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 C7%2^ $k*.J<^ 
 
 THE 
 
 LIFE AND MEMOIRS 
 
 OF 
 
 MISS ROMERTSOJV, 
 
 OF 
 
 jmacityeatg). 
 
 FAITHFULLY RECORDED BY HER TO THE BEST OF HER 
 KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF, 
 
 WITH HER PORTRAIT BY HOPWOOD. 
 
 EXITUS ACTA PROBAT. 
 
 '*. In Macedon, when Alexander reign'd, 
 And vuft'ry after vi&'ry was gain'd, 
 ^he Greek gazettes (for they had papers there). 
 Publifhed a thoufand fibs, as they do here." 
 
 Hontton : 
 
 PRINTED BY W. BURTON, FOR C. SHARPE, 
 
 AND MAY BE HAD OF THE AUTHOR IN THE FLEET, 
 
 SOLD ALSO BY THE PRINTER, 82, FETTER LANE. 
 
 Price 4s. 
 
 CntereTi M&mitmW'p&lU 
 
 1802.
 
 MISS ROBERTSON respectfully informs the Public, 
 that every copy of this work that is sold for the benefit of 
 her friend and self, is signed by them, in red ink, on the last 
 page. 
 
 Any bookseller selling them without the signature will 
 be prosecuted for pirating the work. This precaution is 
 taken to prevent a spurious edition; and twelve copies or 
 their value, will be given to the informer.
 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 MlSS ROBERTSON having been repeatedly asked 
 for the following Narrative, submits it to the Public: 
 accuracy of style she hopes may be dispensed with. Ill- 
 ness and affliction are bad companions for study. The 
 circumstances in many respects are very painful; they are 
 facts; she relates them as such, with no ill-will towards 
 any of the parties whose conduct is related. If they are 
 here exposed, she has been a sufferer by them. They have 
 distressed, vilified, and injured her, even while they par- 
 took of her bounty. Her greatest enemies have been 
 those to whom she has looked for protection, and those 
 who had gained her confidence to betray it, and put the 
 emoluments in their pocket. The parties are (if not all 
 of them living), many of them not far distant; they can- 
 not deny the facts while testimony is against them, and if 
 they say any thing I have here advanced is only a suspi- 
 cion, or surmise, let them prove it to be so, by satisfac- 
 tory evidence to the contrary. 
 
 And any person to whose mind some circumstances may 
 be recalled by this, will find Miss Robertson highly sen- 
 sible of the favor of their communications. Many may 
 now be living who are lovers of justice, and would be glad 
 to see her enjoy what is her right.
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page ii. 1. 3. for of the house," read *'in the house.' 
 35. 1. 8. read " of no consequence." 
 37. 1. 4. dele " me." 
 45. 1. 7. from bottom, dele ** deep." 
 5. I. 3. for * he," read "we." 
 58. L 7. from bottom, for " Hill," read " Hardy." 
 68. 1. 6. for removed," read "recovered." 
 78. L 9. read " to apply." 
 

 
 MEMOIRS 
 
 Op 
 
 Miss Robertson. 
 
 * { I will unfold a tale, though strange yet thue; 
 The application muft be made by you." 
 
 HPHAT I had a father cannot be difputed ; but 
 from his teftimony I cannot inform the reader of 
 what kindred or country he is. He never introdu- 
 ced me to any relative of his ; nor did I ever hear 
 my mother, or any of her children, fpeak of my 
 father's family*, or hear him converfe of the man 
 
 * The reader will think this flrange; for if he had been left 
 an orphan early, or even dropped at fomebody's door, or edu- 
 cated in a fondling hofpital, it is molt probable, at fome period 
 or other, fome of the circumflances would have been named ; 
 as no one is cenfurable for the manner in which they are intro- 
 duced, but for their conducl in life. But 
 
 " Thereby hangs a tale.."
 
 ner in which he was educated and brought up. In 
 the year 1767 or 1768 he was inLondon, by trade an 
 oilman, refident in Horflydown : he ferved no ap- 
 prenticefhip that I ever heard of; nor do I believe 
 my mother ever knew who he was, or where he 
 came from. He married Eliza Earle, whofe father 
 was a woollen-draper, a man of confiderable proper- 
 ty. I have no reafon to believe it could be a match 
 of affection, as no one could be more regardlefs of 
 her hufband's intereft, and the welfare of his chil- 
 dren. 
 
 When a man is encumbered with a wife who is 
 feldom (if ever) fit to be feen, and thofe who have 
 bufinefs with the hufband (in his abfence) can fee 
 no rational perfon, whofe intereft in his concerns will 
 lead her to fubftitute herfelf for the moment of en- 
 quiry, I fear he will find, hirelings pay little regard; 
 and that his cuftomers, after a few fuch difappoint- 
 ments, will go elfewhere. 
 
 This was my father's cafe ; he had a wife, no 
 man's houfe is furnifhed 'without ; but 1 believe he 
 had not a more ufelefs piece of furniture in it. In- 
 dependent of her neglect of his bufinefs, fhe neglect- 
 ed her ezcn ; her houfe, her children, were quite en 
 
 fitite*
 
 fuite. And though fhe had as many fingers as moft 
 people, and had been taught the ufe of them in a 
 tolerable education, I am fure, (fince I can recollect) 
 they were never injured by induftry. Her conduct 
 (as is always the cafe) led to continual jarrings ; and 
 if Mr. Earle* had not been an old man, not likely 
 to live long, I think they would not have lived long 
 together. However, they have many years antici- 
 pated his death, as it only took place in 1801. 
 
 This woman, who claims the honour of bringing 
 me into the world, has ever been my mod inveterate 
 and cruel enemy, I believe on account of the little 
 refemblance I bear to her. But as I have, from 
 miftaken companion, of late years, largely contri- 
 buted to her fupport, I vainly hoped I was entitled, 
 if not to fome gratitude, at leaft to filence. Nor 
 
 * Her father. Since I can recollect any thing, this old man 
 always appeared exactly the fame ; he was very penurious, and 
 a moft excentric character. He refided fome time at Lee and 
 Lewifham in Kent, and fome years ago built a vault for him- 
 felf at Lee. After being many years a widower, he married, 
 1775, his fervant, a girl from Gloucester, who did him the ho- 
 nour of fathering a daughter upon him. My mother is his only 
 iffue by his firlt wife: me married without her father's confent^ 
 and there was never any cordiality between my father and the 
 oldman. 
 
 p 3r could
 
 could I fuppofe fhe would be one edged' tool (harp- 
 ened againft my life and intereft. 
 
 I am their eldeft furviving child ; I received very 
 little education at their expence (one year only) with 
 Mrs. L'heureux*. At the time of my birth, 1771 f> 
 my father was in a good way of bufinefs, and likely 
 to provide handfomely for his family ; but making 
 foap without paying duty, he had all his effects 
 feized for the penalties. He retired with his family 
 to a fmall farm, near Sawbridgeworth, and after- 
 wards, about 1776, he again fettled in a foap manu- 
 factory at Stratford. There, through the influence 
 of my grandfather Earle, he gained confiderable 
 credit, and was, for fome years, fuccefsful ; he had 
 a very pretty farm contiguous to his manufactory ; 
 there he built ftables and offices, and kept a chaife, 
 which was exchanged for the fafhion annually ; and 
 tho' furroumled by the excife, he never entered one. 
 
 * Befides fome occafional attendance at a day fchool. 
 
 f When only two years old, this imprudent and regardlefs 
 mother put me into a ftage coach to fend me to a godmother's, 
 thirty miles diftant, who was very kind to me. I believe the 
 coachman forgot the direction ; for I was loft on this excurfion, 
 but found in the hands of a lady who proved extremely kind 
 to me afterwards.- 
 
 In
 
 In the year 1787 I had received what education 
 they thought proper to give me ; and any place being 
 better than home with fiich a mother, I at Midfum- 
 mer engaged my felf as teacher to a lady at Richmond, 
 who was well eftablifhed and refpected. In a few 
 months, fhe offered to take me in as a partner, and 
 wifhed my father to advance 40/. in conlideration of 
 a younger fifter receiving her education in the houfe : 
 if he had kept the money and her away, I might have 
 been very comfortable ; but little could be expected 
 from children brought up under fuch an idle and dif- 
 folute mother; ' therefore my fifter, inftead of being 
 the pupil, afTumed the miftrefs, which caufed conti- 
 - nual distentions between my ^partner and felf. In 
 confequence of this, at Chriftmas, 1788, my father 
 took a houfe in Sloane-ftreet, Chelfea, where he 
 thought all his children might be educated by me, 
 and yet all be niiftreffeo! Though this plan was fo 
 abfurd, in a few weeks I had nineteen of the mod 
 refpe&able children in the neighbourhood . 
 
 At Midfummer following, my father had all his 
 effects feized by the excife again. Juft before this 
 happened, the linen-draper, who had furnifhed the 
 twufe with linen, returned me a bill of 30/. of my 
 
 s 3 father's*
 
 10 
 
 father's, and arretted me for the money, fuppofinghe 
 was more likely to get it of me than him. He 
 would have taken 25 /. for the debt, but my father 
 would defend the action by guardian, as I was a 
 minor. He therefore procured bail, and fuffered it 
 to be tried ; a verdict was given for 25/*.; but my 
 father would not then pay it ; but took me home 
 with him, he then being a prifoner in the rules of the 
 King's Bench-f . 
 
 Some of his creditors had arretted him when his 
 effects were feized. At or about the time of trial 
 before mentioned, he tcok a broker into the houfe at 
 Chelfea, and had money advanced on the goods, 
 which he fold off by auction j", and my father ap- 
 plied the money to his own ufe : he paid the rent, 
 
 * I have fmce paid upwards of 200/. for the debt and cofts, 
 &c. through this obilinate and unjuit proceeding of my father, 
 
 f In a few days I arranged a mode of payment by inftal- 
 ments, and - ot rid of the buiinefs. I afterwards paid princi- 
 pal, coits, and intereit. 
 
 Every circumftance that is here related is ftrictly true, and I 
 believe the dates accurate, according to the bell of my know- 
 ledge. Nor would I ever have repeated thefe things, fo pain- 
 ful to me, and difgraceful to them, did not juftice call for it. 
 
 i Mr. Walker, of Queen-ftreet, Lincoln's Inn-fields. 
 
 but
 
 11 
 
 but left me to be anfwerable for fuch goods or pro- 
 vifions as had beenufed in the houfe. Many of the 
 articles of the houfe I had bought with the income 
 of the fchool, and fome I had of tradefmen, againft 
 whom I had an account for their children, and they 
 took that and left me unmolefted. There might be 
 fome few .things unfettled, but I do not know of any 
 thing of confequence. 
 
 I might have fucceeded very well ; and many peo- 
 ple were fo much exafperated at my Father: that 
 they would have re eftablifhed me if I would have 
 profecuted him : had 1 followed their advice I might 
 have efcaped many recent injuries that I have recei- 
 ved from the fame quarter; but I could not help feel- 
 ing for him; he was under the preffure of misfortune 
 at the time. The money did him no good, for he 
 foon got rid of it all in St. George's Fields, While 
 a prifoner there, he took a fecret journey * to Scot- 
 land! and was gone fix weeks. Two tradefmen 
 with families were his fecurities. Here was rectitude 
 and principle! But, reader, you (hall hear more: juft 
 before he left Stratford, in order to efcape an arrefl, he 
 
 * The object of this journey I jiever could learn, but am cer- 
 tain it took place. 
 
 B 4 per-
 
 12 
 
 perfuaded me tofign a fecurity to a Merchant* for a 
 confiderable debt of his, as I had a profpecl: of fuo 
 ceeding in my feminary, and the expectation of a for- 
 tune from my grandfather. 
 
 I think thofe who have the feelings of parents muft 
 be impreft with ajuft deteftation at fuch a recital; a 
 man to involve his children in his imprudencies, and 
 thus, as it were, diain a clog to them to drag through 
 life, provided he could poffefs a temporary accom- 
 modation!! I hope fuch unnatural cafes do not often 
 occur j I have had reafon to lament it did in this in- 
 stance. 
 
 Turned by this unfeeling man out of the comfort- 
 able eftablifhment I had in poffefiion, at the early 
 age-f of eighteen, few young people might have had 
 Sufficient fortitude to ftruggb in the paths of vir- 
 tue. 
 
 After (without foliciting my father's concurrence) 
 I had fettled the debt for which I had been fued, my 
 object was to feek an afylum. Mr. and Mrs. Watfon, 
 
 Mr. Larkin, of St. JohnVftreet, Smi thfield.3 His atlor- 
 tiies Meflrs. Lyons, Gray 's Inn. 
 
 f November, 178f. 
 
 Of
 
 . 13 
 
 of Weftminfter*, whofe daughter had been under my 
 care, kindly offered me every accommodation till a 
 fukable fituation appeared. While under their roofi 
 a gentlrnan f, who had two little children placed with 
 me at Chelfea, and who had five more ! had the info- 
 lenceand cruelty to offer me 200/. a year, and a neat 
 furnifhed houfe, in order, as he faid, to be rid at times 
 of a troubleTome wife, whom this wretch had married 
 for her money ! Shocked and difgufted, I waited up- 
 on the lady's father, with his letters, thinking it 
 right he mould know the fituatiori his daughter and 
 her children were in, and that he might be guarded 
 againft leaving much of their property in the power of 
 one who would convert it to fuch bafe purpofes. 
 
 This family foon after recommended me to the 
 Hon. Mrs. Cunningham, of Donaghadee, to educate 
 her daughters, and I accompanied her to Scotland. 
 
 * I hope any of the families here mentioned will not fuppofe 
 I mean any difrefpecT: in mentioning them : I have long been 
 filent . no perfon ever fuffered fomuch from unfounded calum- 
 ny, and to prove the facts, names are requifite. The parties 
 cannot deny or confute what I have ftatd. Thofe who have 
 acted moll vilely themfelves are the people who have traduced 
 me. Here let them view themfelves. 
 
 f J. Flowerdew, Efq. 
 
 Of
 
 14 
 
 Of this opportunity I was very glad, being always 
 fearful of Larkin's bond. Mrs. Cunningham was 
 made acquainted with fome of my Father's tranfac- 
 tions -, and on afking where he came from, what fami- 
 ly he was of, &c. and I not being able to inform her, 
 fhe became more inquifitive. It was remarkable 
 that the families who vifited her and faw me, fre- 
 quently alked her if I was a relation from the north ; 
 the Lkenefs was moil ftriking, and the voice and man- 
 ner very fimilar. I foon learnt from Mrs. Cunning- 
 ham that her name had been Robertfon; (he hinted 
 (he had fufpicions that I might be the ifliie of fome 
 of her difperfed family *. This induced Mrs. Cun- 
 ningham to endeavour to learn fome particulars of 
 my fatherj hut I never could get him into con- 
 vention on the fubjed of his origin. Efieemed 
 
 * They took up arms againft George I. 1716, and oppofed 
 his fucceflion, but by whom our religious privileges were hand- 
 ed down to us, as we now'enjoy them. They again took up 
 arms in favour of the young pretender in 1 745 and 6. The 
 rebels were defeated, and their property conlifcated. Since an 
 act has paifed for the reltoration of their property, with fome 
 exceptions. But I fear, though their claims are juft, their 
 hands are flained, and fome circumftances prevent their feek- 
 
 ing juftice in one inftance, left they meet it in another. 
 
 Their heirs do not inherit their guilt. 
 
 and
 
 15 
 
 and careffed by Mrs. Cunningham and honored with 
 the evident attention of her fon, I thought now my 
 happinefs was fecure, but Mr. R. Cunningham act- 
 ing his father's permiflion to pay his addrefles to me, 
 he pofitively refufed. Robert ufed every argument; 
 told his father his pay (being in the army) would 
 keep a wife, he did not want riches, he wanted a com- 
 panion; if he only wifhed for a ftatue to ornament 
 his houfe,.he could buy one for a trifle at Coades's, 
 that could do no mifchief. We tried every means, 
 but could not accomplifli the end; and I left the 
 family in about five months*, 
 
 I then engaged myfelf in a very refpedlable femi- 
 nary at Tottenham Croft, but Roberts horfe by in- 
 ftin6V. often trotted to the nunnery gate : a kind houfe- 
 maid would take a letter through the chinks, and, 
 forgive me reader, if I once or twice fent one in re- 
 ply : but unfortunately coming one Sunday in Octo- 
 ber, juft as the little m-ffes in their clean white frocks 
 were going to church, the old duenna, mother to the 
 
 * A journal, and many interefting occurrences, written at the 
 time, were left in my fecretary, and fell into the hands of Oak- 
 ley and his men, or Creafy. There were, likewife, many fa- 
 mily anecdotes, and a Tour through Scotland, which, if ever 
 reftored, ihall be added in a future edition. 
 
 I here wifh to acknowledge the kind inftruction I received 
 from the learned Dr. Wm. Robertfon, of Edinburgh. 
 
 lady
 
 16 
 
 lady abbefs was much difpleafed : we differed in con- 
 fequence of it ; for it is hard to reconcile the fenti- 
 mentsof nineteen to the prejudices of eighty. I faw 
 nothing fo tremendous in a virtuous attachment, 
 founded on efteem for each other's mental endow- 
 ments, as (be was pointing outj and I faid I would 
 leave her at Chriftmas. 
 
