Captain Charles Newy's CASE, Impartially Laid Open:  
Or, a True and Full NARATIVE OF THE Clandestine Proceed against Him, As it was Hatched, Contrived, and Maliciously Carried on by Mrs. Margaret Newey, Widow.  
LONDON, Printed for the Author in the Year, 1700.   

Captain Charles Newey's CASE, Impartially Laid Open.  
CANDID READER,  
I Should be wanting to myself, to you, and indeed to the Public, should I not at this time of Day make known to the World, how Strangely and Maliciously I have been Wronged and Traduced, by the wild and causeless Malice of an Inhuman, I had almost said Barbarous Sister. And though it is a very dificult Matter for me to express myself, in such words as shall undeceive the World, and thoroughly Convince the Vulgar, with the truth of my Innocence (especially considering we Live, in an Age wherein Men have got the trick of Trooping after one another in Flocks like Sheep, they follow the Bell, and if the foremost leap the Bridge, the rest Drowns for Company) yet I hope my Reader will give me leave to Vindicate my Innocence; tho' I am told I might with more Safety have Ventured my Carcase with Dannel in the Lyon's-Denn, than to have resisted the Torrent that was raised against me; Yet even as I am not obliged to Suffer all the Dirt that can be raked out of the Kennels, and Common-Shoars, to be Plastered on my Face, without Lifting up a Hand to wipe it off, even so I ought not to suffer this Harmony of Lies and Defamation to pass Currant, without either Contradiction or Control: Conscience must be then fallen a Sleep and Truth Struck Dumb: I hope I shall not be thought to do in this, as some do by Cutting the Throat of their own Religion by Contending for it; being very Sensible that there goes more than Greek, or Latin to the making of a wise Man. But to proceed.  
I shall lay before your View, in the first place the Commitment itself, in the second, shall so expatiat myself on each particular, as I hope will fully Satisfy any Impartial Reader with the Truth of my Innocence.  

Here is the Committment itself, by Virtue of which I was Committed to Newgate.  
MIDDLESEX,  
Receive into your Custody the Body of Charles Newey Gent. herewith sent you, he having Confessed before me on his Examination, that he is Lawfully Married to one Barbara Ferrour; And Oath having been made before me by Margaret Newey Widow, that she hath several times heard the said Charles Newey acknowledge, that he was Lawfully Married to one Hannah Goodridge; And that both the said Barbara and Hannah are still Living: The said Margaret Newey having likewise made Oath before me, that she has heard the said Charles Newy Confess and Acknowledge and is sure, that in some Short time after the Decease of the late Queen Mary, he Hung the Gallows with Mourning for the said Queen: He standing likewise Charged before me upon the Oath of Ralph Armfield Headborrough, for drawing his Sword, and presenting a Pistol at him and his Assistants, and Beating him in the Execution of his Office; you are therefore hereby required, him safe to keep, until he shall be Discharged by due course of Law, And for so doing this shall be your Warrant,  
Given under my Hand and Seal, the 18th day of November Anno Domini, 1699. S. Lovel Recorder. Copia Vera.  
To the Keeper of His Majesty's Goal of Newgate.   
But before I proceed to handle each particular Branch Specified in this Committment, I conceive it convenient to acquaint my Reader with the Nature of my first Trial, which will clear up the whole matter.  
1. The first and greatest Crime then, which I was accused of, and the only cause of my being found guilty of the rest, was for endeavouring, as the Witness against me alleged, to take away my Brother's Life, which indeed the World has some reason to believe, tho' it was never my Intentions, neither did it ever enter into my Thoughts.  
He was extreme week, and solely Governed by his Wife, who found him inclined to leave his Brother's all he had but only her Thirds. To prevent which she used all the Stratagems she could invent, to create a Difference, purely to accomplish her designs; which she thoro'ly did, by telling him that the Captain's Lady, who is of an Unspotted Reputation had stolen his Silver Tankard, as she came to Visit her, which can be asserted by Mr. Ferrour and his Wife, at the Tebacce-Rowl in Newgate-market, they having had it from my said Brothers own Mouth. My Brother likewise by his Wife's Persuasions, went to one Mr. Clavises, a Dutch Schoolmaster in the Pall-Mell, where I had Lodged from time to time for Two Years; and there reported all that Hell and Malice could invent against me, telling the People of the House, (who till then entertained a good Opinion of me) that I designed to fling their Goods out at the Windows, and Pawn them, as I had done the pretended Stolen Tankard.  
This he did several times when I was from Home, and seeing I took no Notice of it; He came one Sunday at Night, with Constables, having before Sir Charles Leigh Swore the Peace against me, and disgraced me all he could amongst the Neighbours, showing his Warrant and repeating what had been Invented by his Wife, who at that time, the Devil had not assured, or had it entered into her thoughts that I Hung the Gallows in Mourning. There was no living for me in England, if my Brother's ill Usage continued: I writ to him to forbear, and told him what his Wife aimed at: Which Letters were produced against me in Court. But finding that there was no being quiet, or preventing to be believed what was told, and is since Credited by the whole Town, not only in their Shop, but every Body they met or knew, and that my Prayers were of no use, I was advised by some as unthinking as myself, to prosecute my said Brother, but not to that degree, as to take away his Life, for the thing for which he was Indicted, was only a breach of Trust, and purely done to induce him to let me alone.  
I left several Trunks which contained what I had, at my said Brother's House, when I went to Norfolk, but at my return found them all broken open in their Custody, some they returned me by fair means. The grand Jury found the Bill and I had a search Warrant, which I deferred serving, in hopes he would forbear speaking Ill of me; some of the aforementioned things were sound in their House, as the Two Constables viz. one Mr. Phips who Lives at the Kings-head near Holbourn Bars can justify, as well as the other.  
But it is not denied that my Brother was Sick of the Foul Distemper, under which he, languished for Two or Three Years together, he was Bailed and did not Die in Newgate, as was reported, but at his own House. His Wife together with those of her party persuaded him to make use of his Credit, and what he had to ruin me, which prevented his coming to any Agreement with me; And I am sure the World can't but believe, if they will but lay prjudice aside, that it was my Interest, rather to lose, what I had realy lost out of my Trunks, or lent him out of my Pocket, than what he promised to leave me, Nay one Day shown me in a Will he made. But finding my Brother grow worse and more averse to what I could offer to be Friends by others, not being permitted by my Sister's means to speak to him and instead of it threatened to be ruined by Actions of Scandal, and forfeiture of my Recognizance if. I did not appear at the Old Bailie, which I did, to make an apology for my rashness, and to leave it to them and be discharged, as my Counsel in that case cannot deny I knew he was in no danger, having a good reputation and giving 2000 l. Bail: And am since Satisfied that it was not him but my Sister that broke open my Trunks.  
Mrs. Tyson, Mr. Watson, and his Wife, were all in Court to justify my being forward and willing, to put a stop to all proceed, as a certain sign of my Brother's Innocency: The Trial was from time to time deferred and put off by my Sick Brother's desire, who was brought thither by his Wife's persuasion, he having first made a Will and left her all, tho' a Dying, to attend, in hopes by that means she might get rid of him, for there was positively no occasion for his coming after giving Bail. By Death his Wife got her ends, that is, rid of a Sick Husband: That could not satisfy her, and what he had, to preserve which she must have her Husband's Brothers Blood, and gain as many as she could of her Neighbours, and others to her party, by telling Scandalous and supposed Crimes against me, it's believed by them, and is repeated by her, to every Creature that came or comes into her Shop, or is known by her, sometimes crying, but always suiting her Discourse and Actions so, as to gain Credit by all. But to come to the purpose.  
My Brother leaving me but a Shilling, tho' he owed me 105 Guineas and aught to have given me share of what my Father left: Whereupon I cited my said Sister into Doctors-Commons Court knowing her to be the worst of Creatures; I offered her (by Mrs. Tyson, Mr. Wattson, and others) to put my prtensions upon her, to Two or more indifferent Persons which she refused: Being then well Satisfied that she must pay me, and return what else was my due.  
Now that my Reader may be thoro'ly convinced that my said Brother did realy, and justly, own me 105 Guineas, and that he gave me his Note for them, appears thus.  

