Summaries of the True Bills: James I

Middlesex County Records: Volume 2, 1603-25. Originally published by Middlesex County Record Society, London, 1887.

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'Summaries of the True Bills: James I', in Middlesex County Records: Volume 2, 1603-25, (London, 1887) pp. 287-314. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/middx-county-records/vol2/pp287-314 [accessed 19 March 2024]

James I

(48.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 1 JAMES I.

Persons indicted for burglary 29
" " " horse-stealing 6
" " " larceny 40
" " " larceny with housebreaking 9
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 15
" " " manslaughter 2
Person " " murder 1
Persons " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 9
Person " " pig-stealing 1
Persons " " sheep-stealing 8
Persons indicted for capital felonies 120
Persons convicted of petty larceny, all of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 6
Persons indicted for assault and battery 7
Person " " assault with dagger 1
Persons " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty 5
Person " " cheating and cosening 1
" " " keeping an ale-house without licence 1
Persons " " keeping brothels 2
" " " not coming to church &c. 5
" " " nuisance, in putting a dunghill on public ground 5
Person " " quarrelling and fomenting quarrels 1
Persons " " refusing to keep watch 3
Persons convicted of capital felonies 53
" acquitted of " " 38
Capital felons confessing indictments, eight of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 16
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 2
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 24
" " sentenced to be hung—males 26, females 2 28
" " reprieved—before judgment 1, after judgment 2 3
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 22
Capital felons described in the indictments as "late of London" 37

(49.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 2 JAMES I.

Person indicted for bigamy 1
Persons " " burglary 9
" " " horse-stealing 13
" " " larceny 34
" " " larceny with housebreaking 6
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 16
" " " manslaughter 4
" " " murder 4
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 8
" " " pig-stealing 2
Person " " rape 1
Persons indicted for capital felonies 98
Persons convicted of petty larceny, two of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 8
Persons indicted for assault and battery 12
" " " assault with sword &c. 4
" " " assembling riotously and making riot 7
" " " cheating and cosening 3
Person " " keeping an ale-house without licence 1
Persons " " not coming to church &c. 35
Person " " nuisance, in keeping swine offensively 1
Persons " " quarrelling and fomenting discords &c. 2
Person " " trespass, in taking away a horse 1
Persons " " vagabondage 5
Persons convicted of capital felonies 53
" acquitted of " " 28
Capital felons confessing indictments, nine of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 14
Culprit standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 1
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 21
" " sentenced to be hung—males 26, female 1 27
" " reprieved—before judgment 5, after judgment 1 6
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 5
Capital felons described in the indictments as "late of London" 42

(50.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 3 JAMES I.

Number of Persons.
Persons indicted for burglary 29
" " " horse-stealing 6
" " " larceny 34
" " " larceny with housebreaking 9
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 15
" " " manslaughter 2
Person " " murder 1
Persons " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 9
Person " " pig-stealing 1
Persons " " sheep-stealing 8
Persons indicted for capital felonies 114
Persons convicted of petty larceny, all of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 6
Persons indicted for assault and battery 7
Person " " assault with dagger 1
Persons " " assembling riotously &c, and hindering officers in the execution of their duty 9
Person " " cheating and cosening 1
" " " keeping an ale-house without licence 1
Persons " " keeping brothels 2
" " " not coming to church &c. 37
" " " nuisance, in putting dung &c. and keeping dunghills on public ground near highways 5
" " " refusing to keep watch 3
Persons convicted of capital felonies 53
" acquitted of " " 32
Capital felons confessing indictments, eight of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 16
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 2
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 24
" " sentenced to be hung—males 26, females 2 28
" " reprieved—before judgment 1, after judgment 2 3
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 22
Capital felons described in the indictments as "late of London" 37

(51.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 4 JAMES I.

Persons indicted for burglary 18
" " " horse-stealing 4
Persons indicted for larceny 18
" " " larceny with housebreaking 4
" " " larcenies from the person (done with violence), including highway robberies 15
" " " manslaughter 3
" " " murder 7
" " " witchcraft 2
Persons indicted for capital felonies 71
Persons convicted of petty larceny 4
Persons indicted for assault and battery 6
" " " assault with sword 3
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty &c. 4
" " " assembling riotously and breaking windows &c. 10
Person " " encroaching on a highway 1
Persons " " not coming to church &c. 86
Person " " nuisance, in keeping dogs offensively 1
Persons " " quarrelling and fomenting discords &c. 2
Persons convicted of capital felonies 38
" acquitted of " " 18
Capital felons confessing indictments, all of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 4
Culprit standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 1
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 8
" " sentenced to be hung—males 19, females 2 21
" " reprieved—before judgment 9 9
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 10
Capital felons described in the indictments as "late of London" 25

(52.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 5 JAMES I.

