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

An Inquisition Indented, taken for our Sovereign Lord the
King, at the Parish of Saint. George Hanover Square
within the Liberty of the Dean and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster ,
in the County of Middlesex , the Twenty fifth day of February in the Eighteenth 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
Margaret Lane< no role > then and there lying dead, upon the Oath of Richard
Beach< no role > , John Lewis< no role > , Thomas Mell< no role > , James Maccartney< no role > , John Watkins< no role > , Robert
Haynes< no role > , Edward Wheattall< no role > , John Mew< no role > , Jonathan Hutchins< no role > , Robert
Sayer< no role > Robert White< no role > and Charles Cathery< 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 Margaret Lane< no role > came to
her Death, do upon their Oath say, That John House< no role > late of the Parish aforesaid within the Liberty
and County aforesaid Laborer, not having the fear of God before his Eyes, but moved
and seduced by the Instigation of the Devil on the Twenty second day of February in
the Year aforesaid with Force and Arms at the Parish aforesaid with in the Liberty
and County aforesaid in and upon the said Margaret Lane< no role > in the Peace of God
and of our said Lord the King then and there being felonious wilfully and
of his Malice afore thought did make an Assault, And that the said John
House< no role > with a certain Iron Dungfork with a Wooden Handle, of the Value of
one Shilling, which he the said John House< no role > then and there had and held in both
his Hands, her the said Margaret Lane< no role > in and upon the Head of her the said
Margaret Lane< no role > then and there feloniously wilfully and of his Malice
afore thought did hit and strike, and that the said John Howse< no role > did then and there give
into her the said Margaret Lane< no role > in and upon the top of the Head of her the said Margaret
Lane< no role > with the Dungfork aforesaid one mortal Wound and Fracture, of which said
mortal Wound and Fracture She the said Margaret Lane< no role > from the said Twenty second day
of February in the Year aforesaid until the Twenty third day of the same Month and Year
at the Parish aforesaid within the Liberty and County aforesaid did languish and
languishing did live, on which said Twenty third day of February in the Year aforesaid
at the Parish and in the Liberty and County aforesaid she the said Margaret Lane< no role > of the
Mortal wound and Fracture aforesaid did die. And so the Jurors aforesaid upon
their Oath aforesaid do say, That the said John Howse< no role > her the said Margaret Lane< no role > in
Manner and by the Means aforesaid feloniously wilfully and of his Malice afore thought
did kill and murder against the Peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity
And that the said John Howse< no role > at the time of committing the Felony and Murder aforesaid
or at any time since had no Goods or Chattels Lands or Tenements within the said Liberty on
elsewhere to the Knowledge or Notice of the said Jurors. In Witness whereof as
well the said Coroner as the said Richard Beach< 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 abovementioned.

Tho. Prickard< no role > Coroner

Richd Beach< no role > Foreman