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A11884
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The araignment of Iohn Selman, who was executed neere Charing-Crosse the 7. of Ianuary, 1612. for a fellony by him committed in the Kings Chappell at White-Hall vpon Christmas day last, in presence of the King and diuers of the nobility
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1612
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STC 22183; ESTC S117088
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6,023
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22
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THE ARAIGNMENT of John Selman who was executed neere Charing-Crosse the 7. of Ianuary 1612. for a Fellony by him committed in the Kings Chappell at White-Hall vpon Christmas day last in presence of the King and diuers of the Nobility LONDON Printed by W.H. for Thomas Archer and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-head Pallace 1612. A TRVE RELAtion of the apprehending examining committing inditing arraigning and conuicting of Iohn Selman THe miserable and mischieuous sinnes that men are howerlydrawn into by the malitious meanes subtle snares inticements and allurementes of the Diuell are so many and monstrous that were not our owne eies continuall witnesses of the effect which they doe dayly worke in many it were not possible wee could or should beleeue that which euery minute is throwne into our owne eares by the report of others As for example would or could any one bee perswaded that a man should be so audacious or irreligious as to venture or enter into the House of God with a preiudicated and resolued mind to do a deed that any honest Christian would tremble and quake but to thinke vpon in regard of the time place and persons there present which in briefe was this On Wednesday the 25. of December last past being Christmas day one Iohn Selman did presume to come into the Chappell at White-Hall with intent and purpose to do that which at last he effected which was either to cut a purse or pic a pocket and houering long about one Leonatd Barry seruant to the Right Honourable the Lord Harrington was espied and noted by one M. Duble day who for some reasons which hereafter you shal heare did not cease with his eye to follow him suspecting him to be such a one as presently after by the fact and his own confession he did approue him selfe to be for Iohn Selman after long hawking and following of the foresaide Leonard Barry which was still noted by the foresaid M. Dubbleday the said Iohn Selman after he had as it seemed purchased his prise tooke his way forth of the Chappell which M. Dubbleday perceiuing he came dirrctly to the foresaid Leonard Barry and did aske him whether he wanted any thing out of his pockets or no to which he answered no surely sir I thinke I doe not But M. Dubble-day wild him to be sure and thereupon Leonâ—â—d Barry putting his hand into his pocket mist his purse said to M. Dubleday Sir I haue lost my purse Then said M. Dubleday goe with me and follow that man for surely he hath it meaning the foresaid Iohn Selman and thereupon M. Doubleday and Leonard Barry followed Iohn Selman forth of the Chappel and hauing ouertaken him M. Dubbleday stent before Selman and caught him fast by both the Wrists willing Leonard Barry to search his pockets for there quoth M. Dubbleday shall you find your purse Leonard Barry putting his hand into one of Selmans pockets found nothing there but a knife in a sheath but in the other pocket he found his purse and opening of it he found his money al there which he had put in in the morning The purse was a double purse of Lether into which Leonard Barry had put in twenty shillings into the one part of the purse and twenty shillings into the other The sodaine comming of M. Dubbleday vnto Leonard Barrie together with his speech to him in the Chappell as also their hasty following of Selman forth of the Chappell caused the by-standers with admiration to looke after them and one to enquire of another what might bee the cause of that sodâ—ine tumult In briefe it came to his Maiesties eare who being then in his royall person accompanied with our gratious Queene the thrice noble Prince the Duke of Yorke and the Lady Elizabeth with diuers of the Nobility his sacred Maiestie being ready to receiue the Sacrament was somewhat disturbed with the report hereof and therupon his most excellent Maiesty gaue commandement that the malefactor should be detained and further examined The celebration of the holy Sacrament being performed which in short time after Selman was brought before the Right worshipfull Sir Robert Banistre Clerke of the Greene-cloth for his Maiesties Household who examining the said Selman he did confesse as followeth The Examination of Iohn Selman before the Right Worshipfull Sir ROBERT BANISTRE Clerke of the Greencloth for his Maiesties Houshold taken the xxv of December 1611. FIrst he sayth that he dwelleth in Shoe Lane and that hee hath no Trade which he betaketh himselfe vnto Being examined of the busines hee had at Court he answereth that he had not any that was good and further confesseth that he did in his Maiesties Chappell the same day take out of the pocket of one Leonard Barry seruant to the L. Harington a purse with money in it but what summe hee knowes not in regard as soone as he was possest of it he was apprehended and the said purse taken from him Iohn Selman hauing been thus examined by Sir Rober Banistre he was by him committed to the custody of certaine of the Knight Marshals men with commandement to conuay him presently to the prison of the Marshalsey Now gentle Readers you must vnderstand that this Selman came into the Kings Chappell in very