State Trials, Political and Social Volume I Part 21

DUNNE--Yes, my lord, it is all; I know nothing more.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--What did she say to you when you told her, he did not know it?

DUNNE--She did not say anything, my lord.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--Why, dost thou think, that after all this pains, that I have been at to get an answer to my question, that thou canst banter me with such sham stuff as this? Hold the candle to his face that we may see his brazen face.

DUNNE--My lord, I tell you the truth.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--Did she ask thee whether that man knew anything of a question she had asked thee, and that was only of being a nonconformist?

DUNNE--Yes my lord, that was all.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--That is all nonsense; dost thou imagine that any man hereabouts is so weak as to believe thee?

DUNNE--My lord, I am so baulked, I do not know what I say myself.

Pollexfen here recalled Barter, who said that Dunne had told him that he had concealed the two men in his house for ten days, that it was the best job he had ever had in his life, and that he should never lack money again. All this Dunne denied having said; Barter, however, swore that he repeated it to Colonel Penruddock.

_Colonel Penruddock_, being called and sworn, deposed that Barter came to his house on Monday morning and said he had been with Dunne upon a journey to Lady Lisle's house to get entertainment for some people. They were going to meet him on Tuesday between nine and eleven on Salisbury Plain, and Colonel Penruddock could take them there. He sent a servant to take them there, who missed them; and accordingly went with soldiers to Lady Lisle's house the next day, searched it, found Hicks and Dunne in the Malt House, the latter having 'covered himself up with some sort of stuff there,' and Nelthorp 'in a hole by the chimney.'

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--Dunne, how came you to hide yourself in the malt-house?

DUNNE--When I heard the stir and bustle, I went through the chamber where I lay, and came into that room where I was taken.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--When thou heardst a stir and a bustle, why wert thou afraid of anything?

DUNNE--My lord, I was frightened at the noise.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--Prithee, what needst thou be afraid for, thou didst not know Hicks nor Nelthorp? and my lady only asked thee whether Hicks were a Nonconformist parson. Thou art a very innocent soul, and surely need'st no occasion to be afraid.

Colonel Penruddock did not remember Barter telling him what he said he did, but Barter said he apprehended the two men to be rebels, and 'that Dunne told him as much.'

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--What do you say to that, Dunne? It seems you told Barter that you apprehended them to be rebels?

DUNNE--I apprehend them for rebels, my Lord?

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--No, no, you did not apprehend them for rebels, but you hid them for rebels. But did you say to Barter that you took them to be rebels?

DUNNE--I take them to be rebels!

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--You blockhead, I ask you, did you tell him so?

DUNNE--I tell Barter so?

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--Ay, is not that a plain question?

DUNNE--I am quite cluttered out of my senses; I do not know that I say (A candle being still held nearer his nose).

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--But to tell the truth would rob thee of none of thy senses, if ever thou hadst any; but it should seem that neither thou, nor thy mistress the prisoner had any, for she knew nothing of it neither, though she had sent for them thither.

Colonel Penruddock continuing, said he had some difficulty in getting admittance to Lady Lisle's house; he did not see her till after he had brought out Hicks and Dunne; she denied that anybody else was there, but he searched and found Nelthorp.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--But she denied it [Nelthorp's being there]

first it seems?

LISLE--My lord, I hope I shall not be condemned without being heard.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--No, G.o.d forbid, Mrs. Lisle. That was a sort of practice in your husband's time, you know very well what I mean; but G.o.d be thanked it is not so now; the king's courts of law never condemn without hearing.

_Downing_ being called and sworn, deposed to finding Dunne and Hicks in the Malt-house, the former in a little hole 'where he had taken some stuff or other to cover him.'

_Mrs. Carpenter_, the bailiff's wife, spoke to serving the men who came on Tuesday with supper in the chamber where they lay, and to Mrs.

Lisle's presence there. _Carpenter_ spoke to Dunne's first arrival, when he asked for entertainment for Hicks and another whom he did not know.

After the Carpenters had finished it appeared that Dunne had given way.

MR. RUMSEY--Now, my lord, Dunne says he will tell all, whether it makes for him or against him.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--Let him but tell the truth, and I shall be satisfied.

DUNNE--Sure my lord, I never entertained these men a night in my house in my life; but this Hicks sent that man to me to go to my lady Lisle's, to know whether she would please to entertain him; and when I came my lady asked me whether he had been in the army or no? I told her I could not tell, I did not know that he was.

She then asked me if he had n.o.body else with him? I told her I believed there was. This is the very truth of it, my lord. I asked her might the men be entertained? She said they might. So when we came to my lady Lisle's on the Tuesday night, somebody took the two horses, I cannot tell who if I were to die; the two went in; and after I had set up my horse, I went in along with Carpenter up into the chamber to my lady, and to this Hicks and Nelthorp; and when I came there, I heard my lady bid them welcome to her house; and Mr. Carpenter or the maid, I cannot tell which, brought in the supper, and set it on the table.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--And didst thou eat or drink with them in the room or not?

DUNNE--My lord, I will tell everything that I know; I confess I did both eat and drink there in the room.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--I pity thee with all my soul and pray to G.o.d Almighty for thee, to forgive thee, and to the Blessed Jesus to mediate for thee; and I pray for thee with as much earnestness, as I would for my own soul; and I beg of thee once more, as thou regardest thy own eternal welfare, to tell all the truth.

DUNNE--My lord, I did never know these men were in the army when I carried the message to my lady Lisle's, nor never did entertain them in my house in my life time, so much as one night.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--Prithee, I do not ask thee what thou didst not, but what thou didst?

DUNNE--My lord, I will tell all I know.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--What discourse had you that night at the table in the room?

DUNNE--I cannot tell what discourse truly, my lord, there was.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--Was there nothing of coming beyond seas, who came from thence, and how they came? Come I would have it rather the effect of thy own ingenuity, than lead thee by any questions I can propound; come tell us what was the discourse?

DUNNE--I do not remember all the discourse.

LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE--Prithee let me ask thee one question, and answer me it fairly; didst thou hear Nelthorp's name named in the room?

DUNNE--My lord, I cannot tell whether he were called Nelthorp, but it was either Crofts or Nelthorp, I am sure one of them.