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from France he came to Canterbury, where he devised the machine which had been found in the hemp-house, and had it there constructed; that before he left Canterbury he had a quarrel with a dragoon; and that when he removed from thence, he directed his course to Portsmouth, where he prepared the combustibles with which he afterwards set the place on fire; that he disclosed to him (Baldwin) the secret of making the composition, and the manner of his applying it; told him the circumstance of his being locked in the rope-house; of his quarrelling with his landlady, on account of the interruption she gave him in his operations; of her forcibly turning him out of her house; of his taking another lodging; of the difficulty he had in lighting his matches; of his purchasing other matches; of his flight from Portsmouth, in a woman's cart; with many other particulars, all of which were confirmed on his trial, by the testimony of the persons respectively, who were any ways employed by him, or with whom he had any thing to do in the business. The boy who made the cannister, the dragoon with whom he quarrelled at Canterbury, the woman at whose house he lodged at Portsmouth, the man who let him out of the rope-house, the persons who saw him in the dockyard, the woman who sold him the matches, the woman who took him up in her cart, in his flight from Portsmouth, and last of all, the bundle in which was his passport from France, with the identical articles in it, which he had specifically mentioned to Baldwin; all those were produced against him, and, as the judge observed

in summing up the evidence, that from the chain of circumstances attentively put together,such a body of evidence may be drawn, as would be abundantly stronger than where two or three witnesses swear to a positive fact; it is no wonder, therefore, that the jury, without going out of court, pronounced the prisoner. GUILTY; and he being asked in the usual form, what he had to say, why sentence of death should not be passed upon him? replied, He had nothing to say.

He had, indeed, in making his defence, observed, upon the evidence of Baldwin, that from his (the prisoner's) name being publicly advertised, and the kingdom searched for charges against him, it might be easy for Baldwin, or such a man as Baldwin, properly instructed, to form such a story, and to bring such a number of witnesses as he had done, to confirm it; nevertheless, (said he) "Be it a false accusation brought against me, or a betraying of trust, through the treachery of the man's heart, I should like that your lordship would take it into consideration, whether such a person has a right, in the sight of God, and according to the laws of this kingdom, to give evidence against me; or, if he has, whether such evidence ought to be regarded?" He observed, likewise, on the witnesses from Canterbury, that one says he was there about six weeks before Christmas; another says six or seven weeks; another between Michaelmas and Christmas; another before or after the 20th of November; yet his passport is dated at Fontainbleau, the 13th of November, so that he could not be there and at Canterbury at the same [Q] 4

time

time.

He was asked if he rested his defence on those observations, or if he chose to call any witnesses? His answer was, For what end? till something is proved against me, I intend no defence in the world. I am ready to live and die, according to justice.

When the judge, in pronouncing sentence against him, said, "You cannot be surprized that the law has thought fit to punish such a crime with death; you can as little be surprized if, after you have been convicted upon the clearest evidence of this offence, I can give you no hope of pardon;" he said, I do not look for any, my lord. And when in conclusion, his lordship added, "I have only now to pronounce the painful sentence of the law." The prisoner said, "Joyful."

He was carried from Winchester gaol, on the 10th of March, to Portsmouth dock-gate, where, before he was turned off, he said, I acknowledge the justness of my sentence, and hope for forgiveness, as I forgive all the world; I wish success to his majesty, King George, and his family, and all his loyal subjects; and I hope for forgiveness for all the transactions I have been guilty of.

He recommended strict vigilance at the dock-yards of Chatham, Woolwich, Deptford, Portsmouth, and Plymouth; because, he said, it was in the power of any determined resolute man to do a great deal of mischief.

After hanging the usual time upon a gallows, sixty feet high, he was cut down, and immediately hung in

chains.

Before he was taken from Winchester, he made a voluntary con

fession, by which it appears, that his real name was James Aitken; that he was born at Edinburgh, September 28, 1752; that his father was a blacksmith, and he believes his mother is now living; that he served an apprenticeship to a painter; that curiosity led him to Virginia, at the age of 21; that he left America in March, 1775; in October he inlisted in the 32d regiment, at Gravesend, under the name of James Boswell, but soon deserted; in November he inlisted at Chard, in Somersetshire, in the 13th regiment, and soon after deserted. He never was in the 45th regiment, neither did he go to America in any regiment, as sworn against him by Baldwin; nor did he tell any one that one Brooks, a prisoner in Newgate, would be hanged, or that he ever knew a man by the name of Brooks. That he never said he had recommendations to any merchant in London, or that he burnt bills to the amount of 3007. He burnt his indentures, he said, when he inlisted for a soldier, to conceal his real name.

At Birmingham and Warrington he followed the trade of a painter; as he did likewise at Tichfield, in Hants, where he conceived, the first idea of setting fire to the dock-yards. That he went to France, and applied to Mr. Silas Deane, who told him, when the work was done, he should be rewarded. That on his return to England, and after setting fire to the rope-yard at Portsmouth, he went to London, and waited on Dr. Bencraft, to whom he had a verbal recommendation, from Mr. Deane; but that the doctor gave, him no countenance. That ho afterwards

afterwards wrote to him, and the out remorse the most rigorous punishments.

day following met him at the Salopian Coffee-house, and told him he would do all the prejudice he could to this kingdom; but the doctor not approving of his conduct, he took his leave, hoping that the doctor would not inform against him; to which the doctor said, He did not like to inform against any man.

