THis Informant ſaith, that about Seven or Eight Years ſince, Mr. Arthur Fox, (then Servant to the Preſent Lord Aſton) came to him, and to another of his Friends, and told them that there was a Baſtard-Child laid to his charge, by one of his Lords Tenants Daughters, and did acknowledge to them that he did ſeveral Times lie with her, and that by the beſt computation of Time he could make, he had juſt grounds to believe that ſhe had done him no wrong in this her charge, and that he verily believed himſelf to be the Father of the Child, and therefore came to them as his particular Friends, for their advice in the caſe, how to prevent the noiſe and ſcandal and great charge that was like to enſue hereupon, and deſired them to treat with the Young Womans Father and Mother about it, and to offer them a certain Summ of Mony to free him from all future charge from, or by reaſon of this buſineſs.

In Purſuance of this requeſt, this Informant and his Friend addreſſed themſelves to the Young Woman, and to her Father and Mother. The Young Woman with the greateſt Aſſeverations and Proteſtations did affirm that ſhe had never lain with any man whatever, but the ſaid Mr. Fox, and that he was the real Father of the Child; then they came to a Treaty with her Father about aſcertaining the charge, and agreed that Mr. Fox, ſhould Pay Thirty Pounds, to be for ever diſcharged from the ſaid Child, Part of which Summ was accordingly Paid.

When they returned to Mr. Fox, and had acquainted him what Agreement they had made for him, with the Father and Mother of the Young Woman, he ſeemed exceeding well ſatisfied therewith, and returned them many Thanks, owning himſelf very much obliged to them both, for their great care and pains in tranſacting this Affair for him, and bringing it to an iſſue, ſo much to his content.

Mr. Eures the Prieſt belonging to the Lord Aſton's Houſe, was abroad whilſt this buſineſs was in agitation, but returning in few days before all the ſaid 30 l. was paid, was informed by Mr. Fox himſelf what agreement was made for him by this Informant and his Friend as aforeſaid.

Mr. Eures having thus underſtood the whole caſe, told Mr. Fox, that what he had done was not ſufficient to take off the Scandal from their Church; for to his knowledg this ſtory was much talked of abroad, and that with very ſevere Reflections upon the Roman Catholicks in general; and therefore as his Ghoſtly Father, he would adviſe him what was to be done in order to the taking off ſo great a ſcandal from their Church, and added, that he had conſulted Mr. Peters, another Prieſt, about it; and that they were come to a Reſolve what method ſhould be uſed; and therefore required him to prepare himſelf for Confeſſion.

Accordingly Mr. Fox came to Confeſſion to the ſaid Mr. Evers, and owned the whole matter as aforeſaid; then Mr. Evers told him again, he ſtill continuing upon his knees, that the Scandal that was hereby brought to their Church and Religion, was very great, and therefore for the taking it off, and preventing further ſcandal for the future to their Church, to my Lord Aſton, or to himſelf, Mr. Peters and he had agreed upon this courſe, viz. That he ſhould go immediately to his Lord Aſton, and on his knees before his Lord and Lady, with ſolemn Oaths and Aſſeverations, deny that he ever had any thing to do with the ſaid young Woman in that nature; and that he was altogether innocent of the Crime laid to his Charge; and that after this he ſhould go up to the Chapel where the Congregation was met, and there in like manner deny it, with the like Aſſeperations; and to confirm them in the belief of the Truth of it, he ſhould then before them receive the Sacrament. When Mr. Evers had finiſhed theſe Inſtructions, he gave him Abſolution before he roſe from his knees, telling him, That if he obſerved theſe Inſtructions, he was abſolved from the ſaid Crime, and therefore Innocent of it altogether and might ſo declare himſelf as aforeſaid. And for his further Penance, he enjoyn'd him to viſit the Chappel once a day for the ſpace of a a month next following, and to ſay ſuch Prayers as he ſhould particularly direct therein: All which Inſtructions in every particular the ſaid Mr. Fox punctually obſerved. His Friend aforeſaid being in the Chappel when the things enjoyn'd were done, viz. when he diſowned the Face with ſolemn Oaths, and received the Sacrament upon it; and did the Penance enjoyced him.

After this Mr. Forces other Friend that had aſſiſted in compoſing the Affair with the Father and Mother, came to him, to know what care was taken about the Payment of the Moneys, becauſe he ſtood engaged for it, and ſuppoſed he ſhould be called upon for it; to which Mr. Fox anſwered, That what he had done ſince that Agreement was by Mr. Evers his order, nor ſhould he do any thing elſe but by his advice; upon which his Friend repairs to Mr. Evers, and deſires to know of him what they intended to do, and when the money ſhould be paid; Mr. Evers anſwered, That what Mr. Fox had done in reference to the denying of the Fact, was done upon nature deliberation, and good advice; and that it was the beſt way that could poſſibly be propoſed in that Affair, and that he ſhould not need further to concern or trouble himſelf about it; his Friend then told Mr. Evers, that he ſtood engaged for the moneys, having promiſed to ſee it paid. and that he was therefore in danger of being ſued for it; to which Mr. Evers replies, that he would take ſuch effectual care about it, with the Lord Aſton, that he ſhould not ſuffer thereby, and ſo he did, as appeared by the ſequel; for the Lord Aſton ſoon after ſent for the Father and Mother of the Young Woman, and told them, that if they did not deſiſt from ſpreading ſuch a Report, that Mr. Fox was the Father of the ſaid Child, he would ruine them, to which the Father anſwered, That it was not in his power to ſtop the ſaid Report; nor was it any thing but Truth, and Mr. Fox himſelf had confeſſed, that he was the Father of the Child; at which refuſal the Lord was very much incenſed, and preſently ordered him to be deprived of ſeveral Profits that he enjoyed, as one of his Lordſhips Tenants and Servants.