Page:Life and unparalleled voyages and adventures of Ambrose Gwinnett (1).pdf/8

 Somebody proposed to search me; several began to turn my pockets inside out, and from my waistcoat tumbled the penknife and the piece of money I have already mentioned.

Upon seeing these, the woman immediately screamed out, "O mercy! there is my uncle’s penknife." Then taking up the money, and calling the people about her, "here," said she, "is what puts the villain’s guilt beyond a doubt: I can swear to this William and Mary's guinea; my uncle has long had it by way of a pocket-piece, and engraved the first letters of his name upon it." She then began to cry again, while I could do nothing but continue to cry to heaven to witness that I was as innocent as the child unborn. After this they took me down to the necessary, and here fresh proofs appeared against me. The constable, who had never left me, perceiving blood upon the edge of the seat, (which probably might proceed from my being troubled with the hemorrhage the night before,) "here," said she, "after having cut his throat, he has let down the body into the sea." To this every body immediately assented. "Then," said the master of the house, "it is in vain to look for the body any further; for there was a spring-tide last night, which has carried it off."

The consequence of these proceedings was an immediate examination before a Justice of the Peace; after which I suffered a long and rigorous imprisonment in the county-town, Maidstone. For some time, my father, master, and relations were inclined to think me innocent; and, in compliance with my earnest request, an advertisement was published in the London Gazette, representing my deplorable circumstances, and offering a reward to any person who could give tidings of Mr Richard Collins, (the name of the man I was supposed to have murdered,) either alive or dead. No information, however, of any kind came to hand. At the assizes, therefore,