Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/114

100 executed for the murder of Theodore Wentworth. He was a native of Norway, 28 years of age, and very unhappy in his temper: in his confinement he had taken little care to make a proper defence on his trial, and was regardless afterwards what became of him, being possessed of a fpirit of obstinacy scarcely to be paralleled: he refused to acknowledge that he repented of the crime; but insisted he had a commission from God for what he did. It appears from the ordinary of Newgate's account that he was a gloomy, visionary enthusiast; that he had twice fasted for an extraordinary length of time; and that Wentworth had been too free in joking with a man of his temper, though, when he received his death's wound, no words had passed between them.

Arrived at St. Helen's Commodore Howe, with his squadron of men of war and all the transports. They were obliged to proceed to St. Helen's for want of provisions for the men, and forage for their horses.

On the 7th the troops disembarked and encamped, the foot on the Isle of Wight, and the horse on South-sea common, at Portsmouth; they had 1200 sick, occasioned by the inclemency of the weather.

About eight o'clock at night, George (alias Captain) Forrester, committed some time since to Bristol gaol for forgery, and Captain Moliere, a Frenchman, for stealing a diamond ring, assisted by several other felons, attempted to make their escape out of the gaol. The sheriff, with some invalids, came to the assistance of the jailer, and were obliged to fire thrice amongst them before they would surrender, after which they were all properly secured. One of the shot went in at Forrester's right breast, and came out through his back, and lodged in the partition.

A reprieve was brought to Newgate for Dr. Hensey, respiting his sentence for a fortnight, early in the morning, but however, not so soon as to prevent the assembling of a great concourse of people to see him executed, who committed some disorders. The doctor has since been two or three times under examination, and it is said has made great discoveries.

Admiral Saunders arrived at Spithead from the Streights, in the Monmouth, with the Revenge, Foudroyant, and Orpheus, and brought home with him above 1000 French prisoners. The Foudroyant is a surprizing 84 gun ship, her guns are on two decks, her lower tier monstrously unwieldy, and not easy to be worked, the shot weighing very little short of fifty pounds each. Notwithstanding their superiority in bulk, our thirty-two pound shot are thought by all judges to be on a par with them, and of as much efficacy when they take place. Her larboard side is most terribly mauled, there are seventy shot holes on that side plugged up; she came home under jury masts: Her lower tier abaft the main-mast are fine brass guns, several of which have very fine bustos in an oval compartment of Lewis XIV. The Orpheus is a fine large 64 gun ship, she is peppered very well too, her masts very much wounded; it is surprizing how they stood home. She also has feveral fine brass guns. The prisoners were put on board the Boyne, and from thence conveyed to Porchester castle.