very much perished, and had a waistcoat and breeches on. Benjamin Tapper, John Cobby, John Hammond, William Jackson, William Carter, Rich John Greentree produced a coat, which heard Mills the elder, and Richard Mills the took up beyond Harting pond in the public road, on the 15th of February last; and swore that there were some writings and a letter-case in the pocket, which he said he should know if he was to see them again. Upon this, a parchment was delivered into court by Mr. Battine, a justice of the peace, in whose custody it had been left, and shewn to the witness, who said it was the same that he found in the coat pocket. It was then read in court, and appeared to be a deputation under the hands of the commissioners of the customs, dated the 1st of April, 1731, appointing William Galley to be a tidesman in the port of Southampton. William Galley, the son of the deceased, looked at the coat which the other witness produced, and proved it to be his father's coat. John Greentree said, the coat was bloody when he found it. The King's Counsel submitted it here, upon which the prisoners being called upon to make their defence, The prisoner Carter said, he never intended to hurt the man, and never struck him, and only intended to carry him away to take care of him, till they knew what became of Dimer; and that he had not any witnesses. full and satisfactory evidence of the murder of younger; you have been convicted upon very Daniel Chater; three of you as principals, and the rest as accessaries before the fact. And you William Jackson and William Carter stand farther convicted, as principals in the murder of William Galley. Deliberate murder is most justly ranked among the highest crimes human nature is capable of; but those you have respectively been convicted of, have been attended with circumstances of very high and uncommon aggravation. your fury, were travelling on a very laudable The persons who have been the objects of design, the advancement of public justice. For this they were beset in their inn, tempted to drink to excess, and then laid asleep in an inner room, while a consultation was held in end a resolution was taken to carry them to what manner to dispose of them: and in the some distant place, and to dispatch them by some means or other. In consequence of this resolution they were set on horseback, and exercised with various kinds of cruelty for five hours together, till one of them sunk under the hardships he suf fered, and died upon the road. The other was carried to a place of safe cus tody, there kept chained on a heap of turf, expecting his doom, for three days. During this dreadful interval, a second consultation was held, and a resolution taken to dispatch him one. The prisoner Jackson had nothing to say. Mr. Justice Foster opened to the jury the substance of the indictment, as before set forth, to do an act, in itself unlawful, and death and told them, that where several people join ensues from any thing done in prosecution of that unlawful design, they will be all considered as principals in murder, if they were all present, aiding or abetting therein; that it was not necessary that each of the prisoners at the bar should be guilty of every single abuse that was offered to the deceased, in the long series of barbarities the witnesses for the crown had laid before them; if all or any of those One would have hoped that this circumabuses contributed to his death, and the pristance should have softened your hearts, and soners at the bar were engaged in the several bent upon. turned you from the evil purpose you were designs against him, and present, aiding and you bad then reflected, that God Almighty was Happy had it been for you, abetting the others, they will be guilty within this indictment.-He then summed up the evi-and to all the intention of your hearts! witness to every thing that passed among you, dence, and applied it to the case of the pri soners. The Jury, after some little consultation together, gave their verdict, That William Jackson and William Carter were both Guilty. The counsel for the crown then moved for judgment; and the prisoners being set to the bar, and severally asked what they had to say why judgment of death should not pass on them, and none of them offering any thing in arrest of judgment, Mr. Justice Foster spoke to them as follows: if But while the man, under great distraction of thought, was recommending his soul to mercy, he was interrupted in his devotion by two of you, in a manner I scarce know how to repeat. I hope your hearts have been long since sof tened to a proper degree of contrition for these things; and that you have already made a due preparation for the sentence I am now to pass upon you. If you have not, pray lose not one moment more. Let