A True and impartial account of the cruel and bloody murther committed upon the body of Thomas Thin, Esq., well known in the west of Engl. for an estate of near 120000 l. a year on Sunday the 12th of February, 1682, between the hours of seaven and eight at night, who was barbarously and inhumanely butcher'd in his own coach in the open street, by three out-landish villains, named, Frederick Fratz, a German captain, and George Boroskie, a Polander, and John Stern, a German ... letting you know the cause of this assassination, which they alledge was in the vindication of Count Charles John Conningsmarke ...

A True and Impartial Account of the cruel and bloody MURTHER, committed Upon the Body of Thomas Thin, Eſq

Well known in the Weſt of Engl. for an eſtate of near 12000 l. a Year On Sunday the 12th of February, 1682.

between the Hours of Seaven and Eight at Night, who was barbarouſly and inhumanely Butcher'd in his own Coach, in the open Street, by Three Out-landiſh Villains, Named, Frederick Fratz, a German Captain; and George Boroskie, a Polander; and John Stern, a German.

Giving you an Exact Account how they were ſeverally Examined before the Councill; who after their Examinations were all Three committed to Newgate. Together, with a German Doctor, who was ſuppoſed privy to the matter.

Letting you underſtand the cauſe of this Aſſaſſination; which they alledge was in the Vindication of Count Charles John Conningsmarke, Who hath ſometime layn ſecretly about London; and upon the Murther committed, did privately remove from his Lodgings, thinking thereby to have Eſcaped beyond the Seas: But was accidentally taken at Graveſend, and afterwards Examined before King and Council: on the 20th of Feb. 1682. With many more things worth your Obſervation. As Namely, A New Diſcovery made by the Sweediſh Ambaſſadour, in Councill; how that the Tutor of the Young Count Conningſmark ſhould ask him ſeveral Queſtions concerning the ſaid Mr. Thin, very Material to this purpoſe, and whether if this Mr. Thin were removed, the Count could Lawfully Marry with the Lady Oagle.

Being the Subſtance of the Tryals of Count Charles John Koningſmark, Alſo the Tryal of Fredrick Fratz, a German, Captain John Stern, a German Lieutenant, and George Boroskie, a Polander: which Three laſt were all Condemned for the ſaid Murther: The Count having nothing but Circumſtantial Evidence againſt him, was acquitted for the ſame.

Printed for J. Millit, in the Year, 1682.

〈1 page duplicate〉

An Impartial Account of the bloody Murther, committed upon body of Thomas Thin, Eſquire.

