This is to certify you that upon his Majesty’s Declaration I have been both at Whitehall and at your own house these three days together, and never can be admitted to come to the speech of your worship. Whereupon I thought fit to give you an account what it is I can declare, which is as follows:—Being on Tuesday the 15th, of this instant October, in a victualling house in White Friars I chanced to hear two persons a discoursing, the one saying to the other that if he would go down to Billingsgate he would treat him there with wine and oysters, whereupon the other replied and said: “What you are uppish then are you?” Upon which words he swore, God dampe him (sic), he had money enough, and draws a bag out of his pocket and says. There were fifty pounds. Whereupon the other party was very inquisitive to know how he came by it, and did importune him very much, and at the last he told him that if he would swear to be true to him and never discover, he would tell him. Whereupon he did make all the imprecations and vows that could possibly be that he would never discover, whereupon he told him that the last night he with three men did murder Sir Edward Bury Godfrey and he had that £50 for his pains, and said that he believed he could help him to some money if he would go along with him on the morrow night following. Upon these words the other asked him where it was done and who the other three was that was with him, and he told him that he murdered him at Wild House, and the other three that was concerned with him was gentlemen. Two belonged to my Lord Bellasis, and the other to my Lord Petres, but of the Monday before, there was a court held at Wildhouse and there they tried him, and there was a man like a priest who passed sentence of death upon him; and likewise he asked him how he came to be concerned in it, and he told him that there was a broker that lodged in Eagle Court in the Strand that spoke to him of it: so this is all I can testify of, but only that I can give some account in what a barbarous manner they murdered him. This man’s name is Hogshead, he liveth (?) at the Temple and Whitefriars very much. So, Sir, if you please to give orders to your servant, and let me come to the speech of you, I will come and make oath of it, and with this proviso that I may have the liberty to make a fuller discovery of it, I not being anything out of pocket myself; I desire your answer to-morrow morning to be left at the place mentioned in my former letter, and withal desire it may be more private than the last.
Your humble servant to command,
T. G.
From the Temple this
28th instant 1678.
Coventry Papers xi. p. 235. Coventry’s answer to this.
October 28, 1678. To his very loving friend T. G. these.
(Note added by Coventry below the address): This letter was sent to the Rainbow Coffee House, but never called for, and was brought back by Col. Vernon.
I have yours, and am abundantly satisfied with it, but know not how to answer it at large. Will you tell me by what name I shall subscribe it to you; whether your own or another it matters not so you are sure to receive it. If you enquire for one Mr. Evans at my house to-morrow or any morning he shall bring you to me, when I will give you my best advice and assistance in what you desire.
I am,
Your humble servant,
Henry Coventry.
Brit. Mus. Add. MSS. 11058: 244
Nov. 7, 1678. Mr. Bedloe’s confession before his Majesty of the murder of Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey.