He believed that Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex was murdered, and was found guilty of a number of crimes committed in the process of attempting to prove this.
He set on foot inquiries on the subject in London, and when a rumour reached him that the news of the earl's death was known at Marlborough on the very day of, if not before, the occurrence, he posted off.
For a time he was let out on bail, but on 7 February 1683/4 he was tried with Hugh Speke at the king's bench on the accusation of conspiring to spread the belief that the Earl of Essex was murdered by some persons about him, and of endeavouring to suborn witnesses to testify the same.
[clarification needed] Braddon remained in prison for five years until the landing of William III, when he was liberated.
In February 1695 he was appointed solicitor to the wine licence office, a place valued at 100 pounds per annum.