An Impartial HISTORY OF THE LIFE AND DEATH OF GEORGE Lord JEFFREYS LATE Lord Chancellour OF ENGLAND LONDON Printed for John Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultrey 1689. TO GEORGE Lord JEFFREYS LATE Lord Chancellour of England My Lord I Know not to whom I could more properly Dedicate a Treatise of this Nature than to your Lordship who lately was Lord Chief Justice of England and have set such remarkable Copies to inferiour Magistrates What is here offered may serve as a Mirrour in which future Administrators of Publick Justice would do well to look for you may remember my Lord if your Lordships present Afflictions have not made you forget as much Law as you ever learnt Common Law runs much upon Presidents And if a Man happen to have none of the best Physiognomies there is no reason why he should streight grow angry and fling stones to break all the Looking-glasses he meets with only because they represent the true Figure of the Object My Lord The following Treatise is a true Accompt of your Lordships Life and Actions most of which are ready to be attested upon Oath of your unheard of Cruelties and barbarous Proceedings in your whole Western Circuit In which all may see at what dear rates our Western Martyrs purchased their Religion and how that it cost those glorious Sufferers that so lately went off the Stage under your Lordships Sentence both Whippings and cruel Imprisonments and the most exquisite Tortures which none could invent or inflict but your Lordship whose good nature is sufficiently experienced nor any endure but they whose gallant and noble Souls were born up with heavenly Cordials and a Power from on high But my Lerd rest assured that their Blood still cries for vengeance and will be a lasting Monument of your Lordships Cruelties whilst History can speak or transmit to incredulous Posterity the Remarkables of elapsed Ages for Hang Draw and Quarter and Try Men afterwards Witness Sir Armstrong's death c. has been your peculiar Talent But your Lordship will now at last do well to remember that King Alfred caused forty four Judges in one year to be hang'd as murderers for their false Judgments I hope your Lordship will pardon this present Address seeing 't is a priviledge we modern Authors hold by prescription to put any great Body's Name in the Front of our Book Princes have not been able to exempt themselves or their Families from the Persecution of Dedications nor ever was there I humbly conceive any Rule made in your Lordships Court to forbid them Suffer then I beseech your Lordship this Address to remain a Monument to Posterity of the sentiments this Age has of your Lordships Conduct and Merits and Witness to all the World how much its Author is Your Lordships Most humble Servant James Bent. THE LIFE and DEATH OF GEORGE Lord JEFFREYS REader Think it not strange if I present you with the memorable Life and Actions of a Person so well known in this great Kingdom And peradventure Fame has not been silent in other Countreys especially since he has been advanced to be a Chief Minister of State and sate as it were steering at the Helm of Government Various indeed are the Changes of worldly Affairs and the Actions of Human Life which have been more particularly exemplified in the Rise and Fall of the Person the Subject of this Discourse who from almost a mean obseurity soar'd to the lofty Pyramid of Honour where for a while like an unfixed Star he appeared to the Eyes of the wondring Nation giving an imperfect lustre 'till by the sudden turn and change of unsteady Fortune he dropt headlong from his Sphere and lost at once his Grandeur and his Power To let Mankind see how little trust there is to be given to the smiles of flattering Greatness especially when attained by violent and pressing motions I now proceed to trace this unfortunate Favourite in the sundry Capacities and Stations that have hitherto made up the Series of his Life He was born at Acton near Wrexam in Denbighshire in Wales about the Year 1648. his Fathers name was Jeffreys being reputed a Gentleman in that Country though of no large Fortune or Estate however he lived very comfortably on what he had improving his yearly Income by his Industry and gain'd by his plain and honest Endeavours a good repute amongst the Gentry of those Parts insomuch that it was not long before he upon the recommendation of some Person of Interest and Ability gain'd a Wife of a good House and they lived very comfortably together in their rural Habitation being sar from Ambition or striving for Court-favour but contented with what God had blessed them with and the fruits of their own Industry they found a solid Happiness in that Contenment Nor had they lived together any considerable time but amongst other Children the fruits of Wedlock God was pleased to bestow on them the Person who is intended the Subject of this Discourse who was in due time Baptized by the Christian Name of George whether he had Godfathers c. it does not occur however he under the care and diligence of his industrious