The Earl of Sunbury was sleeping quietly in his carriage with the most perfect feeling of security, though those indeed were not very secure times; when suddenly the carriage stopped, and he started up.  Scarcely, however, was he awake to what was passing round, than the door of the carriage was opened, and a man of gentlemanly appearance, with a pistol in his right hand, and his horse’s bridle over the left arm, presented himself to the eyes of the peer.  At the same time, through the opposite window of the carriage, was seen another man on horseback; while the Earl judged, and judged rightly, that there must be others of the same fraternity at the heads of the horses, and the ears of the postilions.

The Earl was usually cool and calm in his demeanour under most of the circumstances of life; and he therefore asked the pistol-bearing gentleman, much in the same tone that one would ask one’s way across the country, or receive a visitor whom we do not know, “Pray, sir, what may be your pleasure with me?”

“I am very sorry to delay your lordship even for a moment,” replied the stranger, very much in the same tone as that with which the Earl had spoken; “but I do it for the purpose of requesting, that you would disburden yourself of a part of your baggage, which you can very well spare, and which we cannot.  I mean, my lord, shortly and civilly, to say, that we must have your money, and also any little articles of gold and jewellery that may be about your person.”

“Sir,” replied the Earl, “you ask so courteously, that I should be almost ashamed to refuse you, even were your request not backed by the soft solicitation of a pistol.  There, sir, is my purse, which probably is not quite so full as you might desire, but is still worth something.  Then as to jewellery, my watch, seals, and these trinkets are at your disposal.  Farther than these I have but this ring, for which I have a very great regard; and I wish that some way could be pointed out by which I might be able to redeem it at a future time it may be worth some half dozen guineas, but certainly not more, to any other than myself.  In my eyes, however, it only appears as a precious gage of old affection, given to me in my youth by one I loved, and which has remained still upon my finger, till age has wintered my hair.”

“I beg that you will keep the ring,” replied the highwayman; “you have given enough already, my lord, and we thank you.”

He was now retiring with a bow, and closing the door, but the Earl stopped him, saying, in a tone of some feeling, “I beg your pardon; but your manner, language, and behaviour, are so different from all that might be expected under such circumstances, that I cannot but think necessity more than inclination has driven you to a dangerous pursuit.”

“Your lordship thinks right,” replied the highwayman “I am a poor gentleman, of a house as noble as your own, but have felt the hardships of these times more severely than most.”