Bryn Mawr College Library Special Collections
Books on London
Crime, Court Cases & the Law
Bibliography
The strength of this category in the London collection is the various seventeenth-century works treating specific court cases. The political climate in London at that time was one of rapid change, with the officially sanctioned religion vacillating between Catholicism and Protestantism, depending on who was on the throne. Thus, an anti-Catholic or anti-Protestant tract, or what was viewed as such, could be grounds for imprisonment or worse. The authors of the seventeenth-century books included here were involved in the political struggles of the day, from raising awareness of social issues to being censored and tried for their beliefs, with the question of "popish plots" constantly at the fore.
From the controversial lawyer and pamphleteer, William Prynne,
who was imprisoned, fined and pilloried several times, became a member of
the House of Commons and later Keeper of the Records of the Tower of London,
Bryn Mawr owns A New Discovery of the Prelate's Tyranny, in Their Late
Prosecutions
of Mr. William Pryn (1641), published following his release (albeit temporary)
from prison. In The Picture of the Councel of State, Held Forth to the
Free People of England (1649), John Lilburne, a Lieutenant Colonel in
the Puritan Army, a primary spokesman for the Levellers and writer of religious-political
pamphlets, gives a full description of the judicial and military proceedings
against him, written during his imprisonment in the Tower. Two other accounts
of cases involving religious persecution held in the collection are Edward
Burrough's Memorable Works of a Son of Thunder and Consolation (1672)
and Elizabeth Cellier's Tryal and Sentence of Elizabeth Cellier (1680).
Both were imprisoned in London's notorious Newgate Prison, he for being a
Quaker and she--a London midwife who married a Frenchman and converted to
Catholicism--for being implicated in the Catholic plot of 1678 known as the
"Meal-Tub Plot." Burroughs died in prison, while Celliers won her
trial and was released, only to be imprisoned and tried again after publishing
an account of her ordeal, titled Malice Defeated, in which she detailed
the deplorable conditions in Newgate. Also related to the Popish plot of 1678
is George Treby's Truth Vindicated (1681), which addresses the aspersions
and scandals cast upon him, as well as a fellow justice and the sheriffs of
the city of London, with regard to the confession of Edward Fitzharris, an
Irish Catholic held prisoner in the Tower.
Two
seventeenth-century works in the collection dealing with social issues are
Sir Henry Calthrop's Reports of Speciall Cases Touching Severall Customs
and Liberties of the City of London (1655) and The Proceedings upon
the Bill of Divorce between His Grace the Duke of Norfolke and the Lady Mary
Mordant (1700).
Beginning in the eighteenth century and well established in the nineteenth, a shift can be detected away from predominantly religion-based crimes and trials to those of a more secular nature, as well as noticeable changes in law enforcement at the street level, with old parish constables, beadles, and 'charlies' being replaced by a uniformed professional police force in 1829. These changes are reflected in several of the collection's late eighteenth and nineteenth-century works, including Patrick Colquhoun's Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis (1797), John Wight's Mornings at Bow Street (1824) and Percy Hetherington Fitzgerald's Chronicles of Bow Street Police-Office (1888).
Barrington, George, 1755-1804
Harrington's New London spy for 1807 ; or, The frauds of London detected
: ...
London : Thomas Tegg, n.d.
I35419507
Bellot, Hugh H. L. (Hugh Hale Leigh), 1861-1928
The Inner and Middle Temple; legal, literary, and historic associations,
by Hugh H. L. Bellot ... with ninety illustrations
London, Methuen & co.; New York, J. Pott & co., 1902
DA687.I5 B4 1902
Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662
The memorable works of a son of thunder and consolation : namely, that
true prophet, and faithful servant of God, and sufferer for the testimony
of Jesus, Edward Burroughs, who dyed a prisoner for the word of God, in the
city of London, the fourteenth of the twelfth moneth, 1662 ..
[London] : Printed and published [by E. Hookes] for the good and benefit
of generations to come, in the year, 1672
q289.6 B94
Calthrop, Henry, Sir, 1586-1637
Reports of speciall cases touching severall customs and liberties of the
city of London. [1609-1618] Collected by Sir H. Calthrope knight. Whereunto
is annexed divers ancient customes and usages of the said city of London.
Never before in print
London, Printed for Abel Roper, 1655
I37201888 (d?)
