Hail!

A true narrative of the proceedings at the Sessions House in the Old Bailey, beginning on the 11th of this instant July, 1677, wherein is contained the trial of the woman for committing that odious sin of buggery with a dog; and likewise of the man for buggering of two mares. With the trial of the young maid that poisoned her mother, a maid, and two gentlewomen, and all the rest of the most remarkable trials there, with an account of how many are condemned to die, how many burned in the hand, to be whipped and transported.

One of the first and most talked of trials at this Sessions was for such an abominable crime, attended with such odious circumstances as it is thought scarce any story can parallel it, especially in this, our more modest and chaster climate, hitherto a stranger to such unnatural wickedness; and we hope the justice executed on this wretched criminal will deter all others from any the like detestable inclinations for the future.

A married woman lately living without Cripplegate who appeared to be between 30 and 40 years of age was arraigned for that, she having not the fear of God before her eyes nor regarding the order of Nature, on the 23rd of June last, to the disgrace of all womankind, did commit buggery with a certain mongrel dog, and wickedly, devilishly, and against nature had venereal and carnal copulation with him, etc. It was proved that the prisoner was a person of a lewd conversation, and lodging in a room into which there were several holes to look in at from the next house, they had often seen her in the very acts of uncleanness with villains that followed her. But one day one of the witnesses (a young woman) happening to cast her eye in, saw her use such actions with a dog as are not fit here to be recited, at which being amazed, she called up another woman, and after that a man, who all saw her several times practising this beastliness, and fully evidenced the same in court, where the dog was likewise brought, and being sat on the bar before the prisoner, owned her by wagging his tail and making motions as it were to kiss her, which it was sworn she did when she made that horrid use of him. For herself she had nothing to say, but denying the fact, alledging it was malice in the witnesses which her husband, who appeared on her behalf, likewise suggested, but could not make out any quarrel or occasion of any such malice in the least; whereupon after full consideration of all circumstances she was brought in guilty.

Yet cannot the bearded sex, though pretending a stronger reason, jostle on this unhappy precedent upbraid the weaker vessels or tax them with this dishonour, for the very next arraignment was of a fellow for buggery of a mare. The evidence against him testified that they saw him in the fields beyond Shoreditch on Sunday the 17th of June amongst the brick kilns, driving a white mare to a small heap of bricks which he had laid together, and there used most unnatural and brutish endeavours several times, and after that to another bay mare, but being near threescore yards distant, they could not make that direct and positive proof which the law exacts, so that he was acquitted on that indictment. At the bar he behaved himself as one insensible, scarce speaking a word for himself, save only that he did no harm. He confessed he lately came out of Kent to seek as he said for work, and within 3 or 4 days after his coming up was apprehended in this beastly action.

The last Sessions an ancient man keeping a victualling house was arraigned for stealing a black mare. The case was somewhat strange: on the 9th of May last between 4 and 5 in the morning, a person leading this mare tied her to the pales of this house and went in to drink, and after one pot went away, pretending to come again presently, the mare stood there till 4 o’ clock in the afternoon. Then, the victualler took care of her, put her to grass and shortly after was taken on her back by the owner who thereupon indicted him last Sessions, though two men who saw the person that brought her thither, attending then to give evidence on behalf of the victualler, happened to see and seize one in the Sessions House Yard (between the time of his arraignment and trial) whom they said was the man that brought the mare; whereupon the court being ready to break up, the victualler’s trial was put off, and this person taken into custody. The witnesses now spoke home that he was the man, but he absolutely denying it, endeavouring to prove where he was that night, and several people of fashion attesting his former good conversation, credit, and estate, and it not being improbable but the witnesses might mistake one they never saw but once, and then only transiently without any occasion to take particular notice of him, the jury thought fit to bring him not guilty; as likewise they did the said victualler; but (according to the proverb) the man has his mare again, and all is well.

A carman who unhappily run his car over a child in Busts Lane was indicted for murder, but it appearing to be by the child’s accidental falling from a bench just as he was passing, without his seeing of it or any default in him, he was acquitted.

A young wench was convicted for stealing four small gold plates off a silversmith’s stall, whereof one was taken upon her.

A boy not above eleven years old being sent by a gentleman in his master’s house up stairs to fetch a pair of pistols, not suspecting them to be loaded, and thinking to frighten the servant maid with flashing a little powder which was in the pan, discharged it, and thereby unhappily killed her, for which he was brought in guilty of manslaughter.

