An impressive run of reports on trials and executions in and around London in the first half of the 18th-century. The Sessions Papers are clearly designed to be both a record of the activities of the law courts but also an entertaining account of some of the most shocking and salacious cases including highway robbery, street theft, sexual assault, and arson. Each issue records the number of defendants pardoned, imprisoned, transported, “burnt in the hand” and whipped. The reports of the executions at Tyburn include details of the condemned last words, their behaviour, and occasional attempts at escape. Most issues also contain numerous adverts for recently published books and (often fanciful) medical treatments.
The first issue of the earliest Sessions Paper collected here notes that the size of the publication has now changed (to a small quarto format) to enable the publisher to report on the trials in the “fullest and clearest manner”, improve the quality of the printing, and enable them to be bound in long runs (as here) in “handsome” volumes.
The Sessions of the Peace includes numerous accounts of criminal cases often told in a breathless manner and reproducing much of the speech of the witnesses and defendants in court. At the trial of Joanna Wakefield alias Johnson, for example, she is accused or robbing a John Moran who explained to the court:
“The Prisoner, I take to have Robb’d me of my Watch, for I went with my Master to the Castle Tavern in Drury Lane, and he having no farther occasion for me, I left him there, and going home I met the Prisoners, with a Companion, and they come Souse, against me, swore I must go along with them, and did lug me along into Angel Court, I said I would spend no Money, for I was a little in Liquor, when they got me in, some pull’d my Hat, and some my Coat; the Prisoner at the Bar got me about my Waist, one hand into my breeches, the other into my fobb, I miss’d my Watch presently, and so came back again to see for the Person that Robb’d me, but they deny’d that she was in the House, I would have went up Stairs, but they would not let me, for I heard a chattering above, at last they said I might come up but on the top of the Stairs there was a fire-brand Woman, with a Face like a Lion, enough to frighten any Man…”
In the second issue for 1730 a long description is given of the case of the famous John Everett a highwayman accused of robbing Martha Ellis who was taking a coach towards Hampstead. Everett is recorded asking Ellis questions about what he was wearing (“The Prisoner said he never had a Coat with Metal Buttons in his Life”) presumably in order to undermine her testimony. Everett also questions if another witness, William Coffee (“a Negro Boy”) had been Christened. Everett is eventually sentenced to Death.
In the first issue for the year 1731 William Hollywell and William Huggins :
“…were indicted, the former for an Assault with an Intent to commit the detestable Crime of Buggery upon the latter, and he for consenting and submitting to the same.” A witness describes:
“…he being about 30 or 40 steps from the Prisoners, and did discover the Prisoners in very indecent Postures, whereupon he made haste to them, and surpriz’d them in the following Posture: Huggin’s Breeches were down, he stooping very low, so that he could not see his Head; his short was turn’d up on his Back, and his Back-side was bare; Hollywell was standing close by, with his sore Parts to the others Posteriors, and his Body in motion…”
It is later reported:
“The prisoner Huggins call’d a great many of his Neighbours, who gave him the Character of an Industrious Man in his Calling (which was that of a Waterman) of a loving Husband to his Wife, of a tender Father to his Children, of an honest Man…and one of the last Men they should have suspected as to such Practices.”
The Ordinary of Newgate contains the “Behaviour, Confessions and Dying Words” of the prisoners executed at Tyburn in each session.
26 year old John Smith is reported to have lived a good life and been, “educated at School for Business” but fell into “bad company through Temptation of the Devil” and began robbing on the highway. After the main entry for Smith it is reported:
“…before he died, desir’d me to give Account, that his wife was an honest Woman, and that she knew nothing of his committing the Robbery…nor his other Villanies, particularly, his Whoring and keeping bad Company…”
Interspersed among the volumes are a number of rare individual accounts of particularly notorious trials, including The Behaviour, Confession, and Dying Words of Thomas Homan, who was Executed…18th…November…for the barbarous Murder of Mrs. Dix (1742) which provides a short biography of the murderer and details of the case in which Homan attempted to rob Dix before beating her to death with a piece of iron while the victim managed to scream “Murder! Murder!.” Homan is described shortly before his execution and also reproduced are letters from Homan explaining his crime and pleading for mercy.
Each issue of the Session Papers usually ends with numerous advertisements for recently published books, often (but not exclusively) law books.
There are also advertisements for medical treatments such as Holt’s Bath and Bristol Waters – supposedly restorative waters quickly brought up from the spas at Bristol and Bath and available at the sign of the “Golden Tea Cannister” in Fleet Street. There is also an advert in 1731 (with a handsome woodcut image) for the famous Dr. Richard Rock’s “never failing Tincture for curing the Teeth”. In 1733 the “Famous Anti-Venereal Pill” is advertised, “which to the surprise of all that takes it cures all degree of the venereal disease…”
The set is far from a complete run but is much larger than any other set that we have seen (it is thought that the BL has a complete set). Various notes from the publisher’s, within these issues, apologizing for missed issues or late publication, suggest that the publication of these popular reports was somewhat erratic.
VOLUME I: SESSIONS PAPERS 1730-1731
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London (London: for T Payne, 1730). Nos. I-VIII.
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London (London: for T Payne, 1730). Single issue concerning the case of Thomas Hassel, “late a sorter of letters, at the General Post Office, for feloniously taking a Bank Bill of Fifty Pounds out of a Letter.”
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London (London: for T Payne, 1730). Nos. I (“Second Edition”)-VIII.
The Ordinary of Newgate, his account of the Behavior, Confessions, and Dying Words of the Malefactors who were executed at Tyburn…(London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1730) Nos. I (1731) II-VI.
VOLUME II: SESSIONS PAPERS 1734-1735
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London (London: for J. Wilford, 1733). Nos. I (pt.I & II) (1724) II-VIII. Pagination is continuous and contains a 4pp index at the end.