 But my greateft trial was to come in the interim. 
 Robert was married, on the 27th of November, 
 to a Mifs Kenyon from Ireland, his father poffitively 
 threatening to disinherit him in cafe of refufal. This 
 Affliction was in fome meafure foftened by a letter 
 from his mother, exprelfed in the molt tender terms, 
 promifing me her protection and affiftance ; but 
 alas ! I could not go there to feek it : it was the only 
 fcene I wifhed to avoid *. 
 
 At Chriftmas, as I intended, I left Tottenham, 
 and fcnt my baggage the day before by the errand 
 cart, addreficd to be left till called for : one of my 
 worthy relations, who knew it was coming, went and 
 afked for it in the right name, and it was delivered ; 
 but I never faw or heard any more of it ! It contained 
 my clothes, and various other articles, and fome 
 
 * About this time I received fome emolument from fundry 
 traces, Dialogues, a Child's Grammar, and Sermons for Chil- 
 dren, which I publilhed. 
 
 money.
 
 17 
 
 money. I now appeared quite deftitute and friend- 
 lefs ; but notwithftanding the natural delicacy of my 
 conftitution, I did not 
 
 " Shiver and fhrink at fight of toil and danger,' 1 ' 
 but endeavoured to exert rrryfelf, that I might pro- 
 cure more. In the courfe of a week I engaged 
 myfelf to go into a family in Chefhire, and fet out 
 on my journey. The fatigue of it, with all that I 
 had previoufly undergone, brought on a violent fever 
 and delirium, I teacbed the end of my journey- 
 before any alarming fymptoms came on ; there I 
 was confined fix weeks in a ftrange houfe, and not 
 a creature I knew; but providence fo ordered it, 
 that I had every attention, advice, and afllftance. 
 I continued in this worthy family five years, and 
 left it on account of my health, it being too cold 
 an air ; but did not leave it without regret, and had, 
 
 till the prefent unfortunate affair, fome kind friends 
 there ** 
 
 * Laft April, the lady enclofed me fome of the horrid ac- 
 counts publifbed in the News-papers, of my going about in 
 men's cloaths, &. &c ! Is it not wonderful that there is fuch 
 a propenfity in human nature to believe an ill report? That 
 five years refidence with the party, (during which, andjevery 
 period of uiy life, my conduct and deportment have been mod 
 fcrupuloufly delicate, nor did I ever ufe an unchafte expreffion ) 
 fhould be fuperfeded by a News-pnper paragraph, is fur- 
 prifing ! 
 
 I left
 
 IS 
 
 I left it. at Chriftmas 1794, and in February 
 1795, 1 went to refide with Mifs Sharpc at Crooms 
 Hill, Blackheath. We foon became attached to 
 each other *. 
 
 In Auguft following Mr. Cunningham died, and 
 in December his fon's wife. This circumftance re- 
 vived former hopes ; the family came to town, and I 
 vifited them j but our intimacy was more renewed 
 by one of the young ladies being taker* very ill, 
 and having a very great defire to fee me* I con- 
 fidered Mrs. Cunningham as a mother, and had the 
 moil affectionate refpeb for her. - She always ad- 
 dreffecl me as her dear child, and now allured me 
 of her redoubled afliduities, not only to promote 
 my happinefs, but my inteieft. 
 
 She procured, at a great expence, attefted copies 
 of all her family papers, traced individuals abroad, 
 and retraced them to England ; had advertifements 
 inferted, and rewards offered for information on 
 the fubjeft ;/ and, 1 believe, was well fatisfied I had 
 a prior claim on great patt of her fortune, I being 
 an elder brother's daughter. 
 
 * By Mifs Sharpe I was introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Creafy 
 as her intimate friends. 
 
 Three
 
 , 19 
 
 Three years were fpent in making thefe enquiries. 
 I declined Mr. Cunningham's offer for a time, fearing 
 our affinity might be excluded from the marriage laws; 
 and I could not gain any information from my father *; 
 nor did I wiih him to know any of my concerns. 
 
 During this interval, I was very happy with Mifs 
 Sharpe-f, with whom I had engaged as partner ; but 
 our tranquility was often diilurbed by the imperti- 
 nent interference of aa old woman, who had boarded 
 with Mifs Sharpe : (he was of a very fordid mean 
 difpoimon, and I believe, like a child, was jealous 
 that Mifs Sharpe paid the moft attention to me. 
 She was frequently complaining to our fervants of 
 us; and to us of them. She likewife meddled in 
 the fchool ; but I did not think it was malice ; I 
 
 * Now, if he finds it convenient, he can leave London, 
 as he has plenty of property, but I hope he will firfi: pay 
 Lar kin's bond. 
 
 t Any rational ftranger will be furprifed to hear that I re- 
 fided at Blackheath in that degree of re f peccability ever 
 fince February 1195. Whereas in 1801, the inhabitants made 
 a hue and cry, that I was a fwindler, fome faid a woman in 
 men's clothes, others, a man in woman's clothes ! Yet, the 
 phyfician and two furgeons of the place attended me thofe 
 years in various circumftances, vifited us with their families, 
 and entrufted us with their children ! ! 
 
 only
 
 20 
 
 only attributed it to an officious difpofition. I fear 
 I was miftaken. Mrs. Neale was formerly a mil- 
 liner in Watling Street ; (lie came from Alnwick, 
 and appeared to have had very few advantages of 
 education, and a little mind : her parfimonious dif- 
 pofition induced her to continue * with us as long 
 as we lived at Crooms Hill, and fhe was much dif- 
 pleafed that we would not take her to the Heath. 
 
 In October 1799, I had the misfortune to lofe my 
 revered mother (for fuch fhe was to me,) who had 
 remarried, a fhort time before her deceafe, to Mr. 
 Hill of Lungergreen. Her children-^ remitted me 
 100/. for family mourning. 
 
 As Mrs, Neale had been fome years with us, and 
 been known before by Mifs Sharpe, I made her a 
 prefent of a garter ring, more as a compliment 'to 
 Mifs Sharpe than her, as I was willing to mow, that 
 
 * See the terms, her evidence, &c. in " Who are the Swind- 
 lers ?" and had fhe not, with the molt malicious inveteracy, 
 vilified, and done all that fhe could to incenfe the pub<i 
 againft me, I never fhould have ftated any of thefe fatts, but 
 have filently paffed them over, as the oddities of age, and the 
 want of fenfe. 
 
 f Colonel Cunningham and the Lady of Sir W. H. 
 Pagett, of Summer Hill, who informed me Mrs. Hill had 
 farther confidered me. 
 
 while
 
 21 
 
 while under my roof, I confidered her as one of my 
 family. I made no reprefentation of my property 
 or difclofure of my effects to Mrs. Neale on this 
 occasion, nor did I grant any licence for her tongue to 
 relate, or her head to conceive any. 
 
 My difpofuion was naturally very referved, par- 
 ticularly towards thofe I was by no means partial to. 
 I am fure Mrs. Neale never recommended herfelf 
 as a candidate for my confidence, nor did I ever 
 repcfe any in her. 
 
 She afterwards appeared in court* with this iden- 
 tical ring, to prove me a fwindler ! though I had 
 paid the maker, and (he had given nothing for it. 
 
 In April following, the colonel waited ori me, 
 with his folicitor, and (what he faid was) a copy 
 of Mrs. Hill's will, as far as it related to me, which 
 feemed highly gratifying. With fome other property 
 which was then paid to me,. it fettled on me the eftate 
 of Faikally, which had been a part of her marriage 
 fettlement, but difpofed of by her to a relation for 
 the life pf the furvivor (I fuppofe, for a valuable 
 confideration) as Mrs. Hill never refided on it. 
 Fifhery was farmed, and the houfe uninhabited, and 
 out of repair at her deceafe ; the gentleman who 
 
 * July 1801, as an evidence for Creafy in his defence v. Hay craft. 
 
 c occupied
 
 28 
 
 occupied it having died two years before. This 
 eftate * was now by her will mine, in cafe I married 
 herfoa, but was independent of him or any future 
 engagement I might enter into, in cafe I fulfilled my 
 promife to him. 
 
 Mr. Robertfon of Dalkeith was to fee me in- 
 vefted with the fole right to it, and to ufe his endea- 
 vours for the recovery of confiderable unclaimed 
 property. The colonel expreffed his wifh, that it 
 might not be - named how the property became 
 mine, as he did not wi(h to gratify the relations of 
 his firft wife, who had fome jealoufies about the pro- 
 perty of his two infant daughters. I did not mention 
 the circumftances to Mifs Sharpe,> and fhe was not 
 prefent at this mterview, being engaged in ordering 
 fandwiches, &c. Is it probable I mould acquaint 
 my tradefmen ? Or was it neceffary I fhould make a 
 pubiic proclamation of it by herald Neale, fpinfter ? 
 
 * Faflcally is near Blair, in Perthflnre; it lies in a beautiful 
 vale, beyond the Pafs of Killicranki is watered by the Tum- 
 mel. I believe it has been fold under a power of factory 
 without my confent, and Mr. Robertfon is liable to the penalty 
 of his bond. But Martyr and Co. prevent ray acting, and 
 feeking redrefs, by keeping me in confinement ; they fay 
 they have clubbed together to keep me for life. 
 
 I fear
 
 25 
 
 I fear a degree of deafnefs fhe has, made her mif- 
 take the cireumflances, or that her volubility in- 
 duced her to relate it differently, or that her memory 
 had loft its elafticity at the time. The feecly* 
 flowers of her rhetoric in this cafe, produced a 
 motley crop. She had better have warned it down 
 with the waters of Lethcj as fhe did a bonnet, and 
 fomc other articles fhe had bought of me, for fear 
 fhould recollect they were not paid for. 
 
 In May, Mr. Robertfon of Dalkeith came to 
 Grooms Hill, and in the moft friendly terms af- 
 fured me, he would willingly accept the truft com- 
 mitted to him by his fifter, as foon as he was in 
 pofTeffion of all the cireumflances her will alluded 
 to i but he found fome months would be requifite to 
 fettle her concerns. After making me fome pre- 
 fents, he left town in a few days. 
 
 Our houfe at Crooms Hill being very old, and 
 the roof very indifferent, &c. and a very fhort 
 period of our leafe being unexpired, we thought it 
 advifable to be enquiring for another. I urged 
 
 * Mrs- Neale always, fays I feed, for I faw ; but fhe has 
 ufed her faw to me, even the keen cruel edge of her uneven 
 tongue. 
 
 e a this,
 
 9* 
 
 this, as I wlQied by all means Mifs Sharpc mould 
 
 have a very genteel and comfortable eftablifhment. 
 
 After looking at feveral, (he fixed on one in the 
 
 Paragon, for which we agreed with Mr. Searles, 
 
 furveyor, who had been concerned in building it. 
 
 The one we agreed for, was about falling into the 
 
 hands of Mr. Cator, the land owner, in confe- 
 
 quence of a mortgage. We had his agreement 
 
 figned to make our title clear, in cafe we chofe to 
 
 purchafe it within three years, or clfe we were to 
 
 have a leafe of twenty-eight years*. 
 
 Not a creature had at this time heard me men- 
 tion any eftates. Monk-}- the painter was fo defir- 
 ous of having all the houfe to finifh, that I believe 
 he gave another fomcthing for ajharc ; to whom 
 I had promifed half the work. 
 
 Monk had been employed by us for jobs and re- 
 pairs during our refidence at Crooms Hill. He 
 
 * Mr. Searles was fo fanguine in the bufinefs, that he fet 
 the men to work feveral days before the agreement was exe- 
 cuted. No further reprefentation of property was made to 
 him, than that I meant to expend 400/. on it, and he promifed 
 it fhould be ready in July 1800. 
 
 f His aclion again ft me is for bSll. 15/. llJ. exclufive of 
 130/. I gave him on account. He never delivered a bill, though 
 I appJied for it at Chriftmas, as I did for all the bills. 
 
 knew
 
 2.5 
 
 knew where we came from, as he had put our names 
 on the door. Jones * had been foreman to the brick- 
 layer we at firft employed^ he folicited our bufincfs 
 while at Crooms Hill. Monk begged of me to 
 employ Martyr in preference to another I had partly 
 engaged. I told Martyr -j* I intended to expend 
 400/. on the houfe. 
 
 This houfe was taken in the joint names of Mifs 
 Sharpe and myfelf, and no one knew but what we 
 intended carrying on the fchool jointly, as we con- 
 
 * His action is for 821 /. 12/. S\d. exclufive of 100/. I gave 
 him on account. I have not had any bill from him. 
 
 f He arretted me for 1193/. lie. 3d. but Iknovvnot what for ; 
 thefe men have fued me at the joint expenfe of all my credi- 
 tors; they call it a club, to keep themfelves and me out of 
 the property ; this is the wifdom of Martyr the carpenter, who 
 is Chief Conful in this bufinefs. He has a fon, an attorney, 
 who has made a bill of 123 k in the names of my joint credi- 
 tors : to this bill is added a poftcript of 44/. 15/. of further 
 expences in procuring me to be arretted., figned in form, Ever- 
 ett and Martyr. 
 
 There are writs for counties .and cities by wholefale, tho' 
 Sharpe told them the very houfe where to find me, and one 
 writ would have done ; but thefe put fo many more fees in the 
 lawyer's pocket ; and as he was a fon, it was very natural, 
 although fome of the creditors look very cro/s about it. They 
 begin to think a prifon pays no debts ; and while Martyr 
 has drawn them in to pay for his revenge, I can do nothing 
 for them. 
 
 c * tinued
 
 tinned to do at Crooms Hill, till the young people 
 left us for the vacation. Nor did I choofe en ti rely- 
 to give up the fchool, as many things might interfere 
 to prevent my union with the colonel. In July we 
 refignsd the houfe and fixtures, &c. to Mrs. Small- 
 wood of Crooms Hill, who now carries on a fchool 
 there. We had for years fpent our fummer vacati- 
 ons by thefea; but the workmen not proceeding fo 
 fall as was expected, we delayed our journey, and took 
 a lodging in Montpelier Row, which we did not find 
 comfortable; and complaining of it to Mr, and Mrs.. 
 Creafy, (who were very affiduous and feemingry at- 
 tentive to us) they begged of us to come and be at 
 their houfe v till ours was ready ; we confented to go 
 there for a few days previous to our going to Mar- 
 gate, to which place we went for the laft ft rtnight in 
 July. The Paragon houfe went on very flow, and 
 there was little appearance of its being ready to re^ 
 ceive any pupils. Mifs Sharpe had difperfed cards 
 among her friends (and the public) of her intention 
 to take twelve young Ladies on a felecl plan. She 
 engaged a Lady to aflifl in inftrucling them, at a 
 very high falary ; we had one young Lady with us, 
 whom we were obliged to place with Mrs. Smallwood , 
 
 where
 
 27 
 
 where we likewife paid for our teacher's accommoda- 
 tion as parlour boarder, and we declined others. My 
 name was not mentioned in the cards, as I wifhed to 
 decline attending the fchool, and had fuperior prof- 
 peels in view ; but which were very unnecefTary to 
 lay before my carpenter, bricklayer, glazier, &c. &c. 
 I was of age to act for myfelf; and if. I had not been 
 thefe were not my guardians : in fact, they all were 
 feemingly pleafed with their various departments, 
 and feemed to ftretch them as far as they could pofli- 
 bly be extended. Nor had any one the honefty to 
 produce an eftimate or plan, except Mr. Driver who 
 produced his plan, and named his fum ; th&t he abides 
 by it I do not know, for I have not feen 'the bills. 
 We returned from Margate the fecond of Auguft, 
 and as Creafy had been with us at our expence at 
 Margate, I did not refufe Mr. and Mrs. Creafy's in- 
 vitation to ftay a few days at their houfe. Creafy, fup- 
 pofinglhadfome intereft, afked MifsSharpeif I would 
 ufe it to procure him a place*. I think he firft menti- 
 oned it about the time we began to look out for 
 another houfe. He had in confequence offered to 
 give his acceptances for a prefent accommodation, 
 as I was employing feveral tradefmen. I accepted 
 
 * The colonel is in poffeflion of feveral letters of Creafy 's on 
 that fubjecl. 
 
 C 4 thio
 
 28 
 
 this offer, bnt paid the bills as they became due. Juft 
 before we left Crooais Hill I had bought a coach that 
 had been the Earl of Exeter's ; I had it a month on 
 trial; I paid the price for it that was demanded*. 
 Mr.Creafy and his wife extolled the eafe and elegance 
 of this coach; and I believe it was their fubjeel: to 
 every body they faw. As I was there about a monthf 
 they had many rides in it, and Mr. Creafy, whom you 
 will allow to be a judge, faid there was not fuch 
 another in Greenwich. While I was at Creay's, I 
 made them feveral prefents, and Mrs. Crealy folicit- 
 ed the ufe of my fervants, (he being a part of the 
 time without (except a girl who had the care of her 
 child). In the Month of Auguft I loft a letter;}: 1 had 
 received from Scotland, which I had laid on the 
 table in order to anfwer it, &c. I made great en- 
 quiries after it, and could not perceive for what pur- 
 
 - *This, Creafy, in gratitude for the accomodation it afforded 
 him and his family, brought forward in his defence to prove me 
 a fwindler, and to fubftantiate it he produced a footman (who I 
 believe never faw the coach till it was repainted) to fwear I ufed 
 a coach with a coronet to deceive the public ! 
 
 t Except a few days I fpent at Mr. Parker's at Enfield. 
 
