Mr. ALLEN's Vindication; OR; REMARKS upon a late Scandalous PAMPHLET, Entitled, A strange and New Discovery, etc.  
Sir,  
HAving lately perused a Scandalous Pamphlet, reflecting on Mr. Allen Ordinary of Newgate, I thought myself obliged, being a Member of the Church of England, to inquire of several credible Persons, the true Grounds and Reasons for such Reports. And being convinced that Malice and Envy were the Sources from whence such impure Streams flowed, I thought it but Just and Christianlike, to publish to the World the Matter as it appeared to me. But first I beg Mr. Allen's Pardon, especially since I am assured he is now writing his own Defence at large, so that I ought to leave it to his more ingenious Pen. Lampoons and Libels so much in Fashion in this witty Age, are a ready way to murder any Person's Reputation; and indeed the Nature of true Virtue is commonly such, that as the Flame ever bears its Smoke, and the Body its Shadow, so the brightness of Virtue never shines, but hath Disdain or Envy waiting upon it.  
But to come to the Point. I find the Chief stress of the Matter is grounded upon Mr. Allen's being supposed to be the Person, who prevailed with Jones to Swear against Capt. Newey at his Trial. But according to the best Account I can receive from such Circumstances and Persons as are least liable to Mistake, the Matter of Fact is truly Thus: Mr. Allen, according to Custom, a little before the Sessions gins, Visits the Prisoners, and exhorts them to prepare for another World, and such as are Evidences to speak the Truth without Favour or Affection, telling them the Nature of an Oath and what it is. Mr. Charles Newey happened to be with one Jones alias Ambrell in the Master's side, when Mr. Allen came to Visit, and he was reading a Paper to Newey, being the Contents of an Oath he was to swear against Mrs. Newey his Sister-in-Law in Holbourn. Newey stayed and heard the Exhortation, and it was the first time Mr. Allen ever saw Jones. Presently after this, Jones writes a Letter to Justice Ellis, who committed him, importing that he had Business of Great Consequence, and desired to see him. Upon this Justice Ellis went to an adjacent House, and sent for him, where he acquainted him, that he was very sorry for what he had done, and was willing to confess the Truth, which was, that Newey was to give him ten Guineas to swear High Treason against his Sister, viz. That he actually saw her Coin Half Crowns, and that he was to put them off; whereas indeed he never saw Mrs. Newey at all, till such time he had been Suborned by the Captain. That he the said Jones went before Sir Robert Jefferies, and swore the same by the Name of Ambrell, being persuaded to it by the Captain, that they might have the better Pretence to carry on their Matters, by having two Witnesses to one Fact. That he was also to swear himself to be the Husband of one Hannah Goodridge, to whom Newey had been married some Years before, and that he left her because she would have poisoned him. For the Truth of this, I must refer myself to the Worshipful Justice Ellis, who lives near St. Giles' Church.  
A small time after Newey himself was committed Prisoner to Newgate, and being in the Press-Yard, insinuates himself into the Company of Mr. Allen, and frequently importuned him to go to his Sister-in-Law, whom Mr. Allen had never seen, having himself at that time a Wife living. So that his Marriage which happened with Mrs. Newey very lately, could not be the Price and Purchase of Mr. Allen's prevailing with Jones to be an Evidence against him, as he pretends in his Pamphlet. At length being prevailed upon by frequent Entreaties, Mr. Allen went to his Sister in behalf of the said Newey, being accompanied by Capt. Isaac, who lives in Holbourn, and others of Newey's Relations and Acquaintance. She returned for Answer, that she could do nothing without Advice of Counsel. After this, Mr. Newey writes a Letter to Mr. Allen, the Original whereof is now in Mr. Allen's Hands, and contains what followeth.  
Dear SIR,  
NOT knowing any one readier to serve a Gentleman in Distress than yourself, and having but few Friends, occasions my giving you this Trouble, to beg for God's sake you'll assist me, by Speaking or Doing what you think proper to the Recorder or Lord Mayor, or with any other Person; which Favour, I will rather die than not Acknowledge with the Hazard of ten thousand Lives, if I had them, who am, and always was by Inclination,  
Dear Sir, Your most humble Servant to Command, whilst CHAR. NEWEY. From the Press-Yard.  
Superscribed, To the Reverend Dr. Allen at his Lodgings. Present.  
Mr. Allen was his Friend at that time, and did what in him lay to serve him; and I cannot but Note how well he Requites him for it. That I pass by in short, and only observe in the Whole, that it appears Mr. Allen was a perfect Stranger to Mrs. Newey at the time this Discovery was made to Justice Ellis; and therefore, what he would infer from it, being built upon a wrong Foundation, does utterly fall to the ground. As to what is said concerning Mr. Allen's being an Evidence against him, there is no more in it, than that the Court, upon Newey's Trial, asked Jones how he came to discover the Matter to Justice Ellis. He told them he was convinced of the Danger of taking a false Oath by the Exhortation of Mr. Allen, a little before the Sessions began, which was the same time the Captain was present, as he owned at his Trial. The Court desired Mr. Allen to declare upon Oath, whether he had made such Exhortation, and he answered, Yes, which is all the Evidence Mr. Allen ever gave, notwithstanding he makes so great a Noise about it in his Pamphlets.  
