A Full and True ACCOUNT OF A MOST Barbarous and Bloody MURDER, COMMITTED By Esther Ives, with the Assistance of John Noise a Cooper; on the Body of William Ives, her Husband, at Rumsey in Hampshire, on the Fifth day of February 1686. Together with the Miraculous and Wonderful Discovery of the Murder and Murderers.  
AS ALSO An Account of their TRIALS at the last Assizes, holden at Winchester, where being found guilty of the said Murder, they received Sentence of Death, viz. John Noise to be Hanged, and Esther Ive● to be Burnt. With their manner of Behaviour and Execution, according to the said Sentence.  
This may be Printed,  
R. P.  
Printed for P. Brooksby at the GoldenBall in Pie-corner.   

A Full and True ACCOUNT OF A MOST Barbarous and Bloody MURDER, COMMITTED  
By Esther Ives, with the Assistance of John Noise a Cooper; on the Body of William Ives, her Husband, at Rumsey in Hampshire, on the Fifth day of February, 1686.  
MAny and Notorious have been the Murders of late committed by divers Wicked People, and in sundry manners: But I think none in the Horridness of the Action can exceed, if parallel, what I am about to relate; and for which, as you will plainly find, the Hand of Justice overtook the Murderers and brought them to their deserved Punishment. The Relation of which, take as followeth.  
In West-Weller, a place in the County of Hants or Hampshire about two miles from the Town of Rumsey, Lived one John Noise, by Trade a Cooper, but a Person of ill Fame, and a very desolute Liver. This Man keeping Company, in a more familiar manner, than was convenient, with the Wife of one William Ives, who kept a Victualling-House in Rumsey, known by the sign of the Hatchet. On the fifth day of February last, h● stayed there drinking till about one or two of the clock in the morning, at what time, as it afterward appeared, Ives' Wife and Noise having conspired against Ives, Murdered him by strangling or breaking his Neck, to make a freer way for their unlawful Lust; Or as it is conjectured, being rid of h●m, they might Marry. However Ives his Children, who were in the House, having notice that their Father was dead, which their Mother had possessed them happened naturally or suddenly, they fell into loud Lamentations; which the Town Bellman, being then upon his Rounds, hearing, and much desirous to know the cause of the children's cries at so unseasonable a time, came under the Window of Ives' House and calling to them, demanded the reason? who, with mournful voices, told him their Father was dead. At which, the Bellman being somewhat surprised, for that a little before, he h●d heard Ives in a kind of a disorderly or confused Tone, cry out or say; What dost thou do to me, Noise? went and acquainted the Constable of the Watch therewith: who taking along with him a Guard, came to the House of the said Ives; and upon their coming thither, found that the Wife had been abroad to light a Candle; and likewise at a House, known by the Sign of the Black Boy; and there had called up the Woman, to have of her Some Strong-water; under pretence that her Husband was very much indisposed: but upon their entering the House of Ives, and going up stairs; they found Noise and Esther Ives the Wife, very busy about Ives, who was indeed dead, in dressing him: viz. putting on his Breeches, Stockings, Shoes, and other wearing Apparel; having newly as was supposed, taken him out of his Bed, it being then warm. The Design of which, as many imagined, and they in part confessed was, that being so clothed; they would have tumbled him down Stairs, that so the Bruises there by occasioned might colour the Pretence they intended to make: that he accidently and unfortunately fell down them, and so consequently had lost his Life. But they being known to be People of bad Conversations, the Constable would not be so satisfied; but with the Light he then had, proceeded to make a narrower Inspection into the unhappy Business: Causing the Dead Body to be diligently searched, securing at the same time Noise and Esther Ives, as suspecting the matter to be otherwise than they pretended; whose pretence then was, that he died suddenly of some extraordinary Distemper, at which they could not guests. But upon a narrow search of the Body, much violence appeared to be done to the Neck of the Party deceased, either by strangling or twisting; insomuch that the Blood had issued from him in abundance, and stained the the Pillow whereon his head had lain; as also upon his Shirt: And it further appeared, that through the vehemency of his Struggling and Contending for Life, his Water had come from him, with which not only his Shirt, but part of the Bed was wet.  
These plain signs and palpable demonstrations of a Murder, made the Constable, and those that were his Attendance, make a narrower search upon the Criminals; and thereupon found much Blood upon Esther Ives, supposed and verily conjectured to proceed from her Husband; either when she was Assistant to Noise, in perpetrating the wicked and unnatural Murder; or when she went about to remove him. However that night they were both secured, and the next day carried before a Justice; who, upon examining the Business, and by the two Surgeons that viewed the Body, finding it Murder, according to the Circumstances as ; & they having nothing material to offer in their own defence, committed them to Rumsey Gaol, where they continued in order to their Trials, till the Judges came in their Circuit to Winchester in the County aforesaid; to hold there the Lenten Assize: at what time, being brought from Rumsey to Winchester, in order to take their Trials, the Coroners Inquest having before found it wilful Murder.  
The Assize● aforesaid, being held on the 24th. day of February last, they were brought to their Trials: where Noise, after the Evidence was given against him, as to the Circumstances of the Murder, pleaded in his own defence; That being in Ives' his House, a Quarrel happened between the said Ives and his Wife, and that all that he did on that occasion, was only to interpose, that he might do the good Office of parting them: but Esther Ives, did in Court declare that Noise was the Person who Murdered her Husband. Upon which, and the other Circumstances, the Jury after some consideration of the Matter of Fact; gave in their Verdict, That John Noise and Esther Ives, were guilty of the wilful Murder whereof they stood Indicted. So that in the close of the Assize, they accordingly received Sentence of Death, Viz. the former to be Hanged and the latter to be Burnt; and so returned to Prison, in order to be Executed according to the said Sentences.  
The 11th. day of March, the day appointed for their Execution being come, they were by the Sheriff's Officers taken our of Winchester Gaol: where for some days they had remained, to bewail their Wicked and Barbarous Act; and being placed upon one Horse, were in that manner conveyed to Rumsey, the place ordered for their Execution; Where John Noise turning to the Spectators, who came to see him Executed, desired them, especially the younger sort, above all things, not to profane the Sabbath-day, but to keep it with all Reverence and due Regard; as likewise, to refrain from Drunkenness, which occasions so many evils and mischiefs in the world. He confessed he had long kept company with Esther Ives, in a lascivious and unlawful Manner. After this and some other Expressions, he went up the Ladder, and when the Rope was made fast, turned himself off; and about half an hour after, was cut down, in order to his Interment or Burial.  
Esther Ives being brought to the Stake, said very little; but being fastened thereto, and the Fuel placed about her; after the Executioner had strangled her, the Fire was kindled, and she consumed to Ashes. And thus, Reader, the miserable Wretches came to a shameful, though a deserved end; which I hope may be a Warning to deter others from committing the like Crime.   
FINIS.