LARGELY because of the way things were expressed at the time, some reports in the Worcester Journal of 1751 make highly amusing reading today, for instance:
"On Monday last, a Rabbit Merchant in the Newport Street of this city, having had some words with his wife, was resolved to take his Leave of her and accordingly took some Doses of White Arsenick in order to poison himself but, not taking them judiciously either as to quantity or manner of preparation, he is likely to live with her again."
The same 1751 edition of the Journal also reported: "A Gentlewoman of this city, walking on the side of the canal, unfortunately fell in and was drowned.
''The Jury at the Coroner's Inquest, having since sat on the Body, brought in a verdict of Accidental Death. We are assured that the report of her being a Methodist and wilfully making away with herself is entirely false and groundless."
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