good and seemely apparell like vnto a Gentleman or Citizen viz. a faire blacke Cloake laced and either lined thorow or faced with veluet The rest of his apparel in reasonable maner being answerable thereunto Which was the cause that he without resistance had free entrance into that holy and sanctified place But he had not beene long in the Marshall see ere that his gallant apparell was fetcht from him and meaner brought vnto him in which he came to his araignement On Twesday being the last of December 1611. master Richardson Marshall of the marshall sey hauing receiued a write or warrant to that effect did bring vp his prisoner the foresaid Iohn Selman to Westminster to the Kings bench barre there to receiue his trial before certaine of his Maiesties Commissioners whose names are as followeth The names of his Maiesties Commissioners there assembled William Lord Knollis Sir Thomas Vauasor Sir Francis Backon Sir Arthur Gorge Sir Robert Banistre and others of the Greene Cloth Sir Edmond Bowier Sir Robert Leighe and Mr. Phillip Gerrard The Court being set Proclamation was made and euery man charged to keep silence while the Kings Commission was reading on paine of imprisonment The commission being read the grand inquest was called who did appeare all being his Maiesties seruants whose names are as followeth The names of the grand inquest William Lancaster Esquire Edward Blackgraue Esquire Iohn Bull Gentleman Edward Beake Yeoman William Yates Yeo. Richard Langley Yeo. Robert Powlston Yeo. Thomas Gawen Yeo. Anthony Barklet Yeo. Richard Gregory Yeo. George Cordall Yeo. Roger Terry Yeo. William Carter Yeo. Edward Kiffin Yeo. Iohn Browne Yeo. Iohn Whitlocke Yeo. Iohn Wonnam Yeo. Richard Dyar Yeo. These Gentlemen and
Yeomen being called and sworne Proclamation was made again euery man charged to keepe silence while the charge was giuen to the great Inquest on paine of imprisonment The charge being giuen to the Grand Inquest by Sir Francis Bacon the Kings Solister The Bill of Inditement was preferred vnto them for the approbation whereof The foresaid Leonard Barrie and Edmond Dubleday were called and sworne to giue their true testimony for satisfying of the Jury and to that purpose Leonard was first called and charged by vertue of his oath to deliuer the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth concerning the matter in question between the Kings Maiestie and Iohn Selman the prisoner indited his testimony was as followeth The euidence of Leonard Barry giuen to the Great Inquest FIrst he said that on Christmas day in the morning being the xxv of December 1611. he came into the Kinges Chappell at White-hall with intent to heare the diuine seruice and sermon to see his Maiesties Royall Person and the celebration of the most holy blessed Sacrament and being there in the Chappell the foresaid M. Dubleday came vnto him and did aske him whether hee had lost any thing out of his pockets or no to which he answered not any thing surely sir as I thinke But M Dubleday willed me quicly to search and to be sure and thereupon I thrust my hands into my pockets and mist my purse which M. Dubleday perceiuing willed me to go with him and follow that man pointing to Selman which wee did and ouertaking him searcht him and with him did find my purse and all my money and this is all said hee that I can say and thereupon M. Dubleday was called and charged that by vertue of his Doth he should likewise delivâ—r the truth and the whole truth and nothing but the truth concerning the matter in question betweene the Kings Maiesty and Iohn Selman the prisoner indited The euidence of Edmond Dubleday giuen to the great Inquest FIrst he said that being in the Chapell one Christmasse day last hee did espie there the foresaid Selman whom hee did much suspect to bee a very loose and lewd fellow and that made him very strickly but couertly to watch him notwithstanding his formality in apparrell At last he did perceiue Selman to take his way out of the Chappell after he had been long about the foresaid Leonard Barry and thereupon hee came to the said Barry and spake to him as aforesaid and afterward with him did follow and apprehend the said Selman and found about him the purse of the said Leonard Barry and forty shillings in money therein but M. Dubleday being demaunded by the Court what reason hee had to suspect him more then any other man in the Chappell to which hee answered as followeth That he hauing businesse in the Terme time at Westminster Hall in the Cheker Chamber this Selman said he that is now prisoner was very neere about me and so neere as I could and did wish that he had beene further off because I did assure my selfe that he had no good meaning to mee keeping so neere me and hauing no businesse with me and that was the cause that I did suspect him And therupon the great Inquest being ready to goe together they were willed for their better satisfaction to stay and heare the examination and confession of the said Iohn Selman taken before Sir Robert Banistre Clerke of the greene Cloth c. Which examination together with the prisoners owne confession was red vnto them as it is before set downe All which when they had heard they went not from the barre but called for pen and inke and to the inditement subscribed Billa Vera which with a generall and free consent of them all was deliuered vp That being done master Richardson Marshall of the Marshall sey was called and willed to bring in his prisoner which hee did and hee being placed at the Barre was commanded by the name of Iohn Selman to hold vp his hand which he did then was the inditement read which was this Iohn Selman hold vp thy hand thou standest heere indited by the name of Iohn Selman late of London yeoman for that thou the twenty