270 Records of the Rising in the West, A.D. 1655. 
accord) y* Judges & yerest Rolls & Nicholas declared themselves (as before) 
uppon ye bench for the pties., therefore could not be Judges. 
same fact. 
An honest man and good Note alsoe y® gallantrie of Mr. Dove, high 
soldier, who rather then shereife of Wiltshire, who after he had but a little 
should appeare likemyselfe forsworne himselfe in open Court (uppon his oath) 
a modest Christian & a p'. to agravate the Incivilites, of our p'ty towards him, 
server of my king and said y*. one of our men did runn him through the 
country wold prejudicious- side w*. a carbine. ; 
ly [?] perjure himselfe 
though he ruine his owne 
soule to distroy my body. 
Such is the account Colonel Penruddock gives of his trial. 
It was probably written the 3rd or 4th of May, 1655, (which 
would be about “two days before the Sheriff’s notice of execution,”) 
the former being the day on which the Protector signed the death 
warrant. 
Of Grove’s trial the only note I have found is the following, 
Perfect Proceedings, May 3rd, 1655.1 
‘¢ The sheriffe of Wilts was commanded down into Devon, having a Lycense 
given to go out of his County, to give evidence against such of the rebells as he 
did knowe; amongst which was one Mr. Hugh Grove, a tenant of the Sheriffe, 
whom he was required to give evidence against, the sheriffe refused to be sworn, 
desiring to be excused from giving evidence against his tenant for life. The 
Court would not excuse the sheriffe, but required him to take his oath, which he 
did, seeing he could not be excused. The sheriffe declared in open Court, that 
in whatever the said Grove did hold for his life, in case he were taken off for 
this his fact, the sheriffe then promised, he would make it good that Grove’s 
wife shall have her life freely; so long as she lives, in the place of her said — 
husband,and after the promised engagement, seeing the Court would not excuse 
the said sheriffe from giving his testimony, he did take his oath and declared 
the truth, &c.” 
The evidence against all the principal prisoners, of levying war 
against the Protector and his Government, would be simple and 
easily proved; that they appeared at Salisbury armed, and proclaimed 
King Charles, and arrested the course of Justice, in taking the 
Judges’ Commissions from them, thereby closing the assize; 
seizing and carrying off the sheriff; breaking open the gaol; then 
at Blandford proclaiming the king, and endeavouring to compel the 
1K.P., Sm. Qto. Vol. 642. 
