Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	great_a	know_v	life_n	7,935	5	4.3038	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53577	A true and perfect account of the examination, confession, trial, condemnation and execution of Joan Perry, and her two sons, John and Richard Perry, for the supposed murder of Will. Harrison, Gent Being one of the most remarkable occurrences which hath happened in the memory of man. Sent in a letter (by Sir Thomas Overbury, of Burton, in the county of Gloucester, Knt. and one of His Majesty's justices of the peace) to Thomas Shirly, Doctor of physick, in London. Also Mr. Harrison's own account how he was conveyed to Turky, and there made a slave above 2 years, when his master (who bought him there) dying, he return'd to England; in the mean while, supposed to be murdered by his man-servant, who falsly accused his own mother and brother as guilty of the same, and were all three executed for it on Broadway-Hills, in Gloucestershire.	Overbury, Thomas, Sir, d. 1684.; Harrison, William, fl. 1660.	1676 (1676)	Wing O614A; ESTC R223782	11,721	32

of Inkle which one of his Guard taking up he desired him to restore it saying it was only his Wife's Hair-lace but the Party opening of it and finding a Slip-knot at the End went and shewed it unto John who was then a good Distance before and so knew nothing of the dropping and taking up of this Inkle but being shewed it and asked whether he knew it shook his Head and said Yea to his Sorrow for that was the String his Brother strangled his Master with This was sworn upon the Evidence at their Trial. The Morrow being the Lord's Day they remained at Campden where the Minister of the Place designing to speak to them if possible to persuade them to Repentance and a farther Confession they were brought to Church and in their Way thither passing by Richard's House two of his Children meeting him he took the lesser in his Arm leading the other in his Hand when on a sudden both their Noses fell a bleeding which was looked upon as ominous Here it will be no impertinent Digression to tell how the Year before Mr. Harrison had his House broke open between Eleven and Twelve o'Clock at Noon upon Campden Market-day whilst himself and his whole Family were at the Lecture a Ladder being set up to a Window of the second Story and an Iron Bar wrenched thence with a Plough-share which was left in the Room and sevenscore Pounds in Money carried away the Authors of which Robbery could never be found After this and not many Weeks before Mr. Harrison's Absence his Servant Perry one Evening in Campden Garden made an hideous Out-cry whereat some who heard it coming in met him running and seemingly frighted with a Sheep-pick in his Hand to whom he told a formal Story how he had been set upon by two Men in White with naked Swords and how he defended himself with his Sheep-pick the Handle whereof was cut in two or three Places and likewise a Key in his Pocket which he said was done with one of their Swords These Passages the Justice of Peace having before heard and calling to Mind upon Perry's Confession asked him first concerning the Robbery when his Master lost sevenscore Pounds out of his House at Noon-day Whether he knew who did it Who answered Yes it was his Brother And being further asked Whether he were then with him he answered No he was then at Church but that he gave him Notice of the Money and told him in which Room it was and where he might have a Ladder that would reach the Window and that his Brother afterwards told him he had the Money and had buried it in his Garden and that they were at Michaelmas next to have divided it Whereupon Search was made in the Garden but no Money could be there found And being further asked concerning that other Passage of his being assaulted in the Garden he confessed it was all a Fiction and that having a Design to rob his Master he did it that Rogues being believed to haunt the Place when his Master was robbed might be thought to have done it At the next Assizes which were held in September following John Joan and Richard Perry had two Indictments found against them one for breaking into William Harrison's House and robbing him of 140l in the Year 1659 the other for robbing and murdering the said William Harrison the 16th of August 1660. Upon the last Indictment the then Judge of Assizes Sir Christopher Turner would not try them because the Body was not found but they were then tried upon the other Indictment for Robbery to which they pleaded Not Guilty but some whispering behind them they soon after pleaded Guilty humbly begging the Benefit of his Majesty's gracious Pardon and Act of Oblivion which was granted them But tho' they pleaded Guilty to this Indictment being thereunto prompted as is probable by some who were unwilling to lose Time and trouble the Court with their Trial in regard the Act of Oblivion pardoned them yet they all afterwards and at their Deaths denied that they were guilty of that Robbery or that they knew who did it Yet at this Assize as several credible Persons have affirmed John Perry still persisted in his Story That his Mother and Brother had murdered his Master and further added That they had attempted to poison him in the Gaol so that he durst neither eat nor drink with them At the next Assizes which were the Spring following John Joan and Richard Perry were by the then Judge of Assize Sir B. Hyde tried upon the Indictment of Murder and pleaded thereunto severally Not Guilty and when John's Confession before the Justice was proved Viva Voce by several Witnesses who heard the same he told them He was then mad and knew not what he said The other two Richard and Joan Perry said That they were wholly innocent of what they were accused and That they knew nothing of Mr. Harrison's Death nor what was become of him and Richard said That his Brother had accused others as well as him to have murdered his Master which the Judge bidding him prove he said That most of those that had given Evidence against him knew it but naming none not any one spoke to it and so the Jury found them all three Guilty Some few Days after being brought to the Place of their Execution which was on Broadway-Hill within Sight of Campden the Mother being reputed a Witch and to have so bewitched her Sons they could confess nothing while she lived was first executed After which Richard being upon the Ladder professed as he had done all along That he was wholly innocent of the Fact for which he was then to die and that he knew nothing of Mr. Harrison's Death nor what was become of him and did with great Earnestness beg and beseech his Brother for the Satisfaction of the whole World and his own Conscience to declare what he knew concerning him but he with a dogged and surly Carriage told the People he was not obliged to confess to them yet immediately before his Death said He knew nothing of his Master's Death nor what was become of him but they might hereafter possibly hear For Sir Thomas Overbury Knight Honoured Sir IN Obedience to your Commands I give you this true Account of my being carried away beyond the Seas my Continuance there and Return Home On a Thursday in the Afternoon in Harvest-time I went to Charringworth to demand Rents due to my Lady Campden at which Time the Tenants were busy in the Fields and late e're they came Home which occasioned my Stay there 'till the Close of the Evening I expected a considerable Sum but received only 231. and no more In my Return Home in the narrow Passage among Ebrington Furzes there met me one Horseman and said Art thou there and I fearing he would ride over me struck his Horse over the Nose whereupon he struck at me with his Sword several Blows and run it into my

