THE INDICTMENT OF BEN JONSON.
This interesting document, described at length in the
Editor's preface to vol. i. of the Middlesex County Records,
is here reproduced in facsimile. The record is as follows:
"Cogn' Indictament petit librum legit ut Cl'icus sign' cum
lra T Et del' iuxta formam statut' &c.
"Middss Juratores pro Dña Regina p'n'tant qd Beniaminus
Johnson nup[er] de London yoman Vicesimo Secundo die
Septembris Anno regni Dñe Elizabethe Dei grã Anglie
Franc' & Hibinie Regine fidei defensoris &c. Quadragesimo
Vi & armis &ca. In et sup quendam Gabrielem Spencer in
pace dei & dce d[omi]ne Regine apud Shordiche in Com' Midd.
pred' in Campis ib[ide]m existen' insultum fecit Et eund'm
Gabrielem cum quodam gladio de ferro et calibe vocat' a
Rapiour precii iiis quern in manu sua dextra adtunc &
ib[ide]m hait. & tenuit extract' felonice ac voluntar' percussit et
pupugit dans eid'm Gabrieli Spencer adtunc & ib[ide]m cu' gladio
pred' in et super dexterū latus ip'ius Gabrielis Unam plagam
mort'lem profunditat' sex pollic' & latitud' unius pollicis de
qua quidem plaga mortali idem Gabriel Spencer apud
Shordiche pred' in pred[i]c[t]o Com' Midd. in Campis pred[i]c[t]is
adtunc & ib[ide]m instant' obiit Et sic Jur' pred[i]c[t]i dicunt sup[er]
Sacrm suu' qd prefat' Beniaminus Johnson pred[i]c[t]em Gabrielem
Spencer apud Shordiche pred' in pred[i]c[t]o Com' Midd & in
Campis predict' ( ) pred[i]c[t]is felonice ac voluntar' interfecit & occidit contra pacem Dce d[omi]ne Regine &c."
Endorsed "Billa vera."