Parents grew up and appear'd to all that studied him of a very prompt and ready Wit active and striving for Preeminence even among his Compeers in his tender Age which lively demonstrated that an Air of Ambition was inherent to his Person As soon as he was capable to receive Learning he was put to a Country School where he was furnished with such Education as that afforded which was not extraordinary yet his Natural Parts set it off to the best Advantage and growing to years of somewhat a ripe Understanding and not very tractable his Father by the Advice of some of his Confidents caused him to be brought to London and finding him not inclinable to any Trade but rather addicted to Study he entred him or by his procurement he was entred into the Free-School of West minster where he profited much so that he was by the care of the worthy Master thereof soon enabled to understand the Languages or at least so many of them as were convenient for the study of the Law which above other things he aimed at tho' his Father seemed not very plyable to his desires for perceiving in his Soul a more than ordinary Spark of Ambition fearing it might kindle into a flame and prove one day his ruine he laboured to hinder the ways he conceiv'd most likely to bring it upon him and is reported to say when he found he could not disswade him from what he purposed gently clapping him on the back Ah George George I fear thou wilt dye with thy Shoes and Stockings on What he meant by that Expression I determine not but leave the Reader to interpret Upon the Coming in of King Charles the Second and the restoring the Face of Affairs in the Kingdom the Law reviv'd again and began to flourish the Practitioners liv'd
lay to draw the Magistracy of the City after him as appears more especially by one passage viz. The King being recovered of an Indisposition that had for some time put the Kingdoms in a fear and doubt of his Life the Lord Mayor and Aldermen went to congratulate him upon his going abroad after which and a favourable reception it was proposed by this Person that they should in like manner wait upon his Royal Highness then Duke of York who was not long before returned from Flanders but perceiving no forwardness to be seconded he only with his Father-in-law stayed behind to gain that Access These and other Proceedings created in the City a Jealousie that he had espoused an Interest to their prejudice which wrought so strongly in their Conceits that it was concluded in the Council-Chamber at Guild-Hall that he should resign his Recordership and accordingly they sent to him to deliver back the Papers and Writings they had entrusted him with which accordingly was done and Sir George Treby constituted Recorder in his stead This so netled him that he now openly declar'd himself to be what before was only suspected indulging his thoughts in nothing more than how he might revenge it upon the Dissenters to whose influence on the Court of Aldermen he attributed his dismission from the Recordership and used his Endeavours to blacken them as much as he could Yet all his Honour was not sunk for he had prevailed for the Removal of Sir Job Charleton from the Chief Justiceship of the County Palatine of Chester and by the importunity and interest of his Party at Court gained it for himself and took the first Possession of that Charge in much splendor paying at that time his Father a Visit with a numerous Train which as 't is reported put the old Gentleman into such a fret for the drinking up his Cyder and devouring his Provisions that he charged him with the undertaking to ruiue him by bringing a whole Countrey at his heels commanding him never to attempt the like Prodigality again with hopes of success Many Petitions being put up upon the dissolving the Parliament in 1682. by most of the Counties and Burroughs and Corporations of England for the speedy calling another to redress the Grievances of the Nation and the King shewing some dislike of that manner of proceeding this Person further to endear himself to the Interest of the Court declared in his station as vehemently against them by saying He abhorred that Petitioning c. from which and the discountenancing the Petitioners as much as in him lay he gain'd the name and Epithite of an Abhorrer and upon the burning the Pope in Effigies at Temple-Bar upon the Birth-day of Queen Elizabeth amongst other Figures the Arch-waggs had set one on Horseback with his Face to the Tail and a Paper on his back viz. I am an Abhorrer During these Transactions the Parliament being called met at Westminister and amongst others this Person was called before them for attempting to intrench upon the Rights and Priviledges of the People c. and obliged at the Bar of the Commons House after having been heard what he could say in defence of his Proceedings by his Council to make his acknowledgment upon his Knees and receive the Reprimand of the Speaker whereupon with some sharp Rebukes as the Censure of the House he was discharged To comfort him in this affliction that was not