I promise to pay my Brother Charles Newey the Sum of 105 Guineas, or procure him a Hackney Coach Licence in 3 Days.  
Wittness my Hand the 5th. Day of March 1698/9. Witnessed by John Ball.   
This John Ball served me about Two Years, and went to live above 100 Miles off, but where abouts I know not, by which means I could not produce him in Court to prove my Brother's Hand, and his seeing me pay down the Guineas as aforesaid.  
But this Note was not denied by my Brother or his Wife when Arrested, tho' he sometimes said he laid out more than that came to, for me when I was Young; and at other times said that he had repaid the Sum, but had forgot to take up his Note, which some of his Neighbours heard. This Note has been showed to a Hundred that dealt with my Brother for some Years, who all declare it to be his Hand: It has been compared with that in Doctors-Commons, and my Brother that is living knows it to be his Hand. Now if this Note was realy my said Brothers, and that he had paid it as my Sister pleads, how can it be proved forgery? or how can it be proved a Cheat, otherwise then by proving that he realy paid it.  
I admire that those who were told by my Brother, or his Wife, that I had lent them such a Sum, but that they had returned it can see, or suffer my kind Sister, without an abhorrence of her Swearing, that there was no such Sum ever lent her Husband, and that too, after her owning it to several: And that the Letters I produced under her Husband's Hand was not of his Writing tho' known to be his by every one but her, whose Interest it was not to own them: But to prove the matter a little more fully.  
Mr. Hubbards' Niece tho' but Young, and not used to appear in places of Judicature, had declared in Writing before, what she knew concerning it, and in Court what was permitted her, tho' to no purpose.  
This is what she is ready to Swear before any Magistrate. Sarah Laply of the Parish of St. Giles' in the Fields Spinster, maketh Oath,  

That upon Sunday the 5th of March, 1698 1698/9 9 Captain Charles Newey and Mr. John Newey Glover, came to this Deponants Uncles House about Six a Clock in the Evening, this Deponant letting them in, and that whilst this Deponant went to light the Fire, when she came again into the Room she saw the said Captain Newey, and the said John Newey counting upon the Table in the Dining Room a parcel of Guineas, which as this Deponant doth guests might be above 100: Whereupon the said Captain Newey called this Deponant and asked her whether she could Write, this Deponant replied she could not, whereupon he said, she must bear Wittness and take notice that he lent the said John Newey 105 Guineas, the said John Newey at the same time bidding this Deponant remember that he was to repay the said 105 Guineas to Capt. Charles Newey in Three Days, or to procure him the said Capt. Newey a Hackney Coach Licence, Capt. Newey's Man at the same time setting his Hand to a Note as Wittness to the same.  


Witnessed by John Ball.  
The Mark of Sarah A Laply.     
By all which 'tis Evident to the World, that my said Brother Mr. John Newey did borrow from me 105 Guineas, which he in his Life time never repaid. And the progress I made in recovering from my Sister in Law what was justly my own, has induced her as is supposed and believed, to procure one Edward Jones alias Ambrell, alias Clement, to come to me as I was giving orders to my Proctor against her, as Mr. Barret of Doctors-Commons Swore in Court, and does still declare. Jones told me, that he knew enough to Ruin Mrs. Newey and Hannah Goodridge to prevent their doing me any harm, and at the same time affirmed this with such a plausible Story, that he would have gained belief of any one, he came often to me as was, and can be proved, and told me that what he said was true; which agreed with what I knew, and had been told me by my Brother and one Hanwel a notorious coiner lately Executed, who had Sworn Coining against my Brother. But for me, who fetched him out of the Savoy to the hazard of my Life, and made him deny that, and return what Money he had got to pursue that Trade, which was not denied by my Brother before his Neighbours, or disowned now by my Enemies, tho' not in full: This with my being told that my Sister designed to charge me with some such thing induced me to go with the aforesaid Jones before Justice Ellis, not as a Prosecutor, which I protested against, but to clear myself of what she might lay Maliciously to my Charge.  
In fine, she was admitted to Bail, and the said Jones for want of Sureties was Committed to Newgate, who if he had been suborned by me, or any other Person would then have declared it, purely that he might not have gone to Prison; In which he was a Month before he could be wrought upon by my Enemies, as he himself acknowledged, to Swear that I was to give him 10 Guineas to Swear against my Sister, and the aforesaid Hannah Goodridge; which he the sooner did, because that his intended Escape out of Prison was discovered; and he for the same put into the Hole, with Notice that I was a Prisoner in the Press-Yard, and that I would certainly be Hanged, and that he had no way to save his Life, but by making himself an Evidence against me, which Honest Mr Allen the famous Sub-Ordinary of Newgate persuaded him to, telling him, that he with the rest of the World believed him Perjured.  
For Mrs. Newey was a good Woman and to be his Wife, and if he would Write a discovery to the Lord Mayor and Recorder he would carry it; which Office my Reader will find, Honest Mr. Allen did: But neither that, or any thing else would the said Allen do without a Bribe.  
But that you may be more particularly acquainted with his Honesty and the Transactions of his Life, I only desire all Mankind to satisfy themselves how this pretended Priest behaved himself in the College of Dublin and how he left it? how he came to abandon that Kingdom? and whether he has not a Wife there; how he came to fly into Italy, and what Religion he there professed, seeing he was forced there to Live upon the Charity of others? as may appear by his Poverty before he became the Ordinary of Newgate, and what Tricks he played before he had it for a Maintenance? What Cheats he hath from time to time fixed on the poor Prisoners of Newgate: But to conclude, with that which is most Notorious, the said Allen went to one Capt. Riggby, now a Prisoner in the Press-Yard and desired him to put into his Hands what Money he designed to leave the Poor, (he the said Capt. Riggby being at that time very Sick) replied, that he had already disposed of his Charity to the Poor of the Parish; but seeing he was disappointed that way, he Begged the said Captains Morning Gown, considering it better to play at a small Game than stand out.  
But to let my Reader know, what a famous Pillar of the Church of England Mr. Allen is; pray satisfy yourself, whether he did not inform on Mr. Tooley (who was afterwards Hanged in Chains on Finchley-Common for some notorious Crime) whether he did not, (I say) inform the said Tooley, and Preached the same Doctrine in his Pulpit, to the Prisoners of Newgate, on the 21 of April Last, that it would not be asked them in another World what Religion they professed here, but what good they had done? now if this famous Doctor's Opinion be True, as certainly it is not, than it is no matter of what Religion, or Profession so ever a Man be of: And if so, then farewell the Church of England, which by his conclusion is no better than the Church of Rome. These with many other Crimes of the like nature, the said Allen is daily Guilty of: But for my part, I judge him not worth my Trouble, so leave him to the result of better Penns to display him in his own Colours, and return to prosecute my former matter.  
Jones whom before I gave you some account of, had Linen and 10 s. at a time sent him, which can be proved, before he could be brought to Unswear what he had already Sworn, which if they would have produced in Court, would have been the clearest Evidence for me. But I could not get what he unswore before Justice Ellis at the Dog Tavern, and charged me with, till of late; and then not entire.  
Oh! that I were but capable of comparing Evidences, times, place, and Persons; I should then find such a Latitude for Exceptions, Distinctions, Evasions, and Interpretations, as authentically would serve to clear up the whole matter, so much allowance for not knowing what an Oath meant, and pretext of surprises, slips of Memory, and upon the whole, so strong a prepossession in favour of my Enemies, and against every thing that could be said for me: My Prosecutors would have been believed without opening their Mouths, specially in a time when Oaths are grown as cheap as stinking Mackarel, and the common People as ready to give Credit to false reports, as Tinder is to take Fire at the least Spark. There can be little said to Invallidate a positive Oath for the King; the matter will be this, That True or False, Credible or Incredible, Possible or Impossible, it comes all to one point. But I hope it will appear that my Sister's Malice is to me, as if so many Rogues in Red-coates should Robb the King's Chapel, and cry the Guards did it: The Fact, with which I am charged, lies all open to every individual Person, done or not done is the question, how then can any man believe that I endeavoured to Hang my Brother, when the thing for which he was Indicted was but a breach of trust? or how can any Man believe that I gave 10 Guineas to a Villain that never was master of one, or that could not be trusted to fetch six penny worth of Turnips by any, but a Mad Man; and all this to prove a thing of which I wanted no proof, having Witnesses sufficient for any C— that had not resolved upon my Ruin, or how can any man disbelieve what has been falsely reported of me, without the utmost abhorrence of the practices and indeed of the practisers too, If found at last to be most notoriously False; or that their monstrous Snake in the Grass should be found but a Glow-worm.  
Edward Jones owned in Court that he had perjured himself before Sr. Robert Jefferies, by the Name of Ambrell tho' his Name was Clement, and that he was bribed and not only promised his Liberty as a reward of his Perjury, but a sum of Money appears in some Measure to be Promised him, likewise as by his own Letter to me may more fully appear.  
Here is the Copy of the Letter itself.  
Honoured Sr.  
I Intent to Morrow to send a Letter to the Warden of the Mint, to acquaint him how by under hand deal they would have me to unsay what I have already said: When it is writ I will convey it to you, that you with your Friends may give your judgement upon it, and pray in the mean time believe no flying Stories of me, for as I have ever been, am, and shall always be.  
From the Hole November 19 1699. Honoured Sr. Your most Humble Servant Edward Jones.  
Directed to Capt. Newey in the Press-Yard.  
This Letter was produced in Court, and not disowned by him, but the Ordinary who is the worst, etc. pretended in Court, that he went by chance to exhort the Prisoners before their Trials, which he never did before nor since, but was made use of as a Tool by my Sister and others to accomplish my Ruin.  
Jones at first denied that ever I set him on to Swear what he Swore: Mr. Allen told the Court that he had Converted Jones, and made him Sensible of an Oath which he pretended he knew not what it meant, and therefore asked several times Pardon of God and the Court for having Forsworn himself, which the Court was pleased to do, in consideration of the good Service he did against me, who am now found to be the worst of Men for ask for 105 Guineas, which I realy lent, or what else was my due.  
When I sent to Jones to know if he was such a Rogue as I was informed he was, in designing to Forswear himself against me, he denied it with all the Oaths he was Master of; and sent me this Paper Witnessed by three Persons, which convinced me that what I was told was false, and caused me to be unprepared for my Trial.  
Here is the Paper itself sent me by Jones.  
I do think myself Obliged by all that's sacred, to declare to all the World out of my own free Will and Gonsent without any force, or compulsion, or any reward, or promise of any; that Charles Newey Esq never did nor any other Person at any time desire, or ask me to be an Evidence against Mrs. Margaret Newey, or any other Person upon any account whatsoever, but what I did was for the good of the Government, and for fear of being brought into Trouble hereafter, and out of no other consideration:  
In Witness of the Truth I have hereunto set my Hand the 25th Day of October 1699. Edward Jones. 

