171] STATE TRIALS, 31 CHARLES II. 1679.-Trial of Green, Berry, and Hill, [172 very unwilling. But pray, Sir, saith Hill, you quarter of an hour after I came down, and Att. Gen. Who was it that took him by the Praunce, No, but he did tell me afterwards that he did it. L. C. J. Who, Green himself? Praunce. Yes, my lord, for he boasted of it. Att. Gen. Pray what did he do to him besides? Praunce. He punched him with his knee. L. C. J. Did you see him do this? How do you know he did it? Praunce. He and the rest told me so afterwards. L. C. J. Where were you at that time the handkerchief was twisted about his neck? As soon as I came down I went towards the gate. L. C. J. Pruunce. gate? Praunce. He was about the stairs. Recorder. into the room? I Praunce. Who was it that carried him up We all did. Recorder. Pray name all that were in the company. Praunce. There was Girald, Green, Hill, Kelly, Barry, and I. Att. Gen. Who set their hands to it? Alt. Gen. Whose room was that? Dr. Godwin's house. Recorder. Was Hill Godwin's man? Mr. Justice Jones. Did Berry help to carry him in ? Praunce. Yes, Berry did. Mr. Serj. Stringer. Was there any discourse of a sword to be thrust through him at that time? Praunce. Yes, Girald said he would thrust a sword through him; but they would not let him, for fear of discovery. Att. Gen. What became of the body? Praunce. It lay there till Monday night, and on Monday it was removed to Somerset House, and upon Monday night Hill did shew me it with a dark-lanthorn. Att. Gen. Who were in the room then? Praunce. Girald, and Hill, and Kelly, and all were there. And on Tuesday night it was Who ordered you to stand at the brought back again : Mr. Hill would have carried him into his own lodging. Praunce. It was Hill. L. C. J. Whither did they carry him on Mr. Serj. Stringer. You watched the water- Monday night? gate, who watched the stairs? Praunce. That was Berry. Praunce. Into Somerset House. Just. Wild. Is not Hill's chamber in Somer Recorder. Pray give an account what they set House? did afterwards. Praunce. Why, afterwards Att. Gen. Who told you that Green twisted his neck? Praunce. All spoke of it. Att. Gen. Did Hill? Praunce. Yes, he and the rest. Att. Gen. How came you to understand that he punched his breast? Praunce. Green spoke of it himself, and so did the others. Att. Gen. Who were about his body when you came down to the gate? Praunce. All four. Att. Gen. Name them. Hill, Green, Girald, and Kelly. Att. Gen. He came to them a while after. Before they carried him into the him in. Sol. Gen. Where was Berry before they carried him into the house? Serj. Stringer. Describe the room, Mr. Praunce, as well as you can. Praunce. I am not certain of the room, and so cannot describe it. Just. Wild. But was not Hill's chamber in Somerset House? Praunce. It is in the lower part of the house, in a court. Att. Gen. When you saw him in this room, pray what was thrown over him? Praunce. There was something, I cannot Praunce. Hill carried it. Just. Dolben. Are you sure you saw the body there? Praunce. Yes, I am certain of it. Att. Gen. What became of it after that? Praunce. On Tuesday night it was carried brought after he was murdered; but there was to Hill's, the chamber where he was first into the room, but they carried him into a room somebody there, and so they could not carry it just over against, I think they were sir John Arundell's lodgings, I cannot tell. There it lay till Wednesday night, and about nine o'clock on Wednesday night they were removing the body into the room where it first lay; and I happened to come as they were removing it, and they were affrighted and run away: But I spoke, and Berry came back again, and got the body up into the room, and about 12 o'clock they carried it away in the sedan. Att. Gen. Who brought the sedan? Who put him into it? Who carried him out first? Att. Gen. Praunce. The upper gate of the upper court. How came you to have the gate Berry opened it. All. Gen. How came he to open it? Praunce. Somebody hem'd, and that was the sign. Att. Gen. Who was it that carried the sedan first?