ON Sunday the 12th. Inſtant, 1682, this worthy Gent •… man deceaſed, by name Thomas Thin, Eſq having be •… accompanied by, and honoured with the preſen •… of his Grace the Duke of Monntouth the major part of the d •… were about 7 or 8 of the Clock at night, returning to their •… ſpective Habitations, the Duke parting with the aforeſa •… Gentleman at a place which he thought convenient; befo •… he came to the Habitation of the deceaſed, after many frien • ly farewels on both ſides, this Squires Coach drave on, an • coming to a place known by the name of Pall-Mall, near Pic • adilly, his Servants perceived three perſons on Horſe-bac • riding towards the Coach, but not dreading any har • took little Cognizance of them, till on a ſudden riding 〈◊〉 cloſe to the Coach, one of them fired (as is ſuppoſed a Blu •… derbus, or) a Muſquetoon into the Coach, which mortal •… wounded the ſaid Gentleman, and ſo amazed the Servant that they knew not how to look one upon the other; b •… finding their Maſter wounded, made what haſt they cou •… after theſe bloody-minded Wretches, crying, Murder, Mu • der; but they conſcious of their Helliſh Fact, by the he •… of their Horſes got off without being taken, and as ſom • ſay, crying, a Race, a Race, as they Rid; but yet the pu • ſuit (though in vain that night) ceaſed not, for notwithſtanding the diligence of the Servants in ſearching and purſuing no diſcovery could be made. This amazing and unwelcom • News came at laſt, and in little time too, to the ear of his S • veraign Majeſty, who to ſhew his diſpleaſure againſt ſuc • bloody and barbarous Cruelties, he immediately diſpatch •… Orders to the Sea-Ports for the ſtrict Examination of all perſons about to Tranſport themſelves beyond Sea, and alſo 〈◊〉〈◊〉 diligent ſearch to be made here in Town, hoping thereby t • find out theſe baſe and wicked actors of this horrible Murder, but they, accompanied with the horror of gnawing Conſciences, had as I ſuppoſe, lodged themſelves ſecurely from the eye of the world, but the All-ſeeing eye of the Almighty, which cannot be blinded, nor will be Hood-winkt, quickly, by the means of the ſucceſsful Searchers, diſcovered theſe Villains, whoſe cruelties are to be admired, and whoſe rewards will doubtleſs in little time be awarded for them. After they had, by the help of ſome Informations, been traced even to their own Lodgings, and being ſeized, they were all found to be Out-landiſh Men, and were on Munday morning following, brought before the Council, who were aſſembled in great number for that ver • ••• poſe; ſo then the Ring-leader, or chief of them being •• amined about the Premiſes, he ſeemed nothing diſmay'd, nor endeavoured by any Evaſions to acquit himſelf of his Butchery, but with admired impudence acknowledged the thing, and confeſſed the Fact: Then being Examined what he was, he anſwered that he was a German born, and that his name was Fratz, or as ſome ſay Ʋratz; and added alſo, that he was a Captain of Foot: He alſo confeſſed that he had received many remarkable favours from the Count Charles John Conningſmark, and his Family, which oblieged him not only to accompany him in his Travels, but alſo to vindicate him (when affronted) to the utmoſt of his power, aſſerting that the deceaſed had beſtowed many groſs affronts upon the ſaid Count, which ſorely vexed and tormented his ingaged Soul, and for theſe cauſes reſolved to take ſatisfaction of him (in this barbarous manner as is ſuppoſed,) being informed that the ſaid Mr. Thynn was gone out in his Coach, (the Devil who ſtill is the chief animater of ſuch bloody miſchiefs) put him in mind that then might be an opportune ſeaſon to affect his Diabolical deſign; in order thereunto he took Horſe, accompanied only with one friend and a Servant which he had, who was provided with a Muſquetoon, themſelves being well armed with Swords and Piſtols: He alſo alledgeth, that at their meeting of the Coach near or at Pall-Mall, he rid up to the Coach, bidding the Coach-man ſtand, with an intent to have fought the ſaid Mr. Thynn, but that his Servant being a Polander and a ſtranger (perhaps as much to humanity as to) his Language, not rightly underſtanding what he ſaid, diſcharging the Muſquetoon into the Coach, ſhot him into the Belly, (ſome ſay with four, and ſome ſay) with five Bullets, but be it four or five, this worthy Gentleman loſt his dear life thereby, to the great lamentation of many, and admiration of the whole City and Country that have heard of this miſhap.

This being with great Impudence confeſſed to the Council, he was ordered to withdraw out of the Council-Chamber; which being done, the Servant before •… ationed was called in and Examined, who very audaciouſly denyed all and every particular, but being Confronted with his Maſter, he then confeſſed that he was but newly arrived in England, and that as laſt Friday being the 19th. Inſtant, he came from Dam in Pomeren, and was become Servant to Captain Fratz; adding, that as he was his Servant, he thought he was thereby oblieged to obey his orders, and perform his comand, and that accordingly he took Horſe with him, and ſo meeting with this Gentleman in his Coach, he ſaith his Maſter bid him ſire, which in obedience to his commands he did, by which means he not only deprived this Gentleman of his life, but alſo hath brought his own into ſuch jeopardy, that I hardly think he will go again into his own Country to boaſt of this wicked Murder.

A Third perſon being Examined, acknowledged himſelf to be a Sweede by Birth, and that his Name was John Stern, having been formerly a Lieutenant in Flanders, alledging that his coming into England was to get imployment, and accidentally became acquainted with the aforeſaid Captain Fratz, not above a week ago, and that at the requeſt of the ſaid Captain he accompanied him abroad on Sunday, and that the ſaid Captain diſcovered to him that he had a Quarrel againſt a Gentleman, and that he was reſolved to ſight him: He alſo ſaith, That he was not by when the Muſquetoon was diſcharged, but was about twenty paces behind the Coach, which might be and he nevertheleſs acceſſary to the thing; So the Council having deliberated well upon the matter, they were all three committed to Newgate, in order to their Tryal. Likewiſe a German Doctor in whoſe houſe this Captain Fratz was taken, it being ſtrongly ſuppoſed that he was privy to the Deſign: And beſides all this, His Majeſty out of his great care of, and tender love to his Loyal Subjects, hath cauſed ſeveral other perſons to be examined before the Council concerning this moſt horible and bloody Murder, by which means the evil deſign againſt the deceaſed is more and more manifeſted, notwithſtanding the great pretences and ſubtile Evaſions made by the ſaid Captain Fratz, and I doubt not but in a very little time to give you a more punctual and poſitive account of the Punctilio's, for it already begins to ſavor of deſign, and that the Murder was abſolutely determined upon, and is groſly ſuſpected to be hatched and contrived by the above-mentioned Count Charles John Coningſmark, who hath concealed himſelf in Town, under a falſe name about a Fortnight, and upon the Murther committed upon the body of Mr. Thynn, hath ſecretly and ſuddenly removed from his Lodging, which ſeems to be an Argument of his conſpiracy, he removing the very next morning after the perpetration of this Wickedneſs.

