The crying murder: containing the cruel and most horrible Butchery of Mr. TRAT, Curate of old cleave; who was first murdered as he travailed vpon the high way, then was brought home to his house and there was quartered and imboweld: his quarters and bowels being afterwards perboyld and salted up, in a most strange and fearful manner. For this fact the Iudgement of my Lord chief Baron TANFIELD, young Peter Smethwicke, Andrew Baker, cyril Austen, and Alice Walker, were executed this last Summer Assizes, the 24. of july, at ston gallows, near Taunton in Summerset-shire.  
 Woodcut illustration of the murder, dismemberment and disembowelling of a victim by three male perpetrators, while a woman salts a cooking pot in which to boil the body parts.  
AT LONDON: Printed by Edw: Allde for nathaniel Butter. 1624.   

TO THE truly honourable SIR laurence TANFIELD Knight, Lord chief Baron of his majesties Court of Exchequer, and one of his Iustices of Assize in the County of Summerset, and to all the Iustices of Peace in the same County, C. W. wisheth that happiness which he himself desireth.  
TRuly Honourable, and Right worshipful, to you in duty this Dedication doth belong, who stand like lions about the Throne of our Salomon, to maintain the subject in peace, and defend the Innocent from cruelty and oppression. Some of your cares and wisedoms haue detected a most cruel murder and conspiracy, and vindicated besides the honour of the clergy from those scandals, which were shot from the sling of those assassins, intentiuely against Mr. Tratte, but consequently against all that sacred and super-eminent profession. Continue these good endeavours,& let the Sun-setting of your favours, be like unto their sun rising and Meridian, that under your protection and defence, the word of God, and the sword of Iustice may work together within the circuit of that flourishing County with perpetual harmony, unity, and agreement. never was there more cause for the distressed levite to implore the help of the Princes of the people then now: The aaronical& once budding rod of his Authority, being almost broken in pieces. His linen Ephod being rent in sunder, and his sanctified breastplate of urim and Thummim, being pierced thorough with the malicious ejaculations of known aduersaries, or the secret wounds of lukewarm professors and temporary back-sliders. You are his majesties Deputies and Vicegerents; let his Character be your pattern,& let the irradiation of his example enlighten& lead you to the protection of the Clergy; and esteem those wrongs done unto them to be by so much the more of an offensive nature and condition, by how much that most high and celestial calling is lifted up above the ordinary mass& multitude of mankind. Thus desiring your Lordship& their Worships best constructions,& craving pardon for my boldness in this my Dedication, I leave and rest  
Your Lordship and their Worships humble Suppliant, C. W.   

To the Reader.  
GEntle Reader, whether of the clergy or Laity, of the Priesthood or people. Thou seest here a spectacle represented unto thy view, horrid and bloody beyond all comparison, and scarce to be paralleled, except it be by the very cannibals and men-eating Tartars, people devoid of all Christianity and humanity. The heinousness of which fact was agrauated, and more terribliz'd in the Iudgement of all men, by considering the quality and profession of the person murdered, and by the survey of that high relation, which the murtherers had, or at leastwise should haue had unto him; as being a vessel consecrated to the Lord, and anointed to do him service both in soul and body in the Tabernacle of his congregation. The persons who did act it, made the nature of this Assassination the more heinous, by the consideration of that respective duty which they ought unto him, as being the sheep of his flock, and members, though unworthy of his Parish and spiritual family. And therefore except it were Regicide and Kingkilling, no murder could be more bloody, and by consequence more crying, then that of Mr. Trats, it being parricide in the highest nature and degree. The author knows, that there are four good mothers which breed four ill daughters: for Security breeds Danger, Familiarity Contempt, Prosperity Pride,& Truth though known a known Hatred: yet maugre this and any opposition that can bee made against him, he hath here delivered it, truly and sincerely, according to the best informations he could receive from the Coroner, Iurours, and other worthy persons conscious of all these particulars, which are here related and remonstrated. Thus desiring thy best acceptance, he leaves thee to the following perusal of these tragical lines, and for ever rests  
Thine if thou be thy own in iudgement, C. W.   

