City & Liberty of
Westmr . in the County
of Middlesex }

Informations taken this Thirteenth day of Januy.
1770 at the Parish of St. Paul Covent Garden within the
Liberty of Westmr. in the County of Middlesex upon an
Inquisition touching the Death of Joseph Drake< no role > lying
dead in the said Parish Liberty and County.

John Johnson< no role > a Soldier in the First Froop of Horse Guard
on his Oath saith, that Joseph Deake< no role > the Deced was a Soldier
in the same Troop with Dept. about three Years, Says that he
was discharged about half a Year ago on Accot of being drunk
the Deced being much addicted to Drinking, Says that he
went to the Sign of the Horse and Groom in Theobalds Row
on Wednesday Night last (Jany. 10th.) to a Club where his
Comrade Mr. Jacksons was Chairman, about NIne o'Clock in the Evening
That in about ten Minutes after the Deced came in with
three Men of the same Troop with Dept. and another Gentleman
the Deced appearing then to be in Liquor, Says that the
Deced and the Company continued there Drinking until
near Eleven o'Clock, when the Club broke up, Says that
just before their coming away the Deced took hold
of a Pot standing upon the Table full of Beer and at one
Draft drunk it off, and would have persuaded the other
Gentleman to do the like, but they all refused, Says that
the Deced and the Company come away, and that Mr.
Jackson, Mr. Chrishold, a Corporal, two other Gentlemen, the
Deced and this Dept. went into the Sign of the White Hart in
Theobalds Row, the Deced immediately called for a Pot of Nice
Beer, which was brought, and Deced drank it up at
one Draft, saying to the Company, that he would make them
Die Dunshill or else knock under, Says that another Pot
was fetched, which Deced would have had, but the Company
would not suffer him to have any more, Says that the
Deced laid his Head upon the Table, and fell asleep as Dept
thought, Says that the Company staid there about half an hour
and were then going away, Says that they called Deced aloud
but could not awake him, That two of them lifted Deced up
but he was not able to stand or speak, Says that they
desired the Landlord to let the Deced lye in the Taproom
that Night before the Kitchen Fire, which the Landlord refused