Detection of a Conspiracy, to suppress a General Good in 
Physic, and to promote Error and Ignorance in that im- 
portant Science: 
Being the Singular 
CASE 
OF 
John Tennent M. D. 
Which has brought against him, maliciously, a Trial at the 
Old Bailey for Bigamy. 
—Heu me! per Urbem
Fabula quanta fui. 
HOR. 
LONDON: 
Printed for the Author, in the Year 
M,DCC,XLIII.




Detection of a Conspiracy, to suppress a general 
Good in Physic, &c. 
Traduc’d, circumvented, and at last 
betray’d; berest of every Con- 
solation, save that of conscious 
Integrity, and a distant Hope de- 
rived therefrom: I take this Me-
thod of submitting myself to the 
Determination of the Public, in confidence 
of obtaining a Sentence agreeable to its usual 
Candour, and suitable to my own Deservings, as 
they shall occur in the subsequent Narrative.  
When it shall appear what a Combination 
of subtle Machinations, Decoys, false Profes- 
sions, malicious Whispers, loud Revilings, and 
every other Effort of perfidious Craft, have been 
form’d against me; the Wonder will be, not that 
such Practices exist, but that they should all be ex- 
ercised to ruin a poor unhappy Stranger, who 
had nothing to oppose such a League of Vil- 
lany, but that Resolution and Perseverance which 
flows from innate Honesty, and the little Merit
I apprehend belongs to me; which, I believe, 
will appear to every impartial Person, to have 
been the Source of all my Misfortunes. 
I am too well apprized of many Irregula- 
rities in my Conduct since I left America, to 
expect the World should pass them over with- 
out Censure; I am conscious of Imprudence in 
too many Actions: Therefore, when I would 
endeavour to palliate any Indiscretions I have 
committed, I would not be thought an obstinate 
Defender of them. After all the Facts are fair- 
ly stated, and every Circumstance impartially 
consider’d; I hope it will then be manifest to 
the discerning World, that by acting as if a fair 
and useful Cause must needs meet with Success, 
my Affairs became so embarrassed, as not to be 
recovered by a regular Plan. 
When first I arrived in London from America, 
I had but very little Experience of the World, 
and made no doubt of finding some great Man 
who would take a Pleasure to patronize and re- 
commend me; because of the undeniable Cre-
dentials I brought of the extensive Usefulness 
of a Discovery I made in that Country: My 
Inexperience also prevented my suspecting the 
least Opposition, or Apprehension of any thing 
but a fair and candid Reception, in a Country so 
polite and learned as Britain. Thus was I in- 
advertently plung’d into Difficulties before I well 
knew where I was, and drew upon me Enemies 
before I knew the Men.
The British Colonies in America are attacked 
once every Year with an epidemic Disease, that 
generally begins some Time in October to in- 
vade most Parts of the Country, and continues 
to ravage till the middle or end of April; a 
Disease so mortal, that it generally cut off in 
that space of Time two Thirds of the Inhabi- 
tants who were attack’d with it, or a fourth 
Part of the whole in those Counties where it
raged most. This Distemper engaged for some 
Years the particular Attention of the Physical 
Gentlemen in Virginia, and employ’d them in 
endeavouring to discover the true Nature and 
Cause of it. Various were their Opinions, and 
as different their Methods of Cure; but the 
Result of all their ingenious and painful Enqui- 
ries were equally unsuccessful; for their Fame 
and Reputation, however secure they had thought 
it, generally terminated with their Patients 
Lives. 
The same Hopes of raising my Character in 
the Physical World, engaged me too in the same 
Cause: Besides, I thought it was dishonourable 
in one who was entrusted with the Health 
and Lives of his Fellow Creatures, to sit down 
with his Arras a-cross before such a mournful 
Scene, and to be the idle Spectator of their
A2 Deaths.

(4)
Deaths. In my Enquiries into the Nature and 
Cure of this Disease, I industriously threw aside 
all Prejudices in Favour of this or that Theory, 
renounced every idle Hypothesis, which I thought 
only served to amuse the Imagination, bewilder 
the Judgment, and mislead the young Practi- 
tioner with a gawdy Shew of Reasoning, in his 
Researches after Nature. 
I employed my Time, therefore, in accurate- 
ly observing and marking down every Phœno- 
menon and Circumstance, as they occurred in the 
different Stages of the Distemper, till I had pro- 
vided myself with a considerable Number of 
Cases; and by daily comparing the Symptoms 
of one Patient with those of another, the diffe- 
rent Symptoms of the same Patient, and by rea- 
soning upon them accordingly, Nature, always 
favourable to a proper Enquiry into her Secrets, 
began to open herself to my View, and the 
more sollicitous and steady I shewed myself, she 
was equally easy and accessible. Thus I con- 
tinued my Application till I had screw’d the Se- 
cret out of her; and could my Success recom-
mend the same Conduct to Men of superior 
Learning and Genius, I dare say we should have 
less Reason to complain of Nature being close 
minded, and tenacious of her Secrets, tho’ a 
great deal more to bewail our own Folly and 
Wilfulness. 
As soon as I had discovered the Nature of 
this Disease, I went to consult the Materia Me- 
dica, that overgrown and complicated Monster, 
which has so long fed and fattened itself under 
the Protection too of our solemn medicinal Qua- 
lity, at the Expence of our Pockets; and, for- 
give me, ye Modern Æsculapii, if I should say 
of our Lives too; But after I had tortured it 
again and again, and quite tired myself, I could 
not squeeze out so much as would answer my 
Purpose. Seeing I had discovered the true Na- 
ture and Cause of this mortal Distemper, which 
I looked upon as the better half of my Task, 
I was unwilling to give entirely up by making 
a Stop there: I was convinced Nature was too 
kind and benevolent to entail an incurable Dis- 
ease upon Mankind, and if her Cures were some-
times a Secret, it was always owing to our 
Want of Sagacity and Industry, never to her 
Want of Care and Concern for us; ’twas not she 
who was improvident, but we who were blind 
or capricious, which is too often the Case. In
Confidence, therefore, of finding out this Care, 
I bent my Studies much that way, and was at 
last amply rewarded for my Pains. 
The Senekka Indians, who had been at War 
to the Southward of Virginia, with a Nation 
called the Catawbaa Indians, in the Year 1712, 
being-harrassed and fatigued in their March home, 
communicated to a Planter in the Frontiers the 
surpizing Efficacy of the Rattle-Snake Root, in 
Consideration of some Assistance and Refresh- 
ment on their Journey. If a Person is bit by a 
Rattle-Snake, this Root will prevent Death, if 
immediately taken; a Bite otherwise so mortal, 
that the unhappy Patient seldom escapes Death, 
which follows it very often in fifteen Minutes, 
sometimes sooner, and at other Times in some 
Hours or Days; which Difference proceeds from 
the Part bit, and from the Season of the Year 
which governs the Activity of that Viper’s
Venom.
I cannot say whether I was more pleased or 
surprized with this Account. After ruminating 
again and again upon a Phœnomenon so strange, 
I could not help thinking an efficacious and so 
fovereign a Medicine, must also be an extensive 
one; I took the first Opportunity, therefore, 
of narrowly observing the different Symp- 
toms of every Person I could see, who had the 
Misfortune to be bit by this poisonous Viper; 
and on comparing them with those I had be- 
fore observed in Patients labouring under the 
epidemic Fever of America, I found so near an 
Analogy between them, as tempted me to make 
an Experiment*; tho’ I took care to try it 
the first Time upon a Patient incurable by all 
Practice I had seen. The Success justified the- 
Trial, and much more than answered my Ex- 
pectations; for the poor Wretch, whom I, and 
all who had seen him, considered as irrecove- 
rably gone, recovered apace, and in a short 
Time was as found and vigorous as before the 
Time he was seized with the Distemper. 
During the Space of a few Months after, I 
made a great many Experiments, and received 
as many Assurances of its Efficacy in this mortal 
Distemper ; and if I lost four or five Patients 
in
† It is called Senekka Rattle-Snake Root, and is in every Respect quite different from the Ser- 
pentaria of the Shops, called Snake-Root. 
* The Subject of the Analogy of Constrictions and Relaxations of the Nerves, Coagulations, Stagnations, 
and Dissolutions of the Blood, shall be accurately handled in my Physical Dissertations, which, I humbly 
conceive, sufficiently warrants that Experiment.


(5)
in a hundred, which was the most I ever did 
after this Discovery, I blamed my Want of 
more Skill as severely, as formerly I used to 
boast of it, when I had saved four or five des- 
perate Patients from Death in the same Dis- 
ease. 
Now I saw myself the sole Proprietor of the 
most valuable Medicine that ever yet had been 
discovered. I found myself able to stand my 
Ground, and cope with those old Practitioners, 
who had all along looked down upon me with 
a mean jealous Sneer, and took every little Op- 
tunity of blasting my Reputation and Chandler 
with the Gentlemen of the Colony. Such 
Thoughts naturally suggest themselves to the 
Mind of a young Man, when he thinks himself 
wrong’d; But when I had reflected more calm- 
ly, and honestly weighed every Consequence, I 
concluded that personal Pique, or Self-Interest, 
however common a Reason it might be, was at 
least very dishonest one, for keeping so useful a 
Discovery secret from the World: For, I knew
this Medicine was once published, and put into 
the Hands of every Person and Practitioner in 
America. I should save vast Numbers of my 
Fellow Creatures from Death, since it was im- 
possibJe for me either to attend or administer to 
them all, in a Country subject to that Disease, 
which extends above one Thousand Miles from 
North to South. 
As such a disinterested Piece of Conduct had 
met with my own Approbation, I never ima- 
gined but it would likewise have met with that 
of every good Man, as well as their Applause. 
Say then, ye generous Few; Did I deserve to 
be branded and stigmatized as a Fool and Mad- 
man by the World, for consulting the Interest 
of the World, and sacrificing my own to theirs? 
No; I acted as you would in my Circum- 
stances have done. Say then, ye little Genera- 
tion of Vipers; should I, like you, have suck’d 
the Blood of my Fellow-Creatures, and, like a 
Cannibal, fed myself with the Flesh of Man? 
No; tho’ you have made me a poor Wretch in 
the Eyes of the World, it is not in your Power 
to make me a cruel one. But to return.
According to my Determination, I publish- 
ed in the Year 1736, a short Essay on the 
American Pleurisy, with an Account of the Effi- 
cacy of this Medicine in that Distemper, all 
proved from repeated Experience in the Course 
on my extensive Practice in that Country; and 
still to communicate so great a Benefit the more 
readily, Directions were pruned in all the News- 
papers of the several American Colonies: I con- 
tributed Numbers of Copies of my Essay to
Gentlemen, and Practitioners in Physic, of Vir-
ginia, and sent a Number of them to the lea- 
Physicians in London, and elsewhere in  
tain. 
Hence my Reputation rose every Day, 
my Practice increase’d so fst upon me, notwith- 
standing every one was Matter of my Discovery 
that it became almost a perfect Fatigue to 
I saw myself caress’d and esteemed by the p- 
cipal Gentlemen of the Colony, and courted 
those very Men who a little before had done 
in their Power to curb my Ambition, and
pull me down from the Height to which to
saw me climbing. Under which State of Thi-  
this Question will naturally arise: What ind- 
me to leave Virginia? Before I answer the 
Question, allow me to take notice of this 
Circumstance. As I had communicated the i- 
cret to the Physical Gentlemen, and all the Peo- 
ple, my Absence, I thought, could hurt no Per- 
son: For, having the Medicine in their Hand 
with Directions how to use it, I might go where 
I pleased; the Country could suffer no Det- 
ment by my Absence. 
In answer then to the Question, I me- 
adduce one Argument, which if it seems incon-
sistent with that Reason true Philosophy dictat-
will nevertheless be found so nearly allied 
human Nature, that I flatter myself every ca- 
did Person will have good Nature enough to so- 
give it, or too much Conscience to censure t- 
innocent Effects of a Passion, which, in a great- 
er or lesser Degree, actuates all Mankind; 
mean Ambition: Notwithstanding I conceive 
is a Justice I owe to myself to declare, that
was a mere Stranger to this Principe of A- 
tion, until the Discoveries I made in Physick 
the Consequences of which, inspired me with 
Hopes of making one Day a Figure in the Medi- 
cal World. 
My Views extended apace, I long’d to evino- 
my Capacity to the politer World ; and being 
impatient of manifesting my Improvements t-
those who were Judges of their importance, 
must acknowledge at the same time I was flush’d
with Hopes of being honour’d and rewarded 
suitable to the Dignity and Usefulness of them 
I readily grant this was a Piece of Vanity 
But I believe the World will allow too it w- 
a laudable Motive, a-kin to that noble Emula- 
tion which in every virtuous Age acquired Re- 
gard and Honour, and to which we owe the
B most


