372 Mysterious Death of a Lord-Lieutenant of Wilts ; 
vituperation with which he was assailed, yet it still retains a fair 
average of the commingled drollery and abuse characteristic of the 
Lord Chief Justice. Twice he flew out at Wallop, the prisoner’s 
counsel, and the next minute he could be as merry as ever about 
“the famous pin-maker of Marlborough.” Jeffereys probably knew 
better than most present that the Presbyterians or “ populars” of 
that town were old hands at the theory and practice of mar-popery. 
But if the humour of the Judge be occasionally permitted to relieve 
the narrative of these (happily long past) scenes, we shall seek in 
vain for any such sentiment as prompting the witnesses for the pro- 
secution. Beach, the Bradford attorney, was evidently as hungry 
a hound as his masters could desire. Catching scent before any of 
his neighbours, he had posted off to Frome the moment Braddon 
was arrested, in order to obtain from Compton, the post-master, 
and his family, a refutation of Jeremiah Burgess’s statement as to 
the early circulation of the report in that town. From Frome he 
passed with all speed to Longleat, and obtained from Lord Wey- 
mouth the like assurance, to the effect, viz., that his lordship had ° 
heard of Essex’s death, by letter, on Sunday 15 July, two days after 
the event; and that such he believed was the earliest intelligence 
of the fact in that part of the country. Beach’s evidence also was 
designed to show that Braddon had adopted a very circuitous route 
from London to Marlborough, taking Oakingham and Salisbury in 
his way, and occupying an entire week, in order to spread evil 
reports, as the Attorney General suggested. Colonel Eyre, the 
Justice who committed the prisoner, had died almost immediately 
after, so that Beach was the only witness at this stage of the pro- 
ceedings. 
The trial was principally sustained by witnesses brought forward 
to prove Braddon’s officiousness in getting up evidence touching the 
events in the Tower of London; but as our object is rather to dis- 
cover the state of feeling in the provinces, the Marlborough wit- 
nesses must suffice to conclude this affair. 
Evidence of Jeremiah Burgess, (examined by the Lord Chief 
Justice. —Was a pin-maker, and resided at Marlborough ; was at 
work in his trade on the 21st of August, 1683, when his friend, Mr, 