THE unheard OF murder of Mr. Trat, Minister of old cleave.  
DIuers foreign Nations for those more open and known faults, which custom hath made remarkable amongst them, haue by the note of your English censure suffered the common brand of Infamy and reproach. Hence is it that most of our curious censurers, and some of them( not our least sinners) haue taxed the French for lightness, the Dutch for drinking, the Danes for cruelty, the Italians for pride and covetousness, the Spaniards for delays and subtleties. But in vain do we lay these aspersions vpon others, there by to palliate our own disgrace, or seek to cover with rhese Figgeleaue garments, our own deformity and nakedness. For many amongst us( as it is to be seared) are conscious of these,& of many other enormous sins besides. For to let pass fearful Atheismes, terrible blasphemies, tearing oaths, and unnatural lusts, which provoke the just vengeance and indignation of our maker.  
That lethargy of security doth so possess our spirits, that although we sleep with the serpent continually in our bosoms, yet we rest careless and secure of his dangerous temptations and designs. covetousness is so hidropicall and longing amongst the purse-sicke Timpanists of this age, that like unto that idol of lust, the more they haue, the more they still desire. And then what doth the generality of our Nation do, who with such Catonian rigour doth censure others?  
Quaecunque profundâ  
Traxit auaritiâ, luxu peiore refundit.  
What covetousness hath got, luxury doth spend in surfet and excess.  
Our modern murders, which are there most raging where other sins are most reigning, seem equal, though not for the number, yet for the maner, unto these of the Mahometan assassins men obliged thereto by their profession, or to the Italian Banditoes, people enured there by custom. The scarlet tincture and guiltiness whereof pollutes the Earth, infects the air, and cries for vengeance at the gates of heaven, and the Iudgement seat of the Almighty. So that no more Angli quasi Angeli, may these transgressors be called Angles or English, because we are like the Angels: but we may be called Deires, quasi dei ira, as being the anger of God, and the powred out Lees of the Cup of his indignation.  
Amongst the list and number of which most horrid presidents, whereof England like Libia, Semper aliquid profert novi, doth always produce new shapes and subiects, none haue been more notoriously noted, and infamously famous, then those three Assassinations committed within these few yeares in Summerset-shire, on the north side of Quantocke Hill: The first, of Thresher killed at St. Adries, by his own wife& her adulterous lover: The second, of Robert Seaman of Norton, butchered at Otterhampton by his Brother in Law leg and his Wife: And the last,( which is the tragical subject of this present Discourse) is the cruel and unheard of murder of Mr. Tratte, Curate of old Cleeue in the said County, by young Peter Smithwicke( as the Law found it) his Complices and associates. For the better explanation whereof, wee may methodically consider these five circumstances; First the Person murdered, and the Persons murdering: Secondly, the motives which did induce them to commit this murder: Thirdly the manner of committing and executing of it: Fourthly, the means, and presumptiue evidences, by which it was discovered: Fiftly, the arraignment, iudgement and execution. Of all which considerations, severally I mean to relate, in their several orders, according to that intelligence which I haue received from credible Persons, engaged in their trial.  
And first concerning the Person murdered; he was a levite, consecrated unto the Lord to do him service in the Tabernacle of his Congregation; one that had many yeares since put on the breast plate of urim and Thummim, and girded himself with the linen Ephod; concerning which sort of people, the Lord doth give this injunction& chrarge by the pen of a ready writer, by the mouth of that Kingly Prophet david. Touch not mine anointed, nor do my Prophets any harm. Before he had taken this sacred order of Priesthood vpon him, he had spent some of his younger yeares in the university of Oxford, being a student of Maudlin college, where he proceeded bachelor of Arts, with good approbation and allow ance of his superioures: His moral conversation( both there and in the country) was honest and laudable; onely some aspersions were laid vpon him, by the known report of this malicious Company; who first did seek to murder his good name, before they murdered and took away his life. From hence sprung this occasion: His wife( being a feeble, sickly and weak woman) went to gather Limpets,( a kind of shell-fish which sticks vpon the rocks in that Seuearne or midland sea, dividing England from Wales) and by an unfortunate chance fel from the precipice of the rocks into the water, and there vpon the sudden perished; her husband being vpon the strand also, but a good distance removed from her, as being employed in fishing at another place, so that he could not come to her succour in time.  
