Celebrated trials of all countries, and remarkable cases of criminal jurisprudence / Selected by a member of the Philadelphia bar [i.e. J.J. Smith].

John Jay Smith

Date:: 1835

Credit: Celebrated trials of all countries, and remarkable cases of criminal jurisprudence / Selected by a member of the Philadelphia bar [i.e. J.J. Smith]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

505/612 (page 495)

$and spirits. When the spirits came, Thistlewood wanted some paper to write some bills, and gave a shilling- to buy it; some cartridge paper was brought, and a chair and table for Thistlewood to write on. Three bills were written by him and read. The first was :— Your tyrants are destroyed. T7te friends of liberty are called upon to come forward. The provisional government is now sitting. JAMES INGS, Secretary. February 23, 1820. There were three of these written; they were to be stuck on the houses which were on fire. When Thistlewood wrote the last of these bills, he was ; very much agitated; his hand shook greatly. He then proposed that Hall should take the pen, but Hall objected. A stranger afterwards took the pen and sat down to write. Thistlewood dictated to him. The paper was not completed, because they could not agree upon the terms. Thistlewood said f he had given orders to have the bills prepared a fortnight before, but they I had not been done. While these bills were writing, Ings was preparing himself in the manner in which he was to enter the house of earl Harrowby. He put on a black belt round his waist and another over his shoulders; he also put on two bags like haversacks, and then pistols in his belts; he afterwards looked at him- self, and said, D—n my eyes, I am not complete now; I've forgot my i steel. He then took out a large knife, and brandished it about, as if he were cutting olf heads; he then swore that he would bring away two heads t in his baijs, and one of lord Castlereagh's hands, which he would cure (salt), as it might be thought a good deal of hereafter. He repeatedly made use . of these expressions. The knife was twelve inches long, with a rough handle, round which there was some wax-end to prevent it from slipping in the hand. The other men were equally busy in equipping themselves. Palin came in about half-past five. Thistlewood and Brunt having left the room for a short time, Palin addressed those who were present, and said, M Gentlemen, are you all aware of what you are going to do] you ought to i think whether the assassination of ministers will be countenanced by your ■ country. And you ought to come to a resolution that the man who flinches ought to be run through on the spot. He was going on, when a tall man said, You speak as if we all knew what you are about. I should like to know what it is. This man was a stranger. He said to Palin, If we \ turn out to serve our country, I am not the man that will be afraid of myself. Brunt came back, and was told that some of those present wished to know what they were going about? Brunt replied, that they should go along with him to the room in Edgware-road, and they should hear all. Brunt then - said, all that came with him should have something to drink. The tall stranger said he hoped he was not going to encourage drunkenness. It was i agreed to go in parties of two. There was a cupboard in Brunt's room, which was used to hold swords, hand-grenades, and flannel bags for the i cartridges for the cannons. But the depot was at Tidd's, next room to i myself. ; When we set off I had a blunderbuss under my great coat, and Brunt had i a broom-stick, prepared to receive a bayonet; this he also gave me to carry, j At the depot were some pikes, made out of old files or bayonets. Brunt , went back, but I afterwards met him, and he took me along the Edgware- road till we met Thistlewood. We then went to a stable in Cato-street. As , I was going under the archway, I saw Thistlewood and Brunt go into the stable. Harrison came up, and said, Go in. When I entered I saw Davidson and Wilson, apparently doing something with a pike. I went up the ladder, and in the loft found Thistlewood, Brunt, Hall, Bradburn, Strange, r Cooper, the tall man I have already alluded to, and several others. In the$