A BRIEF REPLY TO THE NARRATION OF DON PANTALEON SA: By one of the Sisters of the Gentleman Murdered on the New-Exchange, the 22. of November, 1653. Stilo Vet.  
TRue it is, that my sister and myself (obliged thereunto by the Bonds of common nature, as well as those of the strictest affection that may become so near a relation) have exhibited to the Council of State for justice against the Murderers of our dear Brother, our Petition in form following.  

To the Right Honourable, the Council of State  
The Humble Petition of Elizabeth Worsopp, and Frances Clarke, the disconsolate Sisters of Harcourt Greenway, late of Leckhamsteed, in the County of Bucks, Esquire, deceased.  
Sheweth:  
THAT on Tuesday the 22. of November the Portugal Ambassadors Brother, and divers others his Servants with Swords and Pistols came upon the New-Exchange, in a most insolent and riotous manner, where their said Brother civilly, and peaceably then being, was most barbarously (no provocation given them by him) set on by the said Portuguez, and pistolled in the head: of which wound (the very brain flying out thereat) within twelve hours after, in extreme anguish and torture he most miserably died.  
That he was their only Brother, and by whose untimely death (as not exceeding the age of 24 years, and unmarried, their whole Name and Family is become utterly extinct, and they bereft not only of the present comforts of a dear Brother, but fair hopes also of much future emolument, in the Right and Title which was in him for the recovery of his Father's Estate, near 1000 l. per annum aliened from him.  
It is therefore most humbly desired, that the cry of their said Brother's blood might be heard in them, and that your Honours would be pleased to take into your Christian consideration (none of your own persons being secure from so bold an assassination) the foulness of so horrid a Murder with all its due circumstances and aggravations: whereby Justice, according to the Laws of God and the Nation, may be impartially done on the Murderers, and such other relief conferred on your Petitioners, as shall seem to your Wisdoms most meet and proper for them in this their most sad and miserable condition.  
And your Petitioners shall ever pray, etc.   

NOw whereas by a late Printed paper, subscribed by the name of Pantaleon Sa, the world is in some danger to be imposed on to an erroneous faith, that the persons against whom we have petitioned have been too violently prosecuted by us, and (though in order to a legal trial) too rigorously treated by the Justiciaries of our Commonwealth, I conceived it most imported me (my sister's sickness indisposing her otherwise) then by assent to join with me in some Animadversions on the said paper, to vindicate to both Nations, English and Portuguez, at least those who understand English, the only tongue I know to express myself in, as well the honour as the legality of the proceed; and withal, that by those the English Nobility, and the City of London, whom this paper endeavours to Cajole into such a commiseration of his Person, and opinion of his innocency, that the horrid and barbarous murder of an English Gentleman, in every thing (as to the Murderers) a most innocent person, and one who (let me without envy since he is dead, affirm) had known valour and bravery enough to have rendered him not only serviceable, but an honour to his Nation, might be forgotten, and out of a feminine, and in matters of blood, unmanlike, and unchristian pity a prosecution of Justice against the Offenders might be remitted.  
To the Relation of the first days passages I shall say little, nothing being more in my abhorrency then incivility, and especially to strangers, and yet unless report be very false, if any of our English Gentlemen shown themselves ill disciplined in the Ethics, they found the Portuguez but uncivil Tutors: For unless for a word (perhaps too provoked) a blow, yea a stab be (what I have more noble thoughts of them then to believe) Portugal Justice, and four afterwards upon one Portugal fortitude, they themselves must needs conclude Morality to have been as foully transgressed by some of their own Nation.  
But supposing an affront beyond a Gentleman's sufferance, and a complaint to that Power under whose protection he was, beneath his honour, was there no nobler way of vindication then by a Riot? Street combats, and popular engagements were never held to have much of the Cavalier in them: But Don Pantaleon (whom were not his hands red with my Brother's blood) I should equally honour with his height of birth and mind professeth that he feared none, nor suspected in the least that any would assault him when they saw him unarmed: I shall not question how unarmed he came on the Exchange, though (if report be true) he had defensive Arms enough for more than one person; but if the evidence which hath been given in this business be true, it will sufficiently appear, if he had no sword himself, his servant who was at his heels had two; and that when the Exchange was cleared (I cannot but believe more through the civility then fear in the English that were on the place, or valour of the Portuguez) he was one of those who when my dear Brother lay wallowing in his blood and brains, in a triumphing, and braving manner, both of jesture and language, went slashing their swords against the stones.  
But who that will not against Justice itself be partial, can believe that the Exchange men's shutting up their shops began this second unhappy broil? especially if he consider indeed the warlike preparations to it: doth Gunpowder and Granades, and I know not what, use to be carried about for defence? Indeed I am none of those that think there was a design of besiegeing or blowing up the Exchange, but that their Design was revenge, I not only believe, but am very confident the proof of their preparations all that day of all sorts of Arms, and invitation of others to their assistance, besides their own Family will make apparent enough.  
Or who that were not so nearly concerned could choose but smile at the vanity of that insinuation that it might be an English man as well as a Portugal, that shot that disastrous Pistol, and that it was shot from the ascent of the lower walk to the higher, but I shall say little of this at the present; I hope that their just trial will not be long deferred, when I doubt not but it will be enough proved, that the bold murderer was a Portugal, that he did that cruel and base action upon an innocent and unprovided person, not by accident but by aim and design, directing his Pistol to his head which fell at the feet of the bloody murderer.  
But surely to have ceased that needless terror it had been more proper to have fairly retreated, or at least repelled the irruption of his servants then to have headed them to the driving off of the English on the place, and to have cleared himself of the murder of my Brother: to have expressed a sorrow for it, if not a care for him rather than a triumph: but his sorrow since now I believe he may have reason for it, I believe and blame him not, in this condition which I can heartily even for him as a Gentleman and a Christian grieve, for to tell the fairest tale he can for himself, but if in criminal acts the delinquents Rhetorical envying against the unreasonableness of them may argue the improbability of his commitment of them, I would wonder to hear in ●n age of any one person guilty; and if the being a stranger may excuse bold assassinations and murders, His texts of Scripture, and Polyanthea may befreind him, but than what magistracy, what government is secure from the blodiest and yet unpunishable assaults? yet I hope neither the persons concerned, nor any other will believe this from me to be the production of malice, or unchristianlike revenge; since I think it is no more than what the rights of my most unfortunate dear Brother extort from me. For I can, if my griefs may receive an addition, add to them a hearty sorrow for every unfortunate person (that nevertheless I cannot but hope) must suffer for this bloody murder: I can hearty bewail that a Gentleman of so noble and illustrious an extraction, should amongst strangers, from whom his own King (I may I think say by him) required amity and friendship, premeditatedly run himself into so disastrous and ruinous an action, though I do profess to all the world that neither my sister or myself who are the only nearly concerned persons do know that he hath afforded us a pity or condolement in our unspeakable griefs, nor obliged us to any such commiseration by a civil message that he was sorry for our misfortunes, notwithstanding his flourish of comfort and satisfaction at the end of his narration; but the comfort and satisfaction I beg in the behalf of myself and sister is justice, which I humbly implore from God, the Magistrate, and all who may give it us, or assist us in the procuring of it, and which I doubt not but the unparalleled equity of our Laws, and adhering of our Justiciaries to them will give us.  
I shall therefore say nothing more to those insinuations of his kindnesses or civilities to the English Gentry, since I cannot but believe every one of them will remember my Brothers unhappy fate might have been his own.  
12. Decemb. 1653. FRANCES CLARKE.