THe miserable and mis­chieuous sinnes that men are howerly drawn into by the malitious meanes, subtle snares, inticements and allure­mentes of the Diuell: are so many and mon­strous, that were not our owne eies continuall witnesses of the effect which they doe dayly worke in many, it were not possible wee could or should beleeue that, which euery minute is throwne into our owne eares by the report of others.

As for example, would or could any one bee perswaded, that a man should be so au­dacious, or irreligious, as to venture or en­ter into the House of God, with a preiudi­cated and resolued mind, to do a deed that [Page 2] any honest Christian would tremble and quake, but to thinke vpon, in regard of the time, place, and persons there present, which in briefe was this. On Wednes­day the 25. of December last past, being Christmas day, one Iohn Selman did pre­sume to come into the Chappell at White-Hall, with intent and purpose to do that which at last he effected, which was either to cut a purse, or picke a pocket: and ho­uering long about one Leonatd Barry ser­uant to the Right Honourable, the Lord Harrington, was espied and noted by one M. Duble-day, who for some reasons which hereafter you shal heare, did not cease with his eye to follow him, suspecting him to be such a one, as presently after by the fact, and his own confession he did approue him selfe to be: for Iohn Selman, after long hawking, and following of the foresaide Leonard Barry (which was still noted by the foresaid M. Dubbleday,) the said Iohn Sel­man after he had (as it seemed) purchased his prise, tooke his way forth of the Chap­pell, which M. Dubbleday perceiuing, he came directly to the foresaid Leonard Barry, and did aske him whether he wanted any thing out of his pockets or no: to which he answered, no surely sir I thinke I doe not. But M. Dubble-day wild him to be [Page 3] sure, and thereupon Leonard Barry putting his hand into his pocket mist his purse, & said to M. Dubleday, Sir, I haue lost my purse. Then said M. Dubleday, goe with me and follow that man, for surely he hath it, meaning the foresaid Iohn Selman: and thereupon M. Doubleday and Leonard Barry followed Iohn Selman forth of the Chappel, and hauing ouertaken him, M. Dubbleday stept before Selman, and caught him fast by both the Wrists, willing Leonard Barry to search his pockets, for there quoth M. Dubbleday shall you find your purse: Leo­nard Barry putting his hand into one of Selmans pockets, found nothing there but a knife in a sheath: but in the other pocket he found his purse, and opening of it, he found his money al there which he had put in in the morning. The purse was a dou­ble purse of Lether, into which Leonard Bar­ry had put in twenty shillings into the one part of the purse, and twenty shillings into the other.

The sodaine comming of M. Dubbleday vnto Leonard Barrie, together with his speech to him in the Chappell, as also their hasty following of Selman forth of the Chappell, caused the by-standers with ad­miration to looke after them, and one to enquire of another, what might bee the [Page 4] cause of that sodaine tumult.

In briefe it came to his Maiesties eare, who being then in his royall person, ac­companied with our gratious Queene, the thrice noble Prince, the Duke of Yorke, and the Lady Elizabeth, with diuers of the Nobility, his sacred Maiestie being rea­dy to receiue the Sacrament, was some­what disturbed with the report hereof, and therupon his most excellent Maiesty gaue commandement that the malefactor should be detained and further examined.

The celebration of the holy Sacrament being performed, within short time after Selman was brought before the Right wor­shipfull Sir Robert Banistre Clerke of the Greene-cloth for his Maiesties House­hold, who examining the said Selman, he did confesse as followeth.

Iohn Selman hauing been thus examined by Sir Rober Banistre, he was by him com­mitted to the custody of certaine of the Knight Marshals men, with commande­ment to conuay him presently to the prison of the Marshalsey.

Now, gentle Readers, you must vnder­stand, that this Selman came into the Kings Chappell in very good and seemely appa­rell, like vnto a Gentleman, or Citizen: viz. a faire blacke Cloake laced, and either lined thorow or faced with veluet. The rest of his apparel in reasonable maner be­ing answerable thereunto. Which was the cause that he without resistance had free entrance into that holy and sanctified place.

But he had not beene long in the Mar­shall see, ere that his gallant apparell was fetcht from him, and meaner brought vnto him, in which he came to his araignement.

On Twesday being the last of Decem­ber 1611. master Richardson (Marshall of the marshall sey) hauing receiued a write or warrant to that effect, did bring vp his prisoner, the foresaid Iohn Selman, to West­minster to the Kings bench barre, there to receiue his trial before certaine of his Ma­iesties Commissioners, whose names are as followeth.

• William Lord Knollis.
• Sir Thomas Vauasor.
• [Page 7]Sir Francis Backon.
• Sir Arthur Gorge.
• Sir Robert Banistre.

and others of the Greene Cloth.

• Sir Edmond Bowier.
• Sir Robert Leighe.
• and M^r. Phillip Gerrard.

The Court being set, Proclamation was made, and euery man charged to keep silence, while the Kings Commission was reading on paine of imprisonment.

The commission being read, the grand inquest was called, who did appeare all being his Maiesties seruants, whose names are as followeth.

