From Jermyn Street, London. At six yesterday morning he walked to Mr J_anson's house with [John Fletcher]. Charles's heart was full of sorrow and it was against his inclination that they entered the House of Lords [for the trial for murder of Lord Ferrers]. They sat with George Whitefield and his wife [Elizabeth] and one Mrs Beckman. At 11.30 am the Lords entered with the utmost ceremony in the order of Barons, Lords, Bishops, Earls, Dukes and the Lord High Steward. Most of the Royal family, peeresses, chief gentry and foreign ambassadors were also there.
The commission was read and the bills from the country introduced. Lord Ferrers was then escorted into the chamber by the Deputy Governor of the Tower of London, preceded by the axe. The prisoner knelt at the bar before being told to rise by the Lord High Steward. The indictment was read out and Ferrers pleaded Not Guilty.
The case for the prosecution was opened by the Attorney General. It consisted of a recitation of the indictment followed by the introduction of witnesses. The three maids testified that they heard the sound of a pistol being fired and then saw the victim Mr Johnson on his knee and then on the bed suffering from a gunshot wound. The testimony of Johnson's daughter and of the surgeon who attended him was more detailed and seemed to prove that the crime was premeditated. The final witness for the Crown was a collier who had seized His Lordship after the shooting. Ferrers asked two or three apparently trivial questions of each witness.
At first Ferrers seemed fairly resolute, but as the witnesses told what they had seen and heard, he grew visibly more depressed. The case for the prosecution closed about 2.45 pm, by which time Charles is sure that nobody present could have doubted the prisoner's guilt.
The Lord High Steward then called upon Ferrers to present his defence. The defendant seemed confused and asked leave to consult with his Counsel. Some of the Lords, especially Mansfield [William Murray] and Hardwick [Phillip Yorke] asked that he give them some indication of the nature of his defence so that they could determine the reasonableness of allowing him more time. He was however unable to satisfy them, except to say that the circumstance he was in made him incapable - this was taken to be a reference to his lunacy. Lord Ravensworth [Henry Liddell] spoke on his behalf. The Lords withdrew to consider the request and then returned to require Ferrers to present his case without further delay.
Despite his earlier assertions that he would rather die than be regarded as insane, Ferrers now summoned witnesses to testify to his lunacy. The first two spoke only in general terms and their evidence was easily discredited by the Attorney General's cross- examination.
The Lords adjourned again at seven in the evening. Charles's party waited for a while and then left feeling very weary. He has however been free of the gout.
After prayers, Charles retired soon after eight.
This morning they were at the House of Lords again by six. Their Lordships entered the Chamber close to midday and heard more defence witnesses. Poor Lord Ferrers was compelled to question them himself concerning his own sanity, even his own brothers. [Walter] Shirley spoke the most on his brother's behalf and could not be swayed in his testimony by the prosecution. No convincing evidence of lunacy was however forthcoming.
The defence summation (by Ferrers himself) was read out by the Clerk and the Solicitor General then spoke for the prosecution.
The court adjourned to consider its verdict and returned after just thirty minutes except for the bishops who do not attend the condemnation of a prisoner. They opted to vote immediately and beginning with the youngest baron present stood one by one and replied to the question of the prisoner's guilt as asked by the Lord High Steward. Charles counted one hundred and six guilty verdicts including the Lord High Steward, Lord [William] Talbot the prisoner's friend and his father-in-law Lord Westmoreland [Thomas Fane].
Ferrers was then recalled to the Chamber and told of the judgement of his peers. To the surprise of many, sentence was not passed at once but the Lords adjourned probably to give Ferrers a few extra hours of life.
Charles's party left soon after five and after calling at Mr J_anson's house returned to their lodgings.
Mrs Heritage sends her regards.
Note
- Publication Record: Quoted by Thomas Jackson, The Journal of the Rev. Charles Wesley (1849), Vol.2, p.234-7.