BIOGRAPHICAL

SKETCHES,

&c. &c.

H

ENDERSON, MATTHEW (MURDERER was the son of honest parents, and born at North Berwick, in Scotland, where he was educated in the liberal manner customary in that country, and brought up in the doctrine of the Christian religion, as professed by the Presbyterians. Sir Hugh Dalrymple being a member of the British parliament, took him into his service when fourteen years of age, and brought him to London. Before he was nineteen years old he married one of his master's maids: but Sir Hugh, who had a great regard for him, did not dismiss him, though he was greatly chagrined at this circumstance. Sir Hugh having occasion to go out of town for a month, summoned Henderson to assist in dressing him; and while he was thus employed, Sir Hugh's lady going into the room the servant casually trod on her toe. She said not a word on the occasion; but looked at him with a degree of rage that made him extremely uneasy. When Sir Hugh had taken his leave, she demanded

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demanded of Henderson why he had trod on her toe; in answer to which he made many apologies, and ascribed the circumstance to mere accident; but she gave him a blow on the ear, and declared that she would dismiss him from her service. Henderson said it would be unnecessary to turn him away; for he would go without compulsion; but reflecting that her passion would soon subside, he continued in his place; and was used with as much kindness as if the accident had never happened. Enraged at the blow he had received, like Zanga, he began to consider how he should be revenged; and at length came to the fatal resolution of mur dering his mistress. The maid-servant going out one night, at past eleven o'clock, to see a relation, took the key of the street-door in her pocket. Her absence, Henderson thought, a favourable opportunity to carry his horrid plan into execution; on which he went into the kitchen, and having furnished himself with a cleaver, he retired to his bed-chamber, where he remained more than a quarter of an hour, deliberating whether he should or should not commit the murder; at length he thought himself determined, and went up the stairs, as far as the first landing-place: but smitten by his conscience, he descended ; sat some time on his bed; then again ascended a part of the stairs, and again came down; incapable for the present of carrying his dreadful purpose into execution. Once more he mustered spirits to go up as far as the first window; when hearing the watchman crying the midnight hour, he tripped down a few steps: but immediately summoning his shocking resolution, he went up, and opened the lady's chamber-door, having the cleaver in his hand Approaching the bed-side, he found her asleep :

but

but still hesitated on the commission of the crime, and walked across the room in the utmost perturbation of mind. At length he went again to the bed, and struck her violently on her head with the cleaver. On receiving the blow, she attempted to get up, but he repeated it, and then heard her speak some words, but not plain enough to distinguish what she said. Hereupon he gave her a third blow, on which she exclaimed, "O Lord! what is this!"-He now continued his blows till she fell out of bed, and the room streamed with blood. Terrified at what he had done, he quitted the room, and threw the cleaver into the privý. To the murder he now resolved to add that of robbery; and going back to the room, he stole some money, jewels, and other valuable effects, which he carried to his wife's lodgings, put them in a box, and immediately went back. On his return he found that he had shut himself out; but the maid coming soon afterwards, unlocked the door, and they went in. The maid observing blood on the floor below stairs, suspected that some mischief had happened; on which she ran up stairs, and finding the lady a bloody corpse, she came down weeping. As soon as it was day-light Henderson went to the nephew of Sir Hugh Dal rymple, and informed the gentleman of the misfortune that had happened; on which the maid was taken into custody on suspicion, and carried before a magistrate, who, from her answers, had a strong idea that the fact was committed by Henderson, Hereupon he was apprehended by a constable, with whom he went very chearfully; but the magistrate examining him with unusual strictness, found many contradictions in his story and at length he confessed that he alone had transacted the murder

ous business. On this he was committed to New gate, and being brought to his trial at the next sessions at the Old Bailey, he pleaded guilty, and sentence of death was passed on him. He was attended by a minister of the Presbyterian persuasion. His behaviour was very penitent and contrite during his imprisonment; and at the place of execution he made a speech, advising servants to be obedient to their masters, and to behave with submission, instead of harbouring sentiments of revenge. On the 25th of February, 1746, he was drawn on a sledge to the end of Oxford-street, where he was executed; and his body was after. wards hung in chains on the road to Edgware.

HENLEY, JOHN. See ISDWELL, J.

HENSEY, DOCTOR FLORENCE (TRAITOR) was a native of the county of Kildare in Ireland, brought up a Roman Catholic, and taught the rudiments of Grammar by a priest of that persuasion. Being sent to St. Omer's to study philosophy, he continued there till the degree of Master of Arts was conferred on him, and then proceeded to Leyden, where he studied physic. From Leyden he went through Germany and Switzerland into Italy, acquiring the knowledge of the respective languages during his travels. Embarking at Genoa, he sailed to Lisbon, and crossing the kingdom of Portugal, he went to Spain, and thence to France, endeavouring in his tour to make him. self master of the Portuguese and Spanish languages. Having reached Paris, he practised physic in that city five years; but being unsuccessful, he repaired to London. His success in England was not superior to that in France. His patients were few and those of the lower rank of people. From his quitting the university at Leyden, he had corres

ponded

ponded with a brother collegian, who, having settled in France, procured a place in the office of the sectetary of state at Paris. As soon as the Doctor heard of his friend's promotion, he wrote, him a letter of congratulation, in which he made a civil offer of executing any of his commands in London. This happening at the commencement of a war between Great-Britain and France, Hensey's friend informed him, that he might be very serviceable by transmitting early intelligence of our warlike preparations. This hint being approved by the Doctor, the next post brought him instructions how to act, with an appointment of near 251. per month. The substance of these instructions werd "to send complete lists of all our men of war, both in and out of commission; their condition, situation, and number of men on board each; when they sailed, under what commanders, from what ports, and their destination; an account of the actual number of our troops, what regiments were complete, and where quartered or garrisoned." Dr. Hensey sent such accounts as he could procure to a gentleman at Cologne, who sent them to another at Berne in Switzerland, whence they were transmit→ ted to Paris. Hensey's salary, ample as it was, proved unequal to the expectations he had formed; but he proceeded, in the hope of an increase of it. His first attempt to acquire intelligence was by getting into company with the clerks of the public offices; but not suceeding in this, he frequented the coffee-houses used by the members of parliament; and his physical appearance taking off all suspicion of his being a spy, he frequently learned such par ticulars as he thought worth sending to his employers. It was a maxim with him, not to enter into political discussions, if he could avoid it; and

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when