by a man of his haughty Spirit a little stomacked this Parliament being dissolved and a call of Serjeants had at the Kings-Bench-Bar Westminister he was the first in the Roll and consequently the Kings Serjeant and as it is usual to present the King with a Ring on that occasion the Motto he agreed to was A Deo Rex a Rege Lex viz. The King from God and the Law from the King. And now the Popish Party playing their Cards with more security Edward Fitz-Harris who had been impeached by the Commons and stood charged by them of High Treason being nevertheless upon the Dissolution tryed at the King-Bench-Bar this Person was the principal Stickler against him and by his Rhetorical and florid expressions wrought so powerfully with the Jury who were somewhat in doubt what they should do in this Case that they found him Guilty and the Impeachment in Parliament set aside he was executed as a Traytor at Tyburn and soon after this the Dissenters losing of their Esteem in the eyes of the Court-Party and some Justices of Peace of Middlesex being sharp upon them this Person was chosen Chair-man at the Sessions at Hicks's-Hall where he had an opportunity to make them as he found his time see the resentments of his anger but this place being held too low for a Spirit winged with so large an ambition he aimed at higher things resolving like Icharus to be near the Sun tho at the hazard of melting his waxen Wings dropping headlong into the Sea of inevitable ruine Whereupon perceiving some hot Contests in the City of London about the Election of Magistrates and Officers he turned the Edge of his Fury that way insomuch that a Quo warranto came down against the Charter of the Honourable City of London and in fine after much pleading and argument pro contra the Charter was surrendred at least in consent by those that were in Power and the King suspending the Execution of the Judgment obtained caused such Orders to be observed as he thought most convenient which being so well known to the Citizens of London it would appear a presumption in me to enter upon particulars yet the chiefest Cavil against the City was taking the Toll of Markets collecting Money to build Cheapside Conduit c. Nor was it long after this and the Trial of several Persons for Rioters who attended the Election of Sheriffs and Mayor and the Fines passing upon many worthy Citizens as Rioters on that occasion in promoting which this Person as a Counsellor by his florid Rhetorick was mainly instrumental by giving the Court an account of their respective abilities the better to settle the Fines but the Lord Chief Justice Saunders dying he succeeded him as Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench in which station he vvas scarcely setled but he admitted the Popish Lords to Bail that lay under an impeachment in Parliament and whose bailing had been refused by the Judges his Predecessors and now it was that he began more particularly to remember former affronts an example of which take in the Case of Elias Best a Hop-Merchant in Thames-street viz. It so happened when this Person was Recorder of London that a Jury of which Best was one having contrary to his mind acquitted a Party indicted at the Sessions of Peace in Guild-Hall for Printing and Publishing a Pamphlet he in much heat declared that they had gone contrary to their Consciences and stuck not to upbraid them with Perjury for which as a high affront put upon the Juries of London they prayed the
Court at the Old-Bayly that they might prefer an Indictment against him and herein Mr. Best was the most active but the Lord Chief Justice Scroggs then upon the Bench after it had been a long time argued and debated told them that the Sessions being almost at an end it could not be tryed and therefore he would desire them to refer it to the next Sessions for the Recorder being a Person of Quality he could not suffer him to lie under the imputation of an Indictment so long but in the interim he resigning his Recordership the business fell and came to nothing but soon after it seems Mr. Best had drank an Health to the pious Memory of Stephen Colledge departed meaning the Joyner that was executed at Oxford for which he was indicted upon an Information and found Guilty yet he being at large thought fit to withdraw himself to avoid the rigour of the Fine c. when so it fell out that this Person going the Circuit as Lord Chief Justice accompanyed with a great many on Horseback Mr. Best came by and asked one of the Company what Judge that was who replyed the Lord Chief Justice Jeffreys and he unadvisedly told that Party his name was Best and desired him to remember his Service to his Lordship upon notice of which he immediately caused him to be fetched back and committed him to York Goal from whence he was brought by Habeas Corpus to the Kings-Bench and Imprisoned for a Fine of 500 l. c. And other instances of the greatness of his Stomach tho in another nature is that which so remarkably happened at Kingstone upon Thames at the Midsummer Assizes held there for the County