Old Newsfilter

July 18, 2005 3:52 AM

Half-hanged Harding; Women of Pleasure; the Rape Master General; Haemorrhoides, Hernia, Bad Teeth and Other Ailments; the Rabbit Woman; Sew-Gelder Tries to Spay His Wife; Getting Rid of Bedbugs, and other Early Eighteenth Century Newspaper Reports.
posted by madamjujujive (14 comments total)

Excellent! May I indulge in a favorite?

Mr. Trahern, B.D. (chaplain to Sir Orlando Bridgman, Lord Keeper) a learned and sober person, was son of a shoe-maker in Hereford: one night as he lay in bed, the moon shining very bright, he saw the phantom of one of the apprentices, sitting in a chair in his red waistcoat, and head-band about his head, and strap upon his knee; which apprentice was really in bed and asleep with another fellow-apprentice, in the same chamber, and saw him. The fellow was living, 1671. Another time, as he was in bed, he saw a basket come sailing in the air, along by the valence of his bed; I think he said there was fruit in the basket: it was a phantom. From himself.

The Phantom Basket by John Aubrey, Esq.
posted by moonbird at 4:28 AM on July 18, 2005

This is really cool.

If I had a dime for every time I'd read this in my local paper,

On Friday night a woman of the town, that lodged in Marsom Street, being jealous that her gallant had dealings with some body else, cut his throat with a razor, for which she was committed to the Gate-House, where she hanged her self on Sunday morning,

well, I'd be a rich man.
posted by OmieWise at 4:34 AM on July 18, 2005

[this is good] Bravo madamjujujive!

I'm glad the Rape Master General received his comeuppance..

"He died on 24 February 1732, and the London crowds threw dead cats into his grave."
posted by peacay at 5:18 AM on July 18, 2005

Outstanding social barbarity.
More please!
posted by NinjaPirate at 5:28 AM on July 18, 2005

another outstanding post madamjujujive.

Wednesday two night-walkers were committed to Tothill Bridewell, for misdemeanors; one was so drunk, that it was thought proper to provide a wheel-barrow for her; but the ground caught her so often in her passage, that she was all of a colour before she came to her journey's end.

Reading these accounts convinces me that one of the worst crimes committed by city of London was tearing down of Newgate prison in 1902. It would have been a huge tourist attraction.
posted by three blind mice at 5:28 AM on July 18, 2005

[this rawx]
posted by Aknaton at 6:38 AM on July 18, 2005

Oh my! The sow-gelder being in company with several other married men over a pot of ale, they all join’d in complaint of the fruitfulness of their wives, because of the charges brought upon them thereby; and asking him, whether he could not do by their wives as by other animals, he said he could... Ouchouch!

Madam, merci for giving me a great distraction today.
posted by dabitch at 7:29 AM on July 18, 2005

Well that certainly kept me busy, thanks madamjujujive.

he was attack’d by two footpads, who rob’d him of a considerable sum of money and his gold watch, then left him; but one of the rogues thinking the gentleman’s coat better than what he had on, return’d back and made an exchange. When the gentleman came home, he was agreeably surprized with finding his money in one pocket, and his watch in the other.
posted by Tarrama at 7:34 AM on July 18, 2005

Wonderful post madam.
posted by vagus at 8:37 AM on July 18, 2005

Geez,

A maid servant near Chelsea, has been committed to the Gate-house for secretly putting a quantity of Spanish Flies into some ale, and giving it to her sweetheart, a poor glazier, by way of Love-Powder, to encrease his passion, whereby his life is in great danger.

I seriously expect to see anal bleaching mentioned in one of these articles.
Great post.
posted by Cedric at 8:59 AM on July 18, 2005

Typical British understatement, from the rape-master general article:

After he was cast for his life, as aforesaid, he was carried up to Newgate, and seem'd greatly dispirited.
posted by rkent at 10:45 AM on July 18, 2005

Great find ! I like the vintage news at the New Hampshire Gazette (Brigham Young's monsterous organ described)
posted by hortense at 3:43 PM on July 18, 2005

Hmmmm.....

"Take of the highest rectified spirit of wine, (viz. lamp spirits) that will burn all away dry, and leave not the least moisture behind, half a pint’s newly distilled oil, or spirit of turpentine, half a pint; mix them together, and break into it, in small bits, half an ounce of camphire, which will dissolve in it in a few minutes; shake them well together, and with a piece of spunge, or a brush dipt in some of it, wet very well the bed or furniture wherein those vermine harbour and breed, and it will infallibly kill and destroy both them and their nitts, altho’ they swarm ever so much: But then the bed or furniture must be well and thoroughly wet with it, (the dust upon them being first brushed and shook off) by which means it will neither stain, soil, or in the least hurt the finest silk or damask bed that is."

And to think that throwing the sheets, pillowcases, and other bedding in the washing machine on a regular basis may not be good enough.

Water & soap vs. kerosene & turpentine....
posted by msjen at 5:10 PM on July 18, 2005

I have all intention to add "sodomitical" to my regular parlance.
posted by RobotHero at 8:40 AM on July 19, 2005