Saturday, 8 March 1729
On Wednesday the Sessions ended at the Old-Bailey, ... Henry Hambleton, for an Attempt to commit Sodomy, was fined 5 Marks, and order’d three Months Imprisonment, and to find Security for his good Behaviour for a Year. (London Journal)
On Thursday ... one John Mitchell stood in the Pillory at Charing Cross, for charging William Cornish with Sodomy, and taking 10s. 6d. of him for concealing the same. And as one Mrs Sunderland, a Midwife in Downing Street, Westminster, was standing to see him in the Pillory, she had her Pocket pick’d of 10 Guineas. (London Journal)
Saturday, 31 May 1729
On Saturday last ... the Trial of John Price, a Gentleman’s Servant, came on at Hicks’s Hall on an Indictment for an Attempt to commit Sodomy, and was acquitted. (London Journal)
Saturday, 9 August 1729
On Tuesday William Rowland, a poor Clergyman (convicted the last Sessions at the Old Bailey, of writing and publishing a false and scandalous Libel, signed Sodomastix, directed to the Rt. Hon. the Lord Chief Justice of the King’s Bench, containing several scandalous expressions against Thomas Raylton and Nathanael Blackerby, Esqrs; two Gentlemen in the Commission of the Peace for Middlesex, in regard to the Execution of their Office, as to their letting several Persons escape that were brought before them for Sodomitical Practices, insinuated, that it was done either for the sake of Gold, or some other personal Views) stood in the Pillory at the Royal Exchange, in his Canonical Habit, for one Hour, most of which Time he employ’d in reflecting on the Recorder, who pass’d Sentence on him, and on the Justices on whose Account he suffer’d. The People who were drawn together on this Occasion were generally concern’d for him, and several Women as well as Men gave him Money. He was by many thought to be disorder’d in his Senses. He is likewise to stand in the Pillory at Chancery-Lane End, and to suffer six Months Imprisonment. (London Journal)
SOURCE: Newspapers, as noted above. The London Journal was published once a week, on Saturdays.
CITATION: If you cite this Web page, please use the following citation:
Rictor Norton (Ed.), "Sodomastix and Other News Reports, 1728," Homosexuality in Eighteenth-Century England: A Sourcebook. 3 March 2005 <http://www.infopt.demon.co.uk/1729news.htm>.
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