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  A LETTER TO A
  Gentleman in the Country,
  FROM
  His Friend in LONDON:
  Giving an
  Authentick and circumstantial Account of
  the Confinement, Behaviour, and Death of
  ADMIRAL BYNG,
  As attested by the Gentlemen who were present.


  _Mens conscia Recti._


  LONDON:

  Printed for and sold by J. LACY, the Corner of
  St. Martin's-Court, St. Martin's-Lane, near
  Leicester-Fields. MDCCLVII.

  [Price One Shilling.]




_Just published, and sold by_ J. Lacy, _at the Corner of_ St.
Martin's-Court, St. Martin's-Lane, _near_ Leicester-Fields.


I. Further Particulars in Relation to the Case of Admiral Byng, from
original Papers, by a Gentleman of Oxford. Price one Shilling.

II. A Collection of several Pamphlets very little known: Some suppressed
Letters, and sundry detached Pieces, relative to the Case of Admiral Byng.
Price one Shilling and Six-pence.

III. A further Address to the Publick; containing genuine Copies of all
the Letters which passed between Admiral Byng and the S------y of the
Ad----ty, from the Time of his Suspension to the 25th of October last.
Price one Shilling.

IV. The whole and genuine Trial of Admiral Byng, two Volumes Octavo. N. B.
For the better understanding of which, five curious Prints are added,
which exhibit the different Positions of both Fleets, before, at, and
after the Engagement. Price five Shillings.

V. Admiral Byng's Defence as presented by him, and read in the Court
Martial, on Board his Majesty's Ship St. George in Portsmouth-Harbour,
January, 18. 1757. Price Six-pence.

N. B. Most Money for any Library or Parcel of Books; Books elegantly
bound; and Gentlemen's Libraries gilt, or lettered, methodiz'd, and
Catalogues written either in Town or Country.




  A LETTER TO A
  Gentleman in the Country,
  FROM
  His Friend in LONDON, _&c._


DEAR SIR,

Agreeable to your request, I have taken great pains to collect all the
particulars, relating to the behaviour and death of the unfortunate
ADMIRAL BYNG.

You know me sufficiently, to be satisfied that I have never had any biass
in his favour, or against him. But as the whole affair has been laid
before the publick, sufficiently plain for every man of common sense, not
prejudiced, to understand it; excepting some _inexplicable_ Circumstances
relating to the _Court Martial_; I may be allowed to judge for myself, and
yield to truths which I think can admit of no farther controversy.

It is true, there are yet _sophisters_, who want to _impose_ upon us; but
I think their designs are easily seen through. It is impossible that any
impartial man should fail to observe the almost incredible pains taken to
misrepresent and blacken his publick and private character. Even now,
after he has paid the forfeit of his _life_, for _crimes_, at most, only
_disputably so_, there are a great number of emissaries, who seem to make
it their business to go from one coffee-house to another, spreading the
most scandalous reports with regard to his death. _Dying Speeches_,
containing the most _infamous absurdities_, have been imposed upon the
publick, with several booksellers names prefixed in the title-page, in
order to give them the air of authenticity.

For what end and purposes all these measures have been taken, they can
best tell, who have always been, and still continue so indefatigably
industrious. But I must confess they greatly raise my indignation; and I
am at last fully persuaded, _hidden political machinery_ has been employed
against this unfortunate gentleman. Our friend _D----_ says, _cunning
heads, black hearts, and long purses_. Indeed, I think it appears very
evident, that some persons are very active and solicitous to _load him_
with ignominious crimes, with a view _to exculpate themselves_, or others;
to render him odious in the eyes of the people, that his fall may be
unlamented. But can a generous nation, like this, where understanding
abounds, accept of his blood for the crimes of any other? surely, it
cannot be.

I believe you will agree with me in thinking, that the Admiral's behaviour
before and at the time of his death; his observations and conversation
with his friends; together with the paper containing his thoughts on the
occasion, wrote by himself, and signed, which he gave to the Marshal of
the Admiralty, immediately before the sentence passed upon him was put in
execution; must hereafter be his best APOLOGY, EXCULPATION, and ENCOMIUM;
must reflect honour upon his family, and be an _indelible reproach to some
of our cotemporaries_; who have practised every _wicked artifice, to
deceive and spirit up the people_, and to throw a mist over the whole of
this transaction.

Without any farther preamble, I shall proceed to give you a relation of
the particulars, as they are ascertained to me, by the concurring
testimony of gentlemen who were upon the spot; whose veracity cannot be
doubted, and whose authority to vouch them again, may be easily obtained.