Catholic priest indicted for being and remaining traitorously in the country 1
Person indicted for bigamy 1
Persons " " burglary 11
Person " " fowl-stealing 1
Persons " " horse-stealing 10
" " " larceny 46
" " " larceny with housebreaking 3
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 19
" " " manslaughter 4
Persons indicted for murder 8
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 12
Person " " pig-stealing 1
" " " rape 1
" " " sheep-stealing 1
Persons convicted for capital felonies 119
Persons convicted of petty larceny, two of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 14
Persons convicted of assault and battery 11
" " " assault with the sword &c. 3
" " " assaulting and hindering officers in the performance of their duty 3
" " " assembling riotously and making riot 9
" " " carrying away an obligatory writing 2
" " " keeping brothels 2
" " " not coming to church &c. 112
" " " nuisance, in keeping swine offensively 2
Person " " nuisance, in throwing filthy water into a public place 1
Persons " " playing unlawful games 2
" " " quarrelling and inciting to breach of peace 3
" " " stopping a water-course 5
Persons convicted of capital felonies 66
" acquitted of " " 43
Capital felons confessing indictments, eight of them following up their confessions by pleading benefit of clergy 11
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 3
Capital felons pleading benefit of clergy 26
" " sentenced to be hung—males 30, females 3 33
" " reprieved—before judgment 4, after judgment 6 10
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 4
Capital felons described in the indictments as "late of London" 51

(53.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 6 JAMES I.

Persons indicted for bigamy 3
" " " burglary 15
" " " horse-stealing 6
" " " larceny 80
" " " larceny with housebreaking 17
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 44
" " " manslaughter 5
" " " murder 4
Persons indicted for ox (cow &c.) stealing 2
" " " sheep-stealing 6
Persons indicted for capital felonies 182
Persons convicted of petty larceny, nine of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 25

Memoranda on the indictments show that, in respect to two of the nine culprits so convicted on indictments for grand larceny, and six of the other culprits, it was ordered that they should be delivered "on payment of the fee." The amount of the fee does not appear.

Persons indicted for assault and battery 15
" " " assault with sword &c. 6
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty 11
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 14
" " " building a new cottage and placing a tenant in it, without assigning four acres of land to the habitation 5
Person " " building a new house against the form of a certain statute, and building it without gutters so that the rainfallfrom its roof annoyed passers-by 1
" " " keeping an ale-house without licence 1
Persons " " keeping bowling-alleys 2
Person " " keeping a brothel 1
Persons " " not coming to church 125
" " " playing unlawful games 10
" " " quarrelling and inciting to breach of peace &c. 2
" " " selling ale by short measure 18
Person " " selling unwholesome flesh for human food 1
Persons " " stopping water-courses 6
Person " " trespass, in breaking riotously into a house 1
Also, three several informations against brewers for supplying unlicensed ale-house-keepers with ale and beer, in excess of their lawful requirements, against the form of a certain statute of 4 James I.; the number of the brewers thus informed against being 3
Persons convicted of capital felonies 89
" acquitted of " " 56
Capital felons confessing indictments, eleven of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 20
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 6
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 34
" " sentenced to be hung—males 42, females 7 49
" " reprieved—before judgment 6, after judgment 3 9
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 22
Capital felons described in the indictments as "late of London" 59

(54.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 7 JAMES I.

Number of Persons.
Persons indicted for burglary 34
" " " coining false money 4
" " " clipping and diminishing the king's current money 2
" " " horse-stealing 24
" " " larceny 104
" " " larceny with housebreaking 20
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 25
" " " manslaughter 14
" " " murder 8
" " " ox ('cow &c.) stealing 5
" " " pig-stealing 2
" " " rape 6
" " " sheep-stealing 18
Person " " witchcraft 1
Persons indicted for capital felonies 267
Persons convicted of petty larceny, six of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 39

It was adjudged that of these thirty-nine culprits twenty-six should be delivered on payment of ihe fee, and thirteen be whipt and then delivered on payment of the fee.

Persons indicted for assault and battery 17
" " " assault with sword &c. 4
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty 5
Person " " building a new stable against the form of a certain statute 1
Persons " " cheating and cosening 3
Person " " enticing an apprentice to neglect his master's service and spend his master's money on harlots 1
Persons " " following vocations without having served apprenticeships to them 2
" " " forcible entry and disseisin 6
Person " " keeping an ale-house without licence 1
Persons " " not coming to church &c. 96
Person " " nuisance, in building a cottage without a roof-gutter to carry off the rainfall 1
" " " nuisance, in keeping swine offensively 1
Persons " " nuisance, in stopping public ways 2
Person " " nuisance, in stopping a water-course 1
" " " selling unwholesome flesh for human food 1
" " " taking away a tame stag 1
Person indicted for trespass, in intruding into the King's palace (Whitehall) and the Prince of Wales's palace (St. James's) without licence 1
Persons " " trespassing riotously on private ground 5
" " " trespassing on private ground and taking away lead 3
Also, Informations for supplying unlicensed ale-house-keepers with ale and beer in excess of their lawful requirements against two brewers 2
Persons convicted of capital felonies 137
" acquitted of " " 96
Capital felons confessing indictments, twenty-six of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 38
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 3
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 57
" " sentenced to be hung—males 56, females 4 60
" " reprieved—before judgment 12, after judgment 5 17
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 26
Capital felons described in the indictments as "late of London" 115

(55.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 8 JAMES I.

