184 Short Notes. 
Mr. Penruddocke continues :—“ In the autumn of 1858 some repairs were 
made to the floor of the Penruddocke family pew in the chancel of Compton 
Church, when, in a small brick vault beneath, a large coffin was discovered 
almost entirely decayed, the bottom only just holding to the sides. No 
doubt it was that of John Penruddocke. It appeared on examination that 
a body had been enclosed, first in a 3-inch elm shell, and that again ina . 
mahogany coffin having an outer covering of oak, with large thick pieces of 
wood screwed on the outside as if to protect it and form a packing-ease for 
travelling to the whole, a large extra lid being fastened on the top of all. 
The nails were of brass thickly gilt. No inscription survived. Cloth had 
been used as a covering of the coffin, but it was totally decayed. The inner 
coffin contained bones, apparently those of a middle-aged man, and portions 
of a substance supposed to be skin with short high-coloured or red hairs on 
it. No part of a skull or teeth could be discovered, so that most probably 
the head was never placed with the body. If it was exposed on the scaffold 
or on the castle gate at Exeter, it may easily have disappeared.’ Mr. 
Northy, in acknowledging the conclusiveness of the testimony of the 
Compton register, suggests that possibly the tradition of burial at St. 
Lawrence’s may have arisen from its having been so given out at the time 
in order to divert attention from the removal of the body to Wiltshire. 
The Murder of Sir William Estcourt, 1684.1 
Dec. 13, 1684, 
“The evidence against Mr. St. John was that he calling S* W™ Estcourt 
‘Asse’ and St W™ replying ‘You are a fool,’ St John threw a bottle at S* 
W™. and immediately followed it with his sword (as Sir W™ sat in his chair 
unarmed) and after he had wounded him, cuft his face with his fist saying 
‘Beg my parden’ several times; wh. St W™. took patiently ; and replied 
nothing, being mortally wounded in the belly, by one wound wh. fitted Mr. 
St. John’s little sword & in the groin by a large wound wh. fitted Col. Web’s 
broad sword as the Chirurgeons (which probed them both) attested; & also 
that both those wounds or either of them were mortal, & that both their 
swords were bloody & greisy, so they were both found guilty of murder. 
The Drawer of the tavern where this murder was done for mincing his 
evidence and denying what he swore at the coroner’s Inquest is comitted to 
Newgate; and also Mr. Higden is comitted for the like in the case between 
Montgomery? & Narborne. This morning judgement was pronounced ag*t 
the malefactors at the Sessions, where Mr. St. John, Web &c. received 
sentence of Death & two others to be hanged for clipping and coyning & 
1 woman to be burnt for the same. It is not yet said whether there will be 
any pardons granted.” 
[The above is from a MS. news letter at Longleat.] 
1 See Notes and Queries, 4th Series, IV., 275, Oct., 1869. 
2 See Jackson's Aubrey, p. 35, where the name Montgomery is not given. 
