I Shall, with as much brevity and truth as may be, give you a candid account of the trials of the ſeveral Priſoners at the Old-Bayly; and begin firſt with an Iriſh man ſervant to a Perſon of Quality, who was indicted for ſtealing two hundred pounds from his ſaid Maſter; but though ſome circumſtances ſeem'd to ſtick cloſe to him, yet he was acquitted by the Jury.

The next were two Youngſters that came to a Paſtery cook's houſe, and called for a Chamber and a Fire, and there continued till they had ordered their buſineſs, ſo as to take two Silver Tankards away with them: one went out of the door, and the other out of the window by a ſmall Rope. The firſt was taken and tried; and found guilty; the laſt eſcaped with the Booty.

After this a Milliner was indicted for breaking open a ſhop in Covent garden; but the principal Evidence was one who had encouraged the ſufferers to proſecute the ſaid Millener; but in regard ſeveral pieces of Ribbin were found in the Milleners ſhop, that were taken out of the ſaid ſhop in Covent garden: the Judge gave orders for another Bill to be drawn againſt the Milliner, and that he ſhould be indicted as an acceſſary, upon which he was found guilty.

After this, one was indicted for ſtealing ſeveral Sheep, four of which were found in his cuſtody, and alſo the ſkins of many more; ſo that he pleaded guilty to all Felonies within the benefit of the Clergy upon his firſt Indictment.

The next was one who was arraigned and tried for a Burglary committed in the houſe of a perſon of quality in the Pariſh of St. Giles's in the Fields; he running from thence was ſtopped by a Blackamore: but nothing being taken away, he was acquitted.

After this a woman was indicted, for that ſhe together with two men, not yet taken, went into a houſe in the City, and pretended themſelves perſons of quality, one of the men ſaying he was Steward to a perſon of Honour, and the other a Gentleman newly come from Ireland; they deſired Lodgings, and their requeſts were anſwered, and at night, it being Chriſtmas time, they deſired to play a game at Cards, for their divertiſement, with their Landlord, and he to oblidge them readily compli'd; but the Landlady being gone a goſſiping or viſiting, and none left but her Husband and theſe new-come-gentlefolks at home, they deſired him to ſend out for ſome Double Beer for them; he ſtept to the next door and bid the Maid bring it in: after that they called for Wine, and he ſent the ſame Maid to fetch it; then a little after they deſired that he would fetch them ſome more Double Beer himſelf, and as ſoon as he was gone they took a Candle and run up ſtairs to his Chamber and broke his Cloſet open, and took ſtom thence a ſilver Tankard and Money, to the value of twenty pounds, and left him only a light upon the ſtairs to ſee his loſſes: Away march'd they, but ſome days after this woman was met with and brought, to Newgate, and from thence to the Bar, where ſhe pleaded that one of the men that took away the Money and Plate was her Husband, and produced a Certificate from the Parſon of Pancroſs to affirm it; but the Jury ſuppoſing it to be counterfeit, found her guilty, and the chiefeſt comfort ſhe is like to have is tranſportation.

Now follows a bloody Murther committed by one in Whitechappel; as ſoon as a Bayliff had told him that he arreſted him, he with a ſtrange Weapon run the Officer into the belly, and made a paſs at another, but though he mift his body, he hit his clothes: This Hector with new ſupplies, was quickly ſecur'd; and when one told him that he had kill'd the Bayliff, he repli'd, if I have not I wiſh I had, and being ſent from the Juſtice of Peace to Newgate, he told his Guard, if he had not killed him he ſhould have gone to Priſon on foot, but now in a Coach; but for all he made ſo ſlight on't then, he was in a more ſerious and ſenſible humour at the Bar, and labour'd to excuſe it with all the Rhetorick he had, and all was too little, for the Jury brought him in guilty, and Jack Ketch will make him free.

Another unhappy Murther haypened at Weſtminſter by the diſcord of two young Lads, who quarrel'd about cutting their Apron-ſtrings, being Shoomakers, the younger not knowing how to revenge him ſelf, took a threepeny Knife and ſtabb'd the other, who run out of the Shop with his Bowels in his hands, cri'd, Lord have mercie upon my Soul, Daniel has kill'd me. The Lord Chief Baron after he had heard the Evidence, wiſh'd the Jury to conſider whether the boy underſtood what he had done or not, he being but thirteen years and a month old, the Jury afterwards brought him in guilty of Man's Slaughter.

