“News/Novels Discourse”:

Some Sensational Journalism in the 17th and 18th

Centuries

“A True relation of Gods wonderful mercies, in preserving one alive, which

hanged five days, who was falsely accused.” (1605)

“A true relation of all the bloody murders that have been committed in and
about the citie and suburbs of London, since the 4th of this instant June.”
(1677)

“A Full and True Relation of the Examination and Confession of W. Barwick

and E. Mangall, of Two Horrid Murders.” (1690)

“The Second Spira; Being a True Relation at the Deathbed of an Atheist, Who
Had Apostatized from the Christian Religion, and Dyed in Despair at
Westminster, Decemb. 8, 1692: An Account of His Sickness, Convictions,
Discourses with Friends and Ministers; and of His Dreadful Expressions and
Blasphemies When He Left the World.” (1693)

“A Narrative of the Extraordinary Penitence of Rob. Maynard, Who Was

Condemnd for the Murder of John Stockton, Late Victualler in Grub-street; an
Account of Several Conferences Held with Him in Newgate, and a Copy of the
Papers which He Left to be Published After His Death.” (1696)

“A True Narrative of the Sufferings and Relief of a Young Girle . . . Strangely

Molested by Evil Spirits and their Instruments.” (1698)

“An Account of a most Barbarous and bloody murder committed on Sunday

last, by Mr. James Smith on the body of Mr. Cluff, with an account of how he
mangled his body in a most barbarous manner, cut off his left hand, and
stabbed him in several places of the body, leaving him dead upon the place,
with other particulars relating to the occasion of that inhuman action.” (1703)

“An Exact Relation of the Late Dreadful Tempest: or, a Faithful Account of the
Most Remarkable Disasters Which Hapned on that Occasion, Faithfully
Collected by an Ingenious Hand, to Preserve the Memory of So Terrible a
Judgment.” (1704)

“The Cruel Son; or, the Unhappy Mother. Being a Dismal Relation of one Mr.
Palmer and Three Ruffians, who Barbarously Murder’d his own Mother and her
Maid . . . November the 7th, 1707, by Cutting their Throats from Ear to Ear, in
a Cruel and Unnatural Manner; and afterwards setting the House on Fire.”
(1707)
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“The Cruel Mother, Being a Strange and unheard-of Account of one Mrs.
Elizabeth Cole, a Childs Coatmaker in the Minories, that threw her own child
into the Thames on Sunday Night last, a Girl of about Five years of Age. With
the manner how the Child begg’d of her Mother not to drown her . . . Also, an
account of one Sarah Taylor a Maid Servant, near Ratcliff Cross, that hang’d
herself on Tuesday last at her Master’s, for the Love of a Young Man.” (1708)

“An Almanack-Husband; or, a Wife a Month: Being a very Comical and

Pleasant Relation of a Merchants Son near the Monument, who Married a Wife
every Month, for a Year Together.” (1708)

“The tryal and conviction of several reputed Sodomites, before the Right
Honorable Lord Mayor, and Recorder of London, at Guildhall, the 20th day of
October, 1709.”

Compare the above to the full title of Moll Flanders:

“The Fortunes and Misfortunes Of the Famous Moll Flanders, &c. Who was
Born in Newgate, and during a Life of Continu’d Variety for Threescore Years,
besides her Childhood, was Twelve Year a Whore, five times a Wife (whereof
once to her own Brother) Twelve Year a Thief, Eight year a Transported Felon in
Virginia, at Last grew Rich, liv’d Honest, and died a Penitent. Written from her
own Memorandums.” (1722)