London and
Southwark }
Deposition of Witness is taken at
the Park of Saint John [..] within the
Borough of Southwark in the County of Surrey on the
11th. day of October 1788 on view of the Body of William
Plain now here lying dead.

Samuel Earl< no role > of No. 8 London Street Ratcliffe Cross
in the County of Middlesex Mariner make Oath
and saith that on Saturday the 4th. of this instant
October about the hour of nine in the Evening being
then on board of the Mary Brigg Commands & by
me Capt. of which Vessel Dept. his Mate Howe bound for Nance in France he
called on board of the Union lying alongsid of said Vessel for one of his People [..]
of which Vessel the deced was Ship keeper-that
the deced answered Dept. and asked him what
he wanted-Dept asked of Andrew preaning
me Andrew Anderson< no role > a Mariner belonging to
same Vessel as Dept. was on board the Union
deced sayed "No, and came on board the Mary
and asked Dept if the wanted any thing done
Dept. sayed the only wanted the Cars taken
out of the Boat and the Boat locked that deced
sayed he would do it and got accordingly got into
said Boat and handed the Cars up to Dept.
and then asked Dept if he should hand the
Chain of said Boat up Dept. answd. yes-that
the deced took up the end of said Chain for that
purpose at the instt. that he was doing so being
then standing on the Gunwhale of said Boat he
fell backwards into the Waterthat Dept.
immediately called out when some people came
from on board the Union that Dept. told them that
deced had fallen ever board out of the said Boat