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As became a gentleman…adventurer； Captain Hind was staunch in his
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loyalty to his murdered King。 To strip the wealthy was always reputable；
but to rob a Regicide was a masterpiece of well…doing。
A fervent zeal to lighten Cromwell's pocket had brought the illustrious
Allen to the gallows。 But Hind was not one whit abashed； and he would
never forego the chance of an encounter with his country's enemies。 His
treatment of Hugh Peters in Enfield Chace is among his triumphs。 At the
first encounter the Presbyterian plucked up courage enough to oppose his
adversary with texts。 To Hind's command of ‘Stand and deliver！' duly
enforced with a loaded pistol； the ineffable Peters replied with ox…eye
sanctimoniously upturned： ‘Thou shalt not steal； let him that stole； steal
no more；' adding thereto other variations of the eighth commandment。
Hind immediately countered with exhortations against the awful sin of
murder； and rebuked the blasphemy of the Regicides； who； to defend their
own infamy； would wrest Scripture from its meaning。 ‘Did you not； O
monster of impiety；' mimicked Hind in the preacher's own voice； ‘pervert
for your own advantage the words of the Psalmist； who said； ‘‘Bind their
kings with chains； and their nobles with fetters of iron''？ Moreover； was
it not Solomon who wrote： ‘‘Men do not despise a thief； if he steal to
satisfy his soul when he is hungry''？ And is not my soul hungry for gold
and the Regicides' discomfiture？' Peters was still fumbling after texts
when the final argument： ‘Deliver thy money； or I will send thee out of
the world！' frightened him into submission； and thirty broad pieces were
Hind's reward。
Not long afterwards he confronted Bradshaw near Sherborne； and；
having taken from him a purse fat with Jacobuses； he bade the Sergeant
stand uncovered while he delivered a discourse upon gold； thus shaped by
tradition： ‘Ay； marry； sir； this is the metal that wins my heart for ever！
O precious gold； I admire and adore thee as much as Bradshaw； Prynne； or
any villain of the same stamp。 This is that incomparable medicament；
which the republican physicians call the wonder…working plaster。 It is
truly catholic in operation； and somewhat akin to the Jesuit's powder； but
more effectual。 The virtues of it are strange and various； it makes justice
deaf as well as blind； and takes out spots of the deepest treason more
cleverly than castle…soap does common stains； it alters a man's constitution
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in two or three days； more than the virtuoso's transfusion of blood can do
in seven years。 ‘Tis a great alexiopharmick； and helps poisonous
principles of rebellion； and those that use them。 It miraculously exalts
and purifies the eyesight； and makes traitors behold nothing but innocence
in the blackest malefactors。 ‘Tis a mighty cordial for a declining cause； it
stifles faction or schism； as certainly as the itch is destroyed by butter and
brimstone。 In a word； it makes wise men fools； and fools wise men； and
both knaves。 The very colour of this precious balm is bright and dazzling。
If it be properly applied to the fist； that is in a decent manner； and a
competent dose； it infallibly performs all the cures which the evils of
humanity crave。' Thus having spoken； he killed the six horses of
Bradshaw's coach； and went contemptuously on his way。
But he was not a Cavalier merely in sympathy； nor was he content to
prove his loyalty by robbing Roundheads。 He； too； would strike a blow
for his King； and he showed； first with the royal army in Scotland； and
afterwards at Worcester； what he dared in a righteous cause。 Indeed； it
was his part in the unhappy battle that cost him his life； and there is a
strange irony in the reflection that； on the self…same day whereon Sir
Thomas Urquhart lost his precious manuscripts in Worcester's kennels； the
neck of James Hind was made ripe for the halter。 His capture was due to
treachery。 Towards the end of 1651 he was lodged with one Denzys； a
barber； over against St。 Dunstan's Church in Fleet Street。 Maybe he had
chosen his hiding…place for its neighbourhood to Moll Cutpurse's own
sanctuary。 But a pack of traitors discovered him； and haling him before
the Speaker of the House of Commons； got him committed forthwith to
Newgate。
At first he was charged with theft and murder； and was actually
condemned for killing George Sympson at Knole in Berkshire。 But the
day after his sentence； an Act of Oblivion was passed； and Hind was put
upon trial for treason。 During his examination he behaved with the
utmost gaiety； boastfully enlarging upon his services to the King's cause。
‘These are filthy jingling spurs；' said he as he left the bar； pointing to the
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。 Th