A true NARRATIVE OF THE PROCEEDINGS AT THE Sessions-house IN THE OLD-BAYLY; From Friday the 14th of this Instant January, to Monday the 17th; being a full and true Account of the Trials, Examinations, and Condemnations of several Malefactors, for several Crimes.  
And also an Account of the Trial of four several persons for committing four several Murders. A Man for killing a Bailiff, a Boy for killing his Fellow-prentice, a Man for killing his Fellow-workman, and another for killing a Man in Black friars.  
With an Account how many are Condemned, how many Burned in the Hand, to be Transported, Whipped at the Cart's tail, and to stand in the Pillory.  
With Permission, Roger L'Estrange.  
LONDON: Printed for D. M. in the Year 1676.   

A true NARRATIVE Of the Proceedings at the Sessions-house IN THE OLD-BAYLY.  
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 seemed 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 Milliner; but in regard several pieces of Ribbin were found in the Milliner's 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' in the Fields; he running from thence was stopped by a Blackamoor: 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 oblige them readily complied; but the Landlady being gone a gossipping 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 stepped 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 marched 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 Murder committed by one in Whitechappel; as soon as a Bailiff 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 secured; and when one told him that he had killed the Bailiff, he replied, 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 laboured to excuse it with all the Rhetoric he had, and all was too little, for the Jury brought him in guilty, and Jack Catch will make him free.  
Another unhappy Murder haypened at Westminster by the discord of two young Lads, who quarrelled about cutting their Apron-strings, being Shoemakers, the younger not knowing how to revenge himself, took a threepeny Knife and stabbed the other, who run out of the Shop with his Bowels in his hands, cried, Lord have mercy upon my Soul, Daniel has killed me. The Lord Chief Baron after he had heard the Evidence, wished 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 clipped, 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, than pursuit 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 Employment; 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 challenged 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 Murder, who happened into a house in Black friars with a young man: After breakfast was ended, they had a few quarrelsome words; he that was killed affronted the other both in words and blows, and not being satisfied with that, urged him to wrestle with him, who refused 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 occasioned the quarrel was arrested the next day; and continuing in a poor condition upon the boards, and enduring other hardship he died; so that one made affidavit that the deceased charged him that quarrelled with him, for the murdering of him, by throwing him down several times and falling upon him, but the Chirurgeon cleared him of that guilt, who supposed it a natural death, therefore he was acquitted.  
Readers, what can subdue, what can assuage  
The bloody hands of men this sinful age?  
A fervent Prayer from a religious heart.  
These and far greater Judgements can divert.  
Then labour hard for such a frame as this,  
By which you Heaven may gain, and Hell may miss.  
A Young man and Woman were tried for a Felony 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 pawned and sold, and how the Young man bid her sell them, and if she was questioned, he would come to justify 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 Felony.  
A Porter was tried 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 pawned his Silver Ticket for Five Shillings, and sent for Six Penny worth of Ale, and called 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 tried 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 pitched 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 pursued him, and afterwards brought him to a Justice of Peace, and he committed him to Prison, and upon his Trial was found guilty of the Cheat.  
There were three men and three women condemned, four ordered to be transported, and sixteen burned in the hand, and five to be whipped at the Cart's tail, and the said Cheat designed for the Pillory.  
FINIS.