Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-08-09
JEFfREYS' BLOODY ASSIZE.

From the GentIeman's Magazine.l
The cruelty which characterized the
sentences passed by this hateful Judge
(Jeflrcys) upon the prisoners brought
before him was always apparent.
Never did he once err on the side of
mercy. If he condemned man to the
gallows or to transportation he was al
ways careful to add to the severity OF
the sentence by some brutal remark or
ribald jest rs to the prisoners anteced-
cnts. When his victim was allowed to
escape out of his hands no one doubted
that the Judge had been freely bribed,
or that by no manner of straining could
the law be called upon to deal out pun
ishment. From the mOnstrous record
of his pitiless ruling on this occasion
history has taken care to pick out q
few Of his decisions as indicative of the
temper and conduct of the man. Upon
lad, still in his teens, who had been
convicted of ofuttering "seditious words,"
sentence was passed of imprisonment
for seven years, with whipping dur
ing that period of once fortnight at
the different market towns in his cOun-
ty. The clerk of arraigns had the
courage to interpOse in mitigation of
this awful Judgment, while the women
in the gallery sobbed audibly out of
sympathy with the prisoner. "The
punishment is not half bad enough for
him." growled Jcfireys; "not all the
interest in England shall save him."
Fortunately the lad was seized with
smallpox, and, sOftened by ruinOus
bribe, the judge remitted the sentence.
One of the girls who had been found
guilty OF cmbroidering the colors given
to Monmouth at Taunton was so paral-
yZed by the ferociiy with which judg-
ment was given against her, that scarce
ly had she returned to her cell than she
fell on the floor Il corpse. Seldom was
Il woman sentenced to- whipping with
out some coarse joke being made as to
the exposure that must necessarily Ell
sue. ''It may be Il cold morning to
strip in" said he, "but we shall try
and keep you warm, madam. See that
she is whipped-wl,ipped, soundly till
the blood runs down! Wen llckle
you, madam a prisoner with some
knowledge Of the law made Il technical
objection to the course being pursued
1T his trial. "VilI,in! rcbel!' cried
Jcffrcys, 81 think | see thee already
with IL halter round thy neck" The
prisoner was convicted. s'Lct him be
hanged the first" laughed the judge,
"f"r if any with a knowledge of the
law come in my way l shall care to
prefer them.'' One rebel begged for
mercy OH the ground that on the eve OF
Sedgemoor he had sent important in
formation of Favcrsham. the general of
the kings forces. "You deserve a
double DEATH" said the Judge, not
without reason; Zone for rebelling
against your sovereign, and the other
for betraying your friends" We are
told that he particularly piqued him
self upon this bon mot. To repeat the
stories as to this circuit which history
has preserved would be to ill goodiy y
volume. ChrOniclers differ with re
spect to the number of Monmouth's fol-
lowers hanged and transported after
this western revolt. According to the
official list before me, forwarded to the
treasury, three hundred and twenty
were sent TO the gallows and eight hun
!. dred and forty transported.