been secured, and her papers, keys, &c., taken from her, she threw
herself on the bed and groaned, then raised herself and wrung her
hands, and said that it was impossible for any words to describe the
horrors and agonies in her breast; that Mr. Cranstoun had ruined her;
that she had ever, till now, believed him a man of the strictest
honour; that she had mixed a powder with the gruel, which her father
had drank on the foregoing Monday and Tuesday nights; that she was the
cause of his death, and that she desired life for no end but to go
through a painful penance for her sin. She protested at the same time
that she had never mixed the powder with anything else that he had
swallowed, and that she did not know it to be poison till she had seen
its effects. She said that she had received the powder from Mr.
Cranstoun with a present of Scotch pebbles; that he had written on the
paper that held it, "The powder to clean the pebbles with"; that he
had assured her it was harmless; that he had often taken it himself;
that if she would give her father some of it now and then, a little
and a little at a time, in any liquid, it would make him kind to him
and her; that accordingly, about six weeks before, at breakfast-time,
her father being out of the room, she had put a little of it into his
cup of tea, but that he never drank it; that, part of the powder
swimming at top of the tea, and part sinking to the bottom, she had
poured it out of the window and filled up the cup with fresh tea; that
then she wrote to Mr. Cranstoun to let him know that she could not
give it in tea without being discovered; and that in his answer he had
advised her to give it in water gruel for the future, or in any other
thickish fluid. I asked her whether she would endeavour to bring Mr.
Cranstoun to justice. After a short pause she answered that she was
fully conscious of her own guilt, and was unwilling to add guilt to
guilt, which she thought she should do if she took any step to the
prejudice of Mr. Cranstoun, whom she considered as her husband though
the ceremony had not passed between them.
KING'S COUNSEL--Was anything more said by the prisoner or you?--I
asked her whether she had been so weak as to believe the powder that
she had put into her father's tea and gruel so harmless as Mr.
Cranstoun had represented it; why Mr. Cranstoun had called it a powder
to clean pebbles if it was intended only to make Mr. Blandy kind; why
she had not tried it on herself before she ventured to try it on her
father; why she had flung it into the fire; why, if she had really
thought it innocent, she had been fearful of a discovery when part of
it swam on the top of the tea; why, when she had found it hurtful to
her father, she had neglected so many days to call proper assistance
to him; and why, when I was called at last, she had endeavoured to
keep me in the dark and hide the true cause of his illness.
What answers did she make to these questions?--I cannot justly say,
but very well remember that they were not such as gave me any
satisfaction.
PRISONER'S COUNSEL--She said then that she was entirely ignorant of
the effects of the powder.
She said that she did not know it to be poison till she had seen its
effects.
Let me ask you, Dr. Addington, this single question, whether the
horrors and agonies which Miss Blandy was in at this time were not, in
your opinion, owing solely to a hearty concern for her father?--I beg,
sir, that you will excuse my giving an answer to this question. It is
not easy, you know, to form a true judgment of the heart, and I hope a
witness need not deliver his opinion of it.
I do not speak of the heart; you are only desired to say whether those
agitations of body and mind which Miss Blandy showed at this time did
not seem to you to arise entirely from a tender concern for her
father?--Since you oblige me, sir, to speak to this particular, I must
say that all the agitation of body and mind which Miss Blandy showed
at this time, or any other, when I was with her, seemed to me to arise
more from the apprehension of unhappy consequences to herself than
from a tender and hearty concern for her father.
Did you never, then, observe in her any evident tokens of grief for
her father?--I never thought I did.
Did she never wish for his recovery?--Often.
Did not you think that those wishes implied a concern for him?--I did
not, because I had before told her that if he died soon she would
inevitably be ruined.
When did you tell her this?--On Sunday morning, the 11th August, just
before I left Henley.
Did not she desire you that morning, before you quitted his room, to
visit him again the next day?--Yes.
And was she not very solicitous that you should do him all the service
in your power?--I cannot say that I discovered any solicitude in her
on this score till Monday night, the 12th August, after she was
confined, and her keys and other things had been taken from her.
KING'S COUNSEL--Did you, Dr. Addington, attend Susan Gunnell in her
illness?--Yes, sir, but I took no minutes of her case.
Did her symptoms agree with Mr. Blandy's?--They differed from his in
some respects, but the most material were manifestly of the same kind
with his, though in a much less degree.
Did you think them owing to poison?--Yes.
