seditiously did conspire together to make the Kings Subjects believe That the Inquisition aforesaid was unduly taken and that the said Earl of Essex did not murther himself but was by certain Persons unknown in whose custody he was murthered And it further sets forth that these Defendants Laurence Braddon and Hugh Speke designing to disturb and disquiet the minds of the Kings Subjects and to spread false reports did conspire to procure certain false Witnesses to prove that the said Earl of Essex was not a Felon of himself but was by some Persons unknown killed and murthered And to perswade other Subjects of our Sovereign Lord the King to believe the said Report they did falsly malitiously Unlawfully and Seditiously cause to be declared in Writing That the said Laurence Braddon was the Person that did prosecute the said Earls Murther And this was to the great Scandal of the Government to the evil Example of all Persons in like case offending and against the Peace of the King his Crown and Dignity To this the Defendants have pleaded Not Guilty if we prove it upon them we make no question you will find it Mr. Att. Gen. May it please your Lordship and you Gentlemen of this Jury Mr. Speke and Mr. Braddon these two Gentlemen are accused of as High Conspiracy as ever has or could well happen in our days of throwing the Murther of a Person that killed himself upon the Government And I must acquaint you their design was of an higher Nature than barely that for this Gentleman my Lord of Essex was committed to the Tower for the late Plot and being so committed when he had killed himself there that was more than a thousand Witnesses to open the eyes of the People and confirm the belief of the Conspiracy And one would have thought after that there had been an end of the design that these Protestant Gentlemen as they call themselves were carrying on when the Earl of Essex a Person of that Quality and Worth should go to Murther himself upon the sense of what he was Guilty of So that the Design Gentlemen was to stifle the Plot and at the same time they must throw this ill thing that the Earl had committed upon himself upon the Government that Gentlemen was the main disgrace in order to stifle that great Evidence of the Plot. And Mr. Braddon must of his own head not being put on by any of the Friends of the Earl of Essex who were all very sensible the Earl had done this Fact committed this Murther upon himself but I say he out of a true Principle to manage the Protestant Cause as they call it but indeed it was the Plot he becomes the Prosecutor of this business and you will find him by the proofs in the Case a man of many like Projects For you will find him value himself upon these Titles That he is the Prosecutor of the Earl of Essex's Murther and the Inventor of the Protestant Flails an Instrument I suppose Gentlemen you have all heard of Now Gentlemen to make this appear to the World Letters are sent into all Parts of England of this Bruit and Report He himself goes about to find Evidence for it was so great a truth and there was such a plain proof that the Earl of Essex had killed himself that he must labour it to get Evidence And he goes about it accordingly and at length he meets with a little Child of Twelve years of Age and he prepares for him all with his own hand-writing a Deposition which is a feigned Story all of it and in every part of it will appear to be false and there he mightily solicits this young Boy to sign it He comes to his Fathers House carries him in a Coach forces him away and forces him to sign this Paper that he had thus prepared for him all of his own invention and writing and with the like confidence as he appears here for so he does appear with very great Confidence as you may observe he attests it himself And Gentlemen we shall shew you that here up and down the Town he makes it his common discourse what he was in hand with and makes his boast of himself to be the Prosecutor of the Earl of Essex's Murther and he had as good a Confederate as himself Mr. Speke and he having an Interest in the Country whither the news must be sent all abroad and Mr. Braddon must go to pick up Evidence I know not where a great way off of a Murther committed in the Tower We shall prove to you he had Letters Missive and recommendatory from Mr. Speke to a Gentleman with whom Mr. Braddon was to advise for they looked upon it to be as dangerous an Enterprize almost as the Plot it self as indeed it was therefore they must be wary and Mr. Braddon is advised to go by a wrong name so this Mr. Speke and Braddon were to