THe Sessions for London and Middlesex began May the 26th , and continued to the 28th , where were in all Condemned fourteen persons , four Women and ten Men ; all which women were by a Jury of Matrons found severally to be quick with Child , and so Reprieved till they were Delivered ; and of the men five also , who had not so notoriously offended , as to be totally excluded from Mercy , were put by and exempted from the Severity of Justice .

John Newel and John Biggs had formerly been notoriously Guilty of divers Burglaries , and particularly of breaking out of the Goal of Newgate , and being on new Facts Imprisoned at St. Albans , they were thence removed ; and had not the confidence to plead otherwise than Guilty , as well knowing there were so many Indictments against them , as would certainly do their business .

John Eakins was one of the same Crew , an old Malefactor , who so oft had received Mercy , that now he could expect or hope for it no more .

Richard Spykeman was also Condemned for Burglary , having run through the whole course or stage of Villany . He began first with Dear-stealing , and as the least Rogueries transacted with Impunity , prompt on to the greatest , and single , small , vicious Attempts grow up in time to be perfect Habits ; so he after various over-past Crimes , having been a Water-pad , &c. became so far hardned , as not to stick at any nefarious Acts whatsoever ; and therefore as an Incorrigible Offender , was now thought fit to be mow'd down by the Scythe of Justice .

George D. was an Officer belonging to the Marshals-Court : his crime , for killing the Child of a poor Man ; ( whom he Arrested ) because it cryed out to see its Father mis-used . At the time of his Condemnation , he seemed very remorseful for his Offence , but afterwards appeared ( as some supposed ) more expectant and sollicitous for a Temporal , than any other Pardon .

The substance of the several Crimes as were found at the Sessions were as follows .

A remarkable Tryal was about the Murder of a Constable at the Armitage-stairs , for which a poor Waterman stood Indicted ; there were abundance of Witnesses examined , and the Tryal was very tedious . But the sum of the matter was to this effect : Some Scotchmen , half a dozen or more in all , belonging to a Ship that lay in the River , having been on shore , and 't is probable taking plentiful Cups , as Sailors use , about nine of the Clock at night were returning to their Vessel ; and in order to get to their own Boat , some of them stept through a Boat of the Prisoners , in which there was a Boy , whom a Scotch boy of this company either trod upon or affronted , which made him strike him ; and the Scotchmen as fast fell on the English-boy , who ran and called his Master the Prisoner , and so the Fray encreased : to quell which , the now Prisoner called the Constable living just by , and who was his intimate Friend ; for at his house he used commonly to leave several Tackling belonging to his Boat , and other offices of Kindness frequently pass'd between them . But so it hapned in the Scuffle , it being pretty dark , the Constable's Brains were beat out , supposed to be done with one of their Poies , or Hooks , which they use with their Boats . The Scotchmen shifted for themselves and got away , and a person that was there alledged , that the now Prisoner struck the fatal Blow ; but besides that there was no former Malice , so 't was a most unlikely thing , that he should go to hurt one that was his Friend , and came thither at his request to assist him . So that upon the whole matter , it was believed such witness might possibly be mistaken , in so great an Hurry and Confusion ; so that the Waterman , who had the repute of an honest , civil , quiet man amongst his Neighbours , was Acquitted .

A Person was Convicted for a Robbery in Middlesex , committed in a Victualling-house that stood alone , remote from Neighbours , whither the Prisoner , for some time before the Exploit was committed , used for some days frequently to resort , and seem'd a very civil Guest : but having laid the Design , he and two or three more of his Companions came one Evening , about 9 or 10 of the Clock , before the Doors were shut , there being no body there but the Woman of the house and her Maid ; where presently swearing in a furious manner , they begun to demand her Keys , and this Fellow held the Woman below , whilst the rest went up stairs and ransackt her Trunks , &c. taking away in Money and Goods to the value of near Twenty Pounds ; and then binding the Woman and her Servant , went away with the Booty . The Woman , whilst the rest were making havock above , seeing her self like to be quite undone , wept bitterly , and said to the now Prisoner who held her below , Alas , Sir , I did not imagine that you would have dealt thus by me ! To which all the Answer the hard-hearted Villain returned , was with a scornful Smile , No indeed Landlady , I believe you did not . He had then a Perriwig on , and other Cloaths , but the Woman knew him by his Voice ; and the Maid swore directy that he was the man : And so he was found Guilty .

An old fellow , one of those that broke out of the Goal , and upon their retaking at St. Albons being brought up , were publickly exposed with Collars about their Necks , to the view of the people without Newgate , having now several Indictments against him ; when he was required to plead to the first , said , He was Guilty of that and whatsoever else should be brought against him ; and being thereupon asked , Why he would plead so unadvisedly , and whether he had a minde to cast away his Life , answered , That he were as good cast it away himself , for he was sure he should be Hang'd . And indeed he had no reason to promise himself a better Destiny , for he had been a notorious Housebreaker , and the occasion of many other mens ruine , by his bad Example , and pernicious Counsel and Enticement .

A kind of Distracted Woman was Arraigned for stealing a great sum of Money ; but she seemed to take no notice of , nor understand any thing that was said against her ; and the Officers of the Jail affirmed , that ever since her Commitment , she appeared to them as a person Lunatick , or not compos mentis ; and therefore in respect of her condition she was set aside .

A young man was found guilty of a Felony and Burghlary in London , breaking into an House that he was well acquainted at in the night , and stealing thence a Gold Watch and other things , to the value of one hundred pounds and upwards .

A Bailey belonging to the Marshals-Court , going to Arrest a poor man for a Debt of seven shillings , and according to the usual Cruelty and barbarousness of those savage Cattle , beating and dragging him along ; a Child of the mans , seeing her Father so used , cryed out : whereupon this bruitish fellow turn'd about and struck the poor Child a blow on the head with a great Cudgel , so furiously , that a Gentleman that saw it , testified it was enough to have knockt down the stoutest man . However , the Child was for the present recovered to life , and by the help of a Surgeon , the Wound in some time seemed to be healed , but still she complained of her Head , and seemed to languish ever after , and not long after dyed ; so that it was concluded he was the occasion of her death , and accordingly the Jury found him guilty .

An Ale-house-keeper was likewise Indicted for killing a poor weak man , whom 't was said he kickt ; but the proof not being positive , and the party deceased having long been known to be very infirm , he was acquitted .

Two Shop-lifts were Convicted of Felony for stealing of three pieces of Damask Silk out of a shop in London , where they came pretending to buy Diaper , and whilst the man went to reach it , they got the silk ; but he soon missed it , and pursuing them , they according to the usual tricks of Practitioners in that Mystery were seen to drop it .

A Woman that came to be a Servant in a Gentlemans house , before she had been there five days , took an opportunity to Rob them of a considerable parcel of Plate and some Money , and carried it down into the Countrey by a Carrier ; being discovered , was now Indicted together with the said Carrier , and she was found Guilty : but the Carrier being a very honest man , and nothing Criminal proved against him , was deservedly Acquitted .

Two persons were charg'd with High-Treason for Coyning , and some suspicious Circumstances were made out ; but if they design'd any such thing , they were but Bunglers at the Trade ; and there being no punctual Proof , they were found Not Guilty .