The 2d thing Mr. Allen is charged with, is taking Money from Joseph Fisher and John Davis lately Ezecuted, under pretence of saving their Lives. The Truth I find to be this. Marry Fisher, Wife of Joseph Fisher, came to Mr. Allen about Eleven of the Clock, the Day before the Execution, and gave him a Petition, and put 2 Guineas in his Hand, entreating him with many Tears, to put her in a way to get a Reprieve for her Husband. To which Mr. Allen's Answer was, that he could do her no Service therein, and was unacquainted with those things, and so gave her the Money back again. On Saturday, May 25th between 6 and 7 in the Afternoon, Marry Fisher came again to Mr. Allen, and told him, that as she was going through Newgate, one of the Prisoners called to her, and told her, that Capt. Newey in the Press-Yard, would speak with her. Accordingly she went, and after some Discourse, he desired her to swear before a Magistrate, that Mr. Allen defrauded her of 2 Guineas, under Pretence of saving her. Husband's Life, which, as she said, she refused; and in order to get from him, promised to return in 2 Hours. Instead of returning she went directly to Mr. Allen, and acquainted him with Newey's Intention, and voluntarily made an Affidavit of the Truth thereof. Mr. Harvey, a Gentleman of Reputation, who lives in Red-Lion-Fields, drew up the Affidavit, and read it to her distinctly and deliberately. She replied, it was very true, and so signed it. Mr. Harvey's Clerk went along with her before Judge Gould; his Clerk asked her whether she had heard the Contents read, and she said Yes, and that they were very true, and are as followeth.  
Marry Fisher of the Parish of Stepney in the County of Middlesex, late Wife of Joseph Fisher, deceased, maketh Oath, that she this Deponent, did apply herself to Mr. Allen, Ordinary of Newgate, to put her in a way to get a Reprieve for her Husband a Prisoner in Newgate, then under Sentence of Death, and gave him 2 Guineas; but that he the said Mr. Allen, told her, he could do her no Service therein, for he was unacquainted with those Concerns, and gave her the 2 Guineas again.  
The Mark of M Mary Fisher. Coram me. H. Gould. Jurat May 25.  
The Day following being Sunday Mr. Allen acquainted Newey with what Fisher had told him, and read him the Affidavit; he was so concerned, that he sent for the Woman the next day, and told her Mr. Allen had abused her, and prevailed with her so far, that at his Request she went before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and deposed that Mr. Allen had forced her to take the said Oath before Judge Gold. Whereas Mr. Harvey and his Clerk did affirm and they were ready to depose that Mr. Allen, did not go with her, nor stir out of the Chamber when she made the aforesaid Affidavit, his Chambers being in Fleetstreet, and the Judges in Chancery-Lane; which in the Opinion of every unprejudiced Person that I have conversed with, does fully enough clear the Reputation of Mr. Allen as to that Point; tho' it is an unhappy Circumstance for a Minister to have to do with Persons of such profligate Consciences, as will Swear and then Forswear, for a small Gratuity.  
I find Mr. Allen accused also with taking 40 s. from John Davis, who was lately executed; as also 20 from his Wife. I have enquired into this Matter, and find no Evidence but Davis his Wife, who only says, that she heard her Husband say so. I am unwilling to reflect on the Dead; but 'tis well known what a Person this Davis was. It seems he was a Minister's Son in the North, near the Place where Mr. Allen was born, and desired him with great Earnestness not to give any Account of his Disaster to his Parents by Letter, his true Name being Shirley; and upon this account sent 20 s. to Mr. Allen, to buy him a Mourning Ring by his Wife's Hand, which Mr. Allen, in my Opinion, very imprudently returned her at the Request of the Lord Mayor; and especially, seeing he has discharged that painful and laborious Office a Year and 3 Quarters, and has received but one Quarter's Salary of the Whole, as I am informed by several.  
Thus, I have given a true Account of the Matters of Fact as they are in themselves, and can be Attested by Persons of unquestionable Reputation, and shall only add, that what I find in another Paper, concerning Brabazon's giving Mr. Allen Money, has no appearance of Truth, he being now a Convict in Newgate, that lies for Transportation; and I am very well assured that Mr. Allen has formerly paid this Man's Fees out of mere Charity, and so set him at Liberty once before.  
I am Yours A. B.   

ADVERTISEMENT.  
Next Week will be published a short Account of the Life and Conversation of the pretended Capt. Charles Newey, writ by a Person well known to him.   

LONDON, Printed in the Year 1700.