The National Register. — London, England, 1811-10-20 00:00:00

CURIOUS CASE 0 . • At the Leeds Sessions, held last week, John Burnley, weaver, of 13teston, was - brought here the Court on a c u re of de sertir:g his family, and leaving them chargeable to the town ship. When he was placed at the bar, he was interrogated in the following terms ;-- COURT. What reason have you to assign for deserting your family ?—Pais. I was called by the Word of God so to Jo. COURT. Where have you lived since, and what have you done ?--Pars. I have lived at Potovens, near Wakefield, and have worked at my business as a weaver. Cone'''. What can you earn a week, upon an average ? rats. From Pts. to 20s. per INCA. COURT. And tem do you dispose of it ?--Pets. After sup plying my own necessities, I distribute the rest among my pour _neighbours. Cous.r. But should not your wife and children be the first objects of your care and homey I—Pais. No; unless they are 4111 ;treats dist re,s than all others. Cou wr. The Scripture, which you profess to follow, says, speaking of the relation of man and wife, that they shad be one et sit ; of course, you are under as great an obligation to main tain her as yourself?—Pars. The Scripture saith, whom pod bath j:mined to7uther let no man put asunder; hut God never juiueti and my wife together. Couit - r. Who then did ?—Pant. I have told you who did not, y•in may easily judge who did. Coo AT. suppt se you ara as much joined together as other married jmeople are ?—Pais. My family are now no more to me tiemn any et:e.r pe•sans. Covet r. l'he law- of your country require that you should maim min your family, and if you nrglcct or refuse so to do, you become liable to a serious punishment. —Pars. I am willing to suffer alt von third; propel' to inflict; I expect to stiffer per-ie. cteion, for the Sziptnre say.; those that will live godly in Christ Jesus must endure: per,ecution. I regard the laws of God only, and do not regard any o• her laws. Coutur You seem to have read the Scriptures to very little profit, or you world not have failed in so plain a duty as that of providing for your own icons-hold.—Pars The Scripture com mand; ow to love my neighbour as myself, and I caanot do that if I s• ff.-r him to want when I have toe power to relieve him. My wife and children have all changes of raiment, bet I see many ethers that are half naked. Should I not therefore, clothe these rather than expend my money on my fa ? Coua r. But your family cannot live upon their raiment; they require al-o victuals.—Pais 'Hwy are able to provide for their own maintenance; and the Gospel rat i ntres me to forsake father and mother, wife and children. Indeed it was con trary to the Gospel for me to take a wise, and I sinned in so doing. CouRT. Have you any friends here ?—Pitts. I have only one 'friend who is above. Cotratr. Is there any person here who knows ru f—Pars. Mr. &Wks knows me. Mr. Banks being called upon, stated, that he should suppese, from the recent conduct of the prisoner, that his mind was not in a sane state. Formerly he was an industrious :::an ;of late he understood that he had rat the Bible with unconta'ion assiduity and fervency. lie would absent whale days together, and retired tnto the woods and lieWs for the purpose of reading it. After sonic time spent in this manner, he %, cut away from hi, family, and refused to contribute to their support. His fa mily contrived to carry on the bus ness, and he bought of them what pieces they trade. He understood that what the prisorn r had said of giviatg away his earnings to objects of dis; aess was Correct. - Toe Court made another attempt to convince ti:d deluded man of the impropriety of his conduct, but without the least effect. He replied to all their reasonings by quoting appropriate texts of Scripture. Nor would he even promise to permit his emplayer to pay to his family the small sum &live shillings weekly. He dared not, he said, make any promises or engage ments of any kind. Nor was the attempt to work upon* his feelings more successful; his fanaticism had apparently rooted from Ins heart all the tender charities of domestic life. When it was intimated to him that one of his children was in a decline, he seemed perfectly unmoved; nor did the tears of his - wife , who Implotial him only to assist in paying the debts contracted before he went away, in the least affect him. He coldly replied, that the landlord aniOt distress tor time rent. The Court asked some