John Potter proceedingsdefend , of St. Giles's in the Fields , was indicted for stealing pieces of Velvet, Brocaded with Gold, Silver and Pearl, Value 2000 l. on the 3rd of Jan . last, out of the House of his Grace the Duke of Mountagu proceedingsvictim .

William Reason < no role > depos'd, that he being a Servant to his Grace, those pieces of Velvet were in his Charge, and that on the 25th of December last, he found the Press in which they were, broke open, and the Goods gone, that a Passage had been made to the wardrobe, by the taking out two pains of Glass, and opening the Window, and that he found several pearls scattered about a Room some distance from the Wardrobe, and a piece of the Velvet (about a Yard, cut off from the rest) behind a Chest, and searching the Prisoner's Room, they found three Keys in his Breeches Pocket, one of which Keys opened several of the out Doors of the House, and the other opened the Doors of the Garden.

Richard Blackwell < no role > depos'd, That he having some Acquaintance with the Prisoner, he shew'd him his Grace's House a week or nine Days before Christmas last, and that as he was in one of the Rooms, the Prisoner told him he had 4 or 5 pieces of very rich Hangings of the Dukes, to dispose of, and pulled out some Pearls in a Paper, (more than a handful) which he said, he had taken off from one single piece of the said Hangings. That the Prisoner proposed to this Deponent, to go to Oxford with the Hangings and dispose of them there, and that he would allow him a Share in the Advantage, which should accrue from the Sale of them; he likewise then told this Deponent, that he had Keys to the House and Gardens, and could convey any Thing out of the Lord Duke's House; but this Deponent advised him not to commit such Things, and shew'd him the Ingratitude of wronging so good a Master, who had once or twice saved his Life: The same Day, the Prisoner and this Deponent went to the Royal Exchange, and the Prisoner bade him stay a little and he would come to him, and that he went, and returned with a Bundle under his Arm, and the Edges being discovered, this Deponent could perceive it was Velvet; that he still persisted in persuading this Deponent to carry off the pieces of Velvet, saying, that it was the Lord Duke's, but he refused it.

Richard Gardner < no role > depos'd, That he saw the prisoner with the Bundle at the Exchange, and heard the Prisoner persuading Mr. Blackwell to go to the Oxford Arms with that Bundle, which he heard the Prisoner say, were part of the Goods he mentioned to him in Mountagu House.

Mr. Bickford depos'd, That he being the Duke's Smith, he examined the Locks, and found the Works of them had been broke, so that one of the Keys found on the Prisoner, would open seven of them, and another would open the Doors of the Garden. He further said, That some Time before this Robbery, the Prisoner came to him and brought a Key to alter, saying, it was by the Command of the Steward; but this Deponent asking the Steward, he denied his ever giving such an Order to the Prisoner. Upon the Whole, the Jury found him guilty . Death .