City and Liberty of Westminster
in the Country of Middlesex . to wit}

An Inquisition Indented taken for our Sovereign Lord
the King at the Parish of Saint Margaret in the City of Westminster , within the
Liberty of the Dean and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter Westminster , in the
County of Middlesex , the Third day of September in the Fifth Year of the Reign of our
Sovereign Lord George the third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Irelands
king Defender of the saith and so forth, before Thomas Richard Gentleman Coroner
a our said Lord the king for the said City and Liberty, on View of the Body of William Earle< no role > , there
and there lying Dead, upon the Oath of John Saxy< no role > , John Huckabey< no role > , William Arnold< no role >
Henry Powell< no role > , John Watkins< no role > , Richard Dutton< no role > , Thomas Vallens< no role > , George
Saunderson< no role > , Samuel Woolley< no role > , William Proctor< no role > , Benjamin Johnson< no role > and William Simpson< no role >
good and lawfull men of the said Liberty duly Chosen, who being then and there duly
Sworn and charged to inquire for our said Lord the King, when, how, and by what means the
said William Earle< no role > Came to his Death, do upon their Oath say, that
the said William Earle< no role > a Chimney Sweeper, on the Second day of September in the year aforeside
being Sweeping the Flue of a certain Over in the Prosecution of William Gibbard< no role > a Baker
situate and being in king street in Parish aforesaid [..]
County aforesaid, and the said William Earle< no role > being in the said [..] , and endeavouring to
force himself into the Funnel of the said Oven, It so happened that the said William Earle< no role > then and
there Accidently Casually and by Misfortune stuck fast, at the bottom of the said Funnel, in a great quantity
of Soot lodged in the said Funnel, by Reason where of he the said William Earle< no role > was then and there in and by
the said Great Quantity of Soot, in the said Funnel, Accidentally, Casually, and by Misfortune, Suffocated
and Smothered, of which said Suffocation and Smothering he the said William Earle< no role > then and there instanly
died. And so the Jurors aforesaid upon their Oath afore said, do say, that the said William Earle< no role > , in Manner
and by the means aforesaid, Accidentally Casually and by Misfortune came to his Death, and not otherwise
In Witness where of as well the said Coroner, as the said John Saxy< no role > Foreman of the said Jurors,
on the behalf of himself and the rest of his said Fellows, in their Presence, have to this Inquisition
set their hands and Seals, the Day year and Place first above written

Tho. Prickard< no role > [mark] Coroner .

John Saxy< no role > [mark] Foreman