Star. — London, England, 1822-01-24 00:00:00

(IVonithe New Monthly 'lapsing). : ;“1 !r .1. OLD CHRISTMAS TIMES at the TEMPLE• We have not heart almost to touch upon the merry days that have been kept in our halls. We address not ourselves to the distant years when Knighthood held gay and gallant reign within these borders, not aught would we here fain know of those places, but as " the bricky tomes, The which on Thames' brode aged back do ride, Where now the studious lawyers have their bowres.” Bowers indeed! but now forsaken of the good spirit that used to dwell therein. As to the old virtues of hospitality, social kindness, good -fellowship—this goodly pile of ours is but of yesterday ; our Benchers (patriarchal title !) have not a touch of antiquity. The fashion of their persons is contemporary with the no tions of the least amongst us. That they are of re cent date, you have a probate in whatsoever they say —in whatsoever they do. Speak not to them of the Christmas of ancient days—the epic times of the Temple—the spring season for the affections of its young followers. They will not hear you upon the • glories of the banqueting hOur, nor in celebration of the reign of the mighty Prince of the time, or the ministry of Masters of Revels and Lords of Misrule ; nor yet touching the history of the marvellous con version of Lawyers, Benchers, and 46 their mighty pa ramounts " (who may not be lightly spoken of) into wilful abettors of the game of blindman s-buff, know ingly giving countenance, aid, and support to the practices of minstrels, jesters, and. such like.* We had a Parliament here in ancient times—a blessing of a Legislature it was. The approach of Christmas always brought a full attendance, for then bills were brought in, papers laid on the tat le (and no doubt • much oratory spilt upon the occasion) in order to the due solemnization of the merry rites, time out of mind celebrated by their good predecessors. They were in earnest about the matter. Commend us to a Corporation for the ordering of a feast. Straight w ere ministers appointed—straight were the hands of government strengthened—and all their resources produced, to meet the vast exigency of the tirne.t But, by our Lady, it is the day, the long-expected day of rejoicing, and the tables ale all set. Hark to tLat courageous blast—it is the grand procession with the first course. You see our great officers of state at tile head. What a fantastic group would their quaint costume make of them, but for the glare of those torches borne in front! The Constable Mar shal, for a follower of Minerva, really spews bravely in his mail of knighthood. But see, the tables have received their destined burden—the awful courtesies are ever, and the rites begun. Now mark that dish of precedence, so reverently gazed upon by all—it is smoking beneath the " eyes intent" of that worthy " auncient" seated in the place of honour. That, Sir, is the boar's head soused—it is a storied dish, and there are secrets in its biography that may not be lightly told. It was among the temporalities that stock longest to the mitre.t The second and third courses are served up with the same ceremony as the first.§ The tables " avoided" after the ban quet, " in fair and decent manner," after a due inter val devoted " not to toys, but wine," the" auncientest" Master of the Revels (always a fellow of infinite jest) adventured, as by office bound, even upon a carol suited to the occasion ; and having to the extent of his good voice diligently performed tile same, had the right, in virtue of the dangerous sea vice, to claim a carol from one of the company, aho likewise nomi nated his successor. And thus the laughing hours passed by, until the clamorous blast proclaimed that the Master of the Revels began his reign. But of the delights of those worm. ts, ere that blast was heard, who shall speak ? The circle of elders that you see grouped about that table—what a communion of high spirits is there !—what intelligence—what a tone of mind is expressed in that brilliant period !--vi hat a war of wit is lighted up amongst them !—bow they smite each other with their airy brands! But hear the wild laugh from the young group . beneath them ; these are the known patrons of every fie-A —the open profes sors of mischief—the very chiidien bf Misrule in conspiracy against the peace of every sober subject of his Mightiness, the great paramount of the time. But the Master of the Revels is on the floor with his train-baud of jesters and mummers. will invoke them even in the words of old Chaucer, as worthy a member of our•lnn as has been seen since his day :• " Doe come, my minstreles And jesters, for to tell us tales, Anon in my armyage, Of romances yatto been royals, Of Popes and Cardinals, And the of love-lengynge." A learned Gentleman of those days was no Sir Oracle, that would a " wilful stillness" affect, " And with his gown his gravity The morality of the time was so ordered as that a man might be thought good for something, although he had his teeth; nor was it laid down that to be sound of limb was good evidence of infirmity of mind. And thus it was, that the Barrister of that golden age was enabled to pass through the disastrous chances and hair-breadth 'scapes of the Christmas festival with applause; nor was