Persons indicted for bigamy 6
" " " burglary 32
" " " horse-stealing 20
" " " larceny 85
" " " larceny with housebreaking 4
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 34
" " " manslaughter 13
" " " murder 4
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 5
Person " " pig-stealing 1
Persons " " sheep-stealing 4
Persons indicted for capital felonies 208
Persons convicted of petty larceny, seven of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 24
All of these twenty-four culprits were sentenced to be whipt and pay the fee before being delivered.
Person indicted for abducting a rich widow and detaining her against her will 1
Persons " " assault and battery 21
Persons indicted for assault with sword &c. 5
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty 9
" " " breaking into a garden and cutting down fruit-trees 2
Person " " keeping an ale-house without licence 1
Persons " " keeping brothels 2
" " " not coming to church &c. 69
Person " " nuisance, in blocking a public way with carts 1
" " " nuisance, in keeping a slaughter-house offensively 1
Persons " " nuisance, in keeping swine offensively 2
Person " " nuisance, in throwing bones and hoofs of animals on a highway 1
Persons " " vagabondage 6
Persons convicted of capital felonies 93
" acquitted of " " 73
Capital felons confessing indictments, eleven of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 17
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 6
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 42
" " sentenced to be hung—males 42, females 3 45
" " reprieved—before judgment 6, after judgment 1 7
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 26
Capital felons described in the indictments as "late of London" 81

(56.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 9 JAMES I.

Persons indicted for burglary 43
" " " horse-stealing 12
" " " larceny 97
" " " larceny with housebreaking 12
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 25
" " " manslaughter 2
" " " murder 9
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 5
" " " pig-stealing 2
" " " sheep-stealing 4
Persons indicted for capital felonies 211
Persons convicted of petty larceny, fifteen of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 32

Of these thirty-two culprits, twenty-seven were sentenced to be whipt, before being delivered on payment of the fee. Three of the remaining five were ordered to be delivered on payment of the fee. In respect to the sentences on the other two, the bills afford no information.

Number of Persons.
Persons indicted for assault and battery 32
" " " assault with sword &c. 2
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty 2
" " " assembling riotously and making riot 7
Person " " building new cottages &c. without assigning four acres of land to each or any-one of them 1
" " " following a vocation without having served an apprenticeship to it 1
Persons " " forcible entry and disseisin 5
Person " " harbouring ill-disposed and suspected persons 1
" " " keeping an ale-house without licence 1
Persons " " keeping brothels 2
Person " " keeping a disorderly house during divine service 1
Persons " " not coming to church &c. 84
Person " " nuisance, in defiling the water of a public pond and spring by cleaning hides therein 1
" " " nuisance, in keeping swine offensively 1
" " " removing a wooden post set in a highway 1
" " " taking away a child and cheating 1
Persons convicted of capital felonies 98
" acquitted of " " 75
Capital felons confessing indictments, twelve of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 15
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 2
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 43
" " sentenced to be hung—males 41, females 6 47
" " reprieved—before judgment 7, after judgment 1 8
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 28
Capital felons described in the indictments as "late of London" 82

(57.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 10 JAMES I.

Person indicted for bigamy 1
Persons " " burglary 17
" " " horse-stealing 5
" " " larceny 47
" " " larceny with housebreaking 3
" " " larcenies from the person done with violence, including highway robberies 15
Person " " manslaughter 1
Persons " " murder 3
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 4
Person " " rape 1
" " " sheep-stealing 1
Persons indicted for capital felonies 98
Persons convicted of petty larceny, ten of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 13

All of these thirteen culprits were sentenced to be whipt, nothing being said of the obligation of any one of them to pay a fee before delivery. It is also worthy of remark that in the ensuing files of this reign, nothing appears on any bill to notify that a culprit convicted of petty larceny was required to pay a fee before enlargement.

Persons indicted for assault and battery 28
Person " " assault with sword 1
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty 1
Persons " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 15
Person " " breaking into a chase and killing deer 1
" " " cheating by means of counterfeit letters 1
" " " following a vocation without having been apprenticed to it 1
Persons " " not coming to church &c. 89
Person " " nuisance, in putting cartloads of dirt on a highway 1
" " " trespassing and taking away lead 1
" " " vagrancy 1
Persons convicted of capital felonies 38
" acquitted of " " 50
Capital felons confessing indictments, four of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 6
" " pleading and having benefit of clergy 14
" " sentenced to be hung—males 20, females 2 22
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 5
Capital felons described in the indictments as "late of London" 11

(58.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 11 JAMES I.

Persons indicted for burglary 56
" " " horse-stealing 9
" " " larceny 147
" " " larceny with housebreaking 10
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 35
" " " manslaughter 12
" " " murder 11
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 12
" " " pig-stealing 3
Person " " rape 1
Persons " " sheep-stealing 21
Person indicted for unnatural offence 1
Persons indicted for capital felonies 318
Persons convicted of petty larceny, thirty-seven of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 47

All these forty-seven culprits were sentenced to be whipt.

