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notice of the request; however, Mr. Band Mr. Minerva interfered, and she sent up the childrens' clothes and a few common gowns of Mrs. Mortimer's, but all the best she detained, and at last her daughter wrote to say that Mrs. Dart had bought every thing in, and that when Mrs. Mortimer could send her the amount she should have them. This was the only account that she had of her property, added to which she did not take the house of Mrs. Dart, but of her niece. The agreement was to pay at the rate of one hundred and fifty pounds per year, from the first of September, 1809, to the nineteenth of June, 1810. Thirty-six guineas Mrs. Mortimer had already paid of the rent, and Mrs. Dart siezed for the remainder on the twenty-first of May, 1810, although the time did not expire as has "been mentioned till the nineteenth of June. The agreement ran thus :—

I

agree to take No. 1, Dorset Grove, from the first of September, 1809,

to the nineteenth of June, 1810, ready furnished, at one hundred and ten guineas. Signed, HUBERTINE MORTIMER, M. A. DART.

Mrs. Mortimer heard no more from the Baronet, till she was informed that Mr. Zacharia Smouch had brought a bond for her to sign; she sent word that she was engaged, and desired he would leave it. She took it to her solicitor, and it proved to be a bond for four hundred and forty pounds, but not mentioning for why or wherefore he desired her on no account to sign it, and to tell Mr. Zacharia Smouch, in presence of a witness, that she would not sign that bond as she was not in debt to Sir Timothy Flight, but as she had no money to engage in a law-suit, if a bond was drawn specifying that all her bills at Brighton should be paid, and her son continue at Dr. Johns' school tI1 properly educated, she would sign such a bond, made payable at the expiration of

five years.

Her solicitor thought, in giving this advice, that in that time the Baronet would be convinced who were his friends, consequently that the bond would never be put in force.

When Mr. Zacharia Smouch came, Mrs. Mortimer, in the presence of a witness, repeated what her solicitor had directed; upon which the little being flew into a great rage, and told her if she did not sign it she would repent, as the consequences would be most lamentable.

His threats were soon put into execution, as not long after she was arrested by two of the Brighton tradespeople, for which she immediately gave bail, and wrote to one of her creditors, Mr. Plumb in North-street, mentioning exactly her situation; that she was incapable of paying her debts, but that she was willing to do any thing which he could point out to satisfy the tradespeople, by giving up the half of her pension of sixty pounds per annum till the whole was discharged.

This gentleman behaved in the handsomest manner; he called a meeting of the tradespeople, and afterwards wrote to her that if she would trust to his honour, and come to Brighton, no one should molest ber, as on the spot she could better settle with her creditors than at a distance; to this she agreed.

A few days before she set off for Sussex, she was called on by a Mr. Cheshire of Newgate-street; he was nephew of the person from whom Mr. Chissel had taken the house in which she resided, in High-street; he said he came with a professional gentleman to request her attendance at the Sussex Assizes, as Mr. Chissel had never paid the rent of that house or returned the key; that Chissel had called upon Mr. Cheshire about a year back, and desired that he would apply to Mrs. Mortimer for the rent, to which he replied, that he could not think of so doing as that lady had not taken the house; upon which Mr. Chissl said that if he would

frighten her she would pay it, for that she should not remain long in Brighton. Mr. Cheshire, instead of molesting Mrs. Mortimer for the rent, demanded it of Mr. Chissel, who denied ever taking the house or having the key. An action was now brought to recover the rent, &c. and they wished Mrs. Mortimer to appear, but she entreated, if possible, to be excused, as appearing in a court of justice would be very painful to her feelings, and as they found some witnesses who could answer better, she was excused. These witnesses proved that Mr. Chissel had took the house, that Mrs. Mortimer was not even present, that her maid delivered the key to Mr. Chissel, and his own servant proved that he locked it up for some months, and after Mrs. Mortimer left Brighton, sent her to throw the key into her house: this she could not accomplish, upon which she knocked at the door, and threw the key in, but it was immediately thrown after her, and what became of it

VOL. II.

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