(6)
most valuable Inventions of Life. It would be 
-ally tedious and impertinent for me to il- 
rate this Assertion, especially as every Man 
consulting his own Breast will be easily con- 
ced of this, perhaps, disagreeable Truth; 
let me not detract from the Merits of human 
-ture, and, obscur’d by the Film of Self-Im- 
fection, accuse my Fellow-creatures of the ike 
-sease; Perhaps there are some whose Breasts 
animated with a more disinterested Flame, 
whose Actions slow from a more divine 
-arce. Judge me then, ye Righteous, and let him 
-o is untainted throw the first Stone. 
Besides, what my Hopes had promised me 
on communicating the Virtues of this Medi- 
cine to the Physicians in London, my Health 
which had been greatly impaired by the Ameri- 
can Climate, and the constant Labour and Fatigue 
was daily obliged to submit to there, requir’d 
should come over to Britain. Upon the 26th 
June 1737, I left Virginia, and arrived in 
London the Beginning of August. Among the
credentials I had brought over with me from 
the most reputable Gentlemen in Virginia, I 
had Letters recommending me in the strongest 
-erms to the Lord Islay, Sir Hans Sloan, Dr. 
Mead, &c. A few Days after I waited on them, 
-d delivered to each his Letters, represented 
to them the Usefulness of the Discovery I had 
made, inform’d them of my Designs in Lon- 
don, and sollicited their Influence. All went 
smoothly on; his Lordship seem’d to think, at 
last told me so, that public Services ought to 
have their Reward; and the Physicians appear 
to applaud my Invention, and to countenance 
the Author: They honour’d me with Creden- 
tals for a Doctor’s Degree, in the most reputa-
ble Way ; the President then of the College 
-iving his Sanction to that Honour, by signing 
-rst after an Examination; and Dr. Mead wrote 
strongly in my Favour, to the Governor of 
Virginia, and to one of his Majesty’s Council 
here, who is a Gentleman distinguished for his
abilities. 
After such a fair Reception, and repeated 
promises of their Influence and Assistance, I ne- 
er doubted but Things would go on and suc- 
eed to my Wishes. Yet, tho’ the Recom- 
mendations which I had brought along with me 
from Virginia, were warm and explicit, and no- 
thing could seem more sincere than the Promises 
of Friendship made me by those Great Men; still 
I wished for nothing more than to have an Op- 
portunity in London of convincing them farther 
of the Efficacy of this Medicine, and confirm- 
ing them in the good Opinion they already 
seemed to entertain of the Inventor. I soon had 
the most favourable Opportunity that could pos- 
sibly offer. Dr Monro, Physician to Bethlem 
Hospital, had for several Months labour’d under 
a Chronical Illness: He had applied for Advice 
to the most eminent of the Faculty, and religi- 
ously followed their Prescriptions for a longtime; 
but reaping little or no Benefit from them, was 
at last prevailed upon to intrust me with his Cure.
I discoursed with him first at Dr. Mead’s House, 
and after considering the Case as accurately as 
I could, prescribed him a Decoction of the Root, 
and the Powder of it, with proper Directions. 
Every Day after he found himself considerably 
better, and in less than a Month perfectly re- 
covered his Health. Besides the Reputation of 
this Cure, two or three more Cases occur’d, which 
seem'd to confirm the Physicians, that this Me- 
dicine would be the Means of saving thousands 
of his Majesty’s Subjects in Great Britain as well 
as America. 
But this Dawn of my Affairs, like a deceit- 
ful Morning Gleam, soon began to lour and 
threaten a Storm. I found the Physicians grew 
every Day cooler in my Affair, shifting me like 
a School-boy * from one to another, which was 
the only way they had left them so shove me 
out altogerher; For after so many Marks of their 
public Esteem and Regard, and so many Promi- 
ses of their Friendship and Influence, it must 
have betrayed their Ignorance, and exposed their
moral Character to the honest World, had they 
deserted me all at once. When I went to the 
great Men I found them dancing to the same 
Tune, and myself like a Dog in a Dancing- 
School toss’d about and bandied like a Tennis- 
ball from side to side. I was now quite tired 
and galled with riding the Great Horse, and de- 
termin’d to give it up before my Quarter was 
quite expired. 
I had run myself by this time considerably in 
Debt; I owed near Five Hundred Pounds in 
London to 15 or 16 Creditors having brought 
little or no Money from Virginia, but depend-
ing on a Sum in Britain, of which I was disap- 
pointed: About half of what I owed, I admit 
was extravagantly spent ; and to that Misconduct 
are primarily owing the Slanders villanously slung 
against
* I was at that time a School-boy indeed in worldly Affairs, and foolish’y belived that Self-In- 
terest could not stifte the Merit of a public Cause.

(7)
against: my Name. My Patrons thought my 
Affairs pitifully embarrass’d; and I knew it 
must take more Time to set them to rights again 
than I could then safely allow them. Like the 
provident Patriarch I was determin’d to sojourn 
for two or three Years in the Land of Plenty; 
but was not so fortunate, for at my Arrival in 
Virginia, behold there had arose another Pha- 
raoh who knew not Joseph. 
I apprized several of my Friends, (particular- 
ly Dr. Mead) that I must be obliged to return 
immediately to Virginia, in case I could not 
borrow a Sum to pay my Creditors, upon the 
Credit of my Prospects; but finding this was 
not practicable, I begg’d and implor’d him and 
others, with all the innocent insinuating Sub- 
mission a disappointed Stranger is Master of, not 
to forget my Affair, or neglect to use their In- 
fluence for me in my Absence: They promised, 
and I bad them farewel.
I embark’d for America with a Resolution of 
addressing the Assembly of Virginia, for a Reward 
of the public Services I had done their Country, 
that I might be able to remit my Creditors in 
London their Money: But instead of some thou- 
sand Pounds which I had good Reason to expect, 
One Hundred was only voted me, by way of Ear- 
nest of a due Reward; notwithstanding some of 
the Members strenuously insisted, that the least 
could be given me in any shape was One Thou- 
sand Pounds. I had experienc’d the World too 
well, to shew myself testy and to spurn at my 
Allowance, like a fretful Child when it refuses 
its Dish because scanty, or is not cooked to its 
Humour. I took it, tho’ at the same time let 
them underhand, I thought myself used unhand 
somely; But it was playing the Girl in good 
earnest, begging of a Marriage after she had 
been the silly credulous Girl, to trust the Renegado 
with her Maidenhead.
I determin’d, therefore, to come over again 
to Britain, to put my Great Friends in mind of 
their Promises; and as the Virginia Assembly 
had by their Votes given me a full Acknow- 
ledgment of my public Service, tho’ they had 
not duly rewarded it; I had Hopes that the 
learned Physicians would second my Application 
on that Evidence, to those concerned in Govern- 
ment Affairs in Great Britain, which is the Mo- 
ther Country of the American Plantations. As 
I left America with a Resolution never to return 
again, except I should be oblig’d to it; so I 
came to London with a Design of fixing there 
for Life, as the most proper Place I could pro-
pose to confirm my Health, and at the same 
of signalizing in my Profession. 
A few Days after my Arrival I waited  
my former Patrons, reminded them of  
Promises, and represented how seasonable  
Compliance would be to my Situation. I 
them, I was pretty confident the British Parli-
ment, upon proper Application, would give 
a Prœmium for the Service I had done their co-
lonies in America, if they would only vouch 
to countenance it. But from their Manner of
looking at this Proposal, I could make a shre-
Guess at their Manner of thinking; and co-
foretel my own Fate from a certain Motion 
a great Man's Cane, with more Certainty 
a Roman Augur the Success of a Battle from  
capricious Flight of a Raven. I was obliged 
lay aside this Project, till I should have more
Interest, or they more Generosity and Huma-
nity: The last, indeed, I had soon Reason 
despair of, tho’ Time and good Conduct I ho- 
will at last accomplish the first. For my Mis- 
fortunes have taught me Patience, which I look 
upon as the Mother of all the rest of human 
Virtues, as Cybele was of the Heathen Gods.
But how should I prevail With my noisy Cre- 
ditors to practise the same Philosophy? They
was the Difficulty, I told them they should a- 
have Draughts upon the Promises of the Physi 
cians, and as soon as I was able, should take
care to pay them the Exchange : But they lov' 
ed their Money too well to relish my Wi- 
Phsical Air I found, was too light Ballast so 
a British Vessel, and a French Ragout too delicate 
a Morsel for a Tradesman’s Stomach. So long 
Scarcity had exhausted all my Granaries; I save 
nothing before me but Days of Dearth and Pe- 
nury; and what is the Fate of all poor Men 
my Family multiplied, and as they multiplied
grew clamorous.  
Sed—amoto quœramus seria ludo.
I hope the gentle Reader, when he considers 
my Misfortunes, will readily excuse my Humour: 
My Creditors Demands were just; therefore, 
they had Reason to complain: It never was 
my intention to satisfy them with this airy
Coin; and although I had lived for some Time 
upon little more myself; it was no Reason they 
should. But who envies the Stag to breathe 
in cool Air for a Moment in the Shade, or 
grudges him a Draught of the refreshing Stream, 
when he has been pursued by a Pack of Hounds,
push’d


