The penitent recognition of Joseph's brethren a sermon occasion'd by Elizabeth Ridgeway, who for the petit treason of poysoning her husband, was, on March 24, 1683/4, according to the sentence of the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Street ... burnt at Leicester ... : to which is prefixed a full relation of the womans fact, tryal, carriage, and death / by John Newton ...

A TRUE RELATION OF THE FACT, TRIAL, CARRIAGE and DEATH OF Elizabeth Ridgeway.

ELizabeth, the late Wife of the late Thomas Ridge∣way, was born at Ibstock in the County of Lei∣cester, and there educated in the knowledge of the ordinary Duties of Christianity, so far as concern a Woman in her station. Being arrived at Maturity, she was, at the instigation, and through the practices of a pragmatical Fellow servant, utterly against her Father's declared Will (He forbidding the Banns) married to the above-named Thomas Ridgeway of Ib∣stock, Tailor. They were married (if I mistake not) on Friday, Febr. 1. 1683/4. Thenceforward they lived together in all seeming mutual Love, without the least

jarr, until the Sunday three weeks after. On that Sun∣day morning Tho. Ridgeway went to Church, and his Wife staid at home to prepare Dinner. At his coming home she gave him a Dish of Broth; of which he ate the greater quantity, but left part; there being seen in it something like to Gritt or Lime. In less than half an hour he was taken with a violent vomiting and pur∣ging, and held therewith 'till past midnight; when in great torment he died, not suspecting (as is said) any thing of Poyson.

A day or two after he had been buried, an Appren∣tice of his, about Sixteen years of Age, declared to his Masters Relations, that, he feared his Master was poyson'd, because of that stuff, that was seen in the bot∣tom of his dish, which his Wife took from him, and con∣vey'd away. This Information being taken by a Justice of Peace, a Gentleman of great Judgment and Prudence, an Inquest was ordered by him to be taken by the Coroner: Upon whose Inquest the Wife was found Guilty of Poysoning her Husband, and by the Coroner's Mittimus sent to the Gaol at Leicester.

On Friday, March 14. She was by the Grand Jury put upon her Trial before my Lord Judge Street. Upon her Arraignment she pleaded Not Guilty, and put her self upon her Countrey for her Trial. Upon a Full Hearing, she was at first by Eight thought Guilty, and af∣ter some Debate found Guilty by the whole Twelve, and according to the Verdict Sentence past.

The Proof depending principally upon the Testimo∣ny of a Youth of Sixteen years old, and she all along

protesting her Innocency, some tender People were wil∣ling to hope favourably of her; whereupon some Ap∣plications were made on Saturday morning for some Respite, or a Reprieve. But his Lordship having by his great Sagacity clearly discerned, how well his Sen∣tence was grounded, and how necessary it was, it should be executed, according to his signal Wisdom and Justice, rejected all such Addresses, leaving her to the Mercy of God, and the Care of her Friends; and par∣ticularly recommending of her to my poor Advice and Prayers.

Not to stand to give you any account of the Pray∣ers preferred to God by my self and others, publickly and privately, for and with her, I shall proceed to re∣late the Occurrences of each day, from her Condemna∣tion, to her Execution.

On Friday night she only asserted her Innocence, and begg'd, that Application might be made for her Re∣prieve.

On Saturday evening I, visiting of her, enquir'd of her Guilt, but she asserted her Innocence. I desired her thereupon to recollect, whether she had not com∣mitted some other heinous Offence of the like or some other nature, for which God might be provoked to suf∣fer such a grievous unusual Calamity to befall her. At that she sighed, and said, Ay, There it is, There's the cause of my Woe; or words of the like Import: And so upon fair Inducements, she proceeded to acknow∣ledge, that she feared she was too far concerned in the Death of another Man: which (as she then freely re∣lated) came to pass as followeth.

