that Bloody Party which Murdered him both in Person and Reputation and the manner how the place wher◠and the forged Reason wherefore agreed in These Bloody minded men would without doubt from the same motives and to carry on the same end destroy as many more were it once again as much within their power as it then was only they would do it with this difference that whereas therein they did act clandestanly we must expect that hereafter they would do it in the face of the Sun and justify it But from their Cruel Power and Bloody Malice Good Lord deliver us G. I desire not to detein you any longer on this particular for I am herein well satisfied and therefore pray proceed T. I am now come to the second general head viz. what passed the day my Lord Died you may observe it was denied by Bomeny Monday and Russel the three that attended on my Lord at the time of his Death the first as his Servant and the two others as his Warders that there was any man let into my Lord's Lodgings before my Lord's Death that Morning my Lord Died the like did John Lloyd the Sentinel that Morning my Lord Died at the door of Major Hawley's House wherein my Lord lodged I shall now prove that there were some Ruffians let into my Lords Lodgings a little before his Death to Murder my Lord. Pray read this Information G. S.S. Linnen-Draper declareth and is ready to depose that the 21th of January last this Informant was at the Goat Alehouse in the Minories where John Lloyd Sentinel upon the late Earl of Essex at the time of his Death as this Informant then was informed was that day brought Prisoner being taken up as suspected privy to the Death of the late Earl of Essex This Informant further saith that he this Informant discoursed the said Lloyd concerning the said Earl's Death and the said Lloyd did for some short time often deny that he had let in any men into the Earl of Essex's Lodgings that Morning the Earl dyed This Informant perswaded the said Lloyd to discharge his Conscience to God and Man and tell what he knew with relation thereunto lest by his denial or silence he should draw the guilt of that Innocent Blood upon himself but the said Lloyd for sometime persisted in his denial and whilst the said Lloyd was denying his letting in any men into my Lord that Morning my Lord Died before his Death there was brought into the Room one Major Webster as this Informant afterwards understood him to be then Prisoner for the same matter This Informant did thereupon ask the said Lloyd whether he knew the said Webster which the said Lloyd denied and said he never saw him before in his life upon which this Informant said it was very much that the said Lloyd should not know or remember to have seen the said Webster who was his Neighbour and very notorious in the place where he lived But the said Lloyd persisted for some short time in his denial of any knowledge of the said Webster but soon after the said Lloyd took this Informant by the hand and wringing this Informant's Hand with Tears in his Eyes spoke to this effect Master I give you a Thousand thanks for your good Advice ☞ and I do now remember by special order of Major Hawley I did let in two or three men but to the best of my remembrance three into my Lord's Lodgings that morning my Lord dyed and a very short time before his death and that man pointing to Webster was one of the three Men I did so let in upon which this Informant told the said Lloyd it was very strange he should pretend that Webster was one of three Men he had let into my Lords Lodgings just before his death when the said Lloyd had a little before pretended that he never saw the said Webster before that time This Informant further spoke to the said Lloyd to this effect That as the said Lloyd was consenting to my Lords Death in case he did endeavour to stifle any truth which might tend to the Discovery of my Lords Murder so would the said Lloyd be guilty of Webster's Blood if he should charge him in this particular with a Lye for what Jury soever should believe that Webster was one of those let into my Lord just before his Death it having been by all deny'd that any were so let in would likewise believe that Webster was one of the Ruffians that Murdered his Lordship and therefore this Informant advised the said Lloyd to be very careful in the matter Whereupon Lloyd replied that he could be very positive in the Man and if he were even then to dye he could safely and truly charge him upon his Oath with it This Informant further saith that Lloyd did then further declare that as soon as he had let in those men into my Lords Lodgings he did hear several and he did suppose them to be those he so let in go up Stairs into my Lord's Chamber where there immediately ensued a very great noise and trampling and thereupon somewhat thrown down like the fall of a Man not long after which it was cried out that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat Lloyd did further declare that he did not remember that he saw those men go out of Major Hawley's House but he did believe they might tarry some time in the House till the Croud came in upon the Discovery of my Lord's Death and then went out with the Croud L. Did any others besides Mr. S. hear this Lloyd thus confess the letting in these men T. Yes Besides Lloyd before the Justice confessed the letting in Two men into my Lords Lodgings a little before his Death as appears by the Coppy hereof The Examination of John Lloyd of Goodmans-yard in Aldgate Parish without in London Clothworker taken before John Robins Esq one of the Justices of Peace for the County of Middlesex the 22th day of January Anno Domini 1689. THis Examinant saith on the day whereon the Right Honourable the late Earl of Essex was found dead upon the suspition of having been Murdered in his Lodgings in the Tower of London he then being a Soldier was standing Sentinel at the Door of the said Earl's Lodgings and had order to let no body go up Stairs to the said Lodgings without leave from Major Hawley or the Warder then in waiting on the said Earl and that about half an hour after Eight of the Clock in the Morning of the said Day two Men to this Examinant unknown knocked at the Hatch-door belonging to the said Lodgings and by permission of the said Warder entred the said Lodgings but when they came out he can give no account and that about Nine a Clock he heard a struggling on the said Morning and a little time after heard a Crying my Lord is dead T. Read this likewise G. C. T. of the Minories Butcher declareth and is
all Oponents the matter is as I do humbly conceive so far detected as Circumstantial Evidence is almost capable of and those that will not be convinced of the Truth of a Murder unless positively attested demand such Proof for their Conviction as no Law requires Now that the God of Wisdom Righteousness and Truth may direct and prosper your Lordships in this and all other Vndertakings is the Humble Prayer of My Lords Your Lordships most Humble and Obedient Servant P. V. The CONTENTS p. for Page c. for Colume THE Introduction Pag. 1. Col. 1. False Reports to prejudice the Discovery p. 2. Two Orders of the Lords p. 3. c. 1. How this Case first came before the Lords p. 3. c. 2. My Lord of Essex's Commitment to the Tower p. 4. c. 2. Bomeny 's Information before the Coroner printed p. 5. c. 2. Russel and the two Chirurgeons Informations before the Coroner p. 6. c. 1 2. The Substance of what was sworn before the Coroner to prove the Self-murder p. 6. c. 2. What Monday declareth p. 6. c. 2. What Major Hawley declareth p. 7. c. 1. Bomeny Monday Russel and Lloyd denied the letting in any Men to my Lord that morning my Lord died p. 7. c. 1. The Order into which the Evidence is divided p. 7. c. 2. Do. Smith 's Evidence to prove the Papists Resolution nine days before my Lord's Death to cut my Lord's Throat p. 8 9. An Objection against this Evidence p. 9. c. 2. An Answer to this Objection p. 9. c. 2. D. Smith 's Evidence no new made Story but long since revealed p. 10 11 12. Farther Objections against D. Smith 's Evidence and these Objections answered p. 12. c. 2. p. 13 to 22. Many Reports in several Parts of England before my Lord's Death that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower p. 22 23. All Reports agree in the Manner how and Place where p. 23. c. 2. An Objection against the Reports p. 24. c. 1 2. An Answer thereunto p. 24. c. 1 2. F Evidence proves that the Report before my Lord's Death sets forth not only the Manner how and the Place where my Lord died but likewise the pretended Reason wherefore my Lord cut his Throat p. 22 24. An Objection against F Evidence p. 24. c. 2. p. 25. c. 1. An Answer to this Objection p. 25. c. 1 2. How the Earl's Death became so generally reported in so many Places and particularly as to Manner Place and pretended Reason before he was dead p. 26. c. 1 2. A short Inference from these Reports p. 27. c. 1. What passed the day my Lord died p. 27. c. 1. The letting in the Ruffians to my Lord just before his Death p. 27. c. 2. p. 28 29. An Objection against this Evidence p. 30. c. 1. An Answer to this Objection p. 30. c. 2. M. B. proves a great bustling between three or four Men in my Lord's Room just before my Lord's Death and one in this bustle crying out very loud and very dolefully Murder Murder Murder p. 31. c. 1. This Evidence of B. not now made but revealed by B. just after my Lord's Death p. 31. c. 1 2. The Reason that M. B. refused to depose what she knew in this Case p. 31 c. 2. p. 32. B 's Testimony confirms Loyd 's Confession p. 33. c. 1. An Objection against B 's Evidence p. 33. c. 1. An Answer thereunto Eodem The Sentinel a Confederate p. 33. c. 1 2. The D. of Y. sends the Ruffians to murder my Lord p. 33. c. 2. p. 34. c. 1. An Objection against this p. 33. c. 2. An Answer to this Objection p. 33. c. 1 2. Further Evidence of the Duke's sending the Men to my Lord's Chamber to murder my Lord p. 35. c. 1. An Objection against such Evidence p. 35. c. 1. An Answer to this Objection p. 35. c. 1. Further Evidence of these Ruffians being sent by the Duke to the Earl's Lodgings p. 35. c. 2. A further Answer to an Objection against what R. and M. declared the day my Lord died p. 36. c. 1. Major Hawley suspected to let in the Ruffians into my Lord's Lodgings p. 36. c. 2. An Objection against this p. 36. c. 2. An Answer to this Objection p. 36. c. 2. p. 37. c. 1. Sir C. sent to the Old-Baily to give notice of my Lord's Death but forgets who brought Orders from his then Majesty for his going p. 37. c. 2. p. 38. c. 1 2. Bomeny and Russel suffered to hear each others Examination before the Coroner p. 38. c. 2. Bomeny 's first Information taken by the Coroner p. 38. c. 2. p. 39. c. 1. Bomeny suffered to go from the Jury into the next Room and there to write his second Information p. 39. c. 1. Bomeny 's Information which he so wrote p. 39. c. 2. p. 40. c. 1. Bomeny 's Information which was printed by Authority is different from that which he swore to p. 40. c. 1. The Reason Bomeny 's Information was printed contradictory to what he had deposed before the Coroner p. 40. c. 2. Monday declared the day before my Lord died and confirmed it afterwards that he saw my Lord of Essex with the Razor in his Hand as soon as the Gentleman-Goaler had opened my Lord's Chamber-Door and this above two hours before my Lord's Death and long before Russel stood Warder at my Lord's Chamber Door p. 41. c. 1 2. No Razor delivered to my Lord appears by the Contradictions between Bomeny Monday and Russel p. 42 43. c. 1. An Answer to those Contradictions p. 43. c. 1. This Answer insufficient Eodem Bomeny Monday and Russel swore or declared that my Lord pared his Nails with the Razor that morning my Lord died p. 43. c. 2. This appears false p. 43. c. 2. The Closet-Door not locked upon my Lord as Bomeny Monday and Russel have sworn or declared p. 43. c. 2. p. 44. c. 1. For what Reason Bomeny Monday and Russel have sworn and declared that my Lord's Closet Door was locked upon the Body p. 44. c. 2. p. 45. c. 1. Further Evidence against the Closet Door being locked p. 45. c. 1. No Razor lying by my Lord in the Closet when my Lord was first discovered p. 45. c. 1 2. W E proves a bloody Razor thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window before my Lord's Death was known p. 45. c. 2. An Objection against W E Testimony p. 45. c. 2. An Answer to this Objection p. 46 47. J. L. proves this bloody Razor being thrown out as before p. 48. c. 1. An Objection against J. L 's Evidence p. 48. c. 2. An Answer to this Objection Eodem Further Evidence of the bloody Razor 's being as before thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window p. 49 50 51. What might occasion the throwing out of the Razor before my Lord's Death was known p. 51. c. 1. Alice Carter supposed to take up this Razor and first to discover my Lord's Death Her Defence false
which she knew with relation to the Death of the late Earl of Essex was the cause of her trouble and it was not safe for her to reveal it or words to that effect whereupon the said R. M. advised her not to reveal it to any one till she might with safety The said R. M. farther saith that about February last the said R. M. finding it safe to ask and no danger to the said D. S. to reveal what she knew with relation to the said Earls Death he then desired her to inform him what she knew with relation thereunto Whereupon the said D. S. told him she had heard a Consult before my Lords Death to cut his Throat and that some great Person was named at that meeting as concerned in contriving the said Earls death or words to that effect upon which this Deponent without being very inquisitive into particulars spoke to one Mr. T. to acquaint Mr. Braddon whom the said R. M. knew not nor to his knowledge ever saw and sometime after the said Mr. T. told the said R. M. that he had spoken to the said Mr. Braddon about it and that the said Mr. Braddon did desire him the said R. M. to bring the said D. S. to the Cross-Keys in Watling-street where this Depondent and the said D. S. with one Friend of hers more met the said Mr. Braddon and Mr. T. and then the said D. S. gave the said Mr. Braddon a particular account of what she knew with relation to the Earls death And this Deponent doth verily believe that before that time the said D. S. never saw the said Mr. Braddon or Mr. T. W. T. Gent. deposeth that about January last discoursing with one R. M. concerning the death of the late Earl of Essex the said R. M. told this Deponent that he knew one D. S. which could say what was material with relation to the death of the late Earl of Essex whereupon this Deponent declared that he would inform Mr. Braddon of the same of which the said R. M. seemed very willing and desirous This Deponent did so accordingly but the said Mr. Braddon spoke to this effect viz. That he did believe the Papists did endeavour to put sham-Evidence upon him which they being able to detect would from thence argue against the truth of all that should be said And therefore the said Mr. Braddon declared that unless the said D. appeared to be of good reputation and that she had some years since discovered what she knew in this Case to some Friends so that it did appear that it was not a new contrived Story either to serve the present Interest or to baffle what else should be sworn he would not believe whatsoever she should say neither would he have her Sworn whatsoever she declared unless it appeared as above confirmed by those to whom she revealed it This Deponent told the said Mr. Braddon that he knew not the said D. S. neither to his remembrance had ever seen her But if the said Mr. Braddon would appoint some time and place he might discourse the said D. S. and hear what she could say which the said Mr. Braddon declared he would do if he knew where to speak with her upon which this Deponent went to the said R. M. and desired the said R. M. to bring the said D. S. to the Cross Keys in Watling Street such a day and hour for there the said Mr. Braddon and this Deponent should then be This Deponent further deposeth that the said R. M. D. S. and another met this Deponent and the said Mr. Braddon accordingly and this Deponent saith that he this Deponent the said R. M. and another Person were present when the said Mr. Braddon discoursed the said D. S. who then gave the said Mr. Braddon a particular account of two meetings of Papists several days before the Earl of Essex's Death wherein it was declared how the Earl of Essex's Throat was to be cut and by whom ordered and likewise of what passed the day the Earl dyed at the same house where they met before his Death This Deponent further deposeth that the said Mr. Braddon then spoke to the said D. S. to this effect That unless she could produce Persons of very good Reputation to whom she had some years before revealed it he would look upon it as a new contrived Story either to serve the interest of the Government or invented to baffle what else should be sworn for though it was of very dangerous consequence to reveal it yet he could not believe she had been so secret in it as not to reveal it to any and thereupon this Deponent heard the said D.S. declare she had revealed it to several which she named but she was by all cautioned to Secresy as she valued her safety The said D. S. did then further declare to the effect following viz. That for some time after my Lord's Death it did extreamly trouble her and she went to a Divine for his Advice in the matter for she was extreamly concern'd to think that the Papists should lay the Earls death to his own charge when she had as before heard how they themselves had resolved to cut his Throat but the said Divine told her as she then said she must be quiet and silent in the matter till such times should come wherein she might with safety reveal it This Deponent farther deposeth that he to his best remembrance never saw the said D. S. before this Meeting And this Deponent doth verily believe that the said Mr. Braddon never saw the said D. S. till as before at the Cross-Keys in Watling Street And this Deponent farther believeth that the said Mr. Braddon never did hear of the said D. S. or R. M. before this Deponent had as above deposed given him Information of them T. I have often heard Mr. Braddon declare that he never heard of the said D. S. before Mr. T. as before Informed him of her and this he would Depose if thereto called L. I think that matter is as plainly proved as the thing is capable of for no man can Swear possitively besides Mr. Braddon that Mr. Braddon never heard of or saw the said D. but through the Information of Mr. T. but by all circumstances as before deposed by Mr. M. and T. he never did G. Mr. M. deposeth that about February he did inform Mr. T. and Mr. T. deposeth it was about January here seems some variation T. None I think for when a man is to be examined to a Fact about six Months after the Fact done the certain time whereof he did not set down he may be well uncertain as to a week or much more Now neither of these Informants being positive as to the time but Mr. T. being more inclin'd to believe it to be in January and Mr. M. thinking it was the beginning of February each being to Swear as himself believeth as to the time thus came the seeming difference Besides when a
she saw the said D. in Baldwins Gardens whilst the said D. was as she then declared a Servant to the said Mrs. Holmes The Information of E. M. E. M. Wife of R. M. of Vine-street in Hatton Garden Pavier deposeth That in July 1683. she lived next Door to Mr. Holmes's in Leopards Alley in Baldwins Gardens and she knew D. S. to be a Servant in the House of the said Mr. Holmes in the same Month of July 1683. Note after the Death of the late Earl of Essex but this Deponent knoweth not how long the said D. S. tarried with the said Mr. Holmes a Servant This Deponent further deposeth That the said D. S. in the same Month of July 1683. told this Deponent that her Mistress had lost a Silver Spoon and told her she should pay for it Whereupon this Deponent said it was well if the right Owner had not mislaid it to make her pay for it or Words to that effect This Deponent farther deposeth That the said D. S. remained a Servant with the said Mr. Holmes several days after the said Spoon was lost L. Here are five Depositions against your two and unless these five appear to be of very infamous Characters Mrs. Hewit and Christopher deserve a Pillory for swearing falsely in Protection of Murder What is sworn by these five seems very natural because most agree in this That D. S. was a Servant with Holmes in that time of the year when Green Pease were very plenty and cheap Now this is a natural Evidence that it was long after April for all men know Pease are not then a Groat a Peck nor indeed to be had for any Price G. These Depositions contradict Hewit and Christopher as to that part which proves D. S. to go from Mr. Holmes in April but how do you prove Mr. Holmes was in Town the 13th of July 1683 seeing Mr. Swan as well as Hewit prove him in the Countrey T. As for Mrs. Hewits Deposition in that point it is of no credit at all for if it be once disproved in any particular as I think it sufficiently is the credit of the whole is destroyed for perjured or foresworn in one thing believed in nothing But seeing Mr. Swan which by the way is fallen into ill Company in this his Evidence deposeth That Holmes came to his House about the 9th of July 1683 and tarried till the 23d Mr. Swan hath sworn very indeffinitely as to the first part for what allowance he will have made for about I can't imagine if he thinks reasonable that about shall include the 16th seeing the time is so long past to which he swears this objection falls of it self but if the Parson will be more certain and depose that Mr. Holmes was at his House before the 13th of July 1683 and tarried there till the 23d then will his Oath be some Objection which otherwise is none Nevertheless it appears by the Informations following that Mr. Holmes did not go into the Countrey with Mrs. Hewit till D. S. left Holmes's Service and it is Sworn by E. M. that D. S. did not leave Mr. Holmes's Service till after my Lord's Death therefore according to these Informations Holmes did not go into the Countrey till after the Death of the late Earl of Essex Pray read this Information G. W. A. Declareth and is ready to Depose that whilst D. S. was Servant to Mr. Holmes in the Year of our Lord 1683 this Informant being then Apprentice to the said Mr. Holmes remembers that Mrs. Holmes pretended she lost a Silver Spoon but this Informant saith that the said D. S. was not immediately hereupon turned away for she tarried sometime after to the best of this Informants remembrance about a Fortnight This Informant further saith That Mr. Holmes did not go his Journey into the Countrey with Mrs. Dorothy Hewit until after the said D. S. left his Service But this Informant at present can't be possitive what Month the said D. S. went from Mr. Holmes's Service T. This Information doth further prove that the said D. did remain a Servant with Holmes some time after this Spoon was loft W.A. is ready to depose that a little before D. S. left Holmes 's Service she was taken with Fits and in her Fits would cry out The Papists are Bloody People The Papists are Bloody People several times over repeating it D. S. saith that the fright she was in when she first heard of my Lords Death brought upon her those Fits. and was not immediately turned away as was pretended by Hewit But a stronger Evidence to prove Hewit in Town whilst she swears she was with Mr. Holmes in the Countrey then any you yet heard is a Taylors Book ready to be produced by which it appears that Mrs. Hewit had a Dust-Gown a peculiar Riding upper Garment made for her the Week next after she swore she went out of Town this Gown was made the Week my Lord Died the Gown appears to be made about the Wednesday which was the 11th of July the second day next before my Lord's Death but the Taylor can't be possitive what day of this Week he did deliver this Gown to Mrs. Hewit The Taylor 's Information is as followeth J. W. of St. Dunstans declareth and is ready to depose that in July 1683 he lived in Poppins Alley nigh Fleetstreet very near Mrs. Dorothy Hewit and often wrought for the said Mrs. Hewit and between Menday the 9th of July 1683 and Monday the 16th of the fame Month and Year this Informant made or caused to be made a Dust-Gown for the said Mrs. Hewit as appears by this Informants Book ready to be produced and the very same Week viz. between Monday the 9th of July 1683 and Monday the 16th of the same Month and Year but in the very Day this Informant is not certain this Informant carried the said Dust-Gown to the said Mrs. Hewit who did then pretend she was about going into the Countrey but how long after the Dust-Gown so delivered the said Mrs. Hewit did go into the Countrey this Informant knoweth not T. This entry before my Lord's Death is so clear an Argument of the falcity of Holmes's Defence L. And consequently of the truth of his charge T. That there can't be a more satisfactory Evidence in this part produced G. How came this entry to be found out T. When Mr. Braddon found that Holmes endeavoured to prove as before sworn by Hewit himself out of Town from the 6th of July 1683 to the 26th or 27th of the same Month Mr. B. did endeavour to enquire out all such as either Mr. Holmes or Mrs. Hewit were well known to or traded with and therefore he made inquiry after all those with whom in that Month and Year they bought of or sold to all Shopkeepers Taylors Butchers Fishmongers Shoemakers Hatters c. and such as upon inquiry he received such Characters of as he might expect fair satisfaction from he did
