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The Life of Mr. Richard Savage
The last Piece which he exhibited to the World, was, a Poem Sacred to the Memory of our late most gracious Sovereign, address'd to the Right Honourable Mr. Doddington, one of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, which Subject, tho' it employ'd several other poetic Genius's; he is allow'd, by some approv'd Judges in that way of Writing, to have manag'd with a Delicacy, superior to any of his Competitors. But to come to the dismal Cause of his present Condition; having for some Time had a Lodging at Richmond in Surrey, for the Benefit of the Air, and the Conveniencies of his Studies; he came to Town on Monday the 20th Day of November last, in order to pay off another he had in Queen-street, Westminster, thinking the Expence too great to keep them both; and falling into Company with Mr. Merchant and Mr. Gregory, they all went together to a Coffee-house near his old Lodgings, where they drank till pretty late in the Evening; Mr. Savage would willingly have got a Bed at the Coffee-house for that Night, but there not being a Conveniency for himself, and Company both, they went away from thence with a Resolution to waste Time as well as they could till Morning, when they purposed to go together to Richmond. In their Walks, seeing a Light in Robinson's Coffee-house, they thought that a Place proper to entertain them, tho' Mr. Savage protested he was entirely ignorant of the Character of the House, and had never been there in his Life before. Let it suffice in this Place to say, that the direful Consequence of their going in there, was from an Insult offer'd by Mr. Merchant to the Company who were drinking there, a mortal Wound given to Mr. Sinclair, of which he languish'd till the next Day, and then died, and the Condemnation of Mr. Savage and Mr. Gregory for the said Fact. They were secur'd for that Night, and in the Morning carried before Nathaniel Blackerby, Esq; and two other of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace, and by them committed to the Gate-house; but Mr. Sinclair dying, they were from thence removed to Newgate, between Twelve and One o' Clock on Tuesday Night.
The Coroner's Inquest having sat upon the Body, did not finish their Enquiry at their first Meeting, but adjourn'd till the Tuesday following, and then brought in their Verdict Manslaughter.
Let the Reader now behold a Man of his unspotted Character, and inoffensive Behaviour, till this fatal Action, involv'd all on a sudden in all the wretched Circumstances and Sufferings of the most inhuman Criminals and abandon'd of Profligates, and admire at the decent Fortitude and Serenity of Mind, with which, according to the Report of all who saw him, he supported so shocking and unexpected a Misfortune, as well before as at the Time of his Trial, which was on Thursday the 7th of this Instant December, at the Old Baily; where after eight Hours being taken up in hearing the Evidence on both Sides, he and Mr. Gregory were found Guilty of the Murther, and Merchant of Manslaughter only.
The whole Trial having already been made publick, it will be needless to give any Repetition of it here, any farther than this, that upon the Testimonies of Nuttal, a Friend of the Deceas'd, and another Person, who was drinking with him and Mr. Sinclair; together, with those of the Women of the House, it appear'd the Affront was given by Merchant's kicking down the Table that belong'd to the Deceased and his Company, and that in Justification of that Rudeness, Mr. Savage and Mr. Gregory drew their Swords, and Mr. Sinclair receiv'd his Death Wound from Mr. Savage.
Being thus cast out of all possible Hopes of making any farther Defence by Law for his Life, he was carry'd back to the Prison, where the Indulgence which he had before obtained from the Keeper, of being excused from having any Irons, could no longer with Safety, be allowed him, but he and Mr. Gregory were fetter'd with near fifty Pounds Weight a-piece. On the Monday following, at the Conclusion of the Sessions, he was carry'd down to the Court to receive Sentence, as usual, previous to which he made the following Speech.
'It is now, my Lord, too late, to offer any thing by way of Defence, or Vindication; nor can we expect ought from your Lordships, in this Court, but the Sentence which the Law requires you as Judges, to pronounce against Men of our calamitous Condition. – But we are also perswaded, that as meer Men, and out of this Seat of rigorous Justice, you are susceptive of the tender Passions, and too humane, not to commiserate the unhappy Situation of those, whom the Law sometimes perhaps – exacts – from you to pronounce upon. No doubt you distinguish between Offences, which arise out of Premeditation, and a Disposition habituated to Vice or Immorality, and Transgressions, which are the unhappy and unforeseen Effects of a casual Absence of Reason, and sudden Impulse of Passion: We therefore hope you will contribute all you can to an Extension of that Mercy, which the Gentlemen of the Jury have been pleas'd to shew Mr. Merchant, who (allowing Facts as sworn against us by the Evidence) has led us into this our Calamity, I hope, this will not be constru'd, as if we mean to reflect upon that Gentleman, or remove any thing from us upon him, or that we repine the more at our Fate because he has no Parcipitation of it: No, my Lord! For my Part, I declare nothing could more soften my Grief, than to be without any Companion in so great a Misfortune.'
Who can read this without wishing it may have its desir'd Effect? No one, I am sure, who knows him personally but interested his Hopes warmly and zealously in it. His Friends (for his Calamities had added many to those who were to his Merit before) were generous Partakers of that Distress which he bore himself so manfully, and are extreamly Assiduous in recommending him to the Mercy to the best of Sovereigns. Among which we think nothing more to the Purpose of these Sheets than the following Letter, with which we shall conclude, supposed to be wrote by one of the Gentlemen before-mentioned for having publickly express'd his Compassion for Mr. Savage's Sufferings.
