 of my life, by the
intreaties of her husband, who having been afterwards renounced by his father on
account of his marriage with her, and unable to support a family on his pay,
left his wife at her father's house, and went with the regiment to Germany,
where he was broke for misbehaviour at the battle of Dettingen; since which time
she had heard no tidings of him. She then gave me to understand with many
symptoms of penitence, that it was her misfortune to bear a child four months
after marriage, by which her parents were so incensed, that she was turned out
of doors with the infant, that died soon after; and had hitherto subsisted in a
miserable indigent manner, on the extorted charity of a few friends, who were
now quite tired of giving; that not knowing where or how to support herself one
day longer, she had fled for succour even to me, who of all mankind had the
least cause to assist her, relying upon the generosity of my disposition, which,
she hoped, would be pleased with this opportunity of avenging itself in the
noblest manner, on the wretch who had wronged me. - I was very much affected
with her discourse, and having no cause to suspect the sincerity of her
repentance, raised her up, freely pardoned all she had done against me, and
promised to befriend her as much as lay in my power.
    Since my last arrival in London, I had made no advances to the apothecary,
imagining it would be impossible for me to make my innocence appear, so
unhappily was my accusation circumstanced: Strap indeed had laboured to justify
me to the schoolmaster; but so far from succeeding in his attempt, Mr.
Concordance dropt all correspondence with him, because he refused to quit his
connexion with me. - Things being in this situation, I thought a fairer
opportunity of vindicating my character could not offer, than that which now
presented itself; - therefore stipulated with Mrs. Gawkey, that before I yielded
her the least assistance, she should do me the justice to clear my reputation,
by explaining upon oath before a Magistrate, the whole of the conspiracy, as it
had been executed against me. - When she had given me this satisfaction, I
presented her with five guineas, a sum so much above her expectation, that she
could scarcely believe the evidence of her senses, and was ready to worship me
for my benevolence. - The declaration signed with her own hand, I sent to her
father, who, upon recollecting and comparing the circumstances of my charge, was
convinced of my