of Surry 1679. At this Assize being Counsel in a Case upon Nisi prius before Sir Richard Weston one of the Barons of the Exchequer and desiring to ingross all the Questions without suffering those on the other side to ask the Witness what was convenient in carrying on and managing the Cause he was desired by the Judges to hold his Tongue c. upon which some words passing this Person told him He did not use him like a Counsellor curbing him in the managing his Breviate c. to which the Judge fiercely replyed Ha! since the King has thrown his favours upon you in making you Chief Justice of Chester you think to run down every body if you find your self aggrieved make your complaint here 's no body cares for it And this Person replying That he had not been used to make complaints but rather stopped those that were made when being again commanded to hold his Tongue he sat down and wept for anger c. And here by the way it will not be amiss to let the Reader have a taste of some passages that happened on the publick Stage of business in the Jocular part of this great Man's Life and the Repartees he met with of which I shall instance a few Once it happened upon a Trial that a plain Country Fellow giving Evidence in the Court and pressing it home moved this Person who was Counsel on the other side to pick a quarrel with the poor mans Leather Doublet and amongst other Interrogations bawl'd out You Fellow in the Leather Doublet pray what have you for swearing The man upon this looking steadily on him replyed Truly Sir if you have no more for Lying than I have for Swearing you might wear a Leather Doublet as well as I. This bluntly retorted moved at that time much laughter and filled the Town with the Discourse of it Another time it so fell out that some Musicianers brought an Action against a person at whose Wedding they had play'd for the mony they were promised or expected when in the midst of the Evidence this Person called to one of them viz. You Fidler c. at which the man seeming to be disgusted he again upon the Parties alledging himself to be a Musicianer demanded What difference there was between a Musicianer and a Fidler As much Sir said he as there is between a pair of Bagpipes and a Recorder And he then being Recorder of London it was taken as a suitable Repartee Being at a Country Assize as Judge an old Man with a great Beard came to give Evidence before him and not doing it to his mind he began to cavil with his Beard and amongst other expressions told him That if his Conscience was as large as his Beard he might well swear any thing This so netled the old Blade that without any respect to his greatness he briskly replyed My Lord If you go about to measure Consciences by Beards your Lordship has none Many more of this kind might be mentioned but not being greatly to the purpose they are willingly omitted But to return to the thrid of this Discourse passing by his vehement and pressing Discourse to the Jury against William Lord Russel on his Tryal at the Old-Bayly which some say greatly influenced them to find him Guilty and add that he did it out of a pique in remembrance he was one of the Members of the Parliament before whom he was brought on his Knees We find him by this time Trying of Dr. Titus Oats upon two Informations upon the account of his Swearing to the White-Horse Consult and Ireland's being in Town and after a long Debate wherein many sharp Repartees passed the Jury made a shift to find him Guilty as to the Circumstances I refer you to the Tryal but the Sentence was severe and of its effects few are ignorant wherefore I shall pass it over as also that of Mr. Tho. Dangerfield another of the Evidences in discovering the Contrivances and carrying on of the Popish Plot which the Papists by these manner of Proceedings accounted to be effectually stisted And now before any thing remarkably happened the Kingdom was alarm'd by the Landing of the late Duke of Monmouth at Lyme in Dorsetshire and the Earl of Argyle in Scotland but however these two unfortunate Gentlemen miscarrying and losing their Lives left a great many of their miserable Followers to feel the severity of Punishment and as for the gleanings the bloody Fields in England they came to the sifting of this Person who with others going down with a Commission to Try them all the Indignities the Diffenters had put upon him came fresh into his remembrance so that he made them find the Laws more cruel than the Sword and wish they had fallen in the Field rather than have come to his handling for he breathed Death like a destroying Angel and sanguined his very Ermins in Blood a large Account of which you shall have in its proper place But by the way for the sake of the West-Country Reader I shall here add a true and impartial Narrative of the late Duke of Monmouth's whole Expedition while in the West seeing that was the Prologue to that bloody Scene that you 'l hear by and by was acted by George Lord Jeffreys the Subject of our
