425. Uriah Creed, alias Morgan proceedingsdefend , late of Hawkhurst , was indicted, for that he in company with divers others to the number of thirty persons were assembled together in the parish of Recculver , being armed with fire-arms and other offensive weapons. in order to be aiding and assisting in running and landing uncustomed goods on the 30th of March, 1747 .

Christopher Barret < no role > . In the year 1747, March 30, there might be about a hundred of them; there must be fifty and upwards, and about thirty arm'd with carbines and pistols.

Q. Give us an account of what you saw at that time.

Barret. There was a cutter came ashore with about ten ton of goods, tea and other things; the tea was packed up in oil-skin bags containing 25 pounds a bag; I saw the prisoner there, he had a brace of pistols and a carbine or blunderbuss; I saw him at work with others in landing and loading the tea: when the custom-house officers came there were three pieces fir'd, then they drew up 12 in a rank; he was then amongst the horses loading them, I saw him carrying the tea away, he drove 3 horses from the beech, there were above fifty horses went away loaded, the prisoner went into the rank the second firing; there were I believe 60 or 70 pieces discharg'd by the smuglers.

Michael Pain < no role > . I remember this 30th of March there were near sixty persons arm'd, the prisoner had a brace of pistols and a carbine or blunderbuss, I know not which; there was a cutter lying off there call'd the Old Molly, there was tea brought on shore from on board her in oilskin bags, about the quantity of eight ton; I saw the prisoner help load the horses, and drive some before him from the beech; I was just gone away as the custom-house officers came, but heard the firing at a distance.

Robert Cheesman < no role > . I remember this gang of smuglers very well, there must be upwards of fifty; I am a custom-house officer, I went down with the other officers: I believe there were five or six and twenty arm'd when we came down, and about 12 or 14 fired upon us at first. There were about 18 or 20 custom-house officers of us, and some country-people to assist us; we got behind a marsh wall, then we fired at them, and they fired at us, I believe upwards of seventy pieces; they gave ground, and at last drop'd their goods, and went away two or three upon a horse; the prisoner rode by me with a man behind him; the man had a pistol in his hand without hat or wig; the prisoner had a brass piece flung behind him, he was on a bayish horse; we made a seizure of upwards of 3000 weight of tea, there were some half anchors of brandy, some cambrick and a deal of old cloaths, and some rack that I suppose came from the Indies.

Jervice Cooper. I am a custom-house officer, I was there when this seisure was made; there were 60 or 70 of the smuglers, and many gone away loaded before we came; we took some of their arms and 3664 pounds weight of tea in the usual paccage of uncustomed goods, and some other goods. I did not know one person there.

Matthias Swan < no role > . I was there the same time, I saw a great number of people there; we fired with them an hour, or an hour and half. (He gave the same account the others had done.)

Prisoner's Defence. I know nothing of these people, and believe they never saw me before; I believe they'll swear any thing for the lucre of money.

Guilty Death .