Affidavit of John Gardiner. I poffefs the cloth that is dyed but once a year, and of which colour no perfon has liberty to wear, excepting myfelf; the gold of my mine is of twelve colours, and it is fworn to, as well as to me, that no body has power to take out gold out of that mine. My wax burns day and night; the wax of itself is continually boiling; my knife has but one edge, and the handle thereof is like a bird; and there is no king that has power to wear the fame excepting myfelf: the gold that is in my faid mines, no body has better. I have an enchanted cock that fings three times a year, which I found on the coasts of China, and no body has 257 fuch as I have. I have an iron cap and also a hain that forty men cannot carry, but I have a foldier that wears and carries them, and no body has fuch a foldier as I have. I have a fpear that ten men cannot lift up; but I have a foldier alfo that carries that spear, and kills a buffalo that ten men cannot kill. Even the world is mine and I am the owner thereof. What was nobody's hitherto, is mine. Wax which lights in the night as well as the day time, it is my own wax of Saliftra, which is to be found but in one place; it is my own. I have a mandarin whose name is Ventaro, a valiant man, who watches or ftands centry at my door. JOHN J The Affidavit of John Gardiner. London, [OHN GARDINER, of to wit, the Inner Temple, Efq; barrister at law, maketh oath and faith, that about twelve or one o'clock in the forenoon, on Saturday the thirtieth day of April, one thoufand feven hundred and fixty-three; he, this deponent (being in Westminster-hall) heard that a motion was then making in his majesty's court of common-pleas, for an habeas corpus to bring up the body of John Wilkes, efq; who, as this deponent was then informed, was a prifoner in the cuftody of fome of his majesty's meffengers in ordinary; and this deponent faith that he, immediately upon receiving fuch information, went into the faid court of common pleas, in order to see the event of of the faid motion. And this deponent further faith, that as foon as the faid court had ordered the faid writ of habeas corpus to iffue, this deponent went to the house of the faid John Wilkes, efq; in Great George- ftreet, Weftminster, at the door of which houfe this deponent faw feveral gentlemen (friends of the faid John Wilkes, as this deponent then understood and believed) who informed this deponent that they could not gain any admiffion into the faid houfe; and further told this deponent, that the king's meffengers were in the faid house, and kept the door thereof: whereupon this deponent went up to the door of the faid houfe, and knocked at the fame, which was foon opened, and kept a little way open, by fome person or perfons within. This deponent then asked Mr. Wilkes's fervant, who appeared through the faid opening of the faid door, whether his master was within ? Such fervant returned for anfwer, that the faid Mr. Wilkes was not; and added, that the said Mr. Wilkes had been carried to, and then was at lord Halifax's. This deponent then asked the said servant to let this deponent into the faid Mr. Wilkes's houfe; to which the said fervant made anfwer, that it was not in his power, for that the meffengers were in poffeffion of the door. This depnent " deponent then defired to fee fuch meffengers: upon which one of the faid meffengers (whofe name was Blackmore, as this deponent believes) came in fight. This deponent then afked the faid meffenger, by what authority he kept Mr. Wilkes's friends out of his houfe: fuch meffenger made anfwer, that he acted by virtue or under the authority of the fecretary or fecretaries of fate, or ufed words to that or the like purport or effect. This deponent then defired fuch meffenger to fhew his authority, or produce the orders of the fecretaries of fiate; which fuch meffenger refufing to produce, this deponent then turned his difcourfe to the aforefaid fervant of Mr. Wilkes, and asked him if his mafter had given any orders to keep his friends out of his houfe? Such fervant replied, his mafter had given no fuch orders; whereupon this deponent turned round to the aforefaid gentlemen, whom he found at the faid Mr. Wilkes's door as aforefaid, and defired them to follow him, and with one push, or shove, opened the faid door, and got into the faid houfe; and went with all the faid gentlemen into the front parlour of the faid houfe (among the faid gentlemen were, to the beft of this deponent's belief and recollection, Mr. Townfend, Mr. Walsh, Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Cotes, Mr. Philipps, and feveral others): this deponent then talked