The trial of Laurence Earl Ferrers, for the murder of John Johnson, before the Right Honourable the House of Peers. In Westminster-hall, in full Parliament, on Wednesday the 16th, Thursday the 17th, and Friday the 18th of April, 1760: on the last of which days, judgment for murder was given against him ... / [Laurence Shirley, 4th Earl Ferrers].

  • Shirley, Laurence, 4th Earl Ferrers, 1720-1760.
Date:
1760
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The trial of Laurence Earl Ferrers, for the murder of John Johnson, before the Right Honourable the House of Peers. In Westminster-hall, in full Parliament, on Wednesday the 16th, Thursday the 17th, and Friday the 18th of April, 1760: on the last of which days, judgment for murder was given against him ... / [Laurence Shirley, 4th Earl Ferrers]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Lord Ravenfworth. Do you mean that you know them as one that has tran-adcd Bufinef« with them, and that you can fpeak your Opinion touching them ? Gooftrey. Yes 5 I have had Bufinds with them frequently. Lord Ravenfworth. Did you at any time, or at different times, fpeak to Lord Ferrers'* Mo- ther, or any or his Relations, to give them your Opinion of the Management of Lord Ferrers ? 0 Gooftrey. I never did ; I fhould have thought it very unneceffary, becaufe I was thorou°hIy iatished that the Family knew it as well as mylllf. D 1 Lord Ravenfworth. My Lords, I have attende3 to Mr. Gooftrey** Evidence, and am defirous or getting every Thing from him that 1 can •, and therefore defire he will tell your Lordfhips, whether, during the time he did Bufinefs for Lord Ferrers, he ever fignified to any of his Lord- lhip's Family his own Sentiments touching his Lordfhip ? Gooftrey. If I had been concerned for the Family, 1 fhould not have hefitatcd a Moment to have done it. I believe Mr. Shirley in particular knew that the Reafon I declined being longer concerned in Lord Ferrers'* Affairs was from an Apprehenfion that he was not in his Senles. Lord Ravenfworth. You declined being concerned for him upon his Behaviour about the Settlement? Gooftrey. No, upon his returning from Lord IFeftmor land's. Lord Ravenfworth. Should you have thought that alone fuffkient, if, previous to that, you had not feen Marks that induced you to have a Sufpicion of his Sanity, and to take the Refolution you did ? Gooftrey. I don't know whether, if that had been the only Inftance in which I had found my Lord behave in that odd Manner, I fhould then have given up his Affairs ; but he had feveral times before acted fo inconfiftent, as to induce me to think it was out of my Power to be of any Service to him. Lord Ravenfworth. How long is it fince he was at Lord Weflmorland\ ? Gooftrey. About a Tear and an half. Lord Ravenfworth. You fay that you have known him between Ten and Eleven Years; during the whole time was you concerned in his Affairs ? Gooftrey. There was fomething or other moving in his Affairs all the while ; it was with the greateft Difficulty that I kept him within the Bounds I did. Lord Ravenfworth. Do you mean that, from rl->p firfl- r!mp of your being concerned in his Affairs, you looked upon him in that Light, or only in that Inftance ? Gooftrey. Soon after I was concerned in his Affairs, I wifhed I had not engaged; but as I had got into them, it was difficult to recede, and for that Purpofe I went on. Lord Ravenfworth. In your Opinion, and from your belt Recollection, did you obferve thefe Symptoms in Lord Ferrers the whole Time you attended him, the major Part of the Time, or more particularly at the latter Part ? Gooftrey. Moft certainly his Lordfhip was greatly affected with the Separation of Lady Fer- rers ; and at that Time Iobferved it. Lord Ravenfworth. Do you think it proceeded from Liquor ? Gooftrey. I very feldom faw him in Liquor. Lord Ravenfworth. At the Times you recollect, was he fober ? Gooftrey. Perfectly fober, at the Times I fpeak of. Earl of Morton. Did you ever fee him in fuch a Condition, that he was incapable of judging between a moral and an immoral Act ? Gooftrey. I cannot fay I ever did. Then the Lord High Steward returned back to his Chair. Lord Privy Seal. My Lords, I move your Lordfhips to adjourn to the Chamber of Par- liament. Lord High Steward. Is it your Lordfhips Pleafure to adjourn to the Chamber of Parliament ? Lords. Ay, ay. Lord High Steward. This Houfe is adjourned to the Chamber of Parliament. 'The Lords, and others, returned to the Chamber of Parliament in the fame Order they came down •, and, after fame Time, the Houfe being there re fumed, refolved to proceed further in the Trial of Lawrence Earl Ferrers, in Weftminfter-Hall, To morrow, at Ten of the Clock in the Morning and ordered that the faid Lawrence Earl Ferrers fhould be re- manded Prifoner to his Majefty's Tower of London, there to be kept in fafe Cuftody •, and that he be brought again to the Bar of this Houfe in Weftminfter-Hall, To-morrow, at Ten of the Clock in the Morning. I Thar/day,