Presently vpon this accident, the poison of Asps which was under his enemies lips broke forth into the running issue of a false report, and they noised it every where among the Vulgar, that Mr. Trat had killed his Wife, and cast her over the rocks into the sea. But this calumniation coming to the examination of the Iustices of that division, it was found to bee counterfeit by the tuchstone, and he was cleared without any further trial, and his Enemies departed with shane and rebuk. Another scandal which was laid upon him was this: he being by them invited unto supper, came according to appointment; where these Plowers( according to the phrase of the Psalmist) ploughed vpon his hacke and made large surrowes vpon him. for one of their Creatures, as it appeared afterwards, took up the Ministers gown and put it on; in which counterfeit habit,( it being now dark night) he goes forth and meets with a country Woman, unto whom he offers some violence and uncivil behaviour. She guessing by the outside conjecture that it was Mr. Trat; spreads this attempt abroad to his infamy and disgrace: Which coming to his ears, he seeks to vindicate his reputation, and calls the Actors of this plot into question, who were found to be guilty of the fact,& were punished by the censure& sentence of the Court. Neither were his moral parts onely commendable, but his ministerial also were answerable: For although he was none of the greatest clerks, as they say, yet was he not a dumb Pastor, but like a true Bonarges, did thunder and cry out in his Sermons against the vices of his Parish: The freedom whereof, together with some particular aplications unto young Smithwicke, was thought to be one of the chiefest causes which hastened, this heinous and unheard of murder. And thus much for the quality of the person murdered.  
The Persons murdering who suffered for the fact, were four in number: Young Peter Smithwicke, Andrew Baker, ciril Austen, and Alice Walker: Which Persons although they were not blemished before the committing of this fact with the scandal of any notorious crimes, in the course of their former life and conversation, yet were they not free from the suspicion of some faults, whereof youth by nature, and age by custom is too too guilty and capacious. But old Peter Smithwicke who is not yet come to his trial, but remaines a prisoner in the Gaole at Iuelchester, was reputed by all men before the suspicion of this cruel assassination, to be a man of a most faire, gentle and well balanced conversation, so that if he should be guilty of this crime, as the most judicious judgements doubt, although the vulgar people and his friends think the contrary, it may be said of him, which was said of another in the same kind, Cucullus non facit Monachum, it is not the outside show or shadow, which makes the inward sanctimony and integrity. And thus much for the persons murdering: In the next place follows the consideration of those motives which did incite these men to imbrue their hands in the blood of the Innocent, and these were supposed to be three in number: The first was Mr. Trats liberty of speech in his usual and public rebuking of some of that society, of some suspected passages of sin whereunto they were thought to be ouer-weaningly addicted and accustomed. The next was the vindication of that reproach and infamy which they suffered by offering violence unto an honest woman in the counterfeit Larua or image of Trat. But the last motive which was not the least, but the chiefest of all from whence this current of Meribah, the first stream of this malice did proceed was this: Mr. Brigandine of Quantockes-head in the said County of Sumerset, being Incumbent over the Parsonage of Quantockes-head, and over the Viccaradge of old Cleeue, where this innocent man now murdered was his Curate for a good season, took a resolution to resign his Incumbencie of Old Cleeue unto his Curate, who before had bought the Patronage of it from him, vpon conditions of a fitting value and consideration. With this young Smithwicke and his father were much distasted, as having held that Viccaradge of cleave from Mr. Brigandine who married old Mr. Smithwickes mother, at an vnder-valued rate and rent, by which means a good annual profit did accrue to his purse, of which revenue by this new contract he was like to be put off and defrauded as he gave out, for that he pretended apromise from his father in Law Brigandine to the contrary, confirmed unto him many yeares since by the mediation of his mother. And his son Peter thought himself wronged in his case also, and that he was a fellow sufferer with his father in this calamity, because that Mr. Brigandine his grand-father by marriage, had promised him as he said, the perpetual donation and Patronage of this living. Hence sprung the chiefest flamme of that malice, which from the small sparks of mean or false suppositions caused such combustion in the household of Mr. Smithwicke to the utter ruin of their credits, estates, and lives, and to the final peril of their souls, they dying to the worlds esteem obstinate and vn-repenting sinners, without acknowledging their guiltiness in the fact whereof they were so plainly guilty by the conjecture of all outward proofs and circumstances. But from hence let us descend unto the manner of it, which was most tragical, horrid, and inhuman, wanting an imitable president and example, even amongst the very Pagans and Infidels. So that 
Quis talia fando  
Mirmidonum dolopumue, aut duri miles Vlissis  
Temperet á lachrimis?   