Witnessed by,  
Philemon Wike.  
William powel.  
The mark † of William Guy.    
This Jones alias Ambrell, alias Clement, is a known Evidence in Westminster-Hall, a Perjured one in Mr. Cooper's Trial, so could not be Ignorant of an Oath, for what he Swears in the said Trial was not thought Reasonable to be believed, for Dr. Garth who is a Sensible and worthy Person and who will I hope excuse this; told the Court they had Reason to suspect the pretended Seaman's Evidence, that Three or Four Score-pounds of Iron, should be allowed to sink every Dead Body, whereas Six, or Seven will do as well; neither can the World with him believe the Commissioners of the Navy Guilty of so much Ill Husbandry; but more at length will be found in pag. 31. of Mr. Cooper's Trial for the supposed Murder of Mrs. Stout. This Jones Swore that he was made Drank the Night before by me, to Engage him the more easily to Forswear himself, that he did not know well what he did: When before Justice Ellis; that he was made Drunk by me, or any other, was not proved, nor in what Tavern. But put case he was Drunk as he pretends; pray how came it about that Justice Ellis did not perceive it? If he did, why did he administer an Oath to a Drunken Man, or act as he did? and tho' Jones deserves to be Encouraged against me, yet why in Forswearing himself before Sr. Robert Jefferies, by the Name of Ambrell.  
I desire that half the Prisoners may be asked what a wicked Villain this Jones was, and how he behaved himself whilst in Newgate. He was found to have committed Sodomy with one Barns, who owned it whilst in the Goal: It not sooner came to my Ears, but my Sister and honest Mr. Allen who had all along a Hand in my Prosecution, got him out, for fear I should Prosecute him, and so their designs be discovered, he was brought to my Sister's House, who sent for her Neighbours, and there made him say what she thought fit, they paid his Fees, and gave him Money as can be proved, with several other Tricks, too long to be inserted here.  
As to my being Married to Two Wives is what no Creature (who will lay aside prejudice and impartially weigh the whole matter) can believe: But that my Reader may be acquainted with the circumstances of the whole, I will lay open the occasion of my first acquaintance with the said Hannah Goodridge, mentioned in the first paragraph of my committment, and fixed on me as a lawful Wife.  
This Hannah Goodridge was a Servant where I Lodged, she pretending to help me to a Fortune of 10000 l. by the Interest she had in a young Lady where she lived, which induced me to be more kind to her than otherwise I should have been, and she for want of it, so much my Enemy. I went to Drayton in Staffordshire where I was Born, the first and only time since my being in England, in my return near Northampton, I found her at her Aunts, ready to carry on the aforementioned Intrigue, which miscarring, I left her and came for London, where she followed me, and took me before one Justice Eton, for a Bastard Child, and for cheating her of a Suit of  which she pretended to have passed her Word to the Tailor for, tho' I paid him, this is that which Mr. Watson now Clerk to Justice Ireton knows to be true, but to prove that neither her Mother nor any of her Relations in the Country, thought her Married to me, or any other, tho' her Sister Swore in Court, she believed she was to me.  

Be pleased to View the ensuing Note.  
Dear Sister Boughton, deliver into the Hands of my Daughter Hannah Goodridge the Tenn Pounds Tenn Shillings you have of mine, and this shall be your discharge and acquittance;  
whereunto I have set my Hand, the 16th Day of November 1695. 

M Goodridge.  
Witnessed by Ann Prat. And Mary Prat.     
By all which its Evident that no Creature who knows me or her can believe, that I was ever Married to her, I say no Mortal can believe it, and keep his Reason. Now that there must be some Reason to induce me to this pretended Marriage is not to be doubted; Youth it was not, for she is 50, nor Beauty for there is nothing Uglier, nor for any thing she could have, for that as she and her party owned in Court, was but a few Kettles, Dishes, and the like: Family there is no likelihood it should be for; she being but a Servant Maid. Now what must I have been to have Married such a Creature; or if Married to more than one, why not to a 1000, or till I had got a Fortune. The Punishment would have been the same. That I never wanted , is so known by every one that knew me, that I need not say the Contrary, that I might have had a better, is allowed me by my cruel Enemies: That there should be no Body at this Sham-Marriage; but this Fellow, and she so easily Imposed upon, being 50. and a Jilt about Town, is some what strange: And that it should be done in a Tavern, and the only one in , and in Latin, which I am known to understand something of: Therefore could not be Imposed upon unless in a Dream. There was no Licence taken out, nor no other proof, than this perjured Wretch, who indeed I knew in France and often Relieved here, but being too much importuned by him I beat him as he Swore in Court, as appears by his own Letter to me which is as followeth.  
Capt. Newey,  
I desire you to leave in the Coffee Man's Hands 10 s. which I paid the Surgeon, for the Cure of my Thumb and Head; he demanded Twenty, but I have paid no more, and I scorn to ask you more than I have paid, it was a long time in the Cure, during which time I could not Write, I lost the use of my Eye and 'tis the Opinion of the Surgeon and others, that it will never return to ' its former shape. The Pain and Misery I have endured with it makes me at least demand this, and if you will be as Civil as you have promised, you will certainly do it: I expect your answer, or the thing done, either of which shall satisfy  
September the 18th 1699. Sr. Your most Humble Servant Philip Hollingworth.  
So far was I from thinking it lay in his power to do me the least Harm, that you see by his own acknowledgement, that I did realy Beat him, which any Creature may conclude I would not have done, had I judged it in his power to have done me a Mischief, but I realy believe what he and Goodridge at first did, was only to extort Money from me as he owns in his Affidavit, which is demonstration sufficient of his Villainy and my Innocency, with his being set on by my Sister. This Fellow did of his own free will and consent go to Mr. Hatchers (who's of an unspoted Reputation) at his Chambers in Lincolns-Inn as was Sworn in Court and desired the said Hatcher to draw up an Affidavit, which he did, keeping by him the Draught which Hollingworth at first drew: Which the said Hatcher produced in Court, together with the Original Affidavit which he there made Oath of; And likewise that Hollingworth had been several times at his Chambers without me, importuning him to draw the said Affidavit, and to persuade me that he never said he ever Married me, or knew any thing of the matter. Here is a true Copy of the Affidavit he made in Chancery.  

