The National Register. — London, England, 1822-06-10 00:00:00

sc anty maintenance by her needle, but finding it prove insattic eat, she determined to try whether the labour eh the pen would not be more profitable. However, before the could succeed in disposing of her work she was obliged to go in arrears with her landlady: the sum was small, but as the woman was destitute of principle, she availed herself of the circumstance to plead the cause of a libertine of fashion, who was struck with Mrs. Clayton's person. In vain did the unfortunate widow spurn his dishonourable proposals, he continued to insult her with his licentious offers. The thought that she now had it in her power to escape his iiiipirtuitities,added to the delight which the success of her work gave her— she resolved to seek for another lodging in the morning; and after she had put her little girl to bed, she sat down to form plans for the future, with an alacrity of spirit to which she had knig been a stranger, when the door opened, and Sir Harry entered. She saw at a glance that lie was half intoxicated, arid though terrified at a freedom which he had never before presumed to take, she had presence of mind enough to conceal her alarm. She ruin with apparent composure, and desired he would leave her apartment. " Pray," cried he, with a scorn ful laughs. " what is the penalty, my pretty inflex:ble, if I don't chose to comply? You are about to rid your self of the' detestable mail,' you know,' but et least you shalt first hear what he has to say." Grasping her hand, he wiliged her to sit down, and placing himself at her side, he began to offer her what he called better terms, intermingled with threats of vengeance if they were not accep.cd. Irritated by her struggles to disengage herself tile brute threw his arms round her. She screamed in terror, and the next moment an old mail, very plainly dressed, entered the room. Sir harry quitted his des tined prey, and athalieing with a fierce air to the stranger, toad hum to retire. " Not unless the lady wishes it," phed he coolly. " On, no no l" exclaimed my mis tress," for Heaven's sake, sir, do not go! "I'lte baronet then changed his ground ; he declared that the lady was his wife, but unluckily for him, the maid servant who admitted him in the lady's absence, entered at that mo ment, and began clamorously to reproach him with breaking his promise to her, by insulting lily mistress.— This unexpected attack from tits accomplice totally dis concerted him, and with a dreadful ex.cration upon her and himself. he quitted the room. My mistress, whose terror had by this time a little subsided, warmly thanked the stranger. " You owe me no acknowledgments, madam," replied he, drily: I found the street door ajar; my entrance was therefore easy; but even if it had been otherwise, I could not disregard the voice of a woman in distress. If I can be of any further use to you command time; if not, I will take my leave." Atter what has passed, sir," said Mrs. Clayton, " I do not dare to remain here ; could you but stay till 1 pay this woman and remove my things, it would tie indeed a favour." servant, on being summoned. declared that her mistress was absent, but finding that ,N.lrs. Cayton persisted in going immediately, she offered to fetch the landlady. When she quitted the room fur that purpose, the stranger asked my mistress rather abruptly, to what family of thee Claytons she belonged.— Perceiving that she blushed and hesitated, he added in a salter tone, " 1 did not mean to distress you, madam, by an itoutry that you may not wish to answer, but nine is nut au idle curiosity. Clayton, the merchant, of whose mournful catastrophe you must have heard, was my nephew: 1 have beets long absent rout England, and did not return till after his death, but 1 find that he has left a widow and a childes.---"—" Alt ! yes," cried Mrs. Clayton, bursting into tears, " I am that unfortu nate widow." The stranger seemed affected. " Had I returned to England sooner," said he, " 1 might have alerted poor George's unhappy fate, as well as prevented my own ruin: but what, my dear child, is your act ual situation?" She answered Min without reset ve. He shook his head at die sanguine hope she scented to enter tain of her success as an author. You have heard your husband speak of me, no doubt," cried lie " 1 quitted liogland belore his birth, but lor many years afterwards 1 kept up a correspondence ith my family. It was my inteution to return to England at a much earlier period, but various encounter ces occurred to prevent me degrees I ceased to hear hum my relations, but 1 did nut forget them, and it WaS always my intention to return at last, and share my fortune with them ; but alas ! au ill-placed confidence has deprived me of that for which I ease toiled so many years! I returned possessed