-Praunce. I and Girald. Att. Gen. Who went before? Praunce. Green and Kelly. Recorder. How far did you carry him? Praunce. Into Covent Garden, and there we rested. And who took him up then? Att. Gen. Att. Gen. Who was it that rid behind him? Att. Gen. What did you do with your sedan ? Praunce. We set it in a new house till we came back again. L. C. J. You say you saw him on horseback? Praunce. Yes my Lord, I did. open, and Hill held him up. Hill. Did I hold him? Praunce. Yes, you did. L. C.J. Did the others go with him? forced L. C. J. Who did go with him? Praunce. Green, Hill, Girald and Kelly. Att. Gen. Pray, will you tell my lord and the Jury, what account they gave you the next morning concerning the body, and how they --had disposed of it. Praunce. They told me- L. C. J. What did they tell you? Praunce. First, that they had run him through with his own sword; then thrown him into a ditch, and laid his gloves and other things upon the bank. Att. Gen. Pray tell now the story of your meeting at Bow. What was the house called you met at? Praunce. It was the sign of the Queen'sHead. Att. Gen. Who was it that did meet there? Praunce. They were priests; I cannot so well remember their names, they are written down in this paper. Recorder. Look on the paper yourself; you can read, I suppose? Praunce. There was one Luson, a priest, I think. Att. Gen. Where did he live? Praunce. He was with Vernatt. Att. Gen. What was the occasion of your meeting there? Praunce. Vernatt told me it was only to be merry there. Att. Gen. What was the man of the house his name? Praunce. Att. Gen. Praunce. Att. Gen. One Casshes. Did you dine there? Yes, What had you for dinner? Praunce. We had a barrel of oysters, and a dish of fish: I bought the fish myself. L. C. J. What day was it? Praunce. The Friday after the Proclamation, that all the papists were to be gone out of town. Recorder. Tell what company you had there, and what discourse. Praunce. There was Mr. Vernatt, and I, and Mr. Girald, and that other priest, and one Mr. Dethicke. Att. Gen. Who sent for him? Praunce. Mr. Vernatt sent a note for him by a cobler. Att. Gen. Did he come upon that note? Praunce. He came presently. And when he was come, then they read all the writing of the murder; for Mr. Vernatt should have been one at the doing of it, but something happened he could not. Att. Gen. Mr. Vernatt was very sorrowful at the reading of it, was he not? Praunce. If he was, it was because he was not there. Att. Gen. How did he behave himself? Did he read it with any pleasure and delight? Praunce. We were all very merry. Att. Gen. What can you say about any body's over-hearing you? Praunce. There was a drawer came and listened at the door, and I hearing the door a little rustle, went to the door, and catched him listening; and said I to him, sirrah, I could find in my heart to kick you down stairs; and away he went. Just. Wild. Was Vernatt with you there that night he was murdered, the Saturday night? Praunce. No; there was only the six I have named. Just. Jones. You say that you met at the Plow the first night? Praunce. Yes. Just. Jones. And there you were told, that it was a very charitable act to kill sir E. Godfrey? Praunce. Yes, I was so. Just. Jones. Was it agreed there that he should be killed? Praunce. It was agreed there; and the first that met him were to give notice to the rest. Just. Jones. Who were there? Praunce. Girald, Kelly, Green and I. L. C. J. When came Hill and Berry into this cause? How came they acquainted with it? Praunce. They were in it before I. L. C. J. Who told you they were in it? Praunce. Mr. Girald, my lord, told me so. Just. Jones. Hill and Berry were not at the Plow, where did you first hear them speak of it? Praunce. Girald and I bave been at Berry's house divers times. Just. Dolben. But there were two meetings at the Plow, were there not? Praunce. Yes, there were. L. C. J. How? Hill. I suppose, my lord,it is not unknown to you that be made such an open confession before the king. L. C. J. Look you, sir, I will tell you for that, I do not know that ever he made a confession to contradict what he had said upon his oath.