Philip Hollingworth Clerk Aged 47 Years, maketh Oath, that he this Deponant never Married Capt. Charles Newey to Hannah Goodridge Spinster, or to any other Woman whatsoever: But this Deponant Confesseth it to be true, that he complied with the Malice and ill Intentions of the said Hannah Goodridge to Prosecute the said Charles Newey, in Relation to the said pretended Marriage in order to obtain, or extort from him the said Capt. Newey, a Maintenance or Provision for the said Hannah, as his pretended Wife.  
Jurat 10 die Martij 1699. Coram me Rog Meridith. Philip Hollingworth.   

Here is a Copy of another Affidavit before Judge Turton.  
Elizabeth Chattleton maketh Oath, that she this Deponant was on the 8th Instant sent for to one Dr. Hollingworth's, but not being in the way did not go to him till next morning, who then asked this Deponant if she would do him the kindness as to go to one Capt. Newey in the Press-Yard, and to assure the Capt. from the said Hollingworth, that if the Capt. or his Friends would give the said Hollingworth Five Guineas, he the said Hollingworth would give any Security in Writing, or any otherways that the Capt. or his Friends should desire, that he the said Hollingworth would not appear against the Capt. at the Old-Baily and that he knew nothing of any Marriage between the Capt. and Hannah Goodridge, and that he would go to Oxford, or any other place he should appoint, for he would not wrong his Conscience in taking a false Oath, for he was afraid that Mrs. Newey, Sister to the Capt. or Mr. Turner would force him to take away the Captain's Life, if he did not go out of Town which the Dr. had no Money to do, for he was at that time very Poor. That the said Hollingworth did then use to this Deponant all the Arguments possible for this Deponant to repeat to the Capt. that he might be persuaded to send him 5 Guineas; and to tell the Capt. that he had a great many Enemies and that every thing would be believed by the Court and Jury to the Captain's prejudice. All which this Deponant did do, finding the Capt. Sick in his Chamber, who when he heard what I had to say from Hollingworth, he called him perjured Rogue, and said he would give him no Money and told this Deponant she ought to be taken up for coming to him. And further this Deponant declareth it to be true, that when she came back to the Dr. whom this Deponant hath known for several Years, and told him the Captains Answer, he said G—d D— n him, he would certainly Hang the Rogue, and he should repent it.  
Jurat 15 die Jan. 1699. Coram Jo. Turton. The Mark of Eliz. E Chattleton.   
The Court would not suffer this Affidavit to be Read, or others I have to the same Effect, alleging that no Affidavit ought to be read for the Prisoner in cases of Felony. It was my Misfortune that Justice Marshal Died some Days before my Trial: Who committed this Hannah Goodridge, before whom she insisted (as Mr. Chattleton who was Clerk to the said Justice Marshal can justify) that I could neither Read nor Write, which I soon contradicted by writing in several Languages, she then told the Justice such Falsities, that were contradictory in themselves, which induced Justice Marshal to commit her to New-Prison.  

