them any place for lodging the goods they had bought, and there
they drank both ale and punch, till, with what they had got before at
different places, they became all very drunk; that at this place it was
told by the landlady or servants, in conversation, that there was money to
a considerable value in the next room, and if any part of the facts
libelled were committed by the panels, Wilson and Hall, it must have been
done upon occasion of this purely accidental information, when they were
insane from strong drink: it was more like a drunken frolic than a
preconcerted robbery. As a further evidence of this fact, it appeared by
the libel itself that they acted like persons in such a condition; for
they, as well as the other panel Robertson, were all seized in an hour or
two thereafter, before the effects of the liquor had worn off, and before
they had time to come to themselves, and without any of them taking the
most rational and obvious measures to make their escape.

As to the case of George Robertson, it is not said that the inhabitants
gathered together upon the streets, came there to save or rescue what was
contained in the room; on the contrary, it was admitted on debate that the
inhabitants of small coast towns are not very ready on these occasions to
lend their assistance to the officers of justice; and if George Robertson
had truly said to the persons whom he met on the street that he was by fear
obliged to leave the house, it might very possibly have been true, and an
argument of his innocence, and therefore ought not to be turned into a
circumstance of his guilt.

Our space will not admit of further argument. Suffice it to say that the
jury unanimously found Andrew Wilson and William Hall guilty, and George
Robertson art and part on the crimes libelled; and the Lords of Justiciary
passed sentence of death on all three, which sentence they appointed to be
executed on Wednesday the 14th of April 1736.

Leaving the criminals in the condemned cells, where they are to remain five
weeks before being executed, let us, in the meanwhile, in order to the
better understanding the case, and forming a clearer opinion in reference
to the nature and origin of the Porteous mob--one of the most extraordinary
events recorded in history, and which arose out of the trial and sentence
against Andrew Wilson and the others before narrated--let us endeavour to
give a brief sketch of Mr Porteous' history, from his birth till the ti