Having left her Father's House, and betaken her self to a Service in the Town, and her Master being often from home, several young Men frequented the House, with whom she was wont to discourse of Love and Marriage; professing often more Love to any of them all, than was at any one time meet to pretend to any more than one. One above the rest she for several Months entertain'd, not only with fair expressions of Affection, but also with promises of Marriage. After all, on a sudden, she utterly rejects him, without any just cause assign'd. Not long after, he on the Friday falls into a violent Distemper, whereof (after he had sent importunate Entreaties for a Visit from her, which she utterly deny'd) the next Week he dies. Now, al∣though there was then nothing of foul Practice suspect∣ed, yet, upon recollection, it is well remembred, that he, in his last illness, fared very strangely. That upon his sudden Fall his blood setled (as they apprehended) and turned black, he burned intolerably, all ease of Nature was utterly obstructed, his Stomach was violent∣ly gnawed: But, above all, he all along complained of the last draught of Beer he drank (after his coming from out of the Field) in his Masters house; where, that day, (as his Wife a little before her death affirmed) Thomas Ridgeway aforesaid was at work: And here, by the way, it is something remarkable, that she should so early observe, and so lately remember, that her Husband wrought the same day in the same house, wherein the other Person fell so suddenly and so violently into a mortal Disease.

She further told me, that just before her Husband breathed his last, he, in horror, cry'd out, That God's hand was just upon him, for the wrong he had done to

that person so deceased; for as much as having had time afforded him to repent of it, he neglected to improve it, and now being just dying he could not repent. I asked her what the wrong was: She answered that she had no time to enquire of him particularly what it was. I asked her whether she had not at any time heard Tho. Ridgeway threaten the Person deceased? She answered no; nor was she at all privy to any violence practised or intended: Yet she said that she feared Thomas Ridge∣way had played some foul play, and that she her self was to blame; and that she had been often haunted, both making and sleeping, with frightful apprehensions of the appearing of the deceased Person to her. All this while I could draw no more from her, touching any mur∣derous design or attempt, than that she suspected her false and cruel carriage towards him, might occasion his Sickness and death.

I then inquired of her, Who the deceased Person was? She refused to tell me either his Name or Place of Li∣ving, or Time of Dying; and all, lest the noise of such a discovery, should revive much grief to his Relati∣ons; which I told her might easily be prevented. At last she told me, that his Mother lived at a Neighbouring Town called Norton: I gave her my sence of all, and left her.

On Sunday, as she came from Church in the morn∣ing, I examined her again strictly and seriously; but she advanced not one step. Within two hours, after she had denyed all knowledg of any evil will of Tho∣mas Ridgeway against the Person deceas'd, a Brother and a Sister of hers came to my House, and told me, that she freely confessed to them, that Thomas Ridgeway had long and often threatned the Person deceased with

Revenge, and Cutting of him off: That for a time she endeavoured to disswade him; but at last permitted him by saying these words, [Do what you will with him.] I inquired the Name of the Person: They said, they knew it not: I told 'em, His Mother liv'd at Nor∣ton: They answered, it must certainly be one John King who had liv'd in their Town, and died about Mid∣summer last. Whereupon I apprehended that her Bro∣ther and Sister became very suspicious of some heinous guilt of them both: I mean both of her Husband and her self.

At night, I questioning of her of what hath past, re∣ceived this short and reserved answer: I suppose my Bro∣ther hath told you all. I asked her what she said to Tho∣mas Ridgeway, when he first came to her with professi∣ons of Love, after the death of John King. She said, she used these words: So, have you not now made good your threatning words against John King? I here set my self to display and aggravate the black crimes of Tho∣mas Ridgeway and her self. She answered me after this canting manner, Truly I dare not judge my Husband for any thing further than for some rash and harsh words; nor my self, for intending any hurt by speaking the fore∣mentioned words of consent.

Hereupon I left her, not without astonishment, that she should go so far towards the Confession of a bloody Fact, the guilt whereof I could render her no further sensible of.

On Monday morning, having considered what a re∣served, stupid, uncertain, yea, and false Creature I had to deal with, I set down in writing the most material passages, which she with her own mouth had related to me; and those in the hearing of divers grave Persons,

I distinctly read, and questioned her upon. She could not deny any word that I charged her withal. The Fact all along she acknowledged, but still, as before, the Guilt she denyed.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, she persisted much in the same posture.

