Who was the murderer who committed an atrocity at an East End brothel in 1691? And was he ever caught? What superstitions lay behind the unfathomable slaughter of three innocent children at a remote farmhouse in County Durham in 1683? When was a parish constable murdered in cold blood by a party of men that allegedly included the illegitimate son of King Charles II? Where did violent, lethal confrontations occur between supporters and opponents of King James II during the so-called Bloodless Revolution of 1688? Why was Dr Clenche ruthlessly garrotted in the back of a coach meandering through the darkened London streets? How did the very first killing attributed to the nation s civil wars occur in Manchester? Is there any truth in the legend of Exmoor s lawless Doone clan? These cases, and many more, are explored in depth within this work, and harken back to a time of witchcraft purges, duelling and political assassinations, when the punishment for killing one s fellow man was either more barbaric than the crime itself, or corruptly lenient.
Within these pages the story of violent crime in 17th century Britain is told, from sociopathic noblemen and ruthless bandits, to war crimes and judicial assassinations. Illustrated throughout and shedding a unique light on the era, Crimes and Criminals of 17th Century Britain is the first work of its kind to explore the monstrous murders that occurred against the backdrop of a nation that repeatedly imploded.