What heart can be so inhumanly inhuman and obduratly hardened, which would not sigh at the very repetition of it, and yearn at the remembrance of this cruel and scarlet coloured Assassination? for these blood-suckers having murdered this harmless levite Mr. Trat, upon the Wednesday next after midsummer day in the year of our Lord God 1623. journeying from his own house to his mothers, whether he went to furnish his necessities with some money, they brought him back the next night thus murdered as he was, with two mortal wounds in the breast into his own dwelling house again, where he lived solitary and alone. There these Butchers with their hands already smoking in his blood, did cut up his carcase, vnbowell and quarter it; then did they burn his head and privy members, parboile his flesh and salt it up; that so the sudden stink and putrefaction being hindered, the murtherers might the longer be free from discovery. Master Trat having now been mist fortnight and a day, and there being a great stench smelled from his house by the neighbour-hood, which now began to be noisome notwithstanding the drying force and operation of the salt, by the direction and advice of the next Officers, they broken up the doors, and gained their passage in: where having made a diligent search and inquiry, they find his foresaid body all saving the head and members disposed in this manner and form following. His arms, legs, thighs, and bowels were powdered up into two earthen steenes or pots in a lower room of the house, close adjoining unto the wall, the bulk of his carcase was placed in a fat or tub, covered over with a cloath in a chamber over head, all which membres thus disseuerd were so artificially jointed, laid and handled, that if these devils had been Butchers they could not haue done it more orderly and cunningly. Besides this nere unto this fearful spectacle there was an old green suite found belonging as it is likely unto one of the Actors of this murder which afterwards was carried about to the next market towns& cried publicly, but yet as yet it could never find out an owner or a master.  
This murder being evident in the fact and haynousnes thereof, though doubtful in the person, because his head and members could not be found, they presently give notice unto Mr. Thomas Windham of St. Decoombes, unto Master cuff of Creetch, Iustices of Peace in the said County, who with Mr. John Westcombe of Haulse, Coroner for the King, came vpon their first summons, and taking view of this strange and amazing object, they were much perplexed, and troubled in their mindes, not knowing what to think at first, in a matter so strange and unheard of for the example. Yet collecting their spirits from doubtfulness and confusion, unto that course which the necessity of the cause did impose vpon them, they proceeded from thence unto examination of some of the neighbours in that Parish: the Intelligence of whose report might give their eyes some informing light in the mystery of this business. Those examinates make it known unto them, that in all likelihood it was Mr. Trat their old Curate that was murdered, there being one of his fingers known by a secret mark unto them, and besides, there was a known quarrel between Mr. Smethwickes company and him, in respect of the causes before premised, which gave some cause of suspicion unto them, and that Alice Walker besides, seruant unto old M. Smethwick, had before  told some of these Informers, that if the person did not come home the sooner, his powdered beef would stink before his coming. These presumptions drew her first of all unto question and examination before the Iustices, who were very sincere and careful in the finding out of this murderous and Butcherly plot. She being taxed, stood vpon the denial, but there being great presumptions of her guiltiness, she was committed unto prison. old M. Smethwick vpon this, seeing his seruant imprisoned, his son suspected, and himself something blemished, protests openly concerning their innocency, and his aduersaries malice, offers large bail for his maid, sends( as he noisd it amongst the vulgar) for his absent& innocent son to London, and rides in a progress of Inquest after Trat, whom he thought to be the murderer of this unknown person, and not the person that was murdered by him or any of his company. To make this good, vpon that day when Trat was thus massacred, there was one that in his habit and cloak vsurp'd his name, and came to John Foards house of Taunton the Bowyer, a man who had seen Trat, but did scarce know him, or now remember him, and told him that he was M. Trat, the Curate of old Cleeue, and passed under that name there; The like he did at Illmister,& at person Sacheuerells, a Minister, benefiz'd near Blanford in Dorset-shire, who had been formerly and familiarly acquainted with Trat in Oxford, though now by means of their long absence, this counterfeit did presume that he had forgotten him, and for this consideration, was confident, that being habituated thus like Trat, and countenanced alike besides, he might therefore with more facility impose vpon the credulous ignorance of Sacheuerell.  