(8)
Push’d out like an Infectious Plague from the 
common Herd of his Friends, and Hands pant- 
g at Bay? If I appear gay and in good Hu- 
our at any Time under my Misfortunes, be- 
live me, it does not slow from my never hav- 
ing felt the Weight of them: No, they have 
sometimes fat so heavy upon me, that I have 
been ready to burst out in the Anguish of my 
-ul, and cry with the Wretch in the Fable for 
-eath to relieve me. Yet 
I was determined that Indolence should not 
-fter nor cherish what the World (perhaps with 
so much Reason) had father’d upon my Im- 
pudence. I borrowed Assurance of Necessity, 
-ough I was sunk in Debt, that I might make 
little Appearance in public; went once more 
the Physicians and the great Men, opened to 
-em my whole complicated Affairs, owned my 
discretions, and promised with the Prodigal 
-n to go astray no more. My Years, joined 
with a submissive and Condescension, that 
-n sooth and tickle the most stubborn Pride 
and Vanity, pleaded with more Eloquence than I
should have expected. Now I had learned how 
necessary it is to become their Creature, at least 
to seem so, if I designed to make them mine. 
I made use of the same Address to my Credi- 
tors, assuring them that they might securely de- 
fend on Payment of their respective Debts, so 
soon as it was in my Power, and that I had 
-ot the least Intention, or the most distant De- 
sign of defrauding any of them in one Farthing; 
-ut observed to them, that if in my present Si- 
tuation they should distress me, they would de- 
fraud themselves, by putting it out of my Power 
to pay them, and ruin me beyond Recovery. 
As they saw the Reasonableness of my Request, 
they granted it. 
But before I had failed many Leagues, the 
Fogs that had hitherto obscured my Sight be- 
gan to disperse, I saw my Error, but it was 
too late. The Voyage I had unfortunately un- 
dertaken was long and fruitless; and I found I 
had entrusted my Fortune with a fine showy 
-gilded Vessel, but capricious as a narrow Sea, 
and as faithless too.
Quamvis Pontica pinus, 
Sylvœ filia nobilis, 
Jactes et genus et nomen inutile; 
Nil pictis credulus navita puppibus 
Fidat!
When the Lord Cathcart was appointed Com- 
mander of his Majesty’s Forces in the West-In- 
dies, I made no doubt, upon Application being 
made, of being nominated Physician-General to 
them. I waited, therefore, upon some of the 
Physicians, particularly Dr. Monro, communi- 
cated my Design, and begg’d of him to use his 
good Offices in my Behalf with Dr. Mead, to 
whom my Indiscretions in the Year 1737, had 
given remarkable Dislike of me. As it was 
left with the Physicians to recommend a Physi- 
cian for the Expedition, they should find best 
qualified, I begg’d they would impartially con- 
sider my Pretensions, and use me accordingly. 
But notwithstanding Lord Cathcart, after en- 
quiring into my Character, seemed quite plea- 
fed that I should go along with him in that
Station, another Gentleman was appointed. I 
offered then to go his Assistant, but was also de- 
nied that; without the least Regard to the un- 
precedented Success I formerly had in curing 
the West India Diseases. 
The Reader win naturally enough ask here; 
What made the Physicians so much my Ene- 
mies? Must it not be owing to some imprudent 
Conduct of my own, that could inspire them 
with such Rancour against me? The Truth is, 
I had spoke my Mind sometimes too freely, and 
allowed my Tongue a little unseasonable Li- 
cence; I told some Truths I should have con- 
cealed and wink’d at, which exasperated them 
against me; I did not pay Deference enough to 
their Practice. 
Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parat. 
As these and the like depending Prospects 
had made me neglect applying my Mind to my 
Practice, it was little wonder I ran every Day 
more and more in Debt. My Creditors observ- 
ing nothing but Disappointment upon Disap- 
pointment, and one Misfortune treading upon 
the Heels of another, dun’d, teaz’d, and threat-
ened me every Day of my Life. I knew not 
where to turn, or what to do. Scarcely was 
there a Street in Town, but had a Rapacious 
Tyger denn’d in some dark Corner of it, ready 
to spring out and fasten his tenacious Claws 
upon me. Thus I was at the same Time poor 
and friendless, and scarcely beheld one distant 
Gleam of Hope that was not obscured imme- 
diately: by some dark intervening Cloud; and
if 

[9]
if at any Time a few Glimpses seemed to dawn 
or shine on me, it was only a deceitful Smile 
for a short Moment, and set in Horror and Des- 
pair! 
I had no Comfort left me, save the peace- 
ful Consolation of a well-meaning Mind, con- 
scious it suffered more than it deserved; a Mind 
which could forgive lordly Oppression, while it 
was sinking under the unsupportable Pressure of 
its Burthen; a Mind which felt the greatest 
Joy and Pleasure in alleviating the Pains, and 
giving Ease to the tortured Patient, and preserv- 
ing the Lives of one Part of the Creation, while 
the other was maliciously tearing his Reputa- 
tion to Pieces, and cruelly torturing the fairest 
Parts of his Character, to betray themselves in 
a Lie.
Involved in these Difficulties, I began to ima- 
gine, that my Schemes hitherto had been either 
extravagantly projected, or that the World was 
not the same generous disinterested Community 
I had conceived the Idea of. It is natural for a 
Man to attribute whatever Misfortune befals 
him, to any Thing rather than himself, pro- 
vided his own Reflection can suggest the least
Shadow of Reason to support his Belief. This 
was my Case. I was thoroughly persuaded I 
had met with Usage not at all adequate to my 
Deserts, and was so chagrin’d at Mankind, as 
inclined me to regulate my Opinion of the 
whole, from the Behaviour of those whom I 
had any Occasion to know, and to resolve for 
the future to proceed with every Body upon a 
quite different Plan from that which I had first 
laid down. 
Being informed that Mr W—d so celebrat- 
ed for his Pill and Drop, among the more un- 
wary-minded Part of the Town, was a Man in- 
dustrious in purchasing medicinal Secrets, some- 
times at a considerable Expence; I apprehended
that this Disposition, properly sollicited, might 
be of considerable Advantage to me; at least, an 
immediate Shelter from the Tempest of Poverty 
which seem’d then ready to burst over my Head. 
Accordingly, April 4, 1740, I waited on this 
Renowned Emperick at his House in Whitehall- 
Court: Not that I regarded the Blazons of his 
Generosity, Charity, &c. so profusely bestowed 
on him by the unthinking Multitude; or gave 
any Credit to the stupendous Cures his Emis- 
saries so eloquently describe in every Coffee- 
house, and Place of public Resort, No; tho’ I 
was not then so entirely acquainted with the 
Man’s real Character, as I have had Occasion 
since to discover; yet I was far from conclud- 
ing him the Demi-God he was represented: 
And my Hopes in him were not established on 
his Principle of Benevolence, but were actually 
founded on his Attachment to a direct opposite 
Motive; namely, Self-Interest. I was consci-
ous that I possessed Knowledge which he want-
ed, and was resolved to dispose of it to him as
the highest Bidder. 
Forgive me, Mr. W—d, that I entertained 
such an indifferent Opinion of your unworthy
ress at firft: If it shall appear in the Sequel
that my Suspicions were unjust; no Man will 
be more ready than me to make a suitable Ac- 
knowledgment, and atone for this Indignity, b-
my future Respect. But if, on the contrary 
Facts shall arise, not only to corroborate tho-| 
my Sentiments; but also evince you high- 
favoured in my Thoughts when I conceive 
no worse of you: If Truth shall prove to 
less your Friend than I have been; and, dive- 
ing you of your assumed Trappings, Humani-
Benignity, &c. display you to the World, ador- 
ed with Epithets of a quite different Nature:  
this, I say, should happen, you cannot reason- 
ably blame me for being Minister to Truth; You 
cannot accuse me of Cruelty, in detecting the 
secret Aims of Malice hatching against n- 
self; for it is a Duty I owe myself to wipe 
that Mud my Foes have bespatter'd me w-
and to convince the impartial Part of Mankind 
that I am a Man more sinned against than sinni- 
And it is a Justice done my Fellow Creature 
caution them against the Snake in the Grasi- 
discover the Wolf in Sheeps Cloathing, and  
off the Lion’s Skin from the Back of the 
wheresoever I find him thus impudently 
guised. 
I addressed this professedly humane Man- 
the most pathetic Terms my forlorn Circum- 
stances could inspire: I represented in what  
-ner my Hopes had been blasted; what C- 
ness I had met with from the Physicians in 
-don, on whom I principally depended, as 
diators for me with Persons at the Helm o-
vernment-Affairs. I observed at the same 
what a favourable Character I had heard of 
with respect to Marks of Generosity;  
siduous he was said to be in doing Goo- 
how indefatigable in acquiring Means an- 
pacity to do more. With respect to the  
remarked; that his Humanity (perhaps
-ver had a more proper Field to exert it 
than me: For I was a Man forsaken by 
C grateful

[10]
grateful World, which instead of cherishing the 
first Dawn of Merit, had abandoned an uncon- 
rovertible Benefactor to Society, and relinquish’d 
-im a Prey to all the Storms of Fate: I had 
been hunted from Place to Place by Catch-poles, 
-erest of every common Necessary of Life; 
-ented by those staunch Hounds out of every Cor- 
ner, run down, and thrown into Prison; expo- 
sed to every Vicissitude of Misery, and inces- 
ntly harrass’d with the deplorable Reflection 
friendless, hopeless Wretchedness. And with 
-spect to the second, I gave him to know, that 
was Matter of some valuable Secrets in that 
-ience; which, abstracted from his Beneficence, 
would be a valuable Consideration for the As- 
ance I then wanted. I acquainted him I was 
-olved to go over to Jamaica, provided he 
-uld indulge me in the Loan of Twenty Guineas 
defray the Expences of fitting out; that I 
-uld carry on a Correspondence with him 
in that Island, remit him his Money as soon 
possible, and in the Course of my Practice 
-e, (which I had reason to believe would 
become extensive) would communicate any
-covery of Importance I should make, by the 
convenient Opportunities. 
We discoursed much on the present State of 
-sic, which gave me an Opportunity of 
-ching out in praise of the Medicine which 
-d invented, (to which I assign all my Mis- 
nes) and describing the uncommon Cures 
perform’d with it, even in London; with- 
commending it to his Practice, by assuring 
-t would effect Recoveries every whit as 
long as those I had heard of his Pill and 
and never had any ill Effects. He seem’d 
-ish my Discourse, and said he would consi- 
y Proposal. On this Occasion too he told 
-ow vain it was to conside in the Physicians of 
; being generally Persons who studied 
Purses rather than the Constitutions of 
Patients; not so sollicitous in promoting 
-ing tending to recover Health, as anxious 
Innovation be made to the Detriment of 
-rling Practice, which tho’ (perhaps) de- 
re to Mankind, is yet so beneficial to them;
-eir Countenance I enjoyed upon my first 
was not owing to a Desire of encourag- 
become extensive) would communicate any
but a bare Compliment to those Persons 
-inction who had commended me to 
vulgar soever these Invectives may be, 
evertheless satisfied of the Truth of them; 
and from what besides passed between Mr. W—d 
and me, I began to consider him in a quite dif- 
ferent Light from that in which I viewed him 
before. Instead of an illiterate Quack, I now 
look’d upon him as a Man of Discernment, well 
acquainted with Life and its various Characters 
and Occurrences: A Man who supplied every 
Deficiency of Education with natural Abilities, 
and in the room of Learning substituted Judg- 
ment and Application. I regarded him as one 
who having experience’d the Blows of Fortune 
himself, had learn’d to sympathize with the un- 
happy; and, like the Good Samaritan, would 
divide his Cloak with the needy Beggar who 
had none. He arrayed himself in such a speci- 
ous Shew of Candour, and conscious Integrity, 
that I was ready to recant every Thought I had 
harboured to his Prejudice, and adore the Man
I had lately contemned. 
But if this Candour shall forthwith be demon- 
strated, nothing else but Deceit; and this seem- 
ing Integrity, the Cloak of infernal Design: I 
shall not blush to acknowledge myself over- 
reach’d; but triumph in bringing malicious 
Craft to Light. But to resume the Thread of 
my Subject. 
He give me no positive Assurances the first 
Day of an Intention to serve me, but appointed 
me to see him the next; when, (as he said) hav- 
ing consider’d my Request, he offer’d to advance 
me Ten Guineas, exclusive of any immediate 
Retaliation: But that providing I could pro- 
cure him any Quantity of the Medicine I had 
invented, he would endeavour to gratify my 
whole Demand. I answered, that it was then 
out of my Power to serve him with a great 
Quantity of it; but what I could come by, which 
was four or five Pounds, he should immediately 
have, upon giving a small Sum of Money to
remove an Olstacle which stood betwixt me and 
it. This he complied with, by giving me three 
Guineas, and next Day I brought him the Me- 
dicine, with Directions how to administer it in 
all the various Diseases where I had observed its 
Efficacy. He expressed a great deal of Satis- 
faction, lamented that he had not seen me some- 
time before, when I had about 70 Pound of it 
to dispose of. I beg Pardon for tiring the Rea- 
der with such trifling Incidents, which I cannot 
help mentioning, as they are essential to illus- 
trate Circumstances of greater Consequence, 
and may be considered as the small Wheels of 
a Machine, which examined by themselves ap-
pear

