News from Bishops-Gate-Street. Being a true relation of a most barbarous and bloody murder, committed by one Jacob Turner, a broad-weaver; upon the body of Mary Turner his wife; in Lamb-Alley, in Bishops-Gate-Street. With an account of the coroners inquest, who sate upon the deceased, on Friday the 18th. of this instant January, 1688/9. Who brought in the said Turner, guilty of willful murder.

NEWS from Biſhops-Gate-Street. Being a True RELATION Of a moſt Barbarous and Bloody MURDER, Committed by one Jacob Turner, a Broad-Weaver; upon the Body of Mary Turner his Wife; in Lamb-Alley, in Biſhops-Gate-Street. With an Account of the Coroners Inqueſt, who ſate upon the Deceaſed, on Friday the 18th. of this Inſtant January, 1688/9. Who brought in the ſaid Turner, Guilty of Willful Murder.

MAny and Notorious are the Murders, that of late have been Committed by divers wicked Perſons, and in ſundry manners: But none more to be lamented, than this 〈◊〉 Horrid and Ʋnnatural, as thoſe of Husbands on their Wives, &c. 〈◊〉 deplorable Inſtance, of which (good Reader) be pleaſed to •• ke as followeth:

In Lamb-Alley, in the Pariſh of St. Botolph Biſhops gate, at the Houſe of one Mr. Vowel, a Victular, over againſt the Sign of the Laſt; Lodged for ſome conſiderable time, one Jacob Turner, and his Wife Mary. He was Born in the Pariſh of St. Mary White-Chappel, of honeſt Parents, being carefully brought up; and when capable, was by his Induſtrious Parents bound an Apprentice to a Weaver; but being very loote and diſſolute youth; as ſoon as the Term of his Apprentiſhip was expir'd, he betook himſelf to theſe Extravagancies, which in this Age (alas) are to predominant, as well as Epidimical. Notwithſtanding all this, he had the happineſs to Marry with a Vertuous and Chaſt Maid, with whom he has lived theſe 22 years; and by whom God has bleſt him with a Pious and Dutiful Daughter, now almoſt 21 years of Age: However theſe Bleſſings were not eſteem'd by him, as ſent by an overruling Providence: But being inſtigated by the Devil, perpetrated this deplorable Murther on the Body of his Wife, in the manner following.

On Wedneſday the Second of this Inſtant January, 1688/9. About three in the Afternoon, this ſaid Turner being drinking at the Sign of the Lamb, in the aforeſaid Alley, and wanting Money to diſcharge his Reckoning; he ſent one to his Wife (who was then a Nurſe to one Mrs. Freeman a Broad-weaver in the ſame Alley) but ſhe not having wherewith all to comply with his demands, he immediately went to his Lodgings, at the aforeſaid Victualing Houſe; where ſending for his Wife, ſhe preſently came to him, whom he led up Stairs; and after many Curſes and Oaths, and other Abuſive Languages, he fell a Beating of her; and ſhe ſtooping down to ſave her Face, he took up a Houſe Knife, that lay by him on the Table, and ſtruck her with great violence into the Ribs, under the Right Shouldier, which immediately occaſioned a great effuſion of Blood.

After which having ſome • em •• ſe, he feignedly caught her up in his Arms; telling her, he having done her buſineſs. would now do his own; but (poor Woman) ſhe Innocently begged of him not to do any violence to himſelf; but immediately he in a great Paſſion, ſtomping and raving, his Landlord ran up Stairs with his Son, who coming into the Room, found him the ſaid Turner, in the middle of the Room, in a very Impudent and Bravado Poſture, with his Arms extended, and accoſting his ſaid Landlord; cries out, I have done her Buſineſs (meaning his ſaid Wife.) The Landlord, replyed to him, Turner, now you have done bravely; now you'll be hang'd: upon which words, Turner took up another Knife, and made at Mr. Vowel, his Landlord, ſwearing he would do his Buſineſs too; but Vowel and his Son over-powring him, took the Knife from him, and quell'd him: Many Women of the Neighbourhood, coming in, got the Woman to Bed, and ſent for one Mr. Litchfield the Elder, a Neighbouring Chyrurgìon, and Turner himſelf run in his Mad fit, for Mr. Litchfield's Son aſſronting the Old Gentleman, and forcing him to give place to his Son; who having let her Blood, and applyed ſutable Medicaments to her, was asked by the Company, whether the Wound would prove Mortal, but would give no poſitive Anſwer, but ſaid, he much feared her Recovery; notwithſtanding, the Ignorant Neighbourhood, took no Care to ſecure him; and he as impudently went about his Buſineſs, without any Remorſe or Concern, for what he had done, ſhe, the ſaid Mary Turner, lay Languiſhing from the Second day of this Inſtant, to this laſt Wedneſday, being the Sixteenth; during which ſpace of time, this Villanous Monſter of a Man, behav'd himſelf very impudently, both to his Wife, and the Neighbours, that diſcourſed and reaſoned with him, in indeavouring to lay before him the Heynouſneſs of his horrid Crime; but he replyed, only with Oaths, Curſes, and Blaſphamous Expreſſions: and inſtead of having the leaſt Remorſe of Conſcience, avowed ſeveral times, that if it were to do again, he would do it; and further. That he had more Perſons Buſineſs to do, beſides her, his ſaid Wife.

As ſoon as the Neighbour-hood, found his Wife was Expiring, they procur'd a Conſtable, and ſeiſed him, at a ſmall Ale-Houſe, at the Sign of the Feathers in the Artillery-Lane; who, perceiving the Conſtable coming, with his Long Staff, came out to him; very impudently, ſaying, I am the Man, who, I ſuppoſe you ſeek after; I am ready to go with you; who immediately, (he being taken in the Tower Liberty) carryed him, before the Right Honourable, the Lord Lucas, who committed him to Priſon, where, he continues, in order to his Tryal, that he may receive the Juſt Puniſhment, for ſo Barbarous, Bloody and Unnatural Murther; and laſt Night, being the Eighteenth Inſtant, the Coroners and Jury, ſate on the Deceaſed Body, and brought in Jacob Turner Guilty of Willful Murther. And thus Reader, I hope this may be a warning to deter others from committing the like Crime.