A fellow being indicted for stealing a piece of cloth out of a shop in Cheapside. One of the witnesses was a porter who could not directly prove the felony. The other that could have done it was a young man who out of a foolish bigotry refused to take an oath, and after the court had long endeavoured from scripture and reason to answer all his erroneous scruples, finding him still obstinate, committed him to the bail-dock to be proceeded against and fined according to the statue in that case provided; and his master who was bound to prosecute being sent for, he affronting the court by putting on his hat and the like insolent carriage, was committed to keep his man company till he should find sureties for his good behaviour; but in the mean time the felon escaped and wishes all the town of this silly religion.

An old notorious offender indicted for breaking a house and stealing a flitch of bacon and other things, for want of exact proof escaped thereupon; but it appeared he was lately transported on a conditional pardon, and had come over within the time to practice his rogueries afresh, whereby his life was legally forfeited.

An apprentice was indicted for stealing 80 l. from his master; but it appearing that satisfaction had been already accepted, and that the sum embezzled was far less, he was brought in only guilty to the value of 10 d.

A young man that occasioned the death of a man near Bow Church in Cheapside in the last Whitson Holidays took a trial for the same, a woman that was in company with the person killed swore that the prisoner gave the first affront by pushing by the other as they met, but three others witnessed that the deceased first quarrelled with and beat the prisoner, and being like to choke him with pulling his cravat, after several entreaties to be quiet, the prisoner drew his sword, and wthout making any pass, as they were struggling together, the man unhappily received a mortal wound; which was brought in manslaughter, and the prisoner burned in the hand for the same.

There succeeded a long and remarkable trial of a young girl for murdering her own mother by poison. The prosecution was grounded wholly upon her own voluntary confession, and several worthy persons proved that she had acknowledged it to them, and also that she for several times endeavoured to poison a Lady with whom she lived, though through mercy she had recovered and was in health again. But that not immediately concerning the present case, and the girl denying the poisoning of her mother now at the bar, as likewise for that it did not appear that her mother was at all poisoned, or any suspicion raised thereon, she was brought in not guilty.

There were in all ten burned in the hand this Sessions. Two men and five women received sentence of death, amongst whom that monster who prostituted herself to a dog was one; the rest incorrigible thieves, and three for petty crimed ordered to be whipped.

Printed in 1677.

A true and perfect relation of the taking and destroying of a sea-monster, as it was attested by Mr. Francis Searson, a surgeon, who was present at the killing of him.

On the 10th of September last we discovered this Sea-Monster upon the coast of Denmark, which at first surprised us, for the female was also with him, tumbling in the water very near him, thereby causing great waves both about and before them, which, as we came near, we perceived they performed by plunging themselves sometimes under water, and other times by tossing up their tails, which were very large and broad. The female was much less both in length and bulk than the male, and being advanced nearer, we had full view of them both, their upper parts being visible above water.

We were now within cannon-shot, whereupon the Captain ordered some guns to be forthwith fired at them, and 2 or 3 balls very happily wounded the male in the head, which made them separate, and the male immediately made to the shore, which was about 2 leagues distance. Upon which the Captain gave orders to sail after him and when at some convenient distance, manned out two boats with men, each to attack him. The Monster made resistance by moving about in the water, and with his tail killed 3 of the men in one boat, which so terrified the boat’s crew, that they threw one of their oars at him, which he hastily arched up in his hand, and mounted aloft into the air, and for some hours forced blood out of his nose (like water out of an engine) which fell in great quantities into the boats, and upon the men, which encouraged them to attack him more vigorously, perceiving that he was wounded. He continually tumbled about in his defence, gaped, foamed and made a most hideous noise at his mouth, and stunk excessively, and we were 24 hours in destroying him.

The female kept at some distance all the time, and appeared to be very disconsolate, and made sometimes towards the 2 boats, and other times the ship, who sent several shots after her, which caused her to keep at the greater distance. In this attack his head and one of his hands were much shattered, so that we cut off only one of his hands, by reason of the prodigious weight of the other parts, being also in fear of the females attacking our boats in our return to the ship, having spent much time in viewing and measuring the several parts, which are as follows:

The whole creature weighed (according to computation) at least 50 tons, and was 70 feet in length. The upper part resembles a man, from the middle downwards he was a fish, had fins, and a forked tail. His head was of a great bulk, contained several hundreds of weight, and had a terrible aspect. He had short, coarse and curled hair upon his head. His nose was long and large. His eyes were also large, and so were both his ears. His mouth was answerable, for when he opened it, it was at least 2 yards wide. His teeth were thick, long and sharp. His chin was 2 feet long, and had a beard 16 feet long. His neck was 1 yard long and 4 yards round. His arms large […] each. This hand is 5 feet and a half long, 2 feet 3 inches broad, and weighs near […]

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Printed in 1699.

