192 THE STORY OF THE BETTISCOMBE SKULL. 



Broad winsor by the famous Thomas Fuller), born circa 1661 

 probably at Bettiscombe or Broadwinsor and who was 

 respited and shipped to" Nevis, whence, returning to London, 

 he died and was buried there in 1719 ; the other, his nephew, 

 Azariah Pinney, of Bettiscombe (who I take to be the son of 

 his sole surviving and elder brother Nathaniel, who married 

 Naomi Gay, and who had, apparently, steered clear of the 

 perils and attractions of the Monmouth rising), and died, or 

 rather his will was proved, in 1760. 



That the respite from execution which enabled this to be 

 effected was not unlikely, notwithstanding the explicit orders 

 given by Judge Jeffreys for his execution at Bridport, we 

 know, when we consider how, contrary to popular belief, 

 perhaps, comparatively very few of these convicts actually 

 suffered the death penalty. The remarks of Mr. Oliver on 

 this subject are very interesting ; and the West Indies, 

 and especially Barbados, would seem to have benefitted 

 largely by these respites. 



Mr. Jerome Nipho, or Nepho, would appear to be one of the 

 largest consignees of these unfortunates, and must have done 

 very well for himself out of their disposal. This Nipho, as we 

 learn f;om a note on page 393 of Mr. Allan Fea's "King 

 Monmouth " (1902), was Secretary to Mary of Modena, Queen 

 Consort of James II. ; and it was through him, as we now 

 learn, that Azariah Pinney escaped with his life. Mr. Oliver, 

 therefore, confirms Miss Palgrave's statement, so far at all 

 events as that he was respited from execution and disposed 

 of to Nipho. But, apparently, one George Penn, or Penne, 

 seems to have secured the ransom for Azariah Pinney from 

 Nipho for the sum of 65, and Mr. Oliver gives interesting 

 particulars as to this taken from the Gentleman's Magazine 

 of 1851. The entry showing this, taken from some old 

 Pinney accounts, is very curious and will bear reproducing : 



Bristoll, Sep. 1685. 



" Mr. John Pinney is debitor to money pd Geo. Penne, 

 '' Esq. for the ransome of my Bror Aza ; August 1685, 65." 