A True Account of the Apprehending and Taking of Count Conningſmark; Shewing how before the Mayor of Graveſend, he had pretended himſelf an Apprentice; and of the handfuls of Money he diſtributed among thoſe that Guarded him, &c. With his Examination before his Majeſty in Privy Council.

WHereas 200 l. was promiſed for the taking of Count Conningſmark; A perſon ſuppoſed to have known where the Count has been for four days laſt paſt did acquaint Mr. Kidd, Mr. Thynn's Gentleman, he acquainted Mr. Gibbons, one of the Duke of Monmouths Gentlemen, where the Count was: whereupon Mr. Gibbons, and one of the Duke of Yorks Watermen, with ſome others, went to Graveſend, Feb. 19. at 8 of the Clock at Night. This Count was taken at that time and place, in poor Habit, come on ſhore, he had a black old Peruke, with his own hair tyed like a Womans, roul'd up upon his head, and the reſt hung down his Back under his Coat, his own Hair being very White, he having Dined on Sunday laſt at Greenwich.

The firſt that ſeized him was Mr. Gibbons, who claſped him with both his Arms, ſaying; Sir, you are my Priſoner: the Count had a Sword under his Coat, and his Hand on the Hilt, but the Sword dropt by reaſon of Mr. Gibbon's Craſp: The Count had like to have ſprung out of his hands, and was very Mutinous; and askt Mr. Gibbons, If he came to Rob him? But Mr. Gibbons told him, He had the King's Warrant, and the Recorder of Graveſend's Warrant to ſeize him: With that the Waterman took hold on one of his Arms, and Mr. Gibbons on the other; he askt Mr. Gibbons, Who he was, that would offer to ſeize him? And after ſome Diſcourſe, the Count confeſſed, he was the Count Conningſmark, before he was carried before the Mayor of Graveſend, Mr. Gibbons anſwered, He was the Duke of Monmouth's Servant: Then ſaid the Count, The Duke of Monmouth is out of favour at Court: But, ſaith Mr. Gibbons, The King has loſt a good Subject, and my Maſter a good Friend, and ſo have we all, a Worthy Gentleman moſt Barbarouſly Murthered; and then the Count paſſed a great many Complements, and deſired to be civilly uſed: The Counts Pockets were ſearched, expecting to find Piſtols, but they found therein two pieces of Polonian Saſſages, they being alſo almoſt full of money.

He ask'd, Who the Waterman was? He anſwered, He was the Duke of York's Waterman, and Mr. Gibbons had commanded him, in the King's Name, To aſſiſt him. When he was carried before the Mayor, he was very Ceremonious, and ſaid, He was glad he was fallen into the hands of a Gentleman; and withal again confeſſed, He was the Count Conningſmark; and alſo deſired, That as he was uſed among Souldiers, ſo he might have a Guard of Souldiers, and not of Civil Officers: Hereupon the Mayor granted him a ſtrong Guard of Souldiers, and told him, he ſhould have civil Uſage. Then he deſired his Cloaths might be ſent for from the Waterman, who brought them. Hereupon the Mayor had an opportunity to examine the Waterman, who to avoid all Suſpition of Confederacy, ſaid, He had been Cruiſing four days upon the Thames, in order to his Eſcape: And further, he told him, the Count ſaid to him, He was an Apprentice to a Jeweller, and a Banker; and that his Fellow Prentice had fraudulently convey'd from his Maſter, without his privity, a great many Jewels and other things, to ſeveral Thouſand pounds value; and tho' he was Innocent; yet being the elder Prentice, he ſadly dreaded Impriſonment for his Partners Fact: and therefore the Count took this Courſe to convey himſelf beyond Sea; where he had Intelligence his fellow Apprentice was, and there he did intend to apprehend him, and clear himſelf, and return to England to his Maſter. The Waterman believing this Story did his beſt to convey him away.

