The Virginia Gazette

Wednesday a painter in Fleur de Lys court, Fleet street, was examined before Alderman Crosby at Guildhall, charged with starving, beating, and otherwise cruelly using, in conjunction with his wife, not yet taken, two girls their apprentices, and was committed to Woodstreet compter. It appeared by the evidence of the youngest girl, who is about 14 years of age (the eldest not being able to speak) that their mistress used to tie them up to a staple and horsewhip them, without any real cause; that her master never did it, but knew of his wife's cruel behaviour to them; that on Sundays they were locked up in a dark place, under the stairs in the cellar; that they had each of them a piece of bread, but nothing to drink, not even so much as water. A surgeon, who examined the eldest girl, declared that the wounds she had received by whipping were so bad, for want of dressing, that her shift had eaten into them, and they appeared as if cut with a knife; that hardly a part of her body was free, and that her head and face were much wounded. The loss of her speech, the surgeon was of opinion, was occasioned by some hurt she had received in the glands of her neck. The youngest girl is almost reduced to a skeleton, much wounded, and is a shocking spectacle. It is thought the eldest cannot recover; they were both sent to St. Bartholomew's hospital. This affair was discovered by a journeyman baker, who used to hear the cries of the poor girls. It was likewise deposed that the above person had made a practice of taking apprentices, but it was not known what became of some of them, it being pretended that they were sent into the country. When the officer went on Tuesday to search the house for the eldest girl, he was told that she was sent twenty miles into the country; but on being severely threatened, she was brought from the hole in the cellar.

Sunday morning one of the girls that were beaten by their mistress, the painter's wife in Fetter lane, expired in St. Bartholomew's hospital, of the wounds she received: The mistress is not yet taken.

The unfortunate painter now in confinement is great grandson to the immortal Bishop Burnet. Happy had it been had he taught his wife reformation!