[11]
pear to be of little Value, but when join’d with 
the rest, are found absolutely necessary to the 
Constitution of the whole. 
A few Days after I went again to W—d, with 
a View to reap the Benefit of his friendly 
Prosser of Ten Guineas; but he gave me only 
Two: And I perceived he industriously turn’d 
the Conversation on another Topic; for when I 
bewailed my Necessity, he immediately flurr’d 
over that Theme, and expatiated on his own 
narrow Circumstances. “ The World (says he) 
« as it is never to be depended on in its other 
“ Calculations, so it is egregiously mistaken in 
“ my Circumstances: Was I a Man govern'd 
“ by the same sordid Principles which predomi- 
“ nate in the Generality of People, no doubt 
“ I have had it in my Power to accumulate 
“ a considerable Fortune; but my Prospects 
“ have been still much more disinterested, my 
“ chief Aim and Pleasure being to sooth the An- 
“ guish of the needy Heart, to teach distem- 
“ per’d Misery to smile, and to cure the Pangs 
“ of the Mind as well as Body.”
I now discern’d whither all this Profusion of 
Self-compliment tended. A shallow Artifice to 
get rid of my present Importunity, and at the 
same time to inspire me with a grand Idea of his 
Excellence. But I knew the World too well to 
be impos’d upon by this pitiful trite Contri- 
vance, having long ago observed that it is the 
common Cant of narrow Minds to plead Poverty 
to the Poor; and that he who discovers so 
much Deference for the first Person, has seldom 
any real Complaisance to spare for the second 
and third. This ridiculous Behaviour occasion’d 
my former Opinion of him to recur apace, and 
every Day henceforth convinced me more and 
more, that he had as little solid Wisdom in his 
Head, and Principle in his Heart, as I at first 
imagined. 
However, it was not my Interest at that Time 
to be plain with him; I foresaw that he was 
of such a Texture as to yield me no more Mo- 
ney unless melted down by a very costly Pro- 
cess, and that e’re he would advance me more 
Gold, I must procure him more Root, and give
him Knowledge of Diseases, tho’ he had at first 
told me, that he would advance me Ten Guineas 
exclusive of any immediate Retaliation. There- 
fore, I found means to procure him about 15 
Pound more of this most excellent Medicine; 
and plainly seeing that Twenty Guineas would 
not answer my Charges of going to Jamaica, I 
wrote to him, desiring he would be so good as 
to double the Sum, in which Case would have 
the better Chance of having it soon remitted, 
since the Practice I promised myself there, de- 
pended a good deal on the Appearance I should 
make on my first Landing, it being a lament- 
able Observation in that Place, as well as here, 
that a Physician’s Intellectuals are too often 
measured by the Solemnity of his Perriwig. But 
when I waited on him, I had the Mortification 
to find my Epistle had made no manner of Im- 
pression, but more likely furnished him with 
Time to invent an Excuse for a Refusal;
which was, that he had a considerable Sum to 
pay away in a few Days, that would sweep 
him almost quite clean of Cash, and therefore 
hoped I would be contented with Twenty Pounds, 
his Business being too precarious to rely upon 
for present Support. In a Week after he 
gave me the Remainder of the Twenty Pounds, 
for which he took my Promissory Note payable 
in twelve Months. 
In this first Transaction, it is to be observed 
how, disinterestedly Mr. W—d served me in the 
Loan of Twenty Pounds: He had from me 
Twenty Pound of the Rattle Snake Root, which 
is sold in London for Two Shillings an Ounce,
and which I do affirm is the best Medicine in 
the World: He had also several powerful Pre- 
scriptions for dangerous, acute and chronick 
Diseases, which are, to him, well worth ten 
Times his Loan, instead of Interest for it. 
Not being able to get abroad, I contracted 
a further Acquaintance with this Patron, which 
at last was converted into an Intimacy, he 
supplying me with small Sums of Money from
Time to Time, and I communicating to him 
Knowledge in the Art of Physick; and since 
I thereby enabled him to perform several re- 
markable Cures on Persons of Distinction, 
which have acquired him great Reputation, 
I humbly conceive that he ought to pay me 
at least one Thousand Pounds; for, as I doubt 
not that he has got above that Sum by my 
Knowledge, it is to be reasonably inferred he 
will get several Thousands. However, as his 
Assistance was seasonable to me, I was con- 
tented he should make the bell of my Know-
ledge, for the general Good of Mankind; for 
tho’ an ungrateful World, or Providence, had
push’d me from a proper Sphere to act in my 
self, yet it would have been unchristian, in- 
humane, and envious, to suffer the Good to be 
lost which I designed as a general one to the 
World. But it appears in the Sequel, that Mr.
W—d

[12]
W—d was not of my way of thinking; and, 
left I should be enabled to pursue my Views, 
fell on a Project of a dark Nature to get me 
removed if possible; for which he had two 
Reasons. 
1. He did not all look upon it as his In- 
terest to raise a Man in the World (tho’ Gra 
titude might challenge it) whom he knew so 
well qualified to expose his Ignorance, and 
bring his Behaviour into universal Contempt, 
whenever a proper Opportunity should offer: 
Therefore, tho’ he had often heard me say, 
that I enjoyed perfect Health only in Britain, 
where he knew I had a good Chance for Ad- 
vancement too, when clear of Debt, he dubb’d 
his Dissimulation Bawd to his Design, and un- 
der the Masque of Friendship, advanced me 
Twenty or Thirty Guineas several Times, 
when he had apparent Grounds to believe that 
I was under a Necessity of going abroad: 
This he did to get me removed in such an un- 
promising Character, that my publick Service 
should not clash with the following Scheme, 
which was his second Reason.
2. He had Hopes to induce the Legislature of 
Great Britain to give him a large Sum of Mo- 
ney to discover the Composition of his Pill and 
Drop, for a general Good. But as many of the 
Cures he performs are by Secrets pick’d from 
other Men, that would be a mere Imposition. 
It is certain, however, he had no small Hopes 
of carrying that Point, from the generous compas- 
ionate Disposition of the Parliament towards the 
public, manifest in their Act in favour of the Pub- 
licacion of Mrs. Stevens's Dissolvent for the Stone: 
and in order to introduce his Scheme, a Pam- 
phlet was printed and addressed to Thomas Ca- 
ew, Esq; Member of Parliament, signed Phi- 
lanthropos, which favours much of the Stile of 
his Brother John W—d. 
But it was obvious to Mr. W—d, that if once 
the Rattle-Snake Root was well known, it must 
be an entire Obstacle to this Project, being a 
Medicine of infinite more Use to the World, 
-n his Pill and Drop: Therefore, while I was 
in London, I remained a Thorn in his Side to 
-are him, which led him into a wicked Em 
-arkation to put me out of the Way: He knew
was against the Interest of the Physicians to 
countenance a Medicine so powerful, safe, and 
extensively useful; besides, he was well aware, 
that when the Inventor of this Benefit was gone, 
would soon be forgot, and the more readily, 
I had given the Physicians Offence by the 
Licence I had assumed, which tho’ unseasonable, 
was truly designed for a general Good. He 
therefore made his Effort to ruin me, by brib- 
ing a Man from the most binding Tie of hu- 
man Nature, Gratitude, as appears by the fol- 
lowing Account. 
Sometime in July 1741, when I was attend- 
ing my renowned Pupil at Whitehall, and giv- 
ing him some Physical Instructions, one James 
Christian, a Taylor in Hatton Garden came in, 
and interrupted my Lectures with a very mourn- 
ful Account of his Wife’s illness, making bit- 
ter Complaints against the useless Prescriptions, 
and lordly Fees of the Physicians, nor did he 
forget to throw out many Curses upon the Ex- 
travagance of the Apothecaries Demands. Tho’  
the Account which he gave of his Wife’s Case 
was indistinct and confused, I could discover it 
to be a Species of the Rheumatism, and help’d 
him to make it more intelligible to my Dis- 
ciple. Mr. Christian surprized to find me so 
particularly acquainted with every Circumstance 
of his Wife’s Distemper, and me ting me in a 
few Days at a Coffee-house in Fuller's Rents, 
told me, that if Mr. W—d did not succeed in 
it, he would apply to me, from the Character 
he had also since heard of me. I told him 
there were some particular Attachments which 
I had with Mr. W—d, that hindered me from 
engaging with any of his Patients. But I knew 
the meek Disposition of the Man, and the cross 
Subborness of his Medicines then given, to de- 
spair of having her soon resigned to other 
Help.
Next time I went to Whitehall, Come, says 
Mr. W—d, (giving me one of his familiar Claps 
on the Shoulder,) How wou’d you behave in 
such a difficult Case, ingenious Doctor, as Mrs. 
Christian’s? Right, Mr. W—d, reply’d I, you 
are still for sitting alone, I find, like Mahomet in 
the great Chair, without ever acknowledging 
the Dove perched upon your Shoulder, and whis- 
pering in your Ear what you are to say to the 
Multitude. No, no, good Friend, if I must be 
a Prompter to your Part, I shall take care for 
the future to receive a Share of the Profits. I 
had no sooner deserted this Demi-God than the 
Impostor appeared; his Medicines failed him, and 
I was called to try my Skill. In about 14 Days 
I recover’d Mrs. Christian of a Malady, such as 
I am sure Nature had never before so inflicted, 
without the industrious Assistance of a Partner. 
Soon after this, the Husband was seized with 
the Epidemic Fever which was to fatal to many;
but


