, and that I had
refused it; my object was not to get another person really to undertake
the business, but to furnish myself with a confirmatory witness."

Sarah Alexander is called, and she proves very material circumstances as
to the preparation for this North-fleet expedition, to take place at the
same period of time as that from Dover. She says, "I live at
Fetter-lane; I have lived there ever since last September. I know Mr.
M'Rae; he lodged on the same floor that I did; he is a married man; his
wife lived with him; on Saturday the 19th of February, he came to my
room." The other military uniform, you will recollect, was purchased on
this very same day for the Dover scheme: "He brought a small parcel, and
gave it to his wife; he said it was of value, and bade her take care of
it. He went out on Sunday the 20th; he went out between ten and eleven,
and returned before twelve, and brought with him two coats and two opera
hats; they were inclosed in a bundle; I saw the coats; they were very
dark blue, done with braiding; they were officers coats; the flowers
were of worsted embroidery; they were flat hats; one coat was lined with
white silk; one coat and one hat was better than the other; the one had
a brass plate and gold tassel; he put them on, and walked about, and
asked whether he did not look like an officer." So that he was
representing and playing this character before-hand: "He went out again,
and came home before one, and brought some ribbon with him; he wanted
two cockades to be made round; he applied to his wife; his wife asked
what he was going to do with them; he said, to deceive the flats." So
that he not only exhibits the materials by which he was to effect the
fraud, but avows the object, "to deceive the _flats_;" that is, I
suppose, _credulous persons_. "He put the cockades into his pocket, and
the hats and coats in a bundle, and went out, saying he must be at
Billingsgate, to start at two by the Gravesend hoy. The next day, I met
him a quarter before two in Cursitor-street; he was dressed the same as
he went out, in his own clothes; he had apparently the same bundle; he
brought home one coat and one hat; the best coat and hat were in the
bundle; he said he had slept at North-fleet, but he had the appearance
of not having been a-bed at all; he brought home the cockades in his
pocket; he appeared very tired: His wife unripped the cockades, and took
the white lining out of the coat, and carried it to the d