ONe of the firſt and moſt material T • yals on Wedneſday, was of a woman lately dwelling in the Pariſh of St. Giles Crippel-gate. For high Treaſon, for Clipping of Money, ſhe liv'd amongſt her Neighbours in very good Equipage; and was accounted Rich, but it appears ſhe got her Money by very baſe practiſes, making it her Trade to Buy ſtolen Plate, which having a conſiderable Stock ſhe would keep a great while by her, 〈…〉 • em • m • rance or inquiry after it was over, and then make Money of it, to this purpoſe ſhe held correſpondence with the moſt noted Theives, amongſt whom one having along time been eminent both for Houſe-robbing, and Exploits on the Highway, being now reclaimed and allowed his Pardon, that he might diſcover the reſt of his Gang, did now come to give Evidence againſt her, and ſwore that one time going to ſell a parcel of ſtolen Plate, being well acquainted with her Habitation, he went up ſtaires, and ope ••• a door ſo ſuddenly that he ſur • riz • d her in the very act of Cli ••• ng a Shilling, holding it in the Sizzars in her hand, and juſt before her a large parcel of Clippings but he then • poke nothing to her of it at that time, but only bluſh'd and preſently removed the Clippings, and ſo fell to b • rgaining with him for his Plate. And when he firſt diſcovered her, Captain Richardſon and other officers going to apprehend her, took her with 27 Shillings in her hand, juſt newly Clipt; which ſhe endeavoured to ſhuffle away. They alſo found ſeveral large parcels of Plate that had lately been ſtolen from ſeveral Perſons of quality, and of which Publique notice had been given, a ſtolen Diamond Ring on her Finger, a parcel of melted Silver, and a Book of Receipts, whereby it appears what Vaſt quanteties of Plate had paſſed through her hands. Beſides there was found in her poſſeſſion▪ about 3 • 0 pound • in Silver, which the W •• neſſes teſtified was all their Money; and generally the largeſt for ſuch a quantity that ever they ſaw. The Priſoner was or at leaſt pretended to be very Deaf and • her • fore was brought from the Barr into Court, the better to hear what was proved againſt her, which ſhe had littel material to alleadge, but only denied the crime: confeſſing that ſhe did indeed buy Plate, but knew nothing that it was ſtolen; and that the Witneſſes ſwore againſt her, to ſave his own Life, and merit his Pardon. But the other circumſtances being ſo apparen • t the Jury could not but find her Guilty.

The next ſeemed to be an object of Compaſſion to moſt People preſent, a poor young Wench lodging about Thames ſtreet, betrayed (as ſhe allead • ed) by a promiſe of Marriage and getting her with Child, which being perceived by the Woman that ſhe lodged with, to whom ſhe confeſſed the truth thereof, juſt when ſhe came to fall in Labour about 9 or 10 a Clock in the Night, thi • barberous Woman, fearing ſome charge or trouble might happen to her, who had ſo entertain'd her, cruelly turned her out of doors, and ſet her in • o another Pariſh, and there left her in pains, telling her that now the ſaid Pariſh were bound to provide for her. In this ſad condition in the ſtre • t, and without any help was this poo • Creature delivered, and being found lying as one half dead by the watch, and her condition perceived; a midwife was called, who found the Child dead, but not ſeperated from her Body, when ſhe came to her; who asking her if it were ſtill-born, the Priſoner both then and now ſaid, it was not, for ſhe heard it, cry, but denied that ſhe intended or uſed any wilful means to make away the Life of it nor did there any ſign of Violence appear ſave only ſome littel ſpots or marks of a Bruſe or Pinch on the Throat, which ſome conceive might be occaſion'd Involuntarily in ſtruggling to Promote its Birth; by an ignorant. Woman in her circumſtances: however being a Baſtard Child, and the law makeing it death in that caſe for any woman to be delivered alone without calling help, she was thereupon found Guilty.

