[Manuscript] The Notes of a Court Clerk of cases heard at the Easter Sessions probably at Devizes Magistrates Court (Wiltshire), given that Devizes House of Correction is the prison of choice..

24 pp, folio, some leaves detached, interleaved with blotting paper, not bound, fair condition; a scrawl of a handwriting, difficult to read. It starts with the date, 9 April 1823, Easter Sessions, two names of people who "qualified as magistrates", "The Revd R.P.B. took the oaths as rector of Stanton St Quintin, list as follows: 4 Insolvent debtors named and "discharged", "determined to divide the Court into 2-", Cases commence as exemplified below.Each case noted with the following information: name[s] of offenders; names of witnesses with summary of evidence (what happened, involving stories, including defence), socially illuminating, sometimes at length; verdict and sentence (if found guilty). Crimes etc committed in various places from Stapleton ( Bristol) to Hindon (Wiltshire).James Chalk, theft of Barley etc, found guilty, three months hard labour in the House of Correction at Devizes.John Brown, theft of pair of shoes, one witness was the constable of Warminster, found guilty, 2 months hard labour in the House of Correction, Devizes.James [Champ?], prison breaking, sentence as above on top of remaining sentence from previous.James [?], assault at Hindon (nr Devizes), found guilty, hard labour etc, 2pp. William Taylor, getting money from the Overseer (Workhouse) under false pretences, Not Guilty.William Cousins, "uttering a counterfeit coin", guilty, 6 months imprisonment, bond for good behaviour.Thomas [later called Arthur] Pinckney, theft of 2 fishing nets from "Lord Suffolk" (presumably of Charlton Park, Malmesbury) whose gamekeeper is a witness, guilty, 12 months.John Platt, embezzling various sums of money, guilty, four months, Devizes.Henry [?] and another, theft of rope[?], both guilty, 2 months, Devizes.William Parker, theft of forks[?], guilty, known of good character, one month.Thomas Hunt, theft of potatoes, guilty, one month, Devizes.William Bigwood, theft of a shirt worth 5/-, guilty, 6 months, DevizesOrders [?] discussed, 5pp., concluding "Confirm 1 [struck through]| [Quash?] 111 [struck through]".Philip Hatherick [Hatherill?] and others for assault, found guilty, one month in the House of Correction and bound over (£10) to keep the peace for 12 months, 3.5pp.;Some verdicts are followed by additional notes and/or series of strokes (eg "111111" - crossed through). A vote?