On 21 April 1680, the Old Bailey heard two serious cases: Edward Harrison was convicted of manslaughter after a deadly dispute, while William Harding was found guilty of the rape of a young child. Both men were sentenced to death, reflecting the severity of justice in 17th-century London.
Tag Archives: 17th century justice
This Day in History: 9 April 1684
On 9 April 1684, two women named Mary Corbet were tried at the Old Bailey—one for counterfeiting coin, the other for murdering her concealed newborn child. Both were sentenced to death, yet later records hint at a royal pardon, leaving their ultimate fates uncertain and historically ambiguous.
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