August 1, 1751.

  Directed for the Honourable Mr. William Henry Cranstoun, to be left
  at the Post-House, at Berwick.

By these Letters, and the account which Cranstoun himself had given, it plainly appears that the Murder of Mr. Blandy had been consulted some Time:  and that it must be supposed that the Powders had been attempted, if not absolutely given him in his Victuals, or Liquor, before the Time they were put into his Gruel, as was discovered by the Maid-Servant, and which proved the Cause of his Death.

Also by these Letters it is most reasonable to believe that what was meant in the last by the words, “Tho’ I suffer more Horrors of Mind than I do at this Time, I will pursue”:  that it came from the unfortunate and infatuated Miss Blandy, and that poisoning her Father was then fully resolved on by her:  which reasonable Supposition is much strengthened by the subsequent Words in the same Letter, viz., “I hope in my next to inform you that the Business is compleated.”  And I really think it can admit of no Doubt, as the administring the Powders to him in his Water-Gruel, which was the Cause of his Death, was but four days after the Date of this Letter, for it appears by its Date to be sent on Thursday the first of August, and Monday the fifth of the same Month, she acknowledged she put the Powders into the Gruel:  which was proved by Dr. Addington and Dr. Lewis, on her Trial, to be the Cause of Mr. Blandy’s Death, who languished till the 14th of the same Month, when he expired.

That other Part of the same Letter, where ’tis said, “I am going forward with, all convenient Speed in the Business, and have not only a fatiguing Time of it, but am sometimes in the greatest Fright:  there being so many constantly about me, to be kept insensible of the Affair,” is plain enough meant that when she thought of the wicked Deed she was about to perform, it brought her Conscience to fly in her Face, as she advanced:  and that the Servants of the House were the great Obstacles in her Way.

I shall not takes up the Reader’s Time any longer, in making Observations on the Letters, only observe in general that they all shew that the Writer was sensibly touched, at such Times as they were endeavouring to practice the hellish Device, to destroy the old Gentleman; and also, that sometimes their Consciences led them to think of what the Consequences of such an enormous Crime must be.

I shall now return to Mr. Cranstoun.  While he was at Furnes he was very thoughtful, and was never observed to be once in a merry Humour:  frequently staying in his Room all Day, except Meal-Times:  and praying very devoutly.

On his finding himself once very ill, tho’ it was six Weeks before he died (for he recovered and went abroad after that Illness), he made a Will, all which he wrote with his own Hand: