The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-07-21 00:00:00

LORD VISCOUNT DUNCAN.

Various reports being