What did the Authorities think about the Monmouth Incident?

Description:A letter from Thomas Rawlins to Lady Jane Leveson (d. 1696), William’s wife, suggests that the authorities were not convinced by Broughton’s account. Law writes: ‘I have bin this morninge with Sir Bryan Broughton about a strange and false information that the Duke of Munmouth should bee at Trentham’. He refers to an informer named ‘Filsley’ who ‘denies in a maner all that Sir Bryan tells us of’.

Rawlins's letter clarifies events, describing the incident more clearly. He writes ‘the substance of his information was this; that hee was told but now cannot remember by whom that a single person had lost his way in the woods not farr from Trentham and happeninge vpon a workman in the woods; askt him the way to Trentham and the workman directed him to the towne not to the hall and that the workman should say the person was soe disguised with haire that hee did not know him but hee thought hee might bee the Duke of Monmouth’.

Reflecting the atmosphere of suspicion and fear of conspiracy at this time, Rawlins concludes ‘this is every sillable of the information, though it is made much more by Sir Bryan’. The letter ends by instructing Lady Jane ‘to send it to Mr Lewson that hee may give some stopp to this fal[s]e thinge and satisfie the Earle if Shrewsbury and the Councell who I doubt are all acquainted with it…least further trouble should come on’.

Attachments

Transcription of Thomas Rawlins Letter (30 KB)