27. Thomas Pryor, of St Ann, Westminster, was indicted for that he, in and upon William Porter, did wickedly and feloniously make an Assault, and with him the said William did commit that detestable, sodomitical Crime, called Buggery, which is not fit to be named among Christians. Nov. 30.
William Porter. The Prisoner did wrong to me two or three Times one Night. - I do not know what Month it was; I believe it was about a Year ago; it was in the Winter. - I live with Mr Greener, a Currier, near Leicester-Fields. Pryor is Apprentice to my Master.
Q. Well, what did he do to you?
Porter gave Evidence of a Penetration, but in such Language as is not fit to be committed to Paper.
Q. What did you say to him?
Porter. I bid him not do it. - I did not bid him do it, he did it of his own Self. - He did do it indeed. - He did put it in.
Q. Was you ever served so before by any Body?
Porter. No.
Q. Did not you strive to hinder him?
Porter. He would do it.
Q. I ask you, whether you did not strive with him to hinder him?
Porter. No, Sir.
Q. So you were as willing as he?
Porter. No, I was not.
Q. Why did not you endeavour to hinder him?
Porter. He would do it.
Q. Then you let him do what he would?
Porter. I did not bid him do it.
Q. You are as strong as he; I do not think he could have done it, if you had endeavoured to hinder him?
Porter. He is stronger than I am.
Prisoner. Please to ask him when I did offer to do any such Thing as that?
Porter. It was over Night when I went to Bed. - Several Nights.
Q. This is above a Year ago: When did you first complain of it? Did you tell your Master or Mistress first of it?
Porter. I told my Mistress first what he did to me.
Q. How long is it since you told your Mistress of it?
Porter. It is about a Week ago.
John Greener. The Prisoner is my Apprentice; the Witness goes of Errands; he is, what some call, a Slave. On Tuesday the 30th of November, I was out; the Prisoner at the Bar, said to his Mistress, I will stay up for my Master: No Tom, said she, I will stay up, you may go to Bed; she sat up for me:
I came Home about eleven o'Clock, and sat down by the Fire talking with my Wife; said she, Mr Greener, do you hear how the Bed cracks? I said, It is an old Bedstead, and they are subject to crack. In about a Quarter of an Hour, the Bed made the same Noise again. Now, said she, Do not you hear it. Yes, said I, I do.
Then, said she, Go and enquire what is the Reason of it. I did not go directly; then, said she, If you will not go , I will. Accordingly she went. - I know no more of the Affair, but what she told me; but I heard no more Noise of the Bed after.
Q. Why did not you bring your Wife?
Greener. I might have brought her, but she is not very well, and out of Modesty, she did not care to come.
Q. When was it this Witness told you of the Fact?
Greener. Not at all; he told no Body of it.
Q. How came this Man to be taken up? You can tell that without telling what your Wife said.
Greener. I knew nothing of it 'till the 30th of November. Prior has been turned over to me about eleven Months; he behaved very well till about Michaelmas last, and then I found he was got acquainted with a Gang of young Wenches; he did not neglect my Business till the Princess's Birth-Day.
Acquitted.
[Verdict: Not Guilty]