it a punishable offence " That he could play, and datinre, and vault, and spring, And all that else pt•rtAin:i to revelling." But these vii tuous days have passed away, and with them the glory, and the pride, and the honour of the Temple have fled— " Oh! all is gone; and all that goodly glee Which wont to be the glory of gay wits, Is laid a-brd." And the wisdom of modern days puts its ban upon such unprofitable doings. A man must be of a seri ous turn, according to law, now-a-days, or he may • Dugdale, in his " Origincs Juridiriales," has extracted from the Registers of the Temple an account of the manner of spend ing the Christmas there. But for a sprightly and picturesque description of the same scenes, we refer to the " Accidence of Armoury," by Gerard Leigh. f Th e officers of all kinds were chosen in full Parliament, in Trinity Term, every year; and the provisions which were con trived against crosses and contingencies, embody much rare • practical wisdom. The boar's head is, we believe, still served up on Christmas Day at Queen's College, Oxford, with ancient pomp and cir cumstance. The ceremonial after supper was, perhaps, the most inte resting of any. The tables were taken up, and the Prince took his station ander the place of honour, where his achievement was b eau tifully enabroidered, and advi sed well of sundry matters with the ambassadors of foreign nations. There be was at tended in true Oriental style. liis Highness distributed !mous b y the hands of his great (Akers with regal liberality. • . , . • expect the peace-officers after him. You talk of su perstition, and point to the ritual of Popery. You, would bate me of half my merriment out of spite to the scarlet lady,"xays Selden, (and we cite the learned authority with deep professional reverence). go There never was a merry world since the fairies left dancing, and the parson left conjuring." We go not the whole extent of this opinion ; but we own we would consent to undertake a reasonable penance at the discretion of the minister—we would not grumble at a practi cable fair length of pilgrimage—nay, we would even tender our respects to a fair wooden representative of a grim Saint, if by such concessions we could bring back the days and nights of Old Christmas-time at the Temple. A FEW TEMPLARS. MI LAW INTELLIGENCE, COURT OF CHANCERY, JANUARY as. This being the first day of Hilary Term, the Judges came to Lincoln's Inn Hall shortly after eleven o'clock, and had the usual interview with the LORD CHANCELLOR. They retired about half-past twelve, and shortly after the LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Bench, when Messrs. ADAM, PULLER, and TAUNTON, who had previously taken their seats im mediately behind the bar,were informed by his Lord ship that his Majesty had been pleased to appoint them King's Counsel, and directed them to take their seats accordingly within the bar. His Lordship then inquired of them if they had any motion to make? and, having answered in the negative, the Learned Gentlemen retired. His Lordship was occupied until half-past two in the further hearing of Counsel in a cause relative to a Welsh Road or Railway, of no public interest. COURT OF KING'S BENCH, JANUARY 23: Hilary Term commenced to-day in full Bench.— After the usual Convict and Penitentiary Reports were read, which were favourable, a Report from WILLIAM JONES, Esq. the Marshal of the King's Bench Prison, in compliance with the Rule of last Term, was handCd in, from which it appeared, that since the last Term he had taken steps to comply with the directions of the Court as to residence, by fitting up his residentiary house preparatory to his pet manent dwelling. He entered into a minute detail of the number of days he had attended, and the number of nights he had slept in the prison since November last. The Cot ni then ordered that the Mar)bal do make a further Report upon the same subject on the first day of next Term, WALTER r. SMITH. This was an action of trover to recover from the defendant a watch and seals, which he was al:eged to have converted to his own use. After ti ial before the Lcrd Chief Justice at the London Sittings after last Term, a verdict was found for the plaintiff. Mr. GURNEY now moved for a Rule Nisi to set aside the verdict and enter a nonsuit. The plaintiff is an•attorney ; the defendant a pawnbroker. The former had pledged his watch with the latter for two guineas. At the exi iration of a year the pledge was not redeemed, but soon afterwards the plaintiff tendered the money lent, the interest due therecni,' and all expenses incurred, and desired to have his watch returned, but the defendant, considering that he had a tight to treat the pledge as being completely forfeited, by virtue of the 9th and 44)th Geo. 111. c. 99, sec. 17, refused to deliver it up, upon which the plaintiff brought his action. The question was, whether this action would lie, the Learned Counsel contending, that by the general Pawnbrokers' Act abovementioned, after a year and a day, if a pledge is not redeemed, it becomes forfeited to all intents and put poses; but The Come were clearly of opinion that the word " forfeited" was not to have this unlimited construc tion. The Act declared, that after the year and the day the pledge " Shall be forfeited, and may be sold by the pawnbroker." These words were to be read conjunctively: Now the pledgetvas not ipso [ado forfeited. The pawnbroker might take steps to sell the unredeemed pledge, but by another section of the Statute, he was liable to account to the owner for any overplus that might be produced at the sale, after deducting the amount of the money lent, and the interest and expenses within three years. So that the owner had not completely forfeited all interest in the property, for he might at any time before the sale claim his property, upon tendering the money lent, the interest, and the expenses. This had been done in this case, and therefore the action was sus tainable.