Part of a large collection of correspondence of Sir Philip Francis; see collection-level record for more information.
This declaration was made at the request of Sir Philip Francis.
Referring to the duel that Sir Philip Francis had with Warren Hastings that morning during which Sir Francis was wounded; saying that "On Thursday the 17th Instant, about seven O'clock in the Morning, Lieutenant-Colonel Watson called on me, and informed Me of the Accident that had happened to Mr. Francis, at the same Time delivering to Me the Key of Mr. Francis's Bureau. This Key I kept in my Possession 'till Saturday the 26th Instant, when, at Mr. Francis Desire, I opened the Bureau and took out of it the paper marked by Me with the Letter A., which must have been deposited there before the Meeting took Place between Mr. Hastings and Mr. Francis. To this I speak as confidently as I could to any Fact, which depends on Circumstantial Proof. I did not place the paper in the Bureau myself:--I do not know of it's having been placed there, between the 17th and 26th Instant, by any other Person;--and it is impossible that it could have been deposited there without my Knowledge, as I kept the Key, and during the whole of the intermediate Time, no Person but myself either opened the Bureau, or put any Thing into it, or took any Thing out of it."