Guilty they should have but a little time to live And at the same time insinuated That it were better to plead Guilty if they expected any favour These Thirty being on Trial the Evidences being sworn and examined before the Jury Upon the whole by the violent Deportment of the Lord Chief Justice and sharpness of the Jury they found Twenty-nine Guilty though some of them were very hardly dealt with and not so Criminal as my Lord and their Country imagined Particularly amongst the Twenty-nine were Mr. Matthew Bragg of Thorncomb and Joseph Speed of Culliton in the County of Devonshire and Mr. Smith Constable of Chardstock in the said County and George Steward of Culliton aforesaid The Circumstances of each of these and the severity of their being found Guilty c. shall be shewed in its proper place before we take leave of this Town and proceed on in this Western Expedition The said Twenty-nine being found as before Guilty my Lord immediately pronounced Sentence of Death on them all as usual in Cases of High-Treason and did the same Night give a Warrant to the Sheriff for the Execution of Thirteen of the Twenty-nine on Monday following which accordingly was done notwithstanding great Application was made to the Lord Chief Justice by Gentlemen of the best Quality in this and the Neighbouring Countries for a Reprieve of Mr. Bragg to all which he was Deaf and not to be prevailed upon though he was assured of his Honesty and true Conformity to the Church of England yet it availed nothing At last it was only requested for Ten days Respite yet that had no better effect but on Monday he with Twelve more of that number were accordingly Executed at Dorchester In the mean time this Proceeding was designed to shorten Business and to wheedle the rest that were to follow to a Confession which without it the tenth part of them could not be proved Guilty A Method was also taken without President to entrap many poor ignorant people by a couple of Officers that were sent into the Goal to call over and take the Names of the Prisoners on promise if they confest they might expect Mercy otherwise not which many did And this was written so that had they pleaded Not Guilty these two were designed to have been Evidences against them from their own Confessions which so disposed the remaining great Numbers that all except a very few Pleaded Guilty which put an end to any further Trial. The only thing remaining was the pronouncing of Sentence on them which were in Number 292. who received Sentence of Death all at once One Mr. Lawrence put himself on Trial but by the Jury found Guilty whose Case was hard his Circumstances being so small to be condemned to die and had actually suffered had not Application been made to my Lord's Favourites and with the payment and securing of 400 l. preserved him from Execution This Matter being adjusted and Execution awarded to about Eighty which were Executed and their Quarters sent up and down the Country to the dread of their Spectators as well as the Annoyance of the Travellers his extraordinary Whippings though unmerciful are not to be taken notice of so we leave this place and proceed towards the City of Exon In their way thither lying at an Honourable Gentlemans House divers of the Neighbouring Parishes made their Petitions to the Lord Chief Justice in behalf of some Relations concerned It hapned that through some disorder amongst his Servants some Pistols were fired in the Night which gave him a Suspicion or at least he took it of some design upon him on which at parting he said Not a man of all those Parishes that were of that Vicinitude if found Guilty should escape And so we proceed and arrive at Exon where to the number of 243 Prisoners being in Custody for assisting the said Duke of Monmouth one amongst the rest Mr. Fower Acers pleading not Guilty he being found by the Jury the said Lord Chief Justice immediately pronounced the Sentence upon him and immediate Execution which was done to terrifie the rest who all Pleaded Guilty so that these unfortunate People had not time to have the fairness of Trials allowed them which is a right due by the Laws of God and Man. The remaining number he all condemned and here was a little sparing not so many order'd Execution as was in the other County but those that were executed were hung up and down in most Towns of the County and their Quarters and Heads scattered up and down the High-ways and publick places An extraordinary Sentence of severe Whipping was pronounced against Mr. Samuel Staple of Thorncomb in the said County but these are Trifles and we shall endeavour to pursue our Design and make as quick dispatch as we can that time may not be lost the King served and this Miscreants thirst quenched with Protestant Blood which is always well-pleasing to Inquisitors and so proceed to the Town of Taunton At which place being arrived it was thought fit by the Lord Chief Justice to be as expeditious as might be so that late in the Afternoon the Court sat where the Commission being read he proceeded to give the Charge which was so very keen and full of sharp Invectives as if the