T is strange to think what Elevations and haughty thoughts Preferment creates in some Peoples Minds , and how proudly , nay sometimes barbarously , they behave themselves towards those , whose meanner Fortunes have plac'd them below'em , and as it were ty'd their Hands from righting the Injuries and Indignaties put upon 'em by their Supersors ; As this Tragical Relation may inform us .

IT happened that the Wise of Mr. Willington ( as is usual with Sailors Wives ) when this Prize came to Harbour went on board to Congatulate her Husbands return , where she stayed till next day : But she upon some Occation as it was well Light , espy'd the Captain Leiuftenant going off with his Boat with Goods in it , and was so unhappy to her self as to speak of it before several in the Ship in the following words , viz. Gentlemen , the Captain Leiutenant is gone off with the Boat betimes this Morning pritty well Laden .

This being told to the Captain Lieutenant upon his Return , and the Woman being gone , the Captain Lieutenant call'd for this Willington , and spoke thus to him ; Sirrah , I 'll make you suffer for your Wives tongue ; thereupon beat him Extreamly to that Degree that he bled as well Outwardly as Inwardly , he being fallen along , he bid him get up , or he would give him asmuch more , you need not do that said this Willington , for you have done my Business already .

But coming sometime after and seeing him lye still in the place , beat him till he forc'd him to Rise and make his Escape from him into the Boat which was just going a shore , and so convey'd himself to a Friends house , and from thence sent the Captain a Letter , which though the same was not of his own Hand , yet he assur'd the Captain that it was of his own Dictating , wherein he let him know that his Merciless blows had Incapacitated him for ever coming on board again , and as the same would be his Death , he laid the same to his Charge .

He lived some days after he sent the Letter , but the day before he died he declared he was not sick at all , yet believed he should dye , there being something unusual about his Stomach , which the next Morning depriv'd him of Life , the same Rising very suddenly up into his throat , and was so violent that it forced his eyes to start out of his Head .

Being Dead , his Wife laid all upon the Captain , who was the Cause of his Death , and would have the Corroner to fit upon the Corps of her Husband , as being fully resolved to Prosecute the Captain for his Death , and in order thereunto desir'd the Beadfe to go for the Corroner , giving him Mony for his trouble ; but the Beadle whether prevailed upon otherwise , or of his own Head , used his utmost endeavours to diswade her from her Resolution , with telling her that the Captain wou'd Ruin her , which having Insinuated into the Woman , that she was somuch wrought upon as to Consent to proceed to his Interment , which was accordingly perform'd in Stepney Churchyard .

As soon as the same was done the Captain Lieutenant gave out threatening Expressions , saying , that the Woman his Wife had Poison'd him , and now would charge him with his death , and now seeing she had privatly buried him he would clear himself of so foul a scandal , and thereupon would have the Corps taken up again and Search'd , and Employing a particular friend of his own in the matter : The Corroner was sent for and two peculier Surgeons , were spoke to for the Opening the body of the Deceased , and the Chirurgeons being so Diligent of Attendance presented themselves before any of the Jury or the Coroner himself at the Red-Bull , where the Corps were brought unto , over against the Church which was the place Incerted in the Warrant for the Jury to Repair , so the Chirurgions upon their first coming Ordered the Coffin to be unnailed , that they might forthwith open the Deceas'd which had been Interr'd some Days . But a Friend of the Widdowes being present told the Chirurgeions with some Vehemency that the Coffin should not be Opened till the Jury came , and caused the same to be done , and therefore bid them open it at their Peril , so that in some uneasiness they forbore till the Coroner and the Jury came , in the mean while a Friend to the Deceas'd who suspects there might be Connivance and Treachery by Bribery , himself being privy to the ill Treatment of his Deceas'd Friend , and therefore would not have his Blood sold at such unequal Terms , provided the Chirurgeons of the Colledge to come to the Opening of the Body , which was done by them preferrable to the other Chirurgeons , and in the same was found a Large Cake of Blood congealed about his heart , and thereupon the three Chirurgeons or Physicians gave it their Opinion that some Extream violence had been done to the Corps when Living which still Retained some visible Simptoms of Blows or Stroks which had Occasioned the said Cake of Blood , and was the Immediate cause of his Death .

One Surgeon would fain have smooth'd the matter over by pretending his Liver grew to his Stomach , and several idle excuses .

His Head was swell'd to on unspeakable bigness ; and every part almost had its share of his Cruelty , who notwithstanding his Bottles of Brandy and Napkin of Sugar sent into the Bull to treat the Jury with , will t is hop'd , by sad experience find how dear and how precious every Man's Life must be to him when he 's sure of Loosing his own . This not being the First Blood he has Spilt , having cruelly forc'd a Seaman to jump over-board to avaid his Anger who perish'd unavoidably .

With this the Jury was well satisfied , and accordingly all of them Agreed to a Verdit of Murder one person only Excepted , who was so Refractory as not to Cohere with his Brethren to make an unannimous Verdict . Before which several Witnesses were called and Exammined and amongst them several of the Passengers which gave an Indifferent or modest Evidence . But this may be noted that the Person that had been so Instrumental to assist the Captain Leiuetenant as an Evedence for him , brought in the Whip which the said Captain Leivetenant made use of saying these words , viz. Was this like to kill a man ? Let me see it says the Corroner , who Wrapping the thong about his hand said to him . Sirrah you that seem to Ridicule the Real fact and manner of this deceased's Death , I tell you that thus a man might knock your Brains out of your head . But what was most Remarkable , was that the same person that was so Obstinate not to consent to the Murder of the Deceas'd , after the Foreman had demanded that the Capt . Leivetenant be taken up when the bringing in their Verdict . It was Defer'd , the said person was one of the Bail , so that whether this Jury-man was partial or impartial in the matter , will be best known at the Tryal of the said Capt . Leiuetenant the next Sessions at the Old Baily , to which we Refer you .

Note , A Tradesman living in Redlion-street near Goodman's Fields , was on Board when this Inhumane Barbarity was transacted , and is ready at any time to declare , that it was so far from being the effects of Heat or Passion , that to his knowledge 't was Revenge and Premeditated Malice .

't is hartily wish'd every good Body , or at least those whom it may Concern , would look better into the Managment of Beadles in General , for 't is almost Impossible to think what Knavery , what Cruelties , and what Murders are oftentimes Conceal'd by their underhand dealing .