Only one prisoner of State suffered death during the twelve years of the joint reigns of William of Orange and Mary. This was Sir John Fenwick, who had been implicated in a plot to assassinate William, and being found guilty of high treason, was beheaded on Tower Hill on 28th January 1697.

There were, however, a number of more or less unfortunate important State prisoners at different times in the fortress, the most interesting of these being the future Duke of Marlborough, for “abetting and adhering to their Majesties’ enemies.” In Lord Wolseley’s admirable history of that great soldier’s life, we read under the date of 5th May 1697: “Marlborough was kept a close prisoner in the Tower, no one being allowed to see him except by order of the Secretary of State. His wife left the Princess Anne at Sion House in order to be near him in town, and she left no means untried to obtain his release. There still exist many orders signed by Lord Nottingham granting her permission to see him in prison, the earliest being dated five days after his committal, and worded ‘for this time only.’ A Mr Chudleigh was a frequent visitor; the first order of admission given him was to see Marlborough in presence of a warder, ‘for this time only.’ Later on, we find an order addressed to Lord Lucas, the Constable of the Tower, signifying the Queen’s pleasure that friends and relatives of the prisoners lately committed should have access to them from time to time. They were subsequently allowed to dine together, when all dread of invasion had passed away. Marlborough, in the Tower, had fewer friends than ever, but his wife makes honourable mention of Lord Bradford, who not only refused to sign the warrant which committed him to prison, but paid him a visit when there.... Writing to Lady Marlborough, Princess Anne says: ‘I hear Lord Marlborough is sent to the Tower, and though I am certain they have nothing against him, and expected by your letter it would be so, yet I was struck when I was told of it, for methinks it is a dismal thing to have one’s friends sent to that place.’... ‘At length, on June 15, Marlborough was brought before the Court of King’s Bench on a writ of habeas corpus, and released from the Tower upon finding bail for £6000 for his appearance when required.’” (“Life of Marlborough,” vol. ii.)

The same charge of “abetting and adhering to their Majesties’ enemies,” upon which Marlborough had been imprisoned, was brought against Lord Brudenell, the Earl of Huntingdon, Sir Robert Thorold, and Colonel Langston.

In the same year the ruffianly head of the gang of “Mohawks,” Lord Mohun, who figures in Thackeray’s “Esmond,” was twice in the Tower for having committed two assassinations—the first, that of the actor William Mountford, whom Mohun had murdered in a quarrel over the celebrated actress, Mrs Bracegirdle; and the second, when, with Edward, Earl of Warwick, he had helped to kill one Richard Coate. In 1695, Sir Basil Firebrace was in the Tower, as well as the Earls of Salisbury, Peterborough, and Arran, with Lord Montgomery, all imprisoned on the charge of being concerned in Jacobite plots. With these were Sir Edward Hale, Sir Thomas Jenner, Lord Castlemaine, Lord Forbes, Colonel Lumley, Captain Shackerley, Lord Preston, Sir Richard Cleaver, Sir Robert Hamilton, and Edward Griffin, upon whom James conferred a barony whilst he was imprisoned in the Tower, a title James had no more right to bestow than Griffin had to receive. Griffin, it seems, owed his imprisonment to an accident. He was in active correspondence with the court at St Germains, and had ordered a large pewter bottle to be made with a false bottom, in which to conceal letters. Late one night he gave this bottle to his cook with directions to have it soldered. Whilst this was being done, a packet of letters was discovered in the false bottom directed to James II. The cook was immediately seized, and Griffin, with his wife, was sent to the Tower, whence, however, he made his escape, but soon afterwards surrendered himself to the authorities. He died in the Tower in 1710.

The affection and loyalty inspired by the Stuarts brought many prisoners to the Tower, refusal to take the oath of allegiance to the joint sovereigns being answered by the authorities with confinement in the fortress, on the charge of “abetting and adhering to their Majesties’ enemies.” Of these, Francis Cholmondeley, Lord Yarmouth, and some others, were there in 1690, the names of Lords Newburgh, Clancarty, Tyrone, Morley, Monteagle, Dartmouth, Cahir, the Earl of Clarendon, Major-General Dorrington, and General Maxwell, also figure on the list, but against these no specific charge is now apparent. Two years afterwards a Mr Henry Grey, a member of the House of Commons, was there, accused of taking bribes, as well as Lord Falkland; and the Earl of Torrington’s defeat by the French fleet off Beachy Head was punished by an enforced residence in the State prison.

That the fortress was crowded with prisoners towards the close of William’s reign is apparent by two papers which, by the kindness of Mr Birch, the Curator of the Soane Museum, I have been allowed to copy here, but it must be added that out of all the State prisoners in the Tower under William’s rule only one suffered the extreme penalty of the law. The papers are as follows:—

At the Committee for ye Affaires of Ireland in ye Councill Chamber att Whitehall, Aprill the 15 1695.

It is ordered by their L^dps that Sir Christopher Wren Surveyr Genl. of his Majities Works doe repaire to the Tower of London to view Beauchamp Tower and Bloody Tower and report what it will cost to Repaire and putt them in a condition to hold Prisoners of State. Sir Christopher Wren is also to surveigh the ground behind the Chapell in the Tower where it is proposed to Erect some buildings for keeping prisoners, and to report in like manner what it will cost and how many prisoners it can be made to hold, and he is further to consider of the annexed Draught proposed for the Erecting the Said Buildings, and give his opinion upon it, or else make such other Draught as he shall think fitt, and Lay the same together with his report upon the whole matter before the Committee as soon as conveniently may be.

Wm. Bridgeman.

To Ye Rt Honble ye Committee of Councill for the Affaires of Ireland. May it please yr L^rs.

In obedience to yr L^rs Order of the 15th instant, that I should view the severall places in the Tower therein mentioned—viz. Beauchamp Tower and ye Bloody Tower and report wt Expense will put them in condition to hold prisoners of State and what number they will hold I have accordingly viewed the same and report that both the said places were put the last summer in better repair than they have been in many years being whited, mended, and made strong, but to make them fitt for prisoners of State, if by that Expression it be intended that they should be wainscotted and made fitt for hangings and furniture it may cost £200 or much more but with such walls, windows and winding stairs they never can be made proper with any cost without rebuilding. I have also in pursuance of y^r L^rs Order viewed the place behinde the Chappell and considered and do approve the annex’d draught proposed to be built wch I take to be as Large as ye place will afford containing 15 square and if it be well built in 3 storeys, Cellars and garretts it will cost £600. As to the number of Prisoners the place may hold I can only report wt number of rooms each place contains. Beauchamp Tower hath a large Kitching 2 large rooms and 2 small servants rooms. Bloody Tower hath a kitching one room and one closset. The new building may contain 9 single rooms, besides cellars and garrets and a kitching all wch is humbly submitted.

Chr Wren
Apprill 17 1695.