A briefe description of the notorious life of Iohn Lambe otherwise called Doctor Lambe. Together with his ignominious death.

Heere followeth the effect of an Inditement preferred against Doctor Lambe at the Kings Bench Barre, for a Rape by him committed, vpon the body of Ioan Scager, of the age of Eleuen yeares.

THE Iury for our Soueraigne Lord the King, vpon the Holy Euangelist, doe pre∣sent: That Iohn Lambe, late of St. George in the Burrough of Southwarke in the County afore∣said Gentleman, not hauing the feare of God be∣fore his eyes, but by a Diabolicall instigation be∣ing moued and seduced, the tenth day of lune, in the yeare of the Raigne of our Soueraigne Lord IAMES by the grace of God, of England, France, & Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c▪ the 21. and of Scotland the 56. with force and armes, &c. at the Parish of St. George afore-said, in the Bur∣rough of South-warke aforesaid, in the County a∣fore-said, vppon one Ioane Seager a virgine, of the age of 11. yeares, in the peace of God, and our said Soueraigne Lord the King then and there beeing, an assault made, and her the said Ioane a∣gainst her will, then and there feloniously and vio∣lently did rauish, deflowre, and carnally know, a∣gainst the peace of our said Soueraigne Lord the King, his Crowne and Dignity: And also against

the forme of the Statute in this case made and prouided, &c.

Vpon which Inditement hee was arraigned be∣fore the Kings Maiesties Iustices of his Highnesse Court, called the Kings Bench, and was there found guiltie of the said Rape, and had Iudge∣ment to die, but by his Maiesties especiall Grace he was pardoned.

Here followeth the effect of the proofes produced against him concerning this Rape.

Concerning the rauishment of Ioane Seager, of the age of 11. yeares, done by Iohn Lamb prisoner in the Kings Bench.

The Examination of Mabell Swinnerton, wife to William Swinnerton Bricklayer, dwel∣ling in St. Martins Parish, neere vnto the new Exchange.

WHo saith, that Elizabeth Seager, the mo∣ther of Iohn Seager came to her house, shee then dwelling in South warke on the Fri∣day in Whitsun-weeke, and in a pitifull manner wringing her hands like a woman ouer-whelmed with extreame griefe, crying out and saying, I am vndone, I am vndone: I then asked her how her husband did, for at that time he was a prisoner in the Counter vpon an Execution, and at that time lay very sick to all such as saw him there, thinking him no man for this world: She answered me and

said, her husband was very ill and lay very hardly; but that was not that matter of her griefe as then, for it was a worse sorrow then that! O Lord said I, what more sorrowes then these you haue already, yet whatsoeuer they bee; desire God to giue you patience, for nothing can happen to you, but by Gods fore knowledge: but I pray sayd I, tell me what sorrowes these are that thus distract you, she still continued as before wringing her hands, and sayd, shee was not able to tell me, for shee was vn∣done, at last with my importance shee sayd Ioane was vndone, and shee sayd shee could tell me no more shee was not able, but prayed me to come home: so foorth-with I shut my doore and went with her, and by the way I demaunded the cause of her, shee told me it was that villaine Doctor Lambe had vndone her childe, and sayd shee could say no more her griefe was so great, but aske the girle said shee and she will tell you: so comming to the childe, I questioned with her, but shee being much abashed and ashamed, was long before shee would tell me: but at the last shee told me, that on Whit∣sun-Euen, Lambes women being all very busie at her mothers house, there was no body to car∣rie a basket of hearbes ouer to the Bench: but shee, who when shee came to Doctor Lamb, his man was in the chamber with him scraping of tren∣chers, and Doctor Lamb tooke her hearbs of her and set her to play on the Virginals, and then hee sent out his man on a message and lockt the doore, and then tooke her and ledde her into his Closet and made fast that doore, and tooke her vppon a

Ioynt-stoole, and put his tongue in her mouth to kisse her, but shee was wonderous fearefull of him, and striued with him as much as she could, but hee would not let her alone, but stroue with her.

There are certaine passages which are vpon the Records which for Modestie sake are here omitted.

