Inquest after Blood.  
BEING A RELATION Of the several INQUISITIONS OF ALL That have Died by any violent Death IN THE City of LONDON, AND Borough of SOUTHWARK.  
Commencing from Jan. 1. 1669, to the Conclusion of the last Sessions holden at the Old Bailie, Feb. 21. And the Assizes for Surrey, March 1.  
With some remarkable Observations.  
Also a brief account of those that were there found Guilty, with mention of their Crimes and Punishments.  
Published for the Satisfaction of some, and to prevent the Mistakes of others.  
London, Printed, 1670.   

A Relation of the several Inquisitions in the City of London and Borough of Southwark, commencing from Jan. 1. 1670. To the conclusion of the last Sessions, holden at the Old Bailey, Febr. 21. And the Assizes for Surrey, March 1.  
THe first Inquisition taken this year, began with the year (viz.) jan. 1. which was upon view of the Body of Richard Sandford, Servant and Apprentice to Randal Hawley, late of Stepney, in the County of Middlesex, Bricklayer, who was killed by his said Master Randal Holy, after the manner following. This Richard Sanford was a sickly Lad, and on the 25th day of December last, going with his Master, in Little Britain, he took an occasion to quarrel with his Servant; even for no just offence given, as ever did appear, and violently thrust this weak Lad in the Channel, striking him on the hinder part of his Head and Shoulders with a Broom-stick, which for that purpose, he had soon before procured. Furor arma Ministrat. The Lad returned ill to his Brother's house, and taking his Bed, died of the blow Decemb. 31. following in the Parish of S. Buttolph Aldersgate. It seemed at first doubtful to the Jury, whether the blow might be mortal, or no; but when as the Coroner had employed an able Chirurgeon to take off the Cranium, there did appear the infallible marks of his mortal strokes: The Jurors than gave in a Verdict of Murder.  
Holy upon the first tidings of his servants death, deserts his habitation, and is not yet heard of, fearing to put himself upon trial. Not many days, before this, Holy and his servant going over Stepney-Fields, in the extremity of the late Frost and Cold, he stripped this young man his servant, bound him neck and heels together, and most barbarously beat him with a Rope's end; which fact he afterward confessed to some, that had reason to examine him upon the Lads complaining thereof.  
Jan. 12. Inquisition was made of the Death of Henry Cooper, late of the Parish of S. Saviour's Southwark, in the County of Surrey, Victualer, who hanged himself in his own Bedchamber; but upon a Cloud of Witnesses to prove his Lunacy, the Jury after an Adjournment, found that he was Non compos mentis, and not of a sound mind and memory at the time, when he hanged himself; he was (as did appear by all that knew him) always a man of an outrageous and unruly passion; and that he had formerly at sundry times attempted to drown himself.  
Jan. 18. Inquisition was had of the Death of one Ralph—, Servant to Richard Lovel of Hattengarden, Painter; who received him into his service a day or two before, in commiseration towards him: For as much as at that time he was destitute of any employment, and ready to beg, he fell off a Scaffold two stories and a half high, fixed to a Building of Pawlet St. John's Esq in Cheapside, he standing upon the end of a Board, not sufficiently fastened. The Jury found it to be a casual Death, and he was returned by the name of Ralph Painter, for none, nay not his Master, knew his surname.  
Jan. 25. Inquisition was taken of the death of Roger Harrison, late of S. Buttolph Bishopsgate, Porter, who hanged himself at the top of the stairs of his house. This Harrison was a miserable poor fellow: The occasion of this violence used to himself, was, for that his Landlord had ejected him out of his house, for nonpayment of his Rent, he forcibly makes a reentry, striking the Padlock off the door; and whilst he had locked himself in, his wife going to capitulate with the Landlord, to whom (by the way I noted) was due only 1 l. 8 s. he took this lamentable way of ending his fears add troubles with his life together. His Burial was ordered to be in or near the King's Highway.  
Jan. 28. A Jury was impannell'd to inquire of the death of Francis Ware, and William Dew, Carpenters, who were found to be accidentally and by misfortune killed by the fall of two houses almost finished on Fish-street-hill in St. Magnes Parish. The one of these was making stairs in one house the other laying a floor in the house adjoining. These Buildings were Captain Nic. Coleburns, a Vintner in London; which were undertaken to be erected by contract by two Carpenters of some note. I shall not assume to give the Reader an exact account of the reason of this sudden downfall, so as to impute the neglect to either Carpenters or Bricklayer; I will only relate what was delivered as to this part of the evidence. One Thomas Clark and his Wife were then in the Shop of one of the houses, who were happily preserved by the advantageous fall of some Timber over them: He the next day appeared as a Witness, who upon oath taken, said that the Vault over which he stood sunk sensibly first under him: the Carpenters acknowledged that the Centres thereof were struck the day before: yet this of all hands was not thought to be the immediate cause of their fall, but rather supposed the defect to be in the Party wall. The Bricklayer however did aver upon oath that the Wall was three brick thick in the Cellar, two bricks in the first Story, in the rest a brick and a half; but on it was a great Stack of Chimneys, the weight whereof is verily conjectured to be too heavy for so slender supportance. But this I leave to the Surveyors, who herein are more judicious.  
Jan. 31. There was Inquisition taken of the death of Elizabeth Cook, an Infant, aged two years and a quarter, the Daughter of Thomas and Mary Cook of Cloth-Fair in the Parish of Great St. bartholomew's, who was found to be murdered by her own Mother Mary Cook aforesaid; she the day before, being Sunday, going up stairs, asked the Infant lying in bed, whether she was willing to have her Breakfast, the innocent Child merrily answered, yes; whereupon this cruel Mother took her out of the bed, and carrying her toward the Chimney, most inhumanely cut the throat of her Child with a Penknife, and then stamped with her foot to let her Husband be a sorrowful Witness of this horrid Tragedy: When she was carried before a Magistrate, she undauntedly confessed the Fact, giving little reason for the same, more than that her Husband and Kindred were unkind to her. Though it was said by others, and acknowledged by herself, that she loved this Child more than the rest, yet there appeared not the least lunacy or distraction in her responsals made since to divers that visited her in Newgate. Nothing certainly but rage and exorbitant passion, which by continuance is tunred to malice, and this fostered by Satan's temptations, can be thought to have guided this bloody hand.  