A sad account of the unhappy and deplorable torture, and terrible death of Mr. Parker a tobacconist at Shaklewel near Hackney; who was miserably torn and mangled by three dogs, his legs and arms being almost gnawed in pieces by them in such a dreadful and terrible manner, that he died in sad pain and torture on Monday morning last and was buried at Hackney on Wednesday, the 18th of September 1700.

Many and various are the sudden accidents, and deplorable misfortunes that all mortals here below are daily subject to; being one hour in health, and many times before the next snatched into eternity, and not always by natural sickness and sudden distempers of the body, but sometimes by dreadful, strange and uncommon accidents; for though the best of mankind has but one life to lose, yet there are a thousand ways whereby he may be deprived of it, and that too, when he the least expects it, as this unhappy instance following most sadly demonstrates.

Mr. Parker, an eminent tobacconist, for the convenience of the fresh air was taking a lodging at Shaklewel near Hackney at the house of one Mr. Clark where he had continued for some time. Being a single man, he only trafficked without keeping any shop, and so lived retired and privately at the place aforesaid. But on Friday the 6th of this instant, he was invited to the eating of a pig at Elford, where he went accordingly with some others, and was very merry till towards the evening, at which time several of the company (being Londoners) accompanied him to Kingsland, where they set up their horses after having drank together.

It growing towards ten of the clock, and being then very dark, they thought it advisable to walk over the field with him till he was out of the danger of foot pads, which accordingly they did, accompanying him till he was as far as the ponds in Shaklewel, where they took their leave of him, desiring him when he was over the Green to give them notice by a hallow or such like noise, assuring him they would stay till they heard him. So after he was about the middle, and thinking himself past all danger, he gave them the appointed signal, which his friends hearing bid him good night and departed to Kingsland and so for London. But the unfortunate Mr. Parker, though not far from his own Lodging, had with his loud speaking to his friends roused three great dogs belonging to a cowkeeper near the Green which came rushing out upon him with such sudden fury that he was not long able to defend himself from their unmerciful jaws, for he having but a small stick in his hand, and none coming to his assistance though he often cried out for help, they at length got him down, and all three tore his legs and arms in a sad and dreadful manner, especially the Bull Bitch who first seized upon his legs, the Mastiff and Spaniel tearing him by the shoulder and arms. During this time, though he was in great torture, he with much difficulty got his knife out of his pocket and would have killed the Bull Bitch with it had not the Spaniel unfortunately at the same instant gripped him by the wrist with such violence that he could hold his knife no longer, but let it fall out of his hand and thereupon was forced to submit to their ravenous and devouring fury for a time, but when he did not strive they were less enraged; insomuch that recovering some breath he got the great dog under him several times, but not finding his knife he was totally over-powered, and tortured again in a sad and dreadful manner.

But being not able to make any more resistance against them, the great dog beat the other off, and would not let them meddle with him, and at last went away himself, whereupon finding they were gone, though very much torn, he got on his legs and was going as well as he could toward his lodgings. But not being able to refrain from groaning and making moan, the same dogs returned again upon him a second time, and pulling him down they lay tearing and sucking his blood till 2 o’ clock the next morning, at which time Justice Tission’s Lady hearing his groan and make a noise awoke her husband who immediately called up his servant and ordered them to arm themselves and see what was the matter, supposing some robbery had been committed. But coming upon the Green, they found to their wonderful amazement the unfortunate Mr. Parker, whom they knew almost torn in pieces, the great Mastiff lying between his legs gnawing his flesh and sucking his blood, whereupon they carried him to his own lodging, it being very near, where notwithstanding all the care of several skilful surgeons, he continued in great pain and torture from Saturday the 7th of this instant till Monday morning last about 9 of the clock, at which time he expired to the great grief of all his sorrowful relations. It was observed that his left leg was almost gnawed quite in sunder, as also one of his arms, being sadly torn and mangled in several parts of his body.

The Coroner’s Inquest sat on him yesterday morning and brought it in ‘accidental misfortune’, and last night he was buried in Hackney Church yard.