—Rule refused. XING V. TOWNSIIEND. This was an action for a private libel, imputing to the plaintiff that he had informed against a Mrs. De cima Barber, that she was possessed of contraband goods, whereby he sustained special damage in the loss of a great part of that Lady's custom in his trade of a silk-mercer, she being a milliner. At the Middlesex Si :sings after last Term, the plaintiff had a verdict of Lai damages. Mr. CHITTY now moved, in arrest of judgment, that the action could not be sustained, for that it is not actionable to stigmatise a man as an informer, it being the duty of every good subject, however odi ous the performance of it might be, to put the law in force, by informing against offenders. The Couttx, however, were clearly of opinion that the action was sustainable, and therefore . refused the Rule. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, JANUARY 23. This being the first day of Term, the JUDGES came down to Court in procession. They were occupied in hearing motions of course, none of which were of any public interest. PREROGATIVE COURT, JANUARY ^3.• ROGERS AND BROWNING V. PETTIS. This was a question of probate to the last will of Jas. Stevens, Esq. late of Brook-green, deceased. Two testamentary papers, at variance with each other, and uncertain as to their operative effect, are propounded, with codicils thereunto annexed. The question comes before the Court under a caveat given in by the next of kin ; by which bequests of considerable real and personal estate, left to Mrs. Pettis, a niece of the de ceased, are disputed ; likewise an annuity to Mrs. Elizabeth Vessey, his housekeeper, of £5O per an- 1 num, a farm-house, and the whole of his household furniture, provisions, &c. The property of which the testator died possessed, consisting of real and per sonal estate, is, it seems, considerable. The reading of evidence, which is extremely voluminous, occu pied the attention of the Court the whole day. Sir J. NICHOL adjourned the argument to the next Court day. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, JANUARY 25. William Benson was opposed on two grounds—l st, for having given an undue preference to some of his , creditors; 2dly, for having contracted debts,which he had no visible means of paying. The insolvent, it seemed, was a publican living on the toast of Sussex, and having got into difficulties, was induced by two of his creditors, Messrs. Hanbury and Johnstone, to give warrants to each of them amounting to a larger sum than the whole property he was possessed of would produce. Such being the state of his affairs, he contracted a debt with a Mr. T. Williams to the amount of £4.8, for spirits furnished to him. He never told Mr. Williams of the desperate state of his affairs, but allowed him to send in the goods as if he were at the time solvent. The Court strongly animadverted upon the impro , priety of the insolvent s conduct. Although no undue preference bad been proved, yet it was but too evi dent that goods had been ordered, thereby raising a considerable debt which there was no visible means , of liquidating. The warrants which the insolvent bad , given disposed of the whole of his property, and from that moment he must be considered as having done . with his business as a publican ; unless it could be said that warrants, like those given by the insolvent, were in the regular course of business, then the case I came within the 18th section of the Act. There was nothing more mischievous to the trading interests than the practice of issuing these warrants, which swept away the property furnished by individuals ig norant of these private transactions. The insolvent was then ordered to be imprisoned for three months. - - - - - - . _ Catherine Sctlgtaich, alias C,'herine Smith Sed Atrick, whose case has been so frequently before the Court, was to-day discharged. SURREY SESSIONS. Yesterday, Edmund Stuart was indicted for stealing a bundle, containing articles of weal ing apparel. The prosecutor, an aged laboming man, stated, that he was travelling from Cobham towards Ports mouth, and soon after he set out in the morning, lie met with the prisoner on the road, who joined him, and said he was going in the same direction. When breakfast-time came, the prisoner told the witness he had neither money nor food, and that lie should be_ very thankful to any one to give him a mouthful of bleak!. The witness took compassion on him, and brought him into a public-house, when he entertained him with bread and bacon, and cheese; he had w ith him a bundle, and also gave him a good share of beer. 