sons on the road, to stop and inform
me, as I did not know whether the witnesses might not be coming up by
themselves, and whether they might not have passed my messenger without
knowing his errand. Having taken these precautions, I departed. I
travelled on, but we met no one. I traced, however, my messenger through
Newport, Cardiff, and Cowbridge. I was assured, also, that he had not
passed me on his return; nor had any of those passed me whom he was
seeking. At length, when I was within about two miles of Neath I met
him. He had both the witnesses under his care. This was a matter of
great joy to me. I determined to return with them. It was now nearly two
in the afternoon. I accordingly went back, but we did not reach the
Passage-house again till nearly two the next morning.

During our journey, neither the wind nor the rain had much abated. It
was quite dark on our arrival. We found only one person, and he had been
sitting up in expectation of us. It was in vain that I asked him for a
boat to put us across the water. He said all the boatmen were in bed;
and, if they were up, he was sure that none of them would venture out.
It was thought a mercy by all of them that we were not lost last night.
Difficulties were also started about horses to take us another way.
Unable, therefore, to proceed, we took refreshment and went to bed.

We arrived at Bristol between nine and ten the next morning; but I was
so ill that I could go no further; I had been cold and shivering ever
since my first passage across the Severn; and I had now a violent sore
throat and a fever with it. All I could do was to see the witnesses off
for London, and to assign them to the care of an attorney, who should
conduct them to the trial. For this purpose I gave them a letter to a
friend of the name of Langdale. I saw them depart. The mother of William
Lines accompanied them. By a letter received on Tuesday, I learnt that
they had not arrived in town till Monday morning at three o'clock; that
at about nine or ten they found out the office of Mr. Langdale; that, on
inquiring for him, they heard he was in the country, but that he would
be home at noon; that, finding he had not then arrived, they acquainted
his clerk with the nature of their business, and opened my letter to
show him the contents of it; that the clerk went with them to consult
some other person on the subject, when he conveyed them to the Old
Bailey; but that, on inquiring at the proper pla