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<DATE>2014-11-05</DATE>
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<NAME>John Pas</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B140410.apex.</ITEM>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
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<DIV1 TYPE="letter">
<PB REF="1">
<PB N="1" REF="1" MS="y">
<HEAD><HI>A Copy of a Letter, containing an Account of the Murder of Capt.</HI> Robert Mead, <HI>on the 19th of</HI> Augu&s;t <HI>la&s;t, by</HI> Burrus Gradon, <HI>who was Tryed for the &s;ame at the</HI> Kings-Bench-Bar <HI>in</HI> Dublin, <HI>the 15th of</HI> November, <HI>after, and found Guilty of Man&s;laughter only; together with a Copy of a Letter &s;ent the Jury, and &s;ome Reflections on the Verdict.</HI></HEAD>
<OPENER><DATELINE><DATE>Dublin <HI>Decemb. the 10th.</HI> 1692.</DATE></DATELINE>
<SALUTE>Brother,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>THAT I did not write to you &s;ince I received yours, is excu&s;able from the great affliction I have lain under, I &s;uppo&s;e you may have heard the occa&s;ion, but not have had &s;o full an Account as I am able now to give you, of the Murder of Mr. <HI>Mead,</HI> and the Tryal of him that did it, and I thought it would not be unacceptable to you; in my la&s;t I told you he was in <HI>England,</HI> and you might expect to &s;ee him, but he returning about the 14. of <HI>Augu&s;t,</HI> had the misfortune to come over in the &s;ame Ship with one <HI>Burrus Gradon,</HI> who in a few days after ba&s;ely Murdered him, the Jury of In|que&s;t, Sir <HI>Humphrey Jervis,</HI> and Ald. <HI>Smith</HI> being Coroners, on a full hearing of the Evidence, found it wilful Murder: I mu&s;t own that not with&s;tanding there was great intere&s;t made to the L. Chief Ju&s;tice of the Kings Bench to Bail him, he being made &s;enceable of the Crime refu&s;ed it, &s;o that he continued a Pri&s;oner to the Tryal, which was the 15 of <HI>Novemb.</HI> I expected he would have challenged many of the Jury, but indeed he challenged none. The Jury being &s;worn as they appeared, were,
<LIST>
<ITEM>Ald. <HI>Walter Mottly,</HI> Foreman.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Ald. <HI>Anthony Pearcy,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Ald. <HI>Mark Ransford,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>William Eager,</HI> Merchant.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>John Page,</HI> Merchant.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>James Huet&s;on,</HI> Tayler.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>John Henrick,</HI> Baker.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Edward Brock,</HI> Carpinter.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Robert Withirill,</HI> Apothecary.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Robert Con&s;tantine,</HI> Apothecary.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>John Hold&s;worth,</HI> Harnis-maker.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>George Per&s;ons,</HI> Cutler.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>The Judges were,</HEAD>
<ITEM>Sr. <HI>Richard <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">enalas,</HI> Ld. C. Ju&s;t.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Sr. <HI>John Lindon,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Sr. <HI>Henry Eclin,</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>Council for the King were,</HEAD>
<ITEM>Sr. <HI>John Mead,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr <HI>Coot</HI> the Recorder,</ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Donno&s;on,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Late Serjant <HI>Brodekick.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>The Witne&s;&s;es Examin'd were.</HEAD>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Jo&s;eph Hutchi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"></HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Major <HI>Edward <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"></HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Coll. <HI>John A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"></HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Burly <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"></HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Powel</HI> Corp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Stephen A&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"></HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Ald. <HI>John Smith,</HI> one <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>There was nine Witne&s;&s;es more to have been Examined, but being capable only of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> the other had &s;aid, was thought needle&s;s by the Kings Councel.