THe Tryal of John Giles being put off on Thurſday laſt, by reaſon of his not having, as he pleaded, his Witneſſes in readineſs, for want of timely Notice, was brought on this Wedneſday, being the 14th of this inſtant July, 1680. After the Jury was Sworn the Indictment was read, being in Words to this effect, That the Priſoner John Giles, of the Pariſh of St. Dunſtans in the Weſt, did on the 15th of April laſt paſt, ſet upon, and grievouſly wound, John Arnold Eſq one of His Majeſties Juſtices of the Peace for the County of Monmouth; and that he, with the reſt of his Accomplices and Abettors; did endeavour to take away the Life of John Arnold Eſq &c. After which Mr. Arnold was ſworn, and upon his Oath did averre, that he having a matter of Debate between himſelf and one Mr. Harbert, that was to be tryed before His Majeſties Honourable Privy Council, he came up out of Monmouth Shire to attend the ſame, and being arrived at London, took him a Chamber; and that he being out ſomewhat late on the 15th of April, about his Occaſion, was coming through Bell-yard near Temple-Bar, where he obſerved two Men in Gray Camblet Cloaks to follow him, and by the glimpſe of a Candle that was brought out of a Houſe, obſerved the Priſoner to be one of them; they came out Laughing▪ till they came near to Jackanapes-lane, where one of them ſtepping before him, the other caſt his Cloak over his Head, and forcing him, Vt & Armis, about Six or Seven yards into the ſaid Lane, gave him three or four Blows ſo hard that ſtunned him; ſo that he falling down, they barbarouſly fell upon him, one of them preſſing his Breaſt with his Knee, whilſt another run him into the Thigh near the Belly with a Rapier, the which made him ſenſible of what they intended; ſo that whileſt he endeavoured what he could to ſave himſelf and ſecure his Life from the Murderous Ruffians, they wounded him in two places upon the Left Arm; two Wounds he received upon his Breſt, and one in his Belly, that ſlaunted through the Fleſhy part about Five or Six Inches; but they finding that their Swords would not penetrate deep into his Breſt, by reaſon of a Whale-bone pair of Bodice Quilted, that he privately wore; they cryed, Dam him, Rot him, he has got Armour on, Cut his Throat. Upon which one of them, ſuppoſed to be the Priſoner, pulled out a Knife, and endeavored to cut his Throat, the which he defended with his Hands to the utmoſt of his power; ſo that through the Mercy of God they had not their Will there; but notwithſtanding, they Cut and Mangled his Face after a moſt Barbarous Manner; and ſo eager were they to act then Helliſh Miſchief, that one of them run his fellow Villain into the Leg for haſte, the which he underſtood, by hearing him ſay, Dam ye, you have ſpoiled my Leg, or words to that effect; but as Providence would have it, before they could accompliſh their Ends, a Linkman coming out of a certain Door frighted them; ſo that leaving him for dead, they put up their Swords, ſaying, Now pray for the Soul of Captain Evans, which Evans was a Popiſh Prieſt, who had been lately Executed at Monmonth, and ſo departed, Laughing aloud, at the dire Miſchief they had done. Mr. Arnold being asked what particular Marks he knew the Priſoner by, he ſaid, That he knew him not only by his Viſage, but by his Voice; and that when he was Apprehended, he picked him out from amongſt ſeveral others, affirming then that he was the Man, &c. Mr. Walter Moore, and Mr. Stephen Phillips being Sworn, gave Evidence, That he being in Company with John Giles the Priſoner, an Argument was rais'd by ſome of the Company about the Plot, which Giles undertook to vindicate, ſaying, There was no Plot; and that they were Rogues and Thieves that did affirm there was any, and that if any of the Popiſh Lords ſhould Suffer, it would bring a Bloodier War upon the Nation than has been known theſe many Hundred Years: And going on yet further, to the Buſineſs of Mr. Arnold, ſome of the Company was ſpeaking what a Baſe and Barbarous Attempt was made upon him, as they ſuppoſed, by ſome of the Popiſh Party; Giles reply'd, Dam him, Rot him, they ſay he had Armour on, or more poſitively, that he had Armour on; which being but the next day after the Aſſaſſination, no ſuch thing was then publiquely known, &c.

It was further Sworn againſt him by Mr. William Richmond, That a little before this Barbarous Act was done, they being together in St. Martins Lane, Giles asked him, if he knew where he might buy a good ſtrong Rapier? And that they having walked about that Evening to ſeveral places between Eight and Nine of the Clock came home to their Lodging, which was at the Kings Arms in Drury-lane, where Richmond going up to his Chamber, left Giles a Smoaking by the Fire-ſide, and as he was informed, about Nine, or ſomewhat paſt, he was called out by ſome unknown Perſon, which was a little before the Miſchief Acted, and that he did not come to Bed that Night till about One of the Clock; he being in the Chamber about Twelve, and ſeeing the Maid of the Houſe making the Bed, asked her, Who ſhe made a Bed for ſo late, to which ſhe reply'd, For a Gentleman that was below, who would needs lie by himſelf; and that Giles as he went by his Chamber Door to Bed, called to him and bid him Good Night, &c.

