Saturday 10 May 2008

The Old Bailey Chronicles 2

I have been dipping into the oldest stuff on the Old Bailey website. Here is the proceedings punishment summary for the 9th September 1679...

'There was eight in all burnt in the Hand, six ordered for Transportation, three sentenced to be whipt, and one to the Pillory for a Cheat.


But for the particularities of Petty Larcetines and smaller Rogueries, it would be too tedious


Let us rather conclude with hearty wishes that all would take warning by these unhappy presidents to avoid the like evil Courses, seeing the miseries they thereby bring upon themselves. These crooked paths of impiety, though at first entrance they may seem strewed with Roses, and with delight, leading infallibly in the end to ruine and destruction'.

Hmmm....

Sounds like our man got bored with the minor stuff and decided to pontificate instead.

The picture is of Judge Jeffries by the way. He was strutting his stuff at the time.



1 comment:

Verdant Earl said...

He does look kinda full of himself in that portrait, eh?