had cut my Lord's Throat they were extreamly over-joyed and one of them striking the Master of the House upon the Back with great Joy cried The Feat was done and he could not but laugh to think how like a Fool the Earl of Essex looked when they came to cut his Throat L. These bloody Villains are the greatest Fools morally speaking for such horrid barbarous Cruelties is the highest degree of moral Folly and how like Fools and Rogues will such Blood-suckers look when they come to receive the Reward due to such Barbarity G. God's Judgments commonly overtake even in this Life that heinous and crying Sin of Murder for which the Penalty of Blood was by him expresly required in that Ancient Statute wherein it was positively enacted that Whosoever sheds Man's Blood by Man shall his Blood be shed I believe the Law in this Case will be fully executed upon all concerned or some eminent Judgments inflicted almost if not altogether as bad as the Penalty T. May no Character whatsoever be excused from some remarkable Punishment or other L. Amen T. You did object against what was sworn to be said by M. and R. because they viz. B. and his Wife and H and G. were but hear-say Evidence but I desire you to reflect upon the many such Testimonies produced to prove the high 〈◊〉 Plot in 1683. Nay read but the Evidence of Mr. Blaithwait Clerk of the Council in 1683. in Mr. Braddon's Trial pag. 22. you will there find Mr. Blaithwait being sworn on the behalf of the King against Mr. Braddon gives an Account to the Court what the young Edward's Sister declared to the Council-Board viz. That Braddon compelled the Boy to sign it the Paper the young Edward's signed this you fiud to be only hear-say Evidence and the Author the Sister then in Court but testified no such thing therefore this hear-say Evidence ought if any ought to have been rejected and yet this hear-say Evidence tho' not confirmed by the Author then upon Oath was not only admitted but ordered to be printed in the Trial in large Capital Letters how much sooner ought the Evidence of B. and his Wife as to what M. declared and of H. and G. as to R's Account be particularly remarked seeing M. and R. we cannot now produce in Court as that Author was but especially the first being presumed to be murdered by way of prevention by that bloody Party that murdered my Lord. L. We have a Maxim in our Law That no Man shall take an Advantage of his own Wrong but the Papists will totally destroy this Maxim for by the Murdering of those who know their Offences they totally suppress and destroy their Evidences and then will not admit of an Account tho' upon Oath of what these Men so murdered by way of prevention declared because it 's but an hear-say Evidence certainly if there be any Wrong Murder is such and of all Advantages by that Wrong the saving one's Life is the greatest T. Lloyd upon his first Confession could not be positive whether Major Hawley or Monday opened the House Door to the Ruffians G. It could not be Major Hawley for you said he declared That he went out of his own House at five in the Morning and returned not till after my Lord's Death so that between Five and past Nine till after my Lord's Death Major Hawley was not in his House and therefore could not open the Door to those that went in a little before Nine L. If Major Hawley did indeed let in those Ruffians I suppose you don't think he 'l own it And therefore Hawley may deny his being at Home after Five till my Lord was dead to avoid being suspected to be the Man that let them in T. Major Hawley's denial in this Case is as true as his other Denials of which you will hereafter hear to prove this denial false It is positively sworn by N. That he saw the said Major Hawley go into his House as my Lord Russel was carrying to the Old-Baily Now this was not above half an hour before the Murder committed and then whereas Hawley pretends he did not go nigh his own House after five of the Clock in the Morning till after my Lord's Death It 's contradicted by the positive Oath of one who swears That he saw Major Hawley several times a little before my Lord's Death run up thro' that Gate which is nigh and leads to his House and he would immediatly come in haste down to the Gate and peep on both sides as tho' he would see the way clear and because the Warder let in but one Man to the Tower Hawley came running to him in great fury chiding him for admitting that one L. Major Hawley's denial of what is so sworn looks as tho' he had not been thus careful in keeping all clear but for some Design which was to be done with as great secrecy as the Time and Place would admit of T. You may remember that Bo. Mo. and Ru. declar'd That there was a Razor delivered to my Lord wherewith to pair his Nails which his Lordship having done he retired into his Closet and there cuts his Throat the Closet Door being afterwards opened all these three as they depose and declare saw the Body there lie in its Blood and the Razor as before delivered to my Lord to pair his Nails lying by him G. This is in short their Relation and how can you possibly disprove it seeing there was none with my Lord but these three and therefore how can it be contradicted by any T. I will disprove this Relation in every part First I will convince you that there was no Razor delivered to my Lord to pair his Nails Secondly That my Lord did not lock himself into his Closet nor was there first found lock'd in as is sworn by these Men. And Thirdly That the Razor was not lying by the Body when these three first saw the Body dead G. I can't imagine how in these Particulars you can falsify their Relations T. I shall prove Bomeny's Relation to be false by what Russel swears and Russel's Deposition forged by what Monday declared the day my Lord died L. As soon as my Lord was found dead Bomeny Monday and Russel ought to have been secured T. It was so order'd by his Majesty for as soon as News of my Lord's Death was brought to King Charles the Second then in the Tower his Majesty sent my Lord Allington Sir C and Thomas Howard Esq to my Lord's Lodgings with Orders That all who were attending upon my Lord at the time of his Death should be secured and examined with relation thereunto His Majesty did further order That all things should remain as to the Body in the same Circumstances it was first found till the Coroner's Inquest had seen the Body Before Sir C had proceeded far in the Examination of any about my Lord's Death a Gentleman came as from his Majesty with Orders That Sir
Information viz. The Information of Paul Bomeny c. Saith That when my Lord came to Captain Hawley that was the 11th of July 1683 my Lord of Essex asked him for a Pen-knife to pair his Nails with as he was wont to do to which this Informant answered being come in haste he had not brought it but he would send for one and accordingly sent the Footman with a Note for several things for my Lord among which the Pen-knife was inserted and the Footman went and gave the Bill to my Lord's Steward who sent him the Provsion but not the Pen-knife and he told the Footman he would get one the next day when the Footman was come my Lord asked if the Pen-knife was come this Informant answered No but he should have it the next day and accordingly he on the 12th Instant in the Morning before my Lord of Essex was up this Informant sent the Footman home with a Note to the Steward in which among other things he asked for a Pen-knife for my Lord and when the Footman was gone about or a little after Eight a Clock my Lord sent one Mr. Russel his Warder to this Informant who came and then he asked him if the Pen-knife was come this Informant said No my Lord but I shall have it by and by to which my Lord said he should bring him one of his Razors it would do as well and then this Informant went and fetched one and gave it my Lord who then went to pair his Nails and then this Informant went out of the Room in the Passage by the Door and began to talk with the Warder and a little while after he went down Stairs and soon after came the Footman with the Pen-knife which this Informant put upon his Bed and thought my Lord had no more need of it because he thought he had paired his Nails and then this Informant came to my Lord's Chamber about Eight or Nine in the Forenoon on Friday the 13th Instant with a little Note from the Steward where there were three Lines writ but not finding his Lord in the Chamber went to the Close-stool Closet-door and found it shut and he thinking his Lord was busy there went down and staid a little and came up again thinking his Lord had been come out of the Closet and finding him not in the Chamber he knocked at the Door with his Finger thrice and said My Lord but no body answering he took up the Hanging and looked through the Chinck and saw Blood and part of the Razor whereupon he called the Warder Russel and went down to call for help and the said Russel pushed the Door open there they saw my Lord of Essex all along the Floor without a Perriwig and all full of Blood and the Razor by him And this Deponent further deposeth That the Razor now shewed unto him at the time of his Examination is the same Razor which he did bring unto my Lord and did lie on the ground in the Closet by my Lord. You find some of Bomeny's printed Informations writ in large Capital Letters and likewise some of this so writ L. I perceive it T. The first was inserted by my Lord Sunderland's Order the then Secretary of State or some under him And the third omitted for it was in the Original which you have just now read and the second was interlined by the Coroner after Bomeny had as before brought this Information to him what the Coroner interlined was as himself saith with Bomeny's Consent and truly I think very favourably of him G. I perceive that by comparing the Relation printed by Authority that next Monday after my Lord's Death with what you here declare to be the Original it materially differs for they added to it and took from it as they pleased so that this is in strictness speaking a forged Information that was printed L. As in a Deed or Bond the adding to or taking from either in Construction of Law is forging the whole So in an Information once signed and sworn to nothing can be added to it or diminished from it without being in Law a Forger of the whole G. What reason had the Secretary of State to print Bomeny's Information different from the Original T. My Lord Sunderland or some under Consident perceiving Bomeny had sworn the Delivery of the Razor and what thereupon happened to be of the Thursday the day before my Lord's Death which was not only contrary to his Instructions but a point-blank Contradiction to his Confederate Russel it was thought convenient either by my Lord Sunderland or such Confident under him that these two Informations should be reconciled in the Print how contradictory soever they were in the Original which could not be seen and compared with the Print by any but the Coroner in whose Custody they were and therefore on Friday the 13th Instant was to be by way of Forgery added to Bomeny's Informations but this done as hath been observed by an ingenuous Author on this occasion without the least Congruity either to Sense or Grammar for nothing can be more apparent than that the foregoing part of the Information relates wholly to Thursday but at last without any regard to what Bomeny had before sworn on Friday the 13th Instant is foisted in contrary to all Rules of Grammar and common Measures of Sense as well as Justice which justly esteems this printed Information forged This forged Reconciliation is done with the greatest Incongruity and Absurdness as well as Falseness imaginable and I know not whether the Folly of the Suborner for without doubt the Suborner and Reconciler in this case are the same or of the same stamp or the Perjury of the suborned in this Information be most conspicuous G. Sir I now perceive what was the reason of this Alteration or rather Forgery in this Information but as you have often observed God Almighty allots to the Knave such an Allay of the Fool that the Fool hangs the Knave up half way and in this that Observation is so Notorious that I never saw more of the Fool in the Knave in my Life Certainly this Gentleman that villanously in protection of the Murder thus turned Reconciler either did not understand Sense himself or else did believe none would read this Information that did c. T. Pray read these two Papers G. J. W. Painter saith That the very day the Earl of Essex died he went with one George Jones since dead to the Tower to discourse Nathaniel Monday concerning the Death of the said Earl and when they came to the Tower meeting with the said Monday he gave them this Account That as soon as the Gentleman Jaylor had opened my Lord's Chamber Door that very morning he the said Monday by Order went in to my Lord's Chamber and tarried there because their Orders were that one of the Warders should be in his Lordship's Chamber and the other at the Stair's Foot. And that they had this farther Order not
but one Evidence T. It will be proved as far as a Negative can be proved That this Boy and Girl never spoke to each other till some time after the Earl's Death and the Relations of the Boy and Girl were altogether strangers to each other having never to their Remembrance heard or seen one another which might be well supposed for their Habitation was some distance from each other Mr. Edwards and his Son and Family living in Mark-Lane the Girl and her Relations at St. Katherines besides you may observe the Girl stood upon the high Ground over against the Earl's Chamber Window and the Boy in the lower Ground where the Girl stood she being but short could hardly see the Ground where the Razor fell but she declared she saw the Maid in the white Hood come thereupon out of Major Hawley's House which Description agreed exactly with that Description the Boy gave of the Maid L. Their Evidence thus agreeing can't well be doubted G. I have been informed this Maid is now reputed of a loose Character T. Admit it true she could not be so thought when she was but just past twelve Years of Age and it was then she first declared it and six Years since and more swore it Therefore her now Character can't in common Reason prejudice her then Testimony given in her innocent Chilhood and her now Testimony is but a Repetition of her former Oath Besides had this Fact been told by Persons of never so great Infamy that did appear to be altogether strangers to each other their Agreement in their Relations had given Credit to their Testimony ☜ being first reported when as is before observed there could be no end proposed by telling this Lie seeing when it was first declared it appeared not in the least inconsistent with the pretended Truth of my Lord's Self-Murder because this Razor after the Discovery out of Indignation might have been thrown out of the Window by some attending on my Lord. Now had this been sworn the next day after my Lord's Death which at the time it was first told by this Boy and Girl could not appear otherwise then this Story of the Razor 's being thrown out of my Lord's Chamber Window had fallen to the Ground and no way useful to prove the Murder But this I have already more at large insisted upon L. It 's an old and true Proverb Children and Fools tell Truth the Reason of this saying is because Children and Fools not being capable of that Invention which such as are of Years and Understanding may be supposed to have speak without design the naked Truth of the Fact. T. A farther Argument of the Truth of this is the Relation of R. and M. the two Souldiers before mentioned both which the very day of my Lord's Death declared in this particular the same with the Boy and Girl as appears by these Informations following Pray read them G. E. G. and S. H. further declare That about 11 of the Clock the very day my Lord dy'd the aforesaid R. did further say That my Lord was murdered but before his Death was discovered to any out of the House there was a bloody Razor thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window and that a Maid took it up and carry'd it into my Lord's Lodgings J. B. and his Wife do both further declare That the aforesaid R. M. the very day of my Lord's Death did further say That after my Lord's Murder and before his Death was known there was a bloody Razor thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window which a little Boy endeavoured to take up but there came a Maid out of Capt. Hawley's House and took it up and run with it into Capt. Hawley's House and then the Maid was the first that discovered my Lord's Death L. These two Witnesses agree with the Boy not only in the Main as you call it but in several Circumstances of the Story with the Boy 's Relation First in the Main that there was a bloody Razor thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window before his Death was known Secondly Meake agrees with the Boy that the Boy did endeavour to take up this Razor but was prevented by the Maid who forthwith carried it into Major Hawley's House And Thirdly that this Maid was the first discovered my Lord's Death G. I must confess their Agreement in their Relations gives great Credit to the Truth of their Testimony L. Was it ever yet known that four Persons ☞ some very Young and others of Riper Years and all Strangers to one another should give the same Account of a Fact in all its Circumstances and the Fact not True T. For the farther Confirmation of this Truth I shall prove by three Witnesses more it was a general Report in the Tower that morning my Lord died That the Razor was as before related thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window Pray read these three Papers G. I. S. declareth That this Informant was a Souldier in the Tower that very morning the late Earl of Essex died in the Tower and about eight of the Clock in the same morning this Informant was sent as one of the Guards upon the Honorable Lord Russel to the Old Baily and as this Informant was returning to the Tower with several of this Guard one in great haste from the Tower met them and said the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat and thrown the Razor out of the Window Upon which it was Answered the Earl of Essex had great Courage first to Cut his Throat and then to throw the Razor out of the Window This Informant further saith That after he came into the Tower that very morning he heard it declared by several that there was a bloody Razor thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window before my Lord's Death was known R. G. Declareth That he was a Souldier in the Tower that very morning the late Earl of Essex dy'd and after the Earl's Death this Informant heard it discoursed that very morning in the Tower that there was a bloody Razor thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window before my Lord's Death was known and it was further said That the Razor was much broken and notched which some then attributed to the fall out of the Window but others said it might be against the Neckbone L. Against the Neck-bone That 's a pretty Business indeed that my Lord should so hack the Neck-bone as to break the Razor according to the description you have before given us of the Razor T. So Ridiculous as you make this it was the very same that the Surgeon the next day said to the Jury as you will anon find L. A Surgeon either Knave or Fool a Knave if he told them what he did not himself believe and nevertheless endeavoured when upon his Oath to speak the Truth to impose upon the Jury and a Fool if he did believe it But pray read the Third Information G. R. B. declareth That he this Informant was in the Tower that very
own But they were both thought deserving of Death for their cruel Treachery and were Executed accordingly G. Had we not already been too troublesome to you in this particular and satisfactory Relation I should beg one favour further T. Your further Satisfaction in this Matter may command from me whatsoever is convenient to be told and beyond that I desire you not to move me G. More than you have already declared I don't now desire to know but I perceive there have been very many Persons in this Case Sworn to many Particulars so that the Relation of the whole Matter hath been long but to me not tedious because I have received full Satisfaction in that wherein before I was extreamly Abused by Misinformation Sir If it may not be too tiresome to you I would desire you to Abstract the most material Proofs before mentioned and give us as short as you well can the substance of what is before deposed T. In this I shall readily serve you but I shall not observe the very same Method as before but shall begin with the Disproof of my Lord's Self-murder by destroying those forged Informations which would prove him so and Secondly shall prove him barbarously Murdered First For the disproof of the Self-murder The Right Honourable Arthur late Earl of Essex was Committed to the Tower Tuesday the 10th of July 1683. and there were placed over his Lordship two Warders viz. Monday and Russel and one Servant viz. Paul Bomeny permitted to be attending on my Lord the very next Friday morning about Nine of the Clock his Lordship was found Dead in his Closet with his Throat cut through both Jugular Arteries to the Neck-bone Now seeing our Law presumes every Man destroyed by violent Hands is Murdered by others unless such Evidence appears as gives Satisfaction in the contrary and proves him a Self-murderer This Lord had been found barbarously Murdered had not Bomeny Monday and Russel appeared to prove otherwise and they endeavour to prove it shortly thus My Lord of Essex they say called for a Pen-knife to pare his Nails which Pen-knife not being ready he required a Razor which was accordingly delivered him with which his Lordship having pared his Nails he retired into his Closet and locks himself in and there cut his Throat the Razor before delivered to pare his Nails lying by the Body But that this Relation is forged and that there was First no Razor delivered to my Lord to pare his Nails nor had his Lordship pared his Nails with any Secondly Neither the Body locked into the Closet Nor Thirdly The Razor lying locked in by the Body when my Lord was first know to be Dead is evident from what follows which clearly detects this Forgery For the first of these that there was no Razor delivered to my Lord. This appears by the Contradictions of Bomeny Russel and Monday as to the time of the delivery of this Razor for Bomeny first Swears he delivered this Razor to my Lord to pare his Nails on Friday morning at eight of the Clock and within two hours positively swears in the Deposition himself writ that he delivered it on Thursday morning at Eight of the Clock being the day before his Death and this as to the Thursday he swears Positively and Circumstantially Positively for he doth expressly name Thursday as the day on which the Razor was delivered and Circumstantially for he doth swear the Razor was delivered the very next Morning after my Lord came to Captain Hawley's and his Lordship went to Hawley on Wednesday the 11th of July But Russel Swears a Point-blank Contradiction to Bomeny's Oath for Russel deposeth and now declares That on Friday Morning in less than half an hour before they found my Lord Dead in his Closet he stood as Warder at my Lord's Chamber-door Monday that Morning having first stood as Warder on my Lord and was then gone down to stand below Stairs and heard my Lord ask Bomeny for a Pen-knife to pare his Nails which being not ready his Lordship required a Razor which he did immediately see Bomeny deliver his Lordship But Monday doth as directly give the lye to Russel as Russel did to Bomeny for Monday the day may Lord dy'd declared he saw my Lord have a Razor in his Hand paring his Nails with it at Seven a Clock that Morning my Lord died and this about two hours before Russel came up to stand as Warder at my Lord's Chamber-door Wherefore unless it can be reconciled how this Razor should be delivered Thursday Morning at Eight of the Clock according to Bomeny's Oath and yet not delivered till Friday Morning Nine of the Clock within half an hour of the time his Lordship was found Dead and delivered whilst Russel stood Warder at the Chamber-door as Russel deposeth and notwithstanding this my Lord to have had the Razor and pared his Nails with it two hours before Russel came up Stairs to stand Warder at my Lord's Chamber as Monday declared the very day my Lord died I say Unless these Contradictions can be reconciled it can't be thought that any Razor at all was delivered And then whereas all declared my Lord pared his Nails with the Razor by strict Observation it appeared his Lordship's Nails were not newly before his Death either pared or scraped Secondly That the Closet-door was not locked upon my Lord's Body appears by the Contradictions of these three as to the opening the Closet-door Bomeny first swore He did open the Door when my Lord would not answer upon his knocking at the Door and there saw my Lord lying Dead in his Blood and the Razor by him and he then called the Warders but immediately swears in Contradiction to his first Oath that he peeped through a Chink of the Door and saw Blood and part of the Razor and then without opening the Door ran and called Russel who thereupon first opened the Door And at Mr. Braddon's Tryal Swears he knew not who opened the Door Russel deposeth he did first open the Door and makes no difficulty in it then comes Monday and gives the lye to both For Monday the very day my Lord died declared what he hath since often confirm'd That neither Bomeny or Russel could stir the Door my Lord's Body lay so close and hard against the Door and he being stronger than either put his Shoulders against the Door and pressing with all his might broke it open Whosoever there is that can reconcile these Contradictions in these three Mens Relations and make all appear credible Erit mihi Magnus Apollo A further Argument That the Closet-door was not locked upon the Body appears by my Lord's Legs lying upon the Threshold of the Closet-door when the Body was pretended not to have been stired from its first Posture Thirdly That there was no Razor lying locked in with the Body when the Body was first found appears by the bloody Razor 's being thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window which is about seventeen
Foot distant from the Closet-door where the Body lay and no noise of my Lord's Death till after the Maid carried up the Razor which Maid thereupon first discovered my Lord's Death And as yet other Arguments of the Perjury of these perfidious Villains add the Mathematical Impossibility of the Wound seeing not above two Inches of the Razor must be without my Lord's Hand had he done it himself and yet the Wound above three Inches deep Moreover by many Eminent Doctors and Chyrurgions the Wound is thought to be naturally Impossible to have been done by my Lord himself because upon cutting the first Jugular Artery such an Effusion of Blood and Spirit would have immediately thereupon followed that Nature would not have been strong enough for to cut through the other Jugular Artery to the Neck-bone on the other side much less to make so many and so large Notches in the Razor against the Neck-bone as an old Foolish or K Chyrurgion suggested to the Coroncis Jury Wherefore by what is before observed as to the many Contradictions it plainly appears that these three as it is said in the History of Susanna Verse 61. are convicted of false Relations by their own Mouths and those other Arguments before observed are further Detections of these three Men's Perjuries It then remains as at first viz. That here is a Body found Dead by violent Hands and the manner of the Death not discovered for it can't be according to these three Mens Relations for the Reasons before observed The Conclusion that the Law makes in such Cases in this therefore holds good viz. That this Honourable Lord was Murdered by the violent and cruel Hands of barbarous and bloody minded Men. Secondly For the Proof of the Murder In this I shall first consider what is most material which passed before my Lord's Death Secondly The day of his Death And then Thirdly and Lastly After the day of his Death The First Before my Lord's Death I shall consider First The previous Resolutions by Papists to cut my Lord's Throat And then Secondly The many previous Reports before my Lord's Death that his Lordship had cut his Throat in the Tower. For the first of these D. S. declares That about nine Days before the Death of the late Earl of Essex she heard several Papists consulting together concerning the said Earl And this Informant heard them say the Earl of Essex was to be taken off and that they had been with His Highness and His Highness was first for Poysoning the Earl but that manner of Death being objected against it was then said one did propose to His Highness Stabbing the Earl but this way His Highness did not like at length His Highness concluded and ordered his Throat to be cut and His Highness had promised to be there when it was done Some few days after some of the aforesaid Persons declared It was resolved the Earl's Throat should be cut but they would give it out that he had done it himself and if any should deny it they would take them and punish them for it Secondly For the previous Reports before my Lord's Death It 's proved by eight several Witnesses That before the Earl's Death or before it could be known it was Reported That the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower amongst the rest it was at Froome which is about an hundred Miles from London the Wednesday Morning and at the same time at Andover about Sixty Miles from London tho at neither of these Places especially the former could it then be known that the Earl was a Prisoner in the Tower his Lordship being not committed to the Tower till the Tuesday in the Afternoon All these Reports agreed in the manner How viz. cutting his Throat and the place Where viz. the Tower and which is further at Andover the Wednesday Morning before my Lord's Death it was reported not only in the manner How and place Where but likewise the pretendded Reason Wherefore was given for it was then and there said That the Earl of Essex being a Prisoner in the Tower and understanding that the K. and Duke were come into the Tower his Lordship was afraid the K. would have come up into his Chamber and seen him of which his Lordship's Guilt and Shame would not bear the thoughts and therefore he did cut his Throat to avoid it This being declared two days before my Lord's Death when it could not have been in the least fore-thought that the King and Duke would have come together into the Tower where they had not been above twice together since the Restoration I say This previous Report which so particularly cloathed this Action with the how where and wherefore clearly proves That all things were so resolved upon to be done or otherwise it is impossible it should have been reported under these three Essential Qualifications as to Manner Place and Reason before it was indeed done especially at Andover where it could not then be supposed to be known that my Lord was so much as a Prisoner in the Tower this Reason the Papists themselves gave out just after my Lord's Death Secondly What passed the day my Lord died These then attending on my Lord viz. Russel and Monday the Warders Bomeny the Servant and Lloyd the Centinel at the Door did all deny that day my Lord died that there were 〈◊〉 any Men let into my Lord's Lodgings that Morning before my Lord's Death But it now appears That there were some Ruffians a little before my Lords Death sent into his Lodgings to Murder him which they did accordingly R. M. a Soldier in the Tower that Morning my Lord of Essex was Murdered about one of the Clock that very day nigh Aldgate told B. and his Wife That the Earl of Essex did not cut his own Throat but was barbarously Murdered by his Royal Highness's Order For the said Meake declared That just before the Earl's Murder His Highness sent two Men to the Earl's Lodgings to Murder him which after they had done they threw the Razor out of the Window Likewise a Soldier that Morning in the Tower about Eleven of the Clock that very Morning my Lord died in Baldwins Gardens informed G. and H. That the Earl of Essex did not cut his own Throat but was barbarously Murdered by his Royal Highness's own Order For the said R. then declared That a little before the Earls Murder his Royal Highness parted a little way from His Majesty and then two Men were sent into the Earls Lodgings to Murder my Lord which when they had done they did again return to his Highness Mr. E. declares That he saw his Royal Highness just before the Earl's Death part a little from his Majesty and then beckoned to two Gentlemen to come to him who came accordingly His Highness thereupon sent them towards the Earl of Essex 's Lodgings and about a quarter of an hour after this Informant saw these very two Men return to His Highness