not company, or the habit of drinking, or the hopes of life, divert you from it; 1 for Christian charity obliges me to tell you, This Court doth therefore award, That you After sentence the prisoners were carried back to Chichester jail. The Court were pleased to order them all for execution the very next day, and that the bodies of Jackson, Carter, Tapner, Cobby, and Hammond, the five principals, should be hung in chains. Accordingly they were carried from the jail, to a place called the Broyle, near Chichester; where, in the presence of great numbers of spectators on Thursday the 19th day of January 1748-9, about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, all of them were executed except Jackson, who died in jail some few hours after sentence of death was pronounced upon him. The heinousness of the crimes of so notorious offenders may possibly excite in the reader a desire to be informed of their respective behaviour, whilst under sentence of death, and at the place of execution;* to satisfy which is subjoined the following authentic account, under the hands of the several clergymen who attended them alternately in jail, and together at the place of execution. "The first time I went to the malefactors under condemnation, being the evening after sentence was passed upon them, I prayed with them all; viz. Carter, Tapner, Cobby, Hammond, and the two Mills's (Jackson being dead just before I went to the jail); but many persons being present, I had no opportunity of saying any thing material, and therefore told them I would visit them early the next morning, which I did accordingly. "After prayers, I talked with them about their unhappy condition, and the heinous crimes that brought them into it. I asked them, if they desired to receive the sacrament; they all and each of them begged that I would administer it to them; accordingly I attended them again about ten o'clock for that purpose, and during the whole time of my performing that office, they all behaved with great decency and devotion, especially Carter and Tapner. * A short account of their execution is given in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1749, p. 42. "Afterwards, I put the following questions to them, and desired they would be sincere in their answers as dying men; first, whether they did not acknowledge the sentence that was passed upon them to be just, and what they highly deserved? Carter, the most sensible and penitent amongst them, first answered, Yes; as did afterwards Tapner, Cobby, and Hammond; but the two Mills's did not. "2dly, I asked them whether they forgave every body? They all and each answered, They forgave all the world. Tapner then owned, that Edmund Richards and another were the cause of his ruin, but yet he forgave them. "Carter laid his ruin to Jackson. "JOHN SMYTH, "Curate of St. Pancrass, in Chichester." "Both Carter and Tapner, a few hours before their execution, confessed to me, that they, design to rescue Diner out of Chichester jail ; with several others, assembled together, with a that the only person amongst them, who had arms, was Edmund Richards; but that being disappointed by a number of persons who had scheme was frustrated, and their purpose carpromised to join them from the east, their ried no farther into execution; that one Stringer was at the head of this confederacy, but not present with them at the time of their assembling together. SIMON HUGHS, "Vicar of Donnington in Sussex." "Benjamin Tapner, of West Stoke in Sus.. sex, labourer, aged twenty-seven, before he was turned off, owned the justice of his sentence, and desired all young persons to take warning by his untimely end, and avoid bad company, which was his ruin. When in jail, before he was brought out for execution, he said, he did not remember he put the rope about Chater's neck. "William Carter, of Rowland's Castle, in Hampshire, thatcher, aged thirty-nine, both at the place of execution, and in the jail, cone fest the justice of the sentence passed upon him, and in both places acted more suitably to a person in such unhappy circumstances than any of them. He likewise at the gallows, in the same manner as Tapner did, cautioned every one against those courses, that had brought him to so shameful an end. Tapner and Carter, when all the ropes were fixed, shook hands, but what, or whether any words then passed between them, was not heard. "Richard Mills the elder, of Trotten in Sussex, colt-breaker, aged 65, was unwilling to own himself guilty of the fact for which he died, and said, he never saw Chater; but being asked whether he never heard him, as he was confined so long, and in so terrible a condition, in the next room to that in which he generally sat? made no answer. "Richard Mills the younger, of Stedham in