Country it self had not been able to make Expiation to his Lordship to quench his Thirst in the Blood of those that ventur'd their All in Defence of the Protestant Religion and here we enter upon the bloodiest part of the Tragedy In this Tovvn and at Wells in the said County were more than 500 Prisoners To begin at Taunton The next Morning after the Charge given the Assizes began vvhere some fevv put themselves on Trial vvho vvere found Guilty and immediately ordered to be Executed of vvhich number one Mr. Simon Hamlin vvas one vvho vvas a zealous vvorthy good Man and his Case no vvay dangerous but on the contrary had he had to do with a Judge of another Stamp To proceed to the rest This first Cruelty caused the rest to plead Guilty in hopes of favour which was only a few days to live which those that pleaded had not Amongst these at Taunton were divers eminent Persons that had been taken in the West and carried to London and brought down there to compleat the Bloody Tragedy in those parts Mr. Parrot Mr. Hewling the Elder Mr. Lisle Mr. Jenkins Mr. Hucker and divers others were very eminent To take notice of every particular in this Matter will alter our Design and swell the Book to too great a Bulk being ony designed for a Pocket Companion and useful it may be to see the Cruelty of men when in their Power and how the Devil stirreth up his Instruments to pursue those that adventure for the Cause of God and Religion Here were in this County Executed 239. the rest that were Condemned were Transsported except such as were able to furnish Coin and that not a little for an account was
stood still and had we done as much execution in the Front as we did in the Rear the day had been our own but God would not have it their time was not yet come By this time their Horses came up and having six or eight hundred good disciplin'd Men well mounted and well arm'd ours neither our Foot having shot away all their Ammunition and our Baggage being not then in the Field they were forced to retreat being all in confusion Having no Mony left and our Party thus unexpectedly repulsed the Duke seeing he could not hold it any longer fled with my Lord Gray The Duke's Party was said to be about three thousand Foot and a thousand Horse we had more at least five thousand Men and Horse but not well Arm'd yet in the Field 'T is said we lost not above three hundred and they Foot but after when we were routed in our retreat lost a vast many more though they pursued not in some hours after The most remarkable Persons that were taken in this total Rout were Colonel Holmes Major Perrot the Constable of Crookhorn and Mr. Williams Servant to the late Duke of Monmouth After the Field was clear of the Dukes Men the Earl of Feversham marched with five hundred Foot and a Party of Horse and Dragoons to Bridgwater where he found the Dukes Forces that were left there fled and dispersed into several Places When his Lordship having left these Men in the Town under the Command of Collonel Kirk and hearing the late Duke of Monmouth was fled with about Fifty Horse the greatest number of the Dukes Men that were left together he sent out divers Parties in pursuit of him and others that fled the Field When on the 7th of July about five in the Morning some of the Lord Lumly's Men seized the Lord Gray and another Person near Holt-Lodge in Dorsetshire four Miles from the West of Ringwood and the said Lord Lumly making further enquiry among the Cotts was informed by one Anna Ferrant that two men went over a Hedge proving to be the Out-bounds of many Inclosures some of which were overgrown with Fern others with Pease and Oats but Guards being set upon the Avenues after divers attempts to escape the Brandenburgh one of the Parties observed to enter the Ground was taken on the 8th of July about five in the morning who confessing he departed from the late Duke of Monmouth about One of the Clock that morning in the Out-bounds diligent search was made when about Eleven of the Clock the same morning he was found by one Henry Parking hid in a Ditch covered with Fern who calling others to assist him the said late Duke was in the end taken and together with the Lord Gray and the Brandenburgh with a strong Guard brought by easie Journies to Whitehall where they arrived on the 13th of July and after some examination were committed to the Tower when on Wednesday the 15th of July the late Duke of Monmouth pursuant to a Warrant signed for his Execution upon his attaindure of High-Treason was delivered to the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex about Ten in the Morning and conducted to a Scaffold erected on Tower-Hill where after about half an hours continuance he laying down his Head had it stricken off by the Executioner the which together with his Body being put into a Coffin covered with Velvet were carried away in a Velvet-covered Hearse in order to his Interment After the Duke was beheaded many Prisoners taken and those that fled by Parcels up and down secured in divers Goals in order to their Prosecution as