Borough of
Portes Mouth

Richard Stephens< no role > of Ports mouth in the County of
Southampton Mariner maketh Oath and Saith that at
the General Sessions of the Peace holden at the New Sessions
House Clerkenwell in the County of Middlesex in the Month
of October One Thousand seven hundred and Eighty Six he
this Deponant caused three several Indictment to be preferred against
William Chandler< no role > William cook< no role > and Samuel Hancock< no role > for wilful and
Corrupt Perjury in his Majestys Court of Exchequer at the parish of Saint
Margaret Westminster in the said County of Middlesex in a Certain
Cause where in our Sovereign Lord the King was Plain tiff and this Deponent
and William Gray< no role > was Defendants And this Deponent Further saith that
Soon after the Preferring of the said Indictments the said William Chandler< no role >
and Samuel Hancock< no role > was Apprehended by Virtue of warrants under the
hands and Seals of Sir John Carter< no role > Knight one of his Majestys Justices of the
Peace for the said County of Southampton and Committed to his Majestys
Bridewell at Gosport in the same County from when se they were removed
by Habeas Corpus to London And this Deponent further saith that previous
to the said Justice Granting the said warrants this Deponent was bound in
three several Recognizances of Forty Pounds to appear at the next general
Sessions of the Peace to be then holden for the said County of Middlesex to
prosecute the said Indictments with effect And that in Pursuance of such
Recognizances he this Deponent with four Witness went from Ports mouth
to London and Attended at the Sessions of the Peace held at the New Sessions
House Clerkenwell aforesaid in the Month of December following at which
Sessions the said Chandler and Hancock alledged they were not ready for Tryal
and that the Tryal of the Said Chandler and Hancock was then put off untill
the then next Sessions of the Peace to be holden at the new Sessions House
aforesaid And this Deponent further saith that in the Month of February than
next he this Deponent with his said four Witnesses went again from Ports mouth
to London and attended at the Sessions of the Peace then holden at the new
Sessions house aforesaid when the said Chandler was found guilty but, discharged
owing as this Deponent was informed and believes to a Mistake in the
Indictment in not stating the court in which the said Chandler Committed
the Perjury and that Deponent further saith that the same Mistake was as the
Deponent is informed and believes made in the Indictment against the
said Hancock and on that Account Mr. Fielding this Deponent Council
advised this Deponent not to go to Tryal on that Indictment against the said
Hancock and this Deponent further saith that pursuant to his said Councils
advised this Deponent did not proceed to Tryal against the said Hancock but
he the said Hancock was Discharged on his Own Recognizance and this
Deponent further saith that then asked the said Mr. Fielding his Council