As the Count was carrying away from the Mayor, he gave his guard a handful of money to buy Tobacco and Ale; and gave the Duke of Yorks Waterman that aſſiſted in taking him, another handful of money, and ſaid; He had but one Baſtion or Counteſcarp more to enter upon, and that would do his Buſineſs: A Nobleman ſaid, He was always full of Projects, but he ſuppoſed he meant a Scaffold.

When he was before his Majeſty in Counſel, he was ask'd ſeveral Queſtions: to which he made ſlight anſwers; and ſeem'd unconcern'd, but in the concluſion, about 12 at Night he was ſent to Newgate.

This Account is taken from Mr. Gibbons, who firſt ſeized the Count.

The Proceedings at the Old Bayley, concerning the Count, &c.

ABout 9 in the morning, the Court being ſet, the Jury Impanneled for the Trying of theſe Notorious Offenders, being called over, were half Engliſh and half Forreigners. The Priſoners were brought up by order of Court, and ſeverally Arraigned for the Murder, and demanded to plead Guilty or not Guilty; as likewiſe Charles John Conningſmark, who was put upon the ſame Iury, he as well as the reſt having an Interpreter allowed him; when they had ſo pleaded, and put themſelves upon God and their Country, the Iury were Sworn, and they ordered to look to their Charges. Whereupon the Count made a Peremptory Exception againſt 17 or 18, but at laſt a Iury of Engliſh and Aliens were Sworn, and the Indictment Read, which was, That George Borishy had on Feb. 12. laſt, with a Muſquetoon, Charged with Powder and Bullets, Shot and Killed, Thomas Thynn Eſq and the ſaid Chriſtopher Ʋrats, was aiding in the ſame.

After which Sir Francis Withins open'd the matter and manner of the barbarous Murder, as likewiſe Sir Francis Winnington and Mr. Williams, Council for the King, whereupon the Evidence were called, and the firſt that were ſworn were two of Eſq Thynns Men, who gave Evidence, that their Maſter having been in his Coach at the Counteſs of Northumberland, and returning home through the Pall-Mall on the day aforeſaid in the Evening, three perſons came riding up to the Coach, one ſtopping it, and another firing into it, and • hen ſled with what haſt they could, and although purſuit was made after them, they could not be taken: Next the Examinations which were taken by Sir John Risby and Mr. Bridgman, were Sworn to by the ſaid Iuſtices, who gave the ſubſtance of them as followeth. That Borisky had confeſſed he ſhot into the Coach at the command of Vrats, and that Vrats had confeſſed he went to compell Eſquire Thynn to ſight him, and that for his affronts put upon Count Conningſmark he deſired Stern and Borisky only to ſee fair play, ſaying, That the latter ſired without his Order, but it being proved fully, not only by their Examinations before the Iuſtices, but likewiſe they in Court confeſſed the ſame, the Council proceeded to prove that the Count was the principal contriver of this Murther, whereupon one Mr. Vanſoy Tutor to the Counts Brother was called, who gave Evidence, that he had entertaind Borisky in his ſervice but the Friday before the Murther, and that he had bought him a Sword and other Accoutrements for Horſemanſhip.

Dr. Frederick Harvey being Sworn, teſtified, That the Count was his Patient, and that he had a breaking our in his Breaſt, which cauſed him to diſgulſe himſelf; becauſe he would not he obliged to drink or Sort himſelf with any Company. A Foot-Boy of his was likewiſe Sworn; who teſtified; That Urats was commonly with his Maſter, and that the Night the Murder was dine, he came-thither, and the Count the next morning fled, having ſhified his Lodgings three or four times. The Sweed at Rotherith, at whoſe houſe he lay, was called, who gave Evidence, That he came to his houſe, telling him he was in ſome Danger, deſiring to have ſome change of Apparel, which he lent him, and the next day he hired a Skuller, and was three days Cruiſing upon the River of Thames, between that and Graves-end. The next was Mr. Gibbons and Mr. Kid, who took him, Their Evidence was, That they having Notice from a perſon, that the Count abſconded at Rotherith, they got a Warrant and purſued him to Graves-end, where they had 〈◊〉 he was gone, and there ſeized him. That after various diſcourſes; he ſaid, That this buſineſs might prove a ſtain to his blood, but that a brave Action in War might recover it. After which the Jury went but and conſidered the Evidence; When they returned, they found Urats, Borisky, and Stern, Guilty of Wilful Murther, but accquitted the Count: Whereupon the Court proceeded to give Judgement of Death upon thoſe that were found Guil ••

FINIS.