Mr. Eaton pressed them to stay to dinner with him, which at first they agreed to, but afterwards altering their minds, went all down to Mr. Longmore’s house and there renewed the reasons of their suspicions, not only of Mr. Hayes’s being murdered (being satisfied with seeing the head) but also that his wife was privy to the same.  But in order to be more fully satisfied they agreed that Mr. Eaton should in a day or two’s time go and enquire for Mr. Hayes, but withal taking no notice of his having seen Mr. Longmore and Mr. Ashby.  In the meantime Mr. Longmore’s brother interfered, saying, that it seemed apparent to him that his cousin (Mr. Hayes) had been murdered, and that Mrs. Hayes appeared very suspicious to him of being guilty with some other persons, viz., Wood and Billings (who she told him, had drunk with him the night before his journey).  He added, moreover, that he thought time was not to be delayed, because they might remove from their lodgings upon the least apprehensions of a discovery.

His opinion prevailed as the most reasonable, and Mr. Longmore said they would go about it immediately.  Accordingly he immediately applied to Mr. Justice Lambert and acquainted him with the grounds of their suspicions and their desire of his granting a warrant for the apprehension of the parties.  On hearing the story the justice not only readily agreed with them in their suspicions, and complied with their demand, but said also he would get proper officers to execute it in the evening, about nine o’clock, putting Mrs. Hayes, Thomas Wood, Thomas Billings, and Mary Springate into a special warrant for that purpose.

At the hour appointed they met, and Mr. Eaton bringing two officers of the Guards along with them, they went altogether to the house where Mrs. Hayes lodged.  They went directly in and upstairs, at which Mr. Jones, who kept the house, demanded who and what they were.  He was answered that they were sufficiently authorised in all they did, desiring him at the same time to bring candles and he should see on what occasion they came.  Light being thereupon brought they went all upstairs together.  Justice Lambert rapped at Mrs. Hayes’s door with his cane; she demanded who was there, for that she was in bed, on which she was bid to get up and open it, or they would break it open.

After some time taken to put on her clothes, she came and opened it.  As soon as they were in the room they seized her and Billings, who was sitting upon her bedside, without either shoes or stockings on.  The justice asked whether he had been in bed with her.  She said no, but that he sat there to mend his stockings. Why, then, replied Mr. Lambert, he has very good eyes to see to do it without fire or candle, whereupon they seized him too.  And leaving persons below to guard them, they went up and apprehended Springate.  After an examination in which they would confess nothing, they committed Billings to New Prison, Springate to the Gate House, and Mrs. Hayes to Tothill Fields Bridewell.