To farther this project, which might free Smethwicke and his household from all suspicion, and lay the guilt of the murder vpon the murdered; this impostor calling at his pretended friends house in the daske of the evening, told him, that he was his old friend Trat, which now after many yeares was come to see him. The other being deceived with the night, his boldness and habit, believes his words, and desires him to alight, but he refuseth it, alleging that he could not do it with any personal safety:  
And for reason said the other; because quoth the Counterfeit, I haue stabbed a man in my house where I live, of whose life I am doubtful; and that vpon this occasion coming from Dunster a small market town in the northeast part of Summersetshire, I met with one, newly as he  told me, came out of Ireland, who begging something of me, I gave him two pence, lodged him in my own house, gave him his supper and his breake-fast in the morning, but crossing himself superstitiously, as I thought, with the sign of the cross before his mornings meal, I taxed him for it: who seeking to maintain his cause by argument, we fell from words to blows, and in the Combat, I doubt that with a stab of my knife, I haue killed him, and so being engaged in this danger, I can stay no longer with you, but must fly; Sacheuerel wished him to retire himself home again since he was not certain, or well assured of this strangers death, and that by Chirurgery and speedy means of relief, the wounded person might again recover his former health and vigour. Old Smithwicke being thought to be conscious of all these counterfeit false designs, as diverse men now think and suspect, he pursues the inquest of this false Trat, inquires for him at Foordes the Bowyers his first place of arrival: who  told Master Smithwicke, that such a man was there, but departed thence to Illmister as he thought, because he enquired the way thither of him. The other follows him by his track unto the town of Illmister, and from thence unto Sacheuerels house in Dorsetshire, there enquiring for him of the person he was  told by him that Mr. Trat was there, but would not a light nor stay with him any time, because he had stabbed a man in his own house,( as he said) of whose safety he was very doubtful, and suspicious.  
The persons accused, being armed with these glozes and pretences, faire seeming to the eyes of rash speculation and beholding, condemn Mr. Windham and Mr. cuff of injustice, protest of their wrongs before Mr. Sims, and Mr. Brureton, two other Iustices of that County, and desired them in the Kings behalf to take the examination of old ford, and others of his household concerning Mr. Trat, whether he were there upon such a day or no in his house with him, how long he stayed, and whether as he thought from thence he departed. And they required and requested them besides to use their best means and authority unto the Iustices of Peace in Dorsetshire, that Mr. Sacheuerell might be examined upon the same Interrogatories also. But all these faire pretences proved at the trial but Clouds of cunning, and mists of knavery for ford, his man, and Sacheuerell being prest unto it, first by the Iustices, and after by my Lord Tanfield, Lord chief Baron of the Exchequer, would not take their oaths, nor at last give assurance by their words that this person was that Trat indeed, although they confessed themselves in respect of the forged premises very doubtful of it at first. These passages made pregnantly against those persons, who haue suffered for the murder, and give great presumptions against old Smithwick, whose trial is deferred till the next Assize of that County. Those other proofs which gave most evidence against them, may be reduced unto two kinds, unto general ones, which did concern them al in general, or particular ones, which did concern every one of them severally by himself. The proofs general against them were these: First of all the personal counterfeiting of Mr. Trat: 2 The rains of Trats bridle, known by his brother, and found at Smithwicks house all bloody, his horse vpon which he rod forth, being never heard off till this day: 3 The finding of diverse pieces of the skull and necke-bone, with some teeth on Smithwicks hearth, answerable unto those which were found in Trats own house: It being thought by the judge and Iurours that his head was first burned at Smithwicks, and after that the bones and teeth were carried unto Trats, all saving those fragments, which God would haue for the further manifestation of the truth, concealed one the foresaid hearth, until they were found out by the industrions care and search of Mr. cuff, and Mr. Windham: The proofs particular were different against diverse of them. Young Peter Smithwicke had often threatened to cut him in pieces, to kill him, and to show him such a trick as was never heard off in Summerset shire; and besides riding to London a little before the fact, for he was not prepresent at it except it were by suggestion, he wisheth a friend of his with whom he encountered withall to take notice that he was in London vpon such a day, upon which the murder was afterwards known to be committed. Those against Alice Walker being a mayd-seruant unto Smithwicke, were these: She threatened him and gave it out that if the Priest had come to the last Dunster Faire, he should haue been cut as small as herbs to the pot by her Country-men the Welch-men.  
