Treason and Murder: Or, The Bloody Father-in-law. Being a True and Perfect Relation of a Horrible MURDER, Committed at HAM, near Stratford in Essex, on the Wife of James Alsop, by her Husband's Father and Brother, one of which most inhumanely Cut her Throat, as she lay fast asleep in her Bed, she being then with Child. Together with the manner how they were severally taken, and discovered also to be Clippers of Money, their Commitment to Chelmsford Goal, and their Trials at the Assizes, March 25. 1673/ 4.  
Where James Alsop the Husband of the Woman murdered, and his Mother were also tried upon Suspicion, and cleared, but the said James Alsop the father was found guilty of both Endictments, and William Alsop (going formerly by the Name of William Toppham) pleaded Guilty to the same.  
Whereupon they were both Condemned, the Father to be Hanged at Stratford, the other at the Common place of Execution.  
London, Printed by E. Miles.   

THE BLOODY Father-in-law, etc.  
THough Custom hath made a little preamble all most necessary to these small Narratives, so to prepossess the Reader with the horror or novelty of what is to be related, that his Curiosity may be engaged to think it worthy a perusal, yet may we justly be excused from that troublesome impertinence, since what we are here to recount is in itself so prodigiously Criminal and Barbarous, that to go about with words and flourishes to aggravate the guilt were to allay the Fact which in itself is impious beyond expression.  
At Ham, a small Villiage about 4 miles from London, but situated in the County of Essex, there dwelled one Alsop, by Trade a Fell-monger, whose Son James Alsop sometimes since married with a Widow of good credit and competent Estate, with 3 Children, one was a Girl, now about nine or ten years of Age: they lived together with their father and mother for some time seemingly very loves and comfortably) but some little differences) rarely, or never wholly kept from the most Amorous Marriagebed (afterwards arising; the Devil always busy to foment mischief, being naturally an enemy to Love and Peace, is ready to blow those sparks of dissension into a flame of malice, not to be quenched but with blood.  
Nor can we exactly set forth the particular occasions that moved their spleen against this Innocent woman's Life, any further than from, common fame grounded on circumstances afterwards discovered, which speaks it thus, that the father being a Clipper of money, could neither carry the business so privately and cleverly, but the young woman had some Notice of it, nor induce her to join Cordially therein, but that she would be perpetually representing to the grand hazard and danger of such treasonable practices, and would be often (especially upon any pet taken or small falling out) upbraiding the fame: hereupon 'tis believed the plot was first laid to give her a remove out of the World, Remembering that cursed Maxim in the School of Villainy.  Scelera Sceleribus Tuenda. 
Or as our incomparble Ben puts it into the Month of Catiline:  The ills I have done cannot be safe without committing greater. 
Satan, no doubt was ready to inspire the Old man with such suggestions as these; Will you suffer your life to lie at the pleasure of another? must you not be be always a slave to her? or else she can sacrifice you when she lifts, and that legally, to her Revenge; is it not a most wretched life that is held by no other tenure, but the Courtesy, and depends upon no better security than a Woman's silence, whose natural vanity is such, that if malice should not discover it, yet the humour of tattling and Gossipping, proper to her Six, will not let her conceal it, but will quickly blab it abroad; consult then your own safety by her ruin, put her into a condition past telling of Tales; remember self-preservation is the first Article in Nature's Charter: For the danger, it is nothing, I'll teach thee a thousand ways to dispatch her, so far beyond the purblind sights of the Law which requires Eye-Witnesses, that the most Eagle-eyed suspicions shall not reach thee, etc.  
The poor graceless man inclining too much to these hellish suggestions, without fear of God or regard to his own soul, resolves at last upon the bloody business, but still was Irresolute in what manner to accomplish it.  
Some small time afore her murder was really acted, her husband would have her ride abroad with him, which she condescended to, but as they were coming home in the evening, a Gentleman meeting them, drew his sword, but passing the husband turned back, and run at the woman, when as providence ordered it, passengers were heard coming on at a small distance at the same Instant; which obliged this unknown Assassinate to ride away with what speed he could, having done the woman no dangerous hurts, besides frighting her, and two small pricks with the point of his Rapier, the one on her arm, and the other on her Breast.  
A day or two after his Father had her abroad, and when they came home at Night, he sent for some strong drink, but the Woman was afraid to drink, alleging for an excuse that her Head ached exceedingly, and that Night told her Daughter, who lay with her, that she was afraid her Father-in-Law would poison her.  
Hitherto providence had overruled the black designs, but now 'tis resolved to accomplish the hellish murder. In order whereunto 'tis very industriously reported up and down amongst the Neighbours, that the Woman was to go the next morning into Yorkshire to visit some friends, and that she would continue there a quarter of a Year, this was raised to prevent People's enquiry what was become of her when she should be found missing, having concluded that very Night to Ship her for Eternity, although ' 'ttwas known she was with Child.  
