472 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

steps herein as may be necessary, so soon as the purchase is
made. I am with great Truth
Sir, Your most Obedient
& very humble Servant
W. Johnson

Original.

[Hamersley to Sharpe.]

Serj^ts Inn London 28^th March 1768
Hon^d & D^r S^r
Soon after I last wrote your Excellency, a most unlucky
Affair broke out, which was attended with very Disagreable,
and might have ended with serious, Consequences; but, thank
God, the worst is now over, and I can again resume my Pen
and my Function with Chearfulness & Confidence. So much
must have already reached your Excellency upon the Subject
(tho' the truth has been wickedly disguised under false
Colours to Create a General prejudice) & so much more will
soon follow, when the Proceedings come to be Published, that
I shall only very Shortly acquaint your Excellency that on
Tuesday the 29^th of Dec^r last Lord Baltimore was Called upon
by Habeas Corpus to produce before Lord Mansfield one
Sarah Woodcock, a Pedling Millener, aged between 30 & 31,
but an Anabaptist, and of the lowest Degree of Sectarys, who
had come to him a few days before from Rosemary Lane, and
who, upon being privately Examined before his Lordship for
half an hour together, Declared that Lord Baltimore had used
her very well, & that she was desirous of going back again
with him, But, before she left the House, was prevailed upon
by a Body of Saints then assembled to return to her Friends,
and in Two hours after to go to Fielding's, & swear a Rape
against his Lordship, & Two Women as his assistants.
S^r John, Pleased with the prospect of a good Prize, immedi-
ately sent one of the women, whom he had got into his Power,
to Newgate, & proceeded with the utmost Violence, by beset-
ting the House with his Myrmidons, (who killed his Lordships
Porter in attempting to break in, and Frightened his favourite
Daughter of about 14 into a Fever, w^ch Destroyed her in a
few Days,) to Seize his Lordship Person too ; w^ch how-
ever, he withdrew in time, till proper Enquirys could be made
into the truth, & the necessary Preparations made for Bailing
him in the ensuing Term, w^ch being done his Lordship on the
12^th of Feb^ry (being the last day of the Term) Voluntarily sur-
rendred himself to the Court of Kings Bench, & was imme-
diately admitted to Bail in Open Court to take his Trial at
the Ensuing Surry Assizes, the fact being Charged at Wood-
cote, & on Saturday last the 26^th Instant his Lordship took