 + I believe this letter laid the foundation of all the anony- 
 mous ones. 
 
 pofe
 
 - 29 
 
 pofe it was purloined, but I never had any account 
 of it; and Mrs. Creafy told me fhe had found her 
 girl very curious, and we feared fhe might have taken 
 it : they all feemed concerned that it was loft; I was 
 particularly fo, and could not be redfeffed. In Auguft 
 I received Mr. Robertfon's inftruction to fend him a 
 power of factory that he might receive and remit 
 me fome rents due at Whitfuntide> I had been^re- 
 commended by Mr. Clark of Fleet Street, to Mr. 
 Dobie ; I accordingly applied to him to execute this 
 fa tory ; and Mr. Robertfon further directed a bend 
 to be prepared, that he fhould execute the truft com- 
 mitted to him under the penalty of 5000/. * Being 
 at Creafy's when I received thefe deeds from Mr. 
 Dobie, (who had drawn them up from the inftruc- 
 tions in the letter) I afked Creafy to witnefs my %n- 
 ing the factory, which to the beft of my recollection 
 either Mr. Dobie told me, or Mr. Robertfou's letters 
 
 * If any perfon was deceived it was myfelf; both Oakley and 
 Creafy well knew 1 had a great deal of property at Crooms 
 Hill. Creafy 's family viiited us and faw it; Oakley removed 
 our goods to the Heath, part of which he knew he had furniih- 
 ed me with, and had been paid for. If I had been the charac- 
 ter they have dared to reprefent, let the reader paufe awhile to 
 confider whether my object would not have been gain. What 
 have I gained? 
 
 ex-*
 
 30 
 
 exprefTed was to be figned at the bottom of every 
 page, by which means Creafy faw fome of the con- 
 tents. To the belt of my recollection he never law 
 the bond : I never authorifed Creafy to reprefent 
 this to any perfon. Creafy told me it would oblige 
 hi in if I would employ Mr. Haycraft* as my ironmon- 
 ger; but this was months before he knew any thing 
 of thefe deeds. I fent the factory by the poft; and as 
 foon as coutd be expected after, Mr. Robertfon came 
 to town; he called at Creafy 's, but I was out; 
 he then wrote to me by the poft to; meet him 
 in London, to receive the money, &c. which he paid 
 me at the houfe of a tradefman in St. Paul's, and be- 
 fore I left him he executed his bond. The colonel 
 and I now made up our minds that we would wait 
 no longer for the houfe, as I had no hope of it being 
 ready to receive us for fome months. I was partial to 
 the Heath, it being a fweet fituation, I thought I 
 mould like to refide there occafionally, efpecially as 
 Oakley's decorations far exceeded my expectations;. 
 and I began to fear the colonel woukl think it too ex- 
 penfive for Mifs Sharpe, unlefs it would fave a town 
 refidence for us. He faid he mould not like it with- 
 
 Mr. Haycraft having recommended Creafy in a way of trade. 
 
 out
 
 31 
 
 out ftables*, &c. andhewiftied me to have Mr. Hol- 
 land to fuperintend the job ; he told me to apply 
 again for the eftimates, but none could I get. .The 
 furveyor laid the ftables would be 600/. in the man- 
 ner I defcribed. I wentfoon after to Brighton, and 
 was looking out for a large good houfe for our reft- 
 dence there till the Paragon was finilhed, and in the 
 mean time took one in North Street for Mifs Sharps 
 and myfelf till we were fuited with one I thought 
 the colonel would like: a day or two after I went to 
 Brighton; I received an anonymous letter that made 
 me very uneafy; I wrote to the colonel in confe- 
 quence of it, and requefted him to clear up fome cir- 
 cumftances named in it. This he appeared to do in 
 an immediate anfwer, and requefted me to let him have 
 the perufal of the papersf I was in pofleflion of, as 
 they would be of great ufe to his conveyancer, who 
 was preparing the fettlements. I had not taken thefe 
 papers to Brighton ; I immediately went to London 
 
 * My carriage flood at livery ftables, from whence I hired 
 horfes. 
 
 f They confided of fome copies f wills, Mr. Robeitfon's 
 bond, a grant of annuity fecured on a freehold in Salop, fome 
 certificates, regirters, &c &c. many of which had been collected 
 and gi v en to me by Mrs. Hill. No tradefmen I employed ever 
 faw thefe papers. Mr. Searles once came into a room where I 
 was looking them over, and faid jocofely, " you are well em- 
 ployed;" no obfervation was made of the contents. 
 
 to
 
 52 
 
 to give them to him as he. requefted : they were lock- 
 ed up in my fccretary at the Heath. The Rev. Mr. 
 Waugh accompanied me to the Heath and afterwards 
 to London. I flept that night at Mr. Creafy 's, and 
 the next day returned to Brighton, where I had left 
 Mifs Sharpe; I took two of Creafy's* children with 
 me for fea air and bathing. I did in confidence tell 
 Mr. and Mrs. Creafy I was going to enter into a new 
 connexion ; that I was at a lofs to name it ferioufly 
 to Mi r s Sharpe, for though (he had feen fome letters 
 and the gentleman call upon me, yet I believe fhe had 
 
 * Whitl I was at Creafy 's I had two or three large balkets 
 
 of fifyfJpyiv], fruit, and vegetables fent from London twice a 
 
 week or oftener I coniidered Creafy had a family and did not 
 
 wim 10 be under any obligation. I took him to Margate at a 
 
 great expenfe, his children afterwards to Brighton. I made him 
 
 a prefent of a dozen of fdver forks, his wifa an elegant cloak,. 
 
 toys to his children without number, Mrs. Creafy afked me to 
 
 buy the children cloaths at Brighton, but never offered to pay for 
 
 them. She thought my footman and cook quite an acquifition 
 
 to her eftabliihmenL. SureJy they were worthy of the victuals 
 
 I provided? they would have ihared it at home with lefs work. 
 
 Mr. Creafy now fays he pilfered my property to pay for my 
 
 board. If he had any intention to charge for it, why did he 
 
 not lead me a bill for it, as we ufually balanced accounts once 
 
 a week, of all that he paid, received, or tranfadled for me? Why 
 
 did he omit fo large a demand ? He has taken property of mine 
 
 to the amount of 7001. as he fays to pay for my board ! Of thefe 
 
 articles I fhall introduce an inventory. I likewife fent for wine, 
 
 as I wanted it to Mr. Best's, while at Creafy 's. 
 
 at
 
 33 
 
 at that time no idea that I mould accede to jt. I 
 knew me would be much concerned, efpecially 
 if it did not prove for my real happinefs. I con- 
 futed Mr. and. Mrs. Creafy as friends, as people 
 that had long been married, and from whom I ex- 
 pected fome ferious advice, particularly as it concern- 
 ed Mifs Sharpe, for whom they had fo many years 
 exprefTed a friendfhip. 
 
 Some accomodations in the houfe might lead the 
 furveyor or Oakley to fufpel they were for a gentle- 
 man; but it was impoffible for any body to be more 
 clofe than I was. If queftioned I made a point to 
 evade it, as a matter of no importance to any but nry- 
 felf. When I returned to Brighton, J ventured to 
 hint it to Mifs Sharpe, who very much oppofed it. 
 The hurry of the journey, and the emotions of my 
 own mind after another anonymous letter, brought on 
 a violent fit of illnefs ; at this interval we received the 
 moft friendly and feeling fympathy from the amiable 
 Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton of Brighton, who fhewed 
 my dear friend the greater! attention. Mrs. Hamil* 
 ton offered her fervices to fit up, or do any thing in 
 her power to relieve my afflicted friend; yet Mrs. 
 Hamilton has a large family of her own, the regu- 
 
 la-
 
 SI 
 
 lation of which reflects the higheft honour on her, as 
 a wife and mother. Thefe and a friend or two that 
 vifited thenij were the only afibciates we had there. 
 Yet my conduct, and the company I kept were re- 
 prefented as being very improper, not only to the co- 
 lonel in the anonymous letters, but was likewife men- 
 tioned to us before we left the Heath by Mr. Parker. 
 
 My illnefs, and a difference in confequence of the 
 incendiary letters, with my pofitively declaring that 
 I would have fome fettlement made for Mifs Sharpe, 
 again delayed our union. 
 
 We returned from Brighton in October, and then 
 went into the Paragon houfe, which was mil fo un- 
 finifhed that we could not enter the front door for the 
 fcarTold, and we were abfolutely obliged to live im- 
 mured in afmall room on the bafement ftory. This 
 would have been intolerable if I had not had a more 
 pleafing expectation in view. 
 
 In the fummer I had a iociable body made to fit 
 the carriage of the coach, by Mr. Hatchett, for which 
 I paid. This has been alledged as another criminal 
 act of mine, while Creafy is pitied for felling it for a- 
 fourth of the value. 
 
 After I returned from Brighton I paid fuch of the 
 
 tradef-
 
 35 
 
 tradefmen as had produced their bills, examined by 
 the furveyor,, namely, the plafterer, the chimney piece 
 manufacturer, one carpenter for an aviary, another 
 for the fwing, garden feats, &c. befides gardener's bills, 
 and in fact, all the bills that were prefented to me; 
 and I applied to the furveyor for the reft. 
 
 If the tradefmen fuppofed I had plenty of money, 
 and it was no confequence how much unneceiTary ex- 
 penfe they put me to, or how much they charged for 
 what they did, they were the fwindlers. An honeft 
 man will produce his eftimate, his bill of parcels, his 
 fix months account, &c. in a regular way; my tradef- 
 men* have not produced any. They all greatly ex- 
 ceeded their "time and orders : and when their con- 
 duel: is impartially confidered, I think they deferve no 
 pity, let their lofs be what it may. I paid upwards of 
 2000/. f to various tradefmen between my leaving 
 Crooms Hill, and the February following. 
 
 From October to Chriftmas, we had a molt fatiffue- 
 
 V 
 * Except Mr. Pierce, and Meflrs. Ord and Morris, Meffrs. 
 
 Hatchett likewife fent the balance of theirs. 
 
 f Many of thefe fums are ftated in my Addrefs to the Public, 
 price fix-pence; but fums for houfe keeping, &c, are not enu- 
 merated.
 
 36 
 
 ing time; the workmen with their matters were con- 
 tinually traverfing the houfe, to fee or do fomething 
 that was unfiniflied. The fervants were either at 
 play with the labourers, or complaining of their dirt 
 and litter; and were conftantly cleaning and re- 
 cleaning, doing and undoing; and I am fure the pe- 
 nance we performed in it .(if we had no better hope,) 
 was punifhment fufficient, even if we had made fome 
 provifion for ourfelves out of the property. I have 
 not only loft all I paid for while at the Heath, but all 
 I removed from Crooms Hill, befides having my cha- 
 racter and reputation hafhed up without mercy, and 
 my future profpe6ls fadly obfcured ; though if Eng- 
 land has any longer reafon to boaft of her laws, my 
 caufe will fome time or other be redreffed ; or I am 
 fure it will {lain the annals of the prefent century. 
 - It may here be aiked why the colonel* did not in- 
 terfere in the repairs of the houfe? Suppofe I did 
 not chnfe to permit him; I had been a houfe-keeper 
 long enough to order my concerns till he had a legal 
 
 * The Mifles of Greenwich and Blackheath like to range the 
 Tark, and flirt about to be talked of and envied by their com- 
 petitors, when they think an advantageous offer is in the way. 
 Ours had been an attachment for many years, cemented by dif- 
 appointment, yet doubly cemented by a mod flattering renewal. 
 
 right
 
 57 
 
 right to do fo. And fuppofe I did not clioofe my 
 neighbour goffips at Greenwich to know he had any 
 concern in it. What of all that? There was no com- 
 pulfionin thofe tradesmen to engage. I am fure me, 
 they did one thing after another without confulting, 
 or giving me any idea of the expenfe. I never em- 
 ployed any body to make any reprefentations of my 
 property to them ; their bufmefs was fimply with me 
 on my own account, they had done bufinefs for 
 me before, (the major part of them) and my character 
 was well eftablifhed. 
 
 I believe my conducl was as chafie and upright as 
 that of any woman in that, or any adjoining parifh; 
 nor can any one prove any thing againft me, for all 
 the clamour of the clay: the generality of the people 
 who have vilified me, are the heralds only of their 
 own malevolence and folly, for no two have agreed 
 in their reports and opinions; and I am fure they will 
 not bear crofs examination; nor will their conducl 
 ftand the teft of ferutiny with mine. 
 
 It is (urprifing any rational being for a moment can 
 fuppofe I had no expectation! no motive! Had I 
 been a fwindler, I ihould have fold the property 
 and let off with the money. Did I want oppor* 
 tunity to do it? No, if Ihad intended to autho- 
 
 $ rife
 
 58 
 
 rife a fale* of the property, one perfon might as weft 
 have done it as. another. 
 
 In December I received an anonymous letter which 
 had been lent to the colonel; it cautioned him againft 
 a connexion with a woman involved in debt, and a 
 very bafe character; it intimated that fome other per- 
 fon paid me attention at the time, &c. but the moil 
 ftriking circumftance was, that I owed Mr. Oakley 
 1000/.; that he talked of it publicly. The colonel 
 advifed me to fend for Oakley and tell him of it, de- 
 mand his bill, and difmifs him. 
 
 I acquainted Creafy of this, and afked him to meet 
 Oakley as a witnefs; he did fo. Mr. Oakley alto- 
 gether denied the charge, expreffed himfelf quite 
 fatisfied as to the fafety of his money, and feemed 
 very eager to purfue the bufinefs. He repeated his 
 agreement, that it was at twelve months credit, &c. 
 I thought it might be the malicious invention of fome 
 perfon who envied Oakley the job, and therefore fuf- 
 fered him to proceed. 
 
 About this time Mr. Crighton, upholder, who had 
 
 * See Who are the Swindlers? Page 12, Second Edition. 
 
 fur-
 
 furnifhed me two rooms, * called one morning early, 
 and fent up his name; Mifs Sharpe was gone to Lon- 
 don. I Was drefling, but fuppofing he had call- 
 ed to fee his wOrk now it was fixed, Ihaftened down 
 to him. I faw a decent looking man ftand in the hall, 
 whom I afked if he came from Mr. Crighton ; he 
 replied Mr. Crighton was in the parlour. I went in, 
 inviting his companion to follow, which he modeftly 
 declined. After the ufual compliment of good morn- 
 ing, to which Crighton made no reply, he rummaged 
 his pocket; took out a paper, and throwing it on the 
 table, faid, This is my bill. He then ran as faftajs he 
 could out of the houfe. I was quite ftruck with the 
 excentricity of his behaviour, but more furprifed 
 when his companion came into the room, bowing and 
 apologizing, that it appeared very ftrange to him. I 
 replied, " So it does to me." He then told me he 
 had an action. I really thought at firft, that Mr. 
 Crighton might befubje6t to derangement, and that 
 
 * The latter end of July, or the beginning, of Auguft. This 
 was property paid for, by me, and fold by Creafy under the exe- 
 cution he fo artfully obtained. 
 
 d 2 the
 
 40 
 
 the man was his keeper. I fuppofed this action was the 
 refult of fome anonymous letter; on that ground I e.\- 
 eufed him; yet he might have brought his bill and 
 afked for payment without, in fo unhandfome a way, 
 putting me to about 11/. expenfe. I made no fecret of 
 this bufinefs, but'called in Mr. Searles the furveyor to 
 afk his advice; who declaimed violently againft the- 
 tranfa6tion, but advifed me to pay it, and get rid of 
 it. Soon after the man's entrance came the attorney 
 and another, who objected to .take a draft on the bank- 
 er, and afterwards pretended they difputed paying 
 it, though I had left fome hundreds there the day 
 before. After giving the bailiff a good dinner and 
 a piece of gold, we got rid of him. I cannot fay 
 this was a touching interview, for the good man flood 
 or fat at the-extremity of the room, and looked all the 
 while as if he was doing penance; and I went about 
 myhoufe, as ufual without, his attendance. As long 
 as our laws fanction violent hands to be laid upon 
 people without any previous demand made, or notice 
 given, I hope this lamb* will be employed in fuch 
 cafes: I think he is an honour to his honourable pro- 
 fefliom 
 
 * His name was Lamb. . 
 
 I did
 
 41 
 
 I did not mention this to the colonel, as Mifs Sharpe 
 had recommended me to Mr. Crighton, he having 
 done bufinefs for her at Grooms Hill. The colonel 
 atthis time* was going tolreland, and wastobeabfent 
 fix weeks. A few days after Oakley f came down to 
 tell me he wasdiflatisfied, and wanted fecurity. I had 
 been that day in London; and returned late in the 
 evening; Iafkedhimwhy he had refined fecurity or to 
 bring his bill, when the one was offered, and the other 
 enquired for? He did not feemto know what anfwer 
 to give.; but I told him I mould confult a friend and 
 let him know. 
 
 A few nights after Evans his partner, and their at- 
 torney, came to theHeath with a bill of fale; (which 
 however, they did not attempt to induce me to fign 
 on any falfe pretences, as Creafy did) I refufed to 
 fign it, faying it was unjuft towards my other credi- 
 tors; they pretended they did not want to fell any 
 
 * Chriftmasl80G. 
 
 f I had fome furniture for the drawing room at Crooms Hill 
 in 1799 and paid him for it, when he fent his bill. This furni- 
 ture, with feveral cart loads befide, that were not bought of 
 him, I afterwards employed Oakley's people to remove to the 
 heath. 
 