[13]
but happening to be out of Town, his Wife 
had called only an Apothecary, till I should re- 
turn; for her late Experience had taught her, 
that the cheapest Cure was always the best. I 
will not take upon me to justify this Maxim of 
the Woman’s, tho’ I may safely say there was 
no great OEconomy in her Conduct. At my 
Return to London, I found the Man in a very 
deplorable Condition, attended him two Days, 
and in one Day brought him to his Senses and 
out of all Danger: In eight Days after, I had 
the Pleasure of seeing him walking the Streets, 
tho’ his Friends had expected nothing but to 
see him stretched in his Coffin; and he was so 
elate with this Deliverance, that wherever he 
went it was his Care to blazon my Reputation. 
Having observed him to be well acquainted 
with the World, and understood the Turn of its 
Humours, as Mr. W—d did the Beat of its 
Pulse; and as it must have been a Piece of very 
great Imprudence for me to neglect any Oppor- 
tunity, in my Situation, of being recommended, 
I industriously studied to improve an Acquaint-
ance that might be so serviceable to me if right- 
ly managed: And upon a more intimate Ac- 
quaintance with him, I took the Opportunity 
of informing him of the embarass’d State of my 
Affairs; how my Creditors grew every Day 
more numerous, and consequently more pres- 
sing; and if no Alteration could be brought 
about, I must unavoidably leave England, or 
fall into their Hands; and in the latter Case 
be sent to Goal, where my Liberty, my All, 
must lay at their Mercy: That if any Thing 
could be concerted to ward me from this Blow, 
I did not despair of having it soon in my Power 
to satisfy them all. 
To this Representation Mr. Christian propo- 
sed Marriage to some Lady of Fortune, which 
he apprehended not at all difficult to be effect- 
ed, on several Accounts. Favourable to this 
Expedient proposed, an Incident offered, by one 
Mrs. Hanger, a Widow Lady from Huntingdon, 
coming to lodge and board at his House, whose 
Fortune was sufficient to answer all my Purposes.
As I used to dine now and then with Mr. 
Christian, I had the Opportunity of seeing and 
conversing with this Lady, who being lovely in 
my Eyes, I had the Vanity to imagine I was 
not disagreeable in her’s; and my Interest justi- 
fying my Inclinations, I resolved to propose 
them to her the first Opportunity. In a short 
Time I was so happy as to gain her Affections; 
and to prevent all future Uneasiness that might 
fall out after Marriage, if I had kept h-
Stranger to my Affairs till then, I ingenuo- 
confessed some little Indiscretions I had b-
guilty of in Love-Affairs, which I could neither 
vindicate nor approve; but what gave me 
greatest Uneasiness upon cool Reflection,  
a foolish Step I had taken in keeping one 
Cary under the Name of Mrs. Tennent; but 
the same time assured her, that I had turned 
away some Months before, to graze with 
own Flock: I also told her, that my A-
were so embarrassed, as to require One Thou- 
sand Pounds to recover them, and set me o- 
the proper Footing of a Physician.
Say, Madam, did I ever once endeavour 
buoy you up with a vain, a false Represent 
of my Affairs? Tho’ I shew’d you my 
-pects, I never once boasted of my Posses- 
and had your Relations interposed, and st- 
Torrent maliciously brought against me, 
happy might you have been. Did I no- 
you so? And did not you in Answer say, 
had a Thousand Pounds at my Service
more if I wanted it? Did you not send 
Aunt, Mrs. Watson, to enquire my Chara- 
creditable People? Could she have got a 
of any Man than what they gave me? 
she not represent to these People your P- 
to be seven times as much as I told you 
sufficient to make you completely happy. 
The Sunday before I was married to th- 
dy, Mr. Christian took occasion to obser 
me, that his Circumstances were in a bad 
tho' hidden from the World; but that 
-dred Pounds, prudently managed, would 
them, without which he must inevitably
He represented, that as he had used go- 
ces for me with the Lady, was I to ma- 
a Present of so much, he thought he dese- 
tho’, says he, as you have saved my Wi- 
and my own, unless my Affairs were 
bad, I should neither look for Gift o- 
from you. I replied, that to give  
Hundred Pounds on the Account he f- 
was what I could see no Reason for; fo- 
full Proof I was the Lady’s Choice am- 
several Suitors, else his speaking well 
could not influence her Affection; Bu- 
that his Case was so desperate, as to b- 
Brink of Bankruptcy, I would give hi- 
stance of the Nature of my Principle 
fectually succouring him with an Ad- 
200 Pounds, which I should consider  
when I saw him able to return it, but
D


[14]
-ould hold it indifferent; and to convince him 
-ay generous Disposition, I would let the 
-g rest in his own Honour and Conscience, 
taking no Note, Bond, or Writing, for the 
.I gave him five Notes of my Hand to 
-unt with his Creditors, as follow: One for 
2d for 50l. 3d for 33l. 4th for 20l. 
or 28l. These Notes, tho’ all drawn on 
number 1, 1741, had not the same Date, but 
-r. Christian's Desire were dated thus; two 
-em for 125l. October 29, payable in three 
-hs ; one for 33l. November 1, payable in 
Months, one for 20l. November 10, pay- 
in four Months, and one for 28l. November 
payable in five Months. In all 206l. 
Sunday, November 8th, which completed 
-rth Week of making my Addresses to Mrs. 
-r, I was married to her at St. James's 
Churchh, Clerkenwell, by the Rev. Mr. Fisher, 
-ue of a Licence from Doctors Commons; 
-ing now aware that my Creditors would 
their Demands so soon as they knew this, 
-d it prudent to find out some Expedient
-p them off, till I could raise a Sum of 
to pay their whole Demands. I pro- 
to Mr. Christian to recommend me to 
Money-Broker for the Loan of about 200 
to compound my Debts, which were 
16 Creditors; not that I design’d to 
-ld one Farthing of the whole I owed by 
imposition, but to obviate Uneasiness in 
-se’s Relations, till it should be in my 
-o pay all I owed by having her Fortune 
Hands:  And hence I concluded, that 
king a Competition with my Creditors, 
-t paying the total Sum to each when 
-ld not compel me, would recommend 
the World in the Light I merited, hav- 
-re been abused in Character, because I 
do what was out of my Power. He ap- 
one Mr. Stevens, in Somerset-street, Good- 
-ds, who agreed to advance the Sum I 
and whom I commission’d to give posi- 
-rances to my Creditors of a full Pay- 
-en I was able, whatever definitive Com- 
-e might make in my Behalf. Mr.
Compounded Debts amounting to 380
-or about 90 Pounds, at a Crown, some 
-ore, in the Pound; but my Marriage 
own by this time, 100 Pounds of my 
still stood against me, and the real 
-ll my Debts was thus. 
To old out-standing Debts—100 
To Mr. Stevens for Composition-Money—90 
To ditto for Money borrowed at several 
Times—60 
To ditto for his Præmium for Advance, and  
waiting on my Creditors—25 
To Mr. Cooke, for a Mercer’s Bill—25 
To Mrs. Stanton, for a Milliner’s Bill—20 
To Mr. Kirke, for Cash borrowed of his  
Wife at Mr. Christian's, the Day be- 
fore my Marriage—20
To Mr. Christian, for a Taylor’s Bill—47 
To ditto for his Account for my Wife’s 
Boarding, &c.—20 
To contingent Debts—20 
£ 417 
It was now about three Weeks after Marriage 
when I applied to my Wife’s two Brothers, one 
an Attorney at Law, the other a Clergyman, for 
Help under this Situation of my Affairs. They 
both shewed all the Readiness imaginable to join 
with me in any Security, to raise as much Mo-
ney immediately as would make my Affairs easy. 
Mr. Stevens who offered to advance 500l. in- 
stead of waiting on Mr. Parrat the Attorney 
with Mr. Phelps of Lyon's Inn, (Attorney for Mr. 
Stevens) as had been agreed, to see the Title of 
A Land Estate, came, back’d with two Bailiffs,
and arrested me in the Kings Head Tavern, Hol- 
bourn, for his Debt; and the better to conceal 
the malicious Drift of the Design hatch’d against 
me, Christian was included in the Writ of Ar- 
rest, tho’ I could easily perceive by the alternate 
Whisperings, and cowardly pusillanimous Looks 
of the Wretches, it was done by previous Con- 
cert. It is beyond all Dispute that this Arrest 
was purely malicious, for a few Days before 
Mrs. Tennent begg’d of Mr. Stevens not to be 
uneasy about his Money, for he should have her 
Annuity of 50 Pounds in Security, till her Bro-
ther raised me a Sum on the Credit of her de. 
ceased Father’s Estates. I could not help throw- 
ing out some warm Expressions in my Passion 
against the hired Mercenaries of the Champion of 
Treachery, that Veteran in Iniquity, who, like a 
Russian Bear, groul’d under a Covert, rapacious 
for my Blood, and presently becomes visible. 
Mr. Parrat came in a little time, and gave Mr. 
Stevens his Note of Hand, and took up mine.
Mr.


[15]
Mr. Christian, unwilling to break into open Hos- 
tilities at once was desirous to seem my Friend 
a little longer, and began to practise his Leader's 
Meafures, by endeavouring to vindicate his own 
Innocence, and throwing the whole Burthen on 
the back of the poor Ass: He came and told me 
how industrious he had been, in quashing the vil- 
lanous Stories that were every where said of me, 
which I was credibly inform’d he himself had 
industriously spread, as will appear by his sub- 
sequent Conduct. He came in two or three Days 
and put his Taylor’s Bill of 47 Pounds into my 
Hand, and I drew an Order on Mr. Parrat, 
payable in 16 Days after Date, without ma- 
king the least Objection to the Extravagance of 
it. Mr. Parrat told him, as it was payable in 
such a short Time, he could not conveniently 
accept it, till he had first seen me; but he would 
accept it immediately, provided he would give 
him Three Months to pay it in. Mr. Christian 
skulk’d no longer in Ambush, but leap’d from 
the Covert, threw off his Mask, charg’d me
with Ingratitude, (for Guilt is always sure to 
snatch the first Word) and threaten’d, if the 
Note was not that Day accepted as drawn, to 
Arrest me; but to prevent that, Mr. Parrat com- 
plied with it. 
Mr. Parrat seeing how scandalously I had 
been used, very justly upbraided me for having 
any Connections with such low pitiful Fellows, 
a Parcel of Sharpers, whose Business it is to be 
on the Scent for their Prey, and like Ravens 
perch upon the Carcase, nor leave it till they 
have pick’d every Bone. He advised me forth- 
with to shake off these Money-Leaches, as well 
for my Reputation as Interest, as they would 
not leave me till they had drained me of every 
Farthing I had; for it was their Practice, like 
the Cat in the Fable; to go from Neighbour 
to Neighbour, under the Guise of Friendship, to 
warn them of their Danger, but in fact to 
raise a Bustle and Noise, and, like the Pick- 
pocket, while they pretend to reconcile Diffe-
rences, are robbing them of their Money: That 
their calling one another Names in public, was 
nothing but meer Artifice to deceive the World.
Ex Compacto agunt. 
I represented to Mr. Parrat, that if my Af- 
fairs continued in the present confused Situation, 
I could not pursue my Business; and that the 
Sufficiency of her Fortune to put me on a pro- 
per Footing in the World, and consequently to 
make her happy, the Effect of my Love, was 
one Motive of my Marriage; for it would have 
demonstrated Want of Affection in me, to have 
married a Woman without a Fortune in my 
Circumstances; that my Marriage had brought 
all my Debts against me, when before the Case 
was not so bad, few Creditors at last thinking 
it worth their while to arrest me; that before 
Marriage I had none to provide for but myself, 
but now I had a Family, which if it depended 
on my Capacity and Industry for Support, must 
starve, unless the present Obstacles were remov’d 
immediately. To this Representation he was at-
tentive, and told me had procured 300 Pounds of 
one Sir John Thompson, to clear him of his En- 
gagements to Mr. Stevens and Christian, the 
Remainder of which I should have, and desired 
me to look out for 4 or 500 Pounds more, 
and he would join with me in the Security for 
the Loan. This Behaviour of Mr. Parrat’s de- 
monstrated his Good-will for his Sister, and I 
am well convinced that he would have exerted 
himself to have got me extricated froth my Dif- 
ficulties, had he not been discouraged by the Ef- 
fects of Christian's Wickedness, who made it his 
Business to asperse my Character to every Body 
he knew I had any Concern with, and to per- 
suade every Creditor to arrest me. Mrs. Chris- 
tian had recommended to my Wife, before Mar- 
riage, a Mercer and Milliner, mention'd in my 
Account of Debts; but after a short Time Chris- 
tian persuaded the Milliner to have me arrested 
one Night in the Street where I lodg’d, and 
had I not got my Friend Mr. Phillis, a Wine- 
Merchant, to have paid the Mercer, I should
have met with the same Usage from him. In 
fine, this Incendiary so traduc’d my Character, 
that Mr. Parrat, being a mere Stranger to me, 
inclined to drop all Endeavours for my Relief. 
I beg the good-natured Reader to indulge me 
a Moment or two, to see if I can discover the 
Cause of this sudden Change in Mr. Christian’s 
Conduct. As I would not willingly imagine, as 
I was unwilling to think. Heaven had purpose- 
ly formed me so unfortunate a Creature, as to 
become the general Object of all the World’s 
Malice, I was apt to suspect my Misfortunes 
sprung from one and the same Source, however 
they seemed to come thro’ different Canals.—
A Day or two before Mr. Stevens's Arrest, 
which was the first after my Marriage, my 
Friend Mr. Dubourdieu, who kept a Lottery- 
Office at Charing-Cross, with whom I had 
lodged and boarded, solicited me for a Fort-
night’s