-Hill. He was upon his oath before. L. C. J. Yes, he had accused you upon oath ; but afterwards, you say, he confessed that it was not true, but that confession that it was not true, was not upon oath: How is he then guilty of perjury? Hill. My lord, if a man can swear a thing and after deny it, he is certainly perjured. L. C. J. If a man bath great horrors of conscience upon him, and is full of fears, and the guilt of such a thing disorders his mind, so as to make him go back from what he had before discovered upon oath, you can't say that man is perjured, if he don't forswear it: But I believe no body did believe his denial, because Just. Dolben. And Hill was at the last meet- his first discovery was so particular, that every ing, was he not? Praunce. Yes, he was, my lord. Att. Gen. Now I would ask you this question 'by the favour of the Court,was there any reward proposed by these priests for the doing of it? Praunce. Girald and Vernatt did speak of a great reward that was to be given for it. Att. Gen. Pray, how much? Praunce. I do not remember what. Att. Gen. Cannot you tell how much? • Praunce. There was to be a good reward from my lord Bellasis, as they said.. Justice Dolben. You had several meetings, you say: Did you there resolve what should be the way of doing it? Praunce. Girald was resolved to kill him that night; and if he could not get him into a more convenient place, he would kill him with his own sword, in the street that leads to his own house. Recorder. Who was that that resolved so? Recorder. The priest, rather than fail, was resolved to do that act of charity himself. Att. Gen. I would now ask you a question, which though it does not prove the persons guilty, yet it gives a great strength to the evidence. Do you know Mr. Bedlow, Mr. Praunce. Praunce. I do not know him. Att. Gen. Had you ever any conference with him before you was committed to prison? - Praunce. Never in all my life. Att. Gen. Were you ever in his company in your life before, that you know of? Praunce. No, not that I remember. man did think his general denial did only proceed from the disturbance of his mind. But have you any mind to ask him any questions? Recorder. We can prove, that immediately after he retracted his recantation. Justice Dolben. Try if you can trap him in any question. Hill. Pray what hour was it that I went to sir Edmundbury Godfrey's? Praunce. About nine or ten o'clock, I am not certain in the hour. L. C. J. No, no, a man cannot be precise. to an hour; but prove you what you can. Hill. I have a great many witnesses, besides the justice of my cause, that I was not out of my house that day. L. C. J. You shall be heard for that; but the present matter is, whether you will ask him any questions or no? Hill. My lord, it is all false that he says, and I deny every word of it, and I hope it shall not not be good against me. L. C. J. Well, Mr. Berry, will you ask him any questions? Berry. Mr. Praunce, who was in my house at that time you speak of ? Praunce. There was your wife there, and several other persons besides. Berry. Who were they? Praunce. There were divers people; it is an ale-house. Berry. But who? Can you name any of them? Praunce. There was Girald, and Kelly, and I. L. C. J. Why, did you not all know Mr. Praunce? Att. Gen. Well, you shall see how far he will agree with you. Berry. My lord, I knew him as he passed Recorder. Now they may ask him any ques-up and down in the house. tions, if they please, for we have done with him. L. C. J. Let them if they will. Hill. My lord, in the first place, I huinbly pray that Mr. Praunce's evidence may not stand good against me, as being perjured by his own confession. L. C. J. Why, what answer is that? what do you mean by his passing up and down in the house? did you never drink with him? Berry. Drink with him, my lord? Yes. L. C. J. Yes? why people don't use to drink as they go along. 2 Berry. It was in other company that came Hill. My lord, I did know him. great discovery. And, my lord, more than that, he said, It was fear that made him recant; and he gave a full satisfaction, that it was only out of an apprehension that his life was not secure, that his trade would be lost among the Roman Catholics; and in case be had his pardon, and were saved, he should have been in danger of being murdered by them. L. C. J. Now you have an account, Mr. Hill, how he came to deny, and how soon he recanted his denial. Justice Jones. You are upon your oath, Mr. Praunce: Is this all true that he hath said? Praunce. Yes, my lord, it is. Recorder. How hath he behaved himself. since that aime ? Captain Richardson. As