The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-09
Great Trials Of History.
TRIAL or ALICE Isle.

Alice i.isle. an Englishwoman OF
gentle birth. was arrested. tried. con-
victcd and executed for treason against
the state. and this judicial murder has
always been considered AZ ono OF the
greatest blots on English court records.
There was no evidence that she waa
aware that she WAC harboring traitors
when John Hicks, a dissenting minis.
ter. and Dunno and Nclthrop others Of
Monmouths supporters. applied to her
for protection.
Monnouths Rcbcllion occurred dur
Ing the middle OF 1855. AZ the ;irS.
Alice I.isic was in London. but, return
ing to her home at Moylcs Court on
July &C. she received q message from
Hicks asking her to shelter him and
Two companions. Mrs l.isle knew
Hicks AZ Il dissenting minister. and at
her trial she claimed that she had i'm
asineu mat warrant was out against
MN for Illegal preaching or for some
other onensc committed in his rinis-
tcrial capacity.
few days later the trio arrived
at MoSles Court. Their whereabouts
was at once disclosed by "A Swing
villagor to Colonel Penruddock, who
The next day arrived with IL body of
troops and placed Mrs. Lisle and her
guests under arrest.
The trial or Mrs. Lisle was begun on
August 81 1855. before Judge Jeffreys
~ " '''NitS'tI. NO cNl0cnCe RESPECTING
iickss onenses was admitted and no
proof was Forthcoming that Mrs Lislc
had any ground to suspect Hicks of
disloyalty or that she had displayed
any interest in tho Monmouth 'insur-
rcction.
Mrs Lisle made telling speech in
her own defense. The jury declared
Themselves reluctant to convict her.
out Jsnreys overruied their scruples.
ana she was found guilty. Tho SEN
tcnce pronounced upon her was that
she be burned alive. Pressure was,
however, applied. ana the day OF exccu-
ton was set for September >.
Lady Lislc pctitioncd James III. TO
grant he" q further reprievo Of four
days. end TO order the substitution of
bchcading for burning. The first re-
quest was refused, but the second was
granted. Mrs Isle was accordingly
Dchcadcd in the market place of Win
chester. and her body was restored to
her friends for burial.
Judge Jenreys was one OF the most
odlous Judges who ever administered
Justice in an English court lie had
no regard for the law. In Alice L!sle's
case she should not. according to the
doctrine laid down by the highest au-
thority, he convicted until after the
conviction of the rebels whom she had
harbored. But Judge JeRreys dIsre-
GardcG this law, and she was sent to
the bar before either Hicks or Nclthron
had been tried
1t was no easy matter to obtain n
verdict for the crown, In spite OF the
fact that the witnesses prevaricated,
The jury consisting OF the principal
gentlemen of Hampshire. shrank from
INC thought of sending n fellow crea-
turc to the stake for conduct which
seemed deserving rather of praise than
OF blame.
When the trial was over and the fate
of the woman was known, this excess
OF barbarity moved the pity and in
dignat.on even OF the most devoted to
the crown. The clergy of Winchester
Cathedral demonstrate ted with the Chief
Justice. who, brutal as he was was
not mad enough TO risk q quarrel on
such = subject with body so much
respected by tho Tory party.
Not only the clergy and others high
In favor Mt court, but ladies OF high
rank interceded for the unfortunate
prisoner feversham, whose recent
victory had increased his influence at
court, and who, it is said had been
bribed to take the compassionate side.
spoke in her favor Clarendon, tho
Kings brother-in-law. pleaded her
cause. But all was vain. The utmost
that could be obtained was that her
sentence should be committed from
burning to beheadnE.
On the scaffold, Mrs. Lisle gave a
paper to the sheriff. denying her guilt.
The attainder was finally reversed by
a private act OF Parliament in 1859, ut
the request of Mrs Isles two daugh-
ters. on the ground that "the verdict
was injuriously eXtorted and procured
by the menaccs and violences and other
illegal practices of Jeffrcys.