It was thus inevitable that Lord Mohun’s trial by his Peers, which was opened on the 31st of January 1693, in Westminster Hall, and which was invested with all the pomp and ceremonial befitting such an occasion, should attract crowds of excited spectators, curious to see the principal actors in this sensational drama, and burning to see justice done to the noble instigator of the murder.  The pent-up excitement culminated when Mrs Bracegirdle, looking more beautiful than ever in spite of her pallor and evidences of suffering, entered the witness-box; and every word of the story she told was listened to in a silence that was painful in its intensity.

In answer to the Attorney-General’s request that she should “give my lord an account of the whole of your knowledge of the attempt that was made upon you in Drury Lane, and what followed upon it,” she said: 

“’My lord, I was in Prince’s Street at supper at Mr Page’s, and at ten o’clock at night Mr Page went home with me; and, coming down Drury Lane there stood a coach by my Lord Craven’s door, and the hood of the coach was drawn, and a great many men stood by it.  Just as I came to the place where the coach stood, two soldiers came and pushed me from Mr Page, and four or five men came up to them, and they knocked my mother down almost, for my mother and my brother were with me.

“’My mother recovered and came and hung about my neck, so that they could not get me into the coach, and Mr Page went to call company to rescue me.  Then Mr Hill came with his drawn sword and struck at Mr Page and my mother; and when they could not get me into the coach because company came up, he said he would see me home, and he had me by one hand and my mother by the other.  And when we came home he pulled Mr Page by the sleeve and said, “Sir, I would speak with you."’

     “ATTORNEY-GENERAL:—­’Pray, Mrs Bracegirdle, did you see
     anybody in the coach when they pulled you to it?’

“MRS BRACEGIRDLE:—­’Yes, my Lord Mohun was in the coach; and when they pulled me to the coach I saw my Lord Mohun in it.  As they led me along Drury Lane, my Lord Mohun came out of the coach and followed us, and all the soldiers followed them; but they were dismissed, and, as I said, when we came to our lodgings, Mr Hill pulled Mr Page by the sleeve and said he would speak with him.  Saith Mr Page, “Mr Hill, another time will do; to-morrow will serve.”  With that, when I was within doors, Mr Page was pulled into the house, and Mr Hill walked up and down the street with his sword drawn.  He had his sword drawn when he came alone with me.’

     “ATTORNEY-GENERAL:—­’Did you observe him to say anything
     whilst he was with you?’