233. Popish Plot, 1678. Details of murder of Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey. Obv. Three divisions; in centre one, two monks strangling Godfrey, above whom 1678, and two men carrying him in sedan chair; above, their names GREENE. KELY. HILL. & BERY; below, IVSTICE KILLERS TO HIS HO(liness); in lower division Godfrey lying on his face, his sword passed through his body; in upper division the Pope prompted by the Devil. ROMES REVENGE OR SR. EDMVNDBERY GODFREY MVRTHERED IN THE POPES SLAVGHTER HOVS. Reverse plain. Pewter. Size 2·8. Cast and chased.
Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey, after being strangled near the watergate at Somerset-house, was carried by his murderers in a sedan chair to Soho Square, and from thence on horseback to Primrose Hill, where they left him in a ditch with his own sword run through his body, in the position of one who had committed suicide.
234. Another. Obv. Bust of Godfrey r., in doublet, &c., two hands strangling him with his cravat. MORIENDO RESTITVIT REM E. GODFREY. Rev. Green strangling Godfrey in the presence of the Pope, who holds papal bull and blesses the murderer. TANTVM RELLIGIO POTVIT; (Lucret. Lib. I. 102); on edge, CERVICE FRACTA FIDEM SVSTVLIT ATLAS XNS. 1678. Silver. Size 1·5. Struck. By G. Bower.
The inscr. on the edge compares Godfrey to Atlas, who required all his strength to sustain the world, whilst Godfrey sustained the faith with a broken neck.
235. Another. Obv. Same. Rev. Hill on horseback supporting before him the dead body of Godfrey, and accompanied by another murderer feigning drunkenness and carrying sword; in the distance, Primrose Hill; stars shew that it is night. EQVO CREDITE TVCRI (sic). (Virg. Aen. II. 48.) Edge as preceding. Silver. Size 1·55. Struck. By G. Bower.
In conveying the body of Godfrey from Soho to Primrose Hill the murderers agreed that, if stopped on the road, they should pretend that they were taking home a drunken companion.
236. Another. Obv. Same. Rev. The Pope's head and the Devil's joined in one face. ECCLESIA PERVERSA TENET FACIEM DIABOLI. Edge as on No. [234]. Silver-gilt. Size 1·45. Struck.
This reverse design was a very common one at the time of the Reformation.
237. Another. Obv. Godfrey walking after his murder. GODFREY WALKS VP HIL AFTER HEE IS DEAD. ERGO PARES (SVMVS on rev.); in ex., PRO. (Protestant). Rev. St. Denis after martyrdom carrying his head. DENNYS WALKS DOWNE HIL CARRYING HIS HEAD. SVMVS (PARES, &c., on obv.) in ex., PA. (Papist). Silver. Size 1·5. Struck. By G. Bower.
Like St. Denis, who after his martyrdom picked up his head and carried it under his arm, Godfrey is represented walking after his murder, because it was asserted by some of the accused party that they had seen him walking about Primrose Hill after the stated time of his murder. The "Protestant" Saint was thus equal to the "Papist."