Accordingly her Husband being gone a Journey not to return that Night, and she innocently sleeping in her Bed with her forementioned Daughter: Behold! a little after Midnight comes in a person with a black Gown on, and a Vizard on his Face, with a Candle in one hand, and a naked Knife in the other. The Girl happened to be awake, and being extremely frighted, crept over Head and ears in the Bed: but the bloody murderer runs up to the Bedside, and setting down his Candle, takes the Woman as she lay harmlessly sleeping, and most barbarously and violently cut her Throat from the one Ear to the other, which so suddenly dispatched her that she never spoke one word, but after a little struggling expired. Having thus acted the bloody Tragedy, their next business is to conceal it.  
For though in readiness a Grave had been dug in the Orchard to put her in, thinking that by giving out that she went away on her Journey very early, all might be hushed up without notice or suspicion, yet now a new difficulty arises, for he knew not how to get her out of the Bed, but the Girl will discover it. And here we may admite and bless overruling providence that preserved such Inhuman hands from murdering her too, but the Lord would not suffer them to proceed in their villainy.  
But he resolves upon another trick, and takes down a whole panel of glass out of a window near where the woman lay (being a low Room) to make it seem as if they had been robbed, and that the Murder had been done by Thiefs; Their men lay up in another part of the house that used to be bolted in, and old Alsop having so taken down the Glass, begins to set up a mighty Exclamation of Thiefs, Thiefs, and with much seeming haste and earnestness calls upon his men to rise, who answered that they could not get out, whereupon he unboulted the door, and said they were robbed, and some of them going into the Woman's Room, found her all bloody. At which he seemed to be mightily sorry and amazed, and would needs run for a Surgeon, whom he told that he was robbed, and that he had lost twenty Guinneys, and that he feared his Daughter in Law was murdered by the thiefs.  
In the mean time the Neighbours are Alarmed, and the poor Girl comes running into the street all bloody with her Mother's blood, but knew not that she was killed, for though she found herself wet in the Bed, yet by reason of her fright she knew not that it was with blood, nor durst look up till people came about her.  
She told the people that she saw a man come in at the door in a black Indian Gown, and a Vizard on his face, much about the tallness of her Grandfather, whereupon, and upon some other words that the Woman had said a day or two before to some Neighbours, it was thought fit to take him into Custody.  
The rather, for that Providence willing so bloody a Deed should not go undiscovered, had ordered the matter so, as to blast his politic Lie of Thiefs coming in at the Window, for looking up to it, they saw that it was taken down indeed on the outside, but within all before the place, was a large sheet of Cobweb, whole, and not broken in the least, whence it appeared evidently no creature could have come in there.  
Besides, he offered the Constable Ten Pounds to suffer him to escape, but he honestly replied, he would not be Bribed in such a case for a World. His house being searched, they found in a Trunk a Vizard-mask, as the Girl had described, with the mark of a Bloody Thumb upon it, which he had made when he took it off his face, after he had committed this Execrable Murder: They also found several pair of Shears, wherewith to Clip Money: and Cliping of Money in several places. Nor was that (as is supposed) all his Trade. For searching the House, they found in a great heap of Wool, a very rich Suit of a Gentleman's: Which being asked where he had it, he said he Bought it in Long-Lane: But 'tis presumed used the High-Pad, or Robing on the Road, as well as Cliping.  
The Officers demanding of the Old Woman, where the Young Woman's clothes were, she said she had sent them before into Yorkshire; but they searched her Trunk, and found all her clothes there.  
Hereupon the Old Man and Woman were committed, and the Son, her Husband, being then, (as was since proved) at Colchester, soon after returning, was bound over, upon Suspicion, to the Assizes. During the time the Old man lay thus in Prison, a Notable Stratagem is set on foot (as 'tis supposed) to clear him of the Fact: for a report was raised that some High-way-men had confessed they robed the house, and killed the Woman, and after much stir, a Portmantle and Letter upon search of a House was found in London: The Letter spoke much to that purpose, and that the Person was hastening away for Holland. In the Portmantle was a bloody shirt, a strange (not Vizard-Mask) but) great frightful Vizard: several Cliping and Fileing of Silver, etc. The Person that owns this Portmantle was aot to be found: but ●e William Toppham, being very much concerned in the business, and solicitous, he began to be suspected to be some way concerned in the Gild, and thereupon being Apprehended, after some time he was discovered to be Old Alsop's own Son, and thereupon was likewise Comited.  
At the Assizes holden for the County of Essex, at the Town of Chelmsford, March 23. 1673/ 4. Alsop the Father being Indicted both for Cliping of Money, and Murdering his Daughter in Law, was brought in Guilty by the Jury; his Wife and his Son James, upon a long debate of the matter, were acquitted, but his Son William Alsop, alias Toppham, being Indicted in the same manner as his Father was, of his own accord pleaded guilty to both Indictments, and afterwards begged for Transportation; which being denied, he there alleged that he Pleaded guilty, only to take off the Crime from his Father, etc.  
But it was then too late, whereupon both his Father and he Received Sentence of Death:  
The First to be Hanged in Chains at Stratford, near the Place where the Villainy was Acted; the last at Chelmsford, at the Common place of Execution.  
FINIS.