The Fleet: Its Rivers, Prison, and MarriagesAshton, John
History
The Fleet: Its Rivers, Prison, and Marriages
Ashton, John
Fleet Prison (London, England); Fleet, River (England)
This referred to two prisoners, Sir John Whitbrooke and another named
Boughton. According to the Warden's account Whitbrooke did not deserve
much pity. In July, 1618, he was given into the Warden's Custody, by
the order of two Courts, to be kept a close prisoner, but he soon
developed "dangerous energy," for on the 10th of the same month, almost
immediately after his committal, he "came into the Warden's studdy
where the Warden (in his gowne) was wryteing, and fashioned his speech,
sayeing that he came to speake with the Warden about his lodging, who
answeared that he would willingly speake about that, and money for it,
whereupon the Warden putting dust[106] upon the wryteings and turneing
his back to lay them aside, Sir John Whitbrooke strooke him on the
head with the sharpe ende of a hammer, whereof one Cleft was before
broken off, and the other cleft newly whett, giveing fower wounds to
the scull, and some bruses before the Warden could close with him; but
then the Warden thrusting him out of the studdy, did throwe Whitbrooke
on the back, and took away the hammer, Whitbrooke (being undermost) did
hould the forepart of the Warden's gowne soe as he could not rise; att
which tyme the Warden's blood abundantly gushed downe upon Whitbrooke,
and the Warden could have beaten out Whitbrooke's braynes with the
hammer, but that he was neither wrothfull nor daunted.
"Then after, two maydes servants (heareing the noyse) came into the
roome, and one loosed Whitbrooke's hands from the Warden's gowne, or
ells the Warden must have killed him to acquitt himselfe. Soe soone
as the maydes came the Warden shewed them the hammer all bloody,
telling them that Whitbrooke had wounded him therewith; the butler of
the howse then alsoe comeing upp to cover the table, the Warden bidd
him and others (which followed) to laye hands upon Whitbrooke etc.; but
to take heed they hurt him not; soe they letting him rise and rest
himselfe, he took a stiletto out of his pockett and stabbed the
Warden's deputie cleane through the middle of his hand, which
(notwithstanding it was presently dressed by a good chirurgion) did
rankle upp to his shoulder, and was like to have killed him; he also
stabbed the porter of the howse directly against the heart, and drewe
blood, but it pierced not: he stabbed the gaoler into the hand and twice
through the sleeve of his dublett, so as then they lay violent hands
upon him, put on irons and carryed him to the strongest warde of the
prison (called Bolton's warde)."
And a perfectly proper punishment for any one who ran _amuk_ like
Whitbrooke because there was an organized mutiny. "And upon this some
three score prisoners breake upp all the strongest prisons and dores
of the wards and Tower chamber, assaulting the Warden and his servants
with weapons &c., according to a plott and purpose before resolved
upon, as appeares by depositions."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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