131
supposing her mistress, from this circumstance, to be too much prepossessed in his favour, and fearing the consequences of Edwards’s wicked disposition, she had accordingly persisted in requesting, and finally obtained, her discharge; since which she had married an industrious mechanic, and lived in good repute. The court was now cleared, and after some deliberation re-opened, when the bench informed her, that the evidence of Edwards being unsupported by any other testimony, the court were of opinion the charge had not been substantiated, and she was therefore discharged from custody. During the preceding examination, Edwards bad never once mentioned my name, but accused this woman as his sole accomplice, and every person present, as well as myself, concluded I should be immediately liberated; but the woman had no sooner retired, than I was called to the bar, and stood charged, together with Edwards, “with breaking open the writing-desk of Ellis Bent, Esquire, and stealing thereout several sums of money!” To this charge, Edwards, who appeared do longer capable of dissimulation, pleaded “Guilty.” I, of course, solemnly denied any knowledge of, or participation in, his guilt; and briefly stated the part I had acted, calling upon Mr. Colles, Mr. Redman, and the two constables, to corroborate my account, which they did in every particular I have before recited. The court then appearing to hesitate, Mr. Cubitt, the