 D 3 thing,
 
 43 
 
 thing; but I would not truft them. I did not fee them, 
 being very much indifpofed and gone to bed. Mifs 
 Sharpe brought the deed up to me. Th? next day 
 I informed Mr. Greafy of this; he cenfured OakLy 
 very much; faid he would fpeakto him and per'uade 
 him to keep to his agreement, which he would fwear, 
 was twelvemonths credit. As Creafy talked in this 
 way I fuppofed he would be the laft man in the world 
 to afk for a fimilar deed. 
 
 Oakley was very much diffatisned at my rcfufal; 
 and having once afked him to direct my fervant to 
 drive the neareft way into St. James's Square, to the 
 Bifhop of London^s*, he went poit hafte there to en- 
 quire of my property, &c. I mould fuppofe his im- 
 pertinence did not meet a very welcome reception. 
 I defired Creafy would go to him and reafon with 
 
 * Having fome bufmefs wilh his lady, and not exactly know- 
 ing which iide of the Square the. houfe '-was, I alked one of Oak- 
 ley's people to direct the fervant. This was magnified into a 
 coufinfhip, and I believe fome extra drapery was added to my 
 curtains in confequence. Mrs. Porteus, being in Hampfhire, I 
 wrote to her from Brighton, and there received her anfwer. 
 Had I alked the addrefs of a curate, or an inn keeper's daughter, 
 Oakley would not have fuppofed me related. How the world 
 turns about in a few years ! 
 
 him
 
 43 
 
 him on the propriety of waiting the ftipulated time, 
 as Creafy was a witnefs of his agreement. Inftead 
 of doing fo, he went to Oakley, and they laid their 
 heads together to devife a plan to get all the proper- 
 ty on the premifes into their own hands, to the pre- 
 judice of myfelf and creditors. Creafy on his re- 
 turn faid he thought Oakley would wait, but he 
 wifhed I could give him a few hundreds. Iwas to 
 receive 600/. the next week, and I faid Oakley mould 
 have 500/. of it (on the 7th of February). I wrote 
 to make him the offer, but had no anfwer. Creafy 
 feemed very afiiduous and apparently concerned for 
 my health, which had fuffered much from being fo 
 perplexed. He laid he never was Co poor, that he 
 wasforryhe had not the money at command to offer; 
 that if he had, I fhould be welcome to it till I re- 
 ceived fome. He faid if I would permit him to 
 pledge my plate, &c. he could raife money fufficient; 
 his brother* often had things of the kind from the 
 firit families : that they would be very fafe, and I 
 could have them again. I objecled to it at firft, but 
 by perfuafion confented to his taking the following 
 articles on the 30th of January, but of which I never 
 
 * Creafy, a pawnbroker at Deptford. 
 
 had
 
 44 
 
 had any account; nor do I know whether he took 
 them, to fell, to pledge, or for his own ufe; I demand- 
 ed the duplicates, but he did not produce them; I. 
 afterwards demanded* them in writing, and Mils 
 Sharpe applied for them in June. 
 
 Plate taken by Creafy on the 30th of January, 1801, 
 and never accounted for by htm. 
 
 A filver tea pot, fugar bafon, and cream ewer, en- 
 graved in fuite, never ufed. 
 
 A filver ink ftand, new. 
 
 Twelve large table forks, do. 
 
 Twelve defert, do. do. 
 
 Three do. fruit knives and forks. 
 
 A butter, cheefe, and large fifh knife. 
 
 A large foup ladle. 
 
 Four plain filver ladles for fauces. 
 
 Four very elegant double gilt do. on filver. 
 
 Four fait fpoons, to match the laft. 
 
 Four fait difhes, to elegant cut glafs, filver, gilt* 
 
 A large gravy fpoon and eight large table fpoons. 
 
 * By Sharpe, when Creafy fent him to Ware, in March fol- 
 lowing; I likewife gave Martyr and Monk authority to receive 
 them for the benefit of the creditors. 
 
 Twelve
 
 45 
 
 Twelve defert fpoons, twelve'large tea fpoons, tw* 
 /alt fpoons. 
 
 A marrow do. and fix egg fpoons. 
 
 Six more gilt tea fpoons. 
 
 A pair of fnuffers and ftand, quite new. 
 
 An oval plated bread bafket. 
 
 Two very elegant velvet cloaks with fine broad 
 Jaces. 
 
 Two new India fhawls, a fine new muflin cloak with 
 elegant broad lace, full trimmed. 
 
 A gown piece of gold muflin, unmade. 
 
 A remnant of do* 
 
 Fine French cambric for nine pocket handker- 
 chiefs. 
 
 Quantity of fine new damaflc napkins. 
 
 Five full trimmed deep handkerchiefs, with three 
 yards of fine lace to each, fome at 31. per yard. 
 
 Four elegant new muflin drefles, full trimmed with 
 fine laces, fome at 1/. 10*. and 2/. per yard. 
 
 An elegant gold muflin drefs, and one clear book 
 do. embroidered, coft'each, the gown piece, 12 guineas, 
 and trimmed with nine yards of lace each, at \l. 5s. 
 per yard. 
 
 An
 
 46 
 An elegant French box, jewelled, two diamond 
 
 nr.ors. 
 
 A pearl necklace quite new, two pair of pearl 
 earings. 
 
 An elegant montre, with miniature fet round with 
 large pearls, and hair devices, &c. Another large 
 jewelled frame for a miniature, a gold necklace, &c. 
 
 The morning that Creafy took thefe things to 
 town, Oakley and Evans came to Blackheath early. 
 They had fome converfation with Creafy, and after- 
 wards with Mifs Sharpe. I expected Mr. Dobie 
 down that day to eonfult him, to requeft a 
 given time for the tradefmen to wait for the fet- 
 tlement of their accounts, which had not yet been 
 delivered. I informed Mr. Creafy that Mr. Dobie 
 was coming; that I believed he thought it advifa- 
 ble to call the creditors together, and lay fome pro- 
 pofals before therrr. Creafy faid, he thought fuch a 
 fcheme would make all the creditors troublefome; 
 that furely Dobie * did not confider my intereft, or 
 
 he 
 
 * I find Mr. Dobie has notconfidered my intereft; that he 
 has been the perfon that has principally inflamed the public 
 mind. Mr. Dobie did nothing for me but what he was well 
 paid for. I never authorized him to fay any thing about the 
 
 bond
 
 4f 
 
 he would not advjfe me fo ill. Creafy wilhed me 
 to go that day to London with him : I went, expeftr 
 ing to return early to meet Mr. Dobie at dinner. 
 On our way to town, Creafy put into my hands a 
 lift of the bills he had accepted, and an account of 
 little things he had paid for me at Greenwich, and 
 of the money he had received for me. This account 
 was balanced all but 2/. 19*. which was all that I 
 owed him at the time ; and he had in his pofleffion 
 all the plate that I have juft enumerated. I then 
 gave him a Scotch bill on Coutts and Co. for 12/. i6s, 
 for which he has never accounted. He faid, " I 
 don't like to teaze ; but fbme of my friends have 
 been talking to me about my acceptances. I wi(h 
 you would fign a memorandum for them ? and I wifh 
 you would let Searle fettle your bufinefs for you?" 
 Creafy took a hackney coach, at Charing-crofs, and 
 went to pledge the plate (he faid in St. Martin's- 
 lane). He did not produce the duplicates : I never 
 
 bond or factory, nor fent any perfon to enquire of him. I ap- 
 plied to him for a letter lately, which he acknowledges in an 
 anfwer, but on my fending Mifs Sharpe to demand it, he fays 
 it is all vifionary ; that Fafkally was fold 30 years ago. Pray 
 does that prevent it being mine, or my having a legal claim on 
 it ? I believe it was likewife re-fold in November Iaft. 
 
 few
 
 48 
 
 faw them. I gave Creafy an inventory of it, in 
 which an article or two that I had put in after I had 
 made the inventory was inferted in pencil. I believe 
 it was the box that was omitted, and written with 
 a pencil. Creafy appointed to meet me at Searle's, 
 his attorney. I called and found him there ; and, 
 having fome other calls to make, I left him. He told 
 me he had not got money enough for the bills. I 
 think he faid he only got 1 10/. for all the property 
 he had pledged ; but he produced no voucher. Still 
 I had not the leail fufpicion of his integrity. As a 
 tradefman, a man with a family, the friend of Mils 
 Sharpe, and, as -I fuppofed, my friend, I did not 
 fafpect he would perfuade me to do wrong, or that 
 he would injure me. He appointed four o'clock * 
 for me to fign the memorandum of his bill's, and, as 
 I fuppofed, inftrucled Searle to write it. I thought 
 the obfervation he made was juft, that if my cre- 
 
 * In confequence of this detention I did not return in time to 
 fee Mr. Dobie; indeed Creafy faid every thing he could to op- 
 pofe the plan Mr. Dobie propofed. By his advice I applied a 
 few days^after to Mr. Dobie for Mr. Cator's agreement, and 
 Jeft it in Searle's hands as my attorney, where it now remains. 
 The creditors do not chufe to take it and fell the houfe. I fup- 
 pof that is vifionary f . 
 
 ditors
 
 49 
 
 ditors would not give me a few months (as I had 
 expected), they might difpute his claim; and I 
 knew, when the bills became due, he was liable to 
 be flied as well as inyfelf for the amount, though 
 there was not a tradefman, in whofe hands the bills 
 were, but what, I believe, would have given me 
 time if Creafy would have let me apply for it. They 
 did wait as it was, for Creafy could not. get the 
 money until he hacl fworn to many well-rounded 
 lies in the court of Equity. I met Creafy at Searle's 
 about four o'clock ; he went out a few minutes, he 
 faid, to look for his brother. Searle was there alone, 
 writing. Creafy re-entered. Searle faid, " This is 
 the paper Mr. Creafy was mentioning about his 
 bills ; will you be fo good as to fign it ?" I appealed 
 to Creafy, to know if it was right. He replied, 
 " Yes, I believe it is all right ; we are only among 
 friends, you know, for my part I am quite concern- 
 ed that Oakley has acled fo; it has made you quite 
 ill." Searle held the paper on the defk as if pointing 
 to the place where I was to fign it ; it was almoft 
 dark ; I could hardly fee my name when I had writ- 
 ten it, nor do I know whether there was any writ- 
 ing on the paper except my name. We 
 came away immediately after. Creafy fat on 
 
 the
 
 th^ window in Searle's chamber while I figriect 
 the paper* j he did not read it or look at it 
 then, but we had been fome time with Searle before 
 I called, therefore I fuppofed he knew all about it. 
 Nor had I the leaft fufpicion of a man whofe 
 family had been on terms of intimacy with us Ca 
 long, whofe children and nieces had been with ug 
 years, and who profefifed fo much kindnefs, and had 
 received fo many benefits from Mifs Sharpe and my- 
 felf, exclufive of his declamations againft Oakley, 
 (who is by far the moll honeft of the two) for afk- 
 ing me to fign a bill of fale, a lefs deflruflive inftru- 
 ment than the one he fo wickedly obtained. 
 
 After Crcafy had induced me to fign this deed, 
 and we were in the carriage with an intention to re- 
 turn home, he afked me if I could not borrow him 
 fome money in town ; that he mould come fhort now. 
 
 He added, " They feem very obliging to you at 
 Ord's, St, Paul's ; I dare fay you may get 50/. there 1" 
 I afked Mr. Ord, who very obligingly gave me all 
 the cam he had. 
 
 As I was returning home, Creafy faid, " Though 
 I left Oakley very civil, yet I fufpecl: he has mifchief 
 
 * This was the bond in judgment, under which he feized the 
 property, after inveigling me out of the houfe fo artfully.j 
 
 in
 
 51 
 
 in view; I wifh you would go from home a few days.'* 
 I replied, No; fuch a ftep might alarm the credi- 
 ditors ; he added, Oakley's was a large fum to be 
 arretted for, that there was no giving bail in term 
 time i. that if I left the Heath till after the 12th of 
 February, Oakley could not hurt me. I told Creafy 
 I had the promife of 600/. five of which I would 
 give Oakley on the 7th. That I would not go. 
 
 On the Monday following, I w r ent to town to try 
 to get feme money for Oakley, and had every reafon 
 to believe I fhould have it the latter end of the week. 
 I fhould have had no difficulty in procuring twice 
 the fum, if I had had the leafe of the Paragon houfc 
 in my own hands -, but the Colonsl had objected to 
 the leafe * being executed in the joint names fcf 
 Mifs Sharpe and myfelf, as he wilhed to purchafe it 
 on his own account. It is not to be wondered at, 
 
 * This circumftance is a further proof that my motive was 
 not gain. Mr. Dobie very early drew the draught of the leafe ; 
 Mr.- Cator would have figned it, had I not told him that I 
 intended to purchafe it in July, and that his agreement to 
 grant a leafe, or make the title clear, was as fatisfactory as 
 any other deed. Mr. Dobie faid it was. Surely I had fome 
 motive for deferring it : an explanation of which was not re- 
 quired by Mr. Cator. 
 
 if
 
 2 
 
 if I now began to fufpect the colonel did not in- 
 tend to act uprightly. I knew he was in poffefliori 
 of my Scotch papers. Yet, he gained nothing by 
 encouraging me to exceed my intended plan at the 
 Heath, and which the tradefmen willingly extend- 
 ed for me. I was very anxious to hear from him, 
 and at the time knew not exactly where to addrefs 
 him. 
 
 I could only excufe him on account of the high 
 winds, which might detain his letters. I believe 
 his confidence was fhaken by the anonymous letters; 
 
 that he was difp leafed that I had accepted Oakley's 
 i 
 
 apology, or (hewed any attention to Creafy or his 
 family. I was then ignorant of the contents of many 
 of the letters he had received, or Creafy mould not 
 have entered my houfe. 
 
 On the Monday, when in town, I borrowed 45 /. 
 more, and gave to Creafy, He again urged my 
 going from home; unconfeious of intending any 
 injury, I objected to it ; nor did I fuppofe but that 
 Oakley would wait till the 7th of February j and I 
 really now believe, though he has acted (o illegally *, 
 
 that 
 
 * In entering our joint dwelling houfe, and without pro- 
 ducing any written authority, bribing or perfuading the per- 
 
 foa
 
 5$ 
 
 that he would have waited, if Creafy had not inter 
 fered. : 
 
 Oakley knew he had furniftied his part of the 
 houfe in a much more expenfive ftyle than I hae 
 ordered, and that he fent me many things of hi: 
 own accord ; he was continually perfuadirfg* mt 
 fomething was wanted. He had trufted me as Mifs 
 Robertfon at Grooms Hill ; he did the fame at the 
 Paragon j he removed our goods there ; he had 
 agreed for twelve months credit, and after fix months 
 were palTed, he again ratified his agreement in the; 
 prefence of Mifs Sharpe and Creafy. I hope their con- 
 duel: towards me will be a public caution ; every ont 
 ought to be guarded againft men that can act fuch a 
 part. Perhaps, if Oakley's timber merchants, and 
 thofe who have dealings with him, were to break 
 through their engagements, and fetch away every 
 
 article he had not paid for, he might fee fome empty 
 
 fon I left in care of it, to let him take away in the night of the 
 5th of February, not only the goods fent on my account to 
 Blackheath, but alfo the furniture he had fold to us, and been 
 lawfully paid for, while we lived at Crooms Hill, as well as 
 feveral articles, our joint property, that we had paid for years 
 ago, fome valuable paintings, &c. and fome new article^ had 
 of other tradefmen. He broke many locks to ranfack the 
 drawers, took our papers, &c. &c. 
 
 \ walls,
 
 5fc 
 
 walls, both in Bond Street and at St. Paul's. He 
 fetched away what I had paid for *, and what had 
 been mine and Mifs Sharpe's for years. He violated, 
 took, or deftroyed my papers. He depreciated 
 and vilified my character. He went to injure me 
 in the efteem of thofe to whom I looked for thou- 
 fands, but to whom I never directed Oakley. 
 
 This is a city of London tradefman ! What will a 
 foreigner fay of our laws, if thefe things go un- 
 punifhed ? 
 
 On the Tuefday Creafy "again mentioned my going 
 from home to avoid Oakley ; I perfifted in refufing ; 
 he faid, " If people know there is a trap laid for 
 them, I think" they are wife to keep out of it." 
 I wilh I had a knowledge of the trap he had 
 laid, I would have taken , care to have blunted the 
 edge of it j", ? notwithftanding he and his attorney had 
 (as they thought) fo ingeniouily fet it. 
 
 * He was told at the time, that fuch articles were not had 
 from him ; he d ' $ d them, and faid, he would have all he 
 could get. 
 
 f I was as unfufpicious of the nature of the in(lr,ument I 
 figned, or its contents, at that inftant, as I was when only 
 a week old. Nor did I know what it was, till I fent an at- 
 torney down to fee it, when I heard Creafj was felling off the 
 goods. 
 