On Friday, a Neighbour of hers charged her home with buying two penniworth of white Arsenick on the Sa∣turday sevennight after She was married, at Ashby-de-la-Zouch. After a while she acknowledged it, but could not assign any use she made of it. The Person ac∣quainting me with this, I that Evening went to her, and applyed my self very severely to her for denying so long her buying any Poyson; and concluded she had gi∣ven it to her Husband. She would not expresly confess the buying of the Poyson, or that she had before confessed it to her Neighbour; nor yet, upon my charging of her so peremptorily, did she deny either buying or such using of the Poyson.

I thereupon took leave of her, with a purpose to see her no more, until finding her self in a better mind, she should send for me: And so I told her.

All this obstinacy and reservedness amazed me, and put me upon guessing at the cause thereof; which I could not determine to be mere Blindness and Senseles∣ness, because she otherways appeared sufficiently Ap∣prehensive and Knowing. I was not willing to impute her shyness to an utter aversion to my Cloth and way; because she had declared her self indifferently inclined to the Church and Private Meetings. Sometimes I thought her silence proceeded from an unwillingness to imprint the mark of her Infamy upon her the deeper by her own Confession, whether she believed she was to

Die, or whether she hoped for any fruit of the endea∣vours of some for a Reprieve. She did indeed declare a tenderness she had for the Credit of a Party, amongst whom she had been bred and convers'd: But I endea∣voured to assure her, that the Reputation of any Party was much better provided for by the humble Confession, than by the obstinate denyal of any Criminal Member of the same; and that it argued an intolerable Pride in her, to think that the Credit of any Party depended upon any such obscure and vile wretch as her self. But if, after all, there were any Person, or Persons, that advised her to any concealment of the Guilt of her self or any other, so derogatory to the Honour of Publick Ju∣stice, and so pernicious to her Soul; let such (if any there be) repent effectually in time, lest, at the last Judgment, they find more Blood to answer for, than yet they think of. But to return to the Story.

On Saturday, to a very considerable Person, she began to acknowledge some concern she had had in the Death of her Husband; and she desired him to acquaint me, that she was very sorry she had dealt so unfaithfully with me; and to intreat me I would make her another visit, that she might discover the whole Truth to me.

When I came to her, she told me that she had indeed bought Poyson at a Shop in Ashby, in the presence of one Widow Brooks, who wrapt it up, (and who hath this▪ at least, to answer for, that she appeared not to give E∣vidence for God and the King against the Criminal.) She added, that she had not made any use of the said Poyson, but that it then yet lay upon a Bed in her Fa∣thers House. She further added, that there was a man, who, both before and after her Marriage, did sollicit her very much for her Love; and who, to make way

to his ends, came on Sunday in Church-time to her house; and having put some poyson into a dish, slipt a∣way; that she wittingly, at her Husbands return home, put Broth to the Poyson, and gave it to her Husband to his destruction: That she had seen the face of this man that day in the next Room to her; that I should see him at her Execution, for his Countenance would bewray his Guilt: That he had lived at Ibstock, and now lives with a Gentleman at Hinckly. His Name she would by no means declare, as being under a Vow or Oath to the contrary. I discovered to her the wickedness of such an Oath, and that it could no ways bind her to such an Hellish Concealment. When I had said all I could, I was constrained to leave her, without any further sa∣tisfaction touching this pretended Person.

On Sunday, she, with the other Condemned Persons was again brought to Church Morning and Evening: After Evening Sermon, she declared to a Gentlewoman, that whereas before she was resolved, that all the world should not have perswaded her to confess the very truth; She, upon hearing the Sermon (the substance whereof is hereto annexed) declared an inviolable purpose to be free and sincere in her Confession to me. I went up to her Chamber, and yet found her not so forward to such Confession: Soon after, her Father and the Gentlewo∣man, who had heard her make the Promise, went up to challenge her therewith. She, laughing in their Fa∣ces, told them, that All she had said touching the man of Hinckly, was a mere fiction; and that there was no such man in being; but that she her self alone, and without the confederacy or privity of any other creature, had poy∣soned her Husband. Nor did she express any desire of seeing me that Night, as I could then hear.