Did you attend Ann Emmet?--Yes, sir.
To what cause did you ascribe her disorder?--To poison, for she told
me that, on Wednesday morning, the 7th August, very soon after
drinking some gruel at Mr. Blandy's, she had been seized with
prickings and burnings in her tongue, throat, and stomach, which had
been followed by severe fits of vomiting and purging; and I observed
that she had many other symptoms which agreed with Mr. Blandy's.
Did she say that she thought she had ever taken poison before?--On my
telling her that I ascribed her complaints to poison, which she had
taken in gruel at Mr. Blandy's on the 7th August, she said that, if
she had been poisoned by drinking that gruel at Mr. Blandy's, she was
sure that she had been poisoned there the haytime before by drinking
something else.
[Sidenote: Alice Emmet]
ALICE EMMET, examined--My mother is now very ill, and cannot attend;
she was charwoman at Mr. Blandy's in June last; she was taken very ill
in the night with a vomiting and reaching, upwards and downwards. I
went to Miss Blandy in the morning, by her desire, to see if she would
send her something, as she wanted something to drink, saying she was
very dry. Miss said she would send something, which she did in about
two hours.
Did you tell her what your mother had ate or drank?--No, I did not,
only said my mother was very ill and very dry, and desired something
to drink.
[Sidenote: R. Littleton]
ROBERT LITTLETON, examined--I was clerk to Mr. Blandy almost two
years. The latter end of July last I went to my father's, in
Warwickshire, and returned again on the 9th August, and breakfasted
with Mr. Blandy and his daughter the next morning, which was on a
Saturday. He was in great agony, and complained very much. He had a
particular dish to drink his tea in. He tasted his tea, and did not
drink it, saying it had a gritty, bad taste, and asked Miss whether
she had not put too much of the black stuff in it, meaning Bohea tea.
She answered it was as usual. He tasted it again and said it had a bad
taste. She seemed to be in some sort of a tremor. He looked particular
at her, and she looked very much confused and hurried, and went out of
the room. Soon after my master poured it out into the cat's basin, and
set it to be filled again. After this, when he was not there, Miss
asked me what he did with the tea. I said he had not drunk it, but put
it into the cat's basin in the window; then she looked a good deal
confused and flurried. The next day Mr. Blandy, of Kingston, came
about half an hour after nine in the morning. They walked into the
parlour, and left me to breakfast by myself in the kitchen. I went to
church. When I returned, the prisoner desired me to walk with her
cousin into the garden; she delivered a letter to me, and desired me
to seal and direct it as usual, and put it into the post.
Had you ever directed any letter for her before?--I have, a great
many. I used to direct her letters to Mr. Cranstoun. [He is shown a
letter.] This is one.
Did you put it into the post?--I did not. I opened it, having just
before heard Mr. Blandy was poisoned by his own daughter. I
transcribed it, and took it to Mr. Norton, the apothecary at Henley,
and after that I showed it and read it to Mr. Blandy.
What did he say?--He said very little. He smiled and said, "Poor,
love-sick girl! What won't a girl do for a man she loves?" (or to that
effect).
Have you ever seen her write?--I have, very often.
Look at this letter; is it her own handwriting?--I cannot tell. It is
written worse than she used to write, but it is the same she gave me.
Do you remember Mr. Cranstoun coming there in August, 1750?--I do. It
was either the latter end of July or the beginning of August.
Did you hear any talk about music about that time?--After he was gone
I heard the prisoner say she heard music in the house; this I heard
her say very often, and that it denoted a death in the family.
Sometimes she said she believed it would be herself; at other times it
might be her father, by reason of his being so much broken. I heard
her say once she thought she heard her mother.
Did she say when that death would happen?--She said that death would
happen before October, meaning the death of her father, seeming to me.
Have you heard her curse her father?--I have heard her several times,
for a rogue, a villain, a toothless old dog.
How long was this before her father's death?--I cannot justly tell
that, but I have heard her a great many times within two months of his
death, and a great while before. I used to tell her he was much broken
latterly, and would not live long. She would say she thought so too,
and that the music portended his death.
Cross-examined--When you breakfasted with them in the parlour who was
there first?--She was.
Did you see the tea made?--No, sir.
Did you see it poured out?--No; but he desired me to taste the tea. I
did mine, and said I fancied his mouth was out of taste.
Did not this hurry you say Miss Blandy was in arise from the
displeasure of her father because the tea was not made to his mind?--I
cannot say that, or what it was from.