That from London he went to High Wickham, where he broke open a house: from thence to Oxford and Abingdon, at which last place he attempted to break into some silver-smiths' shops, but without effect. At Fairford he broke into a house, and took a watch and some money. At Plymouth, he twice attempted to set fire to the dock-yard, and twice reached the top of the wall for that purpose; but the watchmen being within hearing, he desisted. He then went to Bristol, and in his way attempted to break into a house at Taunton. At Bristol he attempted to set fire to the shipping in the harbour, and afterwards set fire to a warehouse in Quay-lane. He then left the town, and broke open Mr. Lowe's house, at Calne. That he committed or attempted to commit several other robberies; particularly one at Norwich, where he stole two silver table spoons, and a pair of silver buckles. He also committed a robbery on the highway, between Portsmouth and Petersfield. By all which atrocious villainies, conceived and committed, without any instigator or accomplice, other than the promise of Mr. Deane, he appears to have been a most abandoned miscreant, capable of the most enormous crimes; and of suffering with

Summary of the new Act for granting his Majesty a Duty upon all Servants retained or employed in the several Capacities therein mentioned.

A

FTER a short preamble, the

statute enacts: That, from ' and after the fifth day of July, 1777, there shall be raised unto his majesty, his heirs and successors, after the rate of twenty-one shillings per annum, for every male servant, within the kingdom of Great Britain, who shall then have been, or shall afterwards be, retained or employed in the following capacities; (that is to say) of maitre d'hotel, house steward, master of the horse, groom of the chamber, valet-de-chambre, butler, under-butler, clerk of the kitchen, confectioner, cook, houseporter, footman, running-footman, coachman, groom, postillion, stable-boy, and the respective helpers in the stables of such coachman, groom or postillion, or in the capacity of gardener (not being a day-labourer), park-keeper, game-keeper, huntsman, whipper-in, whether such male servants shall have been, or shall be, retained in one or more of the said capacities, or in any other business jointly with one or inore of the said capacities of a servant; that every such master or mistress shall be charged fifteen shillings for every such servant so retained or employed within the time which shall elapse between the fifth day of July, 1777, and the 25th of March, 1778; and every such master or mistress shall be charged

the

the sum of twenty-one shillings for every such servant, which shall be so retained within every subsequent year, ending on the 25th day of March; and the several sums herein before mentioned shall be paid in every year, within six months subsequent to the 25th day of March. Provided always, That this act shall not extend to any servant who shall be employed bona fide, for the purposes of husbandry or manufactures, or of any trade or calling, by which the master or mistress of such servant earns a livelihood or profit.

Provided also, That the duty hereby granted for every coachman, groom, postillion, or helper, let out to hire by way of a job, shall be paid by the master or mistress for whose use, and in whose service, such coachman, groom, postillion, or helper, shall be employed respectively; and that the duty granted for every gardener, employed by any person who shall contract for the keeping of any garden or gardens, shall be paid by the person for whose use, and in whose garden such gardener shall be employed.

Provided also, that nothing in this act contained, shall extend to exempt any person from the payment of the duty imposed by this act, in respect of any servant employed in any of the capacities aforesaid, on account that such servant is or shall be bound as an apprentice to such person or persons; save and except such apprentices as are or shall be imposed upon any master or mistress, by virtue of the powers given to magistrates and parish officers, by any act of parliament, so as the number of such apprentices, so imposed upon

any master or mistress, does not exceed two.

Provided also, That this act shall not extend to charge with the duty hereby granted, the butler or butlers, manciple, cook or cooks, gardener or gardeners, porter or porters, of any college or hall within either of the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge; or the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, or St. Andrew's, in Scotland; or of the several colleges of Westminster, Eton, or Winchester; or to the servants of his majesty, or any of the royal family; or of any ambassador, or foreign minister, residing in the kingdom of Great Britain.

Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing herein contained shall extend to charge with the duty hereby granted any of the royal hospitals of Christ, St. Bartholomew, Bridewell, Bethlehem, St. Thomas, in the city of London and borough of Southwark ; or Guy's, or the Foundling hospital. The duties to be collected by such persons, and paid into the Exchequer, under such penalties, &c. as are appointed for the duties on houses and windows, by two acts of 20 Geo. II.

The commissioners of the beforementioned acts shall also put this act in execution, and shall appoint

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for those servants they omit in their lists.

One half of which surcharge to be allowed the assessor or surveyor making the same.

Surveyors or assessors not to enter any dwelling-house, &c. to examine the number of servants. Persons over rated may appeal to the commissioners for redress, and if then dissatisfied, may appeal to the court of King's-bench.

Abstract of the Act of the last Session of Parliament, for restraining the Negotiation of Bills of Exchange, Promissory Notes, &c.,

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a further sum ("but yet without prejudice to the convenience arising to the public from the negotiation of promissory notes, &c. for the remittance of money in discharge of any balance of account") the good purpose of the said act would be further advanced. The legislature therefore have continued the prohibition of notes, &c. for any less sum than 20s, and enacted, that from and after the 24th of June 1777, till the first day of January 1778, all notes for any sum between one and five pounds shall be liable to payment on demand, whatever be the conditions contained in the said notes, &c.

It also enacts, that from and after the first day of January 1778, all negotiable promissory notes, &c. for 20s. and less than five pounds shall be made payable at 21 days after date, and each indorsement thereon shall specify the name and place of abode of the person to whose order the money is to be paid; and that the signing of every such note, &c. or any indorsement on it, shall be attested by one subscribing witness at the least."

The following are the Forms of Promissory Notes and Draughts, and of the Indorsements, taken from the Schedule, annexed to the Act.

SCHEDULE, N°. I.

[Place][Day]-[Month]-[Year]—

WENTY-ONE days after date, I promise to pay to A. B. of [Place]-or his order, the sum of-[Sum]-for value received.

by

Witness E. F.

And the INDORSEMENT, toties quoties.

C.D.

-[Day]-of-[Month]-[Year]→→

Pay the contents to

G. H. of-[Place]-or his order.

Witness I. K.

A. B.

No. II.

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