1804-1807] A Press-gang Story 25 



which has excited a great sensation in the village, and for 

 which I am truly concerned. The night before last they 

 knocked at the door and told the Hardings to get up, as the 

 Press-gang were at Hinton and were coming to take them. 

 Job got up and went down stairs, but they had broke open 

 the door and seized him and carried him off, without 

 giving him time to tie his garters or to put on his coat. The 

 other brother Jem was very ill from a chill, but the Lieut, 

 went up and satisfied himself as to the truth of it, and he 

 had humanity enough to leave him behind, though he said 

 they should come for him very soon. They then went to 

 George Collin's, but he would not open the door or answer 

 when they called, but prepared to stand on the defensive, 

 for which purpose he broke the child's crib to have the stick 

 as a weapon of defence. The crew hearing the crash, thought 

 he had broke through to the next house and made his escape ; 

 and so they went off, and he escaped for this time, but I 

 am afraid they will get him and Jem Harding. The poor 

 wife of Job (unlike her namesake in the Bible) is gone off 

 this morning to comfort her husband and to take him some 

 necessaries, and I suppose the pay she received last night, 

 which amounted to 16s., to which Tom added some articles 

 from his wardrobe, and I a guinea ; and A. Harding's wife went 

 with her out of friendship (a walk of 40 miles to and from 

 Poole). A good many others of the women went to send her. 

 I saw a letter to-day from him to his wife, written in such a 

 simple honest style, that it interested me very much in his 

 favour. The other two men are frightened to death at the 

 thought of their turn coming next; and they don't lie at 

 home. But what a sad life it is to be feeling the torments of 

 fear, and skulking like a felon, and that for such a length of 

 time as they probably will. Our waggoner coming from 

 Poole yesterday met poor Harding escorted by three men 

 armed, and himself pinioned. I declare this circumstance 

 almost made a Bethlen Gab or 1 of me. 



1 Bethlen Gabon (1580 1629) was of a noble Protestant family 

 in Hungary, and rose gloriously in defence of the civil rights of the 

 Bohemians. He was introduced by Godwin into his novel St. Leon. 



