imprisonment, a Petition was presented to his Majesty containing
not so many lines as falsehoods, and great application was made to
me to report in his favour. For the real truth of his case as it appeared
in evidence on his tryal I refer to my report now in your Lordship's
Office.
Finding that a Mr Hutton of Chelsea
, but whom I remember
a Bookseller
at Temple Bar
had propagated many Falsehoods
respecting this Marten and his prosecutor, who appeared to have
acted with caution and behaved with great civility, Finding I say
this Mr Hutton had thus interfered, I applied to the Office
meaning to have guarded your Lordship against that deceit
which I knew would be attempted, but failing of access to your Lordship
I communicated my Business to Mr Eden, who assured me my
information should be attended to; the like intimation I at the same
time left at Lord Rochford's office.
Marten had lain about five Months under his Sentence
when I received an order for his Discharge, which I immediately
obeyed, and in a few days by the newspapers it was proclaimed to the
World and to all that feared to be arrested, that for this Offence the
most attrocious of the kind that I have ever tried, and without the
least palliating circumstance, Marten had received his Majestys
Pardon
Upon my calling at your Lordships Office some days after, Mr Fraser was
so good as to acquaint me with the opinion that the Office entertained
of this Mans case; and I am left to Suppose that that opinion
rather than my report, was the ground of his Discharge Mr Fraser
said "the poor devil having lain a twelve month in prison, and he
"having been irritated by the indecent behaviour of the Officer to his
"Wife, it was by the Office thought a hard case to keep him in confine
"ment under the Sentence, and the rather as heMightmust after
"the pardon remain a Prisoner for debt
Both of these Suggestions are false, Marten had lain in prison
under his Sentence no longer than from October to April. As to
indecent Behaviour of the Officer to Marten's Wife he could have no
temptation to it Marten was in the room, it was the interest of the