At the Instigation of the Devil
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ALL THE WORLD HATETH THEE
Why did two perfectly normal itinerant labourers, George Carpenter (21) and George Ruddock (20), both of whom were known to Farmer Webb of Oxstalls, on the Longleat Estate and with whom he had friendly relations, offering them cider when they came to ask him for work; why did they just ‘shoot him in the arm and stomach while sitting in his chair’, then, as he was still alive, ’beat him to death with a flail’, then chase down his servant, Mary Gibbons, cut her throat and ‘throw her down the bucket well’. Why indeed?
Mr.Justice Chambre, at their trial at the Salisbury Assizes of Monday, March 15, 1813, said, "I have hardly ever heard of this, the greatest of all crimes, having been committed without some provocation; when you went to Webb, he received you with kindness, and offered you refreshment - instead of being thankful, you executed the bloody purpose in your minds. You are now deprived of all human mercy - you have but a few hours to live, for he that sheddeth man's blood, by man must his blood be shed”.
Carpenter and Webb were hanged on Warminster Downs above Warminster at Arn, near the lime kilns, before a crowd estimated at anything between 5- and 40,000’. Farmer Webb lies buried in the grounds of the Minster Church and his grave can be seen there today.
Credits and Acknowledgements
THIS APP WAS MADE FOR THE REGIONAL HISTORY CENTRE, THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND, BY SATSYMPH
With thanks to the Regional History Centre and the University of the West of England, and the Bristol Festival of Ideas.
Steve Poole - Professor of History and Heritage, Director, Regional History Centre, UWE
Ralph Hoyte - Concept, Script & Project Management, SATSYMPH
Michael Fairfax - Music & FX
Phill Phelps - Sound design, sound recording & app, SATSYMPH
Alan Coveney - voice
Ralph Hoyte - voice
The Roaring Trowmen - Sea shanty
Stefan Hoyte - Piano
Additional sound effects from freesound.org:
Footsteps, Concrete, A.wav by InspectorJ
Moray coast.wav by inchadney
Terreiro do Paço plaza docks' pontoons "symphony" by alfdroid
Dock,Wood,Creak,Water,Laping.wav by Filipe Chagas
Creaky dock - Underwater Hydrophone Recording by weaveofk
Ferry pontoon pier squeaking in light waves, rubber on metal by Pfannkuchn
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