</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>Jo&s;eph Hutchin&s;on</HI> being duly Sworn, &s;aid, That having occa&s;ion to &s;peak with found him with Coll. <HI>Allen, Robert Mead, Burly Cuff,</HI> and the Pri&s;oner <HI>Burrus Gradon</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> Tavern, that the &s;aid <HI>Dean</HI> de&s;ireing him to &s;tay Supper, he did; that asking the &s;aid <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> Mother and Brother did, he &s;aid they were unkind to him; the Deponant &s;aid he was for <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> be a mi&s;under&s;tanding between &s;o near Relations, the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> &s;aid he would be re<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> would go down and drive his Mothers Sheep, and he had got that for his Brother, laying <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> on his Sword. Further &s;aid the &s;aid <HI>Gradon,</HI> being Impertinent in his di&s;cour&s;e; &s;aying, <HI>Ir<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"></HI>+ed to the <HI>Iri&s;h,</HI> and they had more right to it then the <HI>Engli&s;h,</HI> and if they could get it by <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> they ought to keep it Liberty, villifying our Fleet, and extoleing the <HI>French</HI> Fleet; the &s;aid <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> oppo&s;ing him in his di&s;cour&s;e, whereupon the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> put back his Chair, and laid his ha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> Sword to draw, the Deponant &s;tarted up and drew his, the Company parted them, and the &s;a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">+<HI>don</HI> begged the Deponants pardon, and &s;aid he did not care what he did; was very unea&s;ie to the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">+pany, and that the Deponant left the Company about one of the Clock.</P>
<P N="2">2. Major <HI>Dean</HI> being Sworn, &s;aid; That Coll. <HI>Allen,</HI> and <HI>Robert Mead</HI> coming to his hou&s;e that morn|ing to &s;ee him, he would have had them a &s;tayed Dinner; the &s;aid <HI>Allen</HI> &s;aid he had bu&s;ine&s;s at <HI>Stillor|gan,</HI> and he did not care for dineing, the Deponant told them if they would meet him at 5 a Clock in <HI>Copper-ally,</HI> he would &s;end &s;ome Rabbits for Supper, they promi&s;ed they would; the Deponant at the hour went to the place, but they not being there, and the Wine not good, he &s;ent the R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">bbits to the Garter Tavern, and looking for them, he found them at <HI>Potters,</HI> and the Pri&s;oner <HI>Gradon</HI> with them, that they went together to the Garter, that &s;ome time after came the above&s;aid <HI>Hutchin&s;on,</HI> Mr. <HI>Shaw,</HI> (who went away &s;oon) and <HI>Burly Cuff;</HI> that the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> had been very unea&s;ie to the Company, that the afore&s;aid quarrel happened with <HI>Hutchin&s;on,</HI> that the Deponant began a Health to the pro&s;perity of King <HI>William</HI> and his Forces, and confu&s;ion to his Enemies; that the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> refu&s;ed to drink the &s;aid Health, per&s;i&s;ted in his impertinencies, &s;aying <HI>Ireland</HI> belonged to the <HI>Iri&s;h,</HI> and they had a better right to it then we, and if they could get it they ought to keep it; undervaluing our Fleet, and highly extoling the <HI>French</HI> Fleet, and their Bravary and Courage, and that we had no advantage of them dur|ing the fight, that what advantage we had was accidental the next day, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> That Mr. <HI>Mead</HI> &s;aid, Mr. <HI>Gradon</HI> you are mi&s;taken in your Company, I believe you are for King <HI>James,</HI> but we are for King <HI>Wil|liam,</HI> we have all taken his Commi&s;&s;ion to &s;erve him, and your di&s;cour&s;e is ungrateful, that the &s;aid
