Chapter XXI: Letter III

Dear Willy,--I have been in great Anxiety of Mind since last
Post-Day, by not hearing from you. Your letter of the 24th of last
Month, I received safe Yesterday, and am somewhat enlivened in my
Spirits by understanding you are well. I am going forward with all
convenient Speed in the Business: and have not only a fatiguing
Time of it, but am sometimes in the greatest Frights, there being
constantly about me so many to be kept insensible of the Affair.
You may expect to hear again from me soon: and rest yourself
assured, that tho' I suffer more Horrors of Mind than I do at this
Time, which I think is impossible, I will pursue that, which is
the only Method, I am sensible, left, of ever being happy
together. I hope, by my next, to inform you that the Business is
compleated.

Yours affectionately, &c.

August 1, 1751.

Directed for the Honourable Mr. William Henry Cranstoun, to be left
at the Post-House, at Berwick.

By these Letters, and the account which Cranstoun himself had given,
it plainly appears that the Murder of Mr. Blandy had been consulted
some Time: and that it must be supposed that the Powders had been
attempted, if not absolutely given him in his Victuals, or Liquor,
before the Time they were put into his Gruel, as was discovered by
the Maid-Servant, and which proved the Cause of his Death.

Also by these Letters it is most reasonable to believe that what was
meant in the last by the words, "Tho' I suffer more Horrors of Mind
than I do at this Time, I will pursue": that it came from the
unfortunate and infatuated Miss Blandy, and that poisoning her
Father was then fully resolved on by her: which reasonable
Supposition is much strengthened by the subsequent Words in the same
Letter, viz., "I hope in my next to inform you that the Business is
compleated." And I really think it can admit of no Doubt, as the
administring the Powders to him in his Water-Gruel, which was the
Cause of his Death, was but four days after the Date of this Letter,
for it appears by its Date to be sent on Thursday the first of
August, and Monday the fifth of the same Month, she acknowledged she
put the Powders into the Gruel: which was proved by Dr. Addington
and Dr. Lewis, on her Trial, to be the Cause of Mr. Blandy's Death,
who languished till the 14th of the same Month, when he expired.

That other Part of the same Letter, where 'tis said, "I am going
forward with, all convenient Speed in the Business, and have not
only a fatiguing Time of it, but am sometimes in the greatest
Fright: there being so many constantly about me, to be kept
insensible of the Affair," is plain enough meant that when she
thought of the wicked Deed she was about to perform, it brought her
Conscience to fly in her Face, as she advanced: and that the
Servants of the House were the great Obstacles in her Way.

I shall not takes up the Reader's Time any longer, in making
Observations on the Letters, only observe in general that they all
shew that the Writer was sensibly touched, at such Times as they
were endeavouring to practice the hellish Device, to destroy the old
Gentleman; and also, that sometimes their Consciences led them to
think of what the Consequences of such an enormous Crime must be.

I shall now return to Mr. Cranstoun. While he was at Furnes he was
very thoughtful, and was never observed to be once in a merry
Humour: frequently staying in his Room all Day, except Meal-Times:
and praying very devoutly.

On his finding himself once very ill, tho' it was six Weeks before
he died (for he recovered and went abroad after that Illness), he
made a Will, all which he wrote with his own Hand: in which he left,
after paying his Debts, at Furnes, to M. Malsot, where he lived, and
his Funeral Charges, all his paternal Fortune, of £1500, to his
Daughter by his Wife, who lives with her Relations, at Hexham, in
Northumberland.

This £1500 which he left in his Will to his Child, was what was left
him on the Death of his Father: and the Estate of his elder Brother,
the Lord Cranstoun, was charged with the Payment of it: and he
received £75 per Annum, in Lieu of the Principal Sum, £50 per Annum
of which was settled by Order of the Lords of Sessions, in Scotland,
on his Wife, at the Time when he had Villainy sufficient to bring a
Cause before the Court of Sessions, to set aside his Marriage: and
from that Time she has received it, for the Support of her and her
Child.

The Gentlewoman he had married, and was wicked enough to deny,[33]
was the Daughter of the late Sir David Murray, Baronet, and Sister
of the present Sir David Murray, who is now in the Service of the
King of France, in the East Indies: This young Gentleman was
unfortunate enough to take Part with the young Pretender in the late
Rebellion, being Nephew to Mr. Murray, of Broughton, the Pretender's
then Secretary: and after the Battle of Culloden was taken Prisoner,
and tried at Carlisle, where he received Sentence of Death as a
Rebel: but for his Youth, not being then above eighteen Years of
Age, he was reprieved and transported.

One Circumstance that appeared on the Trial of the Legality of his
Marriage with Miss Murray was very particular, as he had the Folly,
as well as the Wickedness, to deny the same: and that was, a
Marriage-Settlement of £50 per Annum, which he had made on her in
his own Hand-Writing, was produced and proved: which was confirmed
by the Lords of Sessions.

After the Burial of Mr. Cranstoun, at Furnes, a Letter was sent to
his Wife, at Hexham, to inform her of it, and another was sent to
the Lady Dowager Cranstoun, his Mother: to the last of which an
Answer was soon returned, which was to desire, that all his Papers
and Will might be sealed up, and sent to his Brother, Lord
Cranstoun, in Scotland, with an Account of what was owing, and to
whom, in Order for their being paid, but his Cloaths, which
consisted of some very rich Waistcoats, were desired to be sold at
Furnes: which was done accordingly.

He frequently declared his Life was a Burthen to him, and in his
Death he suffered great Torments: for his body was so much swoln,
that it was expected he would have bursted for several Days before
he died.

As Miss Blandy had given an Account in her Narrative, that it was
him who first proposed a private Marriage with each other, he
solemnly declared, just before he died, that he could not be
positive which of them proposed it first: but that he was certain,
that it was Miss Blandy that desired and insisted it should be so,
and was very pressing till it was done: And he often called upon God
Almighty to forgive both his Crimes, and those of Miss Blandy,
particularly, he said hers, as she had died with asserting so many
enormous Falsities contained in that Account, said to be published
by her Orders and Inspection.