• William Lancaster, Esquire.
• Edward Blackgraue, Esquire.
• Iohn Bull, Gentleman.
• Edward Becke, Yeoman.
• William Yates, Yeo.
• Richard Langley, Yeo.
• Robert Powlston, Yeo.
• Thomas Gawen, Yeo.
• Anthony Bartlet, Yeo.
• Richard Gregory, Yeo.
• George Cordall. Yeo.
• [Page 8]Roger Terry. Yeo.
• William Carter. Yeo.
• Edward Kiffin. Yeo.
• Iohn Browne, Yeo.
• Iohn Whitlocke. Yeo.
• Iohn Wonnam, Yeo.
• Richard Dyar, Yeo.

These Gentlemen and Yeomen being called and sworne, Proclamation was made again, & euery man charged to keepe silence while the charge was giuen to the great Inquest, on paine of imprisonment.

The charge being giuen to the Grand Inquest by Sir Francis Bacon, the Kings Solister.

The Bill of Inditement was preferred vnto them, for the approbation whereof, The foresaid Leonard Barrie and Edmond Dubleday were called and sworne to giue their true testimony for satisfying of the Iury, and to that purpose, Leonard was first called and charged by vertue of his oath to deliuer the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, concerning the matter in question between the Kings Maiestie and Iohn Selman the prisoner in­dited, his testimony was as followeth.

And therupon the great Inquest being ready to goe together, they were willed for their better satisfaction to stay and heare the examination and confession of the said Iohn Selman taken before Sir Ro­bert Banistre Clerke of the greene Cloth, &c. Which examination together with the prisoners owne confession was red vnto them as it is before set downe. All which when they had heard, they went not from the barre, but called for pen and inke, and to the inditement subscribed Billa Vera, which with a generall and free consent of them all was deliuered vp.

That being done, master Richardson Marshall of the Marshall sey was called and willed to bring in his prisoner, which hee did, and hee being placed at the Barre, was commanded by the name of Iohn Sel­man [Page 12] to hold vp his hand, which he did, then was the inditement read: which was this.

Iohn Selman, hold vp thy hand, thou stan­dest heere indited by the name of Iohn Sel­man late of London yeoman, for that thou the twenty fifth day of December in the ninth yeere of the Raigne of our Soue­raigne Lord Iames by the grace of God King of England, France, and Ireland, De­fender of the faith, &c. and of Scotland the fiue and fortie, at the house of our Soue­raigne Lord the King, called White Hall in the County of Midlesex within the verge, our Soueraigne Lord the King, being then in his Royall Maiesty, at White-hal aforesaid, with force and Arms did make an assault vpon one Leonard Bar­rie, and one purse of the value of one halfe­penny and forty shillings ready money in the same purse, then and there being of the goods and money of the foresaid Leonard Barrie, from the person of the said Leonard Barrie, priuily and without the knowledge of the said Leonard, then and there feloni­ously did take & carry away contrary to the peace of our Soueraigne Lord the King, his Crowne, and Dignity.

What saiest thou Iohn Selman to this fel­lony, art thou guilty or not guilty, to which [Page 13] hee answered guilty, then after some small respite or pause, hee was demaunded by M. Thomas Peter what hee could say for himselfe, why sentence of death according to the law shold not be pronounced against him: to which he answered not any thing but prostrating himselfe on his knees, sub­mitted himselfe to the Kings mercy, hum­bly praying, that after the law was execu­ted, his body might bee deliuered to his wife to haue Christian buriall, and that the goods which he had, (part of which was wel gotten, some otherwise) might not bee taken from her: to which the Right Wor­shipfull and worthy Gentleman, Sir F. B. answered: Here is an Honourable. Lord, and an ancient Counsellor, that vpon your true Repentance, and reuealing of those of your faculty and fraternity, who are still as ready to enter into the presence Chamber of the King, as you were to enter into the Kings Chappell, which is the house of God, wherein hee hath promised alwaies to bee present, and therefore it may well be called the Sanctum Sanctorum. And there­fore said Sir F. if you doe this, vpon his Honours report to the Kinges Maiesty, questionles your request will be granted.

Then Selman speaking to the Commis­sioners, nominated one (who as he saide, [Page 14] was then in the Hall, which could (if hee would) do good seruice to the King, by re­uealing many of that profession, his name as I haue heard is I. H.

This being done, Sir Francis Bacon, to whom at that time it did belong, proceeded to iudgement, and looking on the prisoner, thus or to this effect, in some sort he spake.

The first and greatest sinne that euer was committed was done in Heauen. The second was done in Paradise, being hea­uen vpon earth, and truly I cannot chuse but place this in the third ranke, in regard it was done in the house of God, where he by his owne promise is alwaies resident, as also for that the cause of that assembly was to celebrate the Feast of the birth of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus. And Gods Lieutenant here on earth, being in Gods house there present, ready to receiue the holy and blessed Sacrament, all which being considered, the time, place, and per­sons there present, doth make the fault greater; and therefore I doe aduise thee that as thou hast submitted thy selfe to the Kings mercy, so thou wilt craue pardon at Gods hands, who is more rea­dy to giue, then we to craue, which if thou dost with a true feeling of thy sinne, and re­pentance, and loathing of thy sinne, thou [Page 15] shalt surely bee forgiuen at Gods hands, and being fully perswaded thereof, I will now pronounce thy iudgement, which is:

Thou shalt bee had from hence to the place from whence thou cammest, and from thence bee brought to the place of Execution, which shall be betweene Charing Crosse and the Court gate, and there to bee hanged by the necke till thou be dead, and so the Lord haue mercy vpon thy soule.