and as they came they smiled and to the best of this Informant's hearing and remembrance said The Business was done upon which His Highness seemed very well pleased and then went to His Majesty to whom the news was immediately brought That the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat Lloyd the Centinel at my Lord's Door the day my Lord dyed till the 21st of January last did deny the letting in of any men and Russel and Monday still deny it but now Lloyd doth confess That just before my Lord's Death two or three Men by Major Hawley's special Order were let in and immediately he heard them as he did suppose they were go up stairs into my Lord's Room where there was a very great bustle and stir so great that this Centinel declared he would have forced after them had not the first Door been made fast upon the bustle he heard somewhat thrown down like the fall of a Man which he did suppose was my Lord's Body soon after which it was cryed out My Lord of Essex hath out his Throat Here is not only these mens going in but a great bustle confessed immediately thereupon to ensue in my Lord's Room and the Body of a Man in this bustle to be thrown down this is in a Close Prisoner's Room where no one is admitted but his Servant and those that kept the Door deny'd upon Oath that any were in my Lord's Chamber that Morning my Lord died before his death But these Warders being supposed privy to the Fact would not own the admitting of those Men which themselves let in with such a murtherous Design and it is to be presumed that this Centinel was not a stranger to the matter but enjoined to secrecy for otherwise he would never have declared to a Friend under a repeated request of secrecy that this Confession as before laid upon his Conscience and troubled him night and day for tho' it was indeed very true that he did let in these Men it was what he should not have confessed This Confirmation to his Acquaintance under a great and repeated injunction of secrecy argues first That this Confession was indeed true And Secondly That there is some cursed Confederacy it's probable by Oath entred into to stifle this Murther for what other probable Reason can be assigned for that trouble of Conscience in this Confession ☜ seeing himself at the same declared it was true tho' he should not have said it There are some other Arguments that this Sentinel was particeps Crimines in the Privity first his Retraction in part of what he did confess for upon his being first apprehended he owned the throwing out of the Razor before my Lord's death was known but he now retracts and disowns it Another Instance of his Privity is his now prevaricating in his now pretending that these men were let in an hour or more before my Lord's death whereas at first he declared they were let in immediately before my Lord's death for as soon as let in he heard several go up stairs into my Lord's Room and heard the bustle c. as before A third Argument of this Centinel's Privity is his not declaring the whole Truth which he must know for one at a greater distance that saw these Russians as they were bustling with my Lord and heard the bustle did likewise hear one of these in the bustle as it seemed to be and therefore presumed to be my Lord cry out very loud and very dolefully Murther murther murther The Centinel who could hear the trampling or indeed the very walking in my Lord's Chamber could not but hear this Murther so loud and often repeated It appears by five Cuts in my Lord 's Right Hand viz. two upon his Fore-finger ☞ one upon upon the Fourth Finger another on the Little Finge and the fifth about two Inches long in the Palm of his Right Hand that his Lordship in this bustle made great resistance for these Cuts can be supposed to be done no otherwise than by endeavouring to put off the Cruel Instrument of his Death The next thing that I should observe which happened the day my Lord dy'd and gives us reason to believe the Murther is the Irregularities committed upon the Body before the Jury saw the Body the Body was stript and washed and the Room and Closet washed and my Lord's Cloathes carried away tho' all men know the Body should have remained in its first posture till the Coroner's Jury had seen the Body Sir T. R. as himself saith declared to the Lords That the Body was not stirred from its first posture till the next morning about Ten of the Clock to this Sir Thomas hath not sworn for he was not sworn before the Lords and it s well he hath not ☞ for herein he is so much mistaken that the contrary can be proved by almost twenty Witnesses Had the Body remained in its first posture by my Lord's Cravat's being cut in three parts the Jury would have plainly seen that his Lordship could not so do it with the Razor and then secondly they would have perceived the print of a bloody Foot upon my Lord ☞ as he lay in the Closet by which it appeared some one had been with the Body in the Closet and several other Material Circumstances might have been discovered which by the total illegal alteration of the Circumstances of the Body c. were destroyed About Three of the Clock in the Afternoon that day my Lord died some of those bloody Men who had been at the Consult met at Homes's House and one of them leaped about the Room as overjoyed and as the Master of the House came into the Room he strikes him upon the Back and cry'd the Feat was done or we have done the Feat upon which the Master said is the Earls Throat cut to which the other replied Yes and farther said he could not but laugh to think how like a Fool the Earl of Essex looked when they came to cut his Throat To destroy the Testimony of this D. S. Homes hath produced Two Witnesses who by many Witnesses appear to be forsworn in every part of their Depositions His Defence being false his Charge therefore may be concluded true Thirdly and Lastly What past after the day of my Lord's Death That very Morning several Soldiers which were presumed able to discover what was material with relation to my Lord's Death were called together as M. then said and enjoined to secrecy under very severe Penalties About Ten of the Clock in the Morning the next day after my Lord's Death the Jury met and were surprized to see all the Circumstances of my Lord's Body changed from what was first discovered After the Jury had seen the Naked Body at Hawleys the Coroner adjourned them to a Victualling-House in the Tower when one of the Jury demanded a sight of the Cloathes but the Coroner was immediately called into the next Room from which returning to the Jury
Higher than the highest regardeth Etc. 5 8 He that 〈◊〉 the Eyes shall he not 〈…〉 〈…〉 me from the ground 〈…〉 vagabond shalt thou be 〈…〉 〈…〉 shall he not heare 〈◊〉 Throw him down Murder Murder Murder Put him to the Closâ—â—t Stop his mouth B. the Bed R where the razor was pretended to be found clerv the Closset window st the Close Stole E. the bloody foot an my Lords Stockin c. the only Chink of the Closset door ch the Chimney civ the Chamber window out of which the razor was thrown CD the Chamber door E the Earl of Essex as he was first found by those yt. saw the body before it was pretended to be moued C D Innocency and Truth Vindicated AN ACCOUNT Of what hath been or is ready to be deposed to prove the Most Treacherous and Cruel Murder Of the Right Honourable ARTHUR late Earl of ESSEX With Reflections upon the Evidence and the most material Objections against this Murder discuss'd and answered In a Conference between three Gentlemen concerning the present Inquiry into the Death of that Noble Lord and true Patriot Whoso sheddeth Man's Blood by Man shall his Blood be shed Gen. 9.6 For Blood it defileth the Land and the Land cannot be cleansed of the Blood that is shed therein but by the Blood of him that shed it Numb 35.33 Magna est Veritas praevalebat Printed in the Year MDCLXXXIX To the Right Honourable the LORDS of the late COMMITTEE appointed to examine into the Death of that Noble LORD and True PATRIOT ARTHUR late EARL of ESSEX My LORDS COuld I have manag'd the Evidence in Proof of the Murder of this Honourable Lord with that strength and efficacy they are capable of nothing would more plainly have appeared to the impartial Reader than this to me great Truth viz. That the Right Honourable Arthur late Earl of Essex was most Treacherously and Barbarously Murdered But such as it is I do with all Humility cast it at your Lordships Feet to whose great Judgments I shall with intire resignation submit My Lords Having long known and been lately much conversant with Mr. Braddon I have had often Opportunities of discoursing almost every Witness in this Case examined and such as I my self have not spoke with I have from him been informed what such have declared And though the Account I have here given of what these have related which have been examined before your Lordships be more large and particular than their Depositions because I have had repeated Opportunities of hearing their Relations yet if themselves say true nothing in these Papers is contradictory to or inconsistent with what they have deposed before your Lordships My Lords In the Account at large I have first stated the Case as to the pretended Self-Murder as it was and is endeavoured to be proved by those immediately attending on my Lord and then I have divided the Proofs for this Murder into three General Heads as they have relation to Time Whether First Before the Day of my Lord's Death Secondly The Day of his Death Thirdly Subsequent to the Day of his Death And after every Proof I have raised all such Objections I could in Conversation ever meet with or my self could object which carried the least colour of Argument against such Evidence and the Solutions with all humility are submitted to your Lordships Censures In the Abstract I have observed this Order First I have stated the Case as represented and sworn by those that would prove the Self-Murder and then detected the Falsity of every Part of those Relations After which I have briefly considered the other Proofs in the same Order of Time as the Discourse at large My Lords Several things here mentioned have not as yet been before your Lordships some of these Relations having not been known to Mr. Braddon before your Lordships Committee was dissolved But these after-Testimonies and some other things not here taken notice of will be brought before your Lordships as soon as your Lordships shall think fit to move that those Depositions and Examinations now sealed up may be taken out of the House by your Lordships and to those added such other Testimonies as have been taken before several Justices since the Report made or are ready to be taken and then that as well such as are now sealed up as those others which have been or shall be deposed may be reported by your Lordships in such Method as to your Lordships great Wisdom shall seem most meet After which I doubt not but all your Lordships and the whole World will be convinced of that Truth which the Interest of so many have industriously endeavoured to stifle But there is no Power of Earth and Hell when conjoined can make that Thing never to have been which was And therefore if my Lord was treacherously and barbarously murdered no Interest or Strength what-ever can make him a Self-murderer Truth may be destroyed in its Credit but never in its Being and the Measures that have been taken to discredit the Proof of this Murder have been sufficiently detected as false which hath not a little increased the Credibility of that which those Counter-Evidences would have rendered incredible and false My Lords No two Truths in Nature are inconsistent for then a Thing would be and not be at the same time wherefore when Men would subvert the belief of a Truth they do raise some Falshood which stands in opposition to such Truth but if once this Falshood appears in its true Colour then doth it give stronger credit to that Truth which before it was designed to prejudice My Lords every Man's Defence virtually concludes If my Defence be false my Charge is true This Conclusion the Law makes in all Civil Actions and it 's according to the Reason of the Thing For all Men presume that every Man accused will make use of the best Arguments especially in Matters of Fact he can for his Defence and if those appear false he falls under a Self-Condemnation My Lords tho this Discourse is printed it 's not published nor above 200 printed as is ready to be proved neither will one of these be communicated to any if your Lordships shall so order it for all are kept till Mr. Braddon receives your Lordships Commands as to their disposal My Lords I could wish I had not been so large in this Discourse seeing your Lordships whole time is so ingrossed by the Publick that I fear the State can scarce allow your Lordships any hours of perusal My Lords tho I can't but humbly beseech your Lordships Pardon for this Presumption yet I could not without being guilty of the greatest Injustice any otherwise dedicate this Discourse seeing what hath been already discovered is chiefly owing to your Lordships unwearied Diligence in those many Committees in which your Lordships have so often sat in search of a Truth which the Impenitency of some and the industrious Interest of others have strongly opposed But maugre
in every part p. 51. c. 2. p. 52. c. 1 2. The Razor broke at the top and several Notches in the Razor argue its fall some distance p. 52. c. 2. Farther Arguments against my Lord's cutting his Throat in the Closet p. 52. c. 2. p. 53. c. 1. The bloody Room and Closet washed before the Jury saw the Body p. 53. c. 2. The unfair Management of the Coroner's Jury p. 54. c. 1. Why the Body was stripp'd and the Clothes carried away and denied to the Jury p. 54. c. 2. p. 55. c. 1. A large Knife the supposed Instrument of my Lord's Death and Holland suspected as concerned therein p. 55 56. An Answer to Holland 's Letter to the Earl of Feversham p. 57 58. c. 1. Major Hawley suggested to the Coroner's Jury that Self-murder was my Lord's Principle p. 58. c. 2. p. 59. c. 1. Major Hawley denies his being with the Jury where they sat or that he did ever suggest this or ever heard it said to be my Lord's Principle p. 59. c. 1. The Reason of Major Hawley 's now denial p. 59. c. 2. Some short Inferences from such denial p. 59. c. 2. Major Hawley prevented the Coroner's Jury from adjourning their Inquisition by suggesting that his then Majesty had sent for the same p. 60. c. 1. Major Hawley ever disaffected to the present Interest p. 60. c. 2. The Coroner's Jury went not according to Evidence p. 61. c. 2. p. 62. c. 1. Some of the Jury unwilling to discover what they knew p. 62. c. 2. The Aversness of the then Government from any Inquiry into this Murder p. 64. The Reason of such Aversness p. 64. c. 1. The late crowned Heads endeavoured to subvert the Crown p. 65. c. 1 2. Very unreasonable Bail demanded of Mr. Braddon p. 68. c. 2. p. 69. c. 1. The Habeas-Corpus Act defective p. 70. c. 1 2. Mr. Braddon informed a little after he had first moved herein that his Highness had thretned his Ruin p. 71. c. 2. An Inference from that p. 71. c. 2. Mr. Braddon a sole Conspirator p. 72. c. 1. Mr. Braddon threatned by Sir R. S. just before he was tred p. 72. c. 1. Innocence a support under Trouble p. 72. c. 2. p. 73. c. 1. Mr. Braddon 's Jury well paid p. 73. c. 2. Sir Hugh Middleton Foreman of Mr. Braddon 's Jury since turned Papist p. 74. c. 1. His late Majesty crossed only Mr. Braddon 's Name in that List of his King's-Bench Prisoners which was delivered him p. 74. c. 1. An Inference from his late Majesty's Irreconcileable Hatred of Mr. Braddon p. 74. c. 2. The Coroner's Inquest used as a Means to prevent the Discovery of my Lord's Murder p. 75. c. 1. The detecting Sir Thomas Overbury 's Murder the same Offence Mr. Braddon was guilty of but met not with such Discouragement p. 75. c. 2. King James the First his Speech upon the discovery of Sir Thomas Overbury 's Murder p. 75. c. 2. A Comparison between the Murder of the late Earl of Essex and that of Sir Thomas Overbury p. 75. c. 2. p. 76. c. 1 2. The Lord-Keeper North insinuates to Mr. Braddon the Danger of this Prosecution p. 76. c. 2. The Reasons that moved Mr. Braddon to ingage in this Prosecution p. 76. c. 2. p. 77. c. 1. Bomeny shortly after my Lord's Death is supposed to have writ a Letter wherein he declared he would fully discover this Murder upon a Pardon p. 77. c. 2. An Objection against this p. 77. c. 2. An Answer to this Objection p. 78. c. 2. Bomeny supposed to be a disguised Papist p. 79. c. 1. A certain Divine's Argument for the Self-Murder p. 79. c. 2. An Answer thereunto p. 80. c. 1 2. The Contradictions between Bomeny Monday and Russel as to the pretended Self-Murder of themselves are sufficient to clear my Lord of this infamous Imputation p. 81. c. 1 2. Mr. Billingsley 's Objection against this Murder deserves no Credit p. 82. c. 1 2. p. 83. c. 1. The Earl of Essex feared neither Danger nor Death but was ready chearfully to lay down his Life for his Country p. 83. c. 2. The most popular Objections against this Murder answered p. 84 to 90. Injunctions of Secrecy laid upon the Souldiers the next day after the Earl's Death p. 90. c. 2. M. presumed to be murdered to prevent his testifying what he knew as to my Lord's Murder p. 91. R. sent to the Indies and there shot to Death p. 91. c. 1. A third Souldier fear'd he should be murdered for what he had discovered with relation to my Lord's Murder Eodem Hawley the Warder supposed to be murdered to hinder the Discovery of what he knew p. 91. c. 2. p. 92. A Souldier barbarously whipp'd only for saying He would not say he did believe the Earl of Essex cut his own Throat p. 92. c. 2. p. 93. c. 1. Old Edwards turned out of his Place in the Custom-House only as presumed for his Son's Relation p. 93. c. 2. Major Webster brings home my Lord 's bloody Handkerchief and forty nine Guinies and a Pistol c. p. 94. His Wife tells him she could hang him and one in the Tower p. 94. c. 2. Webster then in no danger of a Prosecution or Punishment from what his Wife could discover p. 94. c. 2. The Relation of a Wife will not excuse her concealing a Murder committed by her Husband p. 95 96. Major Webster before the Lords disown'd his having produced a Purse of Gold to O. but since pretended he had won the Mony at Gaming p. 96. c. 2. Holms 's Wife tells her Husband he was a Murderer and she could hang him c. p. 97. c. 1. Murderers falling out Murder is detected p. 97. c. 1. An Abstract of the Whole p. 97. c. 2. to 104. A Lincolns-Inn Gent. SIR I rejoyce I have thus fortunately met you here for ever since I came to Town I have longed to see you because I have been desired by many of our Country-men to give them what Information I can how the Case of the late Earl of Essex now stands whether there have been any Informations or Examinations herein taken before the Honourable House of Lords for we have heard their Lordships upon their first sitting took the matter into Examination and what you have heard to be the Substance of those Depositions and Examinations whether sufficient to prove that unfortunate Lord treacherously murdered as he was generally believed to be A Templer Sir you could never have met me more opportunely for your Satisfaction in this seeing I have now about me the Substance of all those Depositions and Examinations that have been taken before the Secret Committee of Lords appointed by the House for this purpose and some time since reported to the House and likewise Copies of many Informations herein taken before some Justices of the Peace besides all which I have Copies of such Depositions as have been sworn to destroy the Credit
Death any time that Morning my Lord dyed The two first upon their Oaths denied it before the Coroner and Bomeny Russel and Lloyd did at Mr. Bradon's Tryal pag. 55 56 57 upon their Oaths declare that no men were let into my Lords Lodgings that Morning my Lord dyed before my Lords Death was known Monday and Russel still persist in their denial of any mens being let into my Lord before his Death that Morning my Lord dyed This is the state of the Case as it was represented by those that were immediately attending upon my Lord at the time of his death I shall not in this place make any Observations upon the several Contradictions and Incoherences of these Relations nor yet say what is prov'd to falsify all that hath as before by these been declared and sworn but shall leave this to a more proper place and shall in my method begin with such things as were first in order of time The Informations and Examinations in this Case taken are nigh Sixty I shall range them in this order I shall place those First That have relation to what passed before the day of the death of the late Earl of Essex Secondly That that relate to what passed the day of his death And in the third and last place such as have relation to what was subsequent to the day of his death upon hearing all which I doubt not but fully to convince every unprejudiced person L. Such I am I do assure you for it s neither my interest nor desire that this Murder if such indeed it were should not be detected but I do heartily wish all such of whatsoever quality sex or condition as stood concerned in contriving privy to or acting in this Murder may be brought to condign punishment G. If this be proved to be a Murder I shall always think it the most villanous that was ever acted on our Stage and as soon as I shall be throughly convinced hereof shall as heartily desire with you that all Actors and Abetters herein may receive according to their demerit And indeed I shall hardly think any punishment too severe for such an Act or any thing too ill to be thought of any who were in the least concerned in this treacherous complicated Murder in Person and Reputation if it be proved to be any But pardon me if I think it not true but invented by heretofore Disloyal and Disaffected Men to raise an aversion against the most Unfortunate among Princes who was treacherously I had almost said Treasonably deserted by his Souldiers as well as others in the midst of the greatest dangers We have had much noise of this pretended Murder and as some falsly call it of the Murder of Charles the Second of the supposititiousness of the Birth of the Prince of Wales and of the Private French League but all this hitherto hath been but talk and I now think as I ever did there is not any good grounds for the belief of either for if there had we should long since for the Vindication of what is past which I shall forbear to call by its proper Name have had it made more publick T. Bona verba quaeso not this great heat G. But Passion is very natural to every honest Man that had any sparks of true Loyalty upon such Reflections as these T. Passion serves not but prejudices an Argument and generally speaking where there is the most Passion there is least Reason G. I will endeavour for the future to be more calm L. I shall tell you at our next meeting what I have heard concerning the Death of Charles the Second and the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales and its probable may inform you in both of what you may have never heard nor as yet made publick by any but I desire not any longer to detain this Gentleman from proceeding in his intended Method G. I beg both your Pardons for this Heat and Interruption and I do impatiently wait to hear what can be said T. I shall proceed and First as for such Informations as have relation to what passed before my Lord's Death these are of two sorts the first proves a Resolution by Papists several Days before my Lord's Death to cut my Lord's Throat The Second Many Reports in several parts of England before my Lord's Death that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower. For proof of their previous Resolution to cut my Lord's Throat pray read this Paper which I have taken for my own satisfaction and the Information of some Friends from the Person 's own Mouth G. D. S. saith That a little before the Death of the late Earl of Essex as she was Servant in the House of one Mr. Holmes a Papist then living in Baldwins Gardens about Nine Days before my Lord's Death some Papists among which one Mr. Lovet whom this Informant knew met in her said Masters House she being then in the Kitchin with one W. A. then Apprentice with the said Mr. Holmes the said W. A. went a little up stairs and stopping beckoned to this Informant to come to him which this Informant accordingly did but the said W. A. soon went up stairs into the Garret as this Informant supposes to work and left this Informant on the Stairs and this Informant heard the aforesaid Papists discoursing in the Room just over the Kitchin concerning the said Earl of Essex and the substance of what she then heard was to the Effect following viz. one of them cursing the said Earl called him Villain and Dog or such with several such approbrious Terms saying He knew so much of their Designs Note and was so very averse to their Interest that unless he was taken off they should never carry them on Upon which it was then answered by another That they had been with his Highness and his Highness was for Poysoning the said Earl but his Highness was told that manner of Death would not look well to the World it was then also declared that one had proposed to his Highness Stabbing the Earl but that was likwise not agreed on at length his Highness concluded and ordered his Throat to be cut and his Highness had promised to be there when it was done but this Informant remembers not any Place mentioned where the Earl's Throat was to be cut This was the Substance of what this Informant heard the first meeting But about three Days after some of the aforesaid Persons met again at the said Mr. Holmes's House and this Informant listned as before to their Discourse and heard one of them say That the cutting the Earl's Throat was agreed on but they would give it out That he had done it himself and if any should deny it they would take them up and punish them for it This Informant further saith That being much troubled in mind for what she had heard as above related she was willing to have discovered to some Justice of Peace what she