again, after the murder was committed, but not detected, she gave it out, that if he did not come home the sooner, his powdered beef would stink, as after that his powdered flesh did indeed very shortly. But this horrible assassination being detected, and she not suspected, she came out of the guilty burden of her own conscience unto one of her neighbours, and taxed her for accusing of her, concerning Mr. Trats death, who protested unto her that, which shee afterward made good unto the Iustices that she never spake it in her life time, nor at that present so much as thought it. The presumptions against Andrew Baker were these His usual conversation and familiarity at Smithwicks house, his voluntary throwing down of a pot of stinking blood, supposed to be Trats which was hid behind Rue and other strong smelling herbs at Mr. Smithwicks; which pot he was commanded to take out very carefully, by the Iustices then present. And last of all his usual crying and calling out in his sleep, let us fly Mr. Peter, let us away or else wee shall bee all undone and hanged. That which made against ciril Austin was this: After this murder was committed, he comes to Woollauington a Parish twelve miles distant from old Cleeue, and gets entertainment as a day labourer amongst the neighbor-hood. Being there at work, amongst other of his fellowes, there was one brought word of this most cruel Butchery from Bridgewater, but reported withall that the manner of it was not yet well and fully known: What says Austin, I can tell you it was thus and thus, and relates all the particulars of it, for who could relate it better, then he that did commit it: Besides he had about him a bloody napkin, which being without question embrued in the blood of the innocent, he plucks this gored as it was out of his pocket, to wipe his face withall.  
There being a maid present, demands of him, why he did not wash his handkercheefe, and by what means it became so bloody. He makes her no direct answer; but presently tears it in two pieces: and buryes thē with trampling in the dirt.  
Vpon this Austin grows suspicious amongst the neighbourhood, and flies withall vpon the iealousy of there suspicion,& his own guiltiness, which they aprehending, inform Master cuff of Creech, of all these passages; who hunts after him with hue and cry, but could not apprehend him, but though he ran like Cain from the presence of man, yet mark how the finger of God doth fasten on him, for flying into Wiltshire, he comes unto one master Longs a Iustice of Peace in that County,& begs some relief at the door, of a young Gentlewoman, born near unto him,& that had heard of this Austins attainture, which he did under the name of Ciril Austine. She informs Mr. Long of it, he stays this suspected person and draws him into examination concerning the murder committed at Cleeue, and those passages delivered at Woollauington by him, of which Mr. Long had heard at large by others. Austine stands vpon the denial, and Mr. Long commits him vpon this to the Gaole; where he agrauats the suspicion by another circumstance, for being visited by some acquaintance in prison, he tells thē vpon an occasion of paying for the reckoning, that he wanted no moneys, and if he did, others there were that should smoke for it: which words were thought to be ment of young Smithwicke considering the reasons before premised. And thus much be spoken of those presumptiue evidences which in general or particular did make against these men. In the last place follows their arraignment, Inditement& Execution, for the clearer expresion whereof, you must conceive thus much: that this murder being committed in the year of our Lord God 1623. the morrow after midsummer day, my Lord chief baron Tanfeild, deferred the trial of it until these last summer Assizes 1624. But then the truth by time growing more perspicuous, for Veritas Temporis Filia, and young Peter Smithwicke by the working power of Gods providence being come in, and Ciril Austine being aprehended in Wilshire, to satisfy the longing expectation of all men, whose eyes were fastened vpon the issue of this matter, he proceeds unto the trial in a direct and most judicious maner: for having perused their several examinations, to avoid all partiality which consanguinity or acquaintance