то

DOCTOR KING, &c.

SIR,

T

HE particular notice you have been pleased to take of me, not only in your late Apology, but under various characters, and for feveral years past, seems at length to deferve fome Acknowledgment: And juftice to your Friends, as well as mine, requires fuch Acknowledgment to be public. In many inftances, confcious Innocence and contemptuous Silence may fatisfy the Injured, and be the moft proper treatment of the Calumnies of bad Men. But, whether or no fome farther animadverfion be not neceffary, in the fingularity of the present cafe, the world will judge; and it is left to the candid to determine. Partiality, in matters most nearly respecting ourselves, as

it is natural, might, with many, vindicate the prefumption of troubling the Public with a private Cafe. But as this is addreffed to you directly; no Apology is due on that account. And tho' it is an Addrefs to you only; no blameable prefumption, it is hoped, can be chargeable upon me, for thus fending it you in print. I defire not to be thought to have any fecrets with you; notwithstanding the advantages I may appear to many to have received from your conduct towards me. The Public are welcome to attend to, or neglect this Cafe, as they pleafe. But to you it is a moft ferious Appeal, by one, who profeffes neither to love your Principles, nor to fear the Abilities that recommend them: by one, who thinks his character uncommonly injured by you; and yet dares appeal to the folemn tribunal of your own confcience. Such an opinion has he of the goodness of his Caufe; and fo favourably does he hope of the human heart, even in its moft depraved State!

Without ftopping to affign further reafons for this publication, I will now proceed to give you a Narrative of that Affair, which has brought down upon me fuch a degree of your refentment, and engaged fo much of the public attention; and will recite the circumftances of it, with the ftrictest regard to Truth.

ARTICLE

ARTICLE I

On Tuesday the 23d day of February 1747, I was in a private Room at Winter's CoffeeHouse, near the High Street in Oxford, in company with feveral Gentlemen of the University and an Officer in his Regimental Habit. About Seven o'clock in the Evening, a perfon, belonging to the CoffeeHouse, came into the Room and told us, There were a number of Gownsmen at the door, fhouting k-g -s for ever, PrC-s, and other treafonable Words. Upon which I thought myself doubly bound to take notice of the Treafon : because I had taken the Oath of Abjuration, and had been invested by the Univerfity with the authority of an officer in that particular Street. The Statute in this cafe calls fuch officers Annuos Univerfitatis OFFICIARIOs, qui externos Regentiæ fuæ Actus, foris et extra Domum Congregationis, exercere tenentur. Quorum eft, Pacem Domini Regis et Univerfitatis in eifdem vicis (fiqua tulerit occafio) cuftodire: Juniores Scholares, in eifdem vicis otiofe obambulantes, aut immodefte fe gerentes, corripere et increpare: et inobedientes Vice-Cancellario et Procuratoribus denuntiare; and this Statute every Mafter of the Streets is fworn to obferve. In confequence then of these obligations, and a Mind ever zealous

for the honour of my SOVEREIGN, I immediately prepared to go into the Street; but was told, the Rioters were gone.

ARTICLE II.

As it may be proper to give every mate

rial circumftance relative to this affair, whether antecedent or fubfequent to this Tranfaction; I fhall here obferve, that these Treasonable Expreffions were not first uttered before Winter's Coffee-Houfe; but had been shouted by the Rioters, as foon as they came out of Baliol College, where they had that day met at an Entertainment. This appeared from the evidence of Two of the Seven Gentlemen who were at the Entertainment, (and who accompanied the Rioters thro' their whole progrefs,) as they gave it in the Court of King's Bench, upon the Trial of Mr. Luxmore of Baliol College, Nov. 10th, 1748. Mr. Jesson, of Baliol, acknowledged; That Mr. Whitmore of his own College, and Mr. Dawes of St. Mary Hall, fhouted fuch Treasonable Expreffions from the entrance of the Turl; a ftreet oppofite to and but a few yards from Baliol. And that Whitmore and Dawes cried G-d bless k-g -s, before they came to Winter's Coffee-Houfe, was alfo acknowledged by Mr. Davies of Baliol

It