with the faid meffengers, and told them that he, this deponent, thought they had acted in a moft illegal and unjuftifiable manner, and that he, this deponent, apprehended they would be feverely punished for fuch an outrage upon the laws of their country. Soon after Wood, who, as this deponent was informed and believes, was then deputy fecretary of ftate, came into the faid parlour of the faid Mr. Wilkes's houfe, and immediately interrogated the faid meffengers (in a pafficnate tone of voice, as this deponent apprehended) who had fent for him? Which queftion the faid meffengers not immediately anfwering, the faid Mr. Wood repeated the fame once again or more. Some of the meffengers then faid, they had all fent for him, for that thofe gentlemen (meaning, as this deponent believes, this deponent and the faid other friends of the faid Mr. Wilkes) would force their way into the house. The faid Mr. Wood then afked (in the fame haughty tone of voice) who was the perfon that would force his way or would come in? or used words to that or the like purport or effect. This deponent made anfwer, and declared that he was one of the perfons that would come into the faid houfe, but that he knew of no force by himself or the faid friends of Mr. Wilkes, or used words to that or the like effect; and all or most of the faid gentlemen, who were friends of the faid Mr. Wilkes, joined in the faid declaration. Soon after this one Philip Carteret Webb made his appearance in the faid house, and entered into fome private difcourfe with the faid Mr. Wood; after which, to the best of this deponent's recollection, as to point of time, the right honourable the earl Temple came into the faid parlour, when fome difcourfe paffed between the faid earl and the faid Mr. Wood, and the faid Mr. Webb; and after a good deal of altercation between the faid Mr. Wood, and the faid Mr. Webb, and the faid friends of the faid Mr. Wilkes, the faid Mr. Wood, and Mr. Webb, (who feemed to take upon themfelves the fole direction and difpofition of the faid Mr. Wilkes's houfe, and of every thing therein) asked the faid earl if he choofed to attend the officers or meffengers while they were fealing up all the faid Mr. Wilkes's papers? which the faid earl then refused. The Affidavit of John Gardiner. The faid Mr. Wood and Mr. Webb then made the fame offer to this deponent, and to the other friends of the faid Mr. Wilkes. Soon after, this deponent quitted the houfe of the faid Mr. Wilkes, and went with Mr. Beardmore (the folicitor of the faid Mr. Wilkes) to the Tower of London, where the faid Mr. Wilkes had just been committed a prifoner, as this deponent had been informed; and this deponent there applied to major Rainsford, who then commanded in the faid Tower, and defired to be admitted to the faid Mr. Wilkes, in order to confult with the faid Mr. Wilkes, and fix upon a legal mode or plan for his enlargement; but the faid major Rainsford then acquainted this deponent, that he had received orders from the fecretaries of ftate, not to admit any perfon whetever to fpeak with, or fee the faid Mr. Wilkes; and further informed this deponent that he (the faid major Rainsford) had juft hefore refufed lord Temple the like admittance to the faid John Wilkes; and this deponent further faith, that, to the best of this deponent's recollection and belief, the faid major Rainsford demanded of this deponent his name, and informed this deponent that he had orders to take down the names of all perfons who fhould apply for admittance to the faid Mr. Wilkes. And this deponent upon his oath aforefaid, farther faith, that between the hours of twelve and one, on Sunday, May the firit, one thousand feven hundred and fixty-three, he, this deponent, called again upon the faid major Rainsford, and again defired the faid major Rainsford to admit him, this deponent, to fee and confult with the faid Mr. Wilkes; but the faid major Rainsford then again refufed this deponent, as he did foon after feveral noblemen and gentlemen, and Mr. Heaton Wilkes (the brother 259 of the faid John Wilkes) who all applied to the faid major Rainsford for a like admittance to the faid John Wilkes, in the prefence of this deponent. The faid Mr. Webb (who appeared to be, and was, as this deponent believes, a director and advifer in all the proceedings againft the faid John Wilkes) then being prefent in the faid major Rainsford's room this deponent applied to the faid Mr. Webb for admittance to the faid Mr. Wilkes. The faid Mr. Webb thereupon defired the faid major Rainsford to permit this deponent to fee and converfe with the faid Mr. Wilkes. The faid major Rainsford answered, his