Cellier, Elizabeth, fl. 1680, defendant
The tryal and sentence of Elizabeth Cellier, for writing, printing, and
publishing, a scandalous libel, called Malice defeated, &c. at the sessions
in the Old-Bailey, held Saturday the 11th. and Monday the 13. of Sept. 1680,
whereunto is added several depositions, made before the Right Honorable, the
Lord Mayor
London, Printed for Thomas Collins, 1680
I3755427x
Colquhoun, Patrick, 1745-1820
A treatise on the police of the metropolis : containing a detail of the
various crimes and misdemeanors by which public and private property and security
are, at present, injured and endangered: and suggesting remedies for their
prevention
London : J. Mawman, 1800
352.2 C71
Colquhoun, Patrick, 1745-1820
A treatise on the police of the metropolis; containing a detail of the
various crimes and misdemeanors by which public and private property and security
are, at present, injured and endangered: and suggesting remedies for their
prevention
London, Printed by H. Fry, for C. Dilly, 1797
I34746377
Fitzgerald, Percy Hetherington, 1834-1925
Chronicles of Bow Street police-office : with an account of the magistrates,
runners, and police; and a selection of the most interesting cases / by Percy
Fitzgerald
London : Chapman and Hall, 1888
HV8198.L7 F6 1888
Hone, William, 1780-1842
The three trials of William Hone, for publishing three parodies: viz.,
The late John Wilkes's catechism, The political litany, and The sinecurists'
creed... With introduction and notes by William Tegg
London, William Tegg, 1876
KD372.H6 T4 1876
Leaming, Thomas, 1858-1911
A Philadelphia lawyer in the London courts : an address delivered before
the Pennsylvania State Bar Association / by Thomas Leaming
[Philadelphia : George H. Buchanan, 1906]
I34746559
Lilburne, John, 1614?-1657
The picture of the councel of state, held forth to the free people of England,
by Lievt. Col. John Lilburn, Mr. Thomas Prince, and Mr. Richard Overton, now
prisoners in the tower of London : or, A full narrative of the late extrajudicial
and military proceedings against them. Together with the substance of their
several examintions, answers and deportments before them at Darbyhouse, upon
the 28. of March last
[London], 1649
942.06 P191 no.5
Norfolk, Henry Howard, Duke of, 1655-1701, petitioner
The proceedings upon the bill of divorce between His Grace the Duke of
Norfolke and the Lady Mary Mordant ..
London : Printed by Matthew Gillyflower ... and John Barnes ..., 1700
fKD371.A4 G34 1700
Prynne, William, 1600-1669
A new discovery of the prelates tyranny, in their late prosecutions of
Mr. William Pryn, an eminent lawyer : Dr. Iohn 'Bastwick, a learned physitian;
and Mr. Henry Burton, a reverent divine. Wherein the separate, and joynt proceedings
against them in High-commission, and Star-chamber ... their removes to, and
close imprisonments in the castles of Lanceston, Lancaster, Carnarvan, and
isles of Sylly, Garnsey and Jersy; the proceedings against the Chestermen,
and others before the lords, and high commissioners at York', for visiting
Mr. Prynne; the Bishop of Chesters order, for the ministers to preach against
M. Prynne, and the Yorke commissioners decree to deface, and burne his pictures
at Chester High-Crosse. The House of commons order for, and manner of their
returnes from exile ... with M. Prynnes argument, proving all the parts of
his censures, with the proceedings against him, and his Chester friends at
York, to be against law; are truly related ..
London : Printed for M. S., 1641
942.062 P95
Prynne, William, 1600-1669
An hvmble remonstrance against the tax of ship-money lately imposed : laying
open the illegality, injustice, abuses, and inconveniences thereof / Written
by William Prynne, esqu. an. 1636. during his imprisonment in the Tower of
London, to free his countrey from that heavy tax; and then communicated to
some speciall friends in writing. Since that printed without hid privity,
by an imperfect copy, an. 1641. so full of non-sence errors, and mistakes
almost in every line, as makes it altogether uselesse, yea ridiculous: but
now set out by a true copy, agreeing with the originall; to right the author,
and promote the publique good. Together with some briefe observations touching
the great seale of England ..
London : Printed for Michael Sparke senior, 1643
336.2 P95
Treby, George, Sir, 1644?-1700
Truth vindicated : or, A detection of the aspersions and scandals cast
upon Sir Robert Clayton and Sir George Treby, justices, and Slingsby Bethell
and Henry Cornish, esquires, sheriffs of the city of London, in a paper published
in the name of Dr. Francis Hawkins, Minister of the Tower, intituled the Confession
of Edward Fitz-Harris, esq., &c., the copy of which paper is herewith
printed for the readers clearer judgment in the case
London : Printed for R. Baldwin, 1681
DA430 .T7 1681
Wight, J. (John)
Mornings at Bow Street : a selection of the most humourous and entertaining
reports which have appeared in the London Morning herald / by J. Wight ; with
illustrations by George Cruikshank
New York : For sale by the principal booksellers, 1826
HV6944 .W8 1826
Wight, J. (John)
Mornings at Bow Street : a selection of the most humourous and entertaining
reports which have appeared in the Morning Herald ..
London : printed for Charles Baldwyn, 1824
Uncat 8960
A Letter to a Member of Parliament in the country, from his friend in London,
relative to the case of Admiral Byng : with some original papers and letters
which passed during the expedition
London : Printed for J. Cooke ..., 1756
I34791735
Facts, or, A plain and explicit narrative of the case of Mrs. Rudd : published
from her own manuscript and by her authority ..
London : Printed and sold by T. Bell ..., [1775]
KD372 .P47 R8 1775
Humours & oddities of the London police courts : from the opening of
this century to the present time / illustrated and edited by Dogberry.
London : Leadenhall Press [and] Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent ; New
York : C. Scribner, 1894
HV6941.L6 H8 1894
Les Avantures trop amoureuses, ou, Elisabeth Chudleigh, ex-duchesse douairiere
de Kingston, aujourd'hui comtesse de Bristol et la marquise de la Touche sur
la scene du monde : avec d'autres anecdotes pour servir d'instructions a ceux
qui en ont besoin & d'amusemens aux autres
A Londres : Aux depens des interessez, 1776
DA483 .C6 A9 1776
The City of London's plea to the Quo Warranto ..
London :Published by Randal Taylor, printed in the Year 1682
Uncat f924
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