Biography of Mary Wharton 1677-1726

Proceedings of the Old Bailey 1690. 10th December 1690. John Johnson [aged 42] Esq; alias Captain Johnson, alias sir John Johnson, William Clewer professor of Divinity, S - C - and Grace Wiggan, were tryed for Forcibly, Violently and Felloniously Taking Away, and against her Consent, Marrying Mary Wharton [aged 13], a Virgin under the Age of 14 Years, to one [her husband] James Cambel [aged 30], she being the sole Heiress of [her father] Philip Wharton Esq decesed, and possessed of £1500 per annum Estate; and £1000 in Money and Effects . Upon Tryal it appeared, That Mrs. Bierly, Gardioness to Mrs. Wharton, had carried her, as also her own Daughters, to the House of Mr. Archibald Montgomery in Greek-street at Soho, upon his inviting them to a Dinner, and that he purposely delayed them to stay Supper, so that they departed not till about 9 in the Evening, when in Long-acre they saw a Coach with six Horses pass them, as in much haste, and soon after found it to stand a little off their own Door in Queen street, where Mrs. Wharton allighting was violently seized and thrust into the Coach, crying out for Help, and the Footman running to take hold of her was knocked down and one of the Daughters of Mrs. Bierly thrown in the Channel and much bruised insomuch that the Coach, at the Word of Command, drove away into Holbourn, and so towards Tyburn, so swift that those who followed lost the sight of it, and about 10 of the Clock she was brought to Watson the Coachman's House in Westminster, where Captain Cambel had taken a Lodging some time before, and there they found Parson Clewer, Mrs. C - and her Maid, when Mrs. C - accosting her, in a perswading way, bid her not be concerned, for she was sure she would be very happy in Mr. Cambel for a Husband, &c. and after many Perswasions, the Lady sheding a great many Tears, Parson Clewer pulling out his Book read the Offices of Matrimony, and they spoke after him, the Coachman and his Wife having before been called up as Witnesses to the Marriage, and the Ring-lent by Mrs C - after which they had a Turkey, and a Neck of Mutton to supper but the young Lady refused to eat, saying, she had supped at Mr. Montgomerys, so she only drank a Glass of Wine and then her going to bed being proposed, she opposed it, and seemed very unwilling, till such Time as Mrs. C - said, she would be her Bed fellow but having undressed her, and got her in Captain Cambel came to bed to her, and then the rest came to give them Joy; the next day they dined at Puntacks a French Ordinary near Charing Cross after they had got her to write a Letter to her Aunt to bid her not to be concerned, for that she was with Captain James Cambel her Husband, and suddainly intended to wait on her, &c. At this Place it appeared by the Master of the House; she seemed discontented and from hence they removed her to an Apothecaries in Newgate-street, where she was discovered, and restored to her Friends; she utterly denied in Court that she ever gave any Consent, but what she was constrained to by Fear and Surprize, or that she had ever seen Captain Cambel before.