[16]
night’s Loan of 200 Pounds, for the greater 
Number of Tickets he could put thro’ his Hands, 
he had the greater Profit, and a better Chance 
for Prizes, I could not then answer his De- 
mand, but sent immediately a Letter to Mr. 
W—d, wherein I assured him of the Soundness 
of my Friend’s Principles, and if that should not 
satisfy him, I became Security for the Return of 
the Money in 14 Days. Mr. Christian was the 
Bearer of this Letter, and staid so long that I 
began to suspect Mr. W—d was enquiring into 
the Situation of my Wife’s Fortune, to judge 
of the Facility of practising some Mischief, for 
I know the plodding restless Spirit of the Man, 
who, in Spite of all his Artifice, had frequently 
given me the strongest Reasons to look upon 
him as an Enemy, and that he would leave no 
Stone unturned to get me removed from Eng- 
land, of which he gave me a glaring Proof a- 
bout five Weeks before my Marriage, when I 
communicated to him a Prescription for the Fal- 
ling Sickness; my publishing of which in the
London Daily Post, November 23, 1741, no doubt 
gave him Room to believe I had a mind justly 
to expose him. After there setting forth the 
Prescription, I concluded with the following 
Words. This Prescription is not my Invention, 
but was communicated to me by a learned Gentle- 
man; and as several People of all Ranks are af- 
flicted with the Falling Sickness, which exhi- 
bits such miserable Symptoms, it is apprehended, 
that many will have Recourse to so plain and 
simple a Medicine, which being thus freely pub- 
lished, must needs obviate the ill-natured Con-
structions too often put on good-natured humane In- 
tentions, which encourage Quacks to impose on, 
and kill the Public, under fallacious Pretences of 
being possessed of wonderful divine secret Medicines, 
that perform miraculous Cures. 
When Mr. Christian returned, I could easily 
perceive, that the political Chymist had been 
trying by Analytical Gold to convert the baser 
Metal of Christian's Heart into Dross; for his
Behaviour was very strange and untoward, and 
he told me, that Mr. W—d wanted to borrow 
the like Sum himself, so far from being able to 
lend it: So that from the Sequel, it is very 
plain my Suspicions were not chimerical or 
groundless. I beg the Reader will observe, 
that from the very first Beginning of my Ac- 
quaintance with Mr. Christian, he had all along 
shewn himself my sincere steady Friend, and 
never staggered or made a false Step till I was 
arrested by Mr. Stevens, the second Day after 
I sent him to Mr. W—d. Whence this un- 
expected Change? Say, Mr. Christian, Did I 
ever give you one Reason to become my Ene- 
my? or was it Mr. W—d bribed you last; for 
higher he could not than I had done ? Did I 
not, under God, save your and your Wife’s 
Life? Could Mr. W—d have so earned or 
bribed your Friendship? Or was you so con- 
summate a Villain to become a Volunteer in 
Treachery, for Malice Sake? Did I not, when 
you asked me for 100 Pounds, to save you
from breaking, give you 200 Pounds? 
Christian continued indefatigable in traducing 
me to every Body I had Dealings or Ac- 
quaintance with, and went to the Lodgings of 
one Mrs. Butler, desiring the Favour of her to 
let him see Elizabeth Cary, mention’d Page 13, 
which she did in a Day or two after, when he 
asked her, if her Name was not Mrs. Tennent: 
Mrs. Butler told me that she answer’d in the 
Negative. Then he said, that she might get 
an Hundred or Two Guineas by claiming me as 
her Husband: This had such an Effect, that she 
sent to me for a Guinea or two, two or three 
Times, pleading at the same time great want 
of common Necessaries of Life. My usual 
Disposition in such Cases, procur’d her that 
Assistance; of which I advised Mrs. Tennent 
to obviate Uneasiness, observing that I should 
not grant any such Charity but with her Ap- 
probation. He next prevailed on Mr. Kirke to 
arrest me for his Debt of 20 Pounds, because 
forsooth, I was said to be about leaving all my
Creditors in the Lurch, and removing to ano- 
ther Habitation. I could not blame this Man 
for his Caution, but told him I was surpriz’d 
he should use such violent Methods, since Mr. 
Phillis, my Friend, a Wine-Merchant in Arun 
del-street, had promised to pay the Money im- 
mediately, if he could not lie out of it till it 
should be in my Power to satisfy him. He re- 
plied, that he was inform’d I had impos’d upon 
him in the Character of Mr. Phillis, who he 
heard was not worth a Shilling. Another Stream 
of Scandal from the same dirty Origin! 
Not contented with distressing me by bringing 
all my Debts against me before I was enabled 
to pay them, he run about and scattcr’d his Ma- 
lice wherever he knew I had any Concern, par- 
ticularly attempting to overturn my Credit with 
one Mr. North an Upholsterer in St. James's- 
street, who was then engaged in furnishing a 
House I had taken in Craven-street, and which 
he, notwithstanding, compleated, generously
disdaining

[17]
disdaining his calumnious Insinuations. So ac- 
tive and unwearied was this Incendiary in ruin- 
ing me, that I was almost tempted to think 
some Fiend had come an airing from Hell and 
chosen me for the Subject of his Divertise- 
ment. 
In this Emergency I hoped that Mr. Parrot 
would exert himself in my Service, and procure 
me what Money he judg’d due to my Wife on 
the Sale of the Estates, by a Mortgage on them: 
But the Name of Brother, I found, was not al- 
ways the Badge of brotherly Affection; for his 
Diligence abated, his Proffers slacken'd, and his 
Friendship cool’d apace, putting me off with a 
lukewarm Profession of assisting me when it 
should be in his Power. It was therefore my 
Part to look about for Succour elsewhere: I 
communicated my Difficulties to my Friend Mr. 
Phillis, a Wine-Merchant, who carried me to 
Mr. Powell, an Attorney in the Temple, who 
had the lending of 300l. belonging to one of 
his Clients, and offer’d his joint Bond for the 
Money with the Rev. Mr. Thomas Parrat and
me. Mr. Powell approved of the Security, tel- 
ling us he was to receive the Money next Satur- 
day, but could give no positive Answer till 
Thursday; at which Time he appointed me to 
come to him. I went, when he still appeared 
satisfied with the Validity of our Security, and 
told me that Captain Wright, who was along 
with us on Monday Morning first when we went, 
had made him perfectly easy with respect to the 
Circumstances of Mr. Phillis; withal assuring 
me, that on next Monday the Sum should be de- 
posed, and the Bond taken. 
This intirely recomposed my ruffled Spirits, 
and I went home in perfect Tranquility, where 
I had the Mortification to hear that several abu- 
sive Duns had invaded my Threshold, in such 
a noisy insolent Manner as to alarm the Curiosity 
of my Neighbours, and make them gaze into 
the Street for impertinent Intelligence. What 
added to my Uneasiness on this Occasion, was 
the Share I perceived my Wife bore in my Af-
fliction, whose Happiness now was more my 
Concern than my own, and for whose Quiet I 
wrote to Mr. W—d to send me immediately 40, 
20, or 10 Guineas, to stop the clamorous 
Throats of that Cerberus, assuring him that I 
was to receive 300 Pounds from Mr. Powell in 
two or three Days, when I purposed forthwith 
to return his Loan: He gratify’d me immedi- 
ately in the Loan of Ten Guineas, and I waited 
on, him next Day to plead farther Indulgence; 
but his previous Representation of Scarcity 
Money, and that he should be glad of Part I 
ready owed him, anticipated my Request. 
When I called on Mr. Powell at the Time ap-
pointed, he amazed me with an Account of t- 
Man’s Death, who was to have lent the Money 
so all my Expectations were blasted in a tri- 
I had seen him on Saturday Morning, when 
was just going to receive the Cash; I call 
again in the Evening, he was gone Abroad; 
Sunday Morning I found a Paper in the Ke- 
hole of his Chamber Door, importing he was
gone out of Town; and on Monday about No- 
he produced a Letter, containing the News 
his Client’s Death on the Saturday, and that the 
300 Pounds was found reposited among his E- 
fects; but that the Executors refused to pay 
with it on several Accounts. From the sever- 
Circumstances of this Story, I conceived shrev- 
Suspicion that it was only a plausible Pretend 
to shake me off with a better Grace, and th- 
some evil Genius, privately interposing, h- 
dash’d the Cup from my Lips before I had tasted 
its agreeable Contents. Had Christian been p- 
vy to this Affair, I should not have hesitated lo- 
in fixing my Surmises on him; but it was so 
dustriously concealed from his Notice, that unle- 
he was the Devil's Resident in good earnest,  
could not have divined this Negociation of him- 
self: Tho’ it is highly probable, from what 
have said above, that he might receive Intelli- 
gence from another fat Minister of his Diabolic 
Majesty, who would fain impose himself on the 
World for an Angel of Light, and in whom I se-
I too much confided, even after I had seen 
Cloven Foot. 
Those Sons of Mischief, I suppose, severally 
conjunctly, or in Subordination one to the other 
stole to Mr. Powell, villanously begrim’d n- 
Character, and that of my Friends, and tre- 
cherously cut off this seasonable Supply, which 
would have procur’d my Liberty, and convinced 
Mrs. Tennent, by my Practice in Physic, ho- 
far she had made a prudent as well as affectionate 
Choice of an Husband. That this Negotiation 
became known to Christian is evident from this 
On Saturday, when I was going to Mr. Powel
I perceived myself dodg’d in the Temple by o-
John Pilmey, an Intimate of Christian’s, a- 
who I find has the Character of a K—t 
the P—st; and as this fix’d my Suspicions c- 
Mr. W—d, I took occasion to dodge Christian 
the Monday following to W—d's House, observ- 
ing him passing by as I stood at the Door of the
E Globe Tavern