Sussex, colt-breaker, son of the aforesaid Richard Mills, aged 37, would willingly have been thought innocent; and it being put to him, whether he made that speech about the council of war, &c. and whether he was not at the consultation? denied both; but in the Jatter, Tapner confronted him, and said, Yes, major, you was there.' To which Mills replied, Ay, for a quarter of an hour, or so,' or to that purpose. It so happened that his rope was first fixed to the gallows, and a considerable space of time was taken up in fixing the rest; which interim he might have much better employed, than he did, gazing one while at the spectators, and then at the hangman (who was on the gallows, tying the ropes of the other malefactors), till the cart was almost ready to drive away. "John Cobby, of Sidlesham in Sussex, labourer, aged 30, appeared to be very much dejected, and said little in jail, and nothing at the gallows. He professed the Romish religion some years before his death, and that he died a Roman Catholic may very reasonably be presumed from a printed paper which was found carefully sewed up in a linnen purse in his waistcoat pocket, immediately after his death, supposed to be a Popish relique, and containing the following words: "Sancti tres Reges Gaspar, Melchior, Balthasar, Orate pro Nobis nunc et in Horâ Mortis Nostræ. Ces Billets ont touché aux Trois Testes de S. S. Rois à Cologne. Ils sont pour Les Voyagers, contre Les Mal. Heurs de Chemins, Maux de Teste, Mal-caduque, Fievres, Sorcellerie, toute sorte de Malefice, Mort subite." In English thus: "Ye Three Holy Kings, Gaspar, Melchior, Balthasar, pray for us now, and in the hour of death.-These papers have touched the three heads of the holy kings at "John Hammond, of Bersted in Sussex, Cologne. They are to preserve travellers from labourer, aged 40, seemed likewise very much accidents on the road, head-achs, falling-sick-. dejected, and had little to say for himself, ex-ness, fevers, witch-craft, all kinds of mischief, cepting his pretending that the threats of Jack son, Carter, and the rest, were the occasion of his being concerned in the murder. and sudden death." The body of William Carter was hung in chains, in the Portsmouth-road, near Raike in Sussex; the body of Benjamin Tapner, on Rook's-hill, near Chichester; and the bodies of John Cobby and John Hammond upon the sea-coast, near a place called Selsey Bill, in Sussex, where they are seen at a great distance, both east and west. "Cobby's excuse was much the same. "They all, except the two Mills's, seemed sensible of the heinous nature of the crime for which they died, and behaved as became men in their unhappy condition, more particularly Carter; but Mills, the father and son, appeared hardened and unaffected, both in the jail and at the gallows; especially the son, who was most insensible, and seemed by his behaviour, which has been mentioned before, even when his rope was fixed to the gallows, to be as little moved at what he was about to suffer, as the most unconcerned spectator.scription: However, just before the cart drove away, he and his father seemed to offer up some prayers to God.-(Signed,) R. SANDHAM, Vicar of Subdeanry in Chichester. JOHN SMYTH, Curate of St. Pancrass." As Jackson died so soon after condemnation, no other account can be given of him, than that he was of Welsworth, near Rowland's Castle, in Hampshire, labourer, aged about fifty years; and that being very ill, all the time of his trial, as he had been for a considerable time before, was shocked at the sentence of death, and the apprehension of being hung in chains, to such a degree, as hastened and brought on his death, before he could pay the forfeit of his life, in that ignominy to which he was most deservedly doomed, and more peculiarly due to him as a ring-leader in these most cruel and horrid barbarities and murders. The bodies of Mills, the father and son, having neither friend or relation to take them' away, were thrown into a hole, dug for that purpose, very near the gallows, into which was likewise thrown the body of Jackson. Just by is now erected a stone, having the following in "Near this place was buried the body of William Jackson, a proscribed smuggler, who, upon a special commission of Oyer and Terminer, held at Chichester, on the 16th day of January 1748-9, was, with William Carter, attainted for the murder of William Galley, a custom-house officer; and who likewise was, together with Benjamin Tapner, John Cobby, John Hammond, Richard Mills the elder, and Richard Mills the younger, his son, attainted for the murder of Daniel Chater; but dying in a few hours after sentence of death was pronounced upon him, he thereby escaped the punishment which the heinousness of his complicated crimes deserved, and which was the next day most justly inflicted upon his accomplices. "As a Memorial to posterity, and a warning "A. D. 1749." 