I have been told, that the Lord Mayor had given up the Cause, finding all Perjury that had been brought before him: There is no Truth in any Part of this. The Lord Mayor never altered his Opinion; he is convinced by Proof of what he first guessed from Reason: And his Lordship will, as soon as that is proper, convince all the World.
I have been told the Vicar of Abbotsbury is, or has been, in Town. There is no Truth in this. That he has contradicted what I have said concerning him: Neither is there in this: On the contrary, he has certified it all in
a Letter to a noble Lord, a Letter which you Mr. Fielding know of; and that noble Personage also countenances, by his Character of this Gentleman, all that his Conduct in the Matter had before spoken in his Favour.
It has been said that the Certificates and Affidavits in the Lord Mayor's Hands, sent up from Abbotsbury, and attested by this Gentleman, and by the Church-wardens and Overseers of the Parish are forged. There is no Truth in this Report, nor the least Shadow of Foundation for it: They are confirmed. 'Tis said the Letters from that Gentleman are forged: They also are authenticated. That the Church-wardens and Overseers mentioned in those Papers are, or have been, in Town, and contradict the whole: This also is wholly untrue; not one of them either has been here, or has contradicted, by Letter, or any other way, any Part of that Evidence: All stands on the full Credit that it did. It has been said, that an Exciseman, now in Town, whose Evidence is in itself sufficient, and is a new Testimony of Truth in all the other's, had undergone a previous Examination by a Gentleman, whom they even dare to name, before he was seen by the
Lord Mayor: I have Authority from that Gentleman to declare, that this also is wholly false. And I, on Monday, heard the Man himself say, he never saw him, till in the Lord Mayor's Presence. It has been lastly said, that the Recantation of Virtue Hall was not taken in a candid and fair Manner by the Lord Mayor himself. Where will Slander stop, when it dares rise to this! All I have seen of that was perfectly fair, and most particularly candid: And it was a happy Precaution the Lord Mayor used, never to speak with her alone.
These are the Stories I have heard; they are related boldly; and they are enough in Number. They are enough to plead in full Excuse for those which have been wavering in their Opinion; and they will be found enough to condemn their Authors, nay, and the busy Propagators of them too, to everlasting Ignominy.
No more can be declared at this Time than I have told; but I shall conclude this, as I have done the other Accounts which I have given of these Proceedings, with assuring those who pay me the Attention of reading
it, that the Truth will appear, and that soon; under such Proof, as will do immortal Honour to the Magistrate who has discovered it; will condemn to Shame and Confusion all who have disingenuously opposed it; and will at once, astonish, and convince the World.
For you, Mr. Fielding! I have no Right to call your Behaviour as a Magistrate in Question; nor have I Abilities to judge of it: I have, therefore, no where alluded to it: But certainly your private Treatment of this Subject, both before and in your Pamphlet, merits the strongest Censure.
FINIS.