orders were to admit no person to Mr. Wilkes, and that he could not comply with what the faid Mr. Webb requested, or used words to that or the like purport and effect. The faid Mr. Webb then replied, that it could not be the intentions of the fecretaries of ftate to keep the faid Mr. Wilkes fo close a prifoner, and again defired the faid major Rainsford to admit this deponent to the faid Mr. Wilkes, and added, that he (the faid Mr Webb) would indemnify him (meaning the faid major Rainsford) to which the faid major Rainsford then further anfwered, that he could not comply with the faid Mr. Webb's requeft, nor would he break or difobey orders, or used words to that or the like purport and effect. The faid Mr. Webb then faid, that if either of the fecretaries of ftate were in town, he would apply to them and obtain an order to admit this deponent to the faid Mr. Wilkes, and that he would either fend or bring fuch order for fuch admittance in the afternoon. This deponent, confiding in the faid promife of the faid Mr. Webb, went again to the faid Tower between eight and nine o'clock of the fame firit of May, and again applied to the faid major Rainsford 260 Preamble to the late Duke of Newcastle's Patent as Earl of Clare. Rainsford for fuch admittance, but was again refufed admittance by the faid major, who then informed this deponent that he had not received any orders from the fecretaries of ftate, nor had he heard any thing from the faid Mr. Webb. And this deponent further faith, that he, this deponent, on Monday the second of May, between the hours of two or three o'clock in the afternoon, again applied to the faid major Rainsford for admittance to the faid John Wilkes, but was again denied fuch admittance by the faid major Rainsford. And this deponent further faith, that he has been ready and willing to teftify all the facts afore faid, before the honourable House of Commons, but that the order for the attendance of this deponent before the faid honourable house being further adjourned or enlarged to the 27th day of January next, this deponent cannot then attend the faid houfe, as he, this deponent, had taken his paffage for the Weft Indies, before he, this deponent, was ferved with any order to attend the faid honourable house. J. GARDINER. Sworn at the Manfion House, in the city of London, this 17th day of December, in the year 1768, before me, SAM. TURNER, Mayor. When the late Duke of Newcastle was created Earl of Clare, in the Year 1714, the Preamble to the Patent was in the following prophetic Words: "GEORGE, &c. TT being agreeable both to the office and dignity of a king, that young noblemen of great rank fhould be excited, not only to imitate the merits of their ancestors, but even to furpass them by their own virtues; none amongst all our peers is known to us, and none recommended on that account, more worthy of our favour, than our very faithful and well-beloved Thomas Holles, lord Pelham. For, whether we regard the blood he inherits by his father, or his mother, the latter from the Holleffes, the former from the Pelhams, we are ftruck with a most ancient defcent, diftinguished by a number of well-difcharged employments, and honour able titles. As to himself, being the worthy representative of both houfes, while he was yet a beardless youth, he was happily emulous of entering upon the practice of his family's virtues, as his beft inheritance; and he exhibited fuch ripened proofs of an extraordinary genius, that his uncle, the duke of Newcastle, feemed in no measure to regret his not having male iffue, fince he had a nephew endowed with fuch perfections, to fill up the place of the most endeared fon. He therefore appointed fo promifing a youth, who has already deserved fo well of his country, and, in time to come, will deferve better, to be the heir of his very great eftate. It is therefore our pleasure, that this moft illuftrious perfonage, so adorned with all the gifts of nature and fortune, fhould be inrolled in the number of our earls, not in the leaft doubting, that he will render this new addition of dignity ftill more ample and illuftrious, by the fplendor of his virtues; fo that, even against his will, he may afterwards be advanced to a ftill higher rank of honour, which, though offered him by us, he has feemed more ambitious to deferve, than to folicit." The The Hiftory of Mirril; a Grecian Tale, tranflated from the Triomphe de l'Amitié. [Concluded from page 223.] MELITA went to refide near the port of Peree; the obliged me to go with her there: when any foreign veffels arrived, her refolution was to fell me: fhe doubted not but that my beauty would attract fome