesfromthenecksofnoblelordsatCourtdrawing-roomsmusketeerswentintoSt.Giles’s,tosearchforcontrabandgoods,andthemobfiredonthemusketeers,andthemusketeersfiredonthemob,andnobodythoughtanyoftheseoccurrencesmuchoutofthecommonway.Inthemidstofthem,thehangman,everbusyandeverworsethanuseless,wasinconstantrequisitionnow,stringinguplongrowsofmiscellaneouscriminalsnow,hangingahousebreakeronSaturdaywhohadbeentakenonTuesdaynow,burningpeopleinthehandatNewgatebythedozen,andnowburningpamphletsatthedoorofWestminsterHallto-day,takingthelifeofanatrociousmurderer,andto-morrowofawretchedpilfererwhohadrobbedafarmer’sboyofsixpence. Allthesethings,andathousandlikethem,cametopassinandcloseuponthedearoldyearonethousandsevenhundredandseventy-five.Environedbythem,whiletheWoodmanandtheFarmerworkedunheeded,thosetwoofthelargejaws,andthoseothertwooftheplainandthefairfaces,trodwithstirenough,andcarriedtheirdivinerightswithahighhand.Thusdidtheyearonethousandsevenhundredandseventy-fiveconducttheirGreatnesses,andmyriadsofsmallcreatures—thecreaturesofthischronicleamongtherest—alongtheroadsthatlaybeforethem.