A Clear State of the Case of Elizabeth Canning, Who Hath Sworn that...
"Robbed and Almost Starved to Death by a Gang of Gipsies" Fielding, Henry [1707-1754]. A Clear State of the Case of Elizabeth Canning, Who Hath Sworn that she was Robbed and Almost Starved to Death by a Gang of Gipsies and Other Villains in January Last,For Which One Mary Squires Now Lies Under Sentence of Death. London: Printed for A. Millar, 1753. [ii], 62 pp. Octavo (7-3/4" x 5"). Stab-stitched pamphlet, resewn into recent plain wrappers. Light rubbing to extremities, a few creases to wrappers, moderate toning to pamphlet, minor tear and negligible light soiling to title page. $250. * Second and final edition, published the same year as the first edition. Two gypsies, Susannah Wells and Mary Squires, were arrested, tried and convicted for the abduction of Elizabeth Canning, but the Lord Mayor was not satisfied with the verdict. Further enquiries uncovered inconsistencies in Canning's testimony, and suspicions arose that she invented a story in order to hide a pregnancy. Wells and Squires were acquitted and Canning was found guilty of perjury. Fielding, then a barrister, was consulted by Canning's solicitor about this case. Fielding seems to have believed Canning's story. There is no evidence that he ever changed his mind. A Dublin re-issue without an edition statement was also published in 1753. English Short-Title Catalogue T89860.
Price: $250.00
Book number 73368