carry on and make up this Tragi-Comedy for I can call it nothing else for the ridiculousness as well as the dangerousness of the Design The report was to be that this Murther of the Earl of Essex was committed by the Officers that attended my Lord and to fall out in time when his Majesty was in the Tower as if the King himself had a hand in it We shall trace it in all the parts of it by several Witnesses and hope you will make them an Example first by finding them Guilty and the Court afterwards by a severe Punishment for such a villainous practice to scandalize the Government with the Murther of a Noble Peer We shall begin with shewing you the Inquisition or rather first with the Convictment of the Earl of Essex for High-Treason because that is said in the Record by way of inducement Call Mr. Reynolds who was sworn Have you the Warrant of Commitment of my Lord of Essex Mr. Reynolds Yes Mr. Att. Gen. Shew it the Court. Let the Clerk read it Mr. Reynolds This is the Commitment that was delivered the Lieutenant of the Tower together with my Lord of Essex Cl. of Cr. This is directed to Thomas Cheek Esquire Lieutenant of his Majesties Tower of London Subscribed Leolin Jenkins and dated Sir Leolin Jenkins Knight of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council and Principal Secretary of State THese are in his Majesties Name to will and require you to receive into your Custody the Person of Arthur Earl of Essex herewith sent you being committed for High-Treason in compassing the Death of the King whom God preserve and conspiring to Levy War against His Majesty And him the said Earl of Essex to keep in safe custody until he shall be delivered by due course of Law And for so doing this shall be your Warrant Given under my Hand and Seal at Whitehal the 10th day of July 1683. L. Jenkins To Thomas Cheek Esquire Lieutenant of His Majesties Tower of London Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord we will then read the Inquisition that the Earl
I Do appoint Benjamin Tooke to Print the TRYAL of Laurence Braddon and Hugh Speke and Order that no other Person presume to Print the same Geo. Jeffreys THE TRYAL OF LAVRENCE BRADDON AND HVGH SPEKE Gent. Upon an INFORMATION OF High-Misdemeanor Subornation and spreading false Reports Endeavouring thereby to raise a Belief in His Majesties Subjects that the late Earl of ESSEX did not Murther himself in the TOWER contrary to what was found by the Coroners Inquest Before the Right Honourable Sir George Jeffreys KNIGHT and BARONET Lord Chief Justice of His Majesties Court of KINGS-BENCH and the rest of the Reverend JUDGES of that Court holden at Westminster on Friday the 7th of February 1683. LONDON Printed for Benjamin Tooke at the Ship in S. Paul's Church-Yard 1684. THE TRYAL OF Laurence Braddon and Hugh Speke Gent. On Thursday the Seventh of February Anno Dom. 1683. Annoque Reg. Caroli Secundi xxxvi A Tryal was had at the Kings Bench Bar in a Cause between our Sovereign Lord the King and Laurence Braddon and Hugh Speke Gentlemen upon an Information exhibited against them the last Term by his Majesties Attorney General for an High Misdemeanor and to which they the same Term pleaded Not Guilty and the Tryal proceeded in this manner Cl. of Cr. CRyer call the Defendants Laurence Braddon and Hugh Speke Cryer Laurence Braddon and Hugh Speke come forth or else this Inquest shall be taken by your default Mr. Wallop They appear Cl. of Cr. Gardez votrez Challenges Swear Sir Hugh Middleton which was done and there being no Challenges the Twelve Gentlemen sworn to try this Cause were these Sir Hugh Middleton Jur. Thomas Harriott Jur. Thomas Earsby Jur. Joshua Galliard Jur. Richard Shoreditch Jur. Charles Good Jur. Samuel Rouse Jur. Hugh Squire Jur. Nehemiah Arnold Jur. John Bifield Jur. William Wait and Jur. James Supple Jur. Who being counted Proclamation was made in usual form for Information Cl. of Cr. Gentlemen you of the Jury hearken to the Record His Majesties Attorney General in this Court has exhibited an Information against the Defendants by the Names of Laurence Braddon of the Middle Temple Gentleman and Hugh Speke of Lincolns Inn Gentleman And the Information sets forth That whereas Arthur Earl of Essex the 12 th of July in the Thirty Fifth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. was committed to the Prison of our Lord the King in the Tower of London for certain High-Treasons by him supposed to be committed And the said Arthur Earl of Essex being a Prisoner in the Tower of London aforesaid for the High-Treason aforesaid the 13 th day of