vvas said according to Law which was the occasion of this great Mans shevving his parts at that Degree as he did no one else fit to be made a Tool for such a Bloody Tragedy as he acted The Tryals were deferred for some time after the Fatal Blow given to the Duke of Monmouth on Tower-Hill which was the 15th of July following because of my Lords being at Tunbridge but the latter end of August he with a Special Commission of Oyer and Terminer assisted with four other Judges set forward with a Party of Horse he being made by special Commission their General The first place he came at was Winchester where were divers Prisoners on Suspicion but here began the Tragedy for the Lady Lisle was there Arraigned for High-Treason in harbouring Mr. Hicks and Mr. Nelthrope that had been concerned with the Duke the Lady being on her Tryal the Jury were dissatisfied once and again but my Lords Threats and other Managery so disposed the Jury that at last they brought the Lady in Guilty on which he pronounced the Sentence of Death on her as usual in such Cases but she had the favour of being Beheaded their other Prisoners were carried to Salisbury and this was the most remarkable thing at that Assizes From thence they set forward for Salisbury where were many Prisoners that had been pick'd up and down the Country then in the Goal the which with those that were brought from Winton were ordered to be carried to Dorchester there not being Evidence enough to accomplish what was then designed by my Lord so that little of moment passed there but to pursue the matter proceeds from thence to Dorchester where he with his Assistants Gown-men and Sword-men arrived on the 3d of September on which day being Thursday the Commission was read Friday morning was an excellent Sermon Preached before their Lordships by a worthy Divine Chaplain to a worthy Person of that County much tending to Mercy It was observed that while my Lord Chief Justice was at Church in Prayers as well as at Sermon he vvas seen to laugh which was so unbecoming a Person in his Character that ought in so weighty an Affair as he was then entring upon to have been more serious and have craved the help and assistance of God Almighty The Sermon being over their Lordships repaired to the Court which by order of the Lord Chief Justice was hung with Red Cloth a Colour suitable to such a succeeding bloody Tragedy being accompanied by a numerous Company of the Gentry of that County as vvell as the Flovver of the Neighbouring Countries of Somerset and Devonshire and then proceeded to give his Charge in which Charge by reason of the Severity of his Sentiments and Positions laid down to make discoveries of all such as were Abettors Aiders or Assisters to the late Duke of Monmouth on pain of High Treason which was a great Surprize to all the Auditors and so vehemently urged and so passionately expressed as seemed rather the Language of a Romish Inqùisitor than a Protestant Judge and then Adjourned until Eight of the Clock next Morning when was a Bill found against Thirty Persons charged for High Treason for Aiding and Assisting the late Duke of Monmouth who put themselves on their Trials notwithstanding my Lord's Threatning That in Case any did put themselves on Trial and the Country found them
taken of mens Abilities according to which the purchase for Life must be managed by two of his Favourites who had a small share the rest went into his Lordships Pocket according to the Actions of Rome where Sins of any kind may be pardoned for mony This indeed was a glorious Design in the Eve of Mother Church to root out Heresie by Executions and Transportations to make room for a pack here Expedition must be made to conclude at Wells for that a great Man being fallen our great Judge designing his Chair which in short he had has the Reward of fo eminent and extraordinary a piece of Service as he did for the Advancement of the Roman Catholicks Interest which is cruel always where it prevails Thus we leave the Town of Taunton after awarding Execution to many there and their Quarters to be scattered up and down the County and so we proceed to Wells where divers Prisoners that had been carried from Goal to Goal in expectation of Evidence against them were in Carts removed to Wells in which place to finish this Expedition the same Method as was at the former Assizes was also taken here by a severe Charge affronting the Gentlemen of this County as he had done in all the Counties before terrifying the Juries when any pleaded to make them to bring in the persons Guilty some of which being over-awed and it is doubted contrary to their Judgments which if so the Lord forgive them Here were many eminent and worthy persons that received the Sentence of Death but the Executions of the County being put together as you have before seen we make no particular Division of the Number here and the Number at Taunton the whole being recited before We shall therefore endeavour to be as brief as we can to give you what we think material and truly matter of Fact my Lord now