as I thought of i ))))) keine property, but the villain in whose hauls 1 placed it has absconded, and I ant literally a beggar." " ;tio," cried my mistress with vivacity, " Heaven forbid that the only stirs iving relation of my dear lust limband should be reduced to that abject state while I can earn bread I Cheer up, my dear uncle, let us think that our 'fleeting is not the tilect of chance, but the interposition of Providence- for our mutual column : be to isle as a father, and receive me as your But how, my dear generous Oil, Call I impose the bur men of my necessitivs--" " Talk nut of that : lions this 11101tariit OW fortunes are united. See" continued she, stiewitig Initi the money which the bookseller had given! her, " the greatest part of this is mine: are we slot then at present rich enough, and shall we doubt that etc this is exhausted, Providence will send us more i" The pour uld mill burst into tears of gratitude, butt lie checked his emotions at the sight of the landlady, is ho now entered with a most obsequious air. She declared that sue was totally ignorant of the vile attempt of Sir Ilarry, and vowed that she won't! 'icier again siv a word in his Issolir : however, When she found that my mistress per sisted in quitting the house, all her civility %entailed, and she was as insolent as she hid b een benne fawning.— A tew uunutrs .Milted to settle her demand, and :%lrs. Clayton, making her little girl rise and dress, packed tilt her slender wardrobe. and quitted the house ltl ce.stipany with her new-found uncle. She took refuge for me night at the lodging of a poor woman who had been oar of her uoder servants, and who attended her with exemplary fidelity in all her mis btriuttes. Air. Clayton then quitted her with a promise of coming early next idly to go with her in search of an appiuttutut. I'he moruttig, however, stole ou without THE NATIONAL REGISTER his appearing, and my mistress began to apprehend something had happened to hint when he entered. " Well." cried he, in a hurried tone," you have been waiung,and HI warrant you have often enough accused the old man of laziness; but now, before we set out, tell me my dear niece, where shall we go tit? What do you think of the squares?" Mrs. Clayton looked at bun with mingled pity and apprehension. " l ant afraid you are already fatigued," said she in a soothing voice, let us defer our search for to day.' " But suppose I have seen something that I think will suit, will you go with me to look at it." She would have evaded the ans.vering, for she now really began to think his head was disordered, bu t lie would not be denied, and burr; - ing her into a hackney coach, they stopped in a few minutes at the door of an elegant house in -- square. " Sir—my dear uncle—.stop, I beg of you I." cried my now seriously alarmed mistress; but withoitt heeding her, he got out, and giving her his hand with all the vivacity of five and twenty, he led her into a handsome apartment, when he told tile servant who opened the door, that they would rest for a few moments before they looked at the house. " I ant not mail, my dear, my node child," cried he, catching usy mistress's hand as soon as the servant retired, " though a change of tor tune little less than miraculous might almost snake me so. 1 told you a villain had absconded with my property; so artfully had he managed, that slot a hope of tracing remained;him but the hand of Heaven arrested his Right. His carriage was overturned, and I; i ttt self so severely bruised, that his recovery was pronounced im possible. Finding himself dying, he hastened to place the securities for my property which he had with bins in safe hands ; lie has restored nearly the whole of what lie rubbed me of. The news reached me this morning; and now resetem'ser your own words: our fortuties are united ; this is your house if you like it, and think it good enough for the heiress of half a million ; if not, we will soon find another." • When a gush of grateful tears had given my mistress the power of speech, she was beainiting to thank him.— " Now, fie upon you!" cried he; " thank me for what? For sharing my superfluities with you—you who would have divided with me your hard-earned morsel of bread? without suffering her to reply, he rang fur the servant, who conducted them over the house; my mistress ex pressed herself highly satisfied with it, and returned to prepare fur her removal. 1 did not accornpany her as she gave use with some more of my brethren to her old servant. LAIF LV TELLIGENCE. COURT OF KING'S BENCH. THURSDAY, JUNE 6. DOE, ON THE DOOMS OF J. PALMLI4, v. ROBT. LOVELL OWATILIN AND 'THEOPIIILA GWATAIN! This was an action of ejectment biust4lit by she heir at law of the late Mat chioness of Thontond to recover pos ses of a house situate in George-sure!, Westminsier, which the defendants claimed nutlet the N ill of the Mar chioness. It was proved that the papers produced in court as the will of the late Marchioness of Thurmond had been sent by her to her attorney, Mr. Mortimer, and had been kept by lains until opened atter her death, in presence of her re latives. They were paged throughout apparently in the writing of her ladyship, but were not tit ed lugetlier until after her decease. ties. Tomline, the lady of the Bishop of Winchester, who with the Bishop sat on the bench at the right lima of the Lurd Chief Justice, was then sworn. She remem bered seeing Lady Thontond at her own house in 1616 or 1817, in a state of some agitation, when she said that she had a favour to ask of the Bishop. Mi s. 'Towline, think ing that she was about to segues' him to become her exe cutor, replied that she was afraid lie would not accept that office, as he had refused to do so Mr other Is lends. She inquired, after a pause, whether lie would object to witness her will, to which Alts. Tomlin replied, that she had no doubt lie would witness it, and that he would wait oh her on the nest day or the day alter. She se.iii she wished to go to the Bishop's house to execute the will, and accordingly came thither a day ur two afterwards, and brought the will in her muff. There were several papers, but Mrs. Toudine could not recollect the exact number. After she had signed the will, the Bishop recol lected, that in case firehuld property were devised, it would he 'accessary that the execution should lie attested by thiee witnesses; lie suggested this to the Marchioness, who expressed her gratitude fur the W . O illation, mid said that the house in George -street (that iii question) was freehold. Mr. Sandi was sent for; and she either wrote her name or sear:iced the signature, and said it was her will, on which it WAS attested by the three witnesses iu her presence. On leer cross-examination, Nits. Tomline said that the Marchioness only sighed one of the sheets, nos could she identify those °Mei b 111011 Weed as flue ►arse which accom panied the papers attested. The Bishop of Winchester, being sworn, expressed his distinct recollection (Wall the circumstances stated by his lady, as attending the execution of the will. Mr. Smith, the other witness to Use execution, gave the same account of all those Mt cunistauces which took place atter his at ival. The papers endorsed " Last Will and Testament of Alm( hioness ut Thottiond," wale p ut it s Mid portly Iced. The passages at the beginning and conclusion of the sheets wile evidently cu 111111111 l in sense, and there was no peen:n:oy bequest in the last paper to which the 6,0001., alluded to in the last p aragrap h, cou ld b e applied. The Lord Chief Jtv lice said, that, iw his juilguunt, it was matitely a question of fact fur the Jun, whether the Alarchimiess re-published all the papers pi odueen as ber will, or on%, the last of them. at contended, that the evidence did not suffi ciently [''use Ilse identity ul the ['ape's. The Lord Chief Justice felt nu hesitation in leaving the whole case to the Jut y. Unquestionably ape I AIM might w rite his will on different sheets of paper, without attest ing every sheet. Unquestionably, also, it was lilliareeb3.lll that these papers should be milted by was ur siting I it was enough if they were all published as one entire will. Whether the papers in question were so published, the Jury avoid decide, from the parrot t at.d etuuectiou of 183 the documents themselves, and the highly respectsnie evidence Which they had heard ; and if they were of upi nion in the affirmslive, they would find a verdict for defendants. Tl,e Jury immediately found a verdict tor the Wen dimity. FRIDAY, .TUNE 7. This being the first day of Trinity Term, the Lord Chancellor came to the Great Hall, in Lincelu'a lon, at an early hour ; at half past ten the twelve Judges, the Vice Chancellor, the Master of the Rolls, the Attorney and Solicitor General, together with the pilot:trait:omnd of the several Courts, visited ein his Lordship., and having taken breakfast, proceeded to the Courts at Wcstmin►tei, which were opened wills the accustomed sulemnitits. COURT or KING'S BENCII.