The Ordinary of Newgate, his account of the Behavior, Confessions, and Dying Words of the Malefactors who were executed at Tyburn…(London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1733.) Nos. I (1734)II-V.
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London (London: for J. Roberts, 1734). Nos. I (pts I & II), (1735) II-VI VII (pts I & II), VIII.
The Ordinary of Newgate, his account of the Behavior, Confessions, and Dying Words of the Malefactors who were executed at Tyburn…(London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1734) Nos. I (1735) II (pts I & II), III-V
An Account of the Behaviour, Confessions, and Dying Words, of the Malefactors Executed at Kennington-Common (London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1735) [11th April 1735].
An Account of the Behaviour, Confessions, and Dying Words, of the Malefactors Executed at Kennington-Common (London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1735) [21st August 1735].
VOLUME III: SESSIONS PAPERS 1736-1737
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London (London: for J. Roberts, 1735). Nos. I (pts I & II), II, (1736) III-VIII. Continous pagination.
The Ordinary of Newgate, his account of the Behavior, Confessions, and Dying Words of the Malefactors who were executed at Tyburn…(London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1736) Nos. II and VI.
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London (London: for J. Roberts, 1737). Nos. I (pts I & II), II-II, IV (pts I & II), VI-VII (pts I & II). Continous pagination.
The Ordinary of Newgate, his account of the Behavior, Confessions, and Dying Words of the Malefactors who were executed at Tyburn…(London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1737) Nos. I-III.
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer and Goal-Delivery for the Jurisdiction of the Admiralty of England (London: for J. Roberts, 1737). [Thursday 24th and Friday 25th February 1736-7]
The Proceedings at the Assizes for the County of Surry [sic]. Surry: by A. Ilive, at W. Rayner’s, near St George’s Church, Southwark, (1737) [16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 21st March 1736-7)
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer and Goal-Delivery for the Jurisdiction of the Admiralty of England (London: for J. Roberts, 1737). [Thursday 14th and 15th December 1737]
VOLUME IV: SESSIONS PAPERS 1740-1741
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London (London: Printed and Sold by T. Cooper, 1739). Nos. I (pt. I & II), (1740) II (pt. I & II), III, IV (pt. I & II), V-VI (pt. I & II, closely cropped), VII (pt I & II), VIII (pt. I & II). Continuous pagination.
The Ordinary of Newgate, his account of the Behavior, Confessions, and Dying Words of the Malefactors who were executed at Tyburn…(London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1739). Nos I-V
*A Genuine Account of the Behaviour, Confession, and Dying Words of William Creake…Mary Cooper, for robbing the House of Mrs Torriano […] and Joseph Hooper…(London: for R. Crouch, 1740). Appears to be unrecorded.
The Proceedings at the Assizes of Peace, Pyer and Terminer, for the County of Surrey. (London: for and by J. Standen, 1740)
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London (London: Printed and Sold by J. Roberts, 1741). Nos. I-VIII. Some cropping at the lower edge
The Ordinary of Newgate, his account of the Behavior, Confessions, and Dying Words of the Malefactors who were executed at Tyburn…(London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1740). Nos I (pt. I & II), II- VI (the issue numbers have been adjusted in manuscript).
*The Authentick Tryal of Samuel Goodere…Matthew Mahony, and Charles White…for the Murder of Sir John Dinely Goodere…on board the Ruby Man of War, in King-Road, Bristol. (London: for E. Hill, 1741)
VOLUME V: SESSIONS PAPERS 1742-1743
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London (London: Printed and Sold by T. Payne, 1742). Nos. I-III, IV (pt. I & II), V.
The Proceedings at the Sessions of the Peace, and Oyer and Terminer, for the City of London (London: Printed and Sold by T. Cooper, [1742]). Nos. I, II (pt. I &II), III.
The Ordinary of Newgate, his account of the Behavior, Confessions, and Dying Words of the Malefactors who were executed at Tyburn…(London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1741). Nos I (pt. I & II), II-IV.
The Behaviour, Confession, and Dying Words of Thomas Homan, who was Executed…18th…November…for the barbarous Murder of Mrs. Dix. (London: printed and sold by J. Appllebee [sic] [1742).
The Ordinary of Newgate, His Account of the Behaviour, Confession, and dying Words of Thomas Rounce, Mariner…for High-Treason. (London: prnted and sold by John Applebee, 1742).
The Proceedings at the Assizes of Peace, Oyer and Terminer for the County of Surrey… (London: Printed for R. Crouch [17412]).
The Proceedings at the Sessions of Peace, Oyer and Terminer for the City of London. (London for T. Cooper, 1742). Nos. I (pt I & II), II (pt I & II), III (pt I & II), IV (pt I & II), V, VI (pt I & II), VII (pt. I & II), VIII (pt I & II). Continuous pagination. Slightly cropped at the fore-margin.
The Ordinary of Newgate, his account of the Behavior, Confessions, and Dying Words of the Malefactors who were executed at Tyburn…(London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1742). Nos I, II (pt I & II), III-V.
The Behaviour and Character of Samuel M’Pherson, Malcolm M’Pherson and Farquar Shaw the Three Highland Deserters; who were shot at the Tower, July the 18th 1743. (London: for M. Cooper, 1743).
The Account of the Proceedings on the King’s Commissions of the Peace, Oyer and Terminer, and Goal Delivery, held for the County of Surry [sic]. (London: for W. Webb, 1743).
A Genuine Account of the Behaviour, Confessions, and Dying Words, of the Malefactors…James Day, Ann Hazzard, James Harris, Richard Keblem James Hunt, and Thomas Collins. (London: for J. Nicholson, [1743])