July in the aforesaid Thirty Fifth Year of the Reign of our said Sovereign Lord the King that now is not having the fear of God before his eyes but being moved and seduced by the Instigation of the Devil at the Tower of London aforesaid in the County of Middlesex aforesaid himself feloniously and as a Felon of himself did kill and murther as by an Inquisition taken at the Tower of London aforesaid in the County of Middlesex aforesaid the 14 th day of July in the year aforesaid befor Edward Fernham Esquire then Coroner of our Lord the King of the Liberty of the Tower of London aforesaid upon the view of the Body of the said Arthur Earl of Essex and now in this Court remaining of Record more plainly does appear They the said Laurence Braddon and Hugh Speke not being ignorant of the Premises but contriving and maliciously and seditiously intending the Government of our said Lord the King of this Kingdom of England into Hatred Disgrace and Contempt to bring the 15th day of August in the aforesaid Thirty Fifth year of the Reign of our said Sovereign Lord the King that now is and divers other dayes and times as well before as after at the Parish of S. Clement Danes in the County of Middlesex with force and arms c. falsly unlawfully maliciously and seditiously did conspire and endeavour to make the Subjects of our said Lord the King of this Kingdom of England to believe that the Inquisition aforesaid was unduely taken and that the said Arthur Earl of Essex by certain Persons unknown in whose Custody he was was Killed and Murthered And to perfect and bring to effect their malicious and seditious Contrivances aforesaid they the said Laurence Braddon and Hugh Speke at the Parish of S. Clement Danes in the County of Middlesex aforesaid the 15th day of August in the Thirty Fifth year aforesaid falsly unlawfully unjustly maliciously and seditiously did conspire to procure certain false Witnesses to prove That the said Arthur Earl of Essex was not a Felon of himself but that the said Earl of Essex by the said Persons unknown was killed and murthered And to perswade other Subjects of our said Lord the King to believe this to be true they the said Laurence Braddon and Hugh Speke falsly maliciously and seditiously then and there in writing did declare and cause to be declared the said Laurence Braddon to be a Person that would prosecute the murther of the said Earl of Essex to the great Scandal and Contempt of the Government of our Lord the King of his Kingdom of England to the evil example of all other in the like case offending and against the Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King his Crown and Dignity To this Information the Defendants have severally pleaded Not Guilty and for their Tryal have put themselves upon the Country and His Majesties Attorney General likewise which Country you are Your Charge is to enquire whether the Defendants or either of them are Guilty of this great Misdemeanour whereof they are Impeached or Not Guilty If you find them or either of them Guilty you are to say so if you find them or either of them Not Guilty you are to say so and no more and hear your Evidence Then Proclamation was made for Evidence Mr. Dolben May it please your Lordship and you Gentlemen that are Sworn this is an Information preferred by Mr. Attorney General against the Defendants Laurence Braddon and Hugh Speke and the Information does set forth That whereas Arthur late Earl of Essex the 12 th of July last was committed to the Tower of London for certain Treasons supposed to have been by him done And the said Earl being so committed Prisoner to the Tower for Treason not having the fear of God before his eyes feloniously and as a Felon did kill and murther himself as by an Inquisition taken before the Coroner of the Tower-Liberty may more fully appear yet the Defendants Laurence Braddon and Hugh Speke not being ignorant of the Premisses but designing to bring the Government into Hatred and Contempt the 15 th day of August last at the Parish of S. Clement Danes in this County with force and Arms falsly unlawfully maliciously and
