A Succinct Narrative Of the Bloody Murder of Sir EDMONDBURY GODFREY By the PAPISTS,
Octob. 12. 1678.
With the various and Wonderful Circumstances of the Motives, Manner, Time, Place, Persons,
&c. relating to the said Murder, Faithfully collected out of the several respective Depositions given upon Oath before the
House of Lords by Captain
William Bedloe, and Mr.
Miles Prance, to the Amazement and Horrour of all
True-Protestants.
| Capt. Bedloe's Depositions. | Mr. Prance's Depositions. |
|
Lords Journ. THe
Papists, because Sir
Edmondbury seem'd to be an obstacle to Them, and had taken the Information of
Oates and
Tongue about the
Plot, resolv'd and contriv'd to take away his Life. |
Lords Journ. 1. THe
Papists, because Sir
Edmondbury seemed an Enemy to the
Queens Servants, and would not consent to discharge one
Gerald from Parish-Duties, (as another Justice did) resolv'd and contriv'd to take away his life. |
|
Ibidem 2. Pursuant to which Design, they hir'd for 4000
l. Le Phaire, Walsh, Atkins, Pritchard, the
Deponent, and some
Jesuits, to do the Fact. |
Ibidem 2. Pursuant to which Design, they hired (for what Reward the
Deponent doth not know)
Hill, Green, Kelly, the
Deponent, Gerald and
Berry, to do the Fact. |
|
Ibidem 3. Accordingly, the above-named Persons Trepan'd Sir
Edmundbury into
Somerset-House about five a Clock at night, on
Saturday the 12th. of
October. |
Ibidem 3. Accordingly the above-named Persons Trepan'd Sir
Edmondbury into
Somerset-house about
8 or
9 a Clock at night: But the
Deponent doth not well remember the Day. |
|
Counc. Journ. 4. This Trepan was effected thus; The
Deponent was told by
Le Phaire, that
He, Walsh and
Atkins met Sir
Edmundbury near the
Kings-Head-Inne in the
Strand, and decoy'd him into
Somerset-House, under pretence of apprehending some
Plotters. |
Lords Journ. 4. This Trepan was effected thus;
Green gave the
Deponent notice that
He and
Gerald had sett Sir
Edmondbury in St.
Clements; And
Hill decoy'd him down the
Water-gate, under pretence of parting a Fray between two Fellows quarrelling in the Yard. |
|
Lords Journ. 5. When they had him in the upper great Court of
Somerset-House, They thrust him into a low Room, put a Pistol to him, threatned him if he made a noise; then stifled him between two Pillows; And finding him still alive strangled him with a long
Crevat in the
Room where he lay. |
Ibidem 5. When they had him near the Rails by the
Queens-Stables, Green strangled him with a twisted Handkerchief; Then finding him still alive, rung his Neck quite round, and punch'd him with his Knee in the open Yard; Which done, they dragg'd him into Doctor
Godwin's Lodgings. |
|
Ibidem 6. On the
Monday following precisely between 9 and 10 a Clock at night, the Body was shewn to the
Deponent by
Le Phaire, in the
Room, or the next to it where the Duke of
Albemarle lay in State in the upper square Court; There it was by the help of a
Dark Lanthorn the
Deponent saw the Body in the presence of
Le Phaire, Walsh, Atkins, and Two other Persons. |
Ibidem 6. On the
Monday following, precisely between
9 and
10 a Clock at night, the Body was shewn to the
Deponent by
Hill, Green, and
Gerald, in a Room in the back Square-Court below Stairs next the Garden. There it was by the help of a
Dark-Lanthorn the
Deponent saw the Body in the company of the said
Hill, Green, and
Gerald, who were only present. |
|
Lords Journ. 7. On the same
Monday at 9 a Clock at night the dead Body was carry'd out through the
great Gate by certain
Chair-men (Retainers to
Somerset-House,) whose Persons were unknown to the
Deponent; These persons carry'd him in a Chair to the corner of
Clarendon-House, and from thence convey'd him in a Coach to
Primrose-Hill, where they made a Wound in his Body, and laid his Sword by his side. |
Lords Journ. 7. On the next
Wednesday after about
12 a Clock at night, the dead Body was put into a
Sedan, and carry'd out by the
Deponent and
Gerald into
Covent-Garden, where
Green and
Kelly took him up, and carry'd him to
Long-Acre; There the
Deponent and
Gerald resumed their Burden, and carry'd him to the
So-hoe; from thence he was convey'd astride on
Horse-back before
Hill into the Fields, where they thrust his Sword through his Body, and cast him into a Ditch. |
A Two-fold Protestation of Mr. Miles Prance, concerning the Murder of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey.
| His Protestation made first before Capt. Richardson in Newgate, and then before the King and Council, soon after his first Discovery in December 1678. Reduced into Form. | His Protestation made in Solemn manner, April 14. (82.) being Good-Friday, immediately preceding the Feast of Easter, wherein he received the Holy Sacrament, at his Parish-Church. |
| WHereas by the Suggestion of the Devil, Worldly Interest, and my own Malice, I Miles Prance most wickedly devised an horrid Story of the Murder of Sir Edmonbury Godfrey, wherein (being before-hand sufficiently secured both of His Majesty's Pardon for the pretended Crime, and of Reward for the Discovery,) I feigned my self a Party, the better to gain credit to my Damnable Forgery. | WHereas some bold and Ill Men have several times by various but different Suggestions, and particularly, more openly of late, pretended they are able to Disprove an Account I have given from my personal knowledge of the Murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey, wherein with unspeakable grief (though yet not without a firm belief of forgiveness from Almighty God upon unfeigned Repentance, as well as the grant of His most Gracious Majesty my Earthly Soveraign's Pardon) I acknowledge my self most wickedly drawn in, and concerned. |
| Now I the said Miles Prance, do with unspeakable grief (though yet not without a firm belief of Forgiveness from Almighty God upon sincere Repentance) hereby in the presence of the All-seeing and Heart-searching God, and of all Holy Angels and Good Men, Solemnly and Sincerely declare, that whatever I deposed upon Oath, relating either to my own Knowledge and concurrence in the said Murder of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey, or to any other Person or Circumstance touching the same, is, in the whole, and every part thereof false, and the meer groundless product of my own Devillish Invention. | Now I the said Miles Prance, do hereby in the presence of the All-seeing and Heart-searching God, and of all Holy Angels and Good Men, Solemnly and Sincerely avow and declare, that whatever I formerly deposed upon Oath, and set forth touching the manner and Circumstances (as far as the same fell within my knowledge) of the said Sir Edmondbury Godfrey's Murder, is most punctually and Religiously true. |
| For all which my detestable wickedness as with [...] repentant heart I crave the mercy of God, so do I humbly beg Pardon of the King, and Forgievness of those whom by my Hellish Malice, I have so hainously and unjustly Accused. | And as to all and every part of this my Solemn Protestation, as I do hereby under my hand most seriously aver and avow it, so in farther confirmation of the Truth thereof do I resolve (with Gods Help and Permission) to receive the Holy Sacrament. |
Printed for the Use of Miles Prance, 1683.