LENO

A

FTER what has fo fully and concifely been obferved in the title, it might perhaps be deemed unneceffary to trouble the reader farther with a preface; but as cuftom has ordained, that on ufhering a new performance into the world, fome apology should be made in its behalf, we fhall not deviate from the general mode.

We shall not, (however) attempt to prejudice the public in favour of our work, as fuperior to every one that has preceded it. No! actuated by more generous and liberal motives, all that we shall fay, is, that every endeavour will be exerted, to avoid the errors which moft forced productions of this kind have been guilty of: in which many interesting trials have been omitted, and the powerful criminal has escaped infertion for private or partial views. No pecuniary biafs prompts the prefent Proprietors, but every remarkable and interefting trial, both of the titled villain, or the artful knave, will be expofed to the public eye, and the most affiduous care will be taken to render our collection not only a valuable but an entertaining companion.

To youth, especially, our work will be a friendly monitor. Human frailty is fubject to errors, and the juvenile part of mankind are most liable to receive the impreffions of vice or virtue. Many and various are the means made ufe of to mislead the honeft but unwary youth, and to draw him out of the plain paths of virtue and goodness. If, If, therefore, pointing out the road which others have taken, and by which they have been led into a deftructive pit; if, the primary fprings are exposed to their view, which have firft inftigated unfortunate wretches to their own destruction, can prevail; furely, the prefent plan will be of effential fervice, and the youthful reader may be taught by their misfortunes, to avoid the nets in which they were entangled, and thun the gulph of vice, which many, through inadvertency, have plunged into.

As the crimes of men alfo affect the public in general, it is obvious how useful a work must prove, which, by expofing public wickedness, arms every man with caution against the like defigns. To thofe, therefore, who are more advanced in years, this collection will prove an agreeable entertainment and a friendly affiftant to the memory. The various artful methods practifed by defigning villains to defraud and plunder, will be carefully and accurately inferted, according to the minutes that were taken down at their different trials, which may prove a cautionary guide to the induftrious and honeft man, to fecure his property, by guarding against the like wiles, which others may attempt to impofe upon him.

We shall conclude, by obferving, that in the following compilation, great care nas been taken to select those trials, where crimes or circumstances bear the marks of originality. State trials, in particular, will be carefully and minutely noticed, and in order to render our work as agreeable to the reader as poffible, we have given in the frontifpiece, A PERSPECTIVE VIEW of WESTMINSTER HALL, with Both HOUSES of PARLIAMENT, affembled on the Trial of a Peer.

A PERSPECTIVE VIEW of WESTMINSTER-HALL, with BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, on the TRIAL of a PEER.

Also a VIEW of the PEERESSES, their Daughters, the Foreign AMBASSADORS, and the rest of the numerous Company, as they are ranged on the Scaffolding erected on fuch a folemn Occafion,

REFERENCES to the Scaffolding

N. B. All the feats are covered, and the fcaffolding hung with red bays, excepting where the Houfe of Commons fit, and that is covered with green bays.

Alphabetical

A N

TABLE

OF THE

NAMES of the Perfons tried or proceeded againft, the Crimes for which they were tried, and the Punishments of fuch as were convicted in the firft Volume.