occasionally in the minutes of the cabinet and lords justices’ meetings, and in
the wording of pardon petitions.
For the most part, the recorders’ reports ofWilliam’s and Anne’s reigns sim-
ply note the decisions taken at the council and lords justices’ meetings—whether
defendants were to be pardoned or executed. Occasionally, as in the case of the
December 1704 Old Bailey session, the marginal notes appended at the council
meeting provide some hints about the issues that preoccupied the ministers and
court officials present as they listened to the recorder’s account of the facts in
each case and his summary of what was known about the offenders. In the tran-
scription that follows of the recorder’s report of that session, the words in italics
were scrawled in the margin against the names of the defendants—added, I sur-
mise, by the secretary of state in attendance as the decisions were rendered.
London & Middx: Goale [sic] Delivery of Newgate the 6 th of December Ano Dni 1704 :
[Convicted offenders] Condemned to Dye
Sarah Smith: For privately Stealing goods val 40 s. out of the Shopp of William
Halewood: an old offender to suffer
Elizabeth Harrow: for the same: pregnant, move again when del[ivered]
Mary White: For privately stealing goods val 52 s. out of the Shopp of Benjamin Shute
and Joseph Caryl: an old offender to suffer
Anne Allen: for the same: to be transported
William Bond: For a Fellony in acknowledgeing a Recognizance before Mr Justice
Powell in the name ofWilliam Benson: reprieved; the judges to certify ye Law
Elizabeth Price: For a Fellony in Stealeing the goods ofWilliam Betts but haveing beene
formerly convicted of Fellony and the Record thereof brought against her and it
appeareing upon Tryall that she was the same person; received Judgment: to suffer
[struck out] enquire further
Stephen Swift: For a Felony in Stealeing the goods of Menhem Levi, but haveing been
formerly convicted of Fellony and the record thereof brought against him and it
appeareing upon Tryall that he was the same person; received Judgment: a notorious
housebreaker, but young. To be transported.
Francis Spencer: For privately Stealeing goods val. 40 s. out the Shopp of Joane
Copeland: respite
John Smith: For a Robery on the highway and Stealeing goods val 7 [ pounds] from the
person ofThomas Woodcock: to suffer
For another Robery and Stealeing goods val 3 s. from Anne Mountague
And for another Robery and Stealeing a Mare val 8 [ pounds] from William Birch
Patience Cooper: For a Robery on the highway and Stealeing goods val 10 s. ofJohn
Seale from the person of Anne Seale: pregnant; to suffer afterwards^84
There are several untypical entries in this report—and indeed their untypical-
ity may account for the marginal explanations of decisions, which, brief as they
The Revolution, Crime, and Punishment in London 353(^84) SP 34 / 5 , fo. 12.