[18]
Globe Tavern at the Head of Craven street: He 
-id near an Hour; About a Quarter of an Hour 
-er he was gone, I went in to Mr. W—d, and 
-ced; When did you see Mr. Christian? He 
answer’d. Never since you sent him about Mr. 
-ubourdieu’s Affair, See Page 11. New that was 
above three Weeks before, instead of a Quarter 
an Hour. I was now well convinced, that 
Mr. W—d was one Principal of Christian's; if 
where were Pluralities, I know not. 
My next Effort was, an Application to one 
Mr. Holloway in St. Martin's Lane, through 
the Recommendation of Mr. Phillis, who would 
have willingly lent me 300l. upon out Bond, 
-ll a Land Security could be given; but Chris- 
tian, by underhanded Insinuations, prepossessed 
-im so much in my Dissavour, that he at last 
absolutely declined having any Dealings with 
-e.
Be pleased to recoiled, that I had been the 
-eans of reprieving this James Christian and 
his Wife from the Jaws of Death, of which 
-e seemed so sensible, that he run up and down 
or some Time, like an Extatick, bellowing out 
-ncomiums on my Skill wherever he found 
himself. Be so good likewise to consider, that 
exceeded his Wish an hundred Pounds, to 
maintain his Credit, and gave him such Proofs 
of my good Nature and Contempt for Money, 
might reasonably induce him to hope for 
farther Assistance in the Course of our Ac- 
quaintance; and then reflect on the Returns he 
-ade me for all this Profusion of Benefits. 
Could Nature deviate so far from her usual 
-im, as to form a Creature with Principles not 
only moving in direct Contradiction to Huma- 
nity and Gratitude, but even diametrically op- 
posite to the Instigation of its own Interest? No; 
there must be some secret Spring that remains 
to be examined, producing this extraordinary
operation, and of Energy enough to regulate 
the Motion of the whole. Could a Man be pos- 
sibly more ungrateful to God, whole Providence 
having placed a Stranger so as to save his Life, 
-an to do all in his Power to destroy that very 
stranger? Or could a Man be possibly more in- 
human, than to use his utmost Endeavours to 
-eprive his Fellow Creatures of the Benefit he 
himself had received? 
If we suppose that the Mystery consists in this 
Man’s being the Emistary of some powerful 
Corruptor, who has my Downfal so much at 
Heart as to lavish out Bribes, that can win a 
Man from his Honesty and Virtue, and engage 
him to his Benefactor’s Destruction: I say, com- 
mon Reflection will justify every Part of the 
Conjecture, and expose Christian's Proceedings 
in their proper Appearance. Who this persi- 
dious Principal must be, I leave the Facts as I 
have and shall represent them to distinguish, not 
daring to be more plain in my Accusation; be- 
cause my Proof, however presumptive, are not
pregnant enough to warrant my Behaviour, 
should I point cut his full Name. 
Beset on all Sides with gloomy Prospects of 
complicated Misery, I laboured out a very irk- 
some Existence; and Mr. Parrat, instead of al- 
leviating my Distress, bent ail his Thoughts to 
deliver his Sister from that Ruin which he 
thought so evidently impended over the Head of 
her unfortunate Husband: And one Evening 
desired me to sign a Deed of Settlement of my 
Wife’s Annuity for 50 Pounds, observing, that 
had he not imagin’d I would comply with this, 
from what I told him once at his Chambers, 
he should not have raised the Money he had 
borrowed for me of Sir John Thompson. I ac- 
knowledged, that as my Wife had made no 
Provision for herself before Marriage, it was 
just she should experience the Effects of that 
Honour she had so generously trusted: Never- 
theless, such a Concession as he demanded, at 
this Juncture, before the rest of her Fortune 
was in my Possession, would argue a Weakness,
which he himself, upon Reflection, must be 
sorry to meet with in one so nearly allied to 
him; that as soon as my Affairs were retrieved 
by the timely Assistance of 300 Pounds, which I 
conceived was not out of his Power to procure, 
I would do every Thing that he in Reason 
could require, or the Affection I entertained for 
Mrs. Tennent dictated. 
This Caution in me disgusted him not a lit- 
tle, and he left me in Discontent. In the 
Morning I ask’d of my Wife the Probat of Mr.
Hanger’s Will, entitling her to the above spe- 
cified Annuity; and conversing with a Money- 
Broker in the City concerning the selling of it, 
he told me such an Annuity could not be bought 
for less than 700 Pounds, but that it would be 
impossible for me at present to dispose of it for 
more than 400 Pounds. This induced me to 
write to Mr. Hanger in the Country, enquiring 
what he would give to be cleared of the Incum- 
berance of this Annuity, which he paid in Con-
formity to his Brother’s Will. To this I was 
answered, that his Attorney would wait on me, 
and specify his Proposal. But before this hap-
pened

(19)
pened, I was obliged to retreat within the Verge 
of the Court; so this Scheme miscarried too. 
In the Interim my Situation was so lamentable, 
that I was compelled to keep within Doors, 
and pawn my Effects for Subsistence, my House 
being besieged by an Army of Bailiffs. 
During this Blockade there came a Coach- 
man tome, with a Compliment from Mr. W—d, 
who recommended the Bearer to hire me a Jobb 
of Horses: A Salutation mighty inconsistent 
with my present Circumstances, unless he could 
have provided his Horses with Wings, and 
drove me thro’ a Path where I could not he 
dodg’d. But it is not hard to explain this Piece 
of Conduct, by affirming that he at once intend- 
ed to insult my Mischance while he pretended 
Ignorance of it; and by this Message wanted 
to discover, whether or no, his Agents had ef- 
fectually earned the Wages of their Sin. 
While I was thus coup’d up like a devoted 
Fowl, Mr. Parrat paid me another Visit, and 
pressed me to sign the Deed of Settlement which
he brought along with him; but I refus’d it 
for the same Reasons as before. Next Day I 
accosted my Wife in the most tender Manner, 
assuring her, that whenever I saw her Welsare 
incompatible with my own, I should not he- 
sitate in giving hers the Preference, by secur- 
ing her in this Annuity; but in the mean Time 
I was obliged to keep aloof, and decline it, 
because I plainly foresaw my Compliance in this 
would infallibly produce Neglect and Indiffe- 
rence towards my Interest in her Brother, who 
already began to equivocate, and affirm, that 
upon the Sale of the Estates, her Share, exclu- 
sive of what I had received already, would 
amount to 300 Pounds; that although I 
all the Reason in the World to suspect 
Truth of this, from what I was informed 
her Aunt and Confidante, Mrs. Watson, bef- 
our Marriage, yet I would suspend my I-
quiry a while longer, provided he would 
-vance me that Sum, to place me in a Sphere-
acting for myself, that I might convince  
Relations, she had not given her Hand to 
Man whose sole Dependance was on her For- 
tune. I bid her recollect, that during a Week 
Interval of Arrests, I received Fees daily, a-
was applied to by People of Fashion, who have
been unsuccessfully treated by Physicians 
Note; and desired her to consider what Encou-
ragement I might reasonably expect, when the 
Credit of my Cures should have established my 
Reputation, 
To these Remonstrances she replied in such 
Manner, as I imagined did not bespeak that
cordial Affection which ought to be recipro- 
cal betwixt Man and Wife: Hence arose little
Family Heats and Animosities, which never fa- 
of poisoning the Delights of the married State 
and in the End estrange the Husband’s In- 
clinations from his own Home. However, 
check’d every Symptom of Disgust as they arose 
and looked upon her as a fond Woman, waver- 
ing betwixt the Dictates of Self-regard, sug-
gelled by a darling Brother, and the Motives 
of Affection for an unhappy misrepresented 
Husband, whose Misfortunes, she feared, would 
be intailed on her. Two Letters * which about 
this time upon my coming Home I found her
My Dear,
IF to love be a Crime that deserves ill Treatment, I am guilty; for I verily believe no Woman ever 
loved to the Degree that I do you, and I am concern’d it is not in my Power to raise an equal Flame 
in your Breast; but since that is impossible, all I beg is, that you will pity her you cannot love, 
and that I am sure a Man of your generous way of thinking would, if I could but make you sensible
how much I esteem you beyond any other Man that I ever saw. My dear Mr. Tennent, do you think 
if I did not love I could be so contented in our present Condition, or that I should be so willing to part 
with my Fortune? Pray, my Dear, consider, tho' it's but a Trifle to you, it is all I have; and was 
it ten Times as much, you should command it just the same. If you can think of any other Way to try 
my Love, I will chearfully obey you. Every thing that you do, I can forgive, but your unkind Absence. 
Did you but know what I suffer when you are from Home, you would pity me; my Tears would raise 
Compassion in your Breast. My Dear, don't torment me any more by your Unkindness, either love me or 
end me with your Sword. I doat on you to that Degree, that I can die to please you. Was you but to 
see my present Uneasiness, and know how afraid I am that what I have said should give a Moment's 
Pain, you would pardon me all my Faults, since they all proceed from my Love of you. Dear Mr. 
Tennent, I will be contented with Bread and Water, if I may but have your Company.—
[My coming Home prevented her ending this Letter.]
My

(20)
Writing to me, the continual Disquiet she dis- 
covered, together with the pressing Sollicitations 
of her Brother, at last determin’d me to contri- 
bute towards her Peace, by signing this Deed, 
upon Mr. Parrat's Word of Honour to raise me 
300l. immediately. 
This being done, she resum’d her former Se- 
renity, and perfect Reconciliation ensued; my 
Creditors were prevail’d upon to call in their 
Writs for a few Days, until the Sum could be 
advanced to satisfy them intirely: I was at 
Liberty to appear in publick, and my Affairs 
put on a smiling Aspect. But this soon turn’d 
out as faithless a Smile as ever Fortune had jilt- 
ed me with, and I was conscious to myself I 
now committed as great an Oversight in sign- 
ing the Instrument, as I had been guilty of in 
trusting the World at first with my important 
Discovery in Virginia: For Mr. Parrat now, 
instead of bestirring himself in my behalf, gave 
himself no Trouble about me, but left me to 
shift the best Way I could. And when I put
him in Mind of his Promise, he altered the Terms 
of his Intention in a very strange Manner, by 
proposing I should relinquish all Title to my 
Wife’s Third Part of her deceased Father’s 
Estates, before he could borrow this Money on 
the Credit of them. This astonish’d me, in- 
deed, and gave me no very favourable idea of 
his Integrity: I must now capitulate on these 
his Terms, cruel as they were, or else reimbrace 
my old Sufferings: The first was my Choice, 
after mature Deliberation, and consulting with 
Mrs. Tennent: So I advised Mr. Parrat of my 
Condescension. 
Having my Liberty from my Creditors while 
this was in Agitation, I took occasion to dodge 
James Christian from Hatton-Garden to W—d’s 
House, who staid about an Hour, and I un- 
derstood by a Person coming out that W—d was 
within. Next Day I dodg’d him from the same 
Place to Mr. W—d's again, and, so soon as he 
was hous’d, I went home and appriz’d Mrs. 
Tennent of it, and that I was under no manner
of Doubt that W-d had brib’d Christian to tra- 
duce my Character, in order to discourage her 
Brother from raising me her Fortune, to give 
me a proper setting out in the World. I went 
immediately to Whitehall, staying some Time 
before I went into W-d’s, that I might know 
how long this Diabolical Incendiary was in re- 
ceiving his Instructions. He came out in a 
Quarter of an Hour, and I judg’d he had been 
with his Principal near an Hour and a half. In 
a few Minutes I went and ask’d Mr. W—d, 
when did you see Mr. Christian? who answer’d, 
Never since you sent him about Mr. Dubour- 
dieu’s Affair. Here I leave the Reader to judge 
of Mr. W—d’s Guilt or Innocence. Next Day, 
ae I was walking up Chancery-Lane, I was ar- 
rested for a Debt of Twelve Pounds, at the Suit 
of Humphry Thomas, who keeps the Globe Ta- 
vern at the Head of Craven-street, when I 
immediately advertised Mr. Parrat of my Mis- 
hap, and begg’d he would release me, which 
he refused to do, notwithstanding he knew if I
could not get rid of this Difficulty that Night, 
which was Saturday, I must of necessity be de- 
tained till Monday, by which time all the Debts 
I owed might be lodg’d against me. 
All that I could possibly persuade him to fa- 
vour me in, was, a Letter to Mr. Thomas, pro- 
mising him Payment in two Months, if I was 
discharged in the Verge of the Court, where I 
could not be immediately arrested by any other 
Creditor, and a few Shillings to defray the 
Expences usual on such Occasions: But, hav- 
ing no Hopes in the Success of his Letter, I 
borrow’d the Money of my Friend Mr. Du- 
bourdieu, and cleared the Debt before Mr. Par- 
rat's Letter was rejected. So soon as I regain’d 
my Liberty, I repaired to the House of this 
Friend who had released me at such a critical 
Juncture, where I found my Wife; and being 
inflamed with Wine and Resentment, some in- 
discreet Expressions escap’d me, manifesting my 
Disapprobation of her Assurances given me, 
that I might securely confide in her Brother as
a
My dear Mr. Tennent, 
WHY will you torment me by your Absence? Are not our Affairs in a Way to make us uneasy with- 
out your being so unkind? Pray, my Dear, pity me if you cannot love me; for I don't know 
what I have offended you in except in loving you too much. Your Absence proceeds from your Uneasi- 
ness I would endeavour to think; but that cannot be the Cause, for if you loved, that would make 
you more so; for I love, and your unkind Absence almost distracts me; Death is better than the Life 
I lead: Pray, my Dear, he more kind, or my Life is in Danger.-[My coming Home also pre- 
vented her concluding this Letter,]