kenew as aforesaid being willing the Mischief as above-designed might be prevented Whereupon she went to a Friend of hers to advise with viz. one Mr. B. since dead who bfore that time had been her Master who lived not far from Mr. Holmes's House and informed him as before set forth Whereupon the said Mr. B. did advise her to be silent for the Papists carrying all before them she was ruined if she spoke of it Upon which she did not to her remembrance then reveal it to any other This Informant further saith That the very day of my Lord's death she was not long before Dinner at a Chandlers not far from the said Holme's House viz. one Mrs. Hinton's in Leather-lane where there then came some who declared That the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower upon which she went home to Mr. Holmes's and was extreamly troubled and immediately taken with Fits having as before heard their Resolution to cut the Earl's Throat This Informant further declareth That about two or three of the Clock the same day the Earl died some of the aforesaid Consult met again at her Master Holmes's House and she heard them leap about the Room and one of them struck him upon the Back and cry'd The Feat was done or we have done the Feat Whereupon the said Mr. Holmes replied Is the Earl's Throat cut To which the other answered Yes and further said he could not but laugh to think how like a Fool the Earl of Essex looked when they came to cut his Throat The said Mr. Holmes did then say Was his Highness there To which the other Papist replied Yes This Informant further saith That she did about four Years since discover to one Mr. R. with whom she then lived as a Servant his Wife and Daughter That she had heard at Mr. Holmes's House aforesaid some Papists several days before my Lord's Death declare That the Earl's Throat was to be cut but her said Master R. commanded her to hold her peace and not to tell him such dangerous things lest as he said being over-heard she should ruine him and all his Family or Words to that effect G. It 's improbable that any should discourse a matter of this Consequence and Secrecy thus to be over-heard by the Servant T. I do hardly know any House more convenient for a secret Meeting provided all the Family be true to the Design and it 's probable these Men did not know that this Maid was a Protestant or that upon the Stairs in the Kitchin their Discourse could be over-heard but indeed it could be there heard almost as plain as in the very Room it self unless you whisper L. Besides consider the Circumstances of Time when this Consult was held This was when our Government in its Corruption was grown to such a pitch that some People were Loyally mad and through blind prejudiced Obedience I hope more than Malice were offering up as Sacrifices to the Court Popish and Arbitrary Interest the Blood of those brave Men who did zealously oppose those cursed Designs the Popish and Arbitrary end whereof we then saw through a Glass but since to our Cost face to face Should therefore this poor Maid have revealed what she heard it 's ten thousand to one but this Truth would have met with such a Disbelief in some and such Hatred in others that through both it would have been severely punished for be sure these bloody Men would have deposed and in probability by others of their Party proved that they at that time were somewhere else and without all doubt our then Juries would sooner have credited the many oaths which would though falsely have contradicted her Testimony than her own single Evidence And therefore I think Mr. Billinger's Caution as before given this Maid was grounded upon great Reason and what would have proved too true should it have been put to the Tryal G. Hath this Woman been sworn T. Yes and as I have been told deposed the same in Substance before the Lords G. She here speaks of several that she long since informed of this matter is there any that have or will depose the same for otherwise I shall look upon it as a new contrived Story maliciously to traduce the most unhappy crowned Head in Christendom King James the Second I mean and therein to serve a present Interest L. I should agree with you in the same Opinion if it were not nor could be proved by those to whom she revealed it but to satisfie you that it both can and hath been proved long since to be discovered by this D. S. pray read what Mr. R. his Wife and Daughter before-mentioned in Smith's Informamation do declare and are teady to depose G. Mr. R. his Wife and Daughter do declare and are ready to depose That about four years since the aforesaid D. S. did declare that she had heard a Consult by Papists several days before the Earl of Essex's Death wherein it was declared the Earl's Throat was to be cut And the said Mr. R. further saith that he did check the said D. S. for speaking of it and would not hear her freely declare what she would have said in that matter because it would have been of dangerous Consequence to himself and Family should such her Discourse be over-heard as it easily might by any that might have listned at the Window And the said Mrs. R. further saith That the said D. S. about four Years since did declare That she could say much more than she had to them revealed and that she did hope she should live to see that day wherein she might with safety speak the Truth in this matter L. Have either of those there been sworn before the Lords T. Yes Mr. R. and his Daughter and they have declared to me they have deposed the same in substance before the Lords L. How long hath Mr. Braddon known of this Evidence T. No longer than about February last G. How doth that appear T. By those two Informations following by the first of which you will perceive that what this D. S. knew in this matter she was much afraid to reveal to every one L. She had great reason so to be for had it been long since known to some that she knew so much in all probability she would not now have been in the Land of the Living to have given this Information T. The Information you may read G. R. M. of London Goldsmith deposeth That some time after the Death of the late Earl of Essex observing D. S. to be very melancholy and much concerned and troubled in mind the said R. M. desired the said D. S. to tell the reason of such her Dejection but the said D. S. at first was very unwilling saying She was afraid to reveal her mind to any Whereupon the said R. M. advised her to discover it to some particular Friend whom she could safely confide in Upon which the said D. replied That somewhat
desire to see their Books in that Month of July to see whether any Goods were bought in Town by the said Mr. Holmes or Mrs. Hewit for proving Hewit in Town proves Holmes likewise in Town because it s sworn and can be prov'd they both went out of Town together or any Money paid between the 6th and 26th of July by either of these After a very long and tedious Inquiry all those Tradesmen being altogether Strangers to Mr. Braddon he providentially met with this Mr. W. who very readily shewed his Book wherein is entred as before 〈◊〉 This Book hath not been of any use to Mr. W. for almost five Years and it was a very great Providence this had not been torn out seeing the Book for some Years had been used as waste Paper and the very next Leaf to this torn out and lost L. Upon the smallest matters things of the greatest moment many times do depend who could have thought this entry so preserved would have been serviceable in so weighty and just a cause T. No one Providence is independent but the most considerable occurrences are often brought about by things of the least consideration Joseph's Dream preserved his Aged Father and all his Brethren and in them all that sprang from them from that pale Famine that otherwise might have devoured not these only but Egypt it self And Ahasuerus not being able either to Dream or Sleep not only saves the Jews from their Enemies but destroys their very Enemies themselves L. What can Holmes and Hewit say in Vindication of this notorious false Defence T. As soon as Mrs. Hewit understood such a Taylors entry was against her Oath she with Holmes's Wife went to this Taylor and desired to see his Book which being shewed Hewit first pretended that this Entry was forged and new but when Mr. W. declared he could safely and would depose that the Entry was real it was then pretended that the Gown was sent into the Country after Mrs. Hewit but when in answer to that Mr. W. declared he could depose that Mrs. Hewit was in Town when that Dust-Gown was made and delivered and that she then pretended she was about going into the Countrey but how many days after she did go he could not tell Mrs. Hewit told him if he did Swear that he would take off her Brothers life and Holmes's Blood would be upon his head L. This is a Villanous and False Suggestion to prevent the detection of Blood and evade the punishment for the vilest Murder I am sure of this if Mr. W. should upon Oath deny what he can with safety assert he would draw the guilt of Perjury on his Head. And not only so but this Perjury being in protection of a Murder to that Perjury he would add the guilt of my Lord's Blood seeing by that Perjury he doth endeavour to stifle the Discovery and prevent the Prosecution of the most Treacherous Barbarous and Cruel Murder in all circumstances consider'd our Nation ever knew If he that protects a Murderer being well assured that he is such in his House to avoid the common methods of Justice deserves in our Law to answer this Evasion which makes him accessary after the fact with nothing less than his Life How much more criminal before God is he that by Perjury endeavours to frustrate the Execution of Justice upon the the like offender the first doth an action in it self abstracted from the end hospitable nay it may be charitable and his intentions which argues his after assent to the Murder renders him a Criminal But the second commits one of the greatest Transgressions which in it self deserves almost Death with the same ill design as the first wherefore most certainly he is the greatest Criminal of the two by that addition of Perjury to the same offence And though our Law in this case punish not the second Offender with Death yet I am sure and I think all men will own that the second most deserves it That D. S. was a Servant at Holmes's the day of my Lord Russel's Tryal and my Lord of Essex's Death and that Mr. Holmes and Mrs. Dorothy Hewit were then in Town farther appears from the words of a Dying man who upon his Death-bed did several times declare he knew D. S. then there a Servant and Holmes and Hewit then in Town and both Holmes and Hewit that morning pretended they would go to my Lord Russel's Tryal This Person did often for several days before his Death declare this as what he could answer as a great truth before that God before whom he was shortly to appear and all this he did confirm with almost his very last breath This Person did farther declare that when D. S. was a Servant to the said Mr. Holmes and a little before she left Holmes's Service she told this Informant she was much troubled with somewhat which lay upon her mind upon which this Informant was desirous to know what it was but the said D. would not tell being unwilling and afraid upon which this Informant advised her to go to some Divine and disclose it L. If the positive Depositions of the Living and the last Breath of a Dying man then dropping into Eternity where this Relation had it been false would 〈◊〉 eternally tormented him may be credited Hewit and Christopher are most notoriously perjured and the Parson himself about being forsworn for about hath sav'd him from a flat Perjury and consequently Mr. Holmes's Defence thus Sworn to is false throughout T. Who then can otherwise conclude but that his charge is true L. It 's very probable that some or other that knew Mr. Holmes or Mrs. Hewit might see one or both of them at my Lord Russel's Tryal if they were there or might that night hear them confess their having been there for this was a very notorious thing and a sight which People of their Religion and Characters would rejoyce to see and delight much in the Repitition of G. It 's not unlikely but that others may remember they saw them that day and heard them give an account of both my Lord Russel's Tryal and the Earls Death for both these things are so remarkable as may fix the remembrance of Holmes's and Hewits being in Town in some of their acquaintance T. I think the Taylors Book before observed and the words of a Dying-man will be sufficient to convince all mankind Nevertheless I can't but say this that it 's the duty of every Person that can be positive in Hewits or Holmes's being in Town that day the Earl of Essex was murdered which was the same day my Lord Russel was try'd or their being in Town the day just before or next after for that Week proves Hewit Perjured who Swears she and Holmes went out of Town the Week next before and returned not till the 26th of the same month I say whosoever can be positive in this and reveals it not consents to the Death of my Lord and though
Humane Law reach him not the Divine Law-giver will one day lay it to his charge as consenting to this Blood. G. This Doctrine I do not well understand L. The Doctrine I think is both true and plain and I will give you an instance somewhat like this A Gentlman such a day very early in the morning was found Murdered between London and Highgate with one Glove lying by the Body and not any Person at the first by his Relations particularly suspected for the Murderer at length upon diligent Inquiry it was found out about Two Months after the Death that a certain Gentleman had sworn he would Murder the Deceased if he could ever meet with an opportunity Upon this suspition he was taken up the Prisoner denies the fact and in particular saith that he could make it appear by two then present how that two days before this Murder he went to Salisbury and tarried there till Ten days after and such a day he with his Two Friends return'd to London which Two Friends being then there declared they were ready to Depose the same A Gentleman just then coming in who knew and was very well acquainted with the Prisoner having been inform'd of his Defence immediately reflected upon this Defence and knew it to be false for this Gentleman with three others all knowing the Prisoner very betimes the very morning the Murder was committed which was of a remarkable day were walking out in Lambs-Conduit Fields there and then met the Prisoner with another Person a Stranger to them to whom they spoke and he to them and a little after the Prisoner was his Spaniel running with a Fringe Glove in his Mouth this Gentleman being well known to the Dog calls the Dog and takes from him the Glove puts it in his Pocket and carries it home This Gentleman therefore knowing this Defence to be false concluded as he naturally might that the charge was true and hereupon though with some reluctancy because the Prisoner was his acquaintance but not dearer to him then his love to Justice declares what you have before heard and fetches the Glove and his two Friends and all depose in contradiction to the Prisoners Defence what you have before heard related and the Glove appeared to be the Glove of the Person Murdered and Fellow to that found by the Body And now I desire to know of you what you think of this Gentleman who thus falsified the Defence did he do the duty of an honest man. G. Truly I believe he did and was to be commended for so doing though the Prisoner was his Acquaintance for Justice obliged him to it and Iustice knows neither Acquaintance Relation or Friend T. But do you not think that this Gentleman in foro Conscientiae had been consenting to this Murder had he suffered the Prisoner by such a forged Defence which he well knew to be false to baffle the Prosecution G. By his silence he would have consented to the Murder and negatively at least protected the Prisoner from that just Punishment which both the Law of God and Man justly inflicts for such an offence T. Upon the whole matter I think you have rather lost then got any ground by those Depositions upon which you so much rely'd to falsify D. S. Testimony and that which you have brought to destroy hath strengthened her Evidence and consequently gives credit to the truth of that most Barbarous Murder L. For my own part I am very well satisfied that D. S. hath deposed the truth for how can it be thought that she should declare so long since that she knew of this Consult if she had not indeed heard it her very saying it would have gone nigh as it would then have been managed per fas aut nefas to have cost her life and to believe that she would hazard her life to a Lye can't enter into my thoughts And therefore I am verily perswaded that nothing but the power of truth made her speak in this matter G. It appears sworn by Hewit that D. S. threatned Mrs. Holmes with Revenge when she was turned away L. For this you have the Oath of one who is sufficiently detected of a falsity in two other particulars and therefore not in this or any thing else to be credited T. Had she designed any Revenge she would have sworn more home upon Mr. Holmes for when she was asked whether she did remember that Mr. Holmes was in the Room either of the Two Meetings before my Lord's Death she declared she would not swear it because she remembred not that she had heard him there but all that she could positively swear against him was what passed after my Lord's Death viz. When Mr. Holmes came into the Room about Three of the Clock that day my Lord dyed one strikes him upon the Back and crys we have done the feat upon which Mr. Holmes said What is the Earls Throat cut to which the other replied yes and further said he could not but laugh to think how like a Fool the Earl looked when they came to cut his Throat upon Holmes's Question it was plain he well understood the meaning of that expression the Feat was done or otherwise he could not so readily have hit the thing G. Can it be supposed Mr. Holmes would at Three of the Clock that day my Lord Dy'd ask whether my Lord's Throat was cut when it had been from Eleven of the Clock that day in every mans mouth and consequently Holmes could not but believe without any further inquiry at that time of the day L. What Holmes here spoke by way of Interrogation might be intended as a strong affirmation of what seemed to be asked and this you can't wonder at Have you forgot that common Figure Quaerit Erotesis c. Is not this the Carpenters Son Is not this he speaking of St. Paul that destroyed them which called on his Name at Jerusalem c. in both these the thing is most strongly affirmed A Thousand such instances might be given Or it 's possible that D. S. might mistake for whereas she saith that Holmes said What is the Earls Throat cut which makes it an Interrogation the Expression might be What the Earls Throat is cut and this makes it a positive Affirmation Here the words are the very same only in the first the Copula is placed before the Subject and in the last just before the Predicate G. I must confess if either of these have sworn true or the dying man spoke truth this truth is a very strong confirmation of her Testimony and I cannot well disbelieve these Five seeing they do all so well agree in their Evidence for Five swear Smith was there about Peas time which must be after April I shall detain you no longer upon this particular but desire you to proceed T. Secondly the many reports in several parts of England before the Earls Death that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower. This
is proved by Eight Witnesses L. Enough sure to one point G. If their credit be good none ought to doubt what is attested by so many L. The Scripture saith that in the mouth of Two Witnesses a thing shall be confirmed he that will doubt the truth of a Fact attested by Eight credible Persons is not to be argued with T. Pray read these Eight Informations G. W. T. declareth and is ready to depose that Wednesday being the 11th of July 1683 the second day before the Death of the late Earl of Essex one Mr. H. of Froom in Somersetshire told this Informant that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower. This Informant farther saith that about the 18th of the same Month of July in the Year aforesaid meeting some Clothiers then newly come from London the Clothiers declared to this Informant that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower Fryday before about Nine of the Clock in the morning upon which this Informant declared he had heard it from Mr. H. the Wednesday before my Lords Death This Informant farther saith that meeting the said Mr. H. soon after this Informant asked the said Mr. H. how he could inform this Informant the Wednesday before my Lord of Essex's Death that my Lord had cut his Throat in the Tower when it appeared that my Lord of Essex did not dye till Eryday morning after about Nine of the Clock Upon which the said H. answered that all concluded my Lord of Essex would either cut his Throat or be an Evidence against his Friend my Lord Russel and most believed my Lord would rather cut his Throat then turn Evidence against his Friend J. B. of Marlborough in the County of Wilts Pinmaker declareth and is ready to depose that he this Informant was at Froom about 8 in the morning about 100 Miles from London Fryday the 13th of July in the Year of our Lord 1683 and this Informant then heard at the Dolphin aforesaid that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower and the Person that informed this Informant then farther declared that he much feared it might go the worse with my Lord Russel which that day was to be try'd Mrs. M. declareth and is ready to depose that Thursday the 12th of July 1683 going with her Daughter into Barkshire her Daughter informed this Informant that the night before being Wednesday night a Gentleman declared it was reported one of the Lords in the Tower had cut his Throat Mr. P. H. Merchant and his Wife both declare and are ready to depose that these Informants were at Tunbridge-Wells about Thirty Five Miles from London the day of the Death of the late Earl of Essex My Lord is not known to be dead 〈◊〉 after Nine and about Ten of the Clock that very morning it was whispered nigh the Wells that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower but the same was soon contradicted and hushed up till Chappel was ended which was about or a little before Twelve of the Clock and then the same report was revived and so continued without any contradiction T. F. of Andover about 60 Miles from London declareth and is ready to depose that the 10th of July 1683 being the Wednesday next before the Death of the late Earl of Essex this Informant heard it reported at Andover aforesaid that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower and it was that same Wednesday likewise declared that the Earl cut his Throat for this reason ☜ viz. the King and Duke coming into the Tower where the Earl of Essex was a Prisoner for High Treason the Earl was afraid the King would have came up into his Chamber and have seen him but his Guilt and Shame was such that he could not bear the thoughts of it having been so ungrateful an Offender against so good a Master therefore his Lordship cut his Throat to avoid it This Informant farther saith that the same Wednesday night inquiring at the Coffee-house whether the London Letters made any mention of this he could hear of none that writ of it upon which this Informant concluded it was false though the same report continued at Andover This Informant further saith that by Friday Post he did expect a Confirmation of the same but could not upon inquiry hear of any London Letters that spoke of it upon which this Informant concluded all was false But Saturday being the 14th of July the very next day after the Earl's death this Informant was told that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower upon which this Informant declared he had heard the same repeating what he had as before heard the Wednesday before upon which this Informant was told that it was very strange seeing the Earl did not cut his Throat till the Friday after at or a little after Nine of the Clock in the Morning J. B. Declareth and is ready to Depose That he this Informant lay at Andover about Sixty Miles from London Thursday night the 12th of July 1683. the very next day before the death of the late Earl of Essex and as this Informant Fryday Morning about Four of the Clock was going out with the Ostler to catch his Horse the Ostler several times over-told this Informant that the night before it was reported at his Masters House that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower. This Informant further saith That the very same day in the Afternoon he came to his own House in Southwark in the County of Surry and was then Informed that the Earl of Essex that very Morning between Nine and Ten of the Clock had cut his Throat in the Tower upon which this Informant was much surprized having as before heard the same at Andover nigh Sixty Miles from London above Four hours before the Earl's death J. S. of Bolt and Tun Court is ready to Depose That at or before Six of the Clock that very Morning the late Earl of Essex dy'd in the Tower viz. July the 13th 1683. there came into this Informants House a Gentleman who with much concern told this Informant he had just before heard the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower but this Informant about a Eleven of the Clock the same day being informed that the Earl was not dead till about Nine of the Clock This Inforformant was much surprized at the Report of my Lord 's having cut his Throat so many Hours before the Earl's death G. Have any of these eight been sworn before the Lords T. I have been informed by all those Eight Witnesses that they have Deposed in Substance as you have before heard This previous Report can be prov'd by many more but if these eight will not satisfie eightscore will not convince L. I think no Man can well doubt the Truth of this Report before my Lord's death thus Deposed by so many Witnesses T. Those
Men wink hard that they may not be convinced who will not reasonably conclude from those very Reports only were there no other sort of Evidence that this Brave and Honourable but unfortunate Earl was indeed barbarously Murdered for you may observe all those Reports in many Places of England Agree in the Manner how and the Place where for all said that the Earl had cut his Throat in the Tower One Report doth not say the Earl had destroyed himself which might have comprehended any manner of death neither do any of those Reports say That my Lord had Poisoned Stab'd Hanged or Pistolled himself all which are common ways of Self-destruction and either might have been practiced by any Gentleman under Confinement neither do either of those Reports differ in the Place where Note though all those Places where the Report was before my Lord's death that my Lord had cut his Throat in the Tower could not at the time of this Report be presumed to have been informed of my Lord 's being in the Tower I say all these Reports jump in one and the same manner of Self murder and all agree in the Place where viz. the Tower. This clearly proves that some days before my Lord's very Commitment to the Tower it was concluded not only that my Lord should be murdered in the General but likewise the Particular manner how and the Place where resolved upon For how could Froome being a Hundred Miles from London hear Wednesday Morning the 11th of July of my Lords being Prisoner in the Tower when his Lorship was not sent to the Tower till the day before being the 10th in the Afternoon Or how could this Commitment be well heard of at Andover about Sixty Miles from London on Wednesday Morning Tuesdays Post not being there till Wednesday in the Afternoon when the Commitment was not till the Tuesday in the Afternoon and yet at both these Places this very Wednesday Morning was it reported that the Earl had cut his Throat in the Tower. L. 'To me 't is beyond all doubt from what before appears that the Tower must be fixed upon as the place where this perfidious Cruelty was to be acted before my Lord was Prisoner in the Tower and the particular manner concluded in or otherwise the Reports as to the manner how and place where would have differed G. But how could it be supposed to be sent from hence the Saturday before my Lord's death that my Lord of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower when it was well known throughout this Town that my Lord was not then in the Tower nor committed till the Tuesday following T. Upon the best Inquiry I could make and the most probable reason I can give how this came so reported in the Country before it was indeed done is this It was resolved upon as D. S. deposeth Nine days before my Lord's death that my Lord's Throat should be cut Now those that were privy to the whole Secret and were willing to oblige their Country Correspondents and Friends with this to that bloody Party grateful resolution That the Earl's Throat was to be cut in the Tower and laid to his own Charge and this to be done either soon after his first Commitment or upon my Lord Russell's Tryal which was put off some short time such as had received so weighty Intelligence were likewise willing and ready partly out of a desire to oblige their Friends in the Country to whom this Design might be as acceptable and partly out of an Itch of telling News and of being the first in the Country that gave Information of this to them glad-tidings not doubting but my Lord's Throat was indeed cut when it was first resolved upon to be cut viz. either upon his first Commitment which they might suppose would have been before it was all things being so resolv'd upon or upon my Lord Russell's Tryal which was to have been before it was but put off of which these Country Intelligencers might not hear These I say being informed that the matter was thus laid concluded the thing was done as it was so designed to be done and so reported the thing as done before it was indeed done G. I took more particular notice of F's Information Note than of either of the Eight If I mistake not F. swears that the Wednesday before my Lord's Death it was reported at Andover That the King and Duke being in the Tower the Earl was afraid the King would have come up into his Chamber and have seen him but his guilt and shame was such in consideration of his great ingratitude to the best of Masters that he cut his Throat to avoid it I desire to see this Information again T. You are as to the Substance in the right G. This looks as though the Story were made after my Lord's Death for the King and Duke went not to the Tower till Friday Morning and their then going was altogether a surprize to the whole Town And after the Earl's Death their being then there occasioned very gross reflections seeing they had not been as I have been credibly informed above twice together in the Tower since the Restoration Now that this unfortunate Action the Earl's Death should be cloathed in the very same circumstances as afterwards pretended to be done not only as to the Manner how ☞ the Place where but likewise the Reason wherefore which Reason sets forth the King and Duke's being in the Tower when the Earl did it and done to avoid seeing his Majesty for the Earl as was said was afraid the King would have come up into his Chamber and seen him but the King and Duke's being in the Tower could neither be foreseen nor expected this I say makes F's Evidence scarce credible T. Neither the Cutting the Earl's Throat or the place where it was to be done or who was to be there viz. the King and Duke when it was to be done could be either foreseen or expected by any but those who either laid this bloody Scene or were privy by Information to its contrivance and such as well knew or had been informed how this matter was resolved upon may well be supposed capable of giving a particular Information of this cruel Tragedy L. I do well remember that the very Morning my Lord dy'd there was a small Paper cry'd about of the Earl's Death wherein it was so represented and the common report of the Town then was That the Earl cut his Throat for the same reason so long before assigned by the report at Andover I must confess this is very astonishing and whosoever believes F's Evidence only must from such a belief be fully assured not only that the Earl's Throat was designed to be cut but likewise that it was contrived to be done in the same circumstances it was afterwards acted under for else it could not possibly be so circumstantially reported before my Lords Death not only as to the How and the
