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I scolded Fitness for his disobedience of orders. He said he had told Mr Charles Sheridan of the strict orders I had given him; but Mr Charles Sheridan said Mrs Norton must have her writings for the publication she was then engaged on, and he then allowed him to go into the room and take them away. He also admitted that money had been promised, to induce him to give them up; and I well remember my observation, that he had better give it to a hospital or some charity, for it would never do him good.
Mr Charles Sheridan was subpœnaed at the trial to prove the abstraction of the letters; and why he was not called I never knew.[1]
This very Fitness soon afterwards was appointed a messenger at the Treasury as a reward for his treachery. (!)
Sir W. Follett was a stranger to me; but in my emergency I showed the documents found in the writing-desk to him, and by his advice I was guided in all that followed. By his direction inquiries were first made respecting the gentleman who had occasioned our immediate quarrel, and who had been seen with her that morning, and then respecting one or two others, but no sufficient evidence was found. Then a negotiation for a separation was entered upon; and it was not for some weeks that the evidence of a man that had been in my service some time previous came to my knowledge. That evidence was discarded at the trial; but circumstances have since come to my knowledge which compel me to believe that he was the witness of TRUTH, It suited the defendants counsel in that action to give it a political complexion; but I solemnly declare, upon my honour, that not a single person of the Tory or any other party persuaded me to bring it; and no communication whatever had I
- ↑ He was not called, because lie could have proved this plausible story to be a most wicked fabrication. No one was called who could have proved the truth.