At the Sessions and General Goal-delivery holden for London and Middlesex, Febr. 22.  
These following received Sentence to die.  
Marry Cook before mentioned, she pleaded little for herself, but her Husband being present, endeavoured by two Witnesses to prove her mad; but it did not so appear, for being demanded whether she did manage the business of the house as at other times, it was answered yes; besides her Examination before the Justice of Peace, which was there read, gave a clear testimony of her methodical and rational responsals made to those interrogatories that were proposed to her. After judgement her Execution was suspended by the mercy of the Court till March 2d. and then she was hanged in Smithfield over against Cloth-fair, where she dwelled.  
Susan Emery for Murdering her bastard-child, in S. martin's Westminster, which Child she first choked, and then hid in a Wall of her Lodging-Chamber, near the Chimney. She pleaded at her trial, that the Child was dead born, but before her Execution, she confessed the fact, and appeared penitent till the time of her Execution, which was at Tyburn, the Friday following, Feb. 25.  
Robert Hilliard, and Richard Wild, who were Convict for several Robberies and Felonies. They were Foot-Pads, both of them dangerous and desperate Fellows. The former at first refused to plead, but upon better consideration he pleaded to his Indictment, and found guilty; the other behaved himself with much boldness, and pleaded guilty to one Indictment. They were hanged with Susan Emery .  
There suffered also the same day Elizabeth Miller, one convicted for Felony sometime before. She was a notorious old Thief, formerly transported, who after her escape, and return into England, she followed her old vicious practices. She was wife to that Miller that was hanged in Chains, lately in Essex, for Robbery and Murder, by him and others, committed in Eppin Forest.  
Five received Sentence to be burnt in the hand, having the benefit of Clergy, Convict of Felony.  
Two had the like Sentence for Manslaughter.  
Seven were Sentenced to be whipped, for as much as their Crimes were under Felony.   

At the Assizes holden for the County of Surrey.  
THree persons were Convicted for Robbery in the Highway; but in as much as the Evidence of Two Butchers for the King, seemed somewhat to contradict that on the behalf of the prisoners, by persons of quality there present, the King was graciously pleased to supersede the Judgement of Death; which otherwise was to be pronounced against them.  
Six Convicted for Felony, begged Transportation.  
One Woman burnt in the hand.  
One awarded to be whipped for Pettilarceny.  
There was a Woman indicted for a Witch, but nothing appeared sufficient to convict her of Witchcraft, the Judge commanded the Ordinary to hear her repeat the Lords Prayer; which accordingly he did, and reported, that she concluded at the last Petition therein, Deliver us from evil, leaving out the Doxology, For thine is the Kingdom, etc. But at last she said that also, together with part of the Creed, wherein she omitted (as the Ordinary acquainted the Court) to say, He descended into Hell. But at last she acknowledged the whole belief, and that she expected Salvation no otherwise, than by the Merits of Jesus Christ.  
A young Fellow was there Indicted for a Rape, but found not guilty; but however for his lewdness practised on an innocent Girl, and that in the Church too: The Court ordered him to be sent to the House of Correction.   
FINIS.