Chapter XIV: Appendix: V

LETTER FROM MISS BLANDY TO A CLERGYMAN IN HENLEY.

(From No. 8 of Bibliography, Appendix XII.)

The following is an answer to a letter sent Miss Blandy by a worthy clergyman in Henley, upon a very extraordinary subject, and highly deserves a place here:--

Rev. Sir,--I received yours, and at first felt all the horror
innocence so belied could do; but now, Sir, I look on it as a
blessing from God, both to wean me from this world, and make the
near approach of death less dreadful to me. You desire me, in your
letter, if innocent of my poor mother's death and that of Mrs.
Pocock, to make a solemn declaration, and have it witnessed; which
I here do. I declare before God, at whose dread Tribunal I must
shortly appear, that as I hope for mercy there, I never did buy any
poison, knowingly, whatever of Mr. Prince, who did live at Henley,
and now lives at Reading, or of Mr. Pottinger, an apothecary and
surgeon in Henley; nor did I ever buy any poison in Henley, or
anywhere else in all my life; that as for mother's and Mrs. Pocock's
death, I am as innocent of it as the child unborn, so help me God
in my last moments, and at the great Day of Judgment. If ever I did
hurt their lives, may God condemn me. This, Sir, I hope, will
convince you of my innocency. And if the world will not believe what
even I dying swear, God forgive them, and turn their hearts. One day
all must appear together at one bar. There no prompting of
witnesses, no lies, no little arts of law will do. There, I doubt
not, I shall meet my poor father and mother, and my much loved
friend (through the mercies of Jesus Christ, who died for sinners)
forgiven and in bliss. There the tears that cannot move man's heart
shall be by God dried up. Farewell, Sir, God bless you, and believe
me, while I live, ever Your much obliged humble Servant,

M. BLANDY.

(_N.B._--This letter was attested to be M. Blandy's, &c., Apr. 4th, 1752.)