<PB N="2" REF="2"> <HI>Gradon</HI> &s;aid, that he had &s;erved King <HI>William</HI> in the Fleet, but had not been pre&s;ered; the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> an&s;wered, their was none there but had &s;erved him much more then he, without hopes of preferment, otherwi&s;e then it was their duty both to King and Country; that the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> called the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> a Ra&s;cal, that the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> &s;aid I am no Ra&s;cal and will have &s;atisfaction; that Col. <HI>Allen</HI> went between them to prevent them, and told <HI>Gradon</HI> he would have him ask <HI>Mead</HI> pardon, for had he the &s;aid <HI>Allen</HI> given &s;uch language to a Porter, he would ask his pardon, but the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> would not, that they deferred it till next morning, that repairing to their Lodgings, the &s;aid <HI>Allen</HI> and <HI>Mead</HI> and the Deponant came forth together, that they were &s;topt by the Centry; that the Corporal came to them and pa&s;&s;ed them; that the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> and <HI>Gradon</HI> cro&s;&s;ed the &s;treet, and went a door or two higher, that the Deponant hearing the Swords cla&s;h, drew his, and run towards them; that coming near he &s;aw Mr. <HI>Mead</HI> &s;tooping looking for his Sword, and the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> running him through &s;tooping, that running to the &s;aid <HI>Mead,</HI> he &s;aid, I have lo&s;t my Sword, and am killed; that being led to his Lodg|ing he dyed as &s;oon as his Cloaths were opened.</P>
<P N="3">3. Coll. <HI>Allen</HI> being Sworn, &s;aid, That &s;ending for Mr. <HI>Mead</HI> in the morning, they went to &s;ee Mr. <HI>Dean,</HI> not having &s;een him &s;ince they came out of <HI>England;</HI> that the &s;aid <HI>Dean</HI> would have had them a &s;tay'd Dinner, but the Deponant having bu&s;ine&s;s at <HI>Stillorgan,</HI> &s;aid he mu&s;t go thither, and did not care for Dineing; that the &s;aid <HI>Dean</HI> &s;aid he would &s;end &s;ome Rabbits to <HI>Copper-ally,</HI> and they would Sup together; that the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> and Deponant came from <HI>Stillorgan,</HI> and lighted at the upper end of <HI>Fi&s;hamble &s;treet,</HI> about 5 a Clock; that the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> came to them, and they went to <HI>Potters,</HI> where they had a Tankard of Ale; that the &s;aid <HI>Dean</HI> came to them, and took them to the Garter; that <HI>Gra|don</HI> and <HI>Hutchin&s;on</HI> had the afore&s;aid quarrel and were parted; that the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> &s;aid <HI>Ireland</HI> belong|ed to the <HI>Iri&s;h,</HI> and if they could get it by the Sword they ought to keep it, for they had better right to it then the <HI>Engli&s;h;</HI> that he villifyed the Fleet, and extolling the bravene&s;s and courage of the <HI>French,</HI> &s;aying we had no advantage, but what was accidental the next day, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> That the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> &s;aid, you <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">an ill man, I believe you are for K. <HI>James,</HI> but we are for King <HI>William,</HI> &amp;c. The &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> &s;aid, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> <HI>&s;erved the King in the Fleet, but had not been preferred;</HI> the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> &s;aid, <HI>there was none there but <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> the King much more, without hopes of preferment, otherwi&s;e then it was their Duty both to King and</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">t the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> called the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> Ra&s;cal, that the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> &s;aid, he was no Ra&s;cal, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">ould have &s;atisfaction; that the Deponant ro&s;e up and went between them, de&s;ireing the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">o be pa&s;&s;ionate, and withal told the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> he ought to beg the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> pardon, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> &s;uch language to a Porter, he would ask him pardon, but he would not; that the De|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">d them to defer till morning, in hopes it might have been prevented; that coming <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">ad,</HI> and the Deponant was together; that they were &s;topt by the Centry, who called <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">hat after the Corporal pa&s;&s;ed them, he heard the Swords cla&s;h; that when he came to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">ral was in as &s;oon as he; that the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> was wounded, and <HI>Gradon</HI>'s Sword in the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">ands gript on the blade: that the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> went away, but the deponant called to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">ure him: that the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> being led to his Lodging, dyed in a quarter of an hour. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> <HI>Cuff</HI> being &s;worn, &s;aid to the &s;ame purpo&s;e.</P>
<P><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> the Corporal being &s;worn, &s;aid, that being called by the Centry, he came, and bidding <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">d one advance; the &s;aid <HI>Gradon,</HI> the Pri&s;oner at the Bar advanced; the deponant asked <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">y were going, he &s;aid to their Lodgings hard-by, he bid them good night, and withdrew; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> while, and two of them cro&s;&s;ed the &s;treet, and one &s;aid, lets withdraw from the face of the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">h he believed was Mr. <HI>Mead;</HI> that they drew a little higher and &s;tood under the &s;ide of the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> re&s;t &s;tanding at a little di&s;tance, and the Deponant by his Centry: that he heard Swords cla&s;h <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> one Sword fly, and fall with a force on the ground, that he run to them, and found the &s;aid <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">ith his two hands gript on the blade of the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI>'s Sword, which was bloody to the Hilt, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">etting the Sword fall out of his hand, it was taken up by the Deponant; that the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> being <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">ken to his Lodging dyed immediately; that the &s;aid <HI>Gradon</HI> being taken to the Guards, where the Sword was, owned it to be his that the Sword of the &s;aid <HI>Mead</HI> flew as high as the pent-hou&s;e, and was taken up two hou&s;es higher then where he was killed.</P>
<P N="6">6. Mr. <HI>A&s;pole</HI> Chyrutgion, &s;aid, that being called to dre&s;s the &s;aid <HI>Mead,</HI> he dyed as &s;oon as his cloths were opened, that the Sword went in 3 Inches above his left Pap, and came out &s;lanting behind, and a very large wound.</P>
<P N="7">7. Ald. <HI>Smith,</HI> one of the Coroners being &s;worn, and produceing the Sword to the Court, &s;aid, that Sword was owned by the pri&s;oner, before the Jury of Inque&s;t; that the wound went in above the left pap and came out at his back behind, being a very large wound, the blood &s;ticking on the Hilt.</P>
<P>The Pri&s;oner called one of the Drawers of the Tavern, to ask whether he did not &s;tay in the Tavern behind Mr. <HI>Mead,</HI> who &s;aid he did; as al&s;o Mr. <HI>Deans</HI> man, Capt. <HI>Bon&punc;Burton,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Robert Twig;</HI> but they could &s;ay nothing that could avail.</P>
<P>The Kings Councel with a great deal of Mode&s;ty and Moderation, each of them repeated the Evi|dence, explained the Law, not being willing to &s;tretch a Title, to the prejudice of the Pri&s;oner, as they &s;aid; but obliged to di&s;charge them&s;elves of the Blood of him that was killed, that called for Ju&s;tice as much as the other, and laid it &s;o plain, that the Pri&s;oner called to the Judges, and &s;aid, he perceived the Kings Councel intended to make it Murder, and de&s;ired liberty of Councel, which was refu&s;ed.</P>
<P>The Court with as much Ju&s;tice and Caution, &s;ummed it up to the Jury, and wi&s;hed the Pri&s;oner had
<PB N="3" REF="2" MS="y"> been &s;o happy, as to have any one to prove a provocation, but it appeared &s;o much otherwi&s;e, that all provocation and Murder to proceed from him&s;elf; they told the Jury the Law, and likewi&s;e their Opi|nion of the matter of Fact was Murder, but thanked God the Jury was to be the Judges, not they.</P>