Persons indicted for assault and battery 28
" " " assault with sword &c. 3
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty &c. 7
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 8
Person " " cheating and cosening 1
Persons " " entering a house forcibly and breaking its windows 2
Person " " extortion by colour of office &c. 1
" " " keeping an ale-house without licence 1
" " " keeping a bowling-alley 1
Persons " " keeping brothels 8
" " " neglecting to repair public ways 8
" " " not coming to church &c. 91
Person " " nuisance, in neglecting to repair a ruinous cottage, likely to fall on a public way 1
Constables " " for permitting vagrants to escape without punishment 3
Persons " " selling bread by short weight 9
Person " " selling beer by short measure 1
Persons " " shooting and killing pigeons 2
" " " trespassing on private ground and breaking down palings 3
" " " unlawful arrest and imprisonment
Person " " vagabondage 1
Also, Informations for supplying unlicensed keepers of ale-houses with ale and beer in excess of their lawful requirements, against five brewers 5
Persons convicted of capital felonies 134
" acquitted of " " 146
Capital felons confessing indictments, nine of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 15
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 2
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 45
" " sentenced to be hung—males 72, females 4 76
" " reprieved—before judgment 13, after judgment 8 21
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 24
Capital felons described in the indictments as "late of London" 4

(59.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 12 JAMES I.

Number of Persons.
Persons indicted for burglary 64
" " " coining false money 2
" " " horse-stealing 13
" " " larceny 117
" " " larceny with housebreaking 8
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 13
" " " manslaughter 2
" " " murder 8
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 7
" " " pig-stealing 3
" " " sheep-stealing 13
" " " witchcraft 2
Persons indicted for capital felonies 252
Persons convicted of petty larceny, thirty-nine of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 48

All these forty-eight culprits were sentenced to be whipt.

Persons indicted for abducting an heiress aged fourteen years 3
" " " assault and battery 20
" " " assault with sword 3
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty 8
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 12
" " " cutting a leaden water-conduit 3
Person " " extortion by colour of office 1
Persons " " following vocations without having served apprenticeships to them 4
" " " not coming to church &c. 130
Person " " refusing to take a certain oath of the statute of 3 James I., entitled "An Acte for the better discoveringe and repressing of Popishe Recusants" 1
Persons " " selling bread by short weight 3
" " " taking away pieces of iron 2
" " " vagabondage 4
Person " " wounding a man by driving a cart over his head 1
Also, Informations for ingrossing against 1
" " " building cottages without assigning four acres of land to each or any of them, against 2
" " " supplying unlicensed ale-house-keepers with ale and beer in excess of their lawful requirements against brewers 2
" " " selling beer at excessive price against brewers 6
Persons convicted of capital felonies 92
" acquitted of " " 112
Capital felons confessing indictments, ten of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 12
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 4
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 35
" " sentenced to be hanged—males 48, females 6 54
" " reprieved—before judgment 2, after 7 9
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 16
Capital felons described in the indictments as " late of London " 4

(60.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 13 JAMES I.

Person indicted for bigamy 1
Persons " " burglary 50
Person " " fabricating counterfeit Letters Patent, under an impression of the King's Great Seal, taken from another patent 1
Persons " " fowl-stealing 3
" " " horse-stealing 21
" " " larceny 106
" " " larceny with housebreaking 12
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 36
" " " manslaughter 4
" " " murder 3
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 5
" " " pig-stealing 4
Person " " rape 1
Persons " " sheep-stealing 10
" " " witchcraft 3
Persons indicted for capital felonies 260
Persons convicted of petty larceny, nineteen of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 24

All twenty-four culprits were sentenced to be whipt.

Persons indicted for assault and battery 63
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty &c. 4
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 13
" " " " " and wrecking a house 9
" " " breaking into a close and killing rabbits 2
" " " card-sharping 4
" " " forcible entry and disseisin 8
" " " keeping ale-houses without licence 2
Persons indicted for keeping brothels 2
" " " not coming to church &c 161
Person " " quarrelling and inciting to breach of peace &c. 1
Persons " " selling bread by short weight 4
Butchers " " selling mutton and veal in Lent, the same not being sold for victualling ships in foreign parts 12
Persons " " taking away goods deceitfully and fraudulently 3
" " " vagabondage 3
Also, an Information against one person for following a vocation without having been apprenticed to it 1
Persons convicted of capital felonies 122
" acquitted of " " 98
Capital felons confessing indictments, seven of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 14
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 2
Capital felons pleading and having their benefit of clergy 39
" " sentenced to be hung—males 65, females 11 76
" " reprieved—after judgment 3 3
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 27

(61.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 14 JAMES I.