being come to conclude this extraordinary Commission and in haste to be elevated maketh all manner of dispatch to repair to the King then at Windsor to give an Account of his Transactions and to receive the Reward of his meritorious Service in this Butchering of Protestants which is so acceptable to his Holiness and his bigotted Disciples as nothing can be more and indeed if you will believe them a Work that merits Heaven at last besides what Temporal Preferments are thought fit in this World. If this cruel Judge were a true Protestant his Case is much the worse being made use of as a Tool to destroy and carry on Popish Designs Thus the Affairs being ended the Country filled with Heads and Quarters of those that were Executed the rest that had not wherewith to purchase their Lives left in Custody in order to Transportation My Lord being come to the King to give an Account of his Affairs in the West the Great Seal being to be disposed of by the Death of the late Keeper he kiss'd the King's Hand for it and was made Lord Chancellor which was only an earnest of his Desert for so eminent and extraordinary a piece of Service so now that which remains is to give an Account of divers that had fled and hid themselves up and down in Holes and Privacies whose Friends made all Application to some great Men or other to procure their Pardoms some to this and others to such as they thought Favourites of the King but the Rewards must be assertained before any Application could be made Divers Lists being sent up and the Rewards assertained which amongst many of them put together did amount to considerable so that it was now who could find a Friend to relieve his distressed Relations which were forced to wander up and down in Caves and Deserts for fear of being taken But this Misfortune attended the Agents that unless my Lord Chancellour were used by his Creatures that were allowed by him so to do other Applications commonly met with Disappointments which caused an Emulation among the great Men one supposing to have deserved the King's Ear as well as the other which caused other Measures to be taken though some were wheedled out of their mony At last came out a General Pardon with Exceptions very few if any of those that were solicited for not being excepted were of course pardoned but however divers Sums of Mony having been paid no Restitution to be had for from Hell is no Redemption A worthy Western Gentleman's purchase came to fifteen or sixteen hundred Guinea's which my Lord Chancellour had Amongst the Exceptions were a parcel of Taunton Girls some of which were Children of Eight or Ten years old however something was to be made of them if these Ladies were judged Guilty of Treason for presenting the Duke of Monmouth with Colours c. and for to preserve these from Trial they were given to Maids of Honour to make up their Christmas Box so that an Agent of theirs was sent down into the Country to compound with their Parents to preserve them from what might after follow if taken so that some according to Ability gave 100 l. others 50 l. all which however did not answer the Ladies first Expectations yet it did satisfie and they were accordingly pardoned Thus we have given you an Account of what hath happened on this Occasion being in every Point truth We might have farther Enlarged but that would have spoiled the Design and swoln our Pocket Companion to a Volume too big We shall therefore next proceed to give you a true and exact List of all them that were condemned and suffer'd in the West in the year 1685. under the Sentence of my Lord Chief Justice Jeffreys With the Names of the Towns where every Man was executed Bathe 6. WAlter Baker Thomas Clotworthy Henry Body Thomas Collins Gerrard Bryant John Carter Philipsnorton 12. Robert Cook Henry Portridge Edward Creaves George Pether John Caswell Thomas Peirce Thomas Hayward John Richards John Hellier John Staple Edward Beere John Smith Froome 12. Francis Smith John Humphrey Samuel Vill alias Vile George Hasty Thomas Star Robert Man Philip Usher Thomas Pearle Robert Beamant Lawrence Lott William Clement Thomas Lott Bruton 3. James Feildsen Richard Bole. Humphrey Braden Wincanton 6. John Howel William Holland Richard Harvey Hugh Holland John Tucker Thomas Bowden Shepton-Mallet 13. Stephen Mallet John Hildworth Joseph Smith John Ashwood John Gilham Jun. Thomas Smith Giles Bramble John Dorchester Senior Richard Chinn John Combe William Cruise John Groves Pensford 12. Roger Cornelius Henry Russel John Starr George Knight Humphry Edwards Robert Wine William Pierce William Clerk alias Chick Arther Sullway Preston Bevis George Adams Richard Finier Wrington 3. Alexander Key Joshua French. David Boyse Wells 8. William Mead John Sheperd Thomas Coade Abraham Bend Robert Doleman William Durston Thomas Durston William Plumley Uivelscomb 3. William Ruscomb Robert Combe Thomas Pierce Tuton upon Mendip 2. Peter Prance William Watkins Chard 12. Edward Foote Abraham Pill John Knight William Davy William Williams Henry Easterbrook John Gervis James