The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-06 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT, MARCH 4,
BREACH OE PROMISE OF hIARRIAGE.—KNOTT C. LEWIS.
—This was an action for breach of promise of marriage. The
damages were laid at I,oool.—Serjeant Shee opened the case
for the plaintiff, who be said was Miss Eliza Knott, a per-
son of considerable attainments, and who at the time when
the circumstances eccurred which led to the present action
tilled the respectable and responsible office of mistress of the
National School at Walton. The defendant, it appeared,
was an independent minister at W oottou-under-
Edge, and he was on intimate terms with the
Rev. Mr. Knott, the uncle of the plaintiff, who
was also an independent minister at the same place.
It seemed that Miss Knott, who, it was stated, is forty •
five years of age, was in the habit of going occasionally to
pay • visit to her uncle at Wootton under-Edge, and upon
the occasion of doing so in August 1847 she was intro-
duced to the defendant, who it appeared was eighty years of
age, and according to the case for the plaintiff he was at
once smitten with her. It seemed that the old gentleman
was a widower, having already buried two wives, but his ex-
perience of the wedded state did not deter hint from making
a third trial, and after a very short time he made a proposal
of marriage to Miss Knott, and on her accepting it he made
a communication to the same effect to her uncle, and offered
to settle 1,0001. upon her. Serjeant Shee read the following
correspondence in support of the plaintiff's case :
My dear E11.1,--1 retied TOW kind letter yesterday., sad was
happy to hear that you bid arnved ode at Watton. Your aunt called
on me Saturday afternoon. I told her I had a bad night last night.
Did not clove my eyes for sleep till daybreak. She raid you had a
sleepless night, for which I was very Perry. You expressed a wish
to her to hear how I was, so that I was hanging about your mind.
See how creauum affect us! My servant Sarah, on my informing her
what mason the carpet, appeared diapeeed to make a trial, but since, she
seems to have altered her mind. She has circulated the affair in the
town, and has talked in a very unbecoming way; mys I am town-talk,
unclasp( hilVenottrested her well, meaning as ,he lutew I had let her
• trifle in my will, should she be with me at the time of my
decease. Since she has vented her spite, she conducts herself better,
but it is very evident it will by uo means do to continue her a ser-
vant bee. Should she get on the high horse again she shall go, and
Iwiktnlresie her a month's wages. I feel a great deal, and amen bear
un Nothing unpleasant has occurred between us till now.
I cannot my whether our affair has reached my daughter's ears. I
rather dread it. It lies with some weight on my mind. I cannot
say bow she will take it. She is apt to be violent in her temper;
this I moat leave with God. I hope we abound in prayer. I
cannot forget the Sunday evening's addressee, " fmm this
day will I bias you "—a covenant, God grant it may be verified in ue.
Ely cough this morning Is rather troublesome. Dear Eliza knows my
Infirmities. It is all well that God dues. I teed not say whenever
you feel disposed to write, drop me a line ; I shall be glad to receive
it—l remain, dear Eliza, yours most sincerely and affectionately,—
Jots LEWIS.
In answer to this letter the plaintiff sent the following:—
My Dear Mr. Lewis,—With pleasure I take up my pen to an-
swer your kind letter. That „you hang about my mind ix, tn.
deed, a truth, for you are sheer out of it. I think you are
quite right about your servant, and I hope you will act upon
It if she does not coodu.t herself properly. I know you
feel • great deal, and am very sorry you should have any unkind.
nem to bear. Now I come to your daughter. She Is, as we ex-
pected, I understand, in a rage; but knowing you told me she ahould
not pat it aside, I do not take the least notice of it, that is, to move
me from my purpose ; which at the same time lam very sorry for it,
and feel that nothing= be done but take it to a throne of grace, and
theta spread the matter before God. How delightful it is to go to
Ood and roll ell nor burdens on the back of the great burden bearer.
I have done so this day. I went heavy and sad, but am quieted
in the assurance of faith that all will be well; and I hope
my dear Mr. Lewis you will not let it be a weight on
your mind. When we are doing nothing unpleming to God we may
with safety leave it to him, and expect his bleating ; but let us, as
you my, abound in prayer, in order that we may from this day be
bWased. I receive many kind congratulations here, and shall in a
few weeks, I dare say, be free of my charge here; and now, dear Mr.
Lewis,! will conclude with your own words, that whenever you feel
disposed to write to me I Mall be happy to recite it..-Yours affec-
E tionatel, LIIA.