<P>The Jury withdrew, and in a few minutes returned, with a Verdict, Guilty of Man&s;laughter, to the admiration of mo&s;t in the Court; tho I had endeavoured to prepare my &s;elf for it, not knowing the Evi|dence would appear &s;o clear again&s;t him; I mu&s;t confe&s;s it was a great &s;urpri&s;e to me.</P>
<P>I brought my appeal of Man&s;laughter, my Councel being of an Opinion, that an appeal of Murder would not lye in this Kingdom, Murder being Trea&s;on, and no appeal in Trea&s;on; but tho&s;e proceed|ings here not being u&s;ual, the Court took &s;ome time to con&s;ider it; and after 2 or 3 days attendance, was plea&s;ed (directing their di&s;cour&s;e to me) to repeat the Tryal, with Re&s;entments, no way di&s;honorable to Mr. <HI>Mead,</HI> and reproachful to his Murderer: They told me I did well in endeavouring to right the blood of my Husband, but an Appeal was a nice thing, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> I told them if they would be fa|vourable to me in the Niceties, and forward it to a &s;peedy i&s;&s;ue, that it might not be a more puni&s;hment to me then the Murderer, I &s;hould not think much of the Charge, or pains of attendance; not that I de&s;ire it out of Revenge, but thought it my duty, and &s;hould be plea&s;ed to be In&s;trumental, in laying &s;ome Example that might be a check to that, which was one of the greate&s;t &s;ins of the Nation; mo&s;t Murderers comming off by the Verdict of Man&s;laughter, without puni&s;hment; by which abu&s;e it is bet|ter kill a man then beat him, if he <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eat him, the Law allows &s;atisfaction according to the abu&s;e, but kill|ing there was none, burning in the Hand <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eing commonly pardoned: The Court told me they would allow my appeal, and likewi&s;e favour me as much as lay in them; but after all, I could not expect more then I brought my Action for, which was Man&s;laughter, and I had the &s;ame advantage now, that I would have then. I told them I was Informed by my Councel, that puni&s;hment to the King, was burn|ing in the hand, but to me would be perpetual Impri&s;onment, which they &s;eemed not to be &s;atisfied in: though my affliction and de&s;ire was great, I found there was a nece&s;&s;ity to yield to the opinion of the Judges, of who&s;e integrity I had no rea&s;on to doubt, if either the Law, or they could have born me out in it. And now having done my utmo&s;t, and finding the cour&s;e of Ju&s;tice &s;topt, by the verdict of a &s;encele&s;s, uncon&s;iderate Jury, I write them this following Letter.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<OPENER><SALUTE>Sirs,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>I Cannot Sati&s;fie my &s;elf though I have done the utmo&s;t and la&s;t Office in my power, for my murder|ed Hu&s;band, till I have le<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t you know my Re&s;entment of your Verdict, by which you have drawn his Blood on your own Heads. I will not trouble my &s;elf with the Repetition of Evidence<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> which was full without Exception, and &s;o cleer to men of the be&s;t under&s;tanding and unbya&s;t Judgment, that no|thing appeared more Murder. I mu&s;t be wanting to the duty I owe for the Ju&s;tice his blood hath received according to the Laws of the Land; i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> I do not let the world know in what part of the law Ju&s;tice, in Revenging the blood of the Innocent is perverted. One thing I think defective in the law, that is, that the Pri&s;oner &s;hall have the Copy of the Pannel &s;o long before Tryal as to be able to prevaile upon them by any addre&s;&s;es by them&s;elves or Freinds, but it Jury men hath hone&s;ty only it would render the cau&s;e &s;u&s;pected where Endevoured. Indeed when I had the Copy and veiwed it notwith&s;tanding I knew of the Murderers Endevours to make an Intere&s;t, I con&s;idered, you were not men of all the &s;ence in the world; but I thought you hone&s;t men, and that you would &s;o far con&s;ider your Con&s;ciences and Oathes, as to take care of drawing the Vengence of God upon your own and your Childrens heads, either out of com|plement or cu&s;tom. Mr. Meade was a neighbours Son and a neighbour known to all of you from his Infancy, and I think, of no uncreditable Reputation (but had he been the wor&s;t of men his blood de&s;er|ved Ju&s;tice) I met two of you and tould you I found