What became of that he threw into the cat's basin?--He left it there.
[Sidenote: R. Harman]
ROBERT HARMAN, examined--I was servant to Mr. Blandy at the time of
his death. That night he died the prisoner asked me where I should
live next. I said I did not know. She asked me to go with her. I asked
her where she was going? She said it would be £500 in my way, and no
hurt to me if I would. I told her I did not choose to go.
Did she tell you to what place she was going?--She did not.
Did she want to go away at that time of night?--Then, immediately.
Cross-examined--Did she give any reason why she desired to go
away?--No, she gave none.
How long had you lived there?--A twelvemonth.
What has been her general behaviour to her father during the time you
were there?--She behaved very well, so far as ever I saw, and to all
the family.
Did you ever hear her swear about her father?--No, I never did.
[Sidenote: R. Fisher]
RICHARD FISHER, examined--I was one of the jury on the coroner's
inquest that sat on Mr. Blandy's body on Thursday, 15th of August. As
I was going up street to go to market I was told Miss Blandy was gone
over the bridge. I went and found her at the sign of the Angel, on the
other side of the bridge. I told her I was very sorry for her
misfortune, and asked her what she could think of herself to come from
home, and if she would be glad to go home again? She said, "Yes, but
what must I do to get there for the mob?" I said I would endeavour to
get a close post-chaise and carry her home. I went out through the mob
and got one, and carried her home. She asked me whether she was to go
to Oxford that night or not. I said I believed not. When I came to her
father's house I delivered her up to the constables. When we were upon
the inquiry before the coroner a gentleman was asking for some letters
which came in the time of Mr. Blandy's illness. I went to her uncle,
Stevens, to see for them. She then asked me again what the gentlemen
intended to do with her, or how it would go. I said I was afraid very
hard, unless she could produce some letters to bring Mr. Cranstoun to
justice. She said, "Dear Mr. Fisher, I am afraid I have burnt some
that would have brought him to justice." She took a key out of her
pocket, and said, "Take this key and see if you can find such letters
in such a drawer." There was one Mrs. Minn stood by. I desired her to
go with the key, which she did. But no letters were found there. Then
Miss Blandy said, "My honour to him will prove my ruin."
What did she mean by the word "him"?--Mr. Cranstoun--when she found
there were no letters of consequence to be found.
[Sidenote: Mrs. Lane]
Mrs. LANE, examined--I was with my husband at Henley at the sign of
the Angel on the other side of the bridge. There was Miss Blandy. The
first word I heard Mr. Lane, my husband, say was, if she was found
guilty she would suffer according to law, upon which she stamped her
foot upon the ground, and said, "O that damned villain!" then paused a
little, and said "But why should I blame him, for I am more to blame
than he, for I gave it him, and knew the consequence?"
Did she say I knew or I know?--I really cannot say, sir, for I did not
expect to be called for to be examined here, and will not take upon me
to swear positively to a word. She was in a sort of agony, in a very
great fright.
[Sidenote: Mr. Lane]
Mr. LANE, examined--I went into the room where the prisoner was before
my wife the day after Mr. Blandy's death. She arose from her chair,
and met me, and looked hard at me. She said, "Sir, I have not the
pleasure of knowing you." Said I, "No, I am a stranger to you." She
said, "Sir, you look like a gentleman. What do you think they will do
with me?" Said I, "You will be committed to the county gaol, and be
tried at the assizes, and if your innocence appears you will be
acquitted; if not, you will suffer accordingly." She stamped with her
foot, and said, "O! that damned villain! But why do I blame him? I am
more to blame." Then Mr. Littleton came in, which took off my
attention from her that I did not hear so as to give an account of the
whole.
[The letter which Littleton opened, read in Court.] Directed to the
hon. William Henry Cranstoun, Esq.--
Dear Willy,--My father is so bad, that I have only time to tell you,
that if you do not hear from me soon again, do not be frightened.
I am better myself; and lest any accident should happen to your
letters take care what you write. My sincere compliments. I am ever,
yours.
The Prisoner's Defence.[12]
[Sidenote: Mary Blandy]
My lords, it is morally impossible for me to lay down the hardships I
have received--I have been aspersed in my character. In the first
place, it has been said that I have spoken ill of my father, that I
have cursed him, and wished him at hell, which is extremely false.