 On
 
 55 
 
 On Wednefday Creafy wrote the letter- to Mifs 
 Sharpe, that is already publifhed*. Mifs Sharpe 
 pUrfuadcd me to go. We went to London, where 
 I flept that night. Mifs Sharpe returned to the 
 Heath, taking Sharped wife with her* to leave to 
 take care of the'houfe, as we propofed going to Suf- 
 folk for a few days* till the term expired, as Creafy 
 had advifedi Mifs Sharpe was to bring a few changes 
 of things with her, for the time we expe&ed to be 
 afefent* She carefully covered up all the bed furni- 
 ture, locked the doors of all the rooms, and charged 
 Mrs. Shjrpe not to let any one enter, them. Creafy 
 came foon after the departure of Mifs Sharpe, brough 
 a poft chaife, and took to London the following things, 
 of which he and Mrs. Sharpe pretended to take an 
 inventory, but which has never been produced* 
 
 A pair of elegant filver plated urns, never had 
 
 been ufed -f * 
 
 An 
 
 * In " Who are the Swindlers ?" I was walking in the 
 grounds, and had juft been feeding my rabbits with fome leaves 
 I had gathered ; I neither thought that they wouhd receive no 
 more from my hand, or that they were fo near changing their 
 quarters and their owner, moll likely for one lefs kind to 
 them. 
 
 t I am given to underftand, that he fwore in the court o 
 Equity, that he took this property out of our houfe, to pay 
 
 %% for
 
 56 
 
 An elegant plated egg (land, ditto. 
 
 A trifle difli and ftand, quite new, very elegant. 
 
 Four elegant comport difhes and covers. 
 
 A pair of hafh difhes. 
 
 A foup tureen in fu'ite. 
 
 A butter cooler, cover, and (land. 
 
 A tea pot and ftand. 
 
 A gilt wine funnel. 
 
 Three pair of bracket candlefticks: 
 
 Two pair of table candlefticks. 
 
 A pair of elegant branch lighters fo ditto. 
 
 Twelve defert knives and forks. 
 
 Two chamber candlefticks. 
 
 Two taper ditto. 
 
 One round bread bafket. 
 
 Six oval difhes for falts, with handfome glaffes. 
 
 A pairrof fnufFers and ftand. 
 
 A large and a fmall waiter. 
 
 Two pair of nut crackers. 
 
 Two pair "of elegant bottle ftands. 
 
 Some filver labels for decanters. 
 
 **' Sundry filver and odd table and defert teajpoons. 
 
 
 
 '-for- my board in Auguft 1*00, when 1 was by invitation at his- 
 houfe, and almoft kept his family with my provifions ! '. 
 
 A very
 
 67 
 
 A very large elegant quite new ftrong plated veni- 
 fon diih, on a new conftru&ion, never ufed. 
 
 A toaft rack. 
 
 A very large fized new Marfeilles quilt. 
 
 A very large fine new counterpane. 
 
 Six fmall new counterpanes. 
 
 Several other large handlbme counterpanes, that 
 bad been wafhed. .*m 
 
 Two pair of very fineHolland meets, never ufed ; 
 the upper ones trimmed, to turn over with cam- 
 bric*. 5 | ; 
 
 The day after Creafy removed thofe things, and 
 converted them (or the profits of them) to his own 
 ufe, he never having accounted for any thing yet. 
 He applied by his attorney to Mifs Sharpe, to know 
 if fhe could borrow any money ready againfl the 
 bills became due. By his perfuafion Mifs Sharpe 
 
 * Thefe things, and perhaps many more that were valuable, 
 Creafy took away, before he let Oakley have any thing, and 
 the day before he put in the execution. This is the man that 
 many are pitying, as a great lofer ! though he had not paid 50 /, 
 for me at the time. 
 
 e 3 applied
 
 J8 
 
 applied to a friend to lend 400 /. or 5oo /, 
 Creafy took the letter *, and would have taken 
 the money, if he could have got it, although he 
 knew he had been privy to Oakley's taking away 
 part of the houibold goods the night before, and 
 that he had himfelf put in an execution to feU 
 off the reft. 
 
 Mifs Sharpe met me at Stratford on the fifth, and 
 the day following we returned to London, intend*! 
 ing, after we had {ten or heard from Creafy, and 
 given her^ brother orders about our letters, to go 
 to Ipfwich for a few days. I being very unwell, wc 
 agreed that Mifs Sharpe mould go on the bufinefs, 
 and I would wait'for her at Mrs. Hardy's in Somerfet 
 Street (whofe children we had educated) . Mrs. Hill, 
 with feeming kindnefs, apologized for the indifferent 
 accommodations of her houfe, but requefted we 
 would ftay there the few days we wifhed to be from 
 home. I told her I could fay little to it till I faw Mifs 
 Sharpe, who called in the evening, faying, fhe had 
 paid the fare in the Norwich mail. But Mr. and 
 
 * When Mifs Sharpe wrote this letter, flie did not know that 
 any thing had been touched at the Heath. MifsSharpe and I 
 had flepi the night of the 5th of February at Mrs. Hill's, at 
 
 (Stratford, 
 
 Mrs*
 
 *9 
 Mrs. Hardy prevailed on us to give up the fare, 
 and remain with them. 
 
 On Monday evening Mifs Sharpe faw Mr. Creafy 
 at her brother's j he then informed her that Oakley 
 had taken away the goods. Mr. Creafy added, " I 
 have now had an inventory taken of every thing in 
 the houfe, and nobody can touch a thing." We 
 fuppofed this was done out of care and kindnefs; 
 Mifs Sharpe faw him again the next day ; we had 
 directed Mrs. Sharpe to fend all our letters to her 
 hufband, who was to bring them to us. Mrs. Sharpe 
 came to town (we have been told, with a large 
 bundle) on the Tuefday morning, and told Mr. 
 Sharpe the things were lotted out to be viewed, ana 
 that Mr. Creafy was going to fell them. 
 
 Mifs Sharpe again faw Mr. Creafy on Tuefday 
 evening, ^nd mentioned to him what fhe had heard 
 of the things being lotted for fale ; he replied, he 
 believed they muft be fold, as he could not take up 
 the bills when they became due, and that my cre- 
 ditors were making a great noife ; he added, "If you 
 and Mifs Robertfon would aflign the agreement for the 
 leafe, I mould have fomething to offer the creditors. 
 Mifs Sharpe begged fhe might have her furniture 
 
 I 4 > and
 
 60. 
 
 "and clothes, or that fhe might go back to the Heath. 
 Creafy replied, if we would aflignthe reafe, it would 
 all be loon fettled. Mifs Sharpe agreed to do fo, 
 and to perfuade me to do it. Creafy promifed* 
 Sharpe and his wife -j- a great many things out of 
 our houfe, if they would perfuade us to acquiefce 
 with him. 
 
 Mifs Sharpe, having affigned the leafe on condition 
 of Creafy's letting her have her property, fhe fent v 
 her brother down to claim it for her. Now I believe 
 he began to accept the wages of iniquity, and for 
 prefent gain fuffered himfelf to be ground into an 
 edged tool, to deftroy his lifter. He accepted bribes 
 from all parties, was true to none; he intercepted 
 lette s from one, and put into the hands l f another j 
 and while Sharpe was receiving gratuities from all fides, 
 he in every inftance betrayed every one that repofe^ 
 the leaft confidence in him. Our letters to Creafy 
 
 * The pickles, preferves, foap, and candles, fugars, and 
 other ftores in the ftore-rDom, &c. 
 
 f I had paid for the education of their child at a fchool at 
 Brentwood, had presented them with many articles of furni- 
 ture, lent and given them money, and almoft clothed all their 
 family. 
 
 or
 
 61 
 
 or the creditors "he opened and fuppreffed ; he gave 
 what Creafy entrufted him to deliver to us, to Martyr, 
 and he gave Martyr's (or any of the creditor's) let- 
 ters to Creafy *. 
 
 I did not underftand the law, I only knew I had 
 paid away CreafyVacceptances, that they were nearly 
 due ; fome in February, fome in March, and fome 
 in April. One that he has charged me with of 2501. 
 was loft by Sharpe, or embezzled, but it never was 
 produced for payment. However, Creafy charged 
 that with the reft, and feveral others, that he had 
 money from me to pay, 
 
 I did not fuppofe that thofe acceptances would 
 warrant his going into my houfe to feize and fell 
 all the property he found on the premifes-j v . I 
 knew the parties who held the bills were refpeclable, 
 and did not believe they would proceed to any co- 
 erfi/e meafures, had they been due. 
 
 * He opened one in prefence of Searle that contained bills, 
 addreffed to Ord and Morris. 
 
 f To afcertain this, I employed Henderfon of Goodman's 
 Fields, who went down to fee the deed, and who had fome 
 communication with fome of the creditors, but neither he nor 
 they took any ftep to acl: in concert with me, to fet it aiide, 
 or to profecute Oakley ; both of which might have been done 
 immediately. 
 
 I did
 
 65 
 
 I did not hear as I expected from my abfent friend. 
 I did not know whether it would meet his approba- 
 tion to ilate exactly the cafe to my creditors. Oak- 
 ley and Creafy appeared to have acted fuch a part 
 that I could not expect with comfort to return home. 
 Sharpeand his wife, for fear of looting their bribes, 
 were opening and fuppreffing my letters. At this 
 time Sharpe brought the alignment of the leafe, 
 which was reprefented to me as a final fettlement of 
 all the difagreeables, I afked Hardy if he under-f 
 flood it, and would have me fign it : he appeared to 
 think it all very right : fo it might, had Creafy acted 
 as he led me to fuppofe. The next thing I heard 
 was, that the goods were felling; I then prevailed on 
 Mr. Hardy to go with his attorney * to fee under 
 what authority, and directed Henderfon to bring my 
 papers. They went to Greenwich, but did no good. 
 Inftead of moving the court againft the attorney that 
 took the judgment, and calling Creafy to account 
 for what he removed, as well as profecuting Oakley 
 and his confederates, he loft time, and made a great 
 pretence about writing to Scotland, neglecting the 
 
 * This w?ts thefirft bufinefs I employed Henderfon for. 
 
 bufi-
 
 63 
 
 bufinefs clofe to his fingers, and in which my credi- 
 tors, and fclf and Mifs Sharpe particularly, were fo in- 
 terefted. He would do nothing againft Oakley, Creafy 
 or Searle, becaufe he did not hear from Mr. Robert- 
 fon, of Dalkeith, 
 
 Had the property immediately been removed from 
 Oakley and Creafy, there would have been a very 
 good dividend* for the creditors ; and Mr. Robert- 
 fon or the colonel might have been enquired after 
 at leifure. , 
 
 Henderfon was chiefly employed to recover the 
 property that belonged to Mifs Sharpe. It was pro- 
 pofed to him to call a meeting of the creditors; but 
 he advifed me to keep out of their way. 
 
 I wrote to fome of the creditors to ftate that I 
 owed no money to Creafy, and had not knowing- 
 ly authorifed him to touch the property. I requeft- 
 
 * All the new property for which I flood indebted, was on 
 the premifes ; what had been removed from Crooms Hill was 
 there likewife ; the carriages I had paid for; likewife, many 
 things very expenfive about the grounds; I had paid all the 
 bills that had been delivered, and given money on account for 
 others; therefore there ought to have been fufficient to pay 
 every thing ; and had the houfe been viewed with tickets, and 
 every thing adjulted as by us, it was fo fweet a place it would 
 have fetched any fun}. 
 
 ed
 
 64 
 
 ed they would take fome fteps to bring him and Oak- 
 ley to account. Inftead of coming forward to a6l 
 in concert with me againft the plunderers, they were 
 going about to vilify and brand me with every thing 
 that was difgufting; and inftead of feiying them- 
 felves by co-operating with me in feeking juftice, 
 they were incenfing the public at large againft me, 
 preventing any one from giving the leaft afliftance, 
 and by fuch means they guaranteed Oakley and Creafy 
 with the fole pofleflion of the property to their own 
 lofs; contenting themfelves with making phyfical 
 difquifitions on my fex, as my appearance rendered 
 that fo very doubtful to people who had been inti- 
 mate with, or in the habit of doing bufinefs for me 
 the laft feven years. 
 
 When Henderfon found that the creditors of 
 Greenwich took no rational fteps for the recovery of 
 the property, and Mr. Dobie and all joined in the 
 opinion that it was all vifionary, he began to think 
 it of no confequence ; and becaufe he could not hear 
 from Mr. Robertfon, they were not willing to believe 
 there was any property at the Heath, though they 
 had feen it; and feeing, we are told,"? believing. 
 Creafy made no offer of the affignmeht of the leafe 
 
 as
 
 63 
 
 as he promifed, to the creditors ; nor did he difmifs 
 the fheriff's officer. He fold all he could, and he 
 did not care how*;-inftead of applying for keys, 
 he fuffered every thing to be broke open. I believe 
 very little wine was fold, though I had paid for a 
 great deal. Mrs. Sharpe acknowledged they were 
 all intoxicated and cafcading on the carpets every 
 night. The auctioneer's daughters had a nice rum- 
 mage over our clothes; I would not fay that fome of 
 them did not ftick to their fingers ; fuch things are 
 very tempting. 
 
 I fent Henderfon to fetch fome family papers that 
 I had left fealed up at Prefcott's, as I fuppofed I 
 might have fome relative to Mr. Robertfon among 
 them. I had a claim, for debt, in the papers I fent 
 him for, and a reverfionary intereft in the eftate they 
 belonged to. Inftead of going to fetch me the papers, 
 he went to break them open, to gratify his own cu- 
 
 * Had the houfe been well arranged before it was viewed, 
 and a clever auctioneer employed, and all ihe articles that 
 were made to fit the houfe fold with it, for the benefit of the 
 creditors, it would have fetched a great deal more. Creafy 
 did not advertife it; he publifhed part of a catalogue at a time, 
 and that in the night ; he had hand-bills printed to fay parti- 
 cular circumftances prevented the clothes being viewed. 
 
 -.... riout y-
 
 66 
 
 riofity. Finding they were not, perhaps, what his 
 imagination led him to fuppofe, he fet the city of 
 London quite in an uproar. I was now a fwindler* 
 and every thing that was vile: he went to fearch 
 after people that he had no bufinefs with, and who 
 had nothing to do with mine. He brought a wretch 
 who had been cloathed and fed by my bounty, to fay 
 fhe would fwear I never poffefTed a milling of pro- 
 perty, and had no expectation of any! The cloaths 
 on her back I had paid for ! I had a note in my pock- 
 et wherein (he folicited me to pay her rent! I had 
 fupplied her long with provifions of every defcription, 
 as the tradefmen whom I continually paid for it can 
 teftify ! I had fupplyed her with money ! with bed- 
 ding! with cloathes for herfelf, her hufband, and 
 children, and that not a few!! I had given fecurity 
 to keep her hufband * from prifon ! This wretch knew 
 nothing at all of my circumftances fince I was feven- 
 teen years of age, nor could fhe tell what connexions 
 
 * I am well affiired fhe does not know her own hufband, 
 who he is, or where he came from, or from whom he fprung. 
 
 I had done every thing in my power to ferve them, and only 
 requefted they would never fay any thing about me, as perfons 
 of the name of Larkin refided in Greenwich, and I did not 
 wifh to be troubled about the debt. 
 
 I might
 
 67 
 
 I might have formed, or what property I might 
 have acquired. Sometimes fhe had not feen me for 
 feveral years. Yet fhe now volunteered her fervices 
 to prove that I muft be a fwindler, and had no pro- 
 perty, or expectation of any ; alledged that I was 
 mad, and had been fo many years, 6cc. 
 
 Reader, this wicked woman, with the fame 
 breath faid, (he was my mother ! ! ! 
 
 I never found her fuch ; a beaft, with more pro- 
 priety may claim the parental character ! they ful- 
 fil the duties of nature. You, bafe and fordid wo- 
 man, would fell one of your own hands, by taking 
 a bribe in the other ! Think not that the riches. 
 you now are in pofTeffion of, and which you think 
 are laid up for many years, will blunt the thorns 
 in your dying pillow, or affuage the horror that 
 will feize your foul ! It will not extinguilh the 
 flames of hell ! or ftifle the never dying worm of a 
 guilty confcience. May your hard, your adman- 
 tine heart, be molified by the hand of Omnipotence, 
 and you be led to feek that forgivenefs, of which 
 there is hope, w r hile the lamp of life is unex- 
 tinguished. 
 
 The
 
 68 
 
 
 
 . The day after this interview, Henderfon told m& 
 to be expeditious in leaving town, as he mould be 
 obliged to give up my refidence by 1 2 o'clock. He 
 told me I mould be advertifed for contempt of court, 
 but would not explain why. I knew I had done no- 
 thing, but I did not know what they might alledge 
 againft me, or even fwear to ; they feemed all to ac"l 
 fo mercenary and fo wicked a part. 
 
 I was confeious I had not intentionally injured 
 any perfon, and I knew I was a great fufferer. I 
 had heard and read a great deal about the boafted 
 laws of our country ; but, J thought, if this Was 
 law, there feemed no juftice in it. What contempt 
 of court meant, I was wholly ignorant of; but 
 to be advertifed, I thought, was very mocking. 
 
 The next day, February 26th, I went to Enfield ; 
 Mrs. Hardy went with me ; I was very ill. I went to 
 Mr. Parker's on the Chace, whom I had known fome 
 years, and had fpent lbme time at his houfe the laft 
 fummer. 
 : I knew Mrs. Hardy was fond of the country ; and 
 as it was a very fine day, I thought it a compliment 
 to afk her to go. I took a coach from* her door, and 
 
 a glafs
 
 69 
 
 a glafs coach after we got out of town, both of which 
 I paid for. I had very little money ; for all I could 
 collect I had given to Creafy. 
 
