Cornish Characters and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Cornish Characters and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Cornwall (England : County) -- Biography; Cornwall (England : County) -- History; Legends -- England -- Cornwall (County)
Peter, the grandfather, died on 24th March, 1551, but his son Richard
died a violent death in a tragic manner in 1565. Peter, the younger
and heir apparent, was intent on marrying Jane, the daughter of John
Wrey, of Northrussell, but for some reason unexplained his father
Richard took a violent dislike to the proposed daughter-in-law, and
when his son persisted in desiring to have her as his wife, the father
flew into a violent passion and swore that if he took her he would
disinherit him of all the lands he could, and would give to him only a
younger son's portion, constituting Richard head of the family.
Peter remained firm--he was then in London at the Court, and the
father at once made ready to leave Newton Ferrers and take his journey
to London and disinherit his son if he found that the marriage was
still insisted on. But on the eve of his starting, as he was walking
in the grounds of Newton Ferrers, he was suddenly fallen upon by two
scoundrels named Bartlett and Baseley, who owed him a grudge over some
matter that is not mentioned, and they cut his throat.
Bartlett and Baseley were apprehended and brought to Launceston before
the sheriff, Mr. Trevanion, and were found guilty; but he could not
believe that they were revenging some private wrong, and as the matter
of dispute between father and son was well known, and it was known as
well that Richard was about to disinherit his eldest son, a strong
suspicion was entertained by Trevanion that the murder had been
committed at the instigation of the son, and he gave the men hopes of
a reprieve--if not of a pardon--if they would reveal the name of the
man who had urged them to commit this dreadful crime. He behaved, it
must be seen, in a most unfair manner, hinting his suspicions to the
two wretches and giving them no peace till they declared that they had
been set on by Mr. Peter Coryton to murder his father.
As Peter Coryton was in town, the two criminals were sent to Newgate
to be confronted with him there. Whether he was arrested on the charge
of having instigated the murder of his father does not appear, but it
is probable.
However, if that were the case, his detention was not for long, as
both murderers recanted when in London. The following curious deed of
"Evidence concerning the murder of Mr. Coryton" is preserved in
Pentillie Castle.
"To all true Xtian people to whom this present writing shall come, or
shall see, hear or read, Sir Richard Champion, Knt., Lord Mayor, and
the Aldermen of the City of London send greeting in our Lord God
everlasting.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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