The Regency Library
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Reprinted from The British Magazine, November 1764 An Imposter Detected. In the month of April 1738, two bakers of St. Albans, going with their bread to Colney, saw a poor miserable girl half-naked, lying on the side of a ditch; hearing her groans, they went up to her; and she appeared to be so very weak, that they led and supported her to an ale house near the turnpike, where they left her to the care of the publican’s wife; she, seeing her in a dangerous condition, being almost starved and emaciated, sent for Mr. Humphries, a very able apothecary and surgeon in the town, who, by proper cordials, gave her relief. She was then put to bed, and great care was taken of her for some time, when her strength began to return, and she was visibly amended in her health. In the meantime the story got about the town, and the most considerable people of the place went to see her. The girl, who had the most perfect innocence in her face, and was about nineteen years of age, behaved with the utmost decency, and became the general object of compassion; and as she grew better, was invited to the houses of the principal people of the town to tell her story. Her name, she said, was Mary Ramsay, born in Hull, her father a very eminent surgeon and man-midwife, lately dead, who had left her to the care of her brother, with a fortune of seven thousand pounds; that she had lived with her uncle in a manner becoming her circumstances, and about a month before that time, her uncle had signified to her his intentions of sending her up to London for education, and accordingly gave her a letter to a gentlewoman (whose name she had forgot) who kept a school, with whom she was to board and lodge, and by her to be instructed in the several accomplishments necessary for the formation of a young lady of fashion; that he obliged her to travel in the common wagon; that she was dressed in a riding-habit and jocky-cap, and went therein with other company, as far as Stamford, where, stopping to dine, she accidentally dropt the above-mentioned letter in the inn-yard, which being found by a person who was also a passenger with her, and to whom she had related her story, she was by him persuaded to open the letter, which she did, and found that directed to the school-mistress, to be only a case or cover of another letter, directed to captain________, (she could not recollect his name, but she was sure he was a sea-captain) which was to this effect: Sir, “The person who brings you this is the young woman I told you of. I acknowledge receipt of half the money agreed on, and expect the remainder as soon as convenient.” This she continued, was signed by her uncle. That the person hereupon persuaded her to return to Hull and expose her uncle, which she promised to do; but dreading to see a man who was capable of such projects, she took a resolution to elope from the wagon, and waggoner, who she now looked upon as a confederate with her uncle, and to travel on foot to London, where she said she had a sister, married to one Mr. Cooke, a man of great fortune in the county of Suffolk, and a barrister at law; that accordingly she gave the waggoner the slip, and began her journey through byeways and lanes; that after a day or two her money being all gone, she sold her jockey-cap to an old woman, and afterward parted with her riding habit in exchange for an old gown and some trifle of money, which enabled her to reach London; where, not being able to find her sister Cooke, she resolved to return to Hull; she accordingly set out without a farthing of money, or even one necessary for so long a journey; when, after two days, being weary and in want of common support of nature, she was found in the manner and condition described above. This story, wild and extravagant as it was, gained an universal belief; compassion and pity took root in every heart, and poor Miss Ramsay was the topic of every one’s conversation. The mayor of the town, a very humane and good man, was so moved at this melancholy tale, that he recommended her to his wife’s protection, who introducing her to other ladies, a subscription was set on foot to cloath the young lady, and send her home in a manner suitable to her rank. She was now presently put into better garb, and lived at the mayor’s house. Happy was the family who could entertain Miss Ramsay, and hear her story, which she told so very well, so glibly, and with such amazing facility, often shedding tears at the most affecting parts of it, and never varying in the least circumstance, that not a soul doubted of the reality of the relation. At this time a gentleman, an inhabitant of the town, who had been absent some time, returned from London, and being informed of this extraordinary young lady, suspected the story, and declared his opinion publicly; but in return, met with that contempt too frequently attending endeavours to stem the torrent of infatuation, and to bring men back to the use of right reason. He argued with Mr. Mayor, Mr. Alderman ________, Mr. Alderman_____ &c. but all to no purpose; she was so young, so innocent, she could not frame such a story herself; it was impossible; so really good, so truly pious, her story must be true, they would have it true, and therefore it was true. Miss Ramsay was now in the zenith of her happiness, when this very singular gentleman recollecting that he had an acquaintance at Hull, a man of probity, fortune, and honour, wrote to him, informing him of the particulars, and desiring him to make all due enquiry, and acquaint him with what he should learn concerning Miss Ramsay, her father, uncle, and family. The answer received was to this effect: “That a surgeon of the name of Ramsay had formerly lived in the neighbourhood of Hull, who was very poor all his life-time, and who was confined for debt in the castle of Lincoln, and died there about ten years before; that he had two daughters, abandoned wretches and common prostitutes, who strolled about the country under various and fallacious pretences; that upon the strictest enquiry he could not find that Ramsay had a brother; and that if the people of St. Albans would pass her to Hull, she would there met with her desert.” This letter was read to the gentlemen of the town, and to the girl herself, who said, that she knew the gentleman who wrote it very well, and that he was a particular friend of her uncle’s, and an associate in the trepanning scheme before mentioned. This was sufficient for her friends, they all agreed it was so; it was to no purpose to talk to them, they were convinced of the poor dear girl’s innocency, and the injustice done to her, and they resolved to protect her. The mayor, however, was advised to write himself to Hull for greater certainty; he accordingly addressed himself to two gentlemen there, who confirmed the account before received. He was then convinced of his error, read the two letters to the girl, and admonished her to confess the truth; she became sullen, would make no reply, upon which the mayor committed her to the Bridewell of the town. There without friends to encourage her wickedness, and support her falsehood; without confederates to countenance her guilt, and reason her into a belief, that the crime consisted solely in the discovery, and not in the act itself; without managers, collectors, subscribers, advertisers, puffers, twenty attornies, and twice as many affidavit men; with a good parcel of hemp to keep her in exercise, the jail allowance, and a proper time for reflection, debarred of all company, brought her to reason, and she confessed the whole to be false from the beginning to the end. The consequence of this was, she was publicly whipped at the cross next market day, and was afterwards passed as a vagrant to Hull. The truth of the above is well known to the inhabitants of St. Albans. |
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