 It was not convenient for me to (lay at Mr. Parker's, 
 as he had a fever in his houfe, and his (on laid dead. 
 But Mrs. Hardy (whom he had never feen before) 
 told him fuch a tale of my fwindling, that I was glad 
 to get away. 
 
 I returned to London, 'and went that night by the 
 mail to Ipfwich. When Mrs. Hardy went home, 
 me fent for Henderfon to infult Mifs Sharpe, telling 
 her to go after the Swindler, &c. that we fhould be 
 tried at the Old Bailey*, and tranfported ; and that 
 Mifs Sharpe would be taken up as a fwindler, if {he 
 was found with me. 
 
 Mifs Sharpe, having no one to call her a'coach, lefc 
 the clothes there till (he could fend for them. When 
 Mifs Sharpe went to fetch the things, Hardy faid, (he 
 fhould not have mine ; that if I would not let him 
 
 * It is now very evident, that they faid thefe cruel things 
 to frighten us, that we might go, and leave them in polTeffion 
 of the irunk of clothes, &c. all our {remaining property ! as 
 they fuppofed. 
 
 F have
 
 have them to fell to pay Henderfon, he would feal 
 them up, and fend them to Bow Street f. 
 
 I was then at Ipfwich. This wicked Hardy and 
 his wife, I fuppofe, thought thefe things might give 
 confequence to their daughters, and at leaft recom- 
 mend them to notice. When Mifs Sharpe went up 
 flairs in order to fcrparate our clothes, Hardy, his 
 wife, a niece, and their daughter, accompanied her 
 as witneiTes. They repeatedly defired Mifs Sharpe 
 to be particular, that Ihe took nothing but what be- 
 longed to her. 
 
 Soon after, through Sharpe, they applied to me 
 for an order to fell a part to pay Henderfon (who 
 did nothing but naifchief). I faid, his bill ought to 
 be firfl produced and examined ; they faid it was 10 /. 
 but I never faw it. The clothes Hardy kept were 
 worth 60 /. and upwards ; he pretended himfelf to 
 value them at 10/. and has kept them ever liace ; 
 
 * Had I been a fwindler, and there had been any ground 
 for an indiclment, why did not Hardy and Henderfon a<5l 
 according to the law ? and not take my clothes to compound 
 a felony, as they were reporting in the world I had committed; 
 but which, in fa<fl, were only wicked threats, puting us in 
 fear, in order to extort the property, and which is in itfelf a 
 grofs fraud. r 
 
 neither
 
 71 
 
 hcither he nor Hcnderfon have given any account there- 
 of. Thus I was left with only what I had on, and 
 no money. The conduct of all parties fo over- 
 whelmed my fpirit, (which is naturally very high) 
 that I had neither power or inclination to act. . I 
 appealed to the creditors, whofe fituation was, as to 
 lofs, fimilar to my own ; for Oakley and Creafy had 
 ufurped their right ; but, as if bereft of reafon, they 
 did not take a rational ftep. 
 
 Martyr filed a bill for Creafy to (hew on what 
 ground he acted ; but Martyr did not make me a 
 party to it ; and he could not tell when he had 
 Creafy's anfwers, whether they were true or falfe ; 
 and he got pofTeffion of the money in fpite of them. 
 I do not fuppofe that fuch a collection of lies was 
 ever fwern to in this country before. 
 
 A fortnight after the fale of the furniture, Creafy 
 fold all our clothes, trinkets, &c. he even refufed 
 Mifs Sharpe a few necefTaries, though he had no 
 power to touch her property. 
 
 ' Mifs Sharpe went from Hardy's to her brother's. 
 On the Sunday, Mrg, Neale, who had boarded with 
 us fome years at Crooms Hill, called upon Mifs 
 
 F 2 Sharpe,
 
 Sharpe, to tell her that I vifited gentlemen in town 
 mproperly, anc\ in improper places ; that a friend of 
 hers had known it long *. That I ufed to.buy goods, 
 and leave the carriage at a diftance, while I went 
 to pledge them, &c. that fhe had always thought 
 I had dreffed like a kept woman *f, &c. &c. Thefe 
 things- told on a Sabbath day, juft as the old woman 
 had retired from the Sacrament, had great influence 
 for the moment on the m'nd of Mifs Sharpe ; fhe 
 fuppofed it might be fo, as fhe heard fuch horrid 
 things from all fides. It had been faid publicly at 
 the fale, I was worfe than the late Mrs. Rudd ; fome 
 faid I was then going about London to deceive in 
 vial's clothes ; others faid I was a man in zvomatfs 
 
 * She Hated, that I was connected with fwindlers, who lent 
 me money at exhorbitant interelt ; when, in"fac~t, fhe was the 
 only perfon I ever paid intereft to. For 306/. at 2b I. per 
 annum. 
 
 f She had lived fix years and a half with me. I only wifli 
 fhe, and her friend that/o well knew thefe things, had to walk 
 about with their fhoes full of peafe, till they found out the pawn- 
 brokers, my places of intrigue, and the parties concerned with 
 me ! But, during this hunt, I would not allow them to take 
 any refrefhment. I am well fatisfied this plan would effectu- 
 ally rid me of thefe two enemies,, and it really is not an ex- 
 penfive one. 
 
 clothes*
 
 73 
 
 <clothe$. All brought their different fufpicions> and 
 conferred about them till they fuppofed 'them quite 
 confolidated into fads. 
 
 And, dear reader, if you ever favv me, you \rill 
 think thefc opinions were ftrongly corroborated, by 
 my mafculine appearance, ftrong limbs, robufl make, 
 coarfe manners, and manly voice ! ! ! I believe Mrs. 
 Neale carried the firft, lecture on this fubject to 
 Her church ; her minifter, Mr. J. Goode (who 
 had known me fome years, and both vifited me, 
 and received me into his family to flay fome days at 
 a time,) repeated this as the only rcafon he could 
 amgn for Mifs Sharpe's affectionate attention and 
 fleady attachment to me ! This was afterwards re- 
 peated publicly by Townftnd of Rotherhithe, who 
 had his daughter at our fchool, and who vifited 
 us ! From thence it was diffufed far and wide through- 
 out the united kingdoms. It had reached Dublin 
 in May, and I make no doubt but by this time 
 it has reached every place between the arctic and 
 antarctic, and may be fhortly translated into all lan- 
 guages ; that of common fenfe and rcafon only 
 excepted. 
 
 p 3 Mifs
 
 74 
 
 Mifs Sharpe was fo harraffed by the continual din 
 of my enormities, that I believe fhe thought her 
 beft expedient was, to turn deferter likewife. She- 
 wrote to the family where I was at Ipfwich, not to 
 notice me on her account -, the lady had been edu- 
 cated by us, and was recently married there. I left 
 as fuon as I poffibly could, after the arrival of this 
 friendly and cor.folatory epiftle. 
 
 I did not wifh to go into London, therefore was 
 fet down near Walthamftow, quite fatigued and ex- 
 haufted ; and not liking to go to an inn, I enquired 
 in the village if there were any lodgings. I was 
 directed to a houfe, the owner of which I found I 
 had feme knowledge of. From thence I wrote to 
 Mifs Sharpe, who came down to me the day after : 
 I was then extremely ill and weak, 
 
 Mifs Sharpe (who had been accuftomed.to attend 
 me when ill,) applied a blifter, and ufed fuch means 
 as had been of ufe before. The next day I was 
 fomething better ; and being very anxious to know 
 if there were any letters for me, I accompanied Mifs 
 Sharpe to town ; for I did not yet fufped Sharpe, 
 who had entered into treaties with Creafy, Martyr, and 
 
 Hardy,
 
 7 5 
 
 Hardy *, to affift all the parties to aft againft me 
 and of courfe againft his fifter. 
 
 I had entrufted Sharpe with feveral letters to de- 
 liver for me, all of which he opened, and gave to 
 the contrary parties, or entirely fupprefled, as he did 
 not wifh for any fettlement of my concerns ; as by 
 fuch fteps he would have loft all the money that was 
 offered by the confpirators againft me. As foon 
 as we got to town, Sharpe pretended that the cre- 
 ditors were coming there frequently, threatening 
 to fearch his houfe for us : that fome faid we ihouid 
 be hanged; perhaps he meant round each others 
 necks. 
 
 I had not the leaft fufpicion of Sharpe, indeed, I 
 fuppofed him bound by every tie of gratitude ; but 
 thefe ties, I have found by experience, are very 
 flender. 
 
 By Sharpe's advice we went into the country ; 
 he ptomifed to fend our letters, and do any thing 
 
 * Mrs. Hardy was feen drinking tea with Sharpe, while fhe 
 was plundering his fifter, and unlawfully putting her in fear, 
 by threatening to alledge crimes againft me, of which I was 
 1 nnocent: had I been guilty, they were very culpable, in not 
 proceeding according to law; when counfel might have had 
 opportunity of pleading my caufe. 
 
 F 4 he
 
 76 
 
 he could toferve us. Before I left town, I gave him a 
 letter, addreffed to a relation of mine, directing her 
 to give him fome little property, of which I thought 
 I could make about 100/. for prefent emergencies. 
 He broke open that letter, and went immediately 
 and demanded the property, and fold it himfelf; 
 and did not inform me, till I detected him by a 
 letter from the party, who had given it to him, 
 fealed up in a box, and directed to be fent to 
 me. ' 
 
 We took a lodging at Ware, as cheap as we 
 could procure one decent room. There we almoft 
 lived upon the frefh air, having little elfe, and I 
 being in bed the greater part of the time. 
 
 While at Ware, I again applied, through the 
 medium of Sharpe, for that little property. Al- 
 though he had then fold it, he wrote a moft cruel 
 letter to his filler, faying, the parties would not give 
 it up; that Hardy would* not give up any part of 
 the clothes ; that he had nothing to fend her, and 
 that the creditors were with him continually. That 
 we were defcribed in all the public papers; that 
 
 two
 
 77 
 
 two ftrangers * had been there, infilling to fee us, 
 and that they wanted to go up flairs to look for 
 us. 
 
 Mifs Sharpe wrote again, which, 1 believe, a 
 little touched his flinty heart, and he fent one ' 
 guinea. 
 
 On the 19th of March, Sharpe came to Ware, 
 with' fome orders and papers from Creafy to fign ; 
 one of which was an order foV him to fell the plate, 
 #c. which he had taken. This order we burnt, 
 and I fent him one to deliver up the duplicates to 
 Sharpe, to convey to us, but which Creafy refilled 
 to do ; and he afterwards acknowledged them in 
 June. Sharpe feemed full of glee and fpirits, 
 
 * This was true ; the colonel had written to me for an ex- 
 planation, and hadenclofed a letter for my perufal, which, if I 
 approved, was to be fent to Mr. Cator. He directed to 
 Sharpe's, as defired : the letter arrived on the 26'th of Fe- 
 bruary, and though too late to flop the fale, would have en- 
 gaged Mr. Cator's interference, and molt likely have brought 
 the colonel and I to a proper explanation. He then called to 
 fee me. SKarpe feconded all the clamor of the day ; told him 
 there was fomething between Creafy and me, or he would not 
 have given the bills. - He faid fomebody had feen me in men's 
 clothes; that he mould take no more notice of his filter for 
 countenancing me. 
 
 came
 
 7* 
 
 came in a pofl-chaife, ordered things, drank bran- 
 dy, and talked of the money he could borrow, and 
 pretended to lend us 9/. more, making 10/. in all, 
 which, he faid, he had borrowed of a friend ; but 
 which, in fact, was part of the produce of the 
 property he had been felling. I thought his wheel 
 had begun to turn on a new axis, as only at Chrift- 
 mas before he had borrowed money of me, faying 
 he did not know where elfe apply for a guinea. 
 
 He left us the next morning, alluring us that he 
 thought nobody would moleft us ; that what was in 
 the papers was all nonfenfe. He brought a letter 
 and a tradefman's bill or two, but flill kept back 
 any letters of real ufe. Sharpe * advifed us not to 
 ftay long at Ware, and the next morning we went 
 to Huntingdon. As foon as Sharpe returned to 
 London, he fent Martyr down to arreft me : we 
 
 * This was the only time he ever came to us ; but, we 
 have been told, he procured money from the parties, on pre- 
 tence of coming twice or more. He told us, while at Ware, 
 to have our things directed in the name of Cunningham ; and, 
 faid he had told our creditors we were gone to Ireland. This 
 he collected from the fuppreffed letters, and is a convincing 
 proof he had them. 
 
 had,
 
 79 
 
 had, however, left the county of Hertford before he 
 reached us. He was obliged to return and wait till 
 Sharpe heard from us again, before he could renew 
 his exploits at hunting. 
 
 The middle of the following week we wrote to 
 Sharpe, to fend our letters. We waited anxioufly, 
 anticipating the poftman, till Monday morning, 
 when Mifs Sharpe faw Martyr in the ftreet : a few 
 minutes after he came up flairs, accompanied by the 
 fherifFs officer. I had not left my chamber; Mifs 
 Sharpe was preparing breakfafi: in the adjoining 
 room. I heard fome talking, but fuppofed it might 
 be the people of the houfe. Not being dreffed, I 
 had not unlocked my chamber-door, which they had 
 the indecency to burft open. 
 
 Martyr was bluitering, fwearing, and curfing, 
 enough to petrify any one poflefled of a grain of 
 fenfibility. . He raifed up the whole town of Hun- 
 tingdon * ; faid I was the vileft wretch upon earth ; 
 
 * In (mail country town?, every circumftance is immedi- 
 ately obferved; and the fingularity of thefe men's behaviour 
 excited attention. I believe it was fuppofed that I had actually 
 fobbed them, and that I was a molt vile character. 
 
 that
 
 so 
 
 that I had robbed him of MOO/. ; that I had robbed 
 the neighbourhood, where he lived, of 1.5,000/. 
 
 I was a ftranger in Huntingdon ; had only been 
 there a few days. Martyr's conduct, and the news- 
 papers, led the inhabitants to fuppofe / was as re- 
 prefented. People of all defcriptions lined the 
 flr%ets, and it was with great difficulty the chaife 
 could draw up to Mr. Drage's manfion. The fhe- 
 riff's officer was a well-behaved young man ; but 
 Monk and Martyr's behaviour and exultation, were 
 an outrage of common decency, and fuch as could 
 hardly be expecled from the very lowefl dregs of 
 human nature, in the chace of a rabid animal. 
 
 Martyr infifted upon it that I never had, and was 
 never likely to have, a (hilling. / knew I had none 
 then to give him. Monk and he faid, that all the 
 creditors had joined together to keep me confined for 
 life, at Martyr and Monk's fuit. If this is legal, I 
 think our country need not boatt the equity of its 
 laws. No bill delivered! no 'charge made! though 
 the bills had long been demanded. Men, who had 
 gone on hand overhead, thinking they might do juft 
 as tfiey pleafed with me and my property! I believe 
 
 either
 
 SI 
 
 either Martyr or Monk would have pulled down the 
 houfe, if the timber and paint would have an- 
 fwered their purpofe ; and if they, did not aft as 
 Oakley and Co. did, it was becaufe they had left 
 them nothing portable. 
 
 Thefe writs, on which I was fued, are at the 
 joint expenfe of my creditors; and the proceedings 
 were conduced againft me by the fon of Martyr, 
 who is an attorney, and the deputy -governor of the 
 confederacy againft me ; for which he charges 
 167^. 15s.; and is now threatening the creditors 
 with proceedings againft them, unlefs they pay this 
 bill *. 
 
 Martyr, , the attorney, wrote me feveral letters of 
 impertinent and expenfive enquiries, which they 
 alledged they did, in order to get information tr> 
 make me a bankrupt ; but, in faft, thofe queries 
 had no connexion with fuch a fubjecl, and proved to 
 be the refult of idle euriofity, and in order to 
 charge the creditors for writing thefe letters. I did 
 
 * I underfiand it increafes daily ; and Jones, whom they 
 have drawn in to lodge a detainder againft me, fays he does 
 not like it ; but he fuppofes he mud go on with it to pleafe 
 Martyr. 
 
 not
 
 82 
 
 not like paying pottage* and requefled they would 
 fend no more. 
 
 On my introduction to Mr. Drage, he looked 
 very grave at the magnitude of the Aim ; but or- 
 dered a lire to be made in a fmall parlour, which I 
 was to have, and a chamber over it. People of all 
 defcriptions came flocking in ; the old man's hand 
 went often into his pocket. I thought he had a very 
 numerous acquaintance ; but when fome of the 
 people came in from the inn where Martyr had 
 been, and reprefented me as a fwindler, that I 
 friould moft likely be hanged, &c. the old man be- 
 gan to change his behaviour, which (although he 
 has a face of brafs, and a heart of adamant, with a 
 hand ever open to the touch of metallic fubilances), 
 had been, in his way, tolerably civil. The marquis 
 of Salisbury, palling through Huntingdon that day 
 (March 30), was told at the inn, that there was a 
 moll: extraordinary creature juft taken ; that I was 
 to be feen, by applying to Mr. Drage. The mar- 
 quis came with his regiment of officers : this was 
 quite a fufficient licence and precedent to all tra- 
 vellers afterwards ; and it would have been an im- 
 peachment of any one's love of natural curiofities, 
 
 - not
 
 S3 
 
 not to go to fee this miraculous creature, if they 
 came within a ftage of Huntingdon. 
 