Person indicted for bigamy 1
Persons " " burglary 16
Person " " coining false money &c. 1
Persons " " fowl-stealing 2
" " " horse-stealing 9
" " " larceny 67
" " " larceny with housebreaking 6
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 11
" " " manslaughter 3
Person " " murder 1
Persons " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 9
" " " sheep-stealing 14
Person " " incorrigible vagabondage 1
" " " witchcraft 1
Persons indicted for capital felonies 142
Persons convicted of petty larceny, sixteen of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 17
All seventeen culprits were sentenced to be whipt.
Persons indicted for assault and battery 24
Persons indicted for assault with sword 3
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty 2
" " " card-sharping 3
" " " deer-stealing 2
Person " " extortion and cheating 1
" " " keeping an ale-house without licence 1
" " " keeping a ferocious mastiff under insufficient control 1
Constables " " neglecting to do their best for the apprehension and punishment of vagrants 8
Persons " not coming to church &c 146
Person " " nuisance, in keeping swine offensively 1
" " " quarrelling and inciting to breach of peace &c. 1
" " " selling milk by deficient measure 1
Persons " " taking away lead 2
Persons convicted of capital felonies 65
" acquitted of " " 60
Culprit sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 1
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 32
" " sentenced to be hung—males 31, females 2 33
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 15

(62.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 15 JAMES I.

Persons indicted for burglary 19
" " " horse-stealing 7
" " " larceny 77
" " " larceny with housebreaking 5
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 6
" " " manslaughter 5
" " " murder 4
" " " pig-stealing 3
Person " " sheep-stealing 1
Persons indicted for capital felonies 127
Persons convicted of petty larceny, twenty-one of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 25
All twenty-five culprits were sentenced to be whipt.
Persons indicted for assault and battery 35
" " " assault with sword &c. 3
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty 8
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 28
Persons indicted for cheating and extortion 2
Person " " " by means of counterfeit letters 1
Persons " " giving false and slanderous evidence in a Court of Justice 2
" " " keeping ale-houses without licence 2
Person " " keeping disorderly house, with unlawful games 1
Persons " " not coming to church &c. 156
Constables " " permitting vagrants to escape from their custody 3
Persons " " quarrelling, inciting to breach of peace &c. 3
Person " " refusing to keep watch 1
Persons " " vagabondage 5
Persons convicted of capital felonies 57
" acquitted of " " 41
Capital felons confessing indictments, one of them following up his confession by pleading his clergy effectually 2
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 2
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 17
" " sentenced to be hung—males 33, females 3 36
" " reprieved—before judgment 3, after judgment 5 8
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 21

(63.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 16 JAMES I.

Persons indicted for burglary 20
Person " " fowl-stealing 1
Persons " " horse-stealing 17
" " " larceny 95
" " " larceny with housebreaking 9
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 24
" " " manslaughter 3
" " " murder 3
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 10
Person " " pig-stealing 1
Persons " " sheep-stealing 10
Persons indicted for capital felonies 193
Persons convicted of petty larceny, twenty-three of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 28
Of the twenty-eight culprits twenty-seven were sentenced to be whipt.
Persons indicted for assault and battery 32
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the exetion of their duty 8
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 21
Person " " being drunk and disorderly 1
Person indicted for breaking forcibly but not feloniously into a private house 1
Persons " " card-sharping 4
Person " " cheating and extortion 1
" " " cheating by means of spurious passport and Letters Testimonial 1
" " " driving a horse and cart over a woman 1
Persons " " going about the country and buying old iron as petty chapmen to the injury of "les blacksmiths" 6
" " " keeping ale-houses without licence 5
Person " " keeping a bowling-alley 1
Persons " " keeping brothels 3
" " " keeping disorderly houses, with unlawful games 3
Constable " " neglecting to arrest doers of nuisances 1
Constables " " neglecting to do their best to convey vagrants to the places of their nativity 23
Persons " " not coming to church &c. 80
Person " " nuisance, in making bricks offensively—to wit, baking them with "ill-smellinge seacole" and putting them on a public way 1
Persons " " quarrelling, inciting to breach of peace &c. 4
" " " receiving in their dwelling-houses inmates alias subtenants 8
" " " selling ale by defective measure 2
" " " selling bread by defective weight 2
" " " taking and carrying away a leaden water-conduit 3
" " " vagabondage 40
Also, Informations for supplying unlicensed ale-house-keepers with ale and beer in excess of their lawful requirements, against sixty brewers 60
Persons convicted of capital felonies 83
" acquitted of " " 83
Capital felons confessing indictments, four of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 8
Culprit standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 1
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 22
" " sentenced to be hung—males 47, females 13 60
" " reprieved—before judgment 1, after judgment 2 3
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 17

Two of the indictments against vagrants, preserved in the G. D. files of this year, exhibit memoranda that may be interesting to persons seeking particulars touching the history of Virginia, U.S. Arraigned at the Old Bailey court-house on a charge of having been persistent vagrants at Clerkenwell on 2 August, 16 James I., and at divers times before and after the said day, Ralph Rookes, Richard Wheeler, Walter Styles and Robert Hickes, all late of Clerkenwell, put themselves 'Not Guilty'; when Robert Hickes was acquitted. Found 'Guilty,' Richard Wheeler and Walter Styles were branded with the letter R on the left shoulder. Ralph Rookes was also found 'Guilty'; but instead of being branded and returned to the streets he was spared the fiery touch and committed to Sheriff Johnson for transportation to Virginia; the memorandum over his name being "Po se cul r' Vic' Johnson mitti ad Virg'nia'"="He puts himself 'Not Guilty' on a jury; is found 'Guilty'; is reprieved to Sheriff Johnson, to be sent to Virginia."—In like manner it appears from a similar memorandum on the bill of indictment preferred against Joseph Johnson for vagrancy at Clerkenwell, that on being found 'Guilty' by a jury, he was 'r Vic' Johnson mitti ad Virginia'." Both these bills are in injured and dateless rolls.