After this Mr. Braddon as it appears did nevertheless pursue this business L. C. J. Pray only tell what you know of your own knowledg both before and after Mr. Blathwaite I know my Lord that Mr. Braddon having been in the Country came afterwards before the King and was again Examined upon this matter by which it appeared that he did continue in his pursuit though he was always informed of the denial the Boy made and that it was understood to be a Lye by the whole Family of the Edwards's as well as from the denial of the little Boy for they did confess that the Boy used to tell Lyes and one of the Sisters said he had denied it at first but afterwards was brought to say it And if I remember right the words of one of the Sisters were BRADDON COMPELLED THE BOY TO SIGN IT Those are the words in the Minutes that I took at the Examination therefore I believe it was so that the Boy had denyed before to sign it But this I only mention as what the Sister said L. C. J. Have you any more questions to ask Mr. Blathwaite Gentlemen Mr. North. Because we will not trouble Mr. Blathwaite to call him again pray produce the Letter Mr. Att. Gen. Pray Sir will you look upon that Letter and tell the Court what you know of it and whose hand it is Mr. Blathwaite My Lord this is a Letter that was produced before the King when Mr. Speke attended there It was then put into my hands and I do well remember and likewise I have written upon it that Mr. Speke owned it to be his Letter L. C. J. Did he own it to be his Letter Sir Mr. Blathwaite Yes he did own it to be his Letter Mr. Att. Gen. That is all we have to trouble you with at present Sir We will now call Mr. Mon-Stevens who standing up by the Cryer was sworn And we call him to prove That Mr. Braddon had notice the Boy had disowned this Matter Mr. Sol. Gen. You hear the Question Sir pray acquaint my Lord and the Jury what you know of this Boys Examination before the Council and this Gentleman 's having notice the Boy disowned the thing Mr. Monstevens My Lord About 5 or 6 days after my Lord of Essex had murdered himself in the Tower I saw Mr. Braddon at the Secretary's Lodgings my Lord Sunderland's Lodgings at White-hall with a young Woman and a Boy about 12 or 13 years old The Boy was just now in Court I saw him there He came to me and told me he had earnest Business to speak with my Lord Sunderland That he came from Sir Henry Capel and he told me he came with an Information That the Boy had given relating to the Earl of Essex's death The Information I believe is in Court. He gave me the Information and I read it and I remember there was something in the Information of a Razor thrown out of a Window a bloody Razor thrown out of my Lord Essex's Window and after I had read the Information I told Mr. Braddon I wonder Sir Henry Capell had not appeared himself in a Matter of that moment wherein the Reputation of his Family was so much concerned and I took the liberty to tell him That I believed if Sir Henry Capell had thought that to be true that was contained in that Paper he would doubtless have came to my Lord Sunderland himself Thereupon he told me That Sir Henry Capell had not been well and did not stir abroad Then I told Mr. Braddon again as I very well remember That I was confident he had been abroad lately and had been to wait upon the King since the death of my Lord of Essex Then my Lord he had little or nothing to say to that but he said what he did he was obliged to do in Conscience and out of the Duty he owed to the Memory of my Lord of Essex Upon that my Lord Sunderland came by and I went with him to my Lord Sunderland and he gave him that Paper as I suppose which I read and my Lord Sunderland took the Information and afterwards Mr. Braddon was committed in Custody and then the thing was brought before the King and the Lords of the Council which Mr. Blathwaite has given you an accompt of Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord I pray that a word of the Information may be read we will first prove the Information taken by him and then call Sir Henry Capell who will prove that he never had any Order from him as he said he had but it was only his own busy Inclinations Cl. of Cr. This is Subscribed William Edwards L. C. J. Call the Boy in again Mr. Braddon May I ask Mr. Monstevens a Question My Lord L. C. J. Ay ask him what you will Mr. Braddon Sir Did not I come to you the Thursday Evening and waited at the Dutchess of Portsmouth's Lodgings before I brought the Boy and the Girl to White-hall Mr. Monstevens No I did not see you there Mr. Braddon You are positive in that Sir Mr. Monstevens Yes I will take my Oath again of it if you will Mr. Braddon Then I will prove I was and that I saw you at Ten of the Clock that Morning Mr. Monstevens I remember my Lord very well That I was surprized to see him at the Lodgings at White-hall I never saw him to the best of my remembrance but once in my life Mr. Braddon What time was it pray you first saw me Mr. Monstevens It was in the Afternoon as I remember L. C. J. Hark you young Man do you know my