See Coleridge's _Friend_, vol.ii.
p.

322.
Mr.Schnackenberger was escorted by an immense retinue of old street-padders and youthful mud-larks to the city gaol.

His own view of the case was, that the public had been guilty of a row, and ought to be arrested.

But the old Mayor, who was half-deaf, comprehended not a syllable of what he said: all his remonstrances about 'pressing business' went for nothing: and, when he made a show of escaping upon seeing the gloomy hole into which he was now handed, his worship threatened him with drawing out the city guard.
From one of this respectable body, who brought him straw to lie upon, and the wretched prison allowance of food, he learned that his examination could not take place that day nor even the next; for the next was a holiday, on which Mr.Mayor never did any business.

On receiving this dolorous information, Mr.Schnackenberger's first impulse was to knock down his informant and run away: but a moment's consideration satisfied him--that, though he might by this means escape from his cell, he could have no chance of forcing the prison gates..