The True Relation of the Tryals at the Sessions of Oyer and Terminer.

1681. Cruel Employers and Popish Priests [Trials]. [Great Britain]. The True Relation of the Tryals at the Sessions of Oyer and Terminer, Held for the City of London, County of Middlesex, And Goale Delivery of Newgate; Which Began in the Old-Bailey the 17th of This Instant January, And Ended the 18th of the Same. As Particularly of Elizabeth Wigenton for Whipping a Girl to Death at Ratcliffe. And John Peetly, For Shooting a Gentleman in Queen-street. Also the Account of the Proceedings with One John Bully a Popish Priest. The Number of the Condemned, Burnt in the Hand, And to be Whipped, With Many Other Material Tryals [Caption Title]. [London: S.n., 1681?]. 4 pp. Folio (11-1/2" x 7"). Disbound bifolium in recent three-quarter calf over cloth, gilt title to spine. Some abrasions to cloth at head of front board, faint dampstaining to foot of rear board, light rubbing to extremities, light wear to spine ends and corners. Moderate toning and light foxing to text, faint dampstain to foot of text block, early manuscript folio numbers to upper corners. $650. * Only edition. A report of proceedings of nineteen felony trials in the Old Bailey. The majority of the trials were for theft, with cases involving shoplifting, burglary, corpse-robbing and stealing "600 weight of Red-wood" from a docked ship. Among the assault and murder cases was that of Elizabeth Wigenton, a coat maker who whipped a servant girl to death and was convicted of wilful murder. Others concerned bigamy and recusancy. The trial of John Bully, "Popish priest," was apparently one of several; Bully pled that he had already been tried (for an unmentioned offense related to his Catholicism) and managed to put off his new trial. This is a scarce title. OCLC and the ESTC locate 6 copies, 2 in North America (Harvard, Folger Shakespeare). English Short-Title Catalogue (ESTC) R222402. (Inventory #: 81922)