 The people in the town behaved moft unfeelingly 
 and with a brutal ferocity, that is not eafily to be 
 defcribed. My dear amiable friend was infulted 
 in* going to her lodgings, and aftually called after 
 as one of the fwindlers. In the evening, Drage 
 altered his plan of letting me have the two rooms, 
 which I offered to pay for weekly (in advance) at his 
 own price ; under pretence that it was not agreeable 
 to the fherirT ; that the fum was large, &c. His 
 daughter, who is a little dirty flattem, both in 
 houfe and perfon, violently objected to my being in 
 the houfe; and defired her father to let me go 
 among the felons *. 
 
 * A mandamus was iffued to convene the fmlths, and exa- 
 mine the locks ; and a very large new padlock was added to 
 the door, at the bottom of the flairs. I am fure the Regent, 
 or Pigot, diamonds, never were fecured with more care ; and 
 guardian Drage liked the intereft he received on this jewel, 
 though he dared not touch the principal. I believe he fup- 
 pofed I had my fuit and boots ready, and Ihould flip out, or 
 get over a wall of forty feet high. Old Guardy watched me 
 with a jealous eye : if I had efeaped, he would have loll his 
 exhibition-money. 
 
 I was
 
 84 
 
 I was then introduced into the interior of Drage's 
 dominions, where there were three poor women 
 confined for debt, moll miferably accommodated. 
 Indeed I think the county-goal of Huntingdon re- 
 flects no honor on the contriver : there is only one 
 moft horrid dirty fmall place under ground for the 
 felons, let there be what number there may. Con- 
 victs and all are together ; and the confinement, in- 
 ftead of leading to refle6tion, tends to the further 
 corruption of the wretched beings under fuch cir- 
 cumftances. A fmall kitchen, where thefe felons 
 eat (and which is fo dirty that the ftench, as you 
 pafs, is almoft fuffocating), is the place where di- 
 vine fervice is performed ! The entrances and paf- 
 fages "are always filthy; and their ftraw was only 
 changed once, during the feven months I was at 
 Huntingdon. The men debtors have only one 
 fleeping-room, where, let the number be what it 
 may (or, -however different their fituations and con- 
 nexions), they mufi all be. They provide their 
 own beds. They have a kitchen to cook, &c*. 
 
 Adjoin- 
 
 * But I foon found that Drage permitted both debtors and 
 felons io the ufe of rooms in his houfe. While I was there, 
 he bad one Alkew, for embezzling Ring's ftores ; and Ridling- 
 
 ton,
 
 85 
 
 Adjoining is a very fmall place, defigned for 
 women felons, but I am happy to fay, it was un- 
 occupied while I was there. This place is not fo 
 large, nor fo well fitted up, as places for fowls, pigs, 
 or rabbits ufually are. I have been told that four 
 women at a time, have been locked up in this* little 
 pen, which is raifed about a foot from the earth, 
 and contains no fire-place, only a kind of crib, full 
 of dirty ftraw ; there they have been locked up from 
 four till nine next morning -perhaps confined three 
 months, on fufpicion for fome trifling offence ; ac- 
 quitted at the affizes ; then turned out, deftitute of 
 provifion, and more deftitute of virtue and morality ; 
 and, I am told, the turnkey has been fuffered to 
 keep what clothes they might have for the fees. 
 
 Mr. Drage found my being there very lucrative. 
 We have been fo thronged with fpe&ators, that I 
 have been ready to faint with the heat. But to re- 
 ton, an apothecary from Ramfey, for pealing turf, who 
 was found guilty at the general quarter-feffions. This man 
 was old Guardy's deputy, and was adually fent to lock me 
 up, and fee Mifs Sharpe out of a night. He likewife let the 
 fame two rooms to a perfon, confined for debt, that he promifed 
 I ftould have. 
 
 turn
 
 S6 
 
 turn to our defcription. Over the female felon's 
 apartment is a new room, lately built, intended for 
 the fick ; and, if it was four feet higher, it might 
 be wholefome for fuch a purpofe. As it is t there is 
 not fpace to breathe ; and, in cafe of fever, it is 
 moft dangeroufly fituated for contagion, being in 
 the very centre of the place. 
 
 The little yards ought to be, at leaft, four times 
 as large. The next was my refidence, and a ter- 
 rible place it was (in my opinion) ! The two rooms 
 were very fpacious, lofty, and clean, being recently 
 painted and white- warned ; but very mean and 
 cold. 
 
 The profpect was rather extenfive, ruralf and 
 pretty. Huntingdon is a farming county : in an- 
 cient times, great part of it was foreft, and pecu- 
 liarly adapted to the chace ; hence its name. The 
 meadows are remarkably variegated, and the trees 
 grow as if planted by the hand of tafte. The 
 Oufe meanders through the meadows, and interfecls 
 the county town from the large village of Godman- 
 chefter. Huntingdon was the birth-place of the 
 ufurper Cromwell. A mile from it, the earl of 
 
 Sandwich
 
 87 
 
 Sandwich has a feat, now called Hinchinbrooke- 
 Houfe, formerly a priory : it was built in 1074 ; is 
 remarkable for the beauty of its fituation and its 
 antiquity. We took a walk to it while at Hunting- 
 don, but had not an opportunity of feeing the 
 apartments. The outbuildings are wretchedly 
 mean ; you Will feldom find them more Jo in the 
 moft common houfe-of-call on the road : and fomc 
 part of the houfe appears to be out of repair. This 
 feat gives the title of vifcount to the eldeft fon of 
 the earl*. 
 
 Huntingdon is but a fmall town, has a market on 
 Saturdays : there are three tolerable inns. It had 
 formerly fifteen churches, but has now only two ; 
 and they are not much frequented. It fends two 
 members ; is fixty miles from London on the high 
 road to Scotland. 
 
 I endeavoured to get our apartment made as clean 
 as poffible ; it had .ittle elfe to recommend it : yet it 
 
 * The earl, with great humanity and politenefs, waited on 
 me twice, and took the trouble of regulating feveral things 
 with the jailor, and went to the poll-office to give orders 
 about my letters.
 
 88 
 
 was impoffible to keep it fo, on account of the 
 multitudes that thronged it. We have had a crowd 
 come and fland round us, while we were eating our 
 dinner. 
 
 The natives of Huntingdon are very narrow in 
 their ideas, and have a provincial manner and idiom, 
 as particular as if more remote. Some ladies in the 
 place fhewed usfome ktndnefs, and fupplied us with 
 many very acceptable things; but they were not 
 natives of the place *. 
 
 My dear Mifs Sharpe was notfuffered to ftay with 
 me at night ; yet the other prifoners had any of 
 their friends ftay as long as they pleafed : and the 
 old fellow behaved moft infolently to her in many 
 inftances. Strangers have afked him, in my hear- 
 ing, whether I was a felon or debtor ? He never 
 gave a direct anfwer, but ufually replied, there was 
 " a wheel within a wheel ;" and, I have been ac- 
 tually told, that he dared in common to talk of me 
 as The Sxvindler. I paid him for a bed ; and, as if 
 willing to add every intuit to his inhumanity, he fent 
 
 * A beautiful robin ufed to fly into rcj room, and fing moft 
 enckantingly; it continued to do fo till I left. 
 
 a par-
 
 S9 
 
 a parcel of rags, that would frighten any perfon 
 ufed to common decency. I reclified this by an 
 application to the magiftrates; and I believe thejuf- 
 tices were never fo often in prifon, as they zvere 
 at my '/hit, I was a means of procuring fome con- 
 veniences, that thofe who unfortunately fucceed me 
 may be glad of. 
 
 It is remarkable that the high-fheriff ferves for two 
 counties, and is generally fome perfon- of Cambridge. 
 The under-fherifF refided there likewife. Some tra- 
 vellers, of confequence, exprefTed great difappro- 
 bation of this. 
 
 In the courfe of a few weeks, the people of Hun- 
 tingdon began to perceive we were not licentious 
 characters ; and fome fufpefted that we might be 
 unjuftly accufed in other refpec~ts. Some fent us 
 wine ; others provided us with fruit and vegetables, 
 in great abundance, and of the bed quality, from 
 their gardens. Some ladies, at our requeft, gave 
 us fome needle-work, which afforded us fome amtife- 
 ment and profit, as they paid us well for it. 
 
 After I detected Sharpe about the property he had 
 fold, he wrote to acknowledge it, and fent 5l. fay- 
 ing, that and the 10/. which he faid he had bor- 
 , g 3 rowed,
 
 90 
 
 fowed, was all he received for it; but he never pro- 
 duced any account ; and if he actually received no 
 more, the buyer deferves a profecution, for he muft 
 know they were difhonellly obtained. 
 
 I ufed formerly, when I had leifure, to write 
 poetry and effays for the magazines and mifcella- 
 nies, &c. ; for fome of which I had gained credit 
 and advantage. Mod of thefe things had been 
 publifhed under fictitious fignatures. I might have 
 renewed this purfuit at this crifis, both for town 
 and country publifhers ; but the conftant din of the 
 keys, and intrufion of ftrangers, rendered it wholly 
 impracticable. I was conftantly writing to the ma- 
 giftrates ; but when they were gone, Drage cared 
 no more about it. 
 
 . Early in June Creafy came to Huntingdon, ac- 
 companied by Webfter the great. He enquired at 
 Mifs Sharpens lodgings, but fhe refufed to fee him ; 
 he then left a note, faying, " her friend from Lon- 
 don-flxeet was come." To this Mifs Sharpe re- 
 plied, it was a perverfion of language to dare to call 
 himfelf her friend, after illegally dripping .her of all 
 her property. Mifs Sharpe referred him to the at- 
 torney
 
 91 
 
 torney we had confulted at Huntingdon. Creafy 
 told him a plaufible ftory, and the attorney adviled 
 Mifs Sharpe to fee him : I did not. 
 
 The object, he pretended, was to have her as a 
 witnefs, in his defence againft Haycraft. Mifs 
 Sharpe refilling to go, he fubpcened her the next 
 morning, pretending the caufe was coming on im- 
 mediately ; though he knew it would not take place 
 for fome weeks. ' It was a great trial to me to part 
 with Mifs Sharpe ; but the hope of feeing her in a 
 few days, in fome meafure reconciled me. 
 
 There was a very good kind of woman, who had 
 been there fome time for a fmall debt, and who had 
 kept a public-houfe in credit in a neighbouring vil- 
 lage, but who had been artfully tricked out of her 
 property by pretended friends. This good woman 
 paid me great attention ; and, when I was ill, fhe 
 was extremely affiduous. This circumftance made 
 Mifs Sharpe leave me with more compofure, though 
 fhe was herfelf at the time very unwell, and almoft 
 reduced to a fhadow. 
 
 I was greatly difappointed to hear, by a letter, 
 that Mifs Sharpe's itay was protracted ; that the 
 
 q 4 caufe
 
 92 
 
 caufe was deferred. Thus for five weeks did thefe 
 artful hypocrites (Searle and Creafy), play with 
 our feelings, and 'trifle with our health. 
 
 During the abfence of Mifs Sharpe, the friends 
 who had been kind to us at Huntingdon redoubled 
 their afliduities, and took care to have me daily fup- 
 plied with every thing that could afTuage the com- 
 plicated difficulties and trials of my fituation. J. 
 hope the impreflion of their kindnefs will ever be 
 written in indelible characters on my memory ! 
 Books, and every thing likely to amufe, were fta- 
 tedly fent to me ; and fuch as I was previoufly con- 
 futed to choofe. 
 
 My dear friend, on her return, found me very 
 unwell ; and me did not feem the harbinger of bet- 
 ter health. Creafy had kept her fecluded from any 
 employment that might prove to her advantage, a 
 clofe prifoner at the houfe of Searle, his attorney. 
 He had promifed to give her the duplicates of the 
 property he faid he had pledged ; to rcftore to her 
 our papers, and to fettle for what he had received at 
 the fale; but Mifs Sharpe, after being taken to 
 Guildhall, under the pretence of giving her evi- 
 dence,
 
 93 
 
 dence, which Creafy faid would be of fo much life to 
 me and clear my character, was told (he might re- 
 turn to Huntingdon, her evidence was not wanted. 
 Two guineas were given her to bear her expences. 
 Searle hurried her out of town, on pretence that he 
 knew there were three writs againft her; but it was 
 to prevent her making any enquiries" into the con- 
 duct of his clienfand himfelf. 
 
 In July a friend of the colonel's waited on me at 
 Huntingdon with a letter from the colonel, defiring 
 him to enquire after me, which I found he had done; 
 and all that he could difcover was, that I had 
 been the dupe ef my mifplaced confidence in art- 
 ful defigning villains. The colonel had then recent- 
 ly come into pofTemon of diftin&ion and property 
 by the death of a relative. 
 
 He at that time wilhed the creditors to make me 
 a bankrupt and (hare the property left at the Heath ; 
 and I believe would have fued Oakley, would I have 
 confented to his claiming my hereditary property ; 
 but which I knew mud be at the dear expence of a 
 
 criminal profecution againft ; to this I would 
 
 by no means confent, and faid I would never enrich 
 myfelf at the expence of thofe who could not at that 
 
 
 
 time
 
 94 
 
 time procure thofe aids our laws provide, for thofe 
 who have money; nor while I exift will I ever con- 
 fent to unite in a clofe and moft folemn engagement 
 for life, with a perfon who could be led to fufpecl my 
 virtue or integrity towards him ; happinefs is not 
 allied to fufpicion. The man who has once fufpeet- 
 ed, can never wholly efteem the object of his jea- 
 loufy. 
 
 My fpirit might be mortified, butis now unfubdued ; 
 nor would I engage myfelf to the moft amiable, re- 
 fpected, or exalted man in the univerfe, while there 
 was the leaft probable imputation on my character. 
 
 I have always been able to provide for myfelf, and 
 in myfelf poflefs independence. The colonel is inex- 
 cufable for giving way to malicious mifreprefentation 
 from an unknown hand, which was afraid to fub- 
 fcribe itsfignature: he has broken through every in- 
 junction of a moft excellent mother ; he was guilty 
 of great injuftice in fufpecYing my efteem and fideli- 
 ty, without minutely inveftigating the caufe of thofe 
 fufpicions. He had feen Creafy at his counter cutt- 
 ing his leather, the fmell of which was fufficient to 
 keep me at a very fafe diftance ; he faw he had no 
 attractions of perfon, converfation, or accomplifti- 
 
 ments*
 
 95 
 
 ments. While on the contrary he knew he had re- 
 ceived from company and education, every thing that 
 conftitutes the man of fafhion and literature. Had 
 he applied to Mifs Sharpe for the reafon of my fuf- 
 fering Creafy to go with us to Margate, he might 
 have been fatisfied. Had he appealed to Benfon at 
 whofe houfe we were, to his or my fervants, he would 
 have difcovered there was nothing improper in my 
 conduct towards him. He knew of his acceptances, 
 and why they were given. He was in pofTeffion of 
 feveral of Creafy's letters, intreating my intereft for 
 a place. He might have afked Creafy's wife if it 
 Was not with her confent thofe bills were given, as fhe 
 was previoufly confulted; and he might have heard 
 from her, that (he had wifhed Mr* Creafy had an op- 
 portunity of going to the fea, as he had been much 
 indifpofed, and that it was to gratify her wifhes that 
 Mifs Sharpe and I fufTered him to accompany us. 
 Nor could I have fuppofed any perfon could be fb 
 wicked as to fabricate fuch malicious accufations on 
 the ftrength of it or that the colonel could be i'o 
 weak as to fuppofe I put him off in confequence of 
 any fuch intrigue. 
 
 My carpenter's conduct has been very infamous 
 
 in
 
 96 
 
 in daring to go about damning me for Treaty's whore; 
 it was quite fufficient for him (that after exceeding 
 my orders, and making an exaggerated charge) he was 
 filing me, and keeping me in confinement for a debt 
 of which I had no account (except an obfervation 
 from the furveyor that it was very unjuft) ; he had no 
 bufinefs to traduce my character ; nor will he like to 
 ferve an apprenticefhip in Newgate for fo doing. 
 
 " The communication of a libel to any one perfon 
 , is a publication in the eye of the law." 
 
 4 Black/lone, c. 11. 
 
 " A fcandal expreiTed in an ironical manner is as 
 
 properly a libel, as that which is exprefTed in direct 
 
 terms." 
 
 1 Hawkins, 194. 
 
 I imagine my libellers are ignorant of this, or they 
 think there is no law for thofe who like me are ftrip- 
 ped by the hand of fraud, rapine, and injuftice. 
 
 Soon after Mifs Sharpens return to Huntingdon, I 
 publifhed Who are the Swindlers? containing an 
 account of the conduct, of Oakley, Creafy, Searle, 
 Sharpe, and Hardy. I was deprived of all means of 
 feeking redrefs in a court of juftice by their illegal 
 conduct in (tripping me of every thing; and neither 
 law, juftice, or equity is to be procured without 
 
 money-
 
 97 
 
 money in England. I had this pamphlet printed 
 at St. Ives; the firft edition fold very faft, and wasin- 
 ftrumental of procuring us many comforts. Itfadly 
 galled the publifhers of the newfpapers, &c. who 
 had printed fo many libels* and lies concerning me; 
 and you may be fure it did not pleafe the parties 
 whofe conduct was laid before the public by it. 
 They threatened the bookfellers,- but they well knew 
 it would not fuit their purpofe to conteft thefe facts 
 in a court of juftice ; fo after a little fwaggering and 
 boafting they fwallowed the affront, having before 
 lhared the property. 
 
