NEWS FROM THE Sessions-house IN THE OLD-BAYLY.  
Being a full and true Relation of the trial and Condemnation of John Smith, John Darkin, and Geo. Marshal, For stealing the Plate out of the Parish church of St. Giles's in the Fields.  
As also the trials of three Shoe-makers for murdering a Milk-woman near Kentishtown: With the Condemnation of a Woman that murdered her child. And several other notorious Malefactors for several Crimes: At a Sessions of Peace there held; which began on Wednesday the 5th of this Instant April, and ended on friday the 7th 1676.  
With an Account of how many are condemned to Die, how many burned in the hand, to be Transported, and to be whipped.  


licenced  
April 7. 1676. Oldenburg.    
LONDON: Printed for D.M. 1676.   

AN ACCOUNT Of the most remarkable trials At the Sessions house in the Old bayly.  
THe trials and Condemnations or Acquittals of the several Malefactors at Justice-Hall in the Old-bayly London, having proved very acceptable, we have thought good to continue their publications; this Sessions being as remarkable as others: and is as followeth.  
There was a Victualler tried for killing a Man; they fought very fiercely together, and the Man went home: The Evidence swore that the Victualler was the cause of his Death, who had bruised him sore in several parts, and had caused him to spit Blood; but in regard he died a month after, and was indifferently well: The Jewry acquitted the Prisoner of the murder.  
There was a Young man tried for stealing of a Saw, the Prosecutor made Affidavit, That that Saw which was found in the Young mans custody was his: The Young man brought a joiner, that swore he made him the frame of the Saw, half a year ago; whereas the Prosecutor swore, that his was stoll●n a year ago: So that the young man was discharged of the Crime.  
There was a lusty young Fellow, John Smith by Name, tried for the sacrilegious stealing of above Two Hundred Pounds worth of Plate, out of the Vestry of St. Giles's Church. The Beadle of the Parish suspected this man, because he was a loose Liver, and came to his Lodging, but found him not within: He asked his Neighbour for him, and he said, That at Nine of the Clock at Night he was within, but since he had not seen him. The Beadle promised him Ten Shillings, to b king him word, when he was within; but the other when he saw him,  told the Prisoner what the Beadle said; then he came not to his Lodging in a Months time: But at his return, he had notice given him by others, and he took a Constable with him, and came to his Chamberdoor, and rushed against it, designing to break it open, but he could not. The Prisoner hearing it, got up, and asked, Who was there? The Beadle  told him, That he was suspected for stealing away the Church-plate, and they had a Warrant to apprehended him. The Prisoner then  told him, He was a Son of a Bitch, and he had nothing to say to him: And whilst they were breaking open the Door, he run up into a Garret, and got up upon the House, and ran along several houses in his Shirt only, when they found he was fl●d, they made it their business to catch him; And in order thereto a Youth was sent up, and at the end of the House he spied him: when he approached near, he said, You Son of a Bitch, get you gone, or I will split your Brains with a Tile; this nothing daunted him, for he returned the same expression to him, but presently he came running by the Young-man, and then there was the Beadle, that lay in ambush for him, so that he leaped-out of the Frying-pan into the Fire.  
He that Scylla seeks to shun,  
Doth often on Charibdis run.  
When he was thus backset and foreset, he could not hope for a release, but by the danger of breaking his N●ck, so that he unwillingly became their Captive. At his Indictment he would not pled, because a man was to give Evidence against him, that was a Party concerned; so that when nothing would prevail to make him pled, he was sentenced to be prest to Death: But through the Sheriffs intercession, he was persuaded to pled; and then the Court would hardly be persuaded to revoke the Sentence I but upon his Knees he entreated them very importu●ately: at last they condisc●nded to grant him more favour than he did deserve, v●z. A legal Trial; and then it was proved, that he was one of the three that broken in. There was an Iron-betty shewed, and some small pieces of the Plate, that were found in a house where the Plate was sold by his and their orders: It was proved that he was one of the three, that hide the plate in a Ditch, and received an equal share of the Money. And the Woman that had it of them, sold it to another for Three skill. Eight Pen. an Ounce: so that the Jury could do no less than find him guilty of the Fact.  
There was a young man and his supposed Wife that were Arraigned for stealing of Thirty pair of Cloath-coloured stockings: He( understanding there were many other Indictments against him) pleaded guilty to all Felonies within the benefit of Clergy: But she refused to pled, saying, That she was his Wife, and therefore bound to keep his secrets: but at last she pleaded, she was acquitted, and he found guilty.  