Where but likewise the Wherefore given out before it was done T. Gentlemen I perceive you are both extremely surprized with this particular Evidence of F. as what looks like an after made Story seeing the Earl's Death was here so long before reported as afterwards it was pretended to be acted both as to the Circumstances of the King and Duke's being in the Tower and the Consideration that was pretended then moved the Earl hereunto viz. fear of the King 's coming into his Chamber and seeing him which his guilt and shame as was pretended would not bear the thoughts of But to confirm this Deposition you will hereafter hear others depose the same in the mean time I desire you would compare this with that part of D. S. Evidence which declares That Nine days before the Earl's Death it was declared that the Duke had concluded and ordered his Throat to be cut ☜ And his Highness had promised to be There when it was done Now it would have looked more directly upon his Highness should he alone have gone into the Tower that Morning and therefore as a colour to that pretended reason for the self-murther and a Skreen to his Highness his Majesty must be perswaded to go down likewise so that if any should say the Earl was Murthered it should be esteemed a Reflection upon his Majesty who was then in the Tower as though his Majesty had gone to the Tower that Morning to Murther the Earl. Thus we find the matter managed by the Lord Chief Justice and Attorney-General at Mr. Braddon's Tryal almost throughout the Tryal L. I perceive then that you do not think Charles the Second had any Hand in contriving this Murther T. I do not I assure you but rather the contrary upon very good reasons which you will hereafter be satisfied in for I shall mention them in their proper place But I do verily believe that some short time before the King's Death his Majesty was perswaded the Earl was Murthered and had his Majesty lived six Months longer it 's very probable you might long since have seen this detection L. I have some reason for the same belief For I do well remember about six Months after the late King's Death I was credibly told this Story my Lord Chief Justice Jefferyes not long after that King's Death was at some publick place where he took an occasion to speak very largely in praise of his Majesty then lately deceased and after he had made a very long harangue in his praise his Lordship turned about and whispered a Gentleman in the Ear whom he thought his Confident saying If the King had lived six Months longer we had been all Hanged notwithstanding what I have said T. The measure of his Lordship's Iniquity was not then full L. It seems not but every Man must believe his Lordship's measure was very large or otherwise the great quantity of innocent blood therein powered by his vile Injustice had long before his Death made it run over G. I do very much wonder admitting the Earl was Murthered which I am now almost brought to the belief of how it should thus become generally reported in so many places before his Death L. This almost will shortly be an altogether and you will in this be throughly perswaded of the truth of this barbarous Murther for I have reason to think much more will be said to prove it because there are so many Witnesses of which we have as yet had no account T. The reason of its being so generally reported before it was done you will not so much admire at if you consider all the Circumstances of this Action This Murther was not acted out of any private Motive to some private End it was not done for the satisfaction of Personal revenge No this was a branch of that Cursed Arbitrary and Popish Design against our Civil and Religious Rights at that time carried on with all the fury imaginable under colour of supporting the English Monarchy and Church of England both which were then falsly said to be threatned with Ruin by that Party of which that truly Noble but unfortunate Lord was marked out as one of the Chief I say this was done to remove a Chief Obstacle to that Popish and Arbitrary end the true Enemies of both Church and State were then carrying on for you find it Sworn by D. S that several days before the Earl's Death the Papists curs'd him as one who knew much of their Designs which he could not be ignorant of observing though with hatred from those high Posts he had been imployed in and was so very averse to their Interest that unless he was taken off they should never carry them on The carrying on their Popish Arbitrary and Devilish Design you see was by themselves assigned as the reason of this most perfidious and barbarous Cruelty so that this Murther was a branch of their Plot and consequently might be supposed to be known to many All which have not been Men of the greatest secrecy witness their Reports of the Fire of London so long before it came to pass and their giving an Account of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey's Death in the Country before we could be assured of the same in Town the Body not being then found Several the like Instances might be given L. For my own part I can wash my hands from the blood of any of those unfortunate Gentlemen which suffered for endeavouring to oppose those Arbitrary designs which the Charitable opinion most men had in the then Court could not at that time believe to be true but to our great Danger and Cost we have since seen them appear more bare-faced and those very men who esteemed it Damnable to draw the Sword in defence of our Religious and Civil Rights though never so grosly Invaded have since altered both their Opinion and Practice and could now weep over the Dust of those whose Persons they esteemed not deserving of life But blessed be God our Common Danger taught us to unite against the Common Enemy of all true Religion and Liberty and to joyn as one Man with that Hand from Heaven our present Soveraign sent to rescue us from what threatned the destruction of whatsoever was dear to any of us May God in mercy preserve us from these heats and animosities which being by our common Enemy once throughly enkindled may go nigh to end in the utter destruction of all that which of late hath been miraculously snatch'd out of the fire instrumentally by that hand which some of us ungrateful as we are by our actions seem neither to thank as our Benefactor nor acknowledge as our Sovereign though he seems to have a double Title to the Crown Jure Divino by that Miraculous success God was pleased to Crown him with and Jure Humano by that Election in common Gratitude made by the States of the Kingdom ◠From all these reports we may well conclude the Earl's Death was resolved upon by
ready to depose That after Lloyd had lain about a Month in Newgate he did desire this Informant as he was informed to see him who by permission of the Honourable Lords of this Committee went accordingly when this Informant came to Lloyd the said Lloyd spoke to this essect viz. Master as you are my Neighbour so I hope you will be my Friend and True to me to which this Informant declared he would be a Friend to the said Lloyd as far as he could whereupon the said Lloyd declared that all the time he had been in Newgate somewhat lay upon his Conscience and troubled him night and day upon which this Informant asked the said Lloyd what that was that was so troublesome to him whereupon the said Lloyd after often pressing this Informant to be True to him told this Informant that when he the said Lloyd was first Prisoner at the Goat-Alehouse in the Minories he did confess somewhat to a Gentleman who was altogether a Stranger to him which confession troubled him This Informant then desired to know what that confession was which had been so troublesome to his mind Lloyd hereupon renewing his request that this Informant would be true to him said he was troubled in Conscience night and day because he had confessed to that strange Gentleman the letting in those Men into my Lord's Lodgings just before his Death This Informant then told the said Lloyd the like he had confessed to this Informant and several others and even before the Justice of Peace had owned it under his Hand but if it were false he ought to retract it and be sorry for having said it Vpon which the said Lloyd declared it was indeed very true that he did let in those Men but it was what he should not have said L. You say that the Sentinel pretends he remembers not when these Ruffians came out of the house but I have been informed that a Servant Maid who then lived in the Tower came that morning into Leaden-hall-Market and wrung her hands and cryed out The Earl of Essex was Murdered The Earl of Essex was Murdered upon which the People gathering about her advised her to silence telling her she would bring her self into trouble by such Expressions The Maid thereupon declared she was sure it was true for she saw the men that murdered him just as they came down out of his Chamber and one of them almost pushed her all along G. Do you know who this Maid is L. No but I spoke with several that saw her the same Morning in the Market and heard her declare as above related T. There hath been great diligence used to find out this Maid but neither of those who heard her knew her name L. I am sure it 's the duty of those who knew her or of any other that could testify any thing material in this matter to give Information to the Gentlemen by this Honourable Family engaged in this Prosecution T. Mr. Braddon a little after my Lord's Murder was informed of a Person if I mistake not he was said to be a Waterman who likewise saw those Ruffians as they came out of the house just before my Lord's death was known and observed some Blood upon one of their Cloaths but having been often search'd in the King's Bench Prison and in a hurry forced to convey away his Papers he lost the name and place of abode of this man. L. That 's a great misfortune but if this discourse comes to the hand of that Person or any that have heard him declare what is above related or any thing else material in this matter they are desired to send notice to Mr. Braddon from whom a letter being left at Richara's Coffee-house nigh Temple Bar it will come safely and speedily to his hands T. It would be no little assistance to a farther discovery of this matter though I am sure every man that believes what is here related as proved or ready to be attested must be well satisfied in this Murder if every man that is not in the least accessary to this Murder would but be so ingenious and free as to send Mr. Braddon and give him an Account hereof It 's not desired that any should deelare more than what is true and what he would answer at the dreadful day of Judgment for whoso ever doth in this case attest a Lye or what to him is such endeavours to commit by such his Perjury the worst sort of Murder L. Did either of the Warders or my Lords Servant publickly confess the letting in those T. No nor this Soldier before he was seized the 21th of January last L. Seeing then they did all deny that any Men were let into my Lord that morning I can't but suppose these Men so let in were let in to Murder my Lord for had any Persons been innocently let in it might have been innocently confessed and owned but being admitted into the House with this Villanous and Bloody design those waiting on my Lord thought it neither convenient nor safe to confess the letting in of any G. This Lloyd expressed himself very odly to T. whom having often desired and enjoyned to Secresy to him pretended he was much troubled in conscience for what he had confessed ☞ but nevertheless declared such his confession to be true but it was what he should not have owned This looks as though there were some cursed Confederacy entred into for the suppression of truth L. I thought you would be brought over G. I were never so wedded to the belief of a Fact through prejudice or misinformation but upon a full and clear discovery of my mistake did readily renounce my first belief and cleave to the best Information or at least that which to me seemed the truest and to deal plainly with you I did not think so much could be said to prove what many Industriously endeavour to perswade me was false But there comes even now into my mind an objection against this Lloyds confession which will I think destroy it's credit with all Men. If I mistake not you told me this Lloyd at Mr. Braddon's Tryal upon Oath denyed the letting in any Men before my Lords death T. 'T is very true G. How then can any man give credit to this confession which is a point blank contradiction to his former Oath Nay if Lloyd upon Oath asserted what before he had forsworn I could not barely upon the credit of his Oath believe it T. Barely upon the credit of Lloyd I should hardly believe any thing only consider that the Confession of every man though ten times perjured is to be admitted against himself But farther pray reflect on the Circumstances of Lloyd's first Oath and you will find in several respects he stood prejudiced so that his first Oath could not be of equal credit 〈◊〉 his now Confession For admitting my Lord was Murdered by those men so let in either Lloyd was privy to the Murder or he was not
Lord and how clear soever she might escape the punishment of our Law she could not but expect she must answer it before him who positively requires Blood for Blood and that all Governments should make diligent Inquisition for the Blood of the slain or otherwise he would require that Blood thus buried through neglect at the hands of such Majestrates as were difficient in their Inquiry and more strictly would he one day reckon with those that could detect the Murder but refused to reveal it for upon such more especially would the guilt lye because the Majestrate can make no discovery but by Information and therefore those that refused or neglected to give their Information would most certainly one day severely answer for such their silence Such Discourse as this Mr. Braddon had with this Woman before several others after which Mr. Braddon desired to know whether she would go voluntarily or upon motion be brought to the House for he was resolved she should be Sworn Hereupon she declared seeing she must be sworn she would rather go willingly than through such compulsion and then went accordingly after which she declared what you have before heard whereas before she was sworn she would reveal nothing L. This is a great Argument both of the truth of her Evidence and the Integrity of the Woman who rather than sacrifice her Conscience by Perjury would sacrifice what she really believed to be her Interest T. Would no Person in this Case be guided by Interest or Affection but all ingeniously reveal what they know you would soon find that discovered which now lies buried in silence but may sooner be detected than some imagine L. If it shall hereafter appear that any Person knows any thing material of this Villany and hath not revealed it he may be most justly esteemed consenting to this Murder and how far our Law may extend in its punishment there may be an occasion hereafter to try G. This Evidence of M. B. doth very much agree with Lloyd's Confession for Lloyd declared That upon the three Mens going into my Lord's Room there was immediately a very great Noise and this M. B. heard But Lloyd declares nothing of Murder cryâ—d out which M. B. declared she heard It 's strange Lloyd should not hear it as well as the Trampling if indeed there was any Murder cry'd out L. It is very probable that Lloyd did hear Murder cry'd out for it 's hardly possible to be otherwise because it seems Murder was cry'd out thrice very loud and very dolefully but should Lloyd have confessed that he let in these three Men and that upon their going into my Lord's Room he heard a very great trampling and bustle and my Lord cry out Murder several times as before depos'd by this he should have accused himself as privy to the Murder for seeing Lloyd did not immediately cry out to the next Guard so that these Ruffians might be secured and if possible the Murder prevented or at least these Cut-throats taken one of which he might easily have done Nay in all probability these Men would have soon desisted had they heard the Sentinel cry out But Lloyd lets them go and instead of a Discovery by Perjury endeavours to conceal it and therefore may well be supposed prepared to permit this execrable Tragedy G. Permit What could a Sentinel do who is placed at his Stand but could not leave his Post L. Two things are required of such Sentinels first to see the Prisoner be kept close without any Communication by Word or Papers thrown into his Window and secondly to preserve him from Violence G. 'T is very possible that this poor Sentinel might know nothing of the Matter till after the Persons were let in and then he perceiv'd by their bustling with my Lord and his Lordship's crying out Murder that they came with an intent to murder my Lord yet the Power and Authority that sent these two Men might tie both the Tongue and the Hands of this Sentinel from endeavouring either to prevent the Action or secure the Actors that he thought it might cost his Life to oppose with either So that this poor ignorant Souldier is as much to be pitied as blamed T. Had he made a full and ingenuous Confession upon his being now seized and given this Reason for his Silence he had deserved great pity for falling under so great a Temptations as the fear of Death But when instead of this Ingenuity which might be naturally expected from such Innocence as you here represent this Souldier under you find the contrary and instead of being so free as to tell the whole Truth he seemed much troubled that he had revealed any part as appeared by that Expression to T. when he declared That tho' it was indeed true what he had confessed he should not have confessed it this I say is so far from arguing this Souldier that Man you would now seem to represent him as it rather concludes him a Confederate in the Fact. G. I must confess his retracting what he had owned to be true and declaring he was very sorry he had confessed it tho' it was indeed true seems to argue him not such a Stranger to the Fact as I could wish he were L. Have you any thing more as to this Point for I perceive we are very tedious to you T. Not in the least But I rejoice in this Occasion of giving you Satisfaction in this Matter Here are some other Informations with relation to this Point which I desire you to read G. E. G. and S. H. declare That the day of the Death of the late Earl of Essex viz. The 13th of July 1683 about eleven of the Clock the same day one R. in the hearing of these Informants did declare that he was in the Tower that Morning where it was reported That the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat but he was sure he was murdered and that by the Order of his Royal Highness for the said R. then declared that he did observe his Majesty and Royal Highness part a little from those that attended them and discoursed to the best of these Informants remembrance the said R. declared it was in French concerning the Prisoners then in the Tower and his Highness declared That of all the Prisoners then there the Earl of Essex ought to be taken off but his Majesty said he was resolved to spare him for what his Father had suffer'd upon which his Highness seemed very angry and a little before the Death of the said Earl his Highness parted a little way from his Majesty and then two Men were sent into the Earls Lodgings to murder him which having done the same two Men did again return to his Highness This the said R. declared with great Earnestness and Passion and protested he thought no Man was safe which was against the Popish Interest if once they began thus bare-faced to cut Throats T. R. proceeded farther which you shall hear in its
proper place G. How very improbable is it that the King and Duke should talk so loud concerning the Earl of Essex as that a Souldier should hear them This seems to carry its own Confutation T. If you consider it I think there is very little if any probability in this Evidence for you may observe that R. declared the King and Duke stood a little way off from those who attended them and they discoursed in French. Now there is not one common English Souldier of a thousand who doth understand French the Odds was then so great that this Souldier knew not what they said therefore it 's not so improbable as at first you may think it G. Can it be thought that the Duke admit he was so wicked as to be concerned in such a Fact would be so very foolish as to send the Ruffians so that any People might see their Mission and their Return T. Pray consider this Murder in all its Circumstances and then tell me whether those bloody Varlets had not all Reason in the World to have all the Security could be expected or desir'd you well know that my Lord of Essex was deservedly very popular and therefore a Parliament that should have had the least Information of this treacherous and bloody Murder would have prosecuted the Matter with all the Diligence and Vigor that such a piece of Barbarity deserved Now should they in such their Inquisition have detected those treacherous Villanes these bloody Men must have expected no Mercy And should the Duke have imployed them in his Closet only and they could not by any Circumstance have given Satisfaction that they were his hired Journey-Men in this piece of great Service their Evidence against him had not been the tenth part so credible as it would have been could they have proved that they were sent by his Highness towards the Earl's Lodgings just before his Death and soon after returned to his Highness before others knew that this cruel Tragedy was finished This Circumstance I say would have so corroborated their Evidence against their Master that none could in the least have doubted of the truth of their being so imployed that were once satisfied they were as before sent by and returned to his Highness This then obliged his Highness under no less Obligation than Self-Preservation to skreen those his faithful and ready Servants from any Prosecution well knowing that his own Interest and indeed Life was wrapt up in theirs Wherefore I think this matter was very cunningly managed as to the Security of these Cut-throats from the Hands of Justice either in their Punishment or Prosecution and it could not possibly have been done with greater Safety to the Persons of those that did it L. What is become of this honest brave English Souldier T. We have reason to believe he was taken off by way of Prevention as you will hear in its proper place L. I have heard of others that have fallen Sacrifices to the damned Secrecy of this Villanous Murder T. I shall immediately inform you of one here is the Information of two much of the same with the former G. J.B. and his Wife both declare That about one of the Clock the very day the late Earl of Essex died in the Tower one R.M. that Morning a Souldier in the Tower came to these Informants House and these Informants desired the said M. to give them the best Account he could how the Earl of Essex cut his own Throat to which the said M. with some Earnestness and Passion answered that the said Earl did not cut his own Throat but was barbarously murdered by two Men sent for that purpose by his Royal Highneses to the Earl's Lodgings just before his Death T. What M. did further declare and what was since his Fate you will hear in its proper order G. These four are but hear-say Witnesses T. It is very true but seeing we have great reason to believe that the addition of more Blood was the occasion of the Removal of these two especially the latter as you will hereafter find I think such Informations ought not to be slighted for after that rate it 's but taking off such as knew any thing with relation to a Murder and you are very secure from any Discovery tho never so many upon Oath give an Account of what those Men whose Mouths have been by bloody Men stopt from giving their own Relation have declared in the Matter these two Souldiers related the same as to the sending the Men into my Lord's Lodgings in two Houses as far distant as Dukes-place and Baldwin's Gardens and I am verily perswaded that neither H. nor G. ever spoke to B. and his Wife in their Lives for neither two remember to have seen or heard of the other Informants L. Who could imagine that two Souldiers should declare with such Concern and Earnestness that which was so very dangerous to be spoken if their love to Truth and their hatred of such a Treacherous and Bloody Murder had not even forced it from them to the hazard of almost their Lives by such their Relation G. No Man in particular ought to suffer upon hear-say Evidence T. 'T is true no Man ought to suffer barely upon a hear-say Evidence but such Testimony hath been used to corroborate what else may be sworn and of it self may in some Cases be enough to give Satisfaction in the general of the Truth of a matter and no further is it here used But the next Account of these two Mens being sent as before by his Highness shall be from the first hand Read this G. Mr. P.E. declareth That he this Informant was in the Tower that Morning the late Earl of Essex died and about a quarter of an hour before the said Earl's Death was discovered this Informant observed his Highness to part a little way from his Majesty and then beckned to two Gentlemen to come to him who came accordingly and this Informant did observe his Highness to send them towards the Earl's Lodgings and less than a quarter of an hour after this Informant did observe these very two Men to return to his Highness and as they came they smiled and to the best of this Informant's hearing and remembrance said The business is done upon which his Highness seemed very well pleased and immediately thereupon his Highness went to his Majesty soon after which News was brought to the King that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat L. This is no hear-say Evidence and compared with what the two poor unfortunate Souldiers the day of my Lord's Death as before related I think is very material and ad Hominem G. I must confess that Expression viz. The business is done looks with an ill face especially considering the Glee with which it was spoken Vile Imps of Hell that shall rejoyce in having done the most Treacherous Murder this Age or Nation ever heard of T. You find by D. S's Evidence That after they