whether he would yet confess what was become of his Master he answered he was murdered but not by him The Justice of Peace then telling him that if he knew him to be murdered he knew likewise by whom he was so he acknowledged he did and being urged to confess what he knew concerning it affirmed that it was his Mother and his Brother that had murdered his Master The Justice of Peace then advised him to consider what he said telling him that he feared he might be guilty of his Master's Death and that he should not draw more innocent Blood upon his Head for what he now charged his Mother and Brother with might cost them their Lives but he affirming he spoke nothing but the Truth and that if he were immediately to die he would justify it the Justice desired him to declare how and when they did it He then told him that his Mother and his Brother had lain at him ever since he came into his Master's Service to help them to Money telling him how poor they were and it was in his Power to relieve them by giving them Notice when his Master went to receive his Lady's Rents for they would then way-lay and rob him And further said that upon the Thursday Morning his Master went to Charringworth going of an Errand into the Town he met his Brother in the Street whom he then told whither his Master was going and if he way-laid him he might have his Money And further said that in the Evening his Mistress sent him to meet his Master he met his Brother in the Street before his Master's Gate going as he said to meet his Master and so they went together to the Church-yard about a Stone 's Throw from Mr. Harrison's Gate where they parted he going the Foot-way cross the Church-yard and his Brother keeping the great Road round the Church but in the Highway beyond the Church met again and so went together the Way leading to Charringworth till they came to a Gate about a Bow 's Shoot from Campden Church that goes into a Ground of the Lady Campden's called the Conygree which to those who have a Key to go through the Garden is the next Way from that Place to Mr. Harrison's House when they came near unto that Gate he the said John Perry saith he told his Brother he did believe his Master was just gone into the Conygree for it was then so dark they could not discern any Man so as to know him but perceiving one to go into that Ground and knowing there was no Way but for those who had a Key through the Gardens concluded it was his Master and so told his Brother if he followed him he might have his Money and he in the mean Time would walk a Turn in the Fields which accordingly he did and then following his Brother about the middle of the Conygree found his Master on the Ground his Brother upon him and his Mother standing by and being asked whether his Master were then dead answered No for that after he came to them his Master cried Ah Rogues will you kill me At which he told his Brother he hoped he would not kill his Master who replied Peace Peace you are Fool and so strangled him which haveing done he took a Bag of Money out of his Pocket and threw it into his Mother's Lap and then he and his Brother carried his Master 's dead Body into the Garden adjoining to the Conygree where they consulted what to do with it and at length agreed to throw it into the great Sink by Wallington's Mill behind the Garden but said his Mother and Brother bad him go up to the Court next the House to hearken whether any one were stirring and they would throw the Body into the Sink And being asked whether it were there he said he knew not for that he left it in the Garden but his Mother and Brother said they would throw it there and if it were not there he knew not were it was for that he returned no more to them but went into the Court-gate which goes into the Town where he met with John Pierce with whom he went into the Field and again returned with him to his Master's Gate after which he went into the Hen-roost where he lay till twelve o'Clock that Night but slept not and having when he came from his Mother and Brother brought with him his Master's Hat Band and Comb which he laid in the Hen-roost he carried the said Hat Band and Comb and threw them after he had given them three or four Cuts with his Knife in the Highway where they were after found And being asked what he intended by so doing said he did it that it might be believed his Master had been there robbed and murdered and haveing thus disposed of his Hat Band and Comb he went towards Charringworth c. as hath been related Upon this Confession and Accusation the Justice of Peace gave Order for the apprehending of Joan and Richard Perry the Mother and Brother of John Perry and for searching the Sink where Mr. Harrison's Body was said to be thrown which was accordingly done but nothing of him could be there found The Fish-pools likewise in Campden were drawn and searched but nothing could be there found neither So that some were of Opinion the Body might be hid in the Ruins of Campden-house burnt in the late Wars and not unfit for such a Concealment where was likewise Search made but all in vain Saturday August the 25th Joan and Richard Perry together with John Perry were brought before the Justice of Peace who acquainting the said Joan and Richard with what John had laid to their Charge they denied all with many Imprecations on themselves if they were in the least guilty of any Thing of which they were accused But John on the other Side affirmed to their Faces that he had spoken nothing but the Truth and that they had murdered his Master further telling them that he could never be quiet for them since he came into into his Master's Service being continually followed by them to help them to Money which they told him he might do by giveing them Notice when his Master went to receive his Lady's Rents and that he meeting his Brother Richard in Campden Town the Thursday Morning his Master went to Charringworth told him whither he was going and upon what Errand Richard confessed he met his Brother that Morning and spoke with him but nothing passed between them to that Purpose and both he and his Mother told John he was a Villain to accuse them wrongfully as he had done But John on the other Side affirmed that he had spoken nothing but the Truth and would justify it to his Death One remarkable Circumstance happened in these Prisoners Return from the Justice of the Peace's House to Campden viz. Richard Perry following a good Distance behind his Brother John pulling a Clout out of his Pocket dropped a Ball