I I - American Memory

[ 191 ]
On Eafier-Monday laft, towards the Evening, calling
at the 7hree Moor-Cocks in Chelfea~Fields, (by myfelf)
for a Pint of Beer, I unluckily happen'd to go into the
Room where Mr. Ormes the Deceafed w&s, with his
Friendi?, all Strangers to me, and all of them feem'd to
be much in Liquor ; and fome of them talking very
profanely, I took the Liberty to reprove them, at which
the V/ife of the Deceafed was very angry, and ufed
me with a great deal of ill Manners, and gave me very
abufive Language, and prompted Mr. Ormcs her Hus-
band to quarrel with me, and her Expreflion was to
knock my Brains out, with feveral other indecent Ex-
prefiions, unbecoming her Sex, upon which I paid my
Reckoning, and was going out of their Company, but
to my great Surprize, Mr. Ormes pufh'd me out of
Doors, and purfued me feven or eight Yards, giving me
feveral Blows \v\t\i his Cane, which at laft obliged me
to draw my Sword in my own Defence, not with any
Intention to kill the Deceafed, but only to make him
defift from abufing me ; but the Deceafed ftill purfuing
me with his Blows, the unlucky Accident happen'd,
for which I am immediately going to fufFer Death.
I had no premeditated Defign againft the Deceafed,
he being an utter Stranger to me, having never feen
him before.
Mrs. Middleton, the Landlady of the Houfe was in
the Cellar when I went out of the Houfe, and fo could
not poffibly fee whether Mr. Ormes ftruck me or not,
tho' fhe fwore to the contrary, and likewife gave a falfe
Defcription of the Ground, to difcredit the Evidence of
Mr. Bell, who appeared as an Evidence for me, for
which I pray Almighty God to forgive her, as I do
the reft of the Evidences that were then in Company,
who I think aggravated Matters to the Court.
As for Mr. Bell, he was an utter Stranger to me,
I never having fcen him to my Knowledge till the
Time of my Trial, he coming voluntarily to declare
the Truth, which was to the lame Effeft as I have al-
ready related, as to the Deceafed's following and ftrik-
ing