'They continued travelling together the greater part of the day, during which time the witness fre quently entertained the prisoner at public-houses, with meat and drink. The prisoner frequently ex pressed his tratitude for the great kindness the wit ness sheaved him, saying he was like a father to him, and insisted on carrying his bundle, as the only re turn lie could make him. The witness had occasion to stop a short time, during which the prisoner went on with the bundle, and when the witness returned to the road, he was quite out of sight. The witness, in this part of his evidence, warmly panegyrised a faithful dog which was the companion of his journey. This dog, he said, led him oir the road over a hedge into a field, and he stated very circumstantially the several fields and hedges over which the dog hunted the prisoner, before he at length came in view of him in a narrow lane. The prisoner, as soon as he saw the witness and his dog in pursuit, began to run, but was soon stopped by a man who was before him on the road. The witness produced the clothes contained in the bundle, which be identified as his property. The prisoner said, in his defence, that while he was carrying the bundle by himself, .he met a girl who told him there was a short cut through the fields, which was the cause of his going off the road. The Jury instantly found him Guilty. The CHAIRMAN said, the prisoner's conduct had been at once most dishonest and ungrateful, and sentenced him to be transported for seven years. William Petty and Henry Page were tried upon an indictment charging them with having stolen up wards of 7 cwt. of lead, the property of John Spicer, Esq. the High Sheriff of Surrey. It appeared from the evidence for the prosecution, that on the 25th of November last, it was discovered that the roof of an antique tower on the estate of the High Sheriff, at Esher, had been stripped of all the lead that could be conveniently got off, in quantity nearly a ton weight. It was ascertained that the whole had been wheeled into the high road upon a wheel barrow, and from the wheelbarrow into a cart. The ti acks of the two vehicles were measured, the size of the horse's feet taken, and, by a curious chain of facts, the guilt was affixed to the prisoners before it was known that they had been apprehended with the lead in their possession. An officer belonging to Kingston, on the night after the robbery, saw the prisoners on their way to London, with a cart loaded in a manner which excited his suspicion, and he in terrogated them, when they prevaricated consider ably, and he took them before a Magistrate. A curi ous circumstance occurred, which tended to bring the matter more securely home to the prisoners. In the search about the tower, the pearl head of a button was found, which did not escape the vigilance o f t h e examining Magistrate, who ordered the poisoners' jackets to be taken off, when it was found that a but ton hal been broken from one of them, and that the worthy Magi f M ac a t g t i o str b a e te c , on w c l l i u o s w iv a e: a b n y d t h ra is d t e es a ti t m ai o lo n r y , top fitted exactly with the s h an k f oun d upon t h e c oat. s dTechela rch s e e p a r te isO nc ß e er were MAN them to fo b u e n t d ran G s u po i had doubtless great we i g h t . r y t e , da for d F. h v e e C n 1-; e A a r l R s • Saturday sennight the crew of the preventive boat, stationed at Bude, proceeded from that place for Boscastle, having on board five persons belonging to the service, named Andrews, Key, Bale, Worsdale, and Pettinson, four of whom were married and had families. The wind was'from the N.E. squally, and the sea high. They proceeded in safety until they were half way between Bude and Boscastle, off the cliffs of St. Ginnis, when the boat upset, and though a number of persons on the cliffs witnessed the ca tastrophe; no assistance could be afforded, ad she whole of the crew perished. DEATHS PROM MOVIES ditennta FIRE. So mint lamentable instances of death have re cently occurred in emequence of Ladies' and c hit. drens dresses catching fire, that it appears sin gu l ar some effectual preventive means art not resorted t o against a calamity which, by depriving a family of 'an.affectionate mother or hopeful child, often plunge s as into misery and unavailing regret. But, alas!burning to death is an event which Nowt occasiooccasionallyhappen, while the present rage for muslin and other highly inflammable dresses continues to pocses s t h e softer sex. Wheo a skirt of a combustible loo , e gown, petticoat, scat f, shawl, or other article, com es us contact with the flame cf a candle, the bar of a grate, or an ignited coal projected from the file, the Lady is by herself. it is next to a miracle that she should escape with life. Her fears overcome and paralyse her; she runs about; the flames rapidly i n . crease, and blaze higher and hieer, by ,the access of the air on both sides of the floating garrr?T; and when assistance -.arrives it is tco late to d-1 thing with success. Death is here produced, not. b r the removal or denudation of part of the skin fron't the scorched parts, but by the more than svn portable shock given to the whole nervous system, by the excessive pain and torture being usually ap. plied over too huge a surface of the sensible If