to suffer his Lordship to have a Knife or any thing like it but whilst he used it in cutting his Meat and that being done all Knives and such-like were to be taken from him To which his Lordship answered He should take nothing ill in them in observing their Orders This Informant further saith That the said Monday did then declare that he tarried with my Lord in his Chamber two hours or better that very morning and that whilst he was with my Lord in his Chamber he did observe his Lordship paired his Nails with the Heel of a Razor This Informant further saith that the said Monday did further declare Before he left his Lordship and went down Stairs to stand below he called up Russel his fellow-Warder to stand in the Chamber and as he went down Stairs he lighted his Pipe and sat at the Stairs foot but before he had half smoaked his Pipe he heard it cried above Stairs that my Lord had cut his Throat Hereupon he the said Monday ran up Stairs and pushed the Closet Door open and there found my Lord dead This Informant further saith that the said Monday did further declare That when he came up Stairs he asked Mr. Bomeny and Russel where they were whilst my Lord was in the Closet The said Bomeny answered he was sitting upon the Bed in my Lord's Chamber and the said Russel declared he stood at my Lord's Chamber Door just without the Door whereupon he the said Monday as the said Monday declared check'd the said Russel for not keeping in the Chamber according to Order Richard Jordan declareth That on the day Mr. Braddon was tried upon the account of the late Earl of Essex this Informant heard Nath. Monday declare That the very morning the late Earl of Essex died as foon as the Gentlemen 〈◊〉 open'd the Chamber Door which was about seven of the Clock the said Monday first stood as Warder above Stairs upon the said Earl and at the first opening the Door did observe the said Earl have a Razor in his Hand pairing or scraping his Nails with it and this the said Monday declared he saw a long time before Russel stood Warder above Stairs upon the said Earl. T. By these two Informations you may perceive what Monday declared My Lord had this Razor in his Hand about seven a Clock in the Morning long before Russel came up Stairs to stand Warder upon my Lord and that my Lord pared his Nails with the Heel of the Razor G. I find it as you say L. Monday I perceive tells W. the very day my Lord died that the very same morning about seven of the Clock Monday told my Lord that they his Warders had Orders not to suffer his Lordship to have a Knife or any thing like it whilst he was cutting his Meat and that being done the Knife was to be taken from his Lordship This looks as tho there were some Jealousies that my Lord would cut his Throat for otherwise why would they not suffer him to have a Knife T. It looks more like either a Suggestion of Monday's own Invention or a Lesson taught him to make others believe that there was such a Suspition for Monday now denies it I desire now to compare these three Mens Relations as to the Time of delivery of the Razor by doing which you will have reason to believe no Razor at all was delivered to his Lordship For the clearer understanding hereof I suppose Bomeny under Examination with the Jury and answering according to what he hath sworn Jury Did you deliver this Razor to my Lord ☞ Bomeny Yes Jury When did you deliver this Razor to my Lord Bomeny About eight of the Clock that morning my Lord died ☞ This according to what he first swore but he then withdraws to write his own Information which point-blank contradicts this his Oath in that particular for he is then examined and answereth as followeth Jury Do you remember the very Time that you delivered this Razor to my Lord Bomeny Yes Jury When did you deliver this Razor to my Lord Bomeny ☞ About eight of the Clock on Thursday morning being the day before my Lord's death This as you observe he swears in the Information himself writ and brought to the Coroner T. Bomeny then to withdraw and let Russel answer to this particular Jury Mr. Russel do you know when this Razor was delivered to my Lord Russel Very well for I faw it delivered to my Lord by Bomeny Jury When did you see this Razor delivered Russel Less then a quarter of an hour before wefound my Lord dead I stood Warder at my Lord's Door and I heard his Lordship ask for his Penknife to pair his Nails and Bomeny said it was not brought upon which my Lord required a Razor saying it would do as well ☞ and I saw Bomeny give my Lord the Razor it being then about nine a Clock Jury Who first stood as Warder at my Lord's Chamber Door or in my Lord's Chamber yesterday morning before my Lord dy'd was it you or Monday Russel Monday upon my Lord's Chamber Door being opened first stood at the Door and after he had been there as long as we use to stand he called me up and then went down and stood at the Stairs-foot at the House Door where I did before stand Jury Then this Razor you saw delivered to my Lord after Monday went down Stairs and whilst you stood as Warder at my Lord's Door Russel It 's very true for I am sure I stood by Bomeny when he delivered the Razor and saw it delivered to my Lord. Jury What distance of Time do you say there might be from the time this Razor was delivered to the time of my Lord's death Russel I am sure it could not be half an hour from the time of the delivery of the Razor to the time we found my Lord dead in the Closet T. Russel withdraws and Monday is examined Jury Mr. Monday did you see my Lord have any Razor in his Hand yesterday morning before his death Monday Yes I did Jury What time was it when you saw my Lord have the Razor in his Hand Monday About seven of the Clock as soon as the Gentleman Jaylor opened my Lord's Chamber Door for I first stood Warder above Stairs and as soon as the Door was opened I saw my Lord have the Razor in his Hand and observed him to pair his Nails with it Jury Was this before Russel came up to my Lord's Chamber door to stand Warder there Monday Yes almost two hours T. This is according to their own Informations and Relations Now can you believe that this Razor was delivered by Bomeny at eight of the Clock Friday morning according to his first Oath and yet not delivered till eight of the Clock Tuesday Morning according to Bomeny's 〈◊〉 Oath And can you also believe that the Razor was not delivered till about nine of the Clock Friday Morning according
morning the late Earl of Essex died and immediately upon the first discovery of my Lord's Death this Informant went to Major Hawley's where my Lord then lay and by the Door of the said Major Hawley's House this Informant heard several then and there declare That there was a bloody Razor thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window before my Lord's Death was known some then and there asserting that they saw the Razor so thrown out L. Who now can doubt this Truth thus attested and confirmed T. But to put the Matter beyond all colour of contradiction or doubt read the farther Testimony of Mr. S. S. G. S. S. farther saith That the very day Major Webster and Lloyd were taken up viz. the 21st of January last as suspected concerned in the Death of the late Earl of Essex this Informant was in the Goat-Alehouse in the Minories where the said Webster and Lloyd were then in the Constable's Custody and this Informant did then and there hear the said Webster declare That he did nothing with relation to my Lord but pull off his Cravat and took the Razor up from the Floor and threw it out of the Window Upon which this Informant asked the said Webster What hurt the Razor had done him that he should throw it out of the Window To which the said Webster replied That when he did it he was under such a consternation as he knew not what he did This Informant farther saith That upon this Confession of the said Major Webster Lloyd the Sentinel then sitting by this Informant did declare That it was indeed true that the Razor was thrown out for it was thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window just over the said Lloyd's Head and the Razor fell just without the Pales The said Lloyd did further say That he did observe a little Boy and the Maid of the House to struggle for the Razor but the Maid took it and ran in with it into Major Hawley's House soon after crying out My Lord of Essex hath cut his Throat and the said Lloyd declared the said Maid was the first discovered to him my Lord's Death T. As a confirmation of this viz. that this Maid was the first that discovered to the Sentinel my Lord's Death read this Information G. J. N. declareth That he this Informant went into the Tower that very morning the late Earl of Essex died and just before the knowledg of my Lord's Death this Informant went to the Sentinel that then stood at my Lord's Lodgings and asked the said Sentinel how the Earl of Essex did to which the said Sentinel answered Very well T. Observe the Sentinel at this time pretended my Lord was very well and confessed not any knowledg of his Death But proceed G. Just as this Informant had asked this Question and been thus answered he did observe a Maid run in great haste into Major Hawley's House and as the Maid was come to the Stair-foot and going up Stairs he did observe a tall black Man a Warder and another Gentleman come down Stairs from my Lord's Chamber-Wards and neither of these two spoke one word of my Lord's Death as this Informant heard who stood about six foot from the Door but the Maid ran up in great haste and immediately in as great came running down Stairs wringing her Hands and crying out My Lord of Essex had cut his Throat which Discovery was the first this Informant heard of my Lord's Death who stood as before very nigh Major Hawley's House And this Informant did observe the said Maid to have a Razor in her Hand either as she ran up Stairs or as she came running down as aforesaid L. I wish we could but know who this Warder and another Gentleman was that came down Stairs as the Maid ran up for they could not be ignorant of what was done T. By description it must be Monday for there was but two Warders in the House at that time and this description agrees not with the other as for the other Gentleman a short time may discover him G. This Confession of Lloyd as to the Boy 's endeavouring to take up the Razor but the Maid's taking it up and carrying it into the House immediately upon which my Lord's Death was discovered I find agrees with the Boy 's Relation and with what M. and R. declared the very day my Lord died L. If you will not be convinced of the Truth of a Fact attested by such positive and circumstantial Relations agreeing in their several Accounts as to the material Circumstances of the Fact as was before observed and confirmed by two of the Persons accused the last whereof in his Relation gave the same representation of the Fact as was before related by so many I say if such Evidence as this will not convince you in in this Particular it argues you are under an invincible prejudice which moral Testimonies will not remove G. I can't but acknowledg my self in this Particular satisfied as to the truth of this Razor being so thrown out as before deposed but I am altogether to seek of the Reason of this Action what should make these Ruffians to throw it out L. You have the Reason Webster himself assigned for doing it for he was asked What made him throw it out he answered He was under such a consternation that he knew not what he did T. You did before observe the scituation of the Room and Closet and how the Chamber-Window out of which the Razor was thrown was about 17 foot distant from the Closet where the Body lay therefore it 's very probable after this bloody Ruffian had murdered my Lord and blooded the Razor as the pretended Instrument of his Death they having not finished the whole Scene and laid the Razor by the Body as was intended but this Webster who threw it out standing not far from the Chamber-Window with the bloody Razor in his Hand was surprised when a Person came up Stairs of whose coming he was not aware and under this consternation as is natural to a surprise in such horrid Villanies threw the Razor out of the Window but discovered nothing of my Lord's Death and then the Maid who it's possible was the occasion of this surprise went out and took it up and as soon as she returned into the House discovered my Lord's Death as you have before at large heard related G. This seems to be probable enough L. It may shortly prove more than probable G. What is become of this Maid that carried up the Razor T. She is under Bail. G. Doth she deny it T. Yes and saith she went out of her Master's House almost half an hour before my Lord's Death was known and returned not until my Lord's Death was publick and several People in the House to see my Lord For she tells this Story That about half an hour before my Lord's Death was known my Lord's Footman came to her and told her the Warder would not open the Wicket to let in
my Lord's Provisions that were brought and therefore begged her to go to her Master Mr. Hawley the Gentleman-Porter to desire him to go to the Warder that kept the Gate and order him to let in the Provisions L. It 's much the Footman himself could not go to Major Hawley for certainly the Major well-knowing whose Footman he was would soon go and give Orders to let in the Provisions upon the Footman's request as his Maids unless the Maid had some collateral consideration besides that of a Servant which might influence her Master T. There was no need of eithers going as you will immediately hear Upon this she declares She did accordingly go to her Master who thereupon ordered the Warder to let in my Lord's Provisions and as they viz. my Lord's Footman Will. Turner and one Sam. Peck and a Porter were bringing the Provisions a Sentinel told them They were come too late upon which this Maid declares she was surprised and asked Will. Turner what should be the meaning of that Expression You are come too late for she did not understand it Whereto Turner answered that he did suppose the Sentinel believed those Provisions to be my Lord Russel's who being gone to his Trial this Souldier might think he would never return again to the Tower and so the Provisions were brought too late This she declares she then believed but as soon as they came in sight of her Master's House they admired to see so great a Croud about the Door but were soon too well satisfied in the occasion for it was just before discovered that my Lord of Essex had cut his Throat G. This looks as a made Story for can it be thought that the Warder would not let in my Lord's Provisions T. It is indeed a forged Lye throughout for William Turner Samuel Peck and the Porter do all three declare that the Maid was not with them whilst they were bringing in the Provisions neither did the Warder that kept the Gate in the least scruple the letting in my Lord's Provisions this they all say they are ready to depose G. Then this Maid is a Confederate for otherwise she would speak the Truth T. Surely she that endeavours by such a false villanous Invention to evade the Truth becomes consenting to my Lord's Murder and at the last day shall answer it L. Nay she may answer it before if it be once plainly made appear that she did carry up the Razor and was the first that discovered my Lord's Death for by what she then saw and hath since heard sworn by those who attended on my Lord she could not but be well satisfied my Lord was murdered and endeavouring thus to stifle it by her false Evasions T. To which she saith she did swear before the Secretary of State. L. That adds Perjury to the first Guilt Without doubt her endeavouring by Perjury to conceal and stifle the most perfidious and barbarous Murder our Nation ever knew shall render her culpable in no small degree T. Just as the Maid cried out My Lord had cut his Throat one Mr. B. then an Ensign ran into the House and was the first Man in my Lord's Chamber after my Lord's Death was known the Blood then seeming almost reeking hot this Mr. B. declared that as he ran in he did observe this Maid whose Name he knew to be Alice standing at her Master's Door wringing her Hands and crying and N. who saw the Maid run into her Master's House and up Stairs and then heard her cry out Murder and likewise in her hand the Razor declares that was the very Maid which stood at the Door when Mr. B. went into the House L. By all Circumstances this must be the Maid for had not this Wench been some way concerned she would never have invented this Lie for Innocence flies not nor needs a Lie for its Defence but is always supported by Truth and Innocence it self becomes justly suspected for Guilt when it makes use of a false Defence the Law and the natural Reason of the thing presuming that every one will use the best and consequently the truest Defence in Protection of his Innocence Pray proceed T. The Circumstances of the Razor in the top's being so broken and the many other Notches as before appears by the Razor are natural self-Evidence of the Truth of the Razor 's being thrown out of the Window for my Lord in cutting his Throat could not so do it notwithstanding an old Chirurgion to the Jury declared otherwise for the Jury asking him Whether my Lord in cutting his own Throat could so break and notch the Razor The Chirurgion answered that it was possible for my Lord to do it against his Neck-bone occasioned by the Tremefaction of my Lord's Hand when the Razor came to the Neck-bone L. Certainly there was a Tremefaction in the Chirurgion's Understanding or Honesty when upon Oath he gave this Answer for I do suppose he was sworn T. He was so As a further Argument against my Lord's cutting his Throat in the Closet the Circumstances of the Closet as found when my Lord was first found dead appear in Evidence You may observe the Closet is but three Foot and one Inch wide and seven Foot long in one side and about five Foot long in the other now it 's declared by those attending on my Lord that there was no Blood against the Wall a foot higher than the Floor nor any upon the Cloose-stool or any of the Shelves of the Closet whereas had my Lord cut his Throat standing on the Closet the Blood would have immediately gushed out of so large an Orifice five Foot at least wherefore that part of the Wall over against his Throat must have been very bloody but in this case there was none at all and therefore it could not be done standing neither did his Lordship do it kneeling for there was no Blood as high as his Throat as in that Posture would have then been and that his Lordship did it not lying along appears from the Position of the Razor for the Wound beginning on the left side and ending on the right the Razor must have been on the right side of the Body whereas it lay about fourteen Inches or more from the left G. All these self-Evidences might have appeared to the Jury upon their view and it 's very much they did not observe them T. What the Jury did and how they were managed you shall soon hear But I shall First take notice of the many Irregularities with respect to the Management of my Lord's Body the Chamber and Closet after my Lord's Death Secondly The false and malicious Suggestions by Major Hawley to the Jury to hinder the Discovery of the Truth and to influence them to the belief of my Lord's self-Murder And Thirdly The Oppressions Threats and Severities since used to avoid a Detection of this unparalled bloody Treachery First The Irregularities with relation to the Body Room and Closet after my Lord's
Death these were such as prevented the Jury from making those Observations you say were natural for them to observe for the Body was stripp'd and washed and the Clothes carried away and likewise the Chamber and the Closet washed before ever the Jury saw the Body and when the Jury the next day saw the Body my Lord lay stripp'd and washed in the Chamber and covered with a Sheet L. This was very irregular and contrary to all Practices when a Body is found dead especially under the suspicion of self-Murder I say under a bare suspicion for seeing none could be examin'd in the matter to give any Account how my Lord became dead but those immediately attending on my Lord and such being strongly to be suspected as privy to the Murder if my Lord were by others treacherously taken off the Body and all things with relation to it should have remained under the Circumstances first found in and the Persons thus attending on my Lord secured apart in order to their Examination so that they might not instruct each other and agree in a feigned Story to avoid the Discovery of their most perfidious Villany T. This had been indeed natural and according to King Charles the Second's express Order but contrary to both the matter was managed according as you have heard declared The next day after my Lord's Death the Jury met and viewed the Body at Major Hawley's House under the Circumstances before related and then the Jury were adjourned to a Victualling House in the Tower to consider of their Inquisition When the Jury had the Matter thus under Examination Mr. Fisher one of the Jury demanded a sight of the Cloathes upon which the Coroner was called into the next Room and returning in some heat said It was the Body and not the Cloaths they were to sit upon the Body was there and that was sufficient L. Who was it that called the Coroner into the next Room and to whom did he there go for it 's probable this was what these Gentlemen who ever they were then in the next Room would not have inquired into so strictly I desire to know their Names T. The Coroner protests he hath forgot who called him or to whom he there went. L. Forgot I must confess I have heard of the Art of Memory but never of the Art of Forgetfulness as none are so deaf as those that will not hear so none so forgetful as those that will not remember T. You are very sharp upon the Coroner of whom I have a more charitable opinion L. Your Charity ought not to blind your Judgment Can you believe this Gentleman forgets what he hath had all the reason imaginable to remember for seeing my Lord's Death was so soon after his Death questioned this must naturally put the Coroner upon reflecting on what passed which might argue either for or against the Murder I am sure these Reflections would have naturally brought to and imprinted in his Mind this particular Passage but peradventure should the Coroner true Answer make to this Point and confess that such Gentlemen in the next Room advised him to check the Jury for their too great Inquisitives this would have look'd like making himself an Accessory in Fore Conscientiae at least after the Fact and therefore self-preservation makes him forget what otherwise he might well remember T. I must confess you have some Reason on your side but seeing the Coroner is fair in his Answers to other Questions and hath by his ingenuity in discovering what we could not have otherwise known been assisting to a Detection I do from such his fairness and readiness argue for his Innocence L. He is fair I find in his Answers to such Questions as touch not himself but when Self lies at stake he prevaricates G. It 's very probable he may at present forget what hereafter may come into his Mind and I dare say he will be ingenuous in what he knows when his Memory serves for I have heard a very fair Character of the Gentleman L. When his Memory doth serve as you call it I shall believe his Forgetfulness to be real but till then pardon me if I think otherwise G. In the mean time forbear your Censures L. From what Circumstances of the Cloaths could the Jury have had any sight into the Matter T. Had the Body lain in its first posture the Jury would have seen the print of a bloody Foot on my Lord's Stocking coming out of the Closet which would have argued that some had before been with the Body in the Closet though the contrary was then pretended by those three attending on my Lord. Secondly They would have found my Lord's Cravat cut in three pieces as the two Women that strip'd my Lord have often declared proved as followeth viz. Philip Johnson and Miriam Tovy have both deposed That Mary Johnson Wife of the said Philip Johnson hath often declared That she help'd strip the Body of the late Earl of Essex by the command of Major Hawley at whose House my Lord died and that the Neck of my Lord 's Cravat was cut in three pieces T. W. Gentleman saith That Alice Carter the very Night she was first seized as suspected privy to the Murder of the late Earl of Essex did declare That she help'd strip the Body of my Lord of Essex by the command of her Master Major Hawley and that my Lord 's Cravat was cut in three pieces G. It 's very much my Lord had not put off the Cravat or cut above it had he done it himself T. Those that attended on my Lord say my Lord had put off his Periwig and laid it upon the Shelf of the Closet that the Hairs of the Periwig might not hinder the Action L. Sure the Neck of the Cravat was a far greater Impediment and such as would have effectually hindred my Lord from doing it with a Razor the pretended Instrument of his Death This alone is a strong Argument that my Lord did not cut his own Throat as is sworn by those Treacherous Villains that attended on my Lord neither do I believe it was done at all by any Razor but with a more convenient Instrument for that purpose G. Did you ever hear with what Instrument it was done T. Yes and who besides any before named is said to be one of the Actors in this cursed Tragedy pray read this Information G. The Information of R. D. of the Parish of St. Mary-Somerset London Schoolmaster taken before me James Cardraw Esq Justice of the Peace for the County of Middlesex THis Informant saith That a little after the late Duke of Monmouth was routed in the West one Mr. J. E. to the best of this Informants remembrance told this Informant that it was almost Universally whispered amongst the acquaintance of Mr. John Holland formerly Servant to the Earl of Sunderland that the said Mr. Holland had confessed to one Mr. D. of his intimate acquaintance and afterward concerned
