UPon Thursday 17 of July in­stant, at the Marshalsey in Southwark, by a special Commission of Oyer and Terminer, was held a Court for the Trial of one Mr. Frost, a person Commit­ted for Clipping of Money; for which Crime he was now Arraigned and Indi­cted, together with one William Griffin, (Servant to the said Frost) before several of the Honou­rable [Page 2] Judges of the Courts at Westm. and the Re­corder of London named in the said Commission, to sit as Judge [...] f [...]r the Trial of the said Priso­ners.

This Mr Frost, it seems, at the time of his being taken, which was in July last, lived at Rotherith in Surrey a House-keeper there; and about the same time kept one Wheat as his servant: which Wheat (as is reported) being formerly a Priso­ner in the Kings-Bench, and not being able to dis­charge himself from thence, was by the said Frost kindely and Charitably Redeemed from his En­gagement, set at Liberty, and afterwards taken in­to his Service, where he continued till such time as for his lend practices the said Frost dismist him. After which, the said Wheat being taken some­where in Southwark, upon suspition of the same Crime of Clipping of Money, was for the same Ar­raigned at the last Assizes held for the County of Surrey: But upon his then proffering to Impeach the said Mr. Frost, his Tryal was then respited for some time, and he kept to prosecute against him. And the same Wheat was the chief Witness that came in against him upon his Tryal.

Mr. Frost having lain neer a Twelvemonth in the Marshalsey-prison, for want of Air and Exer­cise began to grow very sick and infirm, being ta­ken with great Swellings in his Limbs, in so much as they could not get Irons to come upon him: [Page 3] and continuing so ill, as was feared he could not live till the Summer Assizes; It is said, that he pre­suming upon his own Innocence, did endeavour by his Friends, to have this special Court appoin­ted for his Tryal, whereby he might have oppor­tunity to clear himself of the Crime he was accused of before he died, although at last it fell out con­trary to his pretences and expectation.

At his Tryal, which began about three or four of the clock in the afternoon of the aforesaid 17th day of June instant, after the Commission read and Jury called and Sworn, the said Frost being brough to the Bar, as it appeared, in a very low and weak condition, was arraigned for Treasona­bly Clipping and defacing of several pieces of Eng­lish Coyn upon the 4th day of August last, &c. to which he pleaded Not Guilty.

The other person, William Griffin, who came in upon Bail, was likewise Indicted for the like of­fence, who also pleaded Not Guilty; and both put themselves upon their Country. The principal Evidence that came in against Frost was the afore­said Wheat, who swore directly against him, that upon the day laid in the Indictment, he did see the aforesaid Jonathan Frost in the Fact, Clipping of Money; which although he was but a single Wit­ness to prove the Fact, yet several other Witnesses came in to prove other circumstances relating to it, as the frequent uttering of several parcels of clipt [Page 4] Money by the said Frost at several times to them; as also his offering to sell several pieces of Silver which had been melted down, and which were alleadged as probable circumstances to make the said Frost guilty of the Clipping. And for Will. Griffin, it was alleadged against him, that while he was servant to Frost, he had offered to sell some of the aforesaid melted pieces of Silver: which the said Frost replied, was done by his or­der, and that the Silver so melted down, were some pieces of Spanish Coin which he had by him, and no otherwise.

After the Evidence against the Prisoners had been called and heard, the witnesses on their part were produced, and several did testifie their know­ledge of the said Frost: As for Frost himself, his Spirits being weak through sickness, he spake but little; but in effect did utterly deny the Fact charged upon him, and did except to the Evidence of the aforesaid Wheate, as a person of a very ill fame and life, and malicious; and did call some witnesses to prove that the said Wheate during the time he was in Prison, should say, that he must get him (meaning the said Frost) hanged, or else he should be hanged himself, or something to that purpose. Many other circumstances on both sides were given in evidence, which would be too tedious to enumerate. But in conclusion, the whole matter being loft to the Jury, they went together, and after about an hours debate upon the [Page 5] Evidence, they brought in their Verdict, and thereby found the aforesaid William Griffin not guilty; who was thereupon that night discharged: but found the said Frost guilty of the Treason whereof he was indicted; who thereupon, after a grave exhortation made to him by the Judge who past the Sentence, had Judgement past upon him To be carried back to Prison, and thence to be drawn upon an Hurdle to the place of Execution, and there to be hanged by the Neck till he were dead; which Sentence being given, the Prisoner was carried back to Prison, and the Court broke up about 9 of the clock.

Jonathan Frost was committed to Prison about half a year since or more, and could not be tried the last Assizes past, but was forced to sue out a Commission of Oyer and Terminer at his own charge, and was thereby accordingly tried on Thursday the 10 day of Ju [...]e 75. at which time, and before the Judges, there was a Bill found against Frost and his man William Griffith; but the Court was adjourned to Thursday following, the 17 day of June 75. at which time, Frost, by the Evidence of one John Wheate now a Prisoner in custody on the same accompt (and several others) about 16 witnesses or more, was Arraigned, and Condemned to be drawn and hanged: but he hath got leave of the Court for three weeks time before Execution, with intent to get a Pardon if he can.

[Page 6] William Griffith, who was Frost's man, was cleared and discharged out of Prison the same day 17 of June 75. only kneeling on his knees to the Judges.

Wheate is yet in custody, and must stay there for another Trial.