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

Informations taken this Third day of January
1775 at the Parish of St. Margaret within the Liberty
of Westminster in the County of Midsex upon on
Inquisition touching the death of Joseph Belshaw< no role >
lying dead in the said Parish Liberty and County.

Robert Allpress< no role > a Watchman at the Admiralty Office
on his Oath saith That on Sunday last (January 1st.) a little
after nine o'Clock in the Foreman Dept. was going along
White hall, Cover took Joseph Belshaw< no role > the Deced Says that
they walked together ever Westmr. Bridge, and on their We
Dept. said to Deced that he understood he was to fight
John Boyce< no role > that Morning (the Agreement being made Decr. 27th. last at night in Dept. hearing,) to which Deced answered
that he was to fight said Boyce that Morning at Ten
o' Clock in Tothill Down near Tothill Fields Bridewell ,
that he should be back time enough and expected
there would be twenty Butchers at Mr. Hubbards the
Sign of the Anchor and Vine Charging Cross when he
got back and that it Boyce beat him then he would fichet him arms in a month. Says that they by the first Turn fuke
beyond Westmr. Bridge, and Dept. went on Business
into Wallnut tree Walk , That on his Return he most
the Deced between the Horse Guards and the Admiralty
with Seven or Eight Men in his Company, when Deced
said that he was going to meet Boyce by Appointment
at the Sign of the Bell in Old Pye Street to fight him, Says
that he went with Deced to the Bell, That Boyce was
not there then, but came there in a Quarter of an
hour at less, Says that Boyce and the Deced talked
together in the Tap room about five Minutes, but Dept.
was not near enough to hear what they said, That Boyce
went out, and not returning the Deced in about ten
Minutes went into Tothill Fields , where he wanted above
a Quarter of an hour before Boyce came, That Boyce
then went to a Publick House near the End of the Willow
Walk , and that the Deced after Staying in the Fields a few
Minutes went into a ublick House in Rochester Row
Dept. in the Fields, that a Ring was made and that
likewise in the fields, that a Ring was made and that
Boyce and the Deced come into it, and Stripped off their
Clothes and went to Fighting, each of them having his Second
Says