questions of the Overseers as to the afEtirs of the family, the answers to which the writer of this slid no hear; but they conlitmed what Mr. Banks had said as to the maniam in which be sti , :posed of his surplus earnings ; 'and - expressed an opinion that Sto benefit was likely , to .result from sending him again to the House of . Correction. Afteersotne THE NATION Tr FANATICISM. I .. -- AL R 7 ,G 1 ST ER. consultation with the Bench, the RECORDER addressed him to the following effect : " John Burnley—the Court are dispos' d to deal leniently with you, in hopes • hat better considerrion will remove the delusion ou labour under. For .his purpose I would advise you to read your Bible with still greater attention, and ask the ad vise of some intcl igent friend, particularly the Minister you at tend upon. I would also beg of you seriousls to consider , that all the rest of the World think it their duty to provide, in the first place, for their families ; awl you, sui ely cannot supp,,se that they are all neglecting the care of their souls, and in the road to eternal destruction. This consideration should induce you t.) distrust your own judgment, and if you halo:. any humility, and humility is a christian virtue, you will conclude, that it is more probable that you should be mistakt n than that all the rest of mankind should be wrong. Your wife has str.nely expressed her wish that no severity should he used Towards you. Blau enced by these considerat.ons, the Court has ordered that you should be di , charged." Pitts.—The Scripture saith, that darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people. And again, in another place, that the whole world lieth in wickedness. I know that the way of duty is in the path of suffering; but it is the path which our Leader trod, and we must follow his steps. TUESDAY'S LONDON GAZETTE. ADMIRALTY-OFFIc, CY - T. 15, 1811. The Hon. Rear-Admiral Legge: has transmitted to John Wilson Croke , Esq. a letter from Lieutenant Westphal!, Acting Commander of his Majesty's sloop Columbine, giving an account of the capture of two Frrnc privateers, on the 80th of last nitmth, under the batteries at Chipiona, by the boats of the above sloop, under the directions of Lieutenant Green. BANKRUPTCIES ENLARGED. Charles Bagleh3le and Joseph Redgrave. of Mark-lane, mer chants, from Oct. 12 to Nov. 43, at ten, at Guildhall. BANKRUPTS. Henry Johnson and Thomas Pritchard, late of Nile-place, New Kent-road, buil.ters. James Stone, of Windsor, haberdasher. Charles Stone, of St. Mary Hill, merchant. • John Wood, of Sunderland, Durham, grocer. John Ridge, late of Glastonbury, Some; set. baker. I'avid Burrell, of Jertnyn-street, St. James's, jeweller. Isaac Aldebert, Charles Christian Becher, and James Har gre'avt. s c.f Copthall-buildings, merchants. John King ; of Brick-lan.:, Spitalfie:ds, tailor. George Crossley, of Manchever, silversmith. Margaret Lewis and John Lewis, of Newtoun, Montgomery, flannel-manufacturers. Isaac Aguilar, of D e vonshire-square, London, merchant. Thomas Napier, late of Dublin, merchant. Plumbe, of Liverpool, money—crivener. Christopher Clark; late of Calthwaite, Cumberland, cattle dealer. CERTIFICATZS—Nov. 5. W. Scott Wood, of Lloyd's Coffee-house, insurance-broker. — Joseph Hay.lon, of Tower Royal, dealer.—John Cross, of Ply mouth, butcher."—John Grimthaw C'osz!ger, of Weymouth-street, Newington, Aurrey,wire-worker.—Richard Carter, of Stephen. street, Pancras, carpenter.—Joseph Wood, of Liverpool, mei.- chant.—Joseph Freeman Rattenbury, late of Cuptuall-court, insurance -broker. DISPATCHES FROM LORD WELLINGTON. SUPPLEMENT TO TUESDAY'S GAZETTE. DOWNING-STRVT, OCTOBlelt 16, 1811. Dispatches, of which the following are a Copy and an Extract, were yesterday evening received at. the Eirl of .Liverpo Office, addressed to his Lordship by General Viscount Wel . lington, dated Quadrasayes, 29th September, and Frezacbt, 2d October, 1811. Quadrasayes, Sept. 29, 1811. My Loin,—The enemy commenced their movements to.. wards Ciudad Rodrigo wish the convoys of provisions from the Sierra ate Bejar and frorn Salamanca on the 21st instant; and on the following day I collected the British army, in positions from which I could either advance or retire without difficulty, which would euable me to see all that was going on, and.the strength , ot the enemy's army. The Sd division, and that .part of General Alten's brigade .4off cavalry . whichwas..not _detaches:l t octupied . the. mg, of . J;3!t -~..._