I Asked her why shee told it not at the first, shee said shee was afraid her Mother would haue bea∣ten her: but then at her mothers intreatie, I tooke her home and drest her, but when I opened her to dresse her: the place did smoake like a pot that had seething liquor in it that were newly vncouered, and I found her to bee very sore, and could not a∣bide to bee touched: but I perceiued that some body had drest her, and I asked her if any body had medled to dresse her, shee told me Lambs maid Becke had brought her a thing in a dish, and had drest her, but there was a little specke of the veni∣mous substance of it, that stucke vpon the inside of her thigh, and when I puld it away, it had festerd the place where it stucke, as if one had touched it with an end of Iron, so vilde and venimous was that base substance. So by the intreaty of goodwife

Seager, I went ouer to Doctor Lamb to shew him what indeede hee knew before which was on the morrow after we knew of it: which when I came, I saw the chamber well fraught with women, and not past three men in all, and I saw the Doctor (not indeed knowing what he was) very busie foulding of linnen, shaking of them bettwixt him and ano∣ther, and a white cloath pinde about him, and white sleeues vp to his elbowes, and as nimble as a Vint∣ners boy setting euery one in order. I demanded of his woman to speake with the Doctor, they told me, that was he in the white aperne: so at last hee went into his closet and called to me, and asked me if I would speake with him, I asked if his name were Doctor Lamb? That is it said he, marry said I, I am come to doe a message vnto you, that I am both sorry and ashamed to doe, sorrie said I in respect of the child, and sorrie for you, that you should offer to doe such a thing, for you haue vn∣done an honest mans child, for well shee may re∣couer her health of body againe, but neuer her credit, for it will bee a staine to her reputation whil'st shee liues: so many strumpets in the towne and to seeke the ruine of a poore child, I would to God said I you had not done it: With that he rail'd vppon my Lord of Winszor grieuously, with many base words, and said, hee did more good deedes in a weeke, then my Lord of Winszor did in a yeare: I grant you may doe so; but this one ill deede hath quite put out the light of all them good deedes, and still hee railed▪ on my Lord of Winszor: but I made answer, I did not know my

Lord of Winzor, hee was an Honourable gentle∣man for ought I know: but this concernes not him at all, but you, for you haue vndone her: then said he? let her come to me, that I may see how shee is, Nay said I, she hath bin too late with you already, she will come no more here, he said he would haue her searched with 12. women, you may doe as you please said I for that matter: I will haue her sear∣ched to see if she be torne, nay said I, shee is not so much torne▪ for I will wrong no body for a thou∣sand pound: but in plaine tearmes you haue burnt her, eyther you haue a foule body, or you haue delt with some vncleane person, besides I told him hee had sent his maide to dresse her, for the dish was at home still, and so I left him.

And this is the truth, concerning this businesse with many appurtenances besides apertinant to the matter.

After his repriue vppon the rape, hee hired a house neere the Parliament house, where hee li∣ued about the space of a yeare and a quarter, in such a course of life, as differed not at all from his for∣mer practices. Vpon Friday being the 13. of Iune, in the yeare of our Lord 1628. hee went to see a Play at the Fortune, where the boyes of the towne, and other vnruly people hauing obserued him pre∣sent, after the Play was ended, flocked about him, and (after the manner of the common people, who follow a Hubbubb, when it is once a foote) began in a confused manner to assault him, and offer violence. He in affright made toward the Ci∣tie as fast as he could out of the fields, and hired a

company of Sailors, who were there present to be his guard. But so great was the surie of the peo∣ple, who pelted him with stones, and other things which came next to hand, that the Sailors (al∣though they did their endeauour for him) had much adoe to bring him in safetie as farre as Moore-gate. The rage of the people about that place increased so much, that the Sailors for their owne safetie, were forced to leaue the protecti∣on of him; and then the multitude pursued him through Coleman-street to the old Iurie, no house being able, nor daring to giue him protection, though hee had attempted many. Foure Consta∣bles were there raised to appease the tumult; who all too late for his safety brought him to the Coun∣ter in the Poultrey, where he was bestowed vppon the commaund of the Lord Maior. For before hee was brought thither, the people had had him downe, and with stones and cudgels, and other weapons had so beaten him, that his skull was bro∣ken, one of his eyes hung out of his head, and all partes of his body bruised and wounded so much, that no part was left to receiue a wound. Where∣upon (although Surgeons in vaine were sent for) hee neuer spoke a word, but lay languishing vntill Eight a clocke the next morning, and then dyed. This lamentable end of life had Doctor Iohn Lambe, who before prophecied (although hee were confident hee should escape Hanging,) that at last he should die a violent death. On Sunday follow∣ing, hee was buried in the new Church-yard neere Bishops-gate.