of Sir Edmund-bury Godfrey Such means as these would have been likewise in this case used if such who then misled Charles the Second and corrupted the State had not been the deepest in this black Contrivance G. This Letter I perceive mentions some other besides His Highness Pray who was else named T. In this I desire your Pardon but of the Name and Person you may hereafter hear G. Sir I desire to know nothing but what you are very free to tell T. Some things are not convenient to be spoken of till a more convenient Season G. I shall press to know nothing which may disserve this Discovery by being divulged What Religion was this Bomeny I have been informed he was a very good Protestant and one that my Lord had a great kindness for It 's much this Fellow if a Protestant could be prevailed with to connive at so Horrid a piece of Cruelty T. Bomeny's Religion was like many other Mens to be managed and changed in shew according to his Interest but cordially I do believe him still a Papist Whatsoever opinion my Lord might have of this Fellow as to his Faithfulness I am very well satisfied this Villain was engaged before my Lord was brought from his Country-house in this treacherous Murder for as my Lord was in the Custody of the Guard and bringing through Watford when all my Lord 's other Servants and even the whole Town were in Tears for his Lordship's Trouble this Judas rid smiling and talking of French with some of the Guards L. In hopes that within some short time he should receive more for his Perfidiousness than his Service might expect in many years But these Gains were his greatest Loss for what more ready way could he have taken to Destruction here I don't say against that he was secure enough but hereafter and what would it profit this Varlet to gain the World and lose his own Soul T. As for his Religion you may conclude it belonged to that Church whose Garments are dipped in the Blood of the Saints and that this Fellows Religion was really such tho in appearance he seemed otherwise may reasonably be concluded from this Story of which I have been credibly Informed The Protestant Minister where Bomeny lived in France after my Lord's Death prest Bomeny very earnestly to deal ingeniously in this Case for the Minister declared he was very well satisfied my Lord of Essex was Murdered and he was well assured that Bomeny must know it therefore the Minister protested he was not free that Bomeny should come to Church much less be admitted to the Blessed Sacrament till in this matter he had discharged himself Bomeny finding himself thus pressed by his Minister thought it best openly to profess what he was and the very next day declared himself a Papist L. That Priest to whom he should confess this Murder would be so far from enjoyning him a Penance that he would commend this action as Meritorious T. It was indeed for the Advancement of that Church so often drunk with the Blood of the Martyrs and the Stones of which Church are Cemented with the Blood of the Saints G. Then this traiterous Varlet who betrayed the best of Masters was only in shew a Protestant that thereby he might have the better opportunity of serving a Church which did ever by bloody means advance its Interest L. It 's very probable this vile perfidious Fellow was a constant Spy upon my Lord but when that Service was to have an end by the Destruction of his Person then was this barbarous Villain to finish his treachery in being Privy to the most astonishing Piece of complicated Cruelty and after that to Crown and Conceal this cursed Butchery Perjury was to be added so that this Murder might be laid to my Lord 's own Charge as well to destroy this Honourable Lord's Reputation as to protect those cruel Miscreants who had before perfidiously Murdered his Person G. Sir I am very glad you have thus given Mr. Bomeny's Character for I am very well satisfied that an Eminent Doctor for whom I am sure you have a very great Reverence believes quite otherwise of this Fellow for I have heard the Doctor give this Bomeny a very good Character which I do suppose he had only by Information and by what Relation this fellow did give the Doctor he was strongly perswaded that my Lord did it himself tho I am sure no Man would be more readily convinced upon good Ground than this Doctor would neither would any living be more zealous in a just Prosecution if once he had good Grounds to proceed upon which I can now soon furnish him with and Answer those very Objections which so much influenced the Doctor to a disbelief of my Lord 's being treacherously Murdered and one of his Reasons for the Self-murder was this Soon after my Lord's Death Mr. Bomeny that treacherous Villain of whom I cannot think with Patience gives the Doctor this Account That his Lord did use to be taken with sudden frenzical Passions and in particular with one that Morning just before his Death For said this vile Judas As soon as my Lord saw my Lord Russel go to his Tryal he struck his Breast and said himself was the cause of my Lord Russel 's Misery seeing he had vouched for that Gentleman whose Treachery would prove my Lord Russel 's Ruin c. and hereupon fell almost Distracted But I perceive this Story is intirely forg'd For the Jury here swear that this very Fellow to them the next day after my Lord's Death upon Oath declared My Lord was as chearful and the Night before eat an hearty a Supper as he did ever see him in his Life And gives them no Account of this treacherous Forgery nor any thing like it but all in Contradiction to it This appears by his first Oath T. It 's very probable at Mr. Braddon's Tryal he would have forgot this part of his Lesson had not the Attorney General whether out of any ill Design or according to Mr. Burton's false Instruction I know not put him in mind of this particular for when Mr. Attorney said Did you observe your Lord Melancholly Mr. Bomeny L. Without doubt Mr. Bomeny understood what Answer he was to give to this Question T. Yes And followed not the truth but in part tho very imperfectly his Instructions â—…don's â—… p. For Bomeny said Yes he was Melancholly but we took no notice of it for he did use to be so and we had no reason to suspect any thing more than ordinary L. Observe now how different or rather contradictory this Answer is to that Relation this perjured Villain gave this Doctor and both destroyed by that Account he upon Oath the vey next day after my Lord's Death gave the Jury for he then swore his Lord was very chearful had the Relation given the Doctor been true how ready would Bomeny to this Question have given it in answer and what an
apply such Fears accordingly now her Honour being startled with these often Repetitions upon hearing of her Lord's death might suppose that such had been her Lord's Resolutions which gave Birth to those repeated Expressions But whereas it 's said my Lord spoke it in a sort of Despondency it 's probable that her Honour might mistake his Lordship's undaunted Courage which with a higher assistance kept him above the fear of what the Power and Malice of his greatest Enemies could inflict for Desparation This to me seems the most likely considering what his Lordship had before declared viz. That he did expect the Court would not only Imprison but take off several and if it should be his misfortune to fall a Sacrifice for his Country to the Court Malice and Rage the World should see he ceuld dye with as great Resolution as ever his Father did for he was ready at all times and upon all occasions to lay down his Life for his Country This Honourable Lord was not ignorant of the Popish and Arbitrary Designs of the Court and that there were small hopes of any Redress by Parliaments for such were not suffered to sit when they began to reform our Grievances and as for the then Judges they were purely Instruments and Ecchoes to the Corruption of the Court so that whatsoever Whitehall had resolved upon as fit to be declared Treason in Westminsterhail was declared not properly adjudged accordingly not adjudged I say for we found many of them more Knave than Fool and their Interest corrupted their Consciences and these their Tongues to pronounce what their Judgments in the Law could not but be satisfied was false and themselves well knew to be corrupt wherefore only the last remedy remained in case the Court proceeded as there was all reason to believe they would by such Vile Illegal Arbitrary Popish and Oppressive Methods to destroy what to every brave true English Spirit is much more valuable than Life Religion Liberty and Property I mean. My Lord of Essex had long stood in a true light wherein he could plainly see the most secret and ultimate end of the Court and this made him the more resolved to joyn with others such Patriots as himself in opposition to those Hellish Plots of St. James's for there indeed lived the true Plotters which were industriously plotting the total Destruction of our Religion and Liberties when such true Lovers of their Country as himself were designing nothing more than the Preservation of our Laws which the Corruption of the Bench had in Perjury sold to the Oppression of the Court. But this Bargain was never so plainly proclaimed as in that Never-too-severely-to-be-punished Judgment which gave as far as was within the Power of that perjured Bench such a Dispencing Power to the Crown under a necessity of which necessity the Crown was the sole Judge as by a natural Consequence dissolved all Law when a Royal Arbitrary Ipse Dixit should so pronounce it Wherefore as before observed we held our Laws and therein our Religion Lives and Liberties as these Forsworn Mercenary Judges did their Places durante bene placito Regis Had we in this Lord's days known those Popish and Arbitrary Court-Secrets which he plainly saw designed our ruine but no confiderarion could ever corrupt this Honourable Lord to ingage in those Cursed Cabals most certainly we should have rescued the Lives of those our best Friends and not by a corrupt Constructive Treason have Sacrificed those true Lovers of our Country for doing of that which we all ought as one Man to have cordially joined in Had not those brave Patriots our Church and State Confessors the most Reverend his Grace and the Reverend six Bishops met with an Uncorrupt Jury which were guided by Conscience not imposed upon by the Court but enlightned with the true State of the Case as most judiciously and truly Stated by those their Learned Council in the Law These Seven Champions for our Laws and therein for all by them we possess would most certainly have been offered up by the Bench as Victims of Expiation for that Guilt which would in a Court Sense have robb'd the Crown of its richest Jewel yea that Court Philosopher-Stone the Dispencing Power which at pleasure might have turned our Properties Liberties yea Lives into pure Gold for the Estates we possess the Liberty we enjoy and the Lives we live we have guarded only next under God by our Laws which this Leviathan at once would have swallowed and totally destroyed L. When I consider my Lord 's declared Resolution of his not stirring tho then under the like Danger as in this Case apprehended and with what Readiness Courage and Chearfulness he could lay down his Life for his Country and likewise the Knowledg that he may be supposed to have of their Designs which those Villains nine days before his Death declared ☜ for it 's Sworn they then said The Earl knew so much of their Designs and was so very Averse to their Interest that they could never carry them on unless his Lordship was taken off and his Lordship was therefore to be Murdered I say when I consider these things and that the more this Honourable Lord knew of the black Intrigues of the Court the more so good a Man and so true a Patriot must be supposed to hate them I can't but imagine that this brave State-Champion when he had been once satisfied that the Court under Colour of Law would have taken him off had resolved as to himself to lay open those Popish Arbitrary-Court Contrivances and justified that just Design of standing upon their Guard there was no other way under God to defend what was so grosly invaded Now tho his Lordship might suppose by dealing thus plainly he should the more exasperate the Court so that their Malice would be more inveterately bent in his Destruction yet that he declared he feared not but was ready chearfully to lay down his life in so just a Cause and should this daring true lover of his Country have thus expired by his State-Martyrdom he would have given such satisfaction in the truth of what he thus couragiously with his last breath should have affirmed as would have raised a general hatred against those Arbitrary and Popish-Court-Resolutions and this might so suddenly have given another so general a Resurrection to that just Cause as would have totally routed those our true and only Enemies of both Church and State. Our then Enemies under colour of Law were industriously endeavouring the total Subversion of our Laws and whilst in shew they seemed to maintain the Protestant Church they were secretly contriving its total Destruction by wresting those very Laws which were chiefly designed as Destructive to Popery and making them productive of what they were enacted to destroy for by a malicious and furious Prosecution of all Protestant Dissenters they did hope to raise so general Animosities between the Conforming and Non-conforming Protestants that they might
through such Division have an opportunity to fullfil that notorious Jesuitical Maxim Divide Impera T. God was pleased not to deliver us till he had made some sensible of the Danger of that which at a distance they did not so plainly perceive to be hurtful but Affliction soon made them wise and convinc'd them of their mistake and then some of them might truly have said of Our Law what the Psalmist did of the Divine Before I was afflicted I went astray â—al 119. but now have I kept thy word The general Danger that threatned all taught us all it was our Interest as well as Duty to joyn with that falsly called * Late Kâ—â—â— James's Proclaâ—â—tion Nâ—â— unnatural Invasion which in tender compassion was undertaken by our present Sovereign to rescue us from our * Mr. â—…cordeâ— Speech 〈◊〉 the Priâ—â—â— of Oraâ—… true Invaders L. Can any imagine that my Lord 's declaring As for himself he was resolved what to do could give rise to those many reports in such several and far distant places of the Kingdom G. But which is more plain I have been informed his Lordship should in some cases justifie Self-murder and particularly that Action of the Earl of Northumberland who Pistol'd himself in the Tower. T. As for those Judicious Divines which have been reported to be the men to whom the Earl should justify Self-murther in some Cases some of these have declared That they never heard any man more strenuously argue against it as what was unjustifiable under any consideration than my Lord hath done Nay farther I have been credibly told That when my Lord was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland an Eminent Citizen of Dublin cut his own Throat and his Excellency then declaared that Citizen ought to be found Non-Composmentis for it was his Opinion That no man in his senses did ever cut his own Throat But a stronger Argument to me is what is before at large observed of Major Hawley's suggesting Self-murther for the avoiding a dishonourable and infamous Death to be my Lord 's fixed Principle ☜ and yet this Gentleman now denies not only this suggestion but likewise declared That he never heard it said to be my Lord's Principle till their Lordships in this Committee charged him with it Hawley's Suggestion to the Jury I do not doubt for it 's positively sworn against him but the falsity of the thing suggested is plain from Hawley's now denying it and that this Story had its rise from the same Malice that contrived his Lordship's Destruction For had this Principle been true How readily would Hawley have justified it as of what he had been credibly informed and how serviceable might he have thought it to prove the Self-murther But this Gentleman being conscious where this pretended Principle was hatched ☞ and what villanous use he himself according to Instruction and Order made of it to the Jury thought it not safe to justify either his Suggestion or his having so much as heard it before my Lord's death to be his Lordship's Principle for should he have been forc'd to produce to him the Authors of this pretended Principle it would too plainly have appeared that these his Authors were the Forgers of the Story But I will for the present admit what I am well assured you can't credibly prove That before my Lord's death his Lordship had declared that Self-murther in some Cases was lawful it doth not from thence inevitably follow that his Lordship therefore must cut his own Throat for some have justified the Principle that never thought fit to put it in practice I will for Argument sake admit yet farther That Hawley's suggested Principle was true viz. That the Earl of Essex declared he would destroy himself rather than be brought to a dishonourable and infamous Death can it be thought that from this general Resolution wherein no particular manner of death is declared all those several previous Reports before observed should rise for to borrow almost the very words of an Ingenious Author upon this Occasion Though they were vented by several persons yet they not only agreed in the matter of the Earl of Essex 's Death but they accorded also in the way and manner of it and place where namely that he cut his Throat in the Tower which plainly shews that it was not vulgar Tattle vented at random but had its foundation in a previous and fixed Resolution that he should undergo that unhappy Fate both as to manner and place nothing but a determinate Cause can produce a steddy and determinate Effect Had the Report taken its rise in the Jealousies of his Friends or owed its breath to the fearful Apprehensions of the Common People they would have rather dreamed of his being poisoned as being more safe for the Actors to perpetrate and requiring the accession of fewer hands than have ever imagined that his Throat should be cut It 's impossible to conceive that the Reports of so many several Persons should not only agree in the matter of his Death but all harmonize and center in the very Circumstances and manner of it and Place where unless it had originally proceeded from such as had contrived and determined both the Murther it self and the way wherein it should be committed and the Place where it should be done For when Reports have their foundation only in Mens Fancies they will always vary according to the different Tempers Passions and Complexions of the Reporters how could so many Persons and at such distances from one another and betwixt whom there was never any correspondence agree and combine together to impose upon the World and to abuse the Faith of Mankind and as they all seem to be Persons who abhor Tricks and who would not be guilty of spreading much less of raising a false Report so it is beyond the Wit of Man to declare how it should come to the Interest of Gentlewomen Citizens and Countrey Tradesmen to be the Authors of such a Story that my Lord of Essex had cut his Throat in the Tower before it was done or before knowledge of his Imprisonment in the Tower could arrive at some of these Places where it was so reported But that not only the how and where as to my Lord's Death should be the same in all those Reporters but the very wherefore two days before his Death be given for the having cut his Throat and the very same wherefore that the Papists publickly gave out and industriously spread just after my Lord's Death this proves beyond all doubt ☜ that the Matter was so particularly agreed upon by the Papists and this Reason by them resolved to be given out just after my Lord's Death it 's plain to all but those that wink hard that this pretended Reason must be hammered out of the Popish Forge For this Reason carried in it what none but the most secret in this Hellish Contrivance could before my Lord's Death give out for observe the Reason
declares That the Earl of Essex being Prisoner in the Tower the King and Duke came into the Tower to see the Tower of which the Earl having notice he was immediately afraid the King would have come up into his Chamber and seen him c. Now I would willingly know who besides the most intimately knowing in this matter could give information two days viz. the Wednesday Morning at Andover before my Lord's death that the Earl of Essex would cut his Throat in the Tower when the King and Duke were there because the King should not see him the King and Duke's being there was unexpected and a surprize to all but to the Men of Secrecy in this Murther because their being there together was so very rare that it happened but once in twenty five years But of this I have already spoken and also how this so particular a Report as to the Manner Place and Reason became thus reported in the Countrey so long before my Lord's Death L. Was you ever credibly told that his Lordship said he was resolved to destroy himself T. No I never heard that credibly reported L. Or which is more plain and particular Did his Lordship before his Imprisonment say that he was resolved to cut his Throat in the Tower when the King and Duke should come into the Tower to see him which his guilt and shame could not bear the thoughts of G. Certainly my Lord could neither foresee nor expect that the King and Duke should come into the Tower whilst he was Prisoner there L. But you find it depos'd That before my Lord's Death viz. the Wednesday at Andover As to his Death The manner how the place where and the reason wherefore are assigned Now had my Lord so particularly declared his Resolution in which by the way as to the King and Duke's being in the Tower he must have prophesied what could not be expected then it had been possible that this and those several Reports proved by eight Witnesses more far distant from and altogether strangers to each other all centering in the same manner how and the place where might have arisen from this Resolution of his Lordship so particularly declared T. It may be my Lord having heard the Papists had resolved to cut his Throat was afraid they would the more to torment him not do it like themselves but botchingly as they cut Mr. Arnold's and therefore that it might be done at a jerk and all perfectly finish'd at a stroak he was resolved to do it himself and did it effectually for though the Blade of the Razor without the Hand was not two Inches and a half he made a Wound about three Inches and half deep and therein did what by others was Mathematically impossible to be done and whereas before that Accident it was the Opinion of Doctors and Chyrurgeons that none could cut through both Jugular Arteries to the Neck-bone on both sides the Neck his Lordship was resolved to give the World demonstration of their mistake and after all his Lordship stopt the Orifice from giving issue to such a quantity of Blood and Spirits as would naturally have instantly killed him and out of malice to the living that others might be charged with his Death threw the Razor out of the Window and then sent the Maid down for it which having received from her he retired to his Closet lockt himself in and quietly laid himself down and the Razor by him and then gave free passage to that Blood and those Spirits which he thus miraculously kept so long in G. But to be serious for this is a Case of grave yea very doleful Consideration did you ever hear all those Reasons the Bishop then gave T. No but I could wish I had only this further Reason I think was given viz. what the Steward said concerning my Lord's desiring him to sit down and drink a glass of Wine with him the Night before his Death L. That I do totally disbelieve for the Reasons before mention'd T. But whereas you say Mr. H. did second my Lord Bishop I do assure you I did hear that Ingenious Gentleman declare the contrary and as a Gentleman told me desired one to vindicate him from that Report which he did totally deny G. What was then said by the Lords of the Committe after my Lord Bishop had given the Countess's Reasons of her Silence T. I have been told how true it is I cannot say that the Right Honourable the Earl of D. spake to the Countess to this effect Madam The belief or disbelief of a fact neither destroys the Existence nor alters the Nature of the Fact and we who are to proceed not according to private Opinion but legal Evidence have taken the Depositions of many Witnesses in this Case and unless many of these be villanously perjur'd which as yet we have no reason to believe my Lord must have been most barberously murthered G. Had the Countess or the Bishop before this seen what was sworn T. I suppose neither of these had either seen or been informed what was depos'd to prove this Murther neither could they then have heard what hath in this Case been depos'd because many Depositions have been since taken before the Lords and since their Lordships Committee was dissolved before several Justices of the Peace G. I cannot but believe that if the Countess once knew what you have now at large related her Opinion would soon be changed and her Zeal in this prosecution would be as great as could be expected from a Lady of her Honour and Quality and as for my Lord Bishop I am sure none would be more easily convinced upon such grounds as these neither would any more zealously ingage in this Prosecution T. Of this I doubt not for no Man can have a greater veneration for this Reverend Father in God than my self and I think this happy Revolution is under God and His Majesty not a little indebted to the Ingenuous and Indefatigable Pen of this Judicious and Learned Bishop The next Discouragement I shall mention was the strict Injunction with Threats laid upon many of the Soldiers to be secret in this matter J. B. and his Wife further declare That the very next day after my Lord of Essex 's Death the aforesaid R. M. told these Informants how that very morning their Officer called several Soldiers together and under very severe penalties enjoined them not to speak one word of what they had either seen or heard with relation to the Death of the Earl of Essex and therefore the said M. desired these Informants not to speak one word of what he had informed them with relation thereunto the day before lest it being discovered he should be severely punished for speaking any thing of this matter L. With what a degree of Impudence was this treacherous Cruelty stifled T. R. the Soldier before-mentioned that very day my Lord was murthered declawith very great earnestness That the Duke of York had so
barefac'd ordered the matter that he did believe no man was safe that was not for their Interest so soon as they began thus in effect openly to order cutting of Throats This R. did further protest That his Blood did so boil with indignation against this most Villanous and Barbarous Murther that could he have got those that would have stood by him he would have shot the chief Author dead upon the spot L. Altho' this Author did escape the just Indignation of this brave Soldier yet that Omnipotent Arm which seldom fails of punishing Blood even in this World thus treacherously spilt in vengeance hath pursu'd him and without doubt the Hell within is ten times worse than the trouble without him for tho' the Spirit of a man may bear his Infirmities a wounded Spirit none can bear and certainly a Conscience of flint must be deeply wounded with those self-reflections which so great Guilt must naturally beget L. But what is become of these two honest Soldiers T. As for M. not long after the Earl's Death he told B. and his Wife and one D. That he had fallen out with one of the Warders about the said Earl's Death and the Warder had not courage to fight him but he did verily believe and much fear that he should be basely murthered for what he had spoke concerning the said Earl's Murther and that very day he did much dread he should be destroy'd wherefore he did desire B. or D. to keep him company that day but they fearing themselves might be in danger by being in his company and having work to do which they were obliged to finish they both refused it and the next morning they heard the said M. was found dead in the Tower-Ditch just over against Major Webster's House L. Surely Blood upon Blood must force down Vengeance from Heaven but what became of R T. All the account can be had of him is this That not long after the Earl's Death he was drawn out of the Tower and sent beyond Seas to the East-Indies and there at some fort shot to death but upon what account we cannot learn. I fear several other Soldiers have been murthered to prevent the discovery of this unheard of piece of Villany for as I was not long since discoursing in a Coffee-House concerning this M's being murthered A Gentleman told me That by his Neighbour's Shop-door there stopt three Soldiers a little after M's death and one looking very melancholly said He did fear he should be murthered as poor M. was for speaking somewhat which he knew about the Earl's Death for he did observe himself dog'd several days by two men which he did suppose were Irish-men and this Soldier did then desire those his two Fellow-soldiers to take notice of what he had told them and if he were missing and could not be found they should conclude that he was murthered for this very reason L. Did this Shop-keeper know either of those Soldiers T. No nor did he think it safe to make any inquiry into the matter lest he should fall under such misfortune as had befallen others for medling herein you can't but find most men are for observing that Maxim Foelix quem faciant c. Happy is he whom other mens harms do make to beware L. Certainly these things must hasten Vengeance If that Soldier who was in this danger be now living he may with safety and I am sure it 's his duty appear and discover what he knows or if with others he be treacherously murthered it were well those his two Fellow-soldiers would testify what that poor Soldier had informed them this in Justice they are bound to do and there is no danger in doing it such as now do refuse to testify their knowledge in the Matter consent to the Blood of the Slain and one day must expect to answer it T. Hawley the Warder intimately acquainted with Major Hawley at whose House my Lord was murthered was found dead in the Medways about April next after my Lords death having been murthered in a most barbarous manner This Hawley was supposed to be taken off to prevent the discovery of what he knew in this matter for a little after Mr. Hawley was missing viz. about a month before he was found dead a Warder then in the Tower supposed to be a Papist told Mr. A. S. who had long lain under the pressure of the then misgovernment and then there a Prisoner without any Evidence to justify the Commitment That Hawley was run away for prating somewhat about the Earl of Essex but how he ran away a short time discovered This Hawley was in Westminster-hall when Mr. Bradden was upon his Tryal and said He much wondered upon what Mr. Braddon should stir in this thing when ☜ to his Knowledg Mr. Braddon knew nothing A Gentleman then present who knew Mr. Hawley looked on this Expression as what argued Mr. Hawley not a stranger to the matter wherefore this Gentleman immediately said Mr. Hawley if you know Mr. Braddon knows nothing of this matter what must you then know upon which Mr. Hawley seemed surprized having too far expressed himself and made no Reply S. I have been informed by a Warder in the Tower that this Mr. Hawley the Warder as soon as he heard the News of the Earl's Death immediately declared it was a damn'd piece of Roguery throughout T. This Mr. Hawley was very rich and a Warder only to exempt him from Parish Services but he never waited unless it were on very solemn Occasions and that very day my Lord dy'd he was waiting and as declared by several was one of the Warders that attended on the Person of the Duke of York whilst he was in the Tower that morning the Earl dy'd L. If so he might well observe the Duke's sending the two men to the Earl's Lodgings just before his Death and their return to his Highness as Mr. E. deposeth and M. and R. declared with several other Passages which might to him discover that barbarous Murther and then he had cause enough to say it was a damn'd piece of Roguery all over G. Good God deliver us from such bloody-minded men T. Several Reports were as industriously as maliciously spread about Town when Mr. Hawley was first miss'd some to influence people to believe that this Mr. Hawley through discontent with his Wife was very melancholly and had declared 't was better to make away with himself than live such a vexatious life with so turbulent a spirited a Woman but in this they most grosly abused them both for no Woman could shew greater respect to a Husband nor any Husband be more kind to a Wife Another Report was That Mr. Hawley had often declared He did really believe if a man withdrew from his Relations and Friends for half a year and suffered none who knew him to know where he was but to possess all men by such his conce aled absence that he was indeed dead and then to appear in