Ladies would throw aside that foolish and super. fluotts article called a shawl or scarf, which i, a:w a y s trailing, and brushing, and sweei:ing what is in its way ; if they would substitute woollen or si:k for muslin, cotton, or cambric dresses; if they would wear something closely fitted to the body and to the limbs, which is known to be not easily combu:tib:e, such as flannel or silk—that is wai,tcoats and dra..ve ls; if they would have always in readiness a large ket or two, or hearth.rtigs, to envelope the per ,l on file ; and if, instead of adding to the rapidity of tile flumes, by running about and ringing the hell , thcy would instantly iie down on the carpet, and, if hle, roll themselves in it or the hearth-rug, we ,L •:I hear of fewer instances of death and scorching !lon such lamentable accidents. Vi-en on fire, the woman who deliberates is lost! Let no Lady, :u nit at the cautions here earnestly recommended to the iaa. sex ; but let every woman, whenever and before he puts on a highly combustible garment, setif; . :ly reflect upon the risk she runs ; how much may i.e cm ificed by her death; and let her be pre i -ze.: counteract the danger in time. A little girl, not eight years of age, rf the mere o f m. % RIA R AT rinosE, ho was lost near M.ic :le. iii:!l on the''Oth of December, was found dead on the I 17lt itr t. under a willow in the fivld near the Crown !! -, Lower Prover. The death of this infant was atter..:,l with such instances of inhumanity as, for the bon-- 7 of human nature, we trust are not fiequent. In dc: wanderings, she called at the house of J A m rs of Wood End farm, about four o'clock, and informed Mrs. CASII that she had lost her war, was the dang':- ter of JOIIN RATHBONE, of Henbury, and v. antcd go home. It appears that Mrs. CASH would have taken care of the child, but was prevented by !lc; own mother, who said, " Let her go, thou bast chil dren enough of thy own." Before she left the flttm yard she again repeated her tale to two men, a:!:a laughed at her, and she went away crying. Tura this house she went three or four miles furt! et from her home, was seen by several persons taking shelter under a holly hedge, and at the close of the day v‘.:!i again seen, for the last time, in a lane near Piumbley Moor, from whence she wande: ed to the place whe:e. she was found. From the time she was 10 , 4 last Monday week her anxious father had employed the whole of his time in search, and was joined early that morning by fourteen men, seven of whom were in the employ of it. HIBBERT; Esq. of Pirtle , . and whet kindly agreed to accompany and assist him. 1: very singular that one of these men, %%hose name '; GEORGE DOOLEY, a perfect stranger to the child and her father, but who had heard that she %% as lost, dreamt that he saw the body of the child lying un a willow, surrounded by water. It was upon :Ile faith of this dream that his six fellow-workmen we..: with him ; and, strange to tell, after a search of seve ral hours, the body was found by him under a svillow bush. An Inquest was held at the Crown Inn, Lc-A . ::: Peover, before JOHN HOLLINS, Esq. Coroner, wl:e , was affected to tears on the occasion, and pre s ented a guinea to the father of the deceased. The verdict was—" That she perished in consequence of fa:ietie, hunger, and the inclemency of the weather."-1;:ora this authentic narrative, there is no doubt that the little innocent perished in consequence of the inhu manity of the persons to whom she applied, and whose churlishness ne language can express. On Friday afternoon, a very ferocious assault wet; committed by a band of smugglers ou the perscn of an Excise officer whilst isa the discharge of his du:y in Landtessy-street, Calton. It originated thus— Mr. Mark, the officer, in consequence of information, proceeded to a dwelling in said street, and soon made a seizure of a small quantity of hot and hasty brewed whiskey. The still had been going for two or three days only—and that too in a small back holoe, of which Mr. Mark was ignorant at the time of making the seizure, and of course went away. The smug glers thought, however, there was no time to be and a hasty flitting was the consequence. Mr. Mark in a few minutes got notice of the circumstance, and hastened with the landlord to the spot and soon de molished the remains of the distillery. The band, meanwhile, about five or six in number were seen in close consultation hard by. They soon threw themselves in the way of the officer, and on his re turn through the entry, one of them drew a lusty shilelah and struck him a severe blow on the head.- 1 Mr. Mark started back, but the blow was followed up without mercy—he was tripped and fell—and cut, and bruised, and beaten at a most dreadful rate, and then they made their escape in a twinkling. The ii',- gressors were all Irish, and it is very probable thin )vill soon be taken into custody, as Mr. Mark was heard to say, " I know you all, and will make you suffer for this." This vigilant and meritorious officer has de stroyed a great number of these stills in that quarter, and most of them single handed. HIGH-WATS/tat LONDON BRIDGR TO- M Oitlto Vi N ming . 24 minutes after 4 Afttrnooes . 44 4 LONDON; Maud and . published by Levu KM?, Pickcit platcc, Toni,lc-134r. • r .1 I a e .1 • A 1 E • 1,