you were on the Pannel and de&s;ired you to do Ju&s;|tice, &s;ome of you was &s;o prepared for it, that you gave your Verdict in the Coffee hou&s;es before you went to Court, I mu&s;t tell you, you are Ignorant and pre&s;umptious both again&s;t the Laws of God and the Nation. Read the la&s;t Chapter but one of <HI>Numbers,</HI> and what other the Margent direct you too, and there you'l &s;ee the Laws and Command of God, and I have the Sati&s;faction to have heard you Pru|dently, Ju&s;tly, Cautiou&s;ly and Fully informed by the Court of the laws of the Land, and likewi&s;e their Opinion given you of the matter of Fact; with that concern, that they thanked God you were to be the Judges not they. But your Judgment was &s;o Ripe that all that was not &s;ufficient for you to think it worth one half hours con&s;ideration, I believe you were either re&s;olved, or &s;o intent on the pernicious Cu&s;tom of that Verdict that you forgot the Object and Subject. The Object was <HI>Robert Meade</HI> mine and one of the be&s;t of Husbands, an hone&s;t man and a faithful Subject both to his King and Country; which I fear to &s;ome of you made his Ca&s;e the more indifferent.</P>
<P>The Subject was his Blood barbarou&s;ly &s;pilt, maliciou&s;ly de&s;igned by a Treacherous Subject, a bar|barous Son, a de&s;igning murderous Brother. The occa&s;ion of re&s;entment to Mr. <HI>Meade</HI> provoking to &s;o high a degree, that moderate Ju&s;tice could not accu&s;e him with either Pa&s;&s;ion or Indi&s;cretion, but to the contrary con&s;i&s;tent with Honor and duty &s;o to do. What you can &s;ay after a &s;erious Reflection, I would fain know, or how you expect to acquit your &s;elves of that Blood, you are every one as Guilty of, as if you had &s;pilt it. It is now too late for you to do it, by laying it on him that did it; though your acquitting him doth not make him le&s;s Guilty in the eyes of God, before who&s;e Tribunal, he and you mu&s;t appear to An&s;wer, and poor <HI>Robert Meade</HI> to accu&s;e you, and all others who hath been indu&s;trous to prevent the ju&s;t Revenge due to his Blood,</P>
<PB N="4" REF="3" MS="y">
<P> Look not on the&s;e lines as the effect of pa&s;&s;ion, for 13 weeks hath dige&s;ted that into &s;erious thoughts, and I &s;hall pray that it may &s;o lye upon you, that the Land may be quit of the pollution of it; and that your Crime with the &s;o many more of the &s;ame nature &s;o &s;lubberd over, may not draw upon this Nation a further Judgment then it hath already lain under. I am, as by nature and duty bound, the mo&s;t concerned, and mo&s;t afflicted.</P>
<P>Not only to you but to all your Brother Jurors.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>E. Meade.</SIGNED> <HI>The Super&s;cription to Ald.</HI> Moetly, <HI>Foreman.</HI></CLOSER>
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<P>My Reflections in my Letter, are not &s;o full as the Information I have had &s;ince would have rendered them, if I had known it before; the whole Jury being his Relations, or cho&s;en Friends: that there was an Intere&s;t made to many more then was Empanneled, I have been a&s;&s;ured by &s;ome of them which was importuned, by which way I find they informed them&s;elves who was fit for their purpo&s;e, which was to &s;ave a Villain, at the forfeiture of their Oaths, Con&s;ciences, and Reputations: How far the Sheriffs have acquitted them&s;elves (Mr. <HI>Gibeons</HI> being his Relation, Mr. <HI>Steight</HI> influenced by &s;ome of his active Rela|tions and Friends) of their duty in their places, and to their Murdered Neighbour and Friend, is but known to them&s;elves; but I fear their Innocency will not clear them before the all-knowing uncorrupt Judge. It was a Jury that had the faces of indifferent hone&s;t men, and I did certainly expect there would have been exceptions made by the Pri&s;oner, again&s;t mo&s;t, or all of them; but he was not more &s;ure of their Verdict, then they re&s;olved that no Evidence &s;hould alter their predetermination; and in|deed their behaviour during the Tryal, looked as if they appeared there to fetch of a Criminal, not to Judge him to Ju&s;tice for his Crime; their quick return with their &s;o ready Verdict, &s;hewed they would not think any part of the Evidence worth con&s;ideration, nor any mans Blood worthy the Ju&s;tice of tak|ing the life of him that &s;pilt it. How dangerou&s;ly Jurys err, they would under&s;tand, if they acquainted them&s;elves more with the Law of God, who is &s;evere in the Ca&s;e of Blood; and con&s;ider that by &s;uch a Verdict, a Villain is