fifth day of December in the ninth yeere of the Raigne of our Soueraigne Lord Iames by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the faith c. and of Scotland the fiue and fortie at the house of our Soueraigne Lord the King called White Hall in the County of Midlesex within the verge our Soueraigne Lord the King being then in his Royall Maiesty at White-hal aforesaid withforce and Arms did make an assault vpon one Leonard Barrie and one purse of the value of one halfe-penny and forty shillings ready money in the same purse then and there being of the goods and money of the foresaid Leonard Barrie from the person of the said Leonard Barrie priuily and without the knowledge of the said Leonard then and there feloniously did take and carry contrary to the peace of our Soueraigne Lord the King his Crowne and Dignity What saiest thou Iohn Selman to this fellony art thou guilty or not guilty to which hee answered guilty then after some small respite or pause hee was demaunded by M. Thomas Porter what hee could say for himselfe why sentence of death according to the law shold not be pronounced against him to which he answered not any thing but prostrating himselfe on his knees submitted himselfe to the Kings mercy humbly praying that after the law was executed his body might bee deliuered to his wife to haue Christian buriall and that the goods which he had part of which was wel gotten some otherwise might not bee taken from her to which the Right Worshipfull and worthy Gentleman Sir F. B. answered Here is an Honourable Lord and an ancient Counsellor that vpon your true Repentance and reuealing of those of your faculty and fraternity who are still as ready to enter into the presence Chamber of the King as you were to enter into the Kings Chappell which is the house of God wherein hee hath promised alwaies to bee present and therefore it may well be called the Sanctum Sanctorum And therefore said Sir F. if you doe this vpon his Honours report to the Kinges Maiesty questionles your request will be granted Then Selman speaking to the Commissioners nominated one who as he saide was then in the Hall which could if hee would do good seruice to the King by reuealing many of that profession his name as I haue heard is I. H. This being done Sir Francis â—acon to whom at that tune it did belong proceeded to iudgement and asking on the prisoner thus or to this effect in some sort hee spake The first and greatest sinne that euer was committed was done in Heauen The second was done in Paradise being heauen vpon earth and truly I cannot chuse but place this in the third ranke in regard it was done in the house of God where he by his owne promise is alwaies resident as also for that the cause of that assembly was to celebrate the Feast of the birth of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus And Gods Lieutenant here on earth being in Gods house there present ready to receiue the holy and blessed Sacrament all which being considered the time place and persons there present and therefore I doe aduise thee that as thou hast submitted thy selfe to the Kings mercy so thou wilt craue pardon at Gods hands who is more ready to giue then we to craue which if thou dost with a true feeling of thy sinne and repentance and loathing of thy sinne thou shalt surely bee forgiuen at Gods hands and being fully perswaded thereof I will now pronounce thy iudgement which is Thou shalt bee had from hence to the place from whence thou cammest and from thence bee brought to the place of Execution which shall be betweene Charing Crosse and the Court gate and there to bee hanged by the necke till thou be dead and so the Lord haue mercy vpon thy soule The last speach of Selman at the place of Execution I Am come as you see patiently to offer vp the sweet and deare sacrifice of my life a life which I haue gracelessely abused and by the vnruly course thereof made my death a scandall to my kindred and aquaintance I haue consumed fortunes gifts in riotous companies wasted my good name in the purchase of goods vnlawfully gotten and now ending my daies in too late repentance I am placed in the rancke of reprobates which the rusty canker of time must needs turne to obliuion I stand here as shames example ready to bee spewed out of the Common wealth I confesse I haue knowne too much performed more but consented to most I haue bin the only corruption of many ripe witted youth and leader of them to confusion Pardon me God for that is now a burthen to my conscience wash it away sweet Creator that I may spotlesse enter into thy glorious kingdome Whereupon being demanded if he would discouer any of his fraternity for the good of the Common wealth or not Answered that he had already left the names of diuers notorious malefactors in writing behind him which hee thought sufficient So hee requested the quietnes of conscience that his soule might depart without moelstation For quoth he I haue deserued death long before this time and deseruedly now I suffer death The offence I dye for was high presumption a fact done euen in the Kings Maiesties presence euen in the Church of God in the time of diuine Seruice and the celebration of the Sacred Communion for which if forgiuenes may descend froÌ„ Gods tribunall Throne with penitence of hart I desire it all which being spoken he patiently left this world for auother life But see the gracelesse and vnrepenting minds of such like kinde of liuers for one of his quality a picke pocket I meane euen at his execution grew master of a true mans purse who being presently taken was imprisoned and is like the next sessions to wander the long voiage after his grand Captaine Mounsier Iohn Selman God if it bee his blessed will turne their hearts and make them all honest men FINIS