 At the time that I publi fried this we were lefs in- 
 terrupted by Grangers. The Lord Chief Baron 
 had feen fome of my letters that I had written to 
 the magiftrates; his lordfhip animadverted on the 
 enormity of the goaler's conduct, and exprefled his 
 difapprobation of the towns-people in thus infulting 
 
 * The word libel is in a work called Chronological Tablets, 
 price 3s. which is a book to be handed down to poilerity, and 
 intended to be put into {he hands of young perfons. This 
 work records me as the notorious female fwindler of 1801. 
 The publifhers are Vernor and Hood, Ridgway, Crolby, Hurlr, 
 and Badcock, all of whom have fold it, and owned the fale of 
 fome thoufands. 
 
 an
 
 9& 
 
 an innocent per/on againfl whom no crime was proved \ 
 and who was only under arreft for debt. The towns- 
 people were highly offended at his lordfhip's inter- 
 ference. The grand jury were directed to wait upon 
 me, but I cannot fay they behaved like gentlemen *, 
 nor do I believe they made ajuft report to the judge* 
 They were all/people in the goaler's intereft, became 
 he has fome fmall freeholds, and is entitled to a pal- 
 try vote, which experience has taught is fufficient 
 to fet afide juftice in many refpects. But I trail in a 
 little time, I fhall at leaft be able to call upon the 
 county or the goaler; they fan&ion to pay my ar- 
 rears of interruption from every fource of profitable 
 employment, if I forgive the infults and indigni- 
 ties to which I was expofed. 
 
 A perfon is not to be divefted of means to fupply 
 their wants by a mercenary inhuman wretch in whofe 
 cuftody they may be. Such things are not fufFered 
 in London; prifoners are encouraged to induftry, 
 and may, without the unfeafonable interruptions or 
 intrufions of the keepers, follow any profeflion, or 
 have what intercourfe they pleafe, either among their . 
 fellow prifoners or others who come in to them. 
 
 * Mr. Allnutt was the principal fpeaker on this occafion; 
 fee, Who are the Swindlers? p. 32, 
 
 Drage,
 
 99 
 
 Drage, while he brought throngs to infult me, by 
 which he received a gratuity, refufed even my lan- 
 drefs admittance, and damning me, would tell her 
 I fhould wafh for myfelf. 
 
 He would likewife refufe my fervant to go in or 
 out j becaufe, if I fent the turnkey of errands, he 
 was fure to make the market penny. 
 
 D rage's daughter, Polly, cried fadly, when (he 
 heard that the books fold fo faji at Mr. Row's (who 
 fold them for my fole benefit). She told my mantua 
 maker, fhe thought it was very hard, I (hould buy 
 new dreffes, and get money by books about her. 
 She obferved it would have fpoilt her character, if 
 every body had not known her. 
 
 It was furprifing to fee how Polly bruflied up and 
 improved j and fhe certainly was much neater about 
 the feet in particular, after we had been there fome 
 time. Polly did us the juftice of bearing teftimony 
 to the influence of good example ; and it was ob- 
 ferved to me by a perfon who knew her, that our 
 being there was as good as a year's fchooling to Mifs 
 Polly, the ony daughter of Guardy Brafs. 
 
 I had feveral applications for the copy-right of 
 Who are the Swindlers ? And at laft agreed to fell 
 
 the
 
 100 
 
 the fecond edition for 50 guineas, and I believe, 
 I had at laft, about 400 copies I of the work be- 
 lides ; but I had a great deal of trouble to get pa* t 
 of the cafh, and was obliged to employ an at- 
 torney. 
 
 I fent 'Copies of the firft edition to a creditor, 
 (with whom I intended to lay out fome of the 
 profits) to enter it for me at Stationer's Hall, but 
 he kept them. The confequence was, that the 
 work was pirated, and I. had no redrefs. And the 
 whole profits have not exceeded 120 /. 
 
 I had a promife from ^he publisher of the Tra- 
 veller, that if I would write letters for that paper, I 
 fhould receive 105. 6d. for each ; he paid me for one, 
 but having fent feveral others, (all of which were 
 inferted) no money being fent for them, I dif- 
 continued it. 
 
 Towards the end of Autumn I began to think of 
 going to London ; the profpect of winter was very 
 unplcafant, as Mifs Sharpe was obliged to leave me 
 
 * I have been lefs fuccefsful with my fubfequent publication, 
 Hot being able to get any money or account from the publifher, 
 who engaged it at an inferior price, in order to pay me ready 
 money. 
 
 at
 
 101 
 
 at dufk, and Jthe evenings were very long. The 
 doors being locked before dark, while I was there ; 
 they have been open, and perfons admitted till rb 
 o'clock at other times ; but this was a piece of old 
 Brafs's fpite, to feparate Mifs Sharpe and I, becaufe 
 he faw we were fo attached. Belides, in cold wea- 
 ther, Mifs Sharpe would have found going out of 
 nights very prejudicial to her health. Huntingdon 
 is fubject to fogs, on account of its vicinity to the 
 meres and fenns. 
 
 I directed an attorney to remove me. Mifs Sharpe 
 went to London by the coach. I wrote to a 
 perfon in the Fleet to procure me the belt fur- 
 nifhed apartment he could, and one, if poflible, for 
 my fervant ; to lay in coals to air it, &c. which was 
 done feveral days before old Guardy chofe to ftart. 
 Nor would he let me know till late the night before 
 he fet off, feaiing a refcue on the road, I paid four 
 guineas for a poll chaife, and was furprifed to find 
 Old Brafs had let a feat in it to fume perfon going to 
 town. I fent my baggage a week before, by the 
 waggon, and had only myfelf and my little com- 
 panion, Mifs Patty Frifk, to take care of. I left my 
 h fervant
 
 102 
 
 fervant to go to fee her friends, and flic was to 
 follow in a few days. As Ihe was very defirous of 
 continuing with me, I had applied to the fociety for 
 herreleafej and me obtained her liberty in confe- 
 quence. 
 
 Mifs Patty is a very entertaining little kitten, that 
 I had nurfed up with fome difficulty j me fecmed 
 fenfible of my kindnefs, and had ten thoufand di- 
 verting tricks to amufe me, except when I have been 
 ill, when nothing would induce Patty to leave my 
 bed, where (he would fit and watch, and look piti- 
 fully. < H 
 
 Gratitude is due for the affection of a little domef- 
 tic animal, and Patty was not to be left behind. She 
 is perfectly fatisfied in fharing her miftrefs's folitude 
 and provifions, and has not a wilh to be elfe- 
 where. 
 
 We had a delightful day, November 6, and ar- 
 rived in Chancery-lane by four o'clock. I found an 
 apartment in the Fleet taken, and aired, and Cvery 
 thing comfortable provided. My dear Mifs Sharpe 
 came to. me in the evening. I muft fay this 
 place is well conftructed for the^convenience of the 
 
 prifon-
 
 103 
 
 priioners * : ic is very large. The rooms are a good 
 fize ; and if people are cleanly, may be made both 
 decent and comfortable. It has a very good chapel, 
 but very badly attended. Thofe who have the ma- 
 nagement of it, are refpectful, civil, and obliging ; 
 nor do they attempt to interfere with the privileges 
 of the prifoners, fome of whom have very good and 
 lucrative employments, and, I believe, perfectly fa- 
 tisfied with their fituation. 
 
 It is very inconvenient for a modeft woman ; fuch 
 cannot walk the parade (that is for the men); and 
 they have no feparate walk. It is, therefore, very 
 injurious to the health, to be wholly confined to one 
 room ; and I have feverely felt the effects, having 
 been fcrioufly ill. 
 
 Many of the men, who have no employment, 
 fmoke and drink beer all day : the air is actually im- 
 pregnated with the fumes. It is a fad thing that any 
 perfon, with property, will (hut themfelves up in 
 fuch a place. It is equally difgraceful that any per- 
 
 Many perfons who have been into it, have been fur- 
 prized at the magnitude and good appearance of the place, as 
 -well as with the neatneis of our apartment. 
 
 H 2 fon,
 
 104 
 
 fbn, who is willing to give up all, and exert them- 
 felves for the benefit of their creditors, ihould be 
 immured by their malice, and prevented from being 
 ufeful in the world, by the mercenary wretch who 
 has firft forced the very property upon you, charged 
 you treble the value, and now fues you for it; at the 
 fame time preventing and counteracting every reafon- 
 able mode of liquidation. Our laws, in this refpect, 
 want emenlation; and have been queftioned as to 
 the juftice of them, by many able commentators on 
 men, manners, and the policy of countries. 
 
 It is aftonifhing to fee homittle fympathy perfons, 
 confined in this place, manifert for each other. Not 
 being able to procure another room for my fervant, 
 and not liking her to fleep in my room, or to do her 
 bufinefs in the general kitchen, I was obliged to de- 
 cline her coming, I engaged a prifoner's wife to 
 wait upon me, at feven (hillings a week. She com- 
 plained of being wretchedly poor, and begged of 
 me, on the firft day that I engaged her, to advance 
 her money to buy a joint for her family; laying, it 
 was three weeks fince (he had one. About a fort- 
 night after, I entrufted her to buy a few tin utenfils, 
 which came to about 28s, : me laid upon this (as I 
 
 foon
 
 105 
 
 foon after difcovered by an inte view with the feller), 
 an advance of 3s. 9d. When I expoftul ited with 
 her on her difbonefty, her hufband alledged it was for 
 her agency ; a very ufual thing, he faid, in this place. 
 Yet fhe was at that time my fervant, at weekly 
 wages. We differed and parted about this agency- 
 bufinefs ; and fhe actually cha r ged me a (hilling a 
 week for boiling the tea-kettle, exclufive of her 
 weekly wages, or her agency-tax; which, I have 
 fince difcovered, (lie laid, both in price, weight, 
 meafure, and quality, on every article I entrufted 
 her to fetch. 
 
 As foon as convenient, after my arrival in town, 
 I convened a meeting of my London crecitors, in 
 this place. T?hree of them waited .upon me, with 
 my attorney, to requeft I w T ould call a general-meet- 
 ing : they feemed defirous to do fomething for them- 
 felves and me. 
 
 Agreeable to their advice, I publifhed an adver- 
 tifement in the Gazette, and purchafed the Gazette to 
 lay before them. I appointed the 6th of January; 
 and that they might be well accommodated, I paid a 
 guinea for a room, at the London Coffee-houfe ; 
 fearing any difficulty might be ftarted about obtain- 
 ing
 
 106' 
 
 ing the houfe out of Creafy's hands, who has kept 
 
 pofrefiion fince the fale, I employed a counfel to 
 
 anfwer any queftions, or folve any doubts of their-, 
 
 as well as to plead on the improbability of my doing 
 
 any thing to ferve them, under circumftances of 
 
 confinement. 
 
 I ... 
 
 The propofals from me to the creditors were, 
 that they mould, by legal meafures, recover and 
 fell the intereft I had in the houfe * ; and, if they 
 pleafed, to make an immediate dividend. That 
 
 * My tradefmen appear to uqjHkand the rule of multipli- 
 cation for. their own emolumefW^ A few days previous to 
 Oeafy's artful perfuafion to leave the houfe, I alked the fur- 
 veyor what was the amount of the money expended on the 
 premifes; he replied, 2000/. On the ninth of this month, 
 Feb. 7, 1802, he told Mifs Sharpe the bills were 4000/. He 
 produced his book, in which was a memorandum of a bill, 
 for papering the attics, done by a perfon of the name of Gor- 
 don, who delivered his bill, examined by this furveyor, for 
 16/. 1 Is. : it is now fet down in his eitimate at 150/. / He told 
 me the carpenter's bill was unjuft, at leaft one-third. To 
 pleafe him, he has fine e fwom, that the whole is julr. The 
 painter's bill, when I was at Huntingdon, was 450/.; he now 
 iwears it is 567/. 15/. \\d. The reft increafe in proportion, 
 notwithstanding the charitable contribution of the whole map 
 of creditors ! who agree to pay the coits of keeping me con- 
 fined ; and, by that means, relieve me of the addition of a 
 molt enormous lawyer's bill. 
 
 they
 
 107 
 
 they might, under a deed of truft, fue Oakley and 
 Creafy, and appropriate what was recovered to 
 their ufe ; or, that they ihould give me a letter Of 
 licence, for five years, to let me fue the parties for 
 thtir benefit ; and that if any deficiency Jhould be 
 proved when the debts were examined, I would 
 exert myfelf to make good that deficiency, on con- 
 dition that they immediately releafed me, in order 
 that I might be able to make the requifite exer- 
 tions. 
 
 Martyr, the attorney, attended this meeting; 
 and, with his father's ^Btance, amufed the credi- 
 tors, by telling them that my counsel had not re- 
 ceived any communications from me : that he was 
 waiting to hear ; that it would be of no ufe to go 
 into the room appointed, &c. 
 
 Some of the creditors have fince informed me, 
 that they waited from three till feven o'clock ; and 
 then went away with the impremon that I had 
 convened them to make fools of them ; except that 
 the expence I muft have been at, in providing the 
 room, counfel, &c, proved the contrary. 
 
 What could be the reafon of this abmrd conduct 
 I am at a lofs to know. The counfel and attorney 
 
 J went
 
 lOS 
 
 went from me to the coffee-houfe ; my attorney 
 knew a room was engaged, and it was his duty to 
 collect my creditors (at lead thofe who were fo dif- 
 pofed) into it. And if my carpenter, fearing a pro- 
 fecution from me, is determined, as long as he can t 
 to deprive me of the power of acling ; yet the other 
 creditors manifeft a mod pufrilanimous fpirit in 
 being led # by this blattering hero, merely becaufe 
 he can terrify the timid by the obfcenity of a 
 mouth full of horrid imprecations, infomuch, that 
 he appears to be created the devil's vicegerent of 
 profanation. 
 
 Creafy had the infolence to intrude himfelf into 
 my prefenc Q , to tell me the truftees he nominated, 
 refufed to act, and that he could not fell the houfe. 
 The reader may be fure he did not meet a very wel- 
 come reception. A few days after his attorney 
 caifed, to know what gratuity I would take, to no- 
 minate other truftees, that Creafy might fell the 
 houfe. Would I take 5001. ? 
 
 On fending notices to the truftees not to ac"l, I 
 found they bad been appointed without their know- 
 ledge, and that they did not mean to a&. Thus 
 Creafy is prevented in his wicked defign of felling 
 
 the
 
 109 
 
 the houfc, and keeping all the money ; which, I 
 have no doubt, he would have done, if he could 
 have accomplished it. 
 
 Searle, who had the agreement in his hands (as 
 my attorney), refufes to deliver it up, alledging he 
 has cofts. I only know that he applied, by letter, 
 &c. for two debts due to me, which he received^ 
 but has not accounted for. He furely does not 
 mean to charge me with defending Haycraft's fuit, 
 or for the deed he fo wickedly obtained for 
 Creafy? 
 
 I have, in every refpecl, done all I could for the 
 creditors, and have been willing to aft with them 
 againft Oakley or Creafy ; both of whom they might 
 have brought to a reckoning, and reaped the advan- 
 tage, at a much'lefs expence than Evereft and 
 Martyr have caufed them. 
 
 It required rio great knowledge to afcertain that 
 they could do nothing for the recovery of the pro- 
 perty, and the advantage of the general creditors, 
 without my concurrence and afliftance ; therefore, 
 they fhould have co-operated with me in proceeding 
 againft them : inftead of which, though Martyr has 
 made a long job for his fon, all the creditors at large 
 
 i . have
 
 110 
 
 have to contribute to the payment of their enor- 
 mous bill, and to add their refpective (hares to the 
 money they have already loft. 
 
 It is now incumbent on me to exert myfelf to 
 procure the means to bring all thefe parties to anfwer 
 for their conduct ; for I ftill think, if money can be 
 procured, fome law, and perhaps fomejuftice, may 
 be obtained : and mould I be fpared to write the 
 fecond part of a life fo chequered, I hope a ray of 
 fun-mine will enliven it. If not, I truft I (hall be 
 endued with refisrnation to the will of Him who 
 docs nothing in vain; and who will finally difplay 
 every thing that may now be enveloped. 
 
 F I N I ?, 
 
 Vuirlon, Printer, 82, Friter-lant
 
 Lately publtjhed by Mifs Robert/on, 
 
 Who are the Swindlers? 
 
 Second Edition, Price Is. 6d. 
 
 Dividends of Immenfe Value, 
 
 AND MY CLAIM ON OTHERS 
 
 EVIDENCED BY 
 
 INDISPUTABLE AUTHORITIES. 
 
 Price Is. 6d. 
 
 * # * In future every copy that is sold for the benefit of 
 
 Miss Robertson, will be signed by her. Miss Robertson 
 
 has greatly suffered from the injustice of Booksellers, &t. 
 
 An Addrefs to the Public. 
 
 Price 6d, 
 
 Mifs Sharpe's Letter 
 
 TO THE 
 
 CONGREGATION OF WHITE ROW, SPITAL FIELDS, 
 Price 6d. 
 
 Sifte Viator, 
 
 Price L 2d. 
 
 Story of an Eel-pye, 
 
 Price 2d.
 
 V VICTORIA ARCANUM will not appear till 
 a much larger Number are ordered: as the work and en- 
 gravings will be expensive, the Author will not be in- 
 demnified unless a. large impression will sell. She is much 
 obliged by the orders already received. 

 
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