[220] L.J. xiii. 431. Blencowe’s Sidney lxii. Lady Sunderland to John Evelyn, December 25, 1678.
[221] C.J. ix. 563. L’Estrange comments on this: “It makes a man tremble to think what a jail delivery of discoverers this temptation might have produced” (Brief Hist. iii. 55). Surely it is more natural to suppose that the information was directed not to the common malefactors, but to those already imprisoned in Newgate on account of the plot. If an examination of Prance was taken by the Commons’ committee, it was never reported to the House. On December 30, 1678 Parliament was prorogued, and on January 24, 1679 dissolved. The new parliament did not meet till March 6, when the trial for Godfrey’s murder had already taken place, and Green, Berry, and Hill had been hanged.
[222] L.J. xiii. 436.
[223] The deposition begins, “That it was either at the latter end or the beginning of the week that Sir E. Godfrey,” and so on. The rest of the examination is only intelligible on the ground that Saturday was the day of the murder. Prance’s reasons for prevaricating in this statement will be the subject of discussion below.
[224] L.J. xiii. 437, 438. 7 State Trials 191, 192. Evidence of Sir Robert Southwell, clerk to the privy council. There exists among the state papers the notes taken by Sir Joseph Williamson, secretary of state, of Prance’s first examination before the council. They only differ from the account in the Lords’ Journals in that they begin “On a certain Monday.” The paper is worth studying for the wonderful vividness in which Williamson’s disjointed sentences bring the scene to the mind. See Appendix B.
[225] L.J. xiii. 439.
[226] House of Lords MSS. 52.
[227] Warner MS. history 37. S.P. Dom. Charles II 407: ii. 17. Note of the proceedings at the council on December 30. 7 State Trials 177, 210. Evidence of Richardson and Chiffinch. James (Or. Mem.) i. 535. Burnet ii. 193. Brief Hist. iii. 61, 62, 65. L’Estrange says that the king saw Prance alone on the evening of December 29, and called in Richardson and Chiffinch afterwards. This is contradicted by Richardson and Burnet. It would moreover have been a piece of imprudence unlike Charles’ caution; and as none of the Whig writers, who would have given much to obtain such a handle against the king, mention a private interview, the story is probably without truth. The events which passed between Prance’s first confession and his final adherence to it will be discussed below.
[228] 7 State Trials 167, 168, 169.
[229] Ibid. 179–183.