—Judge Best having taken Isis seat soon after 12, Se ttttt el Waddington was calk d ou to plead to an indictment charging him with vending a blasphemous libel, entitled, " Palmer's Principles of Na ture." Thais work Is prosecuted by the Society for the Suppression of Vice, and Waddington pleaded Not Guilty. He was then taken away in the Keeper of Newgate's CRtdtIN&L INFORMATION.....Mr. Campbell moved to file a criminal information against a magistrate of the. county of Glamorgan. He did out wish to mention the mime of the gentleman until an opportunity was given to be heard in his defence. The applieistion wa■ made its behalf of Mr. Win. Perkins,an extensive timber merchant residing in Glamorgan. On the 7th cl July he enterel into an agreement with two persons, named 'retry and Rice, to buy 283 feet of oak timber, which 'ferry had re covered by the verdict of a Jury. The Ibtli of the 01011:3 was appointed for cutting down the timber, and Snot. was to be paid as the price. On the 7th of September the first instalment was to be paid. On the 29th of April, whilst lie was cutting down I l 2 trees, he was stopped by a stmt. mons from the magistrate to answer a complaint snide against lain. He attended next day, and found that 1.11 information had been laid upon the nth of George 111. which gives a power to coconut persons cutting down a. 1.1 damaging young trees, as rogues and vagabonds. He eters d to prciduce the agreement for the purchase of the trees, and a bill of eachAuge whirls had been paid as pats of the purchase money. 'llse magistrate retueed to re ceive such evidence, or lake notice of the agreemenr, saying, •' I take nu notice of agreements: This is an im pure Court, and I shall convict on the evidence of Rohl. Thomas and 1). Williams, the informers.' Mr. Pet kins being advised that the couviction was illegal, refused to pay the penalty. He was then committed to the county gaol for one month, and in order to avoid the disgrace, ho paid the penalty, with teats. 'llse Witt granted a rule to shew rause. THE RING V. RICHARD CARLILE. Mr. Cooper moved for ■ rule to shew cause why the late Sheriffs of London, on notice given to their Secretary, should not sell the books and property of the defendatit, distrained under the writ Lauri facias. He applied to the Court in consequence of the return made by the Shebat., which stated that they had seined the goods of R. Cat hie, and sold the same fur .541. 7s. It then went on 14 state, that they had levied other goods and chattels of R. Cat - hie, value unknown, to be disposed of as the Court shall direct. The learned Counsel said lie considered this an extr,ordinary return, and lie was at a lose to know the SIMI itt had made it. The property he refu►ed to 5.,1 consisted of books, many of which were moral and e face from objections. One of the woiks was ISlailOp WaliOU ' S Apology for the Clitistiati Religion; auctilier work was the speeches of Mr. C. Phillips, the banister. The uncertain state in which ibis property was phased could slot fait to be injurious to the defendant. Ono* Justice.—You missy mo►e to quash it fur a fa:se worn. Ai r. Cooper.—Then we shall not be able to sell any of the books. flit defendant is in prison, to reinain lie pays a fine of 1,00)1. Now the only IlleilllS he ha. paying this flair is the sale of his properiyotaid if tfa. ais keep these goods, it is intiousaiule lie eau 114VC 11.0 beinlit of his property. Chief Justice.—We may say tine return it hid, and or der another. Take a rule to chew cause why tins rviJ, u should nut be quashed. Air. Cuuptr took his rule in that form. COCIIT OF COMMON PLEAS. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5. A TAILOR'S DILL.NIG/ITING ALE V. HIRST. The plaintiff Is a first rate tailor, in the west rod of the town, and brought this action agaiii.t a first rate hear, to recover 1101. fur goods sold and delivered. A UM lard been run lip, in two ttttt nibs, for It 11. Sergeant Pell divided tile fairness of the price. TIM foreman proved the delivery. Amongst the arti cles was a pt Esse fur a lady, fur which the ge 501.55. I There was also an Item of 121. fur a mu, gown. 'those articles which witness iiitt cot delisei • e saw on the prison of defendant. • Cross-examined.—Could lull breeches of his own 11111/t^ upon a gentleman, iu the auto, by the bay of them hr lure or behind. " Were there not two of the coats that did not They did not lit the head!" " The head! 1 thought coats were usually made to f.t the 'Judy." Witness begged lie might nut be compelled to dise:t.P.c secrets of traile.—The question was pi essed. Wittiess—•• We often make coats which lit exceetfart:'y well, but sume fault is f I, and they ale sent back 1., :te altered. 111 slick a CASe, we say they du not tit the to . We keep thens a proper time, sod then sellti (hell{ tl untouched, 'Alien they are forrod to be jug toe to fit dt•liglifully. Part of the bill had been paid.—Two e. - :triesses the prices were most moderate. Sergeant Pell called three tailors, who swore that tt e charges wile li too high; (.1. us. should iletVC b., a charged lur SI. la , and SI. Ss. iv•trad of 141. It.. ; would have been fait for the peli.se, without the 'a; trimming. 'the Stills sought fur was 1101. The witnesses fer defence tlruught 711. a iu upeu charge.—Verdict, William Gosling, Esq. of Cie house of Gosling and Sharpe, nominated by the Lard Muyur at me Court of Aldermen, on Tuesday last, Isir the uth.v of Sherif', has paid his tine to be excused the rind tiUce.