THe 25th of this Instant April began the Sessions at Justice-hall in the Old-Bayly . The remarkable Occurrences there , were as follows :

A fellow of a good Name , but poor Condition , and worse Quality , was Convicted for laying an Embargo on a man whom he met on the Road , by bidding him Stand and Deliver , but to little purpose : for the Traveller had no more Money than a Capuchin , but told him , all the treasure he had was a pound of Tobacco , which he civilly surrendred ; and the pitiful Padder to verifie the Proverb , and play at small Games rather than be idle , accepted . Being violently taken from his person on the Road , this in strict Law was death ; but the Court mixing Mercie with Justice , was pleased to set him by before Condemnation .

A young fellow abusing the Trust reposed in him by a Person of Quality , whom he had the honour to serve , had most ingratefully and treacherously robb'd him of Jewels , Money , &c. to the value of Twelve hundred pounds ; and intending , it seems , to spend it abroad for acquiring some French Accomplishments , was taken on board a Ship at Portsmouth . He pleaded guilty , and begging the favour of Clergy , had it very fully bestow'd upon him . All or most part of the Prize was refunded , and the ingenious Gentleman had only a signal Mark left him of all his booty .

A woman , whose age might have promised more Chastity and prudence , being privately delivered of a Bastard-childe , made shift , by her wickedness , to deprive the poor Infant of that life she had contributed to by her wantonness . She pretended it came by its untimely end , by falling from her body on the floor whilst she unhumanely went from the bed towards the door ; but she concealing it above a week under her Pillow , the Law justly Condemn'd her as a wilful Murtheress .

An old Offender having lately , with two of his Female Confederates , stolen a piece of Stuff from a Gentleman in Ludgate-street , had the impudence , within two days , to take their progress again by the same shop , and being known , he was apprehended , and now Convicted ; and having formerly received the civility of the Warm Iron , was Condemned to die .

A man for Personating another , and in his Name entring into a Recognizance , was convict of Felony ; and truly was so far inexcusable , since another for the like offence but two Sessions ago was Condemn'd and carried to Execution , though under the Gallows he a gracious Reprieve . However , in this Case the Crime being committed only before a Justice of Peace , it was some doubt , whether within the Statute , which makes it Capital ; and so the Court waved Sentencing him to die , discreetly inclining in dubious Cases to favour rather than severity .

The next was a Case wholly extraordinary ; and as it was the first President of Punishment on that most necessary Statute against cutting off Noses , dissiguring and maiming his Majesties Subjects ; so in the Circumstances , for Malice , Cruelty , and Barbarity , it exceeds all the Presidents of former Ages .

A young man of Enfield , being Fellow-servant with a very pretty young maid , pretended Love to her ; but meeting with a Repulse , he consults his Sister , who advised him to get to bed to her , and get her with Childe , and then leave her . This She-devil's Counsel , it seems , the Maid's Vertue hindred him from putting in execution ; and therefore finding all his hopes like to wither , they take new measures : There was no body in Family but these two and an aged Master and Mistriss , who being both in bed , on the 20th of February last , as this innocent Virgin and her treacherous Sweet-heart were sitting together , his own Brother and Sister came and knock'd and call'd him by his name , who open'd the door and let them in ; but no sooner were they entred , but this Sister , more like a Fiend than a Woman , fell upon this harmless Maid , and with a Knife , whilst the other Brother held her , and in a most inhumane manner cut out one of her Eyes , the sight whereof she has lost ; cut her Nose towards the upper part so desperately , that two bones , produced in Court , were since taken out of it ; her Lips they slash'd so , that with much difficulty , and not yet perfectly , she can use them in speech ; two of her Teeth they beat out ; gave her a lamentable wound in the Neck , and two stabs , besides a great wound in the Arm ; all which was testified by the Chirurgeon : and so leaving her thus mangled as dead , went home ; after which the pretended Sweet-heart runs up stairs , wakes his Master and Mistriss , cries out Thieves ; the Neighbours come in , send for a Surgeon : The fellow , to colour his Villainy , pretends to have been knock'd down , and complains of a blow on his forehead , but inconsiderable . After some days the Maid comes to her self , and declares the Authors of this Cruelty : One of the Criminals flies , but was afterwards taken . No theft appeared to have been committed ; so that it being evident that it was a premeditated act of Malice to render her deform'd and unfit for any bodies Addresses , because she would not consent to his desires , all three of them were found guilty within the Statute , which makes such barbarous Assaults Felony without Clergy , and so deservedly received Sentence of Death .

Here was expectation of the Tryal of a Midwife for taking up a Childe out of its Grave , &c. but for some reasons it was put off . Also a horrid Murther was in Easter-week committed in the Hay market by Charing-cross , where a Hackney-Coachman falling out with his Wife about their Horses going to work , in his devilish fury got up a Fire fork , and therewith stabb'd her into the head and several parts of the body , of which wounds , after neer a weeks languishing , she died , and by the Coroners Inquest on the 26th instant it was found wilful Murther ; but the Husband immediately after the blows given , made his escape , and is not since heard of .

There were in all Nine persons , Six men and Three women , Condemn'd ; Nine Burn'd in the Hand ; and Six , for petty Larceny , to be Whip'd at the Carts Tayl.