As you have critically perused the trial and sentence, I presume you will
be pleased with some particulars as far back as the time of passing the
sentence.

On _Thursday_ the 27th of _January_, when the Admiral was sent for on
board the _St. George_ to receive his sentence, he declared to some of his
friends, that he expected to be reprimanded, and that he possibly might be
cashiered; "_because_, said he, _there must have been several controverted
points; the Court Martial has been shut up a long time; and almost all the
questions proposed by the Court have tended much more to pick out faults
in my conduct, than to get at a true state of the circumstances; but I
profess, I cannot conceive what they will fix upon_."

Soon after he got on board, and was in the cabbin upon the quarter-deck, a
member of the _Court Martial_ came out, and told one of his relations, he
had the Court's leave to inform him, they had found the Admiral capitally
guilty; in order that he might prepare him to receive the sentence. The
gentleman went up to him immediately; but was so surprised, he could not
tell how to inform him. The Admiral observing his countenance, said to
him, "_What is the matter? Have they broke me?_" The gentleman hesitating
in his reply, with some confusion of countenance, he added, "_Well, I
understand--If nothing but my Blood will satisfy, let them take it_."
Immediately after this, he was sent for into Court, where he continued to
be the only man that did not appear moved, while the sentence was reading
by the Judge-advocate; and went ashore afterwards with the same air and
composure that he came on board.

A gentleman afterwards endeavoured to give him consolation, by
representing to him, that a _sentence without guilt could be no stain_;
that it was highly improbable such a sentence would be put in execution,
considering the extraordinary circumstances attending it; and that there
was the greatest probability of a pardon. He replied, "_What will that
signify to me? What satisfaction can I receive from the liberty to crawl
a few years longer on the earth, with the infamous load of a Pardon at my
back? I despise life upon such terms, and would rather have them take
it_."

The gentleman then remarked to him, that his pardon must proceed from
justice rather than mercy; and must be more an acknowlegment of his
innocence, than a forgiveness of guilt: with that distinction he seemed
better satisfied, and reconciled to the thought.

Some days after the sentence was passed, he was conveyed on board the
_Monarque_, and confined in the captain's cabbin upon the quarter-deck.
And as soon as the warrant for his death arrived at _Portsmouth_, all his
friends who came to see him, were obliged to leave him before it was
dark, and go on shore. An additional number of marine officers and marines
were ordered on board that ship. An officer regularly mounted guard, and a
great number of centinels were placed, _viz._ two upon the fore-castle,
one over each side in the chains, two at the cabbin-door, two upon the
poop, two in a boat under the ship's stern, and, for some part of the
time, two in the stern-gallery; besides a guard-boat constantly rowing
round the ship during the night. These centinels had orders to call aloud
to each other, _all is well_, every five minutes throughout the night; by
which means, almost as soon as the last centinel had answered, it was
time for the first to begin again, and there was a perpetual round of,
_all is well_. This circumstance almost totally depriving the Admiral of
sleep, because the centinels were mostly close to him where he lay, made
him frequently say, "_I did hope for leave to sleep, and apprehend I might
be sufficiently guarded and taken care of, without so frequent a
repetition of this noisy ceremony close to my ear_."

At length the lieutenants of the ship had orders to watch in the great
cabbin, relieving each other every four hours, as is customary at sea: so
that there was always one of them in the cabbin with him day and night,
who delivered up the charge of the Admiral's person to the next officer,
keeping a journal, in which was minuted down every person's name who came
to him, the time when he came, and the time of his going away; and the
order to the centinels for calling out every five minutes, was then
omitted.

When captain _Montague_ waited upon him, to inform him that the warrant
from the Admiralty was come, for putting the sentence passed upon him in
execution, he received the news with the same cool composure, that he had
received the sentence; without discovering the smallest emotion,
depression of spirits, or alteration in his behaviour.

The same gentleman waited upon him again, on the 27th of _February_, being
the day before that which was appointed for his execution, and, in
Admiral _Boscawen_'s name, acquainted him that a respite was arrived for
fourteen days. He composedly desired his compliments to Admiral
_Boscawen_, with thanks for his intelligence, without appearing in the
smallest degree elevated, or even pleased beyond his usual. His friends,
on that occasion, represented to him what had passed in the House of
Commons, magnified and dwelt upon every favourable circumstance; and,
giving themselves up to joy, congratulated him on the certainty of an
honourable pardon, which they imagined must follow. He calmly replied, "_I
am glad you think so, because it makes you easy and happy; but I think it
is now become an affair merely_ political, _without any farther relation
to_ right or wrong, justice or injustice; _and therefore I differ in
op