tioned in them, and as he was prefent, for he lived in the faine chambers with Mr. Tyler, he was accordingly taken into cuftody, in which fituation he is likely, for fome time at least to remain.

November 28:

The following is the dying declaration of Abraham Danford, and contains a general confeffion of the principal robberies he committed. The motives for laying it before the public are, that proprietors of coaches, waggons, &c. may be cautioned against fuffering by a fimilar deception, which can only be done by their never permitting any parcels, &c. to be delivered otherwife than the direction expreffes; and that the poor penitent's innocent wife and family may efcape cruel and unjust reflections.

Newgate Cells, Nov. 21, 1780. Senfible of the injuries I have committed against many people who have been defrauded by me, and having nothing before me but the profpect of a speedy diffolution, and an ignominious one; as it is not in my power to make any reftitution to the feveral perfons who have been injured by me, but do for their fatiffaction declare the principal tranfactions I have been guilty of or concerned in.

The method I chiefly put in practice was forging the poft mark of different towns, which I put on a piece of paper made up as a letter, and then went to the inns where the coaches came, and heard the parcels called over; then went to a public houfe near, and wrote the direction on the letter the fame as was on the parcel I had fixed on. The bookkeepers, feeing the direction the fame, and the poft-mark on it, they ufually gave me what I asked for, on paying their demand.

The following are the principal tranfactions I have been concerned in, which I can at present recollect :

In September 1777, I got a parcel fent from Norwich, directed to Smith, Wright, and Gray, which contained bills to the amount of gool. and upwards; one of them for 2161. 5s. was drawn on Mr. Gauffen, in St. Helen's, which I carried for acceptance, and prevailed on him to give me the cafh for, allowing him the difcount; I wrote John Watkins on the bill, and likewife on the draft, which Mr. Gauffen paid me; the amount I received in cash at the Bank of England. Two more of the bills I left for acceptance, and the others I destroyed.

In July 1778, I obtained a box at the Buil and Mouth Inn, fent from Birming

3

ham, in the fame manner-After hearing the feveral parcels called over, I fixed on a box directed to Mr. Ford, Lombardftrcet; I had a letter in my pocket with the, Birmingham poft-mark on it, and went to a public houfe juft by, and wrote the fame direction as on the box; on fhewing the letter to the book-keeper, he immediately gave me the box, which I carried to Cheapfide, took a coach home, opened it, and found upwards of 100l. in cafh, and fome bills; several I negociated, and the others I returned in a cover to Birmingham, to the perfons who fent them, Meffrs. Whitworth and Yates. Two of thefe bills I negociated at Hazard's for tickets, two with Mr. Cox for gold, and one with Mr. Craften for ftockings, which his man carried to a boxmaker in Bishopsgate-freet, where I bought a box to pack them in-I indorfed thefe bills in the name of Thomas Downer, Tooley-street, and afterwards conveyed the box to Mr. Ford's house, and there left it.

Soon after I obtained a parcel directed to Sir William Lemon and Co. wherein was a letter and account, the writing of which appeared very much like mine; I copied the letter with an addition, defiring them to purchase 25 lottery tickets, which I afterwards understood they didI defired they might be delivered to a perfon who would call for them-I fent a ticket porter for them, he foon returned, and faid they would not deliver them.

Soon after I began practifing the invention of the Poft-mark, I went to the Green Dragon, Bishopfgate-ftreet, and fixed on a parcel from Lynn, directed, I think, to Meffrs. Boydell's, Leicester-fields.—I produced the letter, and received the parcel ; on opening it, I found it contained only a fuit of livery cloaths, and a letter; I found by the letter, that Meffrs. Boydells were indebted to the person who sent the cloaths about 30l. (I think his name was Curtis) I wrote a letter, instead of the other, as coming from Mr. Curtis, telling them I had burnt my hand, and that I could not write myfelf, but had got a neighbour to write for me, and I drew a bill at fight for 25. which they paid to the porter I fent for the money. I was afraid it would not fuit Mefirs. Boydells to pay the bill at fight, and to deceive them the more, I defired them in the letter to enquire the number of a ticket in the State Lottery, which I knew was a gool. prize a few days before, telling them it was the property of myself (meaning Curtis) and if it was a prize, I would fend it to them to fell for me.