Sometimes little family affairs have happened, and he did not speak to
me so kind as I could wish. I own I am passionate, my lords, and in
those passions some hasty expressions might have dropped; but great
care has been taken to recollect every word I have spoken at different
times, and to apply them to such particular purposes as my enemies
knew would do me the greatest injury. These are hardships, my lords,
extreme hardships, such as you yourselves must allow to be so. It is
said, too, my lords, that I endeavoured to make my escape. Your
lordships will judge from the difficulties I laboured under. I had
lost my father--I was accused of being his murderer--I was not
permitted to go near him--I was forsaken by my friends--affronted by
the mob--insulted by my servants. Although I begged to have the
liberty to listen at the door where he died I was not allowed it. My
keys were taken from me, my shoe buckles and garters, too--to prevent
me from making away with myself, as though I was the most abandoned
creature. What could I do, my lords? I verily believe I must have been
out of my senses. When I heard my father was dead, and the door open,
I ran out of the house and over the bridge, and had nothing on but a
half-sack and petticoat without a hoop--my petticoats hanging about
me--the mob gathered about me. Was this a condition, my lords, to make
my escape in? A good woman beyond the bridge seeing me in this
distress desired me to walk in till the mob was dispersed. The town
serjeant was there. I begged he would take me under his protection to
have me home. The woman said it was not proper; the mob was very
great, and that I had better stay a little. When I came home they said
I used the constable ill. I was locked up for fifteen hours, with only
an odd servant of the family to attend me. I was not allowed a maid
for the common decencies of my sex. I was sent to gaol, and was in
hopes there, at least, this usage would have ended. But was told it
was reported I was frequently drunk; that I attempted to make my
escape; that I never attended the chapel. A more abstemious woman, my
lords, I believe does not live.
Upon the report of my making my escape the gentleman who was High
Sheriff last year (not the present) came and told me, by order of the
higher powers, he must put an iron on me. I submitted, as I always do
to the higher powers. Some time after he came again, and said he must
put a heavier upon me, which I have worn, my lords, till I came
hither. I asked the Sheriff why I was so ironed. He said he did it by
the command of some noble peer on his hearing that I intended to make
my escape. I told them I never had such a thought, and I would bear it
with the other cruel usage I had received on my character. The Rev.
Mr. Swinton, the worthy clergyman who attended me in prison, can
testify that I was very regular at the chapel whenever I was well.
Sometimes I really was not able to come out, and then he attended me
in my room. They likewise have published papers and depositions which
ought not to have been published in order to represent me as the most
abandoned of my sex and to prejudice the world against me. I submit
myself to your lordships and to the worthy jury. I can assure your
lordships, as I am to answer it before that grand tribunal, where I
must appear, I am as innocent as the child unborn of the death of my
father. I would not endeavour to save my life at the expense of truth.
I really thought the powder an innocent, inoffensive thing, and I gave
it to procure his love. It has been mentioned, I should say I was
ruined. My lords, when a young woman loses her character is not that
her ruin? Why, then, should this expression be construed in so wide a
sense? Is it not ruining my character to have such a thing laid to my
charge? And whatever may be the event of this trial I am ruined most
effectually.
Evidence for the Defence.
[Sidenote: Ann James]
ANN JAMES, examined--I live at Henley, and had use to wash for Mr.
Blandy. I remember the time Mr. Blandy grew ill. Before he was ill
there was a difference between Elizabeth Binfield and Miss Blandy, and
Binfield was to go away.
How long before Mr. Blandy's death?--It might be pretty near a quarter
of a year before. I have heard her curse Miss Blandy, and damn her for
a bitch, and said she would not stay. Since this affair happened I
heard her say, "Damn her for a black bitch. I shall be glad to see her
go up the ladder and swing."
How long after?--It was after Miss Blandy was sent away to gaol.
Cross-examined--What was this quarrel about?--I do not know. I heard
her say she had a quarrel, and was to go away several times.
Who was by at this time?--Mary Banks was by, and Nurse Edwards, and
Mary Seymour, and I am not sure whether Robert Harman was there or
not.
How was it introduced?--It happened in Mr. Blandy's kitchen; she was
always talking about Miss.
Were you there on the 5th of August?--I cannot say I was.
Do you remember the prisoner's coming into the washhouse and saying
she had been doing something with her father's water gruel?--No, I do
not remember it.
[Sidenote: E. Binfield]
ELIZABETH BINFIELD, recalled--Did you, Elizabeth Binfield, ever make
use of such an expression as this witness has mentioned?--I never said
such words.