A Women and 4 men were indicted for murdering a Ba • y in the Dutchy Lane in the Strand, the Balies came legally with an Execution to ſeize her goods, for 22. pounds haveing a writ out of the Exch • q •• r; which runs as well within liberties as without: however in civility they acq ••• the particular Bailif • , of the Dutchy therewith; and had his conſent, and a ſo had a Conſiable to keep the peace; ſo they quietly entered the Houſe, and the Woman now Priſ • ner, promiſed them ſo fairly their Money, that they verily belie • ed her; but inſtead th • reof she privately went forth and got together ſeveral Souldiers out of the Sav • y and other Rabbels, which Violently entred the houſe wounded the Beadel attending • he Conſtable, and barbarouſly beat out one of the Bailes Brains: and forced the reſt to get away for the pre • ervation of their Lives she encoura • eing them to come out and telling them there was no Conſtable there, but they were Rogues got into her houſe &c. As to two of the Priſoners there being no direct proof, they were a • quitted, the other two were met coming from the Wounded Man and heard boaſt that they had done the Rouges buſineſs, whereupon ſeveral honeſt Shop keepers endeavouring to apprehend them, they made great reſiſtance, and many Swords were drwan, but at laſt they were maſtered; and now the two and the ſaid Woman that firſt accaſioned all this • umult, upon a full Examination of all circumſtances, were found Guilty of the Mur • e • .

The ſame day a man was found guilty of ſtealling an Horſe, though the perſon that loſt it, was as favourable to him as poſſible he could in his expreſſions, there were likewiſe three found guilty for Robberies, committed on the High-way which rendered them conſiderable, though the booty they met with was not great.

On Thurſday, ſeveral very young Gentleman Schollars of Weſtminſter-School were brought into Court, concerning the killing of a Bailiff, that came to ſerve an Execution near the ſame School, where common Fame and Rumour has long talked that there was appriviledge that no Bally ſhould enter, and moſt certain it is, that the Schollars at divers times, have endeavoured to keep out or Expel any ſuch Officers, but this was rather by might than right, nor can it be imagined that there ſhould be any priviledge in the World to commit Murder and ••• ſt the Law▪ however in regard of their Youth, and the unuſual circumſtances, his Majeſty had been pleaſed to grant Eight of them his Gracious Pardon, which they ſubmiſſiively pleaded, and obtained to be allowed of by the Court, three others of them took their Tryals, and though the evidence ſeem'd to charge them all three to haue been preſent at the Riot, yet there was Teſtimony beyond all exceptation, that one of them was not ſo much as in Town that day, but in the Country, with his Maſter the reverend Doctor Busby, Maſter of that Famous School, in whoſe abſence this accident happening, nor could there direct proof b • made againſt the other Two, that they were any actually concerned, but rather likewiſe abſent, ſo that they were all three acquitted. But two Women, of whom one firſt called the Schollars to this Execution, and • o her invited them through her Houſe, that they might the better come to aſſault the Houſe, wherein the B 〈…〉 and alſo a Man th •• appeard very 〈◊〉 to animate the Lads on to the Miſchief, were found Guilty.

An Old Thief, tryed but the other ſeſſions, being got out of cuſtody, hired her ſelf to a Cittizen in Bow Lane, but the very firſt day ſhe came, in the evening, Robbed them of a great quantity of Cloaths and Linnen, the matter was fully proved, and ſhe found Guilty.

Moſt Violent preſumptions if we may not ſay ſufficient proof, were made againſt a perſon, for counter feiting of Money, ſeveral naughty half Crowns that he expoſ'd, being ſhewn in Court, but the Jury upon weighing all circumſtances, thought fit to acquit him.

An arch Slut, haveing a mind to Rob her Aunt, drew in a young wench to aſſiſt her, and takeing an oppertunity when all the People, were out of the Houſe, ſtole away divers Cloaths, but the Jury in favour, valued them but at 8 Shillings, ſo they are both to be Whipt▪

One French, a very luſty fellow, and notorious Padder, charged with two Inditements, one for Robbing a Gentel-man of 30 Shillings and other things on the Road, and another for ſtealling an Horſe pleaded guilty to both.

One Richard Wood, was moſt maliciouſly proſecuted for the like offence of Robbing a man at Noon-day, on Tower Hill of • Shillings and a ſack and a ſhovel &c. but upon Examination, it appeared the proſecutor and he and ſome others working together, the proſecutor was got Drunk, and tumbled up and down the Hill, and ſpent or loſt his money, and his Sack &c. were taken up in the Night by the Watch ſo that there being no colour of crime in the priſoner, he was acquitted, and his Adverſary ſeverly check'd for ſuch a Baſe proſecution▪

One Tho. Hudſon was found Guilty of High Treaſon for Clipping of money, he had often offered pieces notably circumciſed at an Ale houſe, and deſired to buy Ginnies, offered a 〈…〉 a piece, yet confeſſed he muſt change them again into Silver, and would rather give ſome advantage for broad Silver, particularly, going into the Yard one day, and ſtaying long there, a Woman belonging to the Houſe, went to look after him, and peping in at the Houſe of Office, ſaw him at work, a Clipping of shillings, with a Pair of Sizzars, and then rubbing them over with a ſtone &c. He had alſo declared that he could take off 3 d. from a Shilling, and yet it ſhould go never the worſe. He endeavoured to ſuggeſt, that there was ſome malice in one of the evidence againſt him, but could not make it out, and ſo was convicted.