(64.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 17 JAMES I.

Number of Persons.
Persons indicted for bigamy 4
" " " burglary 63
" " " horse-stealing 20
" " " larceny 139
" " " larceny with housebreaking 4
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 33
" " " manslaughter 3
" " " murder 6
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 10
" " " pig-stealing 3
" " " rape 2
" " " sheep-stealing 6
Person " " witchcraft 1
Persons indicted for capital felonies 294
Persons convicted of petty larceny, twenty-seven of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 31

Of these thirty-one culprits, only thirteen appear from the memoranda on the indictments to have been sentenced to be whipt. But the bills of this year were kept with a manifest carelessness, which disposes the editor to think that the number of petty thieves sentenced to whipping exceeded thirteen.

Persons indicted for assault and battery 48
" " " assault with sword &c 4
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty 10
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 33
Person " " breaking (by way of trespass— not feloniously) into a house 1
Persons " " cheating and extortion 3
" " " cheating by means of unlawful games 5
Persons indicted for fomenting discords, quarrelling &c. 2
Person " " forcible entry and disseisin 1
" " " harbouring evil and suspected persons 1
Persons " " keeping ale-houses without licence 8
" " " keeping brothels 5
" " " neglecting to aid in the repair of highways 11
" " " not coming to church &c 73
Person " " nuisance, in neglecting to scour a ditch 1
Persons " " selling beer by defective measure 4
" " " selling bread by short weight 3
" " " selling coals and charcoals by defective measure 2
Person " " taking away goods 1
Persons " " vagabondage 28
Also, Informations for supplying ale and beer to unlicensed ale-house-keepers &c. against thirty-seven brewers 37
" " for ingrossing corn against 1
Persons convicted of capital felonies 87
" acquitted of " " 96
Capital felons confessing indictments, two of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 13
" " pleading and having benefit of clergy 31
" " sentenced to be hung—males 38, females 7 45
" " reprieved—before judgment 8, after judgment 3 11
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 33

(65.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 18 JAMES I.

Persons indicted for bigamy 4
" " " burglary 34
" " " fowl-stealing 5
" " " horse-stealing 14
" " " larceny 110
" " " larceny with housebreaking 9
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 41
" " " manslaughter 8
" " " murder 7
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 8
" " " pig-stealing 4
" " " rape 4
" " " sheep-stealing 3
Persons indicted for capital felonies 251
Persons convicted of petty larceny, all of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 30
Of these thirty culprits, twenty-eight were sentenced to be whipt.
Person administering poison with intention to murder 1
Persons indicted for assault and battery 63
" " " assault with sword &c. 7
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty &c 11
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 41
Person " " being drunk and disorderly 1
" " " breaking into a close and cutting down fruit-trees 1
Persons " " chasing and killing deer in Hyde Park 2
" " " cheating with playing cards 3
Person " " digging and cutting leaden water-conduits 1
Persons " " extortion by making compositions for pretended offences 7
" " " fomenting discords, quarrelling, inciting to breach of peace &c 6
" " " keeping ale-houses without licence 4
" " " keeping brothels 33
" " " keeping disorderly houses, with unlawful games 3
Public carrier indicted for loading four-wheel wains excessively and causing them when so laden to be drawn along the highways by teams of seven horses 1
Persons indicted for not coming to church &c. 110
Constables " " permitting their prisoners to escape 4
Person " " polluting a neighbour's dwelling by causing filth to flow into it 1
" " " receiving into his dwelling-house inmates alias subtenants 1
Constable " " refusing to execute a warrant for whipping a man and a woman 1
Persons " " selling bread by light weight 7
" " " selling unwholesome flesh for human food 2
Mainpernors " " suffering their prisoners to escape 2
Persons " " taking away goods and chattels 5
Sub-Bailiff of Duchy of Lancaster indicted for tampering with a warrant by erasing and substituting names, and then making false arrests and imprisonments by virtue of the same warrant 1
Persons indicted for trespassing and taking fish 3
" " " vagabondage 21
Also, Informations against brewers for &c. 16
Persons convicted of capital felonies 81
" acquitted of " " 121
Capital felons confessing indictments 3
Culprits standing mute and sentenced to the "peine forte et dure" 2
Capital felons pleading and having benefit of clergy 24
Capital felons sentenced to be hung—males 36, female 5 41
" " reprieved—before judgment 15, after judgment 2 17
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 20

(66.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 19 JAMES I.

