The trials of Samuel Goodere, Esq : Matthew Mahony, and Charles White, for the murder of Sir John Dineley Goodere, Bart. (brother to the said Samuel Goodere) on board His Majesty's ship the Ruby / [Samuel Goodere].

Samuel Goodere

Date:: 1741

Credit: The trials of Samuel Goodere, Esq : Matthew Mahony, and Charles White, for the murder of Sir John Dineley Goodere, Bart. (brother to the said Samuel Goodere) on board His Majesty's ship the Ruby / [Samuel Goodere]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$Cryer. Oyez, Oyez, Oyez •, all manner of Perfons that have any more to do before the King's Majefty's Juftices of Oyer and Terminer, and general Goal-Delivery for this City and County, and were adjourned Over to this Time and Place, draw near, and give your Attendance. CI. of Arr. Mr. Recorder, will you pleafe that the Prifoners fhall be called up to Judgment Mr. Recorder. Yes. CI. of Arr. Keeper, fet Matthew Mahon\\ Samuel Goodere, and Charles White to the Bar which was done. Mr. Recorder. Afk them what they can fay to hinder Judgment ? CI. cf Arr. Matthe-u} Mahony, hold up thy Hand. Thou haft been indided of Felony and Murder, thou haft been thereupon arraigned, thou haft pleaded thereunto not guiky, and for thy Trial, thou haft put th)^elf upon God and thy Country, which Country hath found thee guilry; what haft thou to fay for thyfelf, why the Court ftiou'd not proceed to give J'.:agment of Death upon thee, and award Execution according to the Law [He cjfered nothing, but begg'd for time to prepare himfelf.] CI. of Arr. Samuel Goodere., hold up thy Hand. Thou haft been indicted of Felony and Murder, i£c. what haft thou to fay} i^c. [He offered nothing, but begged alfo for time to prepare himfelf] CI. of Arr. Charles White, hold up thy Hand. Thou haft been indided of Felony and Murder, ^c. what haft thou to fay(^c. [Heoffeied nothing, but declared he was drawn into it, and begged for Tranfportation for Life.] CI. cf Arr. Cryer, m.ake Proclamation for Silence. Cryer. Oyez The King's Majefty's Juftices ftraitly charge and command all manner of Perfons to keep Silence whilft Judgment is giving, upon pain of Imprifonment. [ 'then Mr. Recorder fpoke to the Prifoners thus: ] Mr. Recorder. Samuel Goodere, Matthe-iv Maho/ty, Charles White, and * Jane Williams.^, you have been all convicted, upon very full Evidence, of one of the greateft Crimes human Nature is capable of; deliberate and wilful Murder. A Crime, which in all Ages, ^, and through all Nations, hath been had in the higheft Deteftation. For however Mankind - have differed in other Matters, they have been in one Sentimjcnt concerning this Crime and the Demerits of it ^ as if they had been all Witneffes to the Promulgation of the Pre- cept, Whoever fheddeth Allan's Bloody by Man fljall his Blood be fbed. But this Crime, great as it is, is capable of feveral Aggravations, arifing from the Circumftances which attend it. To lay violent Hands upon aPerfon who never gave his Murderer the leaft Offence, whom perhaps he never faw till the Moment he was mark'd out for E5Kcution ; and to do this for Hire, ftiews a Mind loft, I fear, to all the Impreffions of Humanity. But what then is the Cafe of one, who can procure all this Mifchief, and involve others in this Guilt; efpeciaily if the Perfon to whom the Violence is offered, is near to him by the Ties of Blood or Friendlhip ? 'Tis true. Murders of this kind are not very frequent; and lefs fo in this Nation than in any other. But in the Cafe in which three of you are concerned, they all concur. A Gentleman of Diftindlion is murdered by Perfons, who, in a manner, were Strangers to his Face, and his only Brother aiding and abetting the Murder. I may fay thus much, becaufe your Country hath upon full Evidence found it fo. I will carry thefe Reflections no farther : I choofe to leave that Part to your own ferious Confideration. I hope I need not perfuade you to imploy the Time you have to live, in m.aking your Peace with God : I hope, I fay, that a Senfe of your own Condition hath already put you upon that Work. And pray don't fuffer yourfelves to be diverted from it by the Hope or Expectation of Mercy from the Crown, His Majefty's Difpofition to Mercy is ' great; but his Love of Juftice, and his Love to his People is ftill greater. And becaufe I would not miflead you, nor have you deceive yourfelves in a Cafe of this Importance, I think it my Duty to deal freely with you. I do not fee what room any of you have to expeft Mercy. You who have been the immediate Actors in this Affair, what have you pleaded in mitigadon of your Crime One fays, he is a poor, prefs'd Servant and the other, that he was drunk when the Fa6t was committed. Neither of thofe Excufes can avail you. You both undertook the Murder for Hire, rifled the Gendeman's Pockets, and fliared the Plunder between you. You ? Cen-vii^ed at tke fame Sedans fsr tke Murder of her Bajiard Child,$