142 Mr. Wimfrey on (Economical Regijlers. 
would be impoffible for him to fucceed. De- 
fertion is the dernier refort of every villain. 
When he finds himfelf fufpe&ed, he inftantly 
runs his country, and endeavours to fecrete him¬ 
felf at a diftance, in places to which, as he 
imagines, fufpicion is lead; likely to purfue him. 
But under this regulation, whether could he 
fly ? Let it be whither you pleafe, if he pro¬ 
duces his medal, it betrays him ; if he does not, 
it raifes a fufpicion which juftifies his detention, 
till he is fairly cleared of all fufpicion. 
As this plan would operate beneficially, in the 
dete&ion and prevention of villainy, it would 
fometimes prove no lefs ufeful to the honeft, but 
unfortunate man. Innocent men have been 
fometimes apprehended for fpies, for highway¬ 
men, and other atrocious crimes, from a fimi- 
larity of circumfiances, which it was not in their 
power to avoid. A highwayman, well mounted 
on a grey horfe, fome years fince, robbed in the 
neighbourhood of London. Soon after, a perfon 
from a diftant county happened to pafs the road 
on a good horfe of the fame colour. Some per- 
fons took the alarm, purfued him, and took 
him into cuftody. As he was innocent, he came 
to no harm, but that of being detained all night, 
and the trouble he was put to, of proving he was 
not the man fufpedted, which he could do no 
otherwile, than by proving who he was; which, 
in many cafes, where a man is totally un¬ 
known, 