Persons indicted for burglary 22
Person " " fowl-stealing 1
" " " horse-stealing 12
Persons " " larceny 100
" " " larceny with housebreaking 2
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 24
" " " manslaughter 7
" " " murder 4
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 3
" " " pig-stealing 2
Person " " rape 1
Persons " " sheep-stealing 2
" " " witchcraft 2
Persons indicted for capital felonies 182
Persons convicted of petty larceny, twenty-four of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 25
Of these twenty-five culprits, twenty-four were sentenced to be whipt.
Persons indicted for assault and battery 55
" " " assault with sword &c 5
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty 5
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 18
Person " " brawling in church 5
Persons " " buying butter wholesale and selling it again neither in shop, nor fair, nor market 2
" " " cheating and extortion 7
" " " cheating by spurious Letters Testimonial and counterfcit passport 4
" " " cheating by playing cards 2
Person " " driving a wain and four horses over a man 1
Persons " " following vocations without having been apprenticed to them 4
" " " fomenting discords, quarrelling, inciting to breach of peace &c 4
" " " frequenting a dicing-house and playing unlawful games 3
" " " keeping ale-houses without licence 10
Person indicted for keeping a bowling-alley 1
Persons " " keeping brothels 11
Person " " keeping a disorderly house, with unlawful games 1
" " " keeping a ferocious dog under no sufficient control 1
Persons " " not coming to church &c. 51
" " " nuisance, in keeping swine offensively 3
Person " " nuisance, in digging a cellar in a public way and leaving it without a fence 1
" " " nuisance, in making a dung-hill in a public place 1
A parish " " nuisance, in neglecting to repair a common sewer and privy 1
Person " " nuisance, in neglecting to repair a public way 1
" " " receiving inmates alias subtenants in his dwelling-house 1
Persons " " selling bread by defective weight 5
" " " selling goods by false weights 2
" " " taking away goods and chattels 3
Persons convicted of capital felonies 59
" acquitted of " " 104
Capital felons confessing indictments, four of them following up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 7
" " pleading and having benefit of clergy 22
" " sentenced to be hung—males 29, females 2 31
" " reprieved before judgment 1, after judgment 3 4
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 12

(67.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 20 JAMES I.

Person indicted for arson 1
" " " bigamy 1
Persons " " burglary 26
" " " coining false money 2
" " " escaping from gaol 2
" " " fowl-stealing
" " " horse-stealing
" " " larceny 124
" " " larceny with housebreaking 6
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 20
" " " manslaughter 8
" " " murder 4
" " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 10
" " " pig-stealing 2
" " " rape 2
Persons indicted for sheep-stealing 12
Person " " unnatural offence 1
Persons indicted for capital felonies 234
Persons convicted of petty larceny, thirty of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 34
Of these thirty-four culprits, thirty-two were sentenced to be whipt.
Persons indicted for assault and battery 29
" " assault with sword 2
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 9
" " " breaking (by way of trespass— not feloniously) into a house by night 2
Person " " carrying a gun charged with powder on the highway 1
" " " deserting service 1
Constable " " failing to do his best to apprehend vagrants and bring them to punishment 1
Person " " harbouring vagrants and suspected persons 1
Persons " " keeping ale-houses without licence 9
" " " keeping brothels 6
" " " not coming to church &c. 54
Person " " quarrelling and inciting to breach of peace 1
Persons " " receiving into their dwelling-houses inmates alias subtenants 31
" " " selling bread by defective weight 6
Person " " trespassing and taking away goods 1
Persons " " vagabondage 5
Persons convicted of capital felonies 67
" acquitted of " " 91
Capital felons confessing indictments, two of whom followed up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 5
" " pleading and having benefit of clergy 32
" " sentenced to be hung—males 27, females 2 29
" " reprieved—before judgment 2, after judgment 5 7
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 36

N.B.—In respect to a considerable number of persons indicted for capital felonies by the bills of this year, the clerical annotator of the documents gives no information further than that they "po se"=put themselves 'Not Guilty' on trial. For instance, save that they so put themselves on the country, nothing is told by the annotator of the twenty persons indicted for capital felonies at G. D., 30 May, 20 James I.

(68.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 21 JAMES I.

Number of Persons.
Persons indicted for burglary 23
" " " horse-stealing 16
" " " larceny 110
" " " larceny with housebreaking 6
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 13
Person " " murder 1
Persons " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 4
" " " pig-stealing 10
Person " " sacrilege 1
Persons " " sheep-stealing 20
Persons indicted for capital felonies 204
Persons convicted of petty larceny, fifteen of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 21
Of these twenty-one culprits, sixteen were sentenced to be whipt.
Persons indicted for assault and battery 37
" " " assault with sword &c. 5
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty &c. 10
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 36
Person " " attempting to extort money by a threatening letter 1
" " " breaking into a close and plucking up vines 1
" " " cheating with playing cards 1
Persons " " defrauding by breach of trust 2
" " " extortion 5
" " " fomenting quarrels, quarrelling &c. 2
" " " forcible entry and disseisin 13
" " " keeping ale-houses without licence 6
" " " keeping brothels 10
Person " " keeping a gaming-house 1
" " " neglecting to keep watch 1
Constables " " neglecting to do their best to bring vagrants to punishment &c. 7
Persons " " neglecting to aid in repairing highways 12
" " " not coming to church &c. 68
Person " " nuisance, in building a "dogge-house" and putting "a laistall of dead horses" in the field called "Hockle in ye hole" 1
" " " nuisance, in putting a dunghill in a highway 1
" " " nuisance, in stopping a water-course 1
" " " perjury, committed in the Court of Exchequer 1
Persons " " receiving into their dwelling-houses inmates alias subtenants 8
" " " selling ale and beer by defective measure 5
" " " selling bread by defective weight 3
" " " selling charcoal by defective measure 2
Persons indicted for taking away (not feloniously, but by way of trespass) goods and chattels 4
" " " vagabondage 2
Also, Informations for following vocations without having served apprenticeships to them, against seven persons 7
" " keeping a gambling-house, against one person 1
" " ingrossing grain or cattle, against four persons 4
" " supplying keepers of unlicensed ale-houses with ale and beer in excess of their lawful requirements, against five brewers 5
Persons convicted of capital felonies 90
" acquitted of " " 85
Capital felons confessing indictments, ten of whom followed up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 13
" " pleading and having benefit of clergy 37
" " sentenced to be hung—males 27, females 4 31
" " reprieved—before judgment 2, after judgment 1 3
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 24