Here is a Copy of her Committment.  
Midd. ss. Ralph Marshal  
Receive into your Custody the Body of Hannah Goodridge this Day brought before me and charged upon the Oath of Capt. Charles Newey, for pretending to be his Wife, and on pretence, taking up things in his Name, and contracting Debts, for which he has been Arrested, whereas she is not his Wife, in breach of her good behaviour, and for refusing to find sufficient Sureties for her Personal appearance at the next Session of the Peace, to be holden for the said County, her in your Custody safely keep until she shall find sufficient Sureties as aforesaid, or be discharged by due course of Law:  
Given under my Hand and Seal the 5th Day of Feb: 1697. Copia vera Exam per. William Killvers Deput Custod ibar  
To the Keeper of New-Prison on Clarken-Well-Green or his Deputy.   
I Indicted her, but she got off by shame Bail, so that I never saw nor heard of her till of late: I Nonsuited her in the Action she got me Arrested in, as is recorded in the Marshalsea, and can be certified by Mr. Butler of Cliffords-Inn, who was my Attorney in that Action, and by his Clerk, whose Bill of Charges I now have by me, as well as other Affidavits to this purpose, too long to be inserted here; the Woman that Swore in Court I Cohabited with her Six Weeks in her House, is notoriously Forsworn, and found to be one of too black a Character for me to describe; when I asked her whether she was sure I was the same Person, she answered she did believe I was: And when I asked her, by what Marks she knew me, or whether I wore my own Hair or a Perrywigg, she said she could not tell, it being 4 or 5 Years since, so might be forgot; Now how easy is it for me to prove that at the same time she Swore I Cohabited with Goodridge: I had the Honour to be in the Family of a Noble Peer of this Relm. And I do not believe that ever his Lordship knew or heard that ever I did any thing unworthy of a Gentleman, or believes me Guilty of what's laid to my Charge: My Father was his Lordship's Tenant, and my Brother Deceased Sold his Lordship sometime before his Death, what my Father left, which I should have had share of, as appears by Will, and perhaps is not unknown to his Lordship.  
My Wife did not appear in Court, or was there any one that Married her, or saw us Married; they brought a Certificate from Lynn, that such a Person was Married there, whose Name was Ferrour, and tho' the Indictment was Ferrow, yet the Licence was Ferra, which might have been three several Persons; the Indictment was false and therefore they tell me it ought to have been Quashed; and that Hollingworth ought not to have been made an Evidence for the King, seeing he owned he Forswore himself in Chancery; and though the Court told me, that the Court of Chancrey was no Court of Record, (and that I ought to have produced a Record of his being proved Perjured) yet my Lord Chancellor says it is▪ Neither indeed ought Jones to have been allowed an Evidence against me, for tho' an Oath in Chancery be no Record against Hollingworth, yet the Old-Baily was one against Jones, alias Ambtell, alias Clement, seeing it was there Recorded that he owned himself Perjured the Sessions before.  
But the Court seemed to Insist most upon my having owned myself Married to several Women, which was never yet allowed of as a proof; For how many Gentlemen have kept Women that have passed by their Names, yet was never Married to them: Judge Nevil declared last Sessions that he would not for the World believe a Perjured Fellow's Evidence against any Prisoner tho' he should speak Truth, and yet I have but Two, upon whose sole Evidence, I was found Guilty, of'at are proved Perjured by their own Confessions, under the Plausible pretence (if I may so speak) that one did not know what an Oath was; and the other forced to it for fear I should Kill him; Why did not the fright he pretends I put him to, make him Commit Murder, Robbery; or rather Swear the Peace against me? Was ever Man forced to Forswear himself in Chancery; Can any Mortal be forced to it, or is there a thing easier avoided: Can he find no other pretence for his Perjury: He that commits Murder, excuses it by saying that he was Drunk, and did not know what he did: He that Steals, that it was necessity put him upon it: But the Law has no regard to their pretences, or excuses, or could it therefore ever be the Intention of our wise Lawmakers, to admit of a Perjured Fellows Evidence in cases of Life, nay in any case, when it appeared by any means that they had Forsworn themselves; for to believe a Villain, or a Perjured Wretch is not at all consistent with Justice, or Reason; for by so doing you'll pass by the Guilty and destroy the Innocent.  
Laws were not made for Enemies, to Revenge themselves on each other, but to do Justice and keep Peace, Now that there is such Persons who out of Malice, Fear, or hopes to get something by the Persons Death, do Forswear themselves, ought not to be doubted, and if too easy a belief be given to those that Swear at Random, what certainty then has any Man for his Life or Estate.  
Now that I was, or ever could, be believed to be Married to Hannah Goodridge, cannot certainly enter into any unprejudiced Reader's thought, there being neither Reason nor Lust, as aforesaid alleged by my very Enemies, to induce me to it, who had laid one Bastard to me, and another to another Gentleman; The World cannot but be satisfied what a notorious Jilting Whore she ever was, nothing is surer than my Committing her to New-Prison, for pretending such a Notion, and contracting Debts in my Name for which I was Arrested, and she Nonsuited, not being able to prove her allegations by any, but a most notorious wicked Villain; whom my Reader sees has been proved Perjured; therefore ought not to be believed: Moreover if had been Married to her as she pretends, why did she not prove it sooner: Why did she suffer herself to be Nonsuited, and committed to New-Prison, if she was my lawful Wife, why did she hid herself, when she knew I owned myself Married to another for two Years this May But she must Prosecute me just upon my Sister's Quarrel, who put her on: And tho' my said Sister Swore before the Recorder, as appears by my Committment, yet she declared to my Wife and Mrs. Succy Mair, as was Sworn in Court, that she was sure I never was Married to any Creature but to herself, tho' I had lived with other Women, which my Brother affirmed with Oaths, and with other things to my Praise: Now if this pretended Marraige was Celebrated, as was Sworn by this perjured Villain, why was it not Registered in the Church Book, seeing there is a Statute that requires it? Why was not the Clerk, or some Body else by, to give her in Marriage? I have asked most of Doctor's Commons, who all tells me it is no Marriage, tho' she produced the Record that was Sworn at the Old-Baily against me, that tho' she cannot Hang me, yet will she contract Debts, or get some Body to pretend to lend her Money to keep me in Prison, as she Imagines.  
I need not say much to convince the World that I never Hung the Gallows in Mourning; and that my Sister is Forsworn in that, at least I hope it will be believed, seeing she Swears she's sure I did it, as appears by my Committment, when the thing itself never was done, nor would the Grand Jury find the Bill, For the People that Live, and has done at Tyburn House, for Tenn Year past, has been often Examined about it, Nay before the King and Council; the Gallows has been searched if any Nay les were driven in, or any of the Mourning appeared there, or there abouts, nothing was ever found or seen: The report is supposed to be occasioned by the Woman's Father's Death, who now Lives in it, and for whom they were at that time in Mourning.  
That there was never any thing like it ever seen, by any of that Family or any other Creature, tho' several has been charged with it, as the Lord Mohun etc. a thing of that nature could not be, without their hearing, seeing, or knowing of it, their House being so nigh it, and Windows looking towards it; And that it was only a report, is what they are ready to make Oath of before any Judge; I had 3 or 4 to Swear this in Court, lest they should find the Bill and Try me upon it Immediately, as they did upon others; but the Court would not hear them.  
I discharged 5 Recognizances, (before I was Committed) of my Sisters creating, who made her Sister, her Sister's Husband, her Maid, and others, as she herself did Swear the Peace against me; which with her plausible Railing incensed the Justices, Constables, and those that heard her with Tears relate my supposed Crimes, which Increased with her Invention. So that I was looked upon like a Mad Dog that every one ought to have a throw at, which I am willing to believe occasioned Mr. Turner's coming under pretence to assist the Constables, and to a Assault me, and then Indite me for Assaulting of him, when they told me that the Constables were at the Tavern staying for me, I sent to tell them, that a Constable with another might come to me if they pleased, for I'd suppressed what Warrants my Sister's Malice had procured; They ventured to come to me at last; The Constable could not Read, but the Beadle did, and seemed satisfied with it, that I Resisted is certain, though in my Morning Gown, and to no purpose, they being about 40 in Number, but that they Assaulted me having no Warrant to break open a Door, is as certain.  
And now I hope my Reader must loudly confess, that all circumstances only considered, it will appear to every charitable Judgement, that if I had in the least been conscientious to myself of having two or more Wives, of Hanging the Gallows in Mourning, of suborning a Villain that no Creature could depend upon, unless his Swearing was to bring him out of Prison.  
Must I not have been Esteemed to have totally lost my Understanding, nay to a been a perfect Lunatic, or lulled into a Lethargy, in not flying from Justice, but it behoves us who are Mortals born, to bear with all Afflictions, and to try our Fortunes as often as we are Miserable, for it is as possible to retrieve our former happiness as to fall from it.  
The Witnesses against me are so many Pickpockets, Cheats, and Villains raked together; Hollingworth is known to have been Burnt with the Flower de luce upon his Back, and to have been in New-Prison for making of Farthings, one that sometimes passes for a Priest, and at others for a Minister: I saw him abjure the Protestant Religion in Paris, and take up Popish Priests Orders upon him, but now he pretends himself a Protestant again. If such Wretches be believed, there is nothing either in Heaven or upon Earth, that can be secure from them; They are Rogues that will Swear any thing; Fellows known to be Thiefs, Cheats, and in fine, a Scandal to the very Alms Basket. The Devil's in my Enemies if they do not Win all they play for, when they have the shuffling and packing of their Cards, and keeping in, or putting out, as they themselves please. The Town will not doubt of my having been pursued with the utmost Industry and Bitterness Imaginable; and that I have had but little Favour shown me, which has left me, but one Firing Gun to call for help, upon the springing of a Lake.  
So Mortal a Sin is it to aspire, or ask for ones own, and so venial a slip to endeavour to take a way any one's Life, with a non obstante of never so many Laws to the contrary. My Sister who will out Swear or out Weep a Harlot, when she vows Fidelity to her old Cully; she is a true expectant Widow at her old departing Usures Death Bedside; just sealing her sole Executrix. She's particularly marked by continual crying, and insatiable Malice; for no relenting thought, or pitying Tear, no Love of a Dead and too kind Husband, can be capable to stop the Career of her unparalleled Ingratitude: There never was perhaps since the creation, so much noise made, not only in this vast City, but in all parts of Europe, about a poor young Fellow, whose highest Crime was living like a Gentleman; unless you'll believe perjured Villains, or those that repeat what the others Swear, or them he disobliged. It's a Sister in Law (whole Interest it is to Lash me till I fly for Succour to the Grave) that the World sees I am prosecuted by, and by her mean Scandalous and Ridiculous Instruments, Lousy, Greasy, Rogues, Starving Indigent Varlets, that have not Credit in the World for a Brumigham Groat, had they been Men of Substance, or Reputation, or without Prejudice, by whose Testimony I had been found Guilty, I had then been silenced for ever, in some loan Cave dark as despair, if I had realy lost what's dearer than Life, the dreads of which, makes me feel no less than all the Pangs of bleeding Death, Racks, and Tortures; In which let me Die, if I am Guilty. My cruel Enemies I know will not deny me Dying: But the Witnesses upon whose Oaths I am found Guilty, are now known as well as the Whiping-post, for Swearing, Lying, Cheating; and for abandoned sort of mercenary Villains, who were by my Sister pitched upon as the rarest Tools that ever Engineer invented to manage such a Machine: That Man knows little of my Misfortunes, that knows not what Tricks they played to Ruin me.  
