City and Liberty
of Westminster
in the County of
Middelsex .}
to wit.

An Inquisition Indented, taken for our Sovereign Lord the
King, at Knights bridge in the Parish of Saint Margaret
within the Liberty of the Dean and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster ,
in the County of Middlesex , the Sixth day of December in the Seventeenth Year
of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord GEORGE the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain,
France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, before Thomas Prickard< no role > , Gentleman,
Coroner of our said Lord the King for the said City and Liberty, on View of the Body of
Catherine Matthews< no role > then and there lying dead, upon the Oath of James
Jones< no role > , Joseph Taylor< no role > , Richard Beedle< no role > , John Lee< no role > , Edward Halley< no role > Edward
Gillow< no role > , Thomas Brazier< no role > , Thomas Exton< no role > , William Stradling< no role > , Robert Lyne< no role >
Edward Young< no role > and Joseph Wilmot< no role > good and lawful Men of the said Liberty, duly
chosen, who being then and there duly sworn and charged to enquire for our said Lord the
King, when, how, and by what Means the said Catherine Matthews< no role > came to
h er Death, do upon their Oath say, That the said Catherine Matthews< no role > an
Infant of the Age of Seven Years, on the First day of December in
the Year aforesaid, being sitting upon a Stool be fore the Fire
in the Lodging Room or Apartment of Robert Matthews< no role > here Father
in the Dwelling House of Thomas Read< no role > at Knights bridge in the
Parish aforesaid within the Liberty and County aforesaid, and a
certain Tin Kettle full of Boiling Water being upon the said Fire,
It so happened that the said Kettle Accidentally Casually and by
Misfortune fell down, and the Boiling Water going over the said
Catherine Matthew< no role > , sitting before the said Fire as aforesaid the
said Catherine Matthews< no role > by Means whereof was then and there
Sealded and Burnt in and upon her face Neck Belly and Sides,
of which she languished from the said First day of December in
the Year aforesaid until the Fourth day of the same Month at
and there died, And so the Jurors aforesaid upon their Oath
aforesaid do say, that the said Catherine Matthews< no role > in Manner
and by the Means aforesaid Accidentally Casually and by
Misfortune came to her death, and not otherwise In Witness
whereof as well the said Coroner, as the said James Jones< no role >
Foreman of the said Jurors, have to this Inquisition
set their Hands and Seals the Day Year and Place
first above written

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

James Jones< no role > [mark] Foreman