Stephen College
Stephen College (also Colledge) was baptised as Stephen Golledge in Hertfordshire (1637–1681) was an English joiner, activist Protestant, and supporter of the
Life
He was born in 1637, and worked in the trade of
Trial and execution
When
The government then brought another prosecution, in Oxford.
Aaron Smith had next to submit to be browbeaten and to enter into recognisances for his appearance, while Henry Starkey was summoned for attempted bribery. The examination of witnesses lasted until midnight. Stephen Dugdale bore witness of treasonable talk, and that College avowed himself the author of various libels, the pretended 'Letter, intercepted, to Roger L'Estrange', and the ballad of 'The Raree Show,' to the tune of Rochester's 'I am a senseless thing, with a hey.' Other witnesses for the prosecution were Edward Turberville, Masters, Bryan Haynes, the two Macnamaras, and Sir William Jennings. But Shewin, Hickman, and Elizabeth Oliver tried to weaken the credit of Bryan Haynes, and Titus Oates violently assailed Turberville. Witnesses who had formerly been in league against the Catholics were now split. Dugdale, Turberville, and John 'Narrative Smith' swore positively to the guilt of College; Oates, Boldron, and others contradicted their testimony, and exposed the worthlessness of their personal character. At the trial of Lord Stafford, College had been the chief asserter of Dugdale's respectability; now he conducted his own defence by vigorously attacking him. Serjeant Jeffreys argued to the jury that to disbelieve the prosecution witnesses would cast doubt on the Popish Plot itself.[2] He exploited in full the division between the informers, in particular dwelling on the fact that Oates, whom he detested, was not on oath. "Here is Dugdale's oath against Dr. Oates' swearing" he noted with amusement[4] (Oates falsely claimed to be a Doctor of Divinity, and endured much ridicule from Jeffreys as a result).[5]
At nearly two o'clock in the morning the jury retired, and in half an hour gave their verdict of guilty. The court then adjourned until ten o'clock, when sentence of death was pronounced against him. He was visited in prison by two of the university divines, Dr. Marshall and Dr. Hall, who declared him to be penitent. His family was admitted to see him, and attempts were made to obtain a remission of the sentence, but the sole concession granted was that his quarters should be delivered to his friends. On 31 August he was taken in a cart to the place of execution, and made a long speech, chiefly to clear himself from the charge of being a papist. He was then hanged, drawn and quartered by Jack Ketch. His remains were buried the next evening at St. Gregory's Church, by St. Paul's.[2]
Notes
References
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "College, Stephen". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
- Grantham Turner, 'The Coat of Many Faces', Print Quarterly, Vol. XXIX, No. 4, December 2012, pp. 426–428.
- Kenyon, J.P. The Popish Plot Phoenix Press reissue 2000
- Milne-Tyte, Robert Bloody Jeffreys-the Hanging Judge André Deutsch 1989