There were Three counsellors arraigned for murdering a Young-Woman; they went towards Kintish-Town, and there they spied her with Milk: One of them asked for some to drink; But she would not give them any: They gave and received some provoking words, which stirred them up to blows; several of her Acquaintance took her part, and routed the counsellors. But before her Assistants came in, she had gotten some bruises. This was on Friday, and she died on the Mundy following. They were acquitted both of the Murder and Me●slaughter; and they owe great thanks to a merc●ful Middlesex-Jury.  
There was a soldier tried for stealing away a Marble-stone of the value of eighteen shillings from Sc●tland-yard: It was proved that he laid it on the Porters back and proffered to sell it; so that the Jury could do no less then find him guilty of petty L●rceny, and that was a favour too, for they might have brought him in guilty of Felony, and then he would have been one step more nearer related to Tyburn.  
There was likewise two men more tried for the stealing of St. Giles's Plate: one was the Smith that made the B●ity, to whose how e they carried the Plate, who pleaded innocency at the bar, but there was one of the Thieves that gave Evidence against all the rest, that swore he had made above twenty Betties: He then said, he never had any knowledge of any Betty but his Wife, they were both found guilty.  
A Woman was tried for murdering her Child: Two or three made O●th, that she said the Child was still-born, and afterwards she threw it into a Pond, in regard the Ground was so hard that she could not dig a hole to bury it in; but in regard she did not discover her being with child to any, nor call any in at the birth of the child. She was found guilty by the Jury according to an Act of Parliament in King Edward's time.  
There was a Youth, who appeared to be about seventeen years of Age, indicted for a Robbery: for that he and two more robbed a young man a little beyond Islington of about eight pounds in Money. It was about eight of the clock in the evening in March last. The Prosecutor knew this youth but durst ●ake no notice of him for fear they should have killed him; for the Moon did shine bright, insomuch that he could discern him as well by that as a clear light; and therefore he was very positive and confident in his affirmation. Notwithstanding several came in to testify that at that hour when he was accused for the Robbery, he was at the Musick-●o●se in W●itechapp●l, but he was found guilty.  
There was a young man tried for a Burglary committed at Thistleworth, he took out of a house two Flitches of bacon several pounds of beef, a leg of pork, and some wearing clothes, but he that was accused was acquitted, because they only made Oath that he was there in the morning, and this was d●ne in the night following; he drank a pot of beer in the house, and looked up into the Chimney where the bacon hung, and commended it for good bacon, he had formerly suffered for such like misdemeanours; and that was one reason why he was suspected, his commending the bacon might be another; but the greatest was, because they found thee with which he that owned the bacon, made near the house where the prisoner lodged, which was at least two miles from the place where the fact was committed.  
There were two women indicted for stealing a piece of Si●k from a Mercer in the City, but they were not both arraigned, for one of them was brought a bed of a Newgate bide; and the other refused her trial, because her sister Shop lift could not come to take her trial, but at last she took a trial, and the other too: she was acquitted, the other found guilty of this, and was burned in the hand last Sessions.  
There was an honest Country man tried for stealing a Calf; but it was another that stolen it, and sold it to him; who confessed it at the bar, so that the other was acquitted, and the Prosecutor blamed for indicting him that bought it; but he excused himself, by saying that the other was not taken when he was indicted. Thus you see, the righteous oft suffer far the sinners sake.  
There was two young men tried for breaking open a Merchants house, and both brought in guilty of the Fact.  
Another young man was arraigned for murder, heard two more were throwing stones at one another in Clerkenwell-Green, and it was his hard misfortune to be too good a marks man, for he hit one of them under the ear, and he dyed within three days, so that he was found guilty of Manslaughter.  
There was a young man tried and sound guilty for the felonious taking away of several goods and some money out of some Trunks, which he broken, which were locked in his Landladies Chamber,  
There was a woman found guilty of stealing away a silver Tankard from her Master.  
Sixteen condemned, five burned in the hand;  
And five Transplanted to some other Land:  
Seven ordered to be whipped, and one was fined,  
The Fine was small, because the Court was kind.  
Each of their Crimes were great, therefore I doubt;  
There will be mighty work for catch this 'bout:  
Good Lord deliver all as well as me,  
From Ketches mercy, and the triple three.  
FINIS.