A True and perfect NARRATIVE Of the late Terrible and Bloody Murder of Sir Edmondberry Godfrey;  
Who was found Murdered on Thursday the 17th. of this Instant October, in a Field near Primrose-Hill.  
WITH A full Account of the manner of his being Murdered and in what manner he was found.  
ALSO, The full Proceed of the Coroner, who sat upon the Inquest, etc.  
With Allowance.  
EDINBURGH, reprinted by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to the Kings most Sacred Majesty, Anno Dom. 1678.   

A true and perfect Relation of that Horrid and Bloody Murder committed upon the Body of Sir Edmondberry Godfrey.  
SIR Edmundberry Godfrey's Death being the sad occasion of this Narrative, and the Subject of most people's Discourse: I shall (to prevent any false or surreptitious Stories that are usually carried abroad about things of this nature) give the Reader this true and impartial account thereof.  
On the 12th. of this instant October, being Saturday, about Nine of the Clock in the Morning, Sir Edmundberry Godfrey went out of his own House in Greens-lane in the Strand about his Occasions: And was seen not long after near Marybone, but then supposed to be going home; and was at one of the Churchwardens of the Parish of St. Martin's in the Fields about some business at twelve of the Clock the same day: But so it was, that he came not to his own House that night, according to his usual Custom, nor gave any notice to his Servants of any business that he had to hinder his returning that night. And from that time till Thursday the 17th of the same Month about, six a Clock at night, no tidings could be heard of him (although all earnest and diligent Inquiries and Searches were made for him) At which time his Dead Body was found dead in a Ditch upon the South side of Primerose-hill near Hampste●d. The occasion of his being found was this: One Promley a Baker, and Waters a Farrier, both of the Parish of St. Giles in the Fields, having an occasion to go to the House, commonly called the Whitehouse near Primerose-hill; and going over the Field where the Body of Sr. Edmundberry lay, saw, as they thought, a sword and Belt, and a stick and a pair of Gloves lying together hard by the Hedge-side, but they went not near to meddle with them, supposing they had belonged to some person that was gone into the Ditch to ease himself. And when they came to the White-house, they told John Rawson (the man of the said House) that they had seen a Sword and belt, and a Pair of Gloves and Stick lie in that place: Whereupon John Rawson asked them, why they did not bring them thither: They told him they did not know but there might be some Body hard by to own them: Rawson told them again; That there had been several Soldiers thereabout this Week a Hedghog-hunting, and it may be (said he) some of them may have left them behind them.  
After some further Discourse, Rawson agreed to go with the two men to the place, and if they found the things there, then, Rawson was to give them a Shilling to Drink, and was to take the things to his own House, till some body came thither to own them: and thereupon they went together to the place: When they came there, they found only a Belt and a Scabbard, and a Stick, and a pair of Gloves, but no Sword: which as Rawson was stooping to take up, he thought he saw some thing like a Man in the Ditch hard by, and so going to the Ditch, there they saw a Man lying, as they supposed upon his Belly, with a Sword run thorough him, and the point appearing about Seven or Eight Inches above his back: Upon this, they went immediately to the Churchwarden of the Parish, to give him an account of it; but he being Sick, sent them to Mr. Brown's the Constable, who presently taking with him several Neighbours and Housekeepers, went to the place where the Body lay: Which was in a dry Ditch upon the South side of Primerose-hill, about two Fields distant from the White-house: The Posture in which he lay was this, he had a Sword run into him just under his left Pap, which came out upon the Right side of his back, about Seven or Eight Inches, one of his Hands being doubled under, on which he seemed to Lean, the other Hand lying upon the bank, his Hair Chamlet Coat being turned up over his Head; his Hat and Periwig being among the Bushes over his Head, but no Band nor Cravat could be found about him; although when he went from Home, he had a large Laced Band on.  
The Constable and the rest that were with him, being about a dozen, having taken good notice of the manner of his lying, caused him to be removed, the Sword drawn out of his Body; concerning which Sword it is observable, that the point of it which came out at his back was covered all over with blood, and that part which was in his Body was black, without any blood upon it.  
The Constable having caused the Body to be removed to the White House, and knowing it to be the Body of Sir Edmondberry Godfrey, he caused his Pockets to be searched, and found in one of them, in one Paper six Guineas, and in another paper four broad pieces of Gold, and a half Crown; and in the other Pocket two Rings, whereof one was a Diamond, one Guiney, and four pound in Silver, and two small pieces of Gold, and one Ring he had upon one of his fingers: His Pocket Book (in which he used to take notes of Examination) being only missing.  
One Friday the 18th of this instant, Mr. Cooper the Coronor of Midlesex, impanneled a Jury at the White-House to inquire about the occasion of the death of the said Sir Edmondberry: and two Chirurgeons, (having been first Sworn) viewed the Body in the presence of the Coronor and the Jury; and found two wounds about it, which one of the Chirurgeons searched with his Probe; and found one of them not above an inch deep, the Probe going against one of his Ribs; but the other being a little below the left Pap, went quite thorough the Body: his Face was of a fresh colour, though in his life time very pale, somewhat swelled, and a green circle about his Neck, as if he had been strangled, his blood being settled about his Neck, Throat, and the upper part of his Breast: The Chirurgeons having viewed the Body, delivered their Judgements, That the wounds they found about him, were not the cause of his death, but that he was suffocated before the wounds were made. And that which may fully persuade any person of the truth thereof, is, That there was not one drop of blood to be found in the place where he lay, nor the least appearance of any such thing; though the Ditch was dry, and it might have been easily seen, if there had been any. Another thing was, that the very bottom of the soles of his Shoes were as clean as if he had but just come out of his own Chamber, which was an evident sign that he was carried thither.  
A third thing very remarkable, is, That one of the Jury affirmed, That a Servant of his Mothers (who is owner of the ground where the Body lay) with a Butcher and two Boys, made a very strict and narrow search in all parts of that ground for a Calf that was missing, upon Monday and Tuesday last, and at that time there lay no dead Body, Belt, Gloves, Stick, or other things there.  
Now because several false Reports have gone abroad, tending to the Dishonour of this worthy Deceased Knight, as though he had been discontented about some Moneys owing by him to the Parish, and upon that account should make himself away: The Relator thinks good to testify to the World, That to his own knowledge Sir Edmondberry lent to the Parish above 300 l. without Interest, a good part of which is yet unpaid, so palpable an untruth it is, that some wicked persons have spread abroad about him. But it is no wonder that those inhuman Wretches that have taken away his life, should go also about to blast his Reputation.  
One thing more I cannot omit to mention, having received it from the mouth of one of the Churchwardens of the Parish where he lived, which is, That Sir Edmondberry not long ago gave him an hundred pound to bestow upon such poor People in the Parish as he knew were in want: Neither wa● that the first time that Sir Edmondberry had employed him in works of that nature, having often made him the distributer of his Charity, because he did not desire the applause of men for it. This without all doubt proceeded from so remarkable and so sincere a piety, That though it may be commended, I am afraid it will scarce be imitated.  
FINIS.