soberly as can be, since he had his pardon. Alt. Gen. Pray, since that time, have you any discourse with him? And how did he carry himself? Att. Gen. But yet, my lord, we shall prove in the course of our evidence, that upon their examinations, they did deny they ever knew him; but because the prisoners give us this occasion, I desire Mr. Praunce may give an account of one thing. He was concerned in this very fact, and there was no other way to get any proof of it, than by the discovery of one among themselves. He was once of that religion, or else he had never been concerned in this thing. And your lordship will find that Mr. Praunce, while he was of that religion, and not sure of his pardon, was under some dis-had turbances and fears, which prevailed with him to come before the king, and deny what he had sworn. But, my lord, which is very observable, this gentleman that had made that denial before the king, was so far convinced that he had done amiss in it, and so troubled that he had done it, that he desired captain Richardson (as soon as he returned back to prison) to carry him back to the king again; for he must go back and make good that confession which he at first had made; for it was every word true. And being for the king, we desire captain Richardson may be sworn. Justice Wild. Can you tell where sir E. Godfrey was dogged? Praunce. No, my lord, I cannot. Justice Wild. You say they did tell you, that they dogged him up and down: Did not they tell you from whence they dogged him, when they killed him? Praunce. No, they did not. L. C. J. Mr. Richardson, were you by, when Mr. Praunce denied all that he had confessed? 6 Captain Richardson. My lord, upon the Sunday night before the prorogation of the last parliament, I received a letter from one of the lords of the council, to bring up Mr. Praunce before the lords of the committee for his examination. When I brought him thither I found Mr. Praunce was disturbed, and desired to speak with the king; and I carried him into the king's closet, where he fell down on his knees, and said, He was innocent, and they were all innocent;' and that was the substance of all he said. I then bad him up to the council, where he said the same thing. The lords asked him, whether any body had been tampering with him? He answered, No. My lord, when I came home, I was no sooner got within the doors, but he begged of me, for God's sake, to go back to the king, and to acquaint him, not only that what he had now said, was false; but that all which he had sworn before, was truth. And if his majesty would send him a pardon, he would make a VOL. VII. Captain Richardson. Very soberly. Att. Gen. Did he express any abhorrence of the practice of that church? Captain Richardson. Yes, my lord, he did so. Att. Gen. I hope it will make all people abhor and forsake them in time, if these be their practices. In the next place, my lord, we will call Mr. Bedlow, who, though he was not present at the murder, yet he saw the body after it was dead in Somerset-house, which goes to the matter as to the place; and he will give you some circumstances which will very much corroborate the testimony of Mr. Praunce. Justice Wild. What time was it before they carried him in, after they had killed him? L. C. J. Brother, I think they say, between eight and nine they decoyed him through the water-gate. Was it not so? Praunce. Yes, my lord., Justice Wild. How long had they killed him before they carried him into the room? Praunce. About a quarter of an hour. Justice Wild. Had he his sword about him? Praunce. Yes, it was found run through him. Justice Wild. Did sir E. Godfrey himself draw his sword? Praunce. No, he was strangled by surprise, by getting a thing about his neck, and prevented him of drawing his sword. L. C. J. They were persons that were ready prepared for him, they would not permit him to defend himself. Serjeant Stringer. My lord, before Mr. Bedlow be sworn, I desire a little to open what we call him to. My lord, there were four priests that did design this murder; Le Faire and Welsh, and Girald and Kelly, besides the other priests; and they treated with Mr. Bedlow for 4,000l. to undertake to kill a gentleman. My lord, he did promise to undertake it, but failing of his promise, afterwards Le Faire met hire, and told him it was done; and told him N 179] STATE TRIALS, 31 CHARLES II. 1679.