50 



Murder in the Seventeenth Century. 



worrying him to get at his master's money, as for instance when he 

 received " My Lady's " rents; and that he had told Richard on the fatal 

 day, when he met him in Campden, that Mr. Harrison was going 

 to Charringwortb, that afternoon. Richard admitted meeting 

 his brother in Campden, but said that nothing passed about 

 Mr. Harrison. " Oh ! you villain ! " cried the mother and brother, 

 over and over again. But John was firm; " Vv^hat I have said is 

 the truth, and I will die for it. - " 



A circumstance confirming as it was thought John's confession, 

 occurred on their way back from the magistrate's house to the place 

 of custody, Kichard Perry (who followed his brother, John Perry, 

 at some distance) was seen to drop a roll of narrow tape from his 

 pocket. It was pounced on by his guard, in the teeth of his 

 assertion that it was his wife's hair lace, and, on being opened, a slip 

 knot was found at the end. Whereupon it was brought to John, who 

 being in front was ignorant of the incident, and he recognised it 

 at once as the string with which his brother had strangled his master. 



On Sunday, August the 26th, they were taken to Campden Church 

 —more temjperum — for repentance and confession at the desire of the 

 minister of the Church of England. On the road they met two of 

 Richard Perry's children. One he took up in his arms, the other 

 he led. It is said that the noses of both burst out bleeding at the 

 same time. Oh ! most awful omen ! 1 



1 Of the importance that attached in those days to the appearance of blood as 

 denoting gnilt or innocence, a curions instance is given in the same volume of the 

 State Trials, vol. 14, p.1321, Norkott' s case, 4th year of Charles I., noted by the 

 celebrated Serjeant Sir John Maynard. Jane Norkott, the wife of Arthur Nor- 

 kott, how came she by her death ? Coroner's inque&t found felo de se. Found 

 dead in her bed — a knife sticking in the floor — her throat cut from ear to ear. 

 After she went to bed on the previous night with her infant child, no one entered 

 her room, as was stated by the grandmother and aunt, and the latter' s husband, 

 Okeman, who were in the next room, through which alone could she be approached. 

 Arthur Norkott, Jane's husband, was absent. Reports spread that the jury were 

 wrong, whereupon, thirty days after, Jane's body was exhumed in the presence of 

 the jury and a great number of people. The jury changed their verdict, and 

 Arthur Norkott, Mr. and Mrs. Okeman, and the grandmother, were tried at 

 Hertford Assizes and acquitted — but in the oj)inion of Judge Harvey, against 

 the evidence, he saying that it were better that appeal were brought than that so 

 foul a murder should escape unpunished. In Pasch. 4 Carolus I. the appeal 