The Council for the King, made a motion that they might have leave to lay me open, as they called it, which was granted: And who was to lay me open but my Sister, her Sister, her Sister's Husband, and her Maid? For there was not a Creature that said the least thing against my Reputation, but her party; Never was there such a motion made by Council, or granted by a C— it signifying nothing to the matter of fact, for which I was Indicted. The question being not what I was Born, or what Follies I had been Guilty of, but what Laws I had broke: To prove me no Gentleman Born, my Sister being upon her Oath, calls for a Creature that to describe, I can only say was a Scare crow, whom she declared to the Court was my Brother. The whole Court histed at the sight of him, He was Sworn and asked by the Court whether he knew the Prisoner at the Bar, he answered yes, very well; They asked him how long he had known me, he said 20 Years, And being asked by my Council how Old he was, he said 18 or 19, at which the Court Hissing, he fell a Crying, and said they had made him Forswear himself, and so went out of Court.  
If he had been my Brother, had I been the more Guilty of what they charged me with, or could I help my being Born a Beggar, ought I not to a been the more esteemed for raising myself to a Captain, Lieutenant; Is every one capable of it? was there not some in Court worss Born than myself? It's my power to aspire with art, tho' not to choose my part; Let any one think, if I am worth a thought, if I can be Guilty, and they but Examine my Sister's Tricks and Perjuries, and her Ingratitude by the pains she took and takes, to expose her Dead Husband, who had left her all to the prejudice of his two Brothers, to one of which he owed the sum in dispute, with other obligations, which ought never to have been forgotten; to the other Threescore Pounds his Wife having (as can be proved) got the Bond for the said sum by a Trick into her Hands, and tho' her said Husband was Friends with his Brother when he Died, yet did he leave him, but Five Shillings, tho' he knew he owed him the aforementioned Summ.  
Let any one believe if he can, that he was in his Senses when he made this Will, or that he was not bewitched by his Wife's Tears; she that was but a Servant to him; The violence and malice which appeared, and appears, in my Prosecutors, is in itself a certain instance of my being wronged.  
Poverty is a sign of honesty, tho' it sometimes occasions Roguery; my want of Birth, Power, Preferment, and Places is thought by the Judicious, to be no more a Disgrace than that I was not made a Prince, or Invited out of Newgate to my Lord Mayor's Feast: But he that once falls into his Enemy's Power, becomes a Slave, tho' he was free before; Can any Man be so easily Imposed upon, as to Imagine that one who will Forswear himself at one time, will not be brought to do it at another, or when ever he finds it his Interest so to do? or aught to be believed when he speaks Truth, unless in ones own defence: No Rogues sets up marks that he may miss; the World knows and sees that my case is singular, not having above one Witness to any one matter of fact: And those proved Perjured by their own Confessions; so that I may be Innocent and no affront to those that believed me Guilty. At worst, the same Persons that do great, knows best how to Cure them: Vipers and Toads have their extracted Virtues, Balms and Medicines are drawn from Drugs, and Poisons, tho' God forbidden I should acquiese with you in my being Guilty: Dead Men can't By't, neither have they any Friend: Sure any thing that has a Soul, had rather excel others in the knowledge and practice of what is excellent in its kind, than in the extent of power or wickedness; all that has been done against me, seems to be a Dream: For could so Inconsiderable a Villain as Jones (tho' good at Swearing) undertake such an Enterprise, he could but be Sub-Servient to the design, but an Instrument moved by some greater spring: Sure those that believe, or speak tenderly of Perjury by saying that its necessary, do it only to excuse themselves.  
I beseech all those that have either known or heard of me, to rest assured notwithstanding the suggestions which have been made by my Sister, and her adherents, who for their own wicked purposes, contrived sometimes with Tears, to create a belief in you, that I am the very worst of Creatures, that nothing is more in my desires, or shall be more my endeavours than retrieving a lost or blemished Reputation, and that you'll reflect upon what sort of Security any one of you has for your Life; if every Man's Breath lies at the Mercy of a couple of owned perjured Varlets, where is the free born Subjects liberty, when any Creature is made an Evidence for the King, or shall be Encouraged in whatever he shall say, and tho' it be never so false, yet sometimes shall he not be pried into by the C— or I— tho' they are Damned for believing what he Swears.  
By this that they do it cast a Covert on one of the Lewdest Impieties known by Man: Can Truth arraign the Justice of our Nation, whose chiefest blessing is Liberty; or can Perjury be a thing to bless God for, or a subject to beg a Petition upon, of any real service to a society of Men? To believe perjured Wretches, is confounding of Right and Wrong, Good and Evil, and Inverting the very order of Equity, of reward and punishment. How many Innocent Men do our Judges implore Mercy for, from the King, whom they find have been Sworn falsely against: But how many do they, or may they find not wronged. Those that are taken in Robbing upon the Highway, have no other way to come off, but turning Evidence; by which they'll save their Lives and get Money to boot: What Innocent Person will they not accuse, to make up the number to clear themselves: This Sessions we have one Example; how many Innocent Souls have been clapped up and kept upon unconscionable Expense, till all they had left in the World was little enough to pay the Charges of the Prison: If this be suffered, Villainy will be Sacred, and to be honest, or desirous to raise one's self Hazardous.  
If I am for want of Judgement, thought, or foresight, misled or mistaken, I hope I may be Pardoned my not being Infallible. I might, I am afraid, with more ease make you believe that the fallen Angels have recovered their primitive Station, and that the glorious Spirits who have stood firm ever since their Creation, have now joined in a Rebellion against their Maker, than to pretend to appear Innocent to all without an Estate or Power, in my Whimsical Circumstances. Neither can I Think, Thought, Word, or Deed, Project, Contrivance, or Execution; which commonly pass for the proof of things will do it, so I appeal to the great God of Heaven and Earth, the Sole Judge of all, and once more in his presence, I vow that I never had a Thought (tho' said in passion) of taking away my Brother or Sister's Life, which if I had, let God of his Mercy now strike me Dead, and never have Pity of me in this World, or the World to come.  
That if ever I did Engage, set on, or promise to give 10 Guineas to Edward Jones, alias Ambrell, alias Clement, to Swear against my Sister Newey, may I be Eternally Damned: And if I did not lend my Brother Deceased, the 105 Guineas in dispute, in the presence of Sarah Laply, and John Ball, and had his Note for them, or may all the Curses of this World and the other, light upon me; if ever I was Married to Hannah Goodridge, by Hollingworth, or any other, may the hottest Place in Hell be my lot.  
And I do, and will, expect from almighty God, the Vindication of my Integrity and Innocency: Now if a Lapidary sells me at a horrible Price, that which he Warrants for a Ruby of the old Rock, I buy it of him accordingly; if it proves afterwards to be only a Past or Doublet, my Remedy is good against him: But where is it against my Enemies? what reparation or satisfaction can be great enough for what I have wrongfully and unjustly suffered; without making the Courts of Justice Coffeehouses, and public places to ring as loud of their mistakes, as ever they did of their Invectives.  
To obtain which I would act as the sweeting Chemist at his Fire, for Sr. Humphrey Edwin he ought not for his Sister's sake, to have endeavoured so hotly, the taking away my Life, or Engaged so many of the City to have Ruined me, as did, who I dare not Name: God's connivance at Man's Impiety, may sometimes be the policy of Heaven; were all Crimes punished, Mankind would be destroyed, the work of their Creation fall, and the World end too soon.  
My Sister sent Four of her Neighbours to me, here in the Press-Yard, with a long Paper for me to Sign; It contained my owning myself Guilty of what had been laid to my charge; if I I would do it, they promised me Favour: And Mr. Turner told me I ought to do it, seeing the Jury had found me Guilty; And that it would be a means for my Sister to fetch me out, which will not, I suppose, be denied it being so easily proved.  
Here is great Clemency indeed, and too great to be good, that my Sister who had so little Mercy, but the other Day, at the Old-Baily, should now tacitly, and consequentially pretend to be more Merciful than formerly, but let the Geese beware, when the persecuting Fox gins to Preach; I am afraid, and that not without good Grounds for it too, that this sudden great conflux of Mercy is not of the right Stamp: I doubt its counterfeit Coin, and but Cased over with a pretence of Mercy; I am Jealous that this Mercy of hers, is nothing but Cruelty at the Bottom, and self ended Design, seeing she would have me acknowledge myself Guilty, but I returned them for answer (being conscious of my Innocency) that I would rather Starve in Prison, and Endure the worst of Deaths, than own such notorious Falsities.  
Now let the World but see how knowing she is of her own Gild, and of my Innocency, or else why should she send (as the whole Prison knows, she did) or be so troubled in Mind, as not to be able to rest in her Bed at Nights, for what she fancies she sees? let not her Imagine that what she has Barbarously done against me, will be easily forgiven her hereafter; tho' it may be no more than making her Sister, her Sister's Husband, her Maid, and the poor Boy Forswear themselves.  
I cannot see if I had been Guilty, which God forbidden, of suborning this Villain, Marrying two Wives, I should be so bad as I am thought. The Villain Swore that I did it only to frighten her to whom my Brother left all, to her who formerly had been his Servant Maid who had not only cheated me by her wheedling Tricks of what I lent; but what else belonged to me, as well as what belonged to my Brother, who is Living; whom she frightens out of what's his due, and searched for, after he had hid himself, to force him by all sorts of Threats to Forswear himself against me; telling him she would use him worse than she did me; not only in her above mentioned actings, but in her desiring I might stand in the Pillory before her Door: A pretty Credit or reward for her Husband's favours; she that reports I went to take away my Brother's Life, thinking thereby to have every thing believed to my prejudice; endeavours at the same time to take away mine, and to force my Brother that's Living to do it, which is what would put a stop to my Miseries. My Brother and Sister, used to value themselves amongst their Neighbours, upon their having me for their Brother, till of late, which shows to those that have a mind to see that all is my Sister's contrivance; I must own I have been vain in Living and appearing above what I ought, which with my humour, and sometimes, owning myself Married to those I never was, created me what Enemies I have; but I thank my Stars, if I have any Stars to thank; that no Creature that rarely knows me, or ever kept me Company, can say I ever did any thing unworthy of a Gentleman, unless they'll Echo what has been invented by my Sister, or are my Enemies by Inclination, or out of some Quarrelsome cause. That I never had under any pretence whatsoever of his Execellency Gount Tallair 1000 l. or a Guinea, is as easily proved as it has been Scandalously reported.  
That I had the Honour to serve under him at the Siege of Reignfield, and have been Entertained by him is true; it would have been an easy matter for me to a proved that it was not in my Nature, or Power to act what was unworthy of what I had acquired by those that have served with me, or have known me abroad, could they have appeared without any prejudice to themselves.  
But Crimes like what I am charged with, affrightens and astonishes one's Friends, and prevents their doing any thing else, for one true Friendship there is none, or else I might have had my share. A Man must be very brave indeed, that dares be a Friend in need, or visit, in a Prison, on the contrary every Bougher or despised Coward, dares Triumph over a Dead, or chained Lyon.  
My supposed Robbing upon the High way ought not to be answered: Seeing it appears false, and that such a thing was only desired to put an end to my being. And can there be a more convincing Instance of my Innocency, than their reporting that I had 18 Wives at once, when they could find but one, and that a Shame one too, designed with such Reflections that in what condition soever I shall be in, I will be above taking Notice of, as I am repining at the decrees of Heaven, which if I did, should but labour wickedly in Vain and struggle with an everlasting Chain, and after all, be dragged along with pain. But to draw to a conclusion.  