After these communications had passed the plaintiff ex-
pected that the marriage would take place, and she informed
her friends of the affair, and, as she stated, received the con-
gratulations of her friends. What, then, were her feelings
upon the receiid of the hollowing letter from the daughter-
is-law of the defendant ?
On my arrival at home, judge of my astonishment at hearing you
had accepted an offer from my father-in-law to become his wile.
The offer was most inconsiderately made, and still more foolishly
accepted. Sound judgment seem. tohave been out of the question.
Mr. Lewis now seer that he has a family whose comfort and welters
moat be considered as well as his own. Ile ices that the interests of
the church are committed to his keeping, and he dares not by
causing the enemy to blaspheme violate his sacred trust. He sees
that the character of his neater, your uncle, is at stake, and that
he usefulness will be compromised, and he would not for
the world that offence should arise through him. I am therefore
specially requested by him to say that he is determined to give up
all thoughts of the union. Your uncle will doubtless write you on
the subject —I remain, your', sincerely, E. Lewis.
The plaintiff was net satisfied with the match being broken
off in Mill meaner, and she ilettruitimei to wow: cue to ea-
certain from the defendant himself what reasons he had. for
such conduct, and accordingly wrote him the following
letter :
Mr. Lewis,—! received a letter from Use. Judo Lewis on Toads,
morning at the same time as you would receive one teem
me. 1 therefore deierred noticing that until sufficient tins
bad elapsed to receive an answer from you, but ae thin
mornings post has brought me none, 1 am compelled, palatal
as it is to me, again to addresa you, and I beg to hear from yourself
what your intention la in the. matter of our proposed marriage. Mrs.
Lewis, in her letter, states that she is requested by Tots to say that
you are determined to give up all thoughts of the union. New, then,
we must turn to the other side of the question, and see what I have to
say about it, and will come at once to the pant. lam the injured
. Were lin the same position now as when I parted with you,
party have pocketed the insult, borne the mortification, and treated
it with silent contempt; but it is not po. Could I for
one moment doubt the sincerity of a Christian man, like
=II! I, therefore, agreeably to your wishes, having full con.
in all you had said, began to wind up my affairs, pot myself to
expense, and what is worse than all, gave up my situation, and told
you in my letter I should be tree of m,eharge here, and after all
this you cats treat ate duet ! Ot, well might the Vsalmitit my, " Lord,
what is man!"—surely well describedy the prophet—" Deceitful
above all things," am. But I forbear, and will wait a reasonable time
for your answer, in order that I may know how to act-1 rotten,
sir your% due., E. Knorr.
This letter produced no reply from the defendant himself,
but a day or two afterwards the plaintiff received another
letter from his daughter •
Your note to my tither has just been handed to me. lam truly
sorry to see such an unbecoming spirit manifeetei. No insult was
intended, nor has any been offered. Your letter has confirmed Mr.
Lewis in his determination. Ile will not act so diametrically opposite
to the advice of his brolly and friends as to proceed in an affair so
contrary to reason. Had you listened to your aunt's advice to
postpone your amwer till Mr. Lewis had consulted his family on the
subject all this trouble would have been spared. These are certainly
times when everything proceeds with railway speed, and you seem to
have resolved to go with the times, for it is not an every
day occurrence for such a multiplicity of arrangements
to be completed in one week. But you say that Mr. Lewis requested
it. Perhaps so ; but ladies arc not expected to act up to the letter o
every wish that may be expressed on the spur of the moment on such
orrmaionn especially when the chosen one is a youth of eighty years.
But as you asy—l forbear. There is only one favour I have to ask.
U you have a spark of attachment sr consideration
The
for your uncle let
the matter rest. We all see what you are now aiming at.
strain in which you have addressed Mr. Lewis can be only injurious
to yourself.—Yibing you right views and proper feelings on the
sub)ect, I remain yours truly, E. Lawns.
The plaintiff after this made another attempt to obtain an
explanation from the defendant by writing to him the fol-
lowing letter:
Mr. Levrik—in consequence, of Mrs. Lewis's letter to me I am
ocenreeed In self-defence again to write to Sou t I IM•e nothing to
do with her. She says no insult was ins..dm I would hue agreed
with her if you had really some good reasons for withdrawing, and
candidly and kindly stated them to me yourself. Much trouble might
have indeed been spared. But no,—you have been silent, and allowed
others, storm after storm, to hurl their thunderbolta at me, and for
what? If I knew my own heart at all I 'imply. desired to be a
ennkort to you. You very well know that 1 seta to you, s, How
about your Mn&m, tor I cam* bear to live in ill-feeling with any
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