Lord Gerard Wil. Edwards Yes L. C. J. Which Lord Gerard do you know Wil. Edwards My Lord Brandon Gerard. L. C. J. How came you to know him Wil. Edwards By sight I know him L. C. J. Do you know where he lodged in the Tower Wil. Edwards Yes L. C. J. Where Wil. Edwards At one Mr. Sam 's L. C. J. Was you ever in his Lodging Wil. Edwards No. L. C. J. Never at all Wil. Edwards No. L. C. J. Did you never tell any body you were in my Lord Brandon Gerrad's Lodgings Wil. Edwards Never in my life L. C. J. Did you never tell Braddon that you went to see his Lodgings Wil. Edwards Into the House I never went L. C. J. Did you never tell Braddon That you went to see my Lord Brandon Gerard's Lodgings Never in your life Wil. Edwards No Sir L. C. J. Now read it Cl. of Cr. Reads The Information of William Edwards second Son to Thomas Edwards of the Parish of Allhallowes Barkin London taken the 18 th day of July in the 35 th year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King Charles the 2 d. Anno 1683 says That this Informant on Friday the 13 th of this instant July as he was going to School with his Brother Edward he heard that his Majesty and his Royal Highness the Duke of York were going to the Tower Whereupon
being thus in the Tower killed himself Mr. Sol. Gen. Shew the Inquisition Where is Mr. Farnham Mr. Farnham Here I am The Inquisition is returned here and is upon Record Cl. of Cr. Here it is Number 11. He reads London ss An Inquisition indented taken at the Tower of London aforesaid in the County of Middlesex the 14th day of July in the year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. the Thirty Fifth before Edward Farnham Esquire Coroner of our said Lord the King of the Liberty of the Tower of London aforesaid upon view of the Body of Arthur Earl of Essex then and there lying dead by the Oaths of Samuel Colwel Esquire William Fisher Thomas Godsel Esquire Thomas Hunt Nathaniel Mountney Esq Thomas Potter William How Robert Burgoine Eleazer Wickins Thomas Hogsflesh Henry Cripps Richard Rudder William Knipes John Hudson John Kettlebeter Lancelot Coleson Morgan Cowarn Thomas Bryan William Thackston Richard Cliffe Zebediah Pritchard William Baford and Theophilus Carter good and lawful Men of the Liberty of the Tower of London aforesaid who being charged and Sworn to enquire for our said Lord the King when by what means and how the said Arthur Earl of Essex came to his Death upon their Oaths do say that the said Arthur Earl of Essex the 13th day of July in the Thirty Fifth year of the Reign of our said Sovereign Lord the King aforesaid at the Tower of London aforesaid in the County of Middlesex aforesaid about the hour of Nine in the Forenoon of the same day not having the fear of God before his eyes but being seduced and moved by the Instigation of the Devil of his Malice aforethought at the Tower of London aforesaid in the County aforesaid then and there being alone in his Chamber with a Razor of the value of one Shilling voluntarily and feloniously did cut his Throat giving unto himself one Mortal Wound cut from one Jugular to the other and by the Aspera Arteria and the Wind-Pipe to the Vertebres of the Neck both the Jugulars being throughly divided of which said mortal Wonud the said Arthur Earl of Essex instantly died And so the Jurors aforesaid say upon their Oaths that the said Arthur Earl of Essex in manner and form aforesaid then and there voluntarily and feloniously as a Felon of himself did kill and Murther himself against the Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King his Crown and Dignity In Witness whereof as well I the Coroner aforesaid as the Jurors aforesaid to this Inquisition have Interchangeably put our Seals the day and year abovesaid Mr. Att. Gen. Call Mr. Evans and Mr. Edwards After this my Lord we shall shew you that Mr. Braddon went about the Town and declared the Earl was Murthered and he was the Prosecutor There is Mr. Evans Swear him which was done Pray will you give an account to my Lord and the Jury what you know of Mr. Braddon's going about and declaring he was the Prosecutor of my Lord of Essex's Murther Mr. Evans My Lord All that I know of this matter is this About the 17th of July last L. C. J. When is the Inquisition Cl. of Cr. It is the 14th of July L. C. J. Well go on M. Evans The 17th of July last I was at the Custom-House Key shipping of some Lead and the Person that brought me the Warrant I told him I could not Execute it without one of the Commissioners Officers and I bid him go to Mr. Edwards who was the next Officer adjoining to the Key and he went