Another

FOR NOVEMBER, 1780.

r. Another parcel I obtained from the Bell
and Crown, Holborn, directed for Mr.
Fox, Cheapfide, containing a piece of Irish
cloth, and feveral bils, two of which I
negociated, one of them was drawn on
Smith, Wright, and Gray, 50l. wh ch I
paid Hornby and Pearce for Lottery Tick-
ets; the other, about 20l. I received, in
cah. Another parcel I obtained from the
King's Arms, Snow-hill, directed to Mr.
Bedford, Friday-ftreet, containing fome
dimity, &c. which I fold for what I could
I
get.

I also obtained a basket from the SpreadEagle, Gracechurch-ftreet, directed to Mr. Stock, Linen-draper, containing a goofe, and a bill on Mr. Branwaite, which he accepted, and I negociated at a Refiner's in Caffle-ftreet, near Alderfgate Street.

I was the fole actor, and had no accomplices in all the above frauds; and I hope no perfons will ever reflect on my poor wife and children, or fuppo'e they were in any manner concerned with me. declare they are perfectly innocent, and I folemnly were never acquainted with any one fraud I have committed. I make this confeflion voluntarily, for the fatisfaction of the many perfons who have been injured by me, and to prevent fufpicion from being caft on innocent perfons, having frequently discover

:

ed that was the confequence of the frauds I

practifed. I declare this folemnly to be a true and voluntary confession.

ABRAHAM DANFORD.'

The above Danford, in a former decla

277

the infignificancy

of my poor fervices, compared with the When I reflect upon magnitude of that retribution by which they have been fo immediately diftinguishand proper fenfe which I entertain of the ed, I am at a lofs how to express that jult fame.

rely, Sir, to make that true report, of my Upon your kindness I mutt wholly great obligation, by which the Houfe of moft grateful acknowledgments of this Commons have bound me under the an unremitting exertion of my utmolt enftrongest ties of gratitude, to, perfevere in deavours to promote the honour and aggrandizement of the British flag.

that you will be pleased to accept my belt 'I cannot conclude without requesting, obliging manner of conveying to me the and warmest thanks for your polite and fenfe and refolution of the Houfe of Com

mons.

I have the honour to be, with the
obedient and humble fervant.
highest refpect and regard, Sir, your moit

G. B. RODNEY."
This day Mr. Alderman Sawbridge
City of London, without oppofition.
was chofen one of the Members for the
BIRTH S.

ADaughter to the Lady of the Right

Hon. the Earl of Carlisle.

A fon to the Lady of Sir James Cockburn, Bart.

A fon to the Lady of Thomas Joliffe, Efq; Member for Petersfield.

MARRIAGES.

ration made by him, folemnly protetted Captain Garrick, nephew to the late

that he had no intention to muder Watts, the banker's clerk; that he never made his intentions known to Newton, only told him that he wanted his affiftance to keep a perfon for a time out of the way, because he fhould not give evidence on a trial.-A full account of their trial is given in our Magazine for October latt, page 203.

The following is a true Copy of the Letter
from Sir George Brydges Rodney,
which was read by the Speaker in the
House of Commons.

Sandwich, St. Lucia, July 16, 1780.
S. I R,

It is with the deepest impreffion of gratitude and respect, that I am now to acknowledge your very polite communica-tion, and that transcendent honour, which fe auguft an Affembly as the House of Commons of Great Britain in Parliament affembled, have been pleased to confer upon me, by their unanimous vote of thanks.

.

of Curzon-freet, May-Fair.
David Garrick, Efq: to Mifs Leigh,

Rev. Mr. Bringhurst, of Peterborough,
to Mifs Dorfett, of Old Burlington-street.
chant, to Mifs Harriot Robinson, of
John Broomley, Efq; a Barbadoes mer-
Broad-street.

Richard Archdall, Efq; Barrister at
Law, to Mifs Anna Maria Montagu.

Mifs Raynes, daughter of Mr. Raynes,
Rev. Mr. Lightfoot, of Uxbridge, to
of the fame place.

Abraham Richardfon, Efq; of Lam-
beth, to Mifs Sufannah Morrison, of
College-freet, Westminster.

John Hopkins, Efq; of Wandsworth, in
Surry, to Mifs Oakley, of the fame place.

fhie Militia, to Mifs Dashwood, eldest
Major Cartwright, of the Nottingham-
daughter of Samuel Dashwood, Efq; of
Weft-Hall, in Lincolnshire.