a surprize amongst his Relations this great surprize would be as pleasing to the Person that withdrew as it would be astonishing to his Friends and therefore it was pretended to be believed by some that Mr. Hawley had privately withdrawn under this Consideration but six Weeks discovered his Person and time may likewise detect those Bloody and Barbarous Men that murthered him They were so very cruel in this Murther that his Face was so changed through violence that it could not be known to be his and there was nothing that did more if any thing did besides discover the Body to be his than his having three Stockings upon one Leg and two Stockings and a Seer-cloath upon the other as for his Cloathes they were stript off and nothing but Stockins and Shooes remaining on when the Body was found L. Certainly that God who requires Blood for Blood and who by this ordered the Discoveries of the Person will in his great Wisdom and Justice by some means or other of which His Wisdom is never to seek in the choice or His Power in the use discover these Instruments of Cruelty that in this Life they may receive their just Reward which is for the most part though sometimes after many years duly paid towards such vile Offenders T. Besides this addition of Blood other violent Methods were used to prevent a discovery by punishing such Soldiers as seemed to disbelieve upon very good grounds my Lord's Self-murther this appears by this Information following viz. Richard Jorden declareth That sometime that Summer the Earl of Essex dyed and not long after the said Earl's Death he saw a Soldier ty'd to the Wooden Horse in the Tower by order of Lieutenant-Collonel Nichols and whipt after a very cruel manner And this Deponent heard the said Lieutenant-Collonel tell the Soldier he ought to be hanged This Deponent further declareth That he was just after informed by the Marshal that whipt the said Soldier That by order of Lieutenant-Collonel Nichols he gave the said Soldier 53 Stripes tho' the usual number was but 12 and that the said Soldier had lain a fortnight before in close custody and been fed only with Bread and Wather and all only for the Offence following viz. Some short time after the Death of the late Earl of Essex a Divine * Dr. H. of Norfolk Prebend of Norwich coming into the Tower the said Soldier was sent with him to shew him the Tower and as the Doctor was almost over against Major Hawley's the Doctor asked the said Soldier which was the Chamber wherein the late Earl of Essex did cut his Throat whereupon the said Soldier pointing to the Chamber in which the Earl had been Prisoner declared That is the Chamber in which it 's said the Earl of Essex cut his Throat The Doctor then asked the Soldier what he did believe to which the Soldier answered That he did believe in God but being prest by the said Doctor to tell him whether he did believe my Lord cut his Throat the said Solder then replied He would not say he did believe it for which only saying the Punishment aforesaid was inflicted L. Such Extravagant Punishments upon so slight Grounds was enough to deter all other Solders from discovering what they knew for if this Soldier for only declaring he would not say he did believe my Lord did cut his Throat was thus barbarously whipt what must such Soldiers expect as should have asserted my Lord was by others murthered and gave their Reasons for such belief by telling what they saw and heard with relation to this Perfidious and Cruel Murther most certain this would have met with if possible worse whipping than Doctor Oates ever suffered or been punished by some private Stab or other destruction to avoid the Matter 's being brought upon the publick Stage G. I do remember Meake is said to have declared the day after my Lord's Murther that many Soldiers were enjoined to secrecy It were well if these would according to their duty appear and declare what they know and by whom they were thus basely commanded to be secret for this Officer could not but believe That whoever gave him Orders to lay that Injunction was privy to the Murther and therefore this Officer was grosly Criminal in being this Instrument to stifle the detection and most certainly are those Soldiers Criminal which shall not now appear and judicially declare what they know to be true so that Justice may have its due course against those most barbarous and vile Offenders For if the time of this bare-faced Cruelty against such Soldiers that knew any thing of this matter and revealed it was a time of silence most certain now the Government joins in the Prosecution is the time to speak and whosoever refuses now to speak becomes not a little Criminal in such his silence L. I have been informed the Father of William Edwards was turned out of his Place for what his Son had said T. That the Father was turned out about nine days after Mr. Braddon's Tryal is very true and this done by special Order under King Charles the Second's own Hand without any cause shown or any reason to be guessed at any other than his Son's Offence L. I do remember at Mr. Braddon's Tryal Mr. Wallop whose Courage and Zeal for the Liberty of the Subject hath been Notorious in the most dangerous times did suggest that the Father thought himself in danger of losing his place from what his Son had declared Whereupon my Lord Chief Justice Jefferies very sharply reproved Mr. Wallop for reflecting in this upon the Government as though the Father should be punished for the Son 's speaking what he knew If the suggesting the danger of the Place was a Reflection upon the Government most certainly the Government did strongly reflect upon its self in turning Old Edwards out and giving no reason for such Dismission which made him conclude and all the World believe that the Father was turned out only for his Son's Relation T. The old Jewish unjust Proverb was here inverted for The Son had eaten sower Grapes and the Father's Teeth were set on edge so that this Transgression in its punishment did directly ascend and the Father answered for the Son's Iniquity or rather for what the then Government falsly called so L. I think every Man 's own Transgression is enough for him to bear T. I shall conclude all with what after my Lord's Death passed as to Webster and Holmes which seems to confirm the Truth of their Guilt in this Matter I shall begin with Webster The very day of my Lord's Death Webster brought home to his House my Lord's Pocket-handkerchief all Bloody and shaked It seeming extreamly overjoyed saying There was the Blood of a Traytor and the very next day pulls out of his Pocket a Purse of Guineas and in great Joy shaked it one of his Neighbours told the Gold and found there was 49 Guineas and a French Pistole
the Husband would not then discover it to her That night as they were together in Bed the Wife did again renew her former request in which being very importunate the Husband after he had solemnly enjoyned her to Secrecy gave her a particular account of the Murder of her Husband which in substance you have before heard The Wise was hereupon extreamly concerned though in words seemed then not much to resent it but the next Morning she repaired to some judicious Friend and notwithstanding her promise of Secrecy she could not be quiet in her mind till she had revealed it and desired advice thereupon to which she was answered That if she concealed the Murder she thereby consented to it and though her first Husband was very cruel and this as kind the first Husband's Blood thus treacherously spilt cry'd for Vengeance in which she would most certainly partake if she did not discover her Husband's Confession wherein there seemed to be a very remarkable Providence The Wife objected the nearness of the Relation and the promise of Secrecy but to both these she was answered That there is no Relation so dear as Justice and no Promise contrary to the Rules thereof ought to be made â—â—r kept if made for that is not so properly being Faithful as being a Confederate for Faithfulness being considered as a Virtue it 's consequently to be exercised only in things Just and Honest for in other Matters it is not properly morally speaking called Fidelity but a Criminal Concealment The Wife being thus perswaded repairs to the Magistrate who forthwith orders the Husband to be seized who as soon as apprehended confessed the whole Matter and was deservedly executed G. I think the Wife in this case must be in a very great strait for the Temptation to Secrecy could not but be very strong but I find in the Old Law 13. c. That if the Wife or the nearest Relation in Blood or a Friend which was as his own Soul did but so much as secretly intice to Idolatry the Relation or Friendship in this case was to be no Impediment to the Discovery Prosecution and Punishment for the Person thus inticed was not to pity spare or conceal his Relation or Friend but was positively commanded to Kill him his Hand was first to be upon him and then the Hand of all the People Now most certainly such a Villainous and Treacherous Murder attended with such Aggravations must be most Odious in the sight of God whose first express Law did positively Enact That whoso sheddeth mans blood 〈◊〉 6. by man shall his blood be shed the reason whereof follows for in the image of God made he man. L. In my opinion this Wife did what she ought to have done for though it may well be supposed that there was a strong Conflict between her Affection towards her Husband especially when the best in Succession to the worst and her duty to Justice yet it 's most certain the latter ought to have the ascendant for whosoever loves Husband or Wife Father or Mother Brother or Sister more than what is Just Righteous and Good for that is the meaning of more than me at the last day most assuredly shall be rejected by him who hath positively enjoyned us to hate all those Relations for his sake and the Gospels or which is the same for our Duties-sake considered as Christians But how much higher Aggravations do attend the unparallel'd Murder of this Honourable though unfortunate Peer T. I shall now say but one thing more with relation to Webster and that is this When Webster was before the Honourable Committee Mr. Braddon desired 〈◊〉 of their Lordships leave to ask Webster one question which being granted Mr. Braddon demanded of Webster Whether the next day after my Lord's Death he did not produce to such a man a Purse of Gold about 49 Guinea's and a Pistole Webster denied it Mr. Braddon desired him to recollect himself and be positive Webster declared He was positive he did not nor to his remembrance in his Life ever shewed that man any Gold much less so great a Sum. Mr. Braddon perceiving some of their Lordships seemed angry the question was put so plain after Webster had withdrawn Mr. Braddon informed their Lordships That Webster as he had been told was a sort of a hanger on at Gaming-houses where he could play but for little being very poor and should this fellow understand it was positively sworn against him that he did produce such Gold in all probability he would forge somewhat in answer to it and it was not unlikely but he might pretend that those Guinea's he had won at Gaming and was overjoy'd at being so rich with this his Invention upon deliberation might furnish him in which his presence of mind under Guilt could not be so ready but if hereafter he should so pretend it would plainly appear to be false having so positively denied it to their Lordships when had it been true it would have immediately occured to his mind and as readily he would given it in answer L. Doth not Webster still deny the producing any Gold T. No but pretends the Gold he shewed Osborne was what he had won at Gaming G. That Sham can't now take against his positive denial before their Lordships T. I shall lastly speak of Holmes and then conclude It seems Holmes and his Wife often quarrelled and sometimes Holmes would beat her One day as he was Abusing her she was heard to say He was a Murderous Rogue and she told him That he could not but remember that she could hang him when she pleased To which Holmes answered That he little thought she would have spoken of it who of all the World had the least reason For said this scurrilous Follow You Bitch you Whore don't you remember that I bought you a good Sattin Gown and Petticoat and therefore you above all the World ought not to prate To which she replied He was a Murderous Rogue for all that L. By the falling out of Murderers Murder is many times detected a very notorious Instance of which I have often heard related which was as followeth A Waterman and his Servant in the Night carrying a Gentleman down the River whom they perceived to have a great Charge about him these perfidious Villains by Signs concluded to throw this Gentleman Over-board which they did accordingly and so drowned him and then shared the Spoil soon after which they both lived much beyond their former Circumstances at which all that knew them admired but none but themselves knew the reason till many years after when these two being Drunk and at Play fell out about their Game and they were then over-heard to accuse one the other in this matter the Master the Man and the Man the Master as the most Criminal Upon which they were both Seized and they then Confessed the whole Matter each endeavouring to aggravate the Guilt of the other in Mitigation of his
to Russel's Information and at the same time give Credit to Monday who declared my Lord had the Razor by seven of the Clock two hours before Russel came up to stand Warder at my Lord's Chamber Door L. These Three are of equal Credit and consequently you have as much reason to believe Bomeny as Russel and Monday deserves equal Credit with either of the Former But all can't be credited neither can Bomeny's Contradictions be reconciled or can one of these be thought true without giving the Lie to the other two therefore upon the whole Matter you can't reasonably believe there was any Razor at all delivered G. I find all three in the main agree that my Lord had a Razor delivered him to pair his Nails and their Contradiction is only in point of Time. T. 'T is true it 's a Circumstantial Contradiction in point of Time and the Contradiction of the two Elders in the History of Susanna was a Circumstantial contradiction in point of Place for the first swore they took Susanna in Adultery under a Mastick Tree and the second under an Holm Tree Both these agreed in the main as you call it Viz. that they found her in Adultery But by this contradiction as to the Place where Daniel convinced all then present that these two Elders were perjur'd in their Evidence and consequently Susanna Innocent of her Charge and thereupon these Two Accusers justly suffered what by Perjury they would have unjustly caused to be inflicted upon the Innocent Did you ever hear any deny Daniel's Wisdom in this Detection or arraign his Justice in the punishment those two false Accusers thereupon suffered G. I must confess these Contradictions look as tho neither was true for Truth would have been the same to all T. Besides you find all three agree in this That my Lord pared his Nails with the Razor which appears to be false by this Information which I desire you to read G. John Kettlebeater one of the Jury upon the late Earl of Essex sweareth That the Nails on the Fingers and Feet of the said Earl were very long and not scraped or pared as he could discern L. Being proved perjur'd in one Part believed in Nothing T. Whereas it was sworn and declared by all that my Lord's Body was locked into the Closet I will now suppose that Bomeny Russel and Monday were to answer as to the opening this Door according to their former Informations and you will find their Contradictions as to this as gross as the former Bomeny first appears Jury Mr. Bomeny Was my Lord's Body locked into the Closet when he was first found dead Bomeny Yes Jury Who opened the Door Bomeny When I had knocked at the Closet Door my Lord not answering ☜ I did open the Door and there saw my Lord lying along in his Blood and the Razor by him and I then call'd the Warders This according to his first Information taken as before by the Coroner About an hour after this the Jury do again examine him as to this Point and he answering according to the Information which as before he writ in the Room next the Jury and then you will find it as followeth Jury Mr. Bomeny Did you first open the Closet Door upon my Lord's Body Bomeny No I did not but Russel did ☜ for after I had knocked at the Door thrice calling my Lord my Lord not answering I took up the Hangings and peeping thro' a Chink I saw Blood and part of the Razor whereupon I called the Warder Russel and the said Russel pushed the Door open T. At Mr. Braddon's Trial Bomeny being ask'd Who did first open the Door upon Oath answered He knew not who opened the Door L. Here Bomeny is twice against himself first he swears that he himself opened this Door before he called either of the Warders Secondly swears that he did not first open the Door but Russel pushed it open and thirdly deposeth that he knew not who opened the Door T. I desire the other two viz. Russel and Monday may in this particular answer and then compare them altogether Jury Mr. Russel Did you find the Closet-Door locked upon my Lord's Body Russel Yes Jury Who first opened this Closet-Door Russel When Bomeny saw my Lord's Body through the Chink he cried out My Lord was fallen down sick whereupon I went to the Closet-Door and opened it the Key being on the outside T. Here Russel makes no difficulty in opening the Door But observe Monday's Answer Russel withdraws and Monday is called Jury Mr. Monday where were you when my Lord was first found dead Monday I was standing at the foot of my Lord's Stairs and hearing a great Noise of my Lord's Death I ran up Stairs and found Bomeny and Russel endeavouring to open the Door but the Body being so close and strong against the Door neither could Jury Who then opened the Door Monday I being much stronger than either of these two put my Shoulders against the Door and pushing with all my Might I broke it open L. Upon the whole matter I find first Bomeny opened the Door before he called either of the Warders according to Bomeny's first Information taken as before by the Coroner and secondly that he did not open the Door for Russel opened it according to Bomeny's second Information which himself writ and Russel's Deposition And thirdly that neither Bomeny nor Russel could open the Door because the Body lay so close against it and so Monday broke it open This according to Monday's account of the Matter T. Which of these three do you believe G. Their Contradictions being such I can believe neither 〈◊〉 conclude this is a contrived Story throughout and yet so ill laid together as I never saw a worse-made Story in all my Life L. So gross Contradictions in so short a Relation I never yet met with G. 'T is very much they should so thwart each other had they agreed upon a Story and yet it 's more improbable they should so differ had they designed to reveal the Truth for the true Relation of a Fact is still the same whereas false Relations are almost infinite but these three are the greatest Fools I ever heard of in not laying their Story better together T. I have often heard a very ingenuous Gentleman say that God in Mercy to Mankind allotted such an Allay of the Fool to every Knave that the Fool hangs the Knave up half way L. It 's indeed a Mercy that the Knave and the Fool go together for were it not for the latter the former would do much more Mischief G. It was a common saying of Sir H. B. That no Man was known to be a Knave but he that was a Fool. T. If you don't believe the Closet-door was locked upon my Lord you can't believe this was sworn for any other end but to stifle the Truth and consequently to hinder the true Discovery of the manner of my Lord's Death G. As I can't
believe their Relations true so neither can I comprehend to what end they should invent this Story of the Closet's Door being lock'd upon my Lord seeing my Lord might as well have been said to have cut his Throat without locking the Closet What Service could they propose by this part of their Story of the Closet-door's being locked upon the Body T. The use they afterwards made of this was the end they proposed by this their Invention they strongly argued to the Truth of my Lord's self-Murder from this very Circumstance for they say Can it be thought possible that my Lord should be murdered by others when it was impossible that any should do it in the Closet and come out of it leaving the Body so close against the Door which opened inward and there was no other way but the Door out of which they could come Had this Relation therefore been true it would have been as strong an Argument of my Lord 's being a Self-Murderer as the contrary appearing by the many and gross Contradictions before observed is of his being treacherously murdered by others But as a further Argument of the Closet-door's not being locked I desire you to observe the Closet and how the Body was first seen by such as were some of the * Before â—y that 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 King â—…w the â—…dy first that went up into my Lord's Chamber after my Lord's Death was known At the beginning of this Book is the Room and Closet drawn and how the Body was first found By this you may perceive how my Lord's Legs were lying on the Threshold of the Closet-door and you find the Closet-door could not whilst the Body lay thus and it was not then pretended â—or be moved be locked this appears by what William Turner and Samuel Peck declare as they have deposed before the Lords William Turner and Samuel Peck declare that these two Informants were Servants to the late Earl of Essex at the time of his Death and bringing in some Provisions into the Tower just upon the first Discovery of my Lord's Death of which as soon as they heard these Informants ran up stairs and found my Lord's Legs lying upon the Threshold of the Closet-door G. I am now satisfied how they proposed to argue from it on their own side but the Edg of the Argument through their Disagreement and Contradictions in their Evidence hath been turned against them and wounded them to the quick T. In the third and last place I shall disprove that part of these three Mens Relations which saith that the Razor was locked into my Lord's Closet when he was first found dead Those three have all deposed or often declared That the Razor was found by my Lord's Body locked into the Closet and all three denied that there was any bloody Razor thrown out of my Lord's Chamber-Window just before my Lord's Death was first discovered to those out of the House L. If the bloody Razor was thrown out of the Window before my Lord's Death was discovered then it 's most certain it could not be found lock'd in with the Body in the Closet upon the first Discovery as by these Treacherous Varlets is deposed Pray read these Papers G. William Edwards aged about Eighteen Years declareth That being in the Tower that Morning the late Earl of Essex died and just before the Discovery of his Death viz. about Nine of the Clock the same Morning as this Informant was standing almost over against the Earl of Essex his Chamber-Window he saw a bloody Razor thrown out of the said Earl's Chamber-Window and fell just without the Pales that stood before the Door which this Informant was going to take up but just as this Informant came to take up the Razor which this Informant found very bloody there came a Maid out of Major Hawley's House and took up the Razor and then ran in with it into Major Hawley's House immediately after discovering my Lord's Death Thomas Edwards Father to the said William Edwards Sarah Edwards and Ann Edwards and Elizabeth Edwards all declare and are ready to depose That the said William Edwards the very Morning of my Lord's Death when he came home did give the same Account in substance to these Informants G. Was not this William Edwards sworn at Mr. Braddon's Trial T. Yes G. If I mistake not he did there upon Oath deny it T. 'T is very true G. How then can there be any Credit given to what one swears in Contradiction to what he hath before deposed When upon Oath he declared he saw no such Razor but it was a Story that he invented to excuse his Truanting T. I desire that you will consider when this Story was first told by the Boy viz. about ten of the Clock that morning my Lord died ☞ Now it was not then known it would be sworn that this Razor lay by my Lord's Body locked into the Closet when the Body was first found as did appear the Monday after when the Coroner's Inquisition and Bomeny's Deposition were printed and therefore there could not be any use made of this Story when first told against the Truth of my Lord's pretended Self-murder for that was possible to be true ☞ what was suggested in answer to this by a certain Gentleman who as soon as he saw what Edwards declared asked What use could be made of it and how this did appear to argue that my Lord was murdered for he further said That it might be when Bomeny came and found that Razor which he had before delivered to my Lord proved the Instrument of his Death he took it up and with great indignation threw the Razor out of the Window as we many times throw away what we have hurt our selves with To this it was answered It appeared sworn before the Coroner That as soon as Bomeny saw my Lord and part of the Razor thro' a Chink of the Closet-Door he called out to Russel that my Lord was fallen down Sick so that there was a Noise of this in the Room before ever the Closet Door was opened and consequently before Bomeny could have any opportunity to take up the Razor Whereas it here appeared by what Edwards said that all things were very quiet in the House till the Maid had taken up the Razor and the Maid first discovered my Lord's Death Upon this the Gentleman urged this no further but what he herein declared was so ready at hand as tho' he had before heard of the Razor 's being thrown out and thought this the best Salve for it As for the pretence that this Lie was invented to excuse his truanting this is very ridiculous this Boy in very great earnestness as soon as he returned from the Tower told his Mother and Sisters that the Earl of Essex had cut his Throat and thrown the Razor out of the Window this argued his simplicity Now the material part of the Story was then generally believed to be true viz. That the