to his House and told him I was at the Water-side and had a Warrant which I desired him to be present while I Executed it Mr. Braddon it seems was then present in the place with Mr. Edwards when this was told him and hearing my Name Mr. Braddon came down with Mr. Edwards and found me then at Smith's Coffee-House and Mr. Edwards told me Mr. Braddon had been with him examining his Son in relation to a matter of a Razour that was thrown out of my Lord of Essex's window and I presently replied I desired they would not speak of any such matter to me for I had seen the Coroners Inquisition upon Oath where it was declared the thing was so and so and two Persons had Sworn what seemed to be contrary to this and therefore I desired they would forbear any such discourse to me L. C. J. Who they Mr. Evans Braddon and he were together L. C. J. Who he Man Mr. Evans Mr. Edwards And withal I made my application to Mr. Braddon and I desired him he would not meddle with such a matter for I thought it might be prejudicial to him and Mr. Edwards too Mr. Braddon made me no answer but went directly out of the Room L. C. J. What do you mean by so and so and a Razour thrown out of a window We do not understand your So and So. Mr. Evans Relating to a matter of a Razour L. C. J. Prithee we don't know what that matter of a Razour is Mr. Evans A Razour that was said to be thrown out of my Lord of Essex's Window L. C. J. Tell us what the Story was man Mr. Evans Mr. Edwards told me that Mr. Braddon was with him to examin his Son relating to a matter of throwing a Razour out of my Lord of Essex's Window This is that he said to the best of my remembrance Mr. Sol. Gen. Was Braddon present there Mr. Evans Yes Mr. Braddon and Mr. Edwards were both present L. C. J. Well what was the discourse between you Tell us plainly Mr. Evans Says Mr. Edwards to me Mr. Braddon has been to examin my Son about such a matter so I desired he would not discourse any thing of that matter to me and I told him I advise you not to proceed for I told him it would be prejudicial both to him and Mr. Edwards too L. C. J. What is meant by this matter He examined my Son about a matter and I desired him he would not discourse of this matter What is all that matter Mr. Just Holloway What did you apprehend by it Mr. Evans I apprehended that Mr. Braddon had been to examin Mr. Edwards's Son about such a matter L. C. J. What matter man Mr. Evans His dispersing of any such Report L. C. J. What Report Mr. Evans A Report of throwing a Razour out of my Lord of Essex's window L. C. J. Here is a Razour thrown out of a window and a matter of I know not what Mr. Just Withins Suppose a man should throw a Razour out of a window what signifies that L. C. J. Where had he heard of that matter Mr. Evans This is all I heard my Lord I am upon my Oath L. C. J. But I wish thou wouldest let us know what it is thou didst hear Mr. Jones Was there no talk of a bloody Razour Mr.
and a Maid come out and take it up and go in again Mr. Thompson Did you see any such thing as a Bloody Razor cast out Will. Edwards No. L. Ch. Just What a dust has such a trivial Report made in the world Admit the Boy had said any such thing what an Age do we live in that the Report of every Child shall blow us up after this rate It would make a body tremble to think what a sort of people we live among To what an heat does Zeal transport some people beyond all reason and sobriety If such a little Boy had said so 't is not an half-penny matter but presently all the Government is to be libell'd for a Boy which whether he speaks true or false is of no great weight and he swears 't is all false Mr. Sol. Gen. My Lord We shall next call Dr. Hawkins's Son of the Tower Where is Thomas Hawkins who was sworn Mr. Att. Gen My Lord Agreeable to what the Boy has now said to shew you that what Mr. Braddon got him to sign was all false here is the young man that truanted with him the same morning that was with him all the time the whole morning that says there was no such thing and he saw no such thing and how could it enter into the Boys head such a malicious lye if it had not been dictated Pray Mr. Hawkins will you acquaint my Lord and the Jury whether you play'd Truant that morning with this other Boy and where you were L. Ch. Just Ay Tell the truth in Gods name Young Man be it one way or t'other let the truth come out Hawkins In the morning Sir I met with him at the Tower going round with the King and we walked round the Tower as long as the King walked and then the King going into the Constables house we and some more Boys were