286+ Christian Watkins proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing a plain Gold Ring, val.10 s, the Goods of William Soame proceedingsvictim , in his Shop , in the Parish of St Peter's Cheap , May 26 .

Robert Peers < no role > . I live with Mr Soame , a Goldsmith , in Cheapside . The Prisoner, with another Woman, came into my Master's Shop, the 26th of May, about 9 o'clock in the Morning, to buy a Gold Ring. I put about 3 or 4 upon the Counter, that she might fit herself. None of them would do, so I took them up, and put them into the Glass, to take out more; but before I shut the Glass, the Prisoner put her Hand in, and took out one of those Rings which I had before shewn her, and put it on her middle Finger. Then she put her Finger into her Mouth, and pulled the Ring off in her Mouth, and gave me this brass Ring instead of it. As soon as she gave it me, I told her it was not the same Ring she had put on her Finger. She said it was. I said it was larger than what she had taken, for the Gold Ring was very tight on her Finger, and the Brass one went on and off very easy. She insisted upon it, that 'twas the same, and I could not get the Gold Ring again; so I called my Master, and he tryed the Brass Ring on her Finger, and told her, she had no need to wet her Finger in her Mouth to get that Ring off. She said, her Hand was hot when she came in, but now it was cold, which was the Reason it went on easier than before. Then my Master sent me for a Constable, and while I was gone, either she or her Companion dropp'd 3 or 4 brass Rings in the Shop, and when we searched her,(at a Publick House in Milk-Street) there was no more than 6 d. found upon the Prisoner, nor could we find the Ring upon either of them, as I was informed by the People, who searched them.

Defence . I was seatched at the Gentleman's House, and the young Woman who was with me, was searched there too. They found nothing up on us, but because some brass Rings had been dropped in the Shop, they charged us with this Thing, when perhaps it might be some other Person who dropped them.

Mr Peers. I know nothing of their being searched at our House. Guilty * 4 s.6 d.

* The Ring not being produced, nor the Value proved, the Jury might fix what Value they thought proper. The following Case differs in both those Circumstances.

[Transportation. See summary.]