Norwich bulletin., 1921-12-28
Famous Trials
SIR JOHN FENMlCK

Sir John Fenwick was the prince
of Social HighWaymen during the
reighn of William III, and for being
implicated in a plot to assassinate
his King he lost his head. In fact, Sir
John could not have had very much
head to lose, for he was continually
losing his head throughout the bet
ter part of his life. He was a baronet
and a man of considerable ability, but
he was also of a profligate and rest
less disposition.
Although Sir John commanded reg
iment in the service of William III,
when that monarch was the Prince of
Orange, as soon as William became
King, John became one of the most
persistent of plotters against his throne.
lie was always fermenting distur Dances
and was. several times placed in the
Tower until his ardor somewhat cooled
He was most rude to Queen Mary and,
according to one version, ventured to
cock his hat in her face, while 9TH
err versions add details of even more
morked impertinance.
Two years before he was finally
brought to trial he had concocted an
laborate scheme for the ASA ssination
of the King, but it miscarried in that
before it could be carried out The
plot was discovered and FenWick kept
in hiding. When the trial of his con-
federates, who had been captured, was
held, he found there were only two
witnesses he had to fear, so he decided
that he would be able to bride them.
Sir John thought he had succeeded
and could make his escape but he
was unprecedented in Kent when on his
| way to France. The King did not act
| hastily in his case because he believed
he could secure a confession from him
that would implicate others. Fenwick
| only revealed as much as would i'm
! plicate his political enemies.
When this confession was read, in
which he implicated Marlborough
Godolphin, Russell and Shrewsbury
! the King directed the confession to be
sent to the Lords Justices, expressing
at the same time his establishment and
increduity, and gave orders that Fen
wick should be sent Immediately be-
| fore a jury. It was deemed advisable
! however, not to hurry matters toe
much, for the prisoner might be in.
duced to make more revelations
| When brought before the bar OF thu
House of Commons, Fenwick wa,
still obstinate, and it was moved anC
carried without division that his con
fession was false and scandaApus
While the guilt Of Fenwick was mo
rally certain, and was aggravated ,,
his subsequent disingenous conduct, j
| can scarcely be affirmed that the pro
cedure against him was justifiable, d
regards either the tribunal by which
he was tried, or the manner in whicl
the trial was conducted.
In fact, FenWick's attainder was dc
cided on to render escape impOssib3
and for the same reason the law re
quiring two witnesses in cases of trea
son was dispensed with and there wer
other Irregularities.
A writer commenting on the tria
at the time said: Il do not find man
concerned for his person. The cours
of his life has been such and the man
agement of the part he had now {
, act so bad, that he had few friends
but the method of punishin him bein
out of the common road, and such a
has been often used, and when it hal
5 been condemned by those who hav
judged coolly, is what some are start
led at
Fenwick's wife, Lady Mary, use
every effort to save her husbands Iii
by petitioning both the King and til
House of Lords, but Fenwick's adroit
ness in putting forward the plea tho
he had been privy to an assassinatio
, plot in 1895, and had frustrated it, or
: ly served to prove how deeply he We
in the confidence of the oOnspiratol
against Williams throne.
The bill of conviction agains Fer
wick was passed by the House of Lore
d by the small majority of seven. SCI
6 ing no hope was left, he desired II
services of one of the deprived bishop
: a favor which he obtained through Il
: courteous help of Bishop Burnet. T
was beheaded on Tower Hill on ia
20, 1897.
Il Owing to Fenwick's connection wi
r so many noble families, and possib
~ also to the fact that he had been pr,
4 ceeded against by attainder, the TO
malities employed at his execute
were similar to those used in the ca
of peer of the realm. BuFnet stat
d that he died very composed, in
y much better temper than was to
y expected, for his life had been We
n irregular" His remains were plac
by his friends, in a rich coffin al
buried by torchlight under the paw
ment OF the Church of st. Martini
, he-Fields, where they lie near the &
IS tar.
lie The king can do no wrong, if the 9th