Report of William Mainwaring, Chairman of the Middlesex Quarter Sessions, on 1 individual...

Report of William Mainwaring, Chairman of the Middlesex Quarter Sessions, on 1 individual petition (prisoner) and 1 collective petition (8 people) on behalf of Mary Ann Kirby, convicted at the Middlesex Quarter Sessions on 17 July 'last', for knowingly uttering false and counterfeit money (1/-), to John Rushton, shopman, on 7 July 'last', and having other counterfeit money in her custody. There is also a further letter from the magistrate apoligising for not returning the petition with the report; he returns it now and asks it be 'put with the Report when it is taken into Consideration'. Evidences supplied by John Rushton, and Francis Umpage and John Umpage, constables; John Clark, employee of the Royal Mint and the prisoner. There is some discussion about the law in relation to counterfeiting. Grounds for clemency: previous good character (given by 'respectable Persons') and of good family connections, she had married without her family's consent and so was reduced to selling linen and muslins from which sales she received the bad money, she was unaware the money was 'Bad' and so the act under which she was convicted did not describe her case, she was distressed by her family and friends refusing to see her (after being married) and this has had an effect on her health sometimes making her disordered and at times affecting her eyesight - which was the case at the time she took the bad money, the law did not allow any discretion in the sentence (as the judge would have wished), has already spent 7 months in prison and has a sick husband and 5 children to support. Initial sentence: 12 months imprisonment. Recommendation: mercy.

Folios 347-352.