Эдмунд Берри Годфри: Англиялық судьяның құпия өлімі

English magistrate

Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey (23 December 1621 – 12 October 1678) was an English magistrate whose mysterious death caused anti Catholic uproar in England. Contemporary documents also spell the name Edmundbury Godfrey.

Edmund Berry Godfrey was born in Sellindge, Kent, between Hythe and Ashford, the eleventh son of eighteen children born to Thomas Godfrey (1586–1664), a member of an old Kentish family and his second wife Sarah, née Isles. He was named after his godfathers, Edmund Harrison and Captain John Berrie (which led to the misconception that his first name was "Edmundbury"). His father had been MP for New Romney in the Short Parliament and owned Hodiford Farm. He studied at Westminster School and at Christ Church, Oxford He was held at the Porter's Lodge of Whitehall Palace. He was in business with his brother in law, James Harrison. Originally their premises was in Greene's Lane (beneath present day Charing Cross Station) but moved in 1670 to Hartshorn Lane, having use of a wharf. This is now Northumberland Avenue. His grave in St Martin in the Fields has since been concreted over. After his death, his papers were retrieved from a trunk in a coffee house at Swan's Court, by Somerset House. He lived with a maid named Elizabeth Curtis and his secretary, Henry More and a housekeeper, who were questioned at his inquest, where they gave evidence that in their opinion his death was suicide. He was considered eccentric in choosing to socialise with members of the working class instead of persons of his own class, although he did have a number of influential friends, including Gilbert Burnet and Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham. Recently correspondence has been retrieved from Ireland detailing his relations with a faith healer Valentine Greatrakes — the "Irish stroker". Strictly Anglican in religion, Godfrey had a number of Catholic acquaintances, including Edward Colman, Catholic secretary of the Duke of York, the future James II.

In a letter to the Secretary of State, Sir Joseph Williamson, the Lieutenant of the Tower of London named Godfrey as a member of the so called "Peyton Gang". Sir Robert Peyton was MP for Middlesex and a prominent member of the Green Ribbon Club. This had been founded by Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury after he had become aware of the Secret Treaty of Dover in which Charles II agreed to convert himself and England to Roman Catholicism in return for money paid by the French King Louis XIV. The club, unable to confront the king directly, stirred up popular ill feeling against the Roman Catholic Church. Peyton hand picked twelve men (including himself and Godfrey) who plotted to replace the King with a republic, nominally led by Richard Cromwell. The founding meeting of the Green Ribbon Club was in the Swan Tavern in King Street, Hammersmith. This was owned by Sir Edmund Godfrey, who left it in his will. It has been said that after Titus Oates had left his deposition with Godfrey that Godfrey warned one of the intended scapegoats, Edward Colman, who was later hanged, drawn and quartered, and who was a personal friend.

In 1678, Godfrey became involved with the schemes of Titus Oates when Oates invented the Popish Plot and began an anti Catholic campaign. Titus Oates and Israel Tonge appeared before Godfrey and asked him to take their oath that the papers they presented as evidence were based on truth. Godfrey demanded first to know the contents of the papers and when he had received a copy on 28 September, took their depositions. He may have warned Coleman of the content of the accusations. When Oates's accusations became known, the public became concerned. Godfrey had supposedly been concerned that he might be one of the victims of the scare, but he took no extra precautions for his own security; his conversation also became increasingly strange, with references to martyrdom and to being "knocked on the head" (the contemporary phrase for assassination). It was this odd behaviour which led his household to conclude that he had committed suicide, despite the medical evidence to the contrary. On 12 October 1678, he left his house in the morning but did not return home. He was found dead in a ditch on Primrose Hill on 17 October. Godfrey was lying face down and had been impaled with his own sword.<! He might have been murdered either by Catholics, who could have been afraid that he knew some of their real secrets; supporters of Oates because of his contacts with Catholics or because he knew Oates was lying; or just by random hooligans. Some claim suicide, either because Godfrey was in a quandary between Catholics and Anglicans and, due to his contacts with Coleman, possibly under suspicion or just because of his melancholy nature. Historian J. P. Kenyon argues that neither Catholics nor Whigs had a sufficient motive. The Catholics were almost certain to be blamed for the murder, with calamitous consequences; while neither Shaftesbury nor his colleagues, whatever their faults, were likely to murder an innocent man of their own social class whom many of them knew and liked, on the mere speculation that it would bring them some benefit. He discounts Oates' involvement on the ground that he was a physical coward; Bedloe's conduct suggests that he had heard something about the murder from his underworld connections but was not directly involved. and that there "is no proof that such a concealment ever took place". Godfrey is a conspicuous character in Alison Macleod's 1976 historical novel The Portingale, a biography of Queen Catherine of Braganza. He is depicted as a very honest magistrate, who is reluctant to take part in any persecution, regularly warning both Catholics and Dissenters who are about to be arrested. In a (fictional) scene, Godfrey is depicted as meeting secretly with King Charles II, his brother James and Queen Catherine, and suggesting that they arrest Titus Oates; the King later regrets not having taken this advice. The book does not take a clear stand regarding the circumstances of Godfrey's death. Godfrey's murder plays a key role in Kate Braithwaite's 2018 novel, The Road to Newgate, where an investigation into Godfrey's death is pivotal in attempts to prove Titus Oates' claims of a Popish Plot are baseless. Colin Haydn Evans' radio play, "A Walk Across the Green" broadcast on BBC Radio 4 (7 April 1990) depicts Godfrey's murder as the work of Protestant conspirators headed by the republican leaning Earl of Shaftesbury, to foment further anti Catholic hysteria. The story is narrated by the mysterious (fictional) character, Thomas Wells, an agent provocateur employed by Shaftesbury.

There is a tablet dedicated to his memory in the cloisters at Westminster Abbey.