Did you ever tell this witness Miss and you had quarrelled?--To the
best of my knowledge, I never told her about a quarrel.
Have you ever had a quarrel?--We had a little quarrel sometime before.
Did you ever declare you were to go away?--I did.
[Sidenote: Mary Banks]
MARY BANKS, examined--I remember being in Mr. Blandy's kitchen in
company with Ann James.
COUNSEL--Who was in company?--I do not remember.
Do you remember a conversation between Elizabeth Binfield and Ann
James?--I do not remember anything of it.
Do you remember her aspersing Miss Blandy's character?--I do not
recollect.
Did you hear her say, "She should be glad to see the black bitch go up
the ladder to be hanged"?--She did say, "She should be glad to see the
black bitch go up the ladder to be hanged."
When was this?--It was the night Mr. Blandy was opened.
Are you sure it was that day?--I am sure it was.
Where was Miss Blandy then?--She was then in the house.
[Sidenote: E. Herne]
EDWARD HERNE, examined--I formerly was a servant in Mr. Blandy's
family; I went there eighteen years ago, and left them about twelve
years ago last November, but have been frequently at the house ever
since, that is, may be once, twice, thrice, or four times in a week.
What was Miss's general behaviour to her father and in the
family?--She behaved, according to what I always observed, as well to
her father and the family as anybody could do, an affectionate,
dutiful daughter.
Did you see her during the time of Mr. Blandy's illness?--I did. The
first time I went into the room she was not able to speak to me nor I
to her for ten minutes.
What was that owing to?--It was owing to the greatness of her grief.
When was this?--It was the 12th of August, at night.
How did her father seem to be satisfied with her behaviour and
conduct?--She was put into my custody that night; when I went into the
room (upon hearing the groans of her father) she said, at my return,
"Pray, Ned, how does he do?"
Did you ever hear her speak ill of her father?--I never heard her
swear an oath all the time I have known her, or speak a disrespectful
word of her father.
Cross-examined--What are you?--I am sexton of the parish.
On what night did Mr. Blandy die?--On the Wednesday night.
How came you, as she was put under your care, to let her get away?--I
was gone to dig a grave, and was sent for home; they told me she was
gone over the bridge.
Had you any talk with her about this affair?--She declared to me that
Captain Cranstoun put some powder into tea one morning for Mr. Blandy,
and she turned herself about he was stirring it in the cup.
When did she tell you this?--In August, 1750.
Have you seen her since she has been in Oxford Gaol?--I have. When the
report was spread that the captain was taken I was with her in the
gaol; a gentleman came in and said he was taken; she wrung her hands
and said, "I hope in God it is true, that he may be brought to justice
as well as I, and that he may suffer the punishment due to his crime
as she should do for hers."
PRISONER--Give me leave to ask the last witness some questions.
COURT--You had better tell your questions to your counsel, for you may
do yourself harm by asking questions.
PRISONER'S COUNSEL--Did not the prisoner at the same time declare that
as to herself she was totally innocent, and had no design to hurt her
father?--At that time she declared that when Cranstoun put the powder
into the tea, upon which no damage at all came, and when she put
powder afterwards herself, she apprehended no damage could come to her
father.
When she spoke of her own suffering did she not mean the same
misfortune that she then laboured under?--She said she should be glad
Cranstoun should be taken and brought to justice; she thought it would
bring the whole to light, he being the occasion of it all, for she
suffered (by being in prison) and was innocent, and knew nothing that
it was poison no more than I or any one person in the house.
[Sidenote: T. Cawley]
THOMAS CAWLEY, examined--I have known Miss Blandy twenty years and
upwards, and her father likewise; I was intimate in the family, and
have frequently drunk tea there.
What was her behaviour to her father during your knowledge of her?--I
never saw any other than dutiful.
[Sidenote: T. Staverton]
THOMAS STAVERTON, examined--I have lived near them five or six and
twenty years and upwards, and was always intimate with them; I always
thought they were two happy people, he happy in a daughter and she in
a father, as any in the world. The last time she was at our house she
expressed her father had had many wives laid out for him, but she was
satisfied he never would marry till she was settled.
Cross-examined--Did you observe for the last three or four months
before his death that he declined in his health?--I observed he did; I
do not say as to his health, but he seemed to shrink, and I have often
told my wife my old friend Blandy was going.
Had he lost any teeth latterly?--I do not know as to that; he was a
good-looking man.