Now that I should be thought the worst of Villains, cried down by every Man's mouth, for the worst of Wretches, charged and heaped, with more Crimes than 'tis possible for me to be Guilty of, by any that ever knew me or kept me Compay; suppose I had been Guilty, which God forbidden, yet ought not I to be thought what I am, for what they charge me with, might be the Effects of passion, Youth, or Indiscretion; and being Young some hopes was still left for expiation and atonement. But I beg of my Reader by all that's dear to him, that he will but examine what Reason or what thing in Nature could be capable to induce me to suborn this Jones, alias Ambrell, alias Clement, such a one that my Misfortunes will not permit me to describe, and to take away my Sister's Life which if accomplished, would rather prove my Ruin, and not only the loss of 105 Guineas lent, but other pretensions. I wanted no proof I had done my Business against her in Doctors-Commons, and at Common-Law, without making use of this Fellow; now the World may easily know, and see that I had no design nor could I, if I had been willing which I never was, to take away my Brother's Life which is too false an asperssion to be boar or believed, that I could be Married to such a one, when there is so many better; and not one Reason to induce me to this, is what I hope no unprejudiced Person will believe, no more than my Hanging the Gallows in Mourning. Can there be in nature a clearer proof of my Innocency, and her barbarous Perjury seeing the thing was never done, and that she positively Swore that I did it, and had often acknowledged it to her. What Impious Insollence; what Prophain breath, dares or aught, ever to appear in defence of her Wickedness and Perjury unless they'll dip in her Impiety: Can any one believe that such Villains, as the Witnesses against me are known to be, fit Instruments to consummate the finishing stroke of Justice.  
By what I have said I do not nor would I be taken to Arraign the Justice of my Country, or the Judges before whom I was Tried: But yet I must beg leave to say that I never heard that the Judges or Juries of England do or ever did claim to be guided in their proceed in Cases of this nature, by any Spirit of Infallibility: For the Lord Cook in his pleas of the crown Reports, a sad Case of a Persons being Condemned and Executed, for the Murder of a Girl, who after the Execution of the party so condemned, was found to be Living, and in perfect Health; Nay a sadder accident yet happened in King Charles the Second Reign, in which 3 Persons viz. the Mother and her two Sons were Condemned, Executed, and Hanged in Chains, for the Murder of a Person who afterwards was found to be Living, and never to be any ways Assaulted, or hurt, by those who were Executed for this Murder.  
All this is known to be evidently True: Innocent Persons you see have been Executed by public Verdicts and Judgements, and yet the Judges nor Juries, no ways blemished, but they must be taken to proceed always according to what is Sworn, whether True or False, is only what God knows, what has happened may happen again, as is most Evident in my Case, who am found Guilty on the Evidences of two Villains who are Guilty of Perjury etc.  
If a Prisoner be Fined more than he is able to Pay, it's the same thing as if they Imprisoned him for Life, which is against Law, and what was thought a grievance in the late Reigns, and against an Act of Parliament of King William and Queen Mary, which says no Man shall be Fined more than he is worth, which is the contents of Magna Carta, and worse than Death, why are there Powers that Barr the Vengeance of such unparallelled Wrongs as mine, it's my Fate to speak Truth and not to be believed, but I am Dumb and shall be glad amongst so many Infidels, to gain one Believer or make one Proselyte.  
There is another thing, which I am neither Committed nor Indicted for, I hear has done me as much Harm as what they charge me with, believing my Enemies could do nothing against me till the beginning of the Sessions, I neglected what ought to a been done against them, to obtain a very Honourable Place, which I certainly had by the Interest of some Persons of Quality, had it not been for this Misfortune, which startled my Friends, and was Music for my Enemies.  
I sent to Mr Gombleton to borrow a Perriwigg, for mine was gone to be altered, every one knows that I did not want one, it was sent me, and I was taken with it on, next Morning, he hearing of my Misfortune, came for it, I told him that it had cost me considerable, to come to the Press Yard, and that they were continually ask me for Money, and tho' I had Money oweing me, yet could I be sure of none, being a Prisoner: That I did not know what occasion I might have, so I hoped he would not take it Ill, if I returned not the Wigg till I had the 10 Guineas I had lent him, when he lost his Money at the Beesset Bank, in Bridges-Street in Covent-Garden, which can be proved by several Gentlemen, who saw me lend him two or three Guineas at a time, as he lost them: He told me that he was to go to Court that Morning, and that he hoped I would have Patience till his Money came out of the Country; I told him I was rather to be pitied than blamed, that I should not have refused him any thing at another time, but in my Circumstances I questioned whether my Debtors would pay me a Farthing of what was owing me.  
He went and brought a Barber dressed like a Gentleman, who Personated his Uncle, whom he told me be longed to Court, and should serve me, and soon get me out, by the Interest he had with the Lord Mayor and most of the City; I told him he could not deny, but that it was a just Debt, and that there was a necessity for me to borrow Tenn Guineas upon it to pay myself at that time, which I should not have done at another, tho' I had been told that he was a very ill pay Master: Then he told me that he believed it was not quite Tenn Guineas, and that he had paid a Guinea, or a Half Guinea, to such a Gentleman, besides what he had paid the House for me, I told him that nothing should induce me to any thing unworthy of a Gentleman, that I would give him a Note under my Hand for what I Received, and we would account when my Misfortunes were over; He gave me Seven Pistoles which he said was all he had, or could get; I gave him my Note for the Receipt of them before my Wife, who Witnessed it, and said what he would do to serve me.  
But he's known to be a lying Boy which he practised at Tunbridge, and had like to a been Beaten for it if he had not denied it, Beaten as he was in the Pit at the Old-Play-House, by Mr. Goodard; he has played a Thousand Tricks in borrowing of Money, in getting  given him by passing for Mrs. Westcombs Son, and is since gone away without paying his Lodgings, which are things rather to be blushed at, than my standing in the Pillory upon a perjured Fellows Evidence.  
Can any one blame me for getting my own of a young Fellow, that had no residence, I that could not follow him, and had so much need of Money, which is the Sinews of all affairs, for one cannot be Hanged a Free cost: I returned him his Wigg tho' he gave me but Seven Pistols and is worth 30 l. which is a Demonstration of my acting Civiler than I ought, seeing I might have done otherwise, but better Men than I, have given way to their Enemies, having been betrayed by Misfortune or oppressed by Multitudes, but he that sinks under Labour or Affliction, the Opinions or Reproaches of Men are overcome by their own Effeminacy and Softness.  
What Noise is this that's been made about my supposed Crimes? cannot our Capital, or our Laws, be saved, or a young Man ruined without making use of perjured, Wretches which no one can no more understand, than a Cuckoo the making of a Cabinet, Where will designed, Envy, Malice, and Impudence run? consider of it by Common Law which says no Man shall be Tried, but by Judges, upon their Oaths; and without prejudice that if his Judges or Jury err against him they are punishable, and in the Person of the King, we'll deny Justice to no particular Person, neither shall a Subject be Tried by perjudiced Persons, or Condemned without undoubted, and clear proofs: I hope I shall not be blamed, my being a true English Man, and speaking plain English, tho' unfortunate, for it never was pretended by any Man, or will it be asserted by any Creature, that understands himself or the constitutions of the Government of this Kingdom, that a Subject can or aught to be Buried alive in Prison, for Misdeamenor, or Fined one more than he is worth; they tell me ' its against Common Law, Magna Carta, and Thirty Seven Acts of Parliament; No Act of Parliament is allowed binding against Magna Carta, which is the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom: I could say more to the purpose and which could infinitely clear me of all, but I dare not, and therefore shall only beg the Town will inform themselves if my Sister has not Married for the secret Services he did her against me, Mr. Allen I mean the Sub-Ordinary of Newgate, or is not to be soon Married, and if they find he is Married to her, let them believe me Guilty if they can; especially if they will but Inquire how often the said Allen and my Sister with several of her Neighbours, was with, and Treated this Jones alias Ambrell, alias Clement, in Disguise in Newgate; what means was used by them, but espicially by this Allen's carrying Letters to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Mr. Recorder and others, what Tricks he played with this Jones, to Engage him to Swear against me, as well as with all the poor Prisoners by telling them he would save their Lives, if they, or their Friends would give what Money Fate had left them, which when done, he never more appeared: If he did not get Two Guineas of Mr. Squib to save Mr. Nortons' Life that Poisoned himself, or what he wheedled Sr. George out of, by telling him what Interest he had with the Arch Bishop; let the World but Inquire of every Prisoner, or Person that has had to do with him apart, they'll then no longer wonder at my being found Guilty; I most humbly beg the World will but take notice that I have not a Creature that Swears against me, or said the least thing against my Reputation, but those who owned themselves Perjured and are of no Credit or Reputation, so I may be Innocent. My Sister is notoriously Forsworn; First in denying her Husband's Hand Writing, or the 105 Guineas being lent tho' she owned it before: Secondly for Swearing I hung the Gallows in Mourning; when it was never done, this deserves much more my punishment, for making a poor Boy who owned it in his Fright in the presence of several, who are ready to make Affidavit of it, that she had made him Forswear himself against me; what Bribes she gives from time to time, to get me Ill used in hopes to bring me by Poverty and other Miseries to own myself Guilty, which I'll rather Die than do, I am in hopes to learn in time, who it was that undertook to Poison me, Mr. Allen had not been gone a quarter of an Hour, but I was Invited to Drink hot Ale and Brandy (which is what is Drunk there) and I accepted, but finding it taste oddly I threw it down, the Dog licking some of it up Died immediately, as can be proved by several, as well as my finding myself Ill and taking counter Poison; not that I have any other reason in the World to desire to Live, than that of Clearing myself, which I do assure my Reader shall be the whole study of my Life; being assured that my past Indiscretions cannot but prove a knowing Pilot to my future Conduct; And I am so far from complaining of my Judges, or Juries that I am sure they did me justice, and can't Act otherwise, than according to their Evidence, I return them my most humble thanks, and am troubled at nothing so much as at my Passion, for which tho' I perish here, it cannot be too great an Atonement: My not being used to be thought Guilty of such Crimes as what they charged me with, and seeing the Justices before whom I was first brought, and my Judges and Juries give Credit to what my Enemies Swore, made me (who had always lived like a Gentleman) Distracted, and now renders me (who cannot think of what I am acused of, without the greatest Horror and concern Imaginable) uncapable of Writing as I should, or making my Innocency appear as I ought.  
Tho Mr. Allen the Famous Sub-Ordinary of Newgat's Name being set to a Paper lately Printed, and Entitled the Last Dying Speech of John Larken, alias Young, be a sufficient reason for the World to suspect the Truth of it, from him who is accustomed to make Dying Men, Speak what they never knew or thought of; yet will I leave my Readers to Judge, if I Rail, or so much as Mention, the Right Honourable the Lord Chief Baron, etc. or how it can be possible, Larken, should know whether wh●● he only Copied out for me was true or false? Whether Copying out any Man's Case, can, or ought 〈◊〉 Trouble a Dying Man? or whether the true season was not Mr. Allens fear of being Detected, and what he Catched at, to prevent his Drowning? Whether it be not a Flaming Flamboy, for the World to see his Malice by? An Instance of his having Wronged me by being an Evidence against me: But if he Imagines that speaking Truth or doing what I can, to make my Innocency appear, be a Crime, it's such a one that I desire to be thought Guilty of, seeing I Live but for that, it's much better to Inquire, when such Monsters, as my Sister and he, with their Adherents Dies, than when, or of whom they were Born.  
I have just now sent me from such poor Wretches on the Common side, (that one would think Invited rather pity, in Mr. Allen, than a desire of Cheating them) several Certificates under their own Hands, too long to be inserted all, tho' the Contents of them are confirmed by almost every one, some are as followeth.  

