Poor William Baird's Case in a Letter

Transcription

Show Deletions Show Regularizations Diplomatic Transcription

464 (464)
Copy of a Letter to me
R:Robert F:Forbes containing a true
&and genuine Account of the
Case of poor✝ William Baird.

RevdReverend Sir,

I am to address you
at this Time in Behalf of William
Baird, a very misfortunate Man, &and
now lying Prisoner, under Sentence
of Death, in the JaylJail at Carlisle,
&and every Moment expecting to be
transported with others, that are in
the same Situation with himself
there. This poor Man went up
to Carlisle, in September last,
as an exculpatory Evidence for the
late RevdReverend Mr Lyon, who was ex-
ecute at Penrith in October last;
but he no sooner appeared at
Carlisle in this Capacity, than he
was tried for High Treason, &and con-
demn’dcondemned to die with the other Priso-
ners, that were tried, though he
produced in Court a Protection from
an Officer in Montrose, upon the
delivering up of his Arms in Terms
of the D:Duke of Cumberland’s Order;
but the Judges had no Regard to this, as

✝
See Volume 1st, Page 29.
465 (465)
as they wanted by all Means to try
&and condemn this poor Man, in order
to debar him from being Evidence
for Mr Lyon, whom they were to
destroy at any Rate. As this poor
Man is in great Misery just now,
so I wish, you would use your Inte-
rest, in order to procure him some
Supplies of Money from well dispo-
sed Persons, which would come in
good stead to him, as he is just now
in the most miserable Condition i-
maginable, being destitute of CloathsClothes,
Linen &and every Thing else, that is
necessary for him to have, &and of Bread
too, of which he has but a scanty
Portion every Day, &and such as keeps
in Life, &and that is all. If you can
get any Money collected for him,
Mr James Wright will direct
you as to the Way &and Manner, you
are to remit to him. This poor un-
lucky Man has a just Title to the
Regard of every well disposed Per-
son, as he has risquedrisked his own Life
to preserve Mr Lyon's; and, if he
had not done so, he would not
have been in so miserable ^a Conditi-on466(466)
on, as he is just now. He is a marri-
ed Man, &and has a Wife &and Children
here, which have no Subsistence;
but from my self. I pity their
Case very much, as every good
Person must. May God raise up
Friends for all that are in yrtheir
Situation. I am,

RevdReverend Sir,
Your most hulehumble Servant,
Sic subrsubscribitur Arbuthnott.

Arb: SeptrSeptember 8th
1747.

N: B: The Original of the
Above is to be found among my
Papers.

Robert Forbes, A:M:

Person	Arbuthnott
Date	08 Sep 1747
Place	Arbuthnott
Place

Person	Robert Forbes
Place	Probably Leith