cleared from all puni&s;hment, it not lying in the power of the Court to lay any, but by a Verdict of Murder, except it appears &s;o to the Court too; it takes not the Life, for upon the Courts Repre&s;enting it to the Government, they Reprieve and Pardon. If any mans Life de&s;erved Ju&s;tice, I might have hoped for it, few Lives falling on a ju&s;ter Re&s;entment; none more ba&s;ely Ravi&s;hed; none more Pittyed, but that Pernicious, De&s;tructive, Rebellious maxims, of &s;pairing the Murderer, becau&s;e the Murdered cannot be recalled, is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> &s;ome few importunate or treats, prevailing with too many of the Jurors of our Age, who doth not co<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ider the con&s;equences of it; what pittyful unju&s;t occa&s;ions hath &s;ome of the Jury made u&s;e of, to ju&s;tify &s;o ill a thing, when they are told of it: <HI>Brock</HI> &s;aying, there was no proof he killed him (why then Guilty of Man&s;laughter) <HI>Withiril</HI> &s;o Impudent, as not only to a&s;per&s;e the dead, but the Court al&s;o; &s;aying <HI>They did not intend they &s;hould find it murder,</HI> for in &s;ummoning the Try|al, my L. Chief Ju&s;tice &s;hould &s;ay, <HI>Here is a thing they would call murder, but thank God Gentlemen, you are to be the Judges, implying they ought not to find it &s;o;</HI> when no &s;uch expre&s;&s;ion was u&s;ed by the Court.</P>
<P>If being re&s;olved to be Revenged, &s;aying, <HI>he would drive his mothers Sheep, and he had got that for his Brother,</HI> laying his Hand on his Sword; quarreling with one before, and killing the other, was not ma|lice propen&s;e; both Councel a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d Court was mi&s;taken in the Law, who all repre&s;ented it &s;o.</P>
<P>That the Murder was maliciou&s;ly re&s;olved was plain, he not being prevailed upon to ask pardon for calling him a Ra&s;cal. That he gave all provocation appeared, and as well in the &s;treet as in the Tavern, for Mr. <HI>Meade</HI> &s;aid&punc; <HI>Lets withdraw from the face of the Guard,</HI> cannot be implyed but as an An&s;wer.</P>
<P>That his Sword was Flurted or Twi&s;ted out of his Hand, appeared by the Corporal &s;eeing it fly, and being found 2 hou&s;es higher in the &s;treet, then where he received his deaths wound.</P>
<P>That the wound was given he not being in a po&s;ture of defence, be&s;ides the Evidence that &s;aw it given, is evident, it being on his left &s;ide, and that he was &s;tooping looking for his Sword, the Sword goeing in Ju&s;t below the Coller bone and coming out below the Shoulder blade behind; that his malitious hand thru&s;t it as far as the Hilt would let him, appeared not only by the Blood on the Hilt, but by the larg|ne&s;s of the Wound which could not but be &s;een by &s;ome of the Jury, having been &s;een by mo&s;t of the City in the forepart of which a man might turn his four fingers, being three Inches long behind.</P>
<P>But for who, or what Quallified per&s;on hath this Jury denyed Ju&s;tice, Incurred Divine di&s;plea&s;ure and left the land polluted? For a Son who hath kicked his Mother about the hou&s;e, pulled her by the haire of the Head, many times driving her Stock and &s;elling it at his plea&s;ure none dearing to oppo&s;e, who Att<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">pted to kill his elder Brother was &s;ent away to prevent him, Retained his malice returned and got that Sword to accompli&s;h it, a fellow that went to our Fleet to a&s;&s;i&s;t our enimies, and made it his bu&s;ine&s;s not only to &s;candalize the Fleet, but our Intere&s;t; and Encourage our enimies by extolling the Force and Bravene&s;s of the French. A fellow that never &s;hewed any remors, that per&s;i&s;ts &s;till on impu|dency and Impenitency, being in all appearence ready for more mi&s;chief; and this better known to the Jury then me. Not one Friend being Capable to excu&s;e him, or them&s;elves in &s;aveing him, by any other Rea&s;on then what is &s;aid before (his lo&s;s will not bring the other back, and it will be a Scandel to the familey to have a Son or a Brother hanged) that he may Reward his pre&s;ervers, and God reveng the Inju&s;tice, &s;hall be the Prayers of your unfortunate afflicted Si&s;ter.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>E. Mead.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
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<P><HI>LONDON;</HI> Printed for <HI>S. M.</HI> in the Year, 1692.</P>
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