February 1793

Negative, say'd that he had often certified the state of health of the Prisoners
to the Secretary of State upon Petitions, that he had done so now and that
however he might have erred in this business it was no more than he had
frequently done before.

Mr Chamberlayne the Assistant to Mr Gibbes attending say'd
that the Certificate now produced and which had been sent to the Secretary
of State was written by him, that he had no other motive for doing it but
humanity, That the wife of one of the Prisoners had applied to him and told
him that she had made Application to the Secretary of State, to get her Husband
and one Jones and one Palmer discharged out of Clerkenwell Bridewell but
that it could not be done without a Certificate from the Apothecary that he
thought he should not give a particular Account of the Prisoners situation
but that he ought to give an Account of the whole of the Lottery People, and
upon those Principles intirely he wrote that Certificate and transmitted it to
Mr Gibbs for his Approbation and Signature; He was then asked how he
came to state any thing more in the Certificate than related to the health
of the Prisoners? He say'd he thought Humanity obliged him upon all
occasions to endeavour to obtain the discharge of Prisoners at all times if
he could do it, if it were even an hour before their times of Imprisonment
would expire.

Resolved it is the Opinion of this Committee That any
interference of the Surgeon and Apothecary attending the Prisoners in New
Prison and Clerkenwell Bridewell in respect to their punishment or length
of Imprisonment is highly improper and that he ought in no case to certify
any other matter than what relates to the health of the Prisoners and then
only upon receiving a Requisition from Government or the Magistrates of the
County for that purpose and that when any such Requisition should come
officially from Government he ought immediately to lay the same before the
Chairman of the Session.

Resolved it appears to this Committee that the Sick Prisoners
in New Prison and the House of Correction at Clerkenwell are attended by
Mr Chamberlayne as the Assistant or Deputy to Mr Gibbes the Person
appointed for that purpose by the Country and very seldom by Mr Gibbes
himself.