Blandy, Mary, 1720-1752 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Murder) -- Great Britain; Trials (Poisoning) -- Great Britain
CLERK OF ARRAIGNS--Mary Blandy, hold up thy hand. You have been
indicted of felony and murder. You have been thereupon arraigned, and
pleaded thereto not guilty, and for your trial you have put yourself
upon God and your country, which country have found you guilty. What
have you now to say for yourself why the Court should not proceed to
give judgment of death upon you according to law?
CRYER--Oyez! My lords the King's justices do strictly charge and
command all manner of persons to keep silence whilst sentence of death
is passing on the prisoner at the bar, upon pain of imprisonment.
Mr. Baron Legge--Mary Blandy, you have been indicted for the murder of
your father, and for your trial have put yourself upon God and your
country. That country has found you guilty.
You have had a long and a fair trial, and sorry I am that it falls to
my lot to acquaint you that I am now no more at liberty to suppose you
innocent than I was before to presume you guilty.
You are convicted of a crime so dreadful, so horrid in itself, that
human nature shudders at it--the wilful murder of your own father! A
father by all accounts the most fond, the most tender, the most
indulgent that ever lived. That father with his dying breath forgave
you. May your heavenly Father do so too!
It is hard to conceive that anything could induce you to perpetrate an
act so shocking, so impossible to reconcile to nature or reason. One
should have thought your own sense, your education, and even the
natural softness of your sex, might have secured you from an attempt
so barbarous and so wicked.
What views you had, or what was your intention, is best known to
yourself. With God and your conscience be it. At this bar we can judge
only from appearances and from the evidence produced to us. But do not
deceive yourself; remember you are very shortly to appear before a
much more awful tribunal, where no subterfuge can avail, no art, no
disguise can screen you from the Searcher of all hearts--"He revealeth
the deep and secret things, He knoweth what is in the darkness, and
the light dwelleth with Him."
Let me advise you to make the best and wisest use of the little time
you are likely to continue in this world. Apply to the throne of
grace, and endeavour to make your peace with that Power whose justice
and mercy are both infinite.
Nothing now remains but to pronounce the sentence of the law upon you,
which is--
"That you are to be carried to the place of execution and there hanged
by the neck until you are dead; and may God of His infinite mercy
receive your soul."
The prisoner then addressed herself to the judge in this manner--
"My lord, as your lordship has been so good to show so much candour
and impartiality in the course of my trial, I have one favour more
to beg, which is, that your lordship would please to allow me a
little time till I can settle my affairs, and make my peace with
God."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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