(21)
a Man of Honour. Judging it unsafe to return 
home under this Situation of my Affairs, we re- 
mained at Mr. Dubourdieu’s a Fortnight, being a 
privileg’d Place. 
After having waited the Accomplishment of 
Mr. Parrat's Promise above a Month, who in 
that Time had fed me up with repeated Pro- 
mises of Compliance, and told me in the Tem- 
ple-Exchange Coffee-house that he would engage 
in personal Security for my Debts, if there 
was any Obstacle raised in paying him the Mo- 
ney he was negociating for; he at last plainly 
told me one Sunday Evening at his Chambers, 
that he could engage in no personal Security with 
me, by reason of a Vow he had made to avoid 
all such Embarkations. This Disappointment 
was so provoking, that had I actually deserv’d 
the wretched Epithet of Madman, which my 
Foes among other Aspersions have scandaliz’d 
me with, I should have been guilty of some In- 
discretion that would have sanction’d that As- 
sertion. Nay, had I not been bless’d with an
uncommon Share of Patience and Resignation, 
I should have acted things, which, tho’ Indig- 
nation or Madness could not justify, yet might be 
pardonable in the Eyes of every considerate Be- 
ing. 
I went home, fraught with the miserable 
Reflection, that I was either the most injured, or 
the most unworthy of Mankind; upbraided Mrs. 
Tennent with conducing to my Ruin, by her un- 
wholsome Advice; and that my Resentment 
might prompt me to nothing unbecoming my 
Honour and Manhood, I forthwith quitted the 
House, till my ungovernable Passion should sub- 
side. No sooner had my Anger ebb’d out, than 
every tender Sentiment flow’d in again; I ac- 
cused myself of an Affront to Love, and return’d 
in half an Hour; but she had retir’d out of my 
Reach; and by some subsequent Circumstances, 
I was so unhappy as to learn, my Behaviour 
had shock’d her so much, that she had deserted 
me altogether.
When my Offence is compared with my Pro- 
vocation, and a small Allowance granted me for 
human Frailty, I flatter myself that every disin- 
terested Reader will, if not acquit, at least for 
give me this unfortunate Piece of Conduct. And 
you, Ladies, who have been, or are, subject to 
the Moods of passionate Men, I submit to your 
Decision, whether or no, Mrs. Tennent has in- 
flicted too severe a Punishment on me for my 
Misdemeanour? 
Now my Hopes went to wreck, 
myself like an unhappy Mariner, who 
Toils and Perils of a tedious Voyage 
the long expected Harbour in View, is 
den Squawl, hurried back into the t- 
Ocean, where every Cloud lours wit- 
and every Billow threatens to swallow  
Mr. Parratt became General of my 
-ries, having taken out a Writ again 
the Bond I gave him for 360 Pounds
that I might have no Time to breat- 
back’d with an Order of the Board 
Cloth, to obviate the Protection of liv- 
common Verge of the Court. Whereup 
compelled to take Sanctuary in Scotland. 
But as I doubled my Endeavours to  
he doubled his Assiduity to ferret me 
at last persuaded his Sister to lodge 
-mation against me at Hicks’s-Hall fo- 
grounded upon what I have set fort-
16 relating to Elizabeth Cary; up 
a Bill was found against me, June 8 
Warrant granted to feize me wherever 
reside. A Suit was also brought in 
Commons for a Nullity of Marriage. 
I now was obliged to shift my Qua-
and skulk about like an Outlaw, the 
Actions against me, and Scarcity of M-
permitting me to appear to the In- 
Besides, how near should I have be 
Liberty and a Settlement of my Affair 
Acquittance, tho’ my Creditors had in 
with Time, if Mr. Parrat stood out or
I gave him? I offered him reasonable 
accept in my Favour, and then I w- 
the Trial, but his Inveteracey, or late 
caused him reject all Terms, and  
Reason, and my unhappy Wife was e- 
der his Influence. 
Christian before this Time had  
himself, and, to answer his honest Pu-
it reported he must needs be dead, si-
not return from a pretended Journey 
Country; and his Wife, who affected g- 
offered a very small Sum to his Credit 
full Composition of his Debts, which w- 
and a Statute of Bankruptcy issued ou-
the dead Man at last appeared, and surre- 
Effect, so as to pay about six Shilling 
Pound. This Account I had from M- 
a Laceman, at the Blackmoor’s Head 
gate-Hill, in whose Hands my Note
F


(22)
and fallen, as appears by the following 
-ved from Dr. John Tennent, a Bond 
of Two Hundred and Six Pounds, dated 
25, 1742. payable in Twelve Months, 
-Vive negotiable Notes of his Hand, pay- 
James Christian. 
A. Robins.
-noor’s Head, 
-gate-hill. 
-e 
-my Patron W—d had done enough, by 
his Emissary, to force most Men to 
-e best of their Way, yet he found I 
of the Fugitive Kind, but resolved just- 
enge such Diabolical envious Malice; 
small Book I had published, entitled 
Enquiries, I did his Ability Justice as a 
-ner in Physick, and had a Copy pre- 
every Member of the House of Lords 
-mons. Finding this, he called at my 
Mr. Dubourdieu'st asked for what Rea- 
son so attacked him, what I meant by it, 
-re I was? This Visit was to get such 
-nce as he should govern himself by to-
is detached Agent, Christian, whom I 
-ad was at Lisbon, (perhaps on some Bu- 
W—d’s) and to persuade me of his 
-ce. My Friend plainly told him, " that 
-e said it was my Design to attack his 
-ce, to open the Eyes of the World to- 
Quacks and Physicians, that it might 
-en how they shuffle to one another’s 
; that what I had then hastily pub- 
, was the Effect of my Conviction that he 
-uborned Christian to traduce my Cha- 
, to discourage my Wife’s Brother from 
-g so much of her Fortune, as was sus- 
t to set me out in the World; that I had 
-im, I was well convinced all the Money 
-rer lent me, was only to serve his own 
-est far from generous Views, as I could 
manifest to all the World, by publish- 
-ll our Transactions; and concluded with 
-ading Ignorance where I was, saying I 
-t be gone to the West Indies. 
W—d feigned Ignorance of the Prosecu- 
linst me, which my Friend had men-
and spoke to the following Purpose. 
-ell the Doctor's Brother that I know him, 
all be summoned an Evidence, and must 
obliged to declare he told me Elizabeth 
Cary was his Wife. Next Day hearing of this 
interview with my Friend, I was so incensed 
at W-d’s Dissimulation as to write him the 
following Letter. 
SIR, 
MY Friend Mr. Dubourdieu tells me, that 
you stopt at his Door for half an Hour 
Yesterday, and spoke a great deal about me with 
seeming Passion; which I know could only be af- 
fected, for you must be convinced I have good 
Reason to commence your eternal Enemy. Your great 
corporeal Substance, puffed up by affected Passion for 
half an Hour in a Chariot at Charing-Cross 
joined with the Reasonableness of the Cause you 
held forth in, painted in my Idea a true Brother 
to that impudent ignorant Fellow Dr. Rock; and
indeed there is so great a Resemblauce between 
your Persons and Intellects, (tho’ I believe he 
has rather better Principles) that you ought al- 
ways to accompany each other. I should have let 
a Year pass before I had begun to undeceive the 
World about your Qualifications and bold sinful 
Practices; but your hiring James Christian to 
undo a Man who has struggled to serve his 
Fellow-Creatures fairly, demanded a speedy Mea- 
sure against you. You have seen but a Specimen 
of what I am preparing: You will see a Book 
wherein Mr. Clutton will be concerned once more 
against you: You will see a Performance, that 
will make your Claret Spot turn pale with Con- 
fusion. 
I am yet, 
July 15, 1742. 
John Tennent. 
It would seem that a Man of Innocence 
could not have avoided being warm on having 
such a Letter, and to resent it vehemently; but 
Mr. W—~d was struck with such a Panick, that 
he wrote me an Answer, July 17, containing 
solemn Protestations of his Innocence, and ac-
cusing me with Abuse and Ingratitude to a true 
Friend. Here follows Part of his Letter.
SIR, 
As to what you say about Christian, you are 
misinformed, for I have not seen him; I do not 
remember it if I have, or any Body from him, or 
ever to have heard of his Name, since you sent 
him with a Letter to borrow 200 Pounds for 
Mr. Dubourdieu after your Marriage. 
To this Letter I wrote an Answer, giving se- 
veral Reasons, as strong Proofs, that he had
suborned

(23)
suborned Christian-that the greatest 
Criminals would plead Not guilty. Now, not- 
withstanding Mr. W—d’s positive Denial above, 
Mr. Stevens, mentioned p. 14. declared one Sun- 
day Evening, last November, at the Crown Ta- 
vern on Ludgate-hill, before Mr. Louttit Apo- 
thecary in Princes-street near the Royal Ex- 
change, Mr. Giffard, Attorney at Law in Bos- 
well Court, No. 10, and Mr. James Hunter in 
Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, that 
Christian had been with Mr. W—d twice, after 
the Time I had sent him about the 200 Pounds 
for Mr. Dubourdieu; and that, the first Time 
Mr. Christian left him, the said Stevens, to stay 
at the Ship Tavern near Charing-Cross till he 
returned, telling him that he was going to Dr. 
W—d’s; and the second Time, that he left him 
to stay at the King's Arms Ale-house opposite 
Whitehall, till he returned, telling him he was 
going to Dr. W-d's; but Christian not re- 
turning when Mr. Stevens expected him, he 
went to see what detained him, and meeting
W—d’s Footman, asked if Mr. Christian was not 
coming away from his Master? who answer’d, 
that he had been with him some Time, which Mr. 
Stevens judg’d was above an Hour. Soon after 
this, Christian came to Mr. Stevens, in an elate 
Mood, spoke to him thus; I can do any thing 
with Dr. W-d. Mr. Stevens has since further 
declared to Mr. Louttit, at his House in Princes- 
sreet, that, in an Encounter between the said 
Christian and him, he was ask by Christian
What would you think, Mr. Stevens, of an
100 Guineas for your Oath, that I never was 
with Mr. W-d after a specify’d Time? 
Upon the whole it is evident, that Mr. W—d’s 
Views to obtain from the Government a large 
Sum of Money, and his Apprehension that I 
might bring his Practice in Physick, and Beha- 
viour into universal Contempt, induced him to 
win a Man from what Honesty and Virtue he 
might have had, and engage him in an Act of 
black Ingratitude.
I observed, Page 21, that the Debts I owed, 
and Scarcity of Money, would not safely allow 
me to appear to the Indictment; but now, by 
Mr. Parrat's Inveteracy in commencing against 
me a Process of Outlawry, my Honour obliges 
me to surrender on the at 
the Old Bailey. As a Man’s Indiscretions of 
Life must be revived before that Tribunal of 
Justice, from the Nature of the Circumstances 
alledged against me; that was another strong 
Argument with me to wave the Trial, in hopes 
that some Incident might intervene to have the 
Affair accommodated. But I have too much 
Reason to conclude, that there is a voluntary 
winking at plain Matters of Fact in my Fa- 
vour, between Mr. Parrat and his Sister, my 
Wife. It will appear on the Particulars and 
Event of the Trial, who is the guilty Person.
There have been several Interviews, Letters, and Transactions, between Mr. W—d and me since 
this Discovery against him; all which shall be fully laid open on a proper Occasion, and which corrobo- 
rate my Proofs instead of weakening them. My way of thinking is such, that, on a due Conduct from 
him towards me in this Affair, I would have hid from the World his Fault, and in a generous and 
truly Christian Sense forgiven him; but Nature will be Nature: He would be out of his Element to 
do his Part as a Man of Honour in this Case. Had he been what he professes with so much Os- 
tentations he would have had nothing to do in such an Embarkation. 
FINIS. 
ERRATA. 
Page 5. Line 23. Read is this Medicine. 
Page 8. Line 21. Read Awe for Aid. 
page 9. Line 11. Read Worthyness for Unworthyness. 
Ditto, Line 48. Read Works for Marks.