playing L. Ch. Just Prithee speak out as though thou wert at play at Chuck-farthing Hawkins After we had been at play I went home and after I had been there a little while news was brought to my Father that the Earl of Essex had killed himself My Father went down and I followed him and after I had been there a little while William Edwards came home and there we stood looking up at the Window an hour or two at least and after we had tarried there a great while I went out of the Tower Gate a little after 11. Mr. Att. Gen. Was there no Razor thrown out of the Window Hawkins No there was no Razor thrown out L. C. J. Didst not thou see a Razor thrown out of the Window and a Maid come and take it up Hawkins No there was no such thing L. C. J. Were you there before Edwards came Hawkins Yes L. C. J. And you went out with him Hawkins Yes L. C. J. Did you and Edwards go away together Hawkins Yes Mr. Thompson Did he tell you of any such thing Hawkins No. Mr. Sol. Gen. What time of the day was it that you went out of the Tower Hawkins Almost 11 a Clock Mr. Wallop The Boy does say he did tell his Father and Mother and all the Family of it And 't is plain by the Father that it was known in the Family by 10 of the Clock Mr. Att. Gen. Was this young man with you all the time that you was there Edwards William Edwards Yes Mr. Att. Gen. Did not you tell your Father of this Story when you came from the Tower William Edwards Yes Mr. Att. Gen. And that was the same time you came out of the Tower with Hawkins William Edwards Yes Mr. Att. Gen. And you Hawkins was this young man with you all the time you were at my Lord Essex's Window Hawkins He came thither while I stood there Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord This is but the beginning of our Evidence your Lordship sees what a fine Case it is and how all this noise and bustle has come to be made in the World The Rumour first did arise in a Fanatick Family and was propagated by that Party Mr. Jones Ay 't is easily known whence it came L. C. J. Gentlemen pray will you go on with your Evidence and make no descants Mr. Freke You Hawkins when you came from your Fathers house did you find that Boy in the Tower Hawkins Yes Sir a going round with the King L. C. J. That was before this thing happened Mr. Freke Were you with him all the while he was in the Tower Hawkins Just before my Lord Essex cut his Throat I went home Mr. Freke Were you with him all the time or no And how long were you with him Hawkins I went with him round the Tower with the King And after we were at play and then I went home and then when I had been at home a little time the rumour and noise came that the Earl of Essex had killed himself so I went with my Father and stood before the Window and I tarried there a while before he came home and I stayed with him looking at the Window a great while and we went out of the Tower together Mr. Freke You little Boy Edwards was this Mr. Hawkins with you all the time that you were in the Tower William Edwards Yes but only a little while that I was at the Mills Mr. Att. Gen. My Lord We had not laid so much weight upon Mr. Braddon for this matter but that he could not be quiet but must inform the King of it and this matter was all examined before the King the Boy was sent for and before his face the Boy declared it was a Lye And after he knew this and after the Boy had twice in the presence of the King denied it yet notwithstanding all this then was the Project between him and Speke We shall first prove the Examination of this matter before the Council and how he was acquainted with it Pray call Mr. Blathwaite and Mr. Mon-Stevens Mr. Blathwaite was Sworn Mr. Att. Gen. Pray Mr. Blathwaite will you give an account whether you were present at the Council when Mr. Braddon brought this Information and how the matter was Examined there and what was done Mr. Blathwaite My Lord It was on the 20 th of July that Mr. Braddon came to White-hall he may remember I was there for he could not but see me attending on the King This little Boy was brought before his Majesty and was asked what Information he had given Mr Braddon And whether the Matter of the Information was true The Boy said it was a Lye and that upon his faith it was not true Mr. Braddon knew all this for he was called in and informed of it and I believe Mr. Braddon will remember that he heard the Boy deny it The whole Examination could not but shew that it was an Invention of his as he said it was to excuse himself for having plaid Truant that day and that because he was afraid to go home he invented that Lye