31 Car.II.

AD.167 that the Deponent faw Hill, Green, Gerald, and Kelly, about the Body when he came from the Gate; and a while after Berry came, and they all helped to carry him into Hill's Room in Dr. Godden's Houfe; where the Corps lay till Monday Night, and then it was removed into Somerfet-Houfe, where Hill fhewed it the Deponent with a Dark Lanthorn, but he could not defcribe the Room: On Tuesday it was carried to Hill's Chamber again; but fomebody being there, they carried it to Sir John Arundel's Lodgings over against it; where it lay till Wednesday Night; when they removed it to the Room where it firft lay, and about Twelve carried it away in a Sedan through the great Gate of the upper Court; and when they came to Soho, Hill met them with a Horfe, and fet the Body upon it, and rid behind it; and the next Morning Prance met Hill, and they told him, they had run him through with his own Sword, and thrown him into a Ditch, and laid his Gloves and other Things upon the Bank.

The Prifoners objecting, That Prance was perjured, because he denied what he had fworn against them before the Council, the Keeper of Newgate was called; who depofed, That Prance did indeed confefs, as well before the King in his Clofet, as before the Council, That all he had fworn against the Prifoners was falfe, and that they were all innocent: And Richardfon being asked, if any body had been tampering with him, he answered, No; but they were no fooner returned to the Prifon again, than Prance faid, all he had fworn was Truth; and it was only Fear of lofing his Trade, and being murdered by the Papifts, which made him recant.

Bedloe

Bedloe depofed, That the Priests had foli- 4.D.167 cited him to murder a Gentleman about the 31 Car.II. latter end of September, but did not tell him. who it was, but directed him to infinuate Bedloe's himfelf into Godfrey's Acquaintance; which Evidence. he did accordingly: They told him alfo, That there was a material Man to be put out of the way that Night he was murdered, who had all the Informations that Oates and Tongue had given in; that they had made feveral Attempts on him, which had failed; and if he fhould not be taken out of the way, and the Papers taken from him, they must wait an Age before they could effect their Design; that he promised to affift in it, but demanded where the four thoufand Pounds were which had been promifed, and was told the Lord Bellafis was engaged for it, and Mr. Coleman had Orders to pay it. Bedloe further depofed, That he met the Prieft who would have employed him to murder the Gentlemau on the Monday Night, after it was done, in Sumerfet-Houfe Cloifters, who reproved him for not coming to affift them; but faid, if he would help to carry him off, he fhould have half the Reward; and he was carried into a Room, where they thewed him the Body by a small Light, and he knew it, and faw a Cravat about his Neck; and he advifed them to tie Weights to his Head and Feet, and fink him in the River; but they told him they would put it upon himfelf: That they adminiftered the Sacrament to the Deponent twice a Week afterwards, to conceal the Matter. The Deponent went down to Bristol afterwards; where he was fo reftlefs and difturbed in his Mind, that he could not help making the Difcovery.

The

A.D.167

31 Car. II.

The Pri

fence.

The Surgeon, who viewed Godfrey's Body after it was found, depofed, That he had one Wound in his Body which stopped at a Rib, and another that went through his Heart; but he did not think he was killed by it, because there was no Evacuation of Blood; and his Neck was fo diftorted, that they might have taken the Chin and fet it upon either Shoulder. Brown, who found the Body, also depofed, That there was no Blood in the Ditch, nor none followed the Sword when it was taken out; and that his Breaft looked black, and he fuppofed his Neck was broke, for it was fo weak that his Head might be turned upon either Shoulder; and he had a great deal of Gold and Silver in his Pockets.

The Prifoners in their Defence proved, foners De- That Hill ufed to come in at good Hours every Night; and particularly he was at home at Eight o'Clock that Night Godfrey was miffing: Others fwore, That they were in Hill's Room, where the Body was faid to be laid, every Day, and must have seen it if it had been there; and that they faw nothing of it. The Corporal and Centinels at Somerset-House depofed, That no Sedan went out that Night the Body was faid to be carried away.

The Chief Juftice, in fumming up the Evidence, gave the Evidence for the King at least its full Weight, and told the Jury, That this Gentleman had been murdered, either because he knew fomething the Priefts would not have him tell, or they did it in Defiance of Juftice, and to terrify all thofe who dare execute it upon them; and directed them to give a Verdict against the Prifoners.

The Chief Juftice's Directions to find the Prifoners guilty, were not only followed by

the

the Jury, but the People in the Hall gave a 4.D.167. general Shout when he delivered his Opinion 31 Car. II. of their Guilt, as for a notable Victory. Judge Wild paffed Sentence upon them the They are next Day; in purfuance whereof Lawrence Hill convicted, and Robert Green were executed at Tyburn the and exe2ift of February: Henry Berry, who was look-cuted. ed upon as a Proteftant, was reprieved a few Days longer, in hopes of a further Discovery; but he, as well as the reft, perfifted to the laft in denying they knew any thing either of the Murder, or the Plot.

of York

fent be

yond Sea.

And now the Time for the Meeting of the Parliament approaching, his Majefty thought fit to direct their Royal Highneffes the Duke and Dutchefs of Turk, to go beyond Sea; be- The Duke lieving that the Duke's Abfence might quiet the Minds of the People, and they would be induced on his Removal to drop their Defign of excluding him from the Succeffion: And accordingly their Royal Highneffes embarked on the 3d of March, and arrived in Holland the 12th; from whence they removed to Bruffels in Flanders, and remained there moft part of the Summer.

the new

The Parliament meeting (in purfuance of TheKing's their Summons) the 6th of March, was open- Speech to ed with a Speech from the Throne; where- Parliament, in his Majefty declared, That he met them with the most earnest Defire a Man could have to unite the Minds of all his Subjects to himself, and to one another; that, to this énd, he had done many great Things already; as the Exclufion of the Papifts from Parlia ment, the Execution of the Plotters, and the Murderers of Juftice Godfrey; and it was apparent he had not been idle in the Discovery of both; that he had alfo disbanded as much VOL. XXIII. F

of

A.D.167 of the Army as he had Money for, and was 31 Car. II. ready to disband the reft, fo foon as they fhould reimburfe him the Money they had coft him, and would enable him to pay off the Remainder; but above all, he had caufed his Brother to abfent himself, because he would not leave malicious Men room to fay, he had not removed all Caufes which could be pretended to influence him towards popish Counfels; and he fhould difcern from this laft great Step, whether the Proteftant Religion and Peace of the Kingdom were as truly intended by others, as they were really aimed at by him.

His Majefty then put them in mind of raifing Supplies for disbanding the reft of the Army, and paying off Part of the Fleet, and difcharging the Anticipations on his Revenue; and tells them it would be necessary to have a good Strength at Sea this Summer, because of the naval Preparations of their Neighbours; that notwithstanding his Difficulties, he had taken Care to prevent any Danger that could threaten them, if they performed their Parts in time; and heartily recommended it to them, that fuch a conftant Establishment might be made for the Navy, as might make the Kingdom not only fafe, but formidable; and concluded with an Affurance, That he would with his Life defend the Proteftant Religion, and the Laws of the Kingdom; expecting from them to be defended from the Calumny, as well as Danger, of thofe worft of Men, who endeavoured to render him and his Government odious to the People.

The Lord Chancellor Finch alfo made a Speech, to inforce what his Majefty had faid; wherein