It was further Sworn by George Richmond, that Giles coming down to Monmouth-Shire, he was asked for ſome Horſe-hair which he had promiſed, to make fiſhing-lines; to which he replied, that he had left a great deal at a Farriers in Gloceſter, but that he durſt not ſtay to call for it, for fear of being purſued, upon the Account of Mr. Arnold; and that having broke his Sword,, he brought it to one Peter Darceys a Sword-Cutler in Ʋskley a place in Monmouth-Shire, to be mended; who upon ſight of it, ſaid, How now Giles, What haſt thou been fighting with the Devil? To whom he replied, as being confident of him, knowing him to be a Papiſt: No not with the Devil, but with damn'd Arnold; whereupon his Wife jogged him, bidding him have a care what he ſpoke, leſt he was over-heard; the Witneſs before-mentioned and the Cutlers-boy, being then in the Shop, this being about the ſeventh of May laſt paſt.

Theſe being the moſt material Points of Evidence for the King, his Council ſtood up and made his Apology to the Court, ſaying, That if he thought the Priſoner was Guilty of the baſe and barbarous Crime of which he ſtood charged, he would not open his mouth in the Cauſe; but that if his Breviates were true, by which he was to Plead in the Priſoners behalf, he doubted not but that he yet might be proved Innocent: Upon which the Witneſſes for the Priſoner were called, being for the moſt part Welſh-People; Morgan Gibbeon, John Champion, Elizabeth Edmut: ſwore that they or ſome of them were continually in his company that Evening the Fact was committed, till the time he went to Bed, the which was about 10 of the Clock as ſome Affirm, others Eleven; ſo that they confounded themſelves about the particular time, and often ſwore backwards and forwards; eſpecially upon any croſs Queſtion that was asked them by the Court.

Roger How upon Examination, If he knew where Giles was about 10 of the Clock that Evening the Fact was done? Atteſted that he was ſitting by the Kitchin Fire ſmoaking Tobacco, and that he ſaw him about half an hour paſt Ten go up to bed: When as Ann Bibby another of his Witneſſes, ſwore, That ſhe ſaw him by the ſaid Fire near Twelve of the Clock, and that he did not go to Bed till about Twelve. Such Contradictions had they amongſt themſelves, by reaſon they had not compared Notes to the purpoſe, in ſo Villainous and baſe a Vindication. The Maid of the Houſe where he lodged, being ſworn, was asked by the Court, What time ſhe made the Priſoners Bed? Who differing from the reſt, anſwered about 9, and that he then went to Bed, being poſitive as ſhe ſaid of it, till William Richmond, who was in the Chamber with her, recollected her Memory by ſeveral Tokens, that it was about one of the Clock: A long time ſhe denied that he was there, and that ſhe ſaw him not to her knowledge all that Night, ſtanding obſtinate in the ſame▪ till by a Love Intreague that paſſed between them, her Equivocation left her, and ſhe acknowledged what has been before recited. Next Walter Powel, the Sword-Cutlers Apprentice, was called to Atteſt what was ſaid by Giles in his Maſters Shop; who upon Oath Atteſted that Giles was in the Shop, and that his Maſter did ask him, Whether he had been fighting with the Devil or not? To which he replyed, No, no, with the Devil Arnold: which Equivocation was looked upon as an Evaſion which the Youth had been taught in the behalf of the Priſoner.

Anne Bibby and ſeveral others were Examined, but their Teſtimonies were ſo inconſiderate, that they rather injured the Priſoner than furthered his Cauſe one Point. Further material for Mr. Arnold was it, that Giles had reported, that Mr. Arnold, or ſome of his Acquaintance or Friends, had done the Cruelty, on purpoſe to caſt it upon the Catholiques, thereby to revive the Plot and raiſe a Perſecution upon them: This he ſaid he believed, becauſe Mr. Arnold was according to his, the Duty of his Office, very zealous for putting the Laws in Execution againſt Recuſants, &c.

After all the Witneſſes were Examined by the Court, and the Jury their Charges, repeating over, for the better refreſhment of their Memories, the brief or ſum of what had been Sworn on both ſides; and laying open to them the Heinouſneſs of the Fact, how it concerned not onely Mr. Arnold in private, but the whole Magiſtracy of the Nation; and that although it was only an Indictment of Treſpaſs, yet it was of ſo high a Nature, that it deſerved the ſevereſt Puniſhment the Law could inflict: upon which the Jury going out, brought him in, after about half an hours Debate, guilty of the ſaid Treſpaſs. Upon which the Court thought fit to defer Judgement till the Saturday following, on which day the Court being ſet, Giles was brought to the Bar, and received this Sentence, That he ſhould ſtand in the Pillory, and pay to the King Five hundred Pounds Fine, and afterwards give Security for Warrant of his good Behaviour, during his Life time. &c.