-Trial of Green, Berry, and Hill, [180 be should have half that reward to help to carry him off; and withal, carried him into the room where the body was. And he will tell you that Praunce was in the room when he saw him; and though he never knew Praunce before, yet when he met him in the lobby of the Lords' House, he knew him again, and charged him as the man that committed this fact. And be will acquaint your lordship, that Le Faire saw the body likewise, and gave Mr. Bedlow an account of the murder, with the same circumstances that Praunce now relates it. Then Mr. Bedlow was sworn. Recorder. Mr. Bedlow, pray do you direct your discourse to the Jury. L. C. J. Mr. Attorney, pray. do you ask him your questions, that you may put him in that method you would have him take, to give his evidence. Att. Gen. My lord, I would first ask him this question: What conference he had with any persons, priests or others, about murdering any body? Bedlow. My lord, and the Jury, I have at other times, and in other places, proved what familiarity I have had with the priests and Jesuits; and if I have not satisfied the Court and others, about it, yet I have done my duty in eadeavouring so to do. My lord, I have been several times treated with, not only about the plot, but by several persons about murdering of a gentleman. They never told me who it was that was to be murdered; but if I would undertake it, they, that is, Le Faire and Pritchard, and Mr. Kaines, and several other priests, who discoursed with me about it, would find out some to assist me, and my reward should be very considerable. L. C. J. When was this? Bedlow. It was in October last, about the beginning, or the latter end of September. 1. C. J. Well, Sir, go on. Bedlow. I did adhere to them all along, for I had a mind to discover two years ago, but was prevented; and I only drilled them on, to know the party, that I might prevent them. But they would never discover the party. Att. Gen. Pr'ythee come to this particular part of the story. Bedlow. Afterwards they set me to insinuate myself into the acquaintance of sir E. Godfrey, not telling me they had a design upon him. L. C. J. Who did? Bedlow. Le Faire, and Pritchard, and Welsh. L. C. J. Girald was not one, was he? Bedlow. No, my lord: But they told me, that afterwards they would have me introduce them into his acquaintance: And I had been, I think, six or seven days together with sir E. Godfrey, at his house; and had got much into his acquaintance. Justice Wild. By what means did you get into his acquaintance? Bedlow. Why, I pretended to get warrants for the good behaviour against persons, that there were none such. L. C. J. Well, and what then? day that he was killed; and I was there every Bedlow. This was the week before the Satur day but Saturday: On the Friday I went to the Greyhound tavern, and I sent my boy to see if sir E. Godfrey were at home: sir E. Godfrey was not at home then, L. C. J. When was that? Bedlow. The very day before he was killed: If he had been at home, I would have gone over to him, and would have desired him to go over to them. L. C. J. Were the priests there? and Le Faire, and Welsh and Kaines, and Bedlow. Yes, my lord, there was Pritchard, another; five Jesuits: And, as I said, I sent my boy to see if he were at home, and he brought me word he was not; and if he had, him thither, that they might insinuate themI was to have gone to him, to have fetched selves into his acquaintance: And indeed they had tongue enough to wheedle themselves into any one's acquaintance: So he not being at home, we came into the city, two of the Jesuits and I. Att. Gen. Which two? Bedlow. Le Faire and Welsh. The next morning Le Faire came to my chamber, and I him, about four of the clock, in Lincoln's-Ianwas not then within; but by accident, I met Fields: We went to the Palsgrave's-Head me there was a gentleman there that was to be tavern; where falling into discourse, he told put out of the way, that was the phrase he they do not count it murder. ased, he did not really say murder him; for L. C. J. terms. No, no; they put it into softer Bedlow. They told me it was to be done Justice Jones. What was the reward? Who was it that first named this |