Gaol Delivery
for London}

The King
agt
Robert Bell< no role > }
On an Indictment for Felony
and Forgery

Robert Bell< no role > a Prisoner in the Custody of the Sheriffs of London
maketh Oath and saith that on the Twenty second day of March last
he this Deponent was committed to the prison of the Poultry compter
for forging a Bill of Exchange purporting to have been drawn by one
James Bartholomew< no role > and that an Indictment hath been preferred
against this Deponent touching the said Forgery at the present Session
And this Deponent saith for some time past he was a Seaman on
Board a certain Ship or Vessel called the Ponsylvania Packet of
which the said James Bartholomew< no role > was Master and that he this Deponent
on or about the Ninth Day of November last was obliged on Account of
Sickness to Leave the said Ship or Vessel of which the said James
Bartholomew was then Master at the Island of Saint Christopher
in the West Indies and come to England since which the said James
Bartholomew hath not returned to England And this Deponent
saith that the said James Bartholomew< no role > is a material Witness for this
Deponent on the Trial of the said Indictment And that without the
Benefit of the Testimony of the said James Bartholomew< no role > on the said
Trial this Deponent cannot with safety take his Trial on the
Indictment And this Deponent saith that the said James Bartholomew< no role >
if living is now as this Deponent hath been informed and verily believes
at Barbadoes or at Saint Lucia< no role > in the West Indies and is expected to
Return to this Kingdom in the First Fleet of the Windward Island Ships
or Vessels in or about the Months of June or July next And this Defendence
saith that he will use his utmost Endeavours on the Return of the said