Richard Roberts< no role > of Kings Head Court near Saint Pauls
Church Yard London Excise Officer and John Hall< no role > Servant to Morgan
Rice< no role > of Thames Street London [..] Brandy Merchant severally make
Oath and say that they these Deponents in or about the Month of June
last past were bound by Recognizance to appear at the Session held
for the City of London at Justice hall in the Old Bailey in the Month of
July last to give Evidence against one William Steward< no role > who was
charged by one Samuel Brown< no role > for Stealing a Handkerchief the
Property of the said Mr. Brown who was also bound by Recognizance
to prosecute the said William Steward< no role > for such Felony And these
Deponents says that they Attended at the said Sessions held at
Justicehall aforesaid several times in order to give Evidence against
the said William Steward< no role > on any Bill of Indictment to be
preferred by the said Mr. Brown to the Grand Jury but not meeting
with the said Mr. Brown at the said Sessions they these Deponents
severally went to the House of the said Mr. Brown in Grange Read.
Southwark to enquire the Reason why he did not attend at the said
Sessions and he then informed these Deponents that he was so
much afflicted with the Goul that he was unable to attend at the
said Sessions to prosecute the said William Steward< no role > and these
Deponents say that observing one of the Legs of the said Mr. Brown
to be wrapped up in Flannell they verily beleived such information
to be true And these Deponents further say that not knowing they
could preferr any Bill of Indictment against the said William
Steward without the said Mr. Brown attended to give Evidence
thereon they these Deponents omitted to give any instructions for
an Indictment against the said William Steward< no role > And the said
Mr. Brown afterwards informed these Deponents that he would
take care that they came into no Trouble on account of his not being
able to attend at the said Sessions and they fully hoped he would
have performed such promise but these Deponents now find to their
great Sorrow that such Recognizance became forfeited And lastly
these Deponents say they did not omit to prefer such Bill of
Indictment against the said William Steward< no role > with any intent or
Design to favour him or for any Reward or promise thereof but such
Omission was entirely occasioned by the said Mr. Browns not attending
at the said Sessions as aforesaid

Richd. Roberts< no role >
John Hall< no role >

Both sworn at Guildhall London the sixteenth Day of
November 1774 .

By the Court