I began to suspect she was distracted, and so went home: And I should have continued under that suspi∣cion, but that at her request sent first by her Brother and afterwards by her Father, I coming to her some hours before Execution, found her in a temper that spoke no such disorder of mind: For she then in con∣templation of approaching Death and Judgment, did with many tears confirm her last Confession. She further told us, that three years before, upon some discontent, she had bought other poyson with a purpose to make away her self: which happening about the time of her mothers death, occasions some surmises touching the same; as also some whispers of the death of another young man, and two little Children.

As to the last Poyson, she said she bought it for her self being frustrated of her expectations in her marriage: For she could not love her Husband as she ought; and took further prejudice against him, because of a debt of twenty pounds, which his Sister demanded of him soon after his marriage, and which was as much as ever he had pretended to be worth. But, above a week before her Husbands death, she converted her despair into re∣venge, and so took the first opportunity for sending of him out of the world. This she constantly asserted with seeming remorse and sorrow until her very death; which she underwent without much apparent consternation, and yet with much seeming contrition.

☞ And this last declaration she did earnestly intreat me to make known as the real Truth, for the preventing all false reports that might be further raised, and for the rectifying of all mistakes, which by means of her self or others, had been already spread abroad.

If the real importunity of divers of my worthy Friends,

had not after a sort inforced the Publication of this con∣fused tedious story, the very request of the dying Cri∣minal, being so well grounded, might have induced me thereto; especially when thereby I do but consult my own ease: For now I can refer many to this Print, who would otherwise be exacting frequent relations of the matter of me by word or writing.

I know that to some inconsiderate Persons, the Story may appear less agreeable for the Lamentable Form, as well as Matter of it; it containing divers uncertainties, and contradictions about horrid Poysoning. Nevertheless, through the use of ordinary discretion, out of such ma∣lignant Poyson much soveraign Medicine may be com∣pounded: To give you a few Instances amongst many, that your own Reason may collect: — Hence,

1. His Majesties Justice is vindicated from the impu∣tation of Partiality, which some have wickedly endea∣voured to fix thereupon, by suggesting that the woman was dealt the more harshly with, for her supposed pri∣vate Opinion or Inclination.

2. If Virtue and Goodness be not always the Re∣sults of a careful Education, how may we dread the wickedness of our Children, that may ensue upon our utter neglect, or evil example?

3. The Parents, who are openly repayed in the dis∣obedience of a Child, should do well, humbly to reflect upon the provocation they may have given to God, and the encouragement they have occasioned to their Child, by any visible opposition they have made to the Sovereign Father of their Country, or by any manifest disregard they have any ways shewed to their Spiritu∣al Mother the Church.

4. If the Sentiments of Religion formed in Youth be

once subdued or suppressed, no wonder if the blackest of wickednesses draw on one another: Such as Disobedience to Parents, Dissimulation with all men, Treachery and Cruelty to Neighbours and Lovers, Bloody and Treason∣ous Practices against Parents and Husbands.

5. An Hypocrite, that will not stick at the Commis∣sion of the blackest crimes, at the check of Conscience, will sometimes refuse to acknowledge the same for the Credit of a Party.

6. The words of condemned Criminals are not to be rashly believed, especially, where Concealment is founded upon a mistaken religious consideration: And this may reach beyond the present Subject to many, that have suffered condign punishment for their Treasons for these five years last past.

7. There want not some Persons of all perswasions, who perfectly abhor, and heartily endeavour the discovery of all wickedness in their own Adherents and Relations.

8. All young People are warned,

Against all forsaking their Parents and Guides of their Youth, and leaning to their own understanding, and gratifying their own sen∣sual and vain Inclination, especially in affairs of Marriage.

Against all wicked affectation of first Captivating, and then Re∣jecting the Affections of others.

Against all making of rash and unwarrantable Promises of Mar∣riage, as without Leave, so without Love.

Against all unjust breaking of such Promises when they are once made, and may in time be lawfully performed.

Lastly, Some Persons are prodigiously hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin. Their iniquity becomes an un∣searchable mystery to themselves and others. Their Heart becomes deceitful above measure, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

Some further useful remarks apposite to the present 〈…〉〈…〉