Two other both Jerſy men, were arraigned not for Clipping, but a more ſecret and dangerous Art, (viz) waſhing, and by that means leſſening of Coyn, whereby a Shilling was reduced to be worth not above a 4 pence and an half Crown not 20 pence, of theſe there were ſeveral pieces offered to be put off by one of the perſons produced in Court, and divers Glaſſes of Aqua Fortis, wherewith 'twas ſuppoſ'd he did the Feat, but he pretending he took the ſaid • ight Money, and that the Aqua Fortis was uſed by him in a Trick▪ or Invention he ſaid, to turn Red, Brown or indeed any colourd Hair, into bright Flaxen, and no home evidence coming in againſt the other, they were both acquitted.

There was a long Tryal likewiſe concerning the ſtealing of ſeveral Bottels of a medicine called▪ Elix • r Vitae from one Salvator Winter a very antient Itallian Gentel▪ man▪ who has long profeſſed Phyſick in this Kingdom, his man was indicted for it, and the things found lockt up in his Trunk, but he alleadged that they were put in there by another, nearly related to the Doctor, without his, the ſaid priſoners privity, and brought ſeveral witneſſes that made the ſame credible, whereupon he was acquitted.

Then two perſons were Arraigned for Horſe ſtealing, one of them diſcovered by an Honeſt Hoſtler, which we mention for the honour and Encouragement of men of that profeſſion, he▪ having great commendations from the Court for ſuch his faithful ſervice.

Two Indictments were preferred againſt one Mr. Valenciens, an out landiſhm • nt, for ſuppoſed Rapes committed on two ſeveral Young Women, both the Daughters of a Scotch-man, one was ſaid to be done at Whitſuntide laſt, and the other 6 Weeks ago, the 2 Girls pretended abundance of modeſty in giving their evidence, yet in fine, each of them down right ſwore the matter of Fact, but the ſame was attended with many improbable and ſuſpicious circumſtances, the firſt never complain'd from Whitſuntide till about 3 Weeks ago, and then both a midwife affirm'd▪ and ſhe confeſſ▪d ſhe beleiv • d ſhe was with Child on this Raviſhment, and the latter concealed it 6 Weeks, and then diſcloſed it rather on her Mothers Importunity, than her own Inclination, Beſides divers other par • i • ulars prov • d ſome contradictory to their evidence, others ſeeming as if they had been Tutor'd, to ſay and ſwear what they did, ſo that upon the whole matter it was generally look'd upon as a deſign to get Money, and that the Priſoner was much wronged by ſuch an odious Accuſation, and therefore was fairly Acquitted on both Indictments.

There were in all, no leſs than one and thirty perſons, that at this Seſſi • ns received ſentence of Death, on Saturday the • 8 of October. That is to ſay.

Three for Treaſon, in Clipping and diminiſhing of Money, (viz.) Chriſtian Woodward, ſentenced to be Burnt. Steven Puſh-worth, and Thomas Hudſon, to be drawn and Hang'd.

Seven for Murdering, (viz.) Joan Black-well, for killing her B • ſtard Child.

John Two-good, Richard Hammond▪ and Ann Wing feild, for murdering▪ the Bailiff in Dutchy Lane.

Richard Taylor, Mary Biſhop, and Elizabeth Besſtock, for murdering the Bailiff at Westminſter.

Four for Robbing on the High way, (viz▪) Thomas French, John Hurſt, Morrice Hunt, and Joſeph Hunt▪

Eight for Burghlary, and Houſe breaking, (viz.) Edward Jarvis, John Weal, John Martin, Charles Michener, J • aa • Whitacre, Thomas •• Moor, James Marmaluke, and Charles Pain.

Three for Horſe ſtealing, (viz.) Thomas Beecham, Richard Good, and George Butler.

The other ſix were for other Felonies, but Old and Incorrigible offenders, that had been Burnt in the hand, or Pardoned &c. and would take no Warning t 〈…〉 Names were, Suſan Smith, Jane Mo • d, Suſan Hollis, Hannah Andrews, Elizabeth 〈◊〉 and Alice Skip.

There were likewiſe, 10 Burnt in the hand, and 7 or 8 ordered to be whipt, and ſoended this moſt remarkable Seſſions.