N.B.—That the number of the convictions for capital felonies, enumerated in this account, exceeds so greatly the combined numbers of the allowances of clerical benefit, capital sentences and reprieves before judgment, is due to the negligence of the clerical annotator of the bills of indictment. Respecting twenty persons indicted for capital felonies at G. D., Dec, 21 James I., he only says "po se cul' ca' nul'" = put themselves 'Not Guilty,' were found 'Guilty,' and had no chattels; nothing being added to the incomplete memoranda to show whether they were branded, sentenced to be hung, or reprieved.

(69.) SUMMARY OF THE TRUE BILLS OF 22 JAMES I.

Number of Persons.
Persons indicted for bigamy 2
" " " burglary 37
" " " horse-stealing 16
" " " larceny 84
" " " larceny with housebreaking 7
" " " larcenies from the person (done with secrecy or violence), including highway robberies 15
Person " " manslaughter 1
" " " murder 1
Persons " " ox (cow &c.) stealing 2
" " " pig-stealing 2
" " " rape 2
" " " sheep-stealing 15
Persons indicted for capital felonies 184
Persons convicted of petty larceny, seventeen of them being so convicted on indictments for grand larceny 18

Of these eighteen culprits, sixteen were sentenced to be whipt. Five women, convicted of stealing to the value of nine shillings, were burnt in the hand, and delivered after having been so branded, in accordance with the recent statute, which accorded to women the benefit of their sex in respect to larcenies not exceeding the value of ten shillings.—In connection with this concession to the sex that might not plead benefit of clergy, it may be here remarked that the G. D. R. of 9 Feb., 9 James 1., preserves the curious bill of indictment for grand larceny, "Becon Neale nuper de London spinster," over whose name appears this clerical memorandum, "pe' li' non le' sus' = petit librum, non legit, suspendatur = she asks for the book; does not read it; be hung." The clerk was doubtless nodding when he thus put it on record that a woman pleaded her clergy, was allowed the book, and was sentenced to be hung because she failed to read it.

Number of Persons.
Person indicted for abducting and marrying an heiress under sixteen years of age 1
Persons " " assault and battery 48
" " " assault with sword 3
" " " assaulting officers and hindering them in the execution of their duty &c. 14
" " " assembling riotously and making riot &c. 33
Person " " building a new cottage &c. without assigning and laying four acres of land to the same dwelling 1
" " " defrauding by breach of trust 1
" " " deserting service 1
" " " drunkenness and disorderly conduct 1
Persons " " extortion 3
Person " " forcible entry and disseisin 1
Persons " " keeping unlicensed ale-houses 11
" " " keeping brothels 32
" " " not coming to church &c. 42
" " " nuisances, in putting laystalls, i.e. heaps of dung and other refuse on the highway 2
Constable " " permitting his prisoner to escape 1
Person " " quarrelling and inciting to breach of peace 1
Persons " " receiving into their dwelling-houses inmates alias subtenants 32
" " " seizing and taking away goods 2
Person " " selling beer by defective measure 1
" " " selling unwholesome flesh for human food 1
" " " vagabondage 1
Also, Informations for forestalling, against 4
" " " buying and re-selling cattle against the form of a certain statute, against 2
" " following vocations without having served apprenticeships to them, against 56
" " ingrossing grain, against 19
" " intermeddling in the execution of a process in a Court of Record, against 1
Also, Informations for keeping a disorderly house, with cards and dice &c., against a licensed victualler 1
" " keeping "gaming-houses," against five licensed victuallers 5
" " killing, dressing and selling flesh in Lent, against thirteen butchers 13
" " selling beer in forbidden measures and at prohibited rates, against thirty-three brewers 33
" " shooting with a gun in violation of a certain statute, against 1
" " supplying unlicensed ale-house-keepers with ale and beer in excess of their lawful requirements, against sixteen brewers 16
" " usurious money-lending against 1
Persons convicted of capital felonies 70
" acquitted of " " 70
Capital felons confessing indictments, five of whom followed up their confessions by pleading their clergy effectually 6
" " pleading and having benefit of clergy 43
" " sentenced to be hung—males 22, female 1 23
" " reprieved—before judgment 3, after judgment 5 8
Culprits (with indictments for capital felonies found against them) at large 20