This is to Certify, that Dr. Allen, Cheated me of Nine Shillings and Six Pence, out of 1 l. 10 s. sent me by my Relations.  
Witness my Hand. Herbert Herring.   

This is to Certify, that Mr. Allen did Cheat me of Five Shillings, under pretence of being my Friend, when I was Tried at the Old Bailie, to say I could Read my Neck Verss, when I could not Read at all, but the said Allen kept my Money and did do me no service.  
The Mark of John † Friar.   

Captain Newey,  
Mr. Allen has just been with Mr. Barbiston, and told him, that he has got you in Prison for your whole Life, so that neither Barbiston, nor Bennet, will Certify what they know, for fear.  
Yours Nail.   

Honoured Sr.  
I must humbly Beg, you'll excuse me, till I can get my Liberty, of Certifying under my Hand what Tricks Mr. Allen used, to persuade Jones when on our side, to make himself an Evidence against you, it's not only what Jones told me, but what I myself heard, as did others: Mr. Allen is known by the Keepers and every one, to have been very often with Jones, alone in the Cellar, when several of us asked Jones why he would Swear against you: He said if he did not do it others would, and that you were a Dead Man, and that he must do it, or he was ruined for ever. When I am out, I will make Affidavit of what I know; but I believe Captain Heart, who is Mr. Allens Country Man, can do you a great deal of good, only he's afraid: He has often said you were the most wronged of any one Living.  
Yours   
Mr. Allen had Two Shillings given him in presence of several, by a Gentleman to give such poor Prisoners, who were Perishing on the Common side; he not knowing who were objects of Charity: Mr. Allen disposed of one of them, amongst Three or Four, but kept the other, and Drunk it at the Bar; this can be Certified by Fifty: The World sees, all the Witnesses against me, are of Scandalous Lives, and Conversations, Jones owned himself Perjured, Hollingworth owned it likewise, and Mr. Allen the promoter we find of a clear Character, but something like Jones, who he topped upon me, and pretended to have Converted, as the said Allen Swore at my Trial. But why ought I to value (at this rate) what the Mobb, or they say, or think of me, whose Manners, and Language smell so Entirely of their Crimes and Vices; it's not that sort I'd Please, or be thought well of by, but Si de me Cato si Lelius sapiens si allter, Cato si duo scipiones ista Lonquerentur. If a Man of Merit, or Goodness of his own knowledge, should Report these things of me, I'd then reason to be Afflicted; but they are those who have lost their Honours, and Consciences: They that Reproaches us with any thing we are not Guilty of, tells us we ought to Afflict ourselves no more, then if they told us we were Sick when we were well; the Distance is not great from Evil to Good; and there is in every Man a Thousand Imprefections, which Balances, what he has that is Good: So Men ought not to Triumph at the rate they do, over the Miserable or Unfortunate, but bless God they are not Worse, and Conclude that what Merit soever they have; what Favours so ever Fortune does them; what high Rank soever they see themselves Raised to by their Birth, or Exploits, that they are not sure of Preserving themselves, or what they have one poor Month: I shall Conclude having (I am afraid) Transgressed, by saying no Mortal has been more Wronged, and Imploring the World to rest assured, that nothing shall ever be omitted by me, to make my Innocency appear, or retrieve what's Blackened; being not in Reality what I am Represented; but Unfortunate.  
Newey.  
FINIS.