523. The Trial of MARY BLANDY, Spinster, for the Murder of her Father, Francis Blandy, gent. at the Assizes held at Oxford for the County of Oxford, on Saturday the 29th of February, 1752. Before the Hon. Heneage Legge, esq. and Sir Sydney Stafford Smythe, knt. two of the Barons of his Majesty's Court of Exchequer. [Published by Permission of the Judges,] 25 GEORGE II. A. D. 1752. ON Monday the 2d of March 1752, a Bill of Indictment was found by the grand inquest for the county of Oxford, against Mary Blandy, spinster, for the murder of Francis Blandy, late of the parish of Henley upon Thames, in the said county, gentleman. On Tuesday, the 3d of March 1752, the Court being met, the prisoner Mary Blandy was set to the bar, when the Court proceeded thus: Clerk of the Arraigns. Mary Blandy, hold up thy hand. (Which she did.) Yon stand indicted by the name of Mary Blandy, late of the parish of Henley upon Thames, in the county of Oxford, spinster; daughter of Francis Blandy, late of the same place, gentleman, deceased; for that you, not having the fear of God before your eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil, and of your malice aforethought, contriving and intending, him the said Francis Blandy, your said late father, in his life-time, to deprive of his life; and him feloniously to kill and murder, on the 10th day of November, in the 23d year of the reign of our sovereign lord George the second, now king of Great Britain; and on divers days and times, between the said 10th day of November, and the 5th day of August, in the 25th year of the reign of his said majesty, with force and arms, at the parish of Henley upon Thames aforesaid, in the county aforesaid, did knowingly, wilfully, and feloniously, and of your malice aforethought, mix and mingle certain deadly poison, to wit, white arsenic, in certain tea, which had been at divers times, during the time above specified, prepared for the use of the said Francis Blandy, to be drank by him: You the said Mary, then and there well knowing that the said tea, with which you did so mix and mingle the said deadly poison as aforesaid, was then and there prepared for the use of the said . Francis Blandy, with intent to be then and there administered to him, for his drinking the same; and the said tea with which the said poison was so mixed as aforesaid, afterwards, to wit, on the said 10th day of November, and on the divers days and times aforesaid, at Henley upon Thames aforesaid, was delivered to the said Francis, to be then and there drank by him; and the said Francis Blandy, not Knowing the said poison to have been mixed a; with the said tea, did afterwards, to wit, on the said 10th day of November, and on the said divers days and times aforesaid, there drink and swallow several quantities of the said poison, so mixed as aforesaid with the said tea and that you the said Mary Blandy might more speedily kill and murder the said Francis Blan dy, you the said Mary Blandy, on the said! 5th day of August, and at divers other days and times between the said 5th day of August and the 14th day of August, in the 25th year of the reign of our said sovereign lord George the second, now king of Great Britain, &c. with force and arms, at the parish of Henley upon Thames aforesaid, in the county aforesaid, did knowingly, wilfully, feloniously, and of your malice aforethought, mix and mingle certain deadly poison, to wit, white arsenic, with certain water-gruel, which had been made and prepared for the use of your said then father, the said Francis Blandy, to be drank by him, you the said Mary then and there well knowing that the said water-gruel, with which you did so mix and mingle the said deadly poison as aforesaid, was then and there made for the use of the said Francis Blandy, with intent to be then and there administered to him for his drinking the same; and the same watergruel, with which the said poison was so mixt as aforesaid, afterwards, to wit, on the same day and year, at Henley upon Thames afore- : said, was delivered to the said Francis, to be then and there drank by him; and the said Francis Blandy, not knowing the said poison to have been mixed with the said water-gruel, did afterwards, to wit, on the said 5th day of August, and on the next day following, and on divers other days and times afterwards, and before the said 14th day of August, there drink and swallow several quantities of the said poison, so mixed as aforesaid with the said water-gruel; and the said Francis Blandy, of the poison aforesaid, and by the operation thereof, became sick, and greatly distempered in his body; and from the several times aforesaid until the 14th