Then a woman was indicted for High-treaſon; ſhe came into a ſhop and deſired the Maſter thereof to give her two ſixpences for a ſhilling, he took the ſhillling, and perceiving it to be clipt, told her that ſhe deſerved to be queſtioned how ſhe came by it; upon which ſhe run out of the ſhop as faſt as ſhe could, then perſuite was made after her, and ſhe was overtaken and brought back and carried before a Juſtice of Peace, who upon Ezamination, ſaid, her Huſband gave it to her; they asked where ſhe lodged, and having found her Lodgings out, they found Pots and Sheers, and other neceſſaries for that Imployment; but in regard they rather ſuppoſed her abſent Husband to be guilty than her; the Jury favourably brought her in not guilty.

After this, anothtr was indicted for killing one at Clarendon houſe with a Saw; he was making a Tool, and the deceaſed told him he ſhould make none there, the other ſaid he would; then the deceaſed ſtruck at him two or three times, which occaſioned the other to ſtrike him upon the arm with a Mallet, which he was then uſing, the deceaſed challeng'd the other to ſight, but he deſired quietneſs, and would not; then the deceaſed went to lock him in, the other prevented him by being too quick; then he giving ſome more blows, the other ſtruck him with the back of a Saw which he had in his hand, and his Hat being off he ſplit his skull almoſt to his brains, of which wound he died in a little time; and in regard, it did not appear to be a premeditated Quarrel, the Offender was only found guilty of Mansſlaughter.

Another was tried for Murther, who happened into a houſe in Black fryers with a young man: After breakfaſt was ended, they had a few quarrelſome words; he that was kill'd affronted the other both in words and blows, and not being ſatisfi'd with that, urged him to wreſtle with him, who refus'd it and left the room; then he followed him and continued his abuſes ſo long till at laſt he threw him down two or three times; they parted then, and he that occaſion'd the quarrel was arreſted the next day; and continuing in a poor condition upon the boards, and induring other hardſhip he died; ſo that one made affidavit that the deceaſed charged him that quarrelled with him, for the murthering of him, by throwing him down ſeveral times and falling upon him, but the Chyrurgeon clear'd him of that guilt, who ſuppoſed it a natural death, therefore he was acquitted.

A Yong man and Woman were tried for a Fellony committed by them at Wapping, the Woman being entertained as a Servant, did the next day run away with a Silver Tankard, a Farrenden-gown, and many other things. The Gentlewoman miſſing them, uſed all the endeavours ſhe could to procure them, and employing a Thief-catcher, by the deſcription given of her, he directed her ro the Servant-Maid that ſtole them from her; who being apprehended told them where they were pawn'd and ſold, and how the Young man bid her ſell them, and if ſhe was queſtioned, he would come to juſtifie that the Goods belonged to her Miſtreſs, who employed her to ſell them. There being proof enough to make him appear an Acceſſary, they were both found guilty of Fellony.

A Porter was tryed for Burglary, but it appeared that the Woman proſecuted him out of envy; for ſhe ſaid, that he came and broke open her Houſe one Morning; whereas others of more repute ſaid, That he was very familiar with her, and that ſame Night did continue with her from Five at Night till Seven in the Morning, and he pawn'd his Silver Ticket for Five Shillings, and ſent for Six Penny worth of Ale, and call'd in a Black-Pudding man to give her a Treat. Several Perſons ſpoke in his behalf, and ſaid, That he was a very honeſt man: And there being no proof that he had taken any thing from her, he was acquitted.

There was an Iriſhman tryed for a Cheat, which was as follows, He with a Footman came to a Watch-makers Shop, and deſired to ſee ſome Watches for his Maſter; after he had ſeen ſeveral, he pitch'd upon two, and deſired that he would carry them or ſend them to his Maſter, he therefore ſent his man with them, the one being a gold the other a ſilver Watch, and when they came to the Temple he deſired to carry them up to his Maſter, whom he pretended was in bed, but as ſoon as he had got them he run away with them; the other perſued him, and afterwards brought him to a Juſtice of Peace, and he committed him to Priſon, and upon his Tryal was found guilty of the Cheat.

There were three men and three women condemned, four ordered to be tranſported, and ſixteen burn'd in the hand, and five to be whipt at the Carts tail, and the ſaid Cheat deſign'd for the Pillory.