admirer who had riches and generofity fufficient to fatisfy her avaritious defires. Several Athenians made offers to Melita; but they were too inconfiderable; fhe rejected them. How delighted was I then with her avarice; that infamous paffion, which was the cause of all my miferies, for fome time retarded my defpair. I entreated all the Gods to grant me Thyamis, and more particularly addreffed myfelf to thofe of the fea. Even the infernal regions heard my voice. Thyamis might have been defcended there, and I thought that nothing could hinder me from following him. Flattering hope awakened me before Aurora; at the clofe of the day fhe difappeared, and defpair fucceeded her in my foul. I was one day with Melita on the sea-fhore; an Egyptian fhip arrived. A venerable old man, and a handfome graceful young one, defcended the veffel and came afhore: they both made a full ftop to gaze at me: the young man approached Melita, asked her who I was, with several other questions, and prefently confented to give for me the price the exacted. In this cruel moment the Gods lent me ftrength, they certainly infpired me; I approached the old man; my lord, faid I, your afpect creates refpect and confidence, the generofity of your foul may be read in your eyes: have pity on an unfortunate young woman : I am a flave; I am about to be fold to the young man who accompanies you: oh! tear me from his arms, or rather from the arms of death, which I should prefer to his; the Gods will recompence your generous action; and I will ferve you with all the zeal and integrity which the most lively gratitude can inspire: it will animate me more than duty. venge, because Melita had declined her bargain; but he did not then discover any tokens of his rage; in the night he entered Melita's houfe, took poffeffion of all the money he found there, and went with speed to Athens; leaving Melita dying, and almost dead with the blows fhe had received from fome flaves by the young man's order. Thus the Gods punished Melita for every thing fhe had done to corrupt my heart; their vengeance is proportioned to our crimes; and they can never go unpunished. I burst into tears on hearing what had befel Melita; I had indeed received ill treatment from her; but she had taken a tender care of my infancy; the reasons which I had to hate her, gave way to those I had to love her: I fent to her, with the confent of Neccpfos, the jewels which Thyamis had given me, and with them every valuable ornament I had. Necepfos afked me feveral queftions how I had paffed my time with Melita; fear and fhame obliged me to conceal the truth; I was unwilling to deftroy the good opinion which Necepics had conceived of me; the Gods have fince punished me for it. Before I knew Necepfos, I had never blushed at my love for Thyamis; but the encomiums which Necepfos bestowed upon virtue and modefty, feemed to condemn my paflion; I was then as much afhamed of the principles which Melita had infilled in me, as I had before been courageous to pursue. Necepfos was to have continued fome time at Athens, but fome letters which he received obliged him to part from thence two days after he had bought me. I did not dare make a vifit to my child, left Necepfos fhould become acquainted with my adventure. This dear fon drew from me floods of tears when I entered the fhip which was to carry me far from Athens. But how great was my joy when I was informed that we were to go to Gaule. I returned thanks to the Gods with tranfport; I thought myself already in the arms of Thyamis; fome alarms indeed affrighted me, but a lively hope opposed them, and obtained the victory. Necepfos, for that was the name of the venerable old man, hearkened to me with aftonishment: daughter, faid he to me, when I had ceafed fpeaking, I have too great an Mortals, in all places, ought to erect altars esteem for virtue not to reward it when it is to hope. Is there a divinity that affords them in my power. I look upon this moment to greater comfort? it fupports them under pains be the happiest moment of my life. Your and misfortunes, it anticipates and augments request fhall be granted; you shall be mine, their pleasures; it preferves their very being; and I will be lefs your mafter than your father. in fine, it holds before their eyes a magic Necepfos, after thefe words, drew near mirror which changes every object, and its Melita; he offered her fo large a fum that I allufions are always agreeable. But, what do became immediately his property: the young I fay, we are not ungrateful for all thefe beneman was agitated with anger, grief and re-fits; is there any divinity that is nearer to us VOL. I. LI |