day of the same month of August, in the 25th year aforesaid, at the parish aforesaid, in the county aforesaid, did languish; on which said 14th day of August, in the 25th year aforesaid, the said Francis Blandy, at the parish aforesaid, in the county aforesaid, of that poison died: And so you, the Cryer. Oyez, Oyez, Oyez! My lords the king's justices strictly charge and command all manner of persons to keep silence, upon pain of imprisonment. Cryer. Oyez! You good men, that are impannelled to try between our sovereign lord the king and the prisoner at the bar, answer to your names, and save your fines. The Jury were called over and appeared. Cl. of Arr. You, the prisoner at the bar, these men which were last called, and do now appear, are those who are to pass between our sovereign lord the king and you, upon the trial of your life and death; if therefore you will challenge them, or any of them, you must challenge them as they come to the book to be sworn, before they are sworn: And you shall be heard. Cl. of Arr. Anthony Woodward. Cryer. Anthony Woodward, look upon the prisoner; you shall well and truly try, and true deliverance make, between our sovereign lord the king and the prisoner at the bar, whom you shall have in charge, and a true verdict give, according to the evidence: So help you God, And the same oath was administered to the rest, (which were sworn) and their names are as follow: Cryer. Gentlemen, are ye all sworn? Cl. of Arr. Cryer, make proclamation. Cryer. Oyez, Oyez, Oyez! If any one can inform my lords the king's justices, the king's serjeant, the king's attorney-general, or this inquest now to be taken, of any treasons, murders, felonies, or misdemeanors, committed or done by the prisoner at the bar, let him come forth, and he shall be heard, for the prisoner stands now at the bar, upon her deliverance; and all persons that are bound by recog nizance to give evidence against the prisoner at the bar, let them come forth and give their evidence, or they will forfeit their recognizances. Cl. of Arr. Mary Blandy, hold up thy hand; Gentlemen of the Jury, look upon the prisoner, and bearken to her charge; she stands indicted by the name of Mary Blandy, of the parish of Henley upon Thames, in the county of Oxford, spinster, daughter of Francis Blandy, late of the same place, gentleman, deceased, for that she not having (as in the indictment before set forth.] Upon this indictment she has been ar raigned, and upon her arraignment bas pleaded Not Guilty; and for her trial has put herself upon God and her country, which country you are: your charge therefore is, to enquire whether she be guilty of the felony and murder whereof she stands indicted, or not guilty. If you find her guilty, you shall enquire what goods or chattels, lands or tenements she had at the time of the felony committed, or at any time since: if you find her not guilty, you shall enquire whether she fled for the same: if you find that she did fly for the same, you shall enquire of her goods and chattels, as if you had found her guilty: if you find her not guilty, and that she did not fly for the same, say so, and no more; and hear your evidence. The Hon. Mr. Barrington then opened the indictment. After which, The Hon. Mr. Bathurst spoke as follows: prisoner at the bar, in order to bring her to jus tice, for a crime of so black a dye, that I am not at all surprised at this vast concourse of people collected together to hear, and to see the trial and catastrophe of so execrable an of fender as she is supposed to be. May it please your lordships, and you gen tlemen of the jury, I am counsel in this case for the king, in whose name, and at whose exAnthony Woodward, sworn. Charles Har-pence, this prosecution is carried on against the rison sworn. Samuel George Glaze, sworn. William Farebrother, sworn. William Haynes, sworn. Thomas Crutch, sworn. Henry Swell, challenged. John Clarke, sworn. William Read, challenged. Harford Dobson, challenged. William Stone, challenged. William Hawkins, sworn. John Haynes, the elder, sworn. Samuel Badger, sworn. Samuel Bradley, sworn. William Brooks, challenged. Joseph Jagger, sworn. Cl. of Arr. Cryer, count these. For, gentlemen, the prisoner at the bar, Miss Mary Blandy, a gentlewoman by birth and education, stands indicted for no less a crime than that of murder: and not only for murder, but for the murder of her own father; and for the murder of a father passionately foud of her; undertaken with the utmost deliberation; carried on with an unvaried continuation of intention; and at last accomplished by a frequent repetition of the baneful dose, administered with her own hands. A crime so shocking in its own nature, and so aggravated in all its cir cumstances, as will (if she is proved to be guilty |