might impose, his lordship alters the whole body of the Grand jury, which were for the most part of the western parts of Summerset-shire; and therefore in likelihood of most known acquaintance unto master Smithwick who sometimes had been a Grand jury man himself. Then after the waightines of the cause proposed, and charge given with great sufficiency, and Integrity, the Grand jury was dismissed and commanded to their charge, who afrer a tedious balancing of the evidence, and a mature pondering of those proofs which were alleged in the bill of inditement, find young Peter Smithwick, Andrew Baker, Ciril Austin, and Alice Walker guilty of Mr. Trats murder, but find an ignoramus of old Mr. Smithwicks bill, who was recommitted unto the Gayle of Ilchester, to the intent that time might produce stronger proofs against him, which I could wish with diuers other men, might fail in his behalf. The Petty jury concurs with thē in verdict,& there were found guilty of this horrible& heinous assassination, young Peter Smithwick, Andrew Baker, Ciril Austin, and Alice Walker, vpon this my L. chief Baron proceeds to their iudgment, and passing the sentence of death vpon them, he gives them godly admonitions to confess the murder, plain enough by the proofs and evidence, and by this means to give God and the World public satisfaction. But they standing stiff vpon the negative, and their own pretended innocency, they are sent back from the Court, unto the ward again, where they were visited by Dr: Goodwin, Dr. Slater, Mr. Morley, Mr. Vaughan, and other worthy Ministers, who with al zeal did exhort them to clear their consciences, and confess their faults with true Repentance. But all these wholesome admonitions, proved but seed sown in stony ground, for it took no root nor impression in them; onely Alice Walker  told Mr. Morley, who required her to confess the truth, and demanded of her whether or no they had obliged themselves by oath or vow unto the contrary; she I say, then tells him that he in that spake somewhat to the purpose, and desires a farther conference with him in the morning. He charitably comes unto her, and pressing her vpon her former words, desices this Alice in the bowels of our saviour to confess her fault, notwithstanding any wicked vow or protestation made by her, or her complices, for such vows were not to be observed, but onely good ones, and such as were made unto the Lord, But the evil spirit working strongly with her, made her insensible of these good and godly motions: and shee returns Vt cauis ad vomitum, like a dog unto the ancient vomit of her stubbornness and denial. On Friday being the 25. day of july, they were conveyed from the town of Taunton unto Stoane Gallows about eleven of the clock in the forenoon where notwithstanding all the persuasions used by some of the aforesaid divines, they suffered by the hand of Iustice, dyed obstinate and vnrepenting sinners. The causes wherefore they would not confess were thought to be these, First the obligation of their vow. 2 the conceived fear of a more terrible punishment. 3 the hope of impunity, or a repriuall at the last, since as they thought the proofs were not sufficient against them. Concerning this event mens conjectures were diuers: for those who were allied unto them, either in consanguinity, or acquaintance, were of partial iudgment in their behalfs, and thought them innocent; because they protested their innocency at their deaths, others whose judgements were more sincere,& curious considering those pregnant proofs which made against them, thought them justly punished by the censure and iudgment of the Court. The golden use which we may gather from this black and bloody president is this. That we should not give the rains unto anger, for fear it gives the rains and Law to us; and though wrongs either true or supposed may give provocation, yet we should consider withall that Plus nocitura est ira quam iniuria, that anger may hurt us more then the injury, drawing us many time( sexcept we prevent it with wisdom& discretion) from wrath to malice from malice to revenge, from reuenge to murder. And therfore I will conclude this sad discourse with the poets wholesome saying.  
Ira furor brents est animum rege qui nisi paret  
Imperat hunc franis hunc tu compeste cateris.