360 THE LIFE QP 



One of my bed manoeuvres to avoid them 

 was, before my perfon was known to them, to 

 pretend bufmefs in all the different fpunging- 

 houfes : I thus knew their faces, and by the 

 help of a good look-out, for a long time avoid- 

 ed them. One day, however, near Charing- 

 crofs, I was met in a hackney-coach by two 

 bailiffs, who had a writ againft me ; as foon as 

 I perceived them, I ordered the coachman to 

 drive as fafl as he poffibly could into the Horfe 

 Guards, promifmg to take all confequences 

 upon myfelf, and to give him a guinea for his 

 trouble. The defcendant of Jehu exerted his 

 utmoft {kill, but without being able to prevent 

 one from attempting to feize the horfes, while; 

 the other attempted to florm the door; a dex- 

 terous application of the whip, howeyer, made 

 the poft the former had taken very uneafy, and 

 I repelled, as well as I could, the attacks of 

 the other inyader. Both clung, however, to the 

 fides of the coach, till we drove altogether into 

 the Horfe Guards ; there I leaped out, and hav- 

 ing explained the matter to the officer then on 

 c^uty, made a bow to the bailiffs, and walked 

 through the Park, while they returned by the 

 gate they had entered, amidft the laughter of 

 all who beheld the fcene. 



Another time, fitting at breakfaff, I was at- 

 tacked by three of them, and got oft" by the fol- 

 lowing 