DEATH S.

SEbaftian Chapman, Efq; in Queen-
fquare, Bloomsbury.

Tho

279

lion- ftreet, Clerkenwell, watch-cafe-maker. fee-house, in the Strand, dealer and chapThomas Parker, of Leadenhall-ftreet,

vintner.

Peter Stoakes, of Bexley, Kent, mari

ner.

Robert Shearcroft, of Thorpe, in the
Soken, Effex, merchant.

Robert Wilmot, of the borough of
Warwick, painter.-

Elfabeth Marth, of Colton, Staffordfhire, widow, dealer and chapwoman. Matthew Smith, of King's-Lynn, Norfolk, innholder.

Nicholas Downing, of Holt, in the county of Norfolk, grocer.

John Hewit, of Welford, Gloucesterfhire, frame-work knitter.

Thomas Jernegan, of Winchester street, dealer and chapman.

William Marth, of Mount-ftreet, Hanover-fquare, upholsterer.

Francis Henry Shepherd, of Shadwell, fail-maker.

Jofeph English, of Bocking, Effex, bays-maker.

Robert Powell, and Walter Price, both of Llanyre, Radnor hire, copartners, dealers, and chapmen.

John Cliffe, of Harp-alley, upholsterer. Thomas Pickering, of Manchefter, Lancashire, woollen-draper

Henry Ellingthorpe, of Bell-court, Fenchurch-ftreet, linen-draper.

George Martin, of Bristol, hofier. Thomas Sutton, of Broad-freet, Ratcliff-cross, flopfeller.

Nathaniel Lucas, of New BafinghallAtreet, merchant.

Sir George Colebrooke, of the city of London, Bart. banker.

Samuel Dean, of King-ftreet, near Hoxton-fquare, wine-merchant.

John Cecill, of Birmingham, Warwickfhire, money-fcrivener.

Thomas Clay, of Theobald's-road, near Red-lion-fquare, whitefmith and brazier.

man.

Worcestershire, money-fcrivener.
James Watts Romney, of Dodenham,
Elifabeth Abbey, of Nottingham, tea-

dealer.

Henry Box, of Frome Selwood, Somer

fetfhire, victualler.

Hugh Combe, of Stanhope-street, Clare

market, druggift.

Robert Sanderson, of Ratcliffe - cross,

coal-merchant.

thire, and John Medhurst, of Leeds, in Thomas Medhurst, of Kippax, Yorkthe faid county, merchants and copartners.

Ifabella Bray, of Deighton, Yorkshire, widow, dealer and chapwoman.

Philip Abbott, of St. James, Weftminfter, upholder.

Richard Woodhoufe, of Sutton Coldfield, in Warwickshire, maltiter.

Thomas Staton, of Crooked-lane, gunmaker.

Brown Skelton, of Grimley, Worceftershire, dealer in horses.

Jafper Clarke, of Lower Eaft-Smithfield,

coal-merchant.

James Hall, of Hunflet, in the parish of Leeds, Yorkshire, butcher.

Edward Trelawny, of George-ftreet, near the Minories, coal- merchant.

Thomas Sansbury, of Calthrop, in the
parish of Banbury, Oxfordshire, baker.
land, drover.
George Slack, of High Ireby, Cumber-

berland, druggift and apothecary.
James Buckham, of Wooler, Northum-

lion treet, Clerkenwell, carcafe-butcher.
Samuel Rutter, the younger, of Red-
Tyne, fugar-refiner.
Thomas Attley, of Newcastle upon

BILLS of MORTALITY, from October
31, to November 21, 1780.
Buried.
Males 708

Chriftened.
Males

Willian Pollard, of the city of Briftol, Females 6361344 Female 681253

dealer in fpirituous liquors.

Richard Hewitt, of Fore street, Edmon

ton, carpenter.

Richard Brown, of Greffe-street, Pancras, carver and gilder.

1

William Gramlick, of Snow-hill, upholder.

Charles Waltham and Humphry John Payne, of Cheapfide, linen-drapers and partners.

Jofeph Bell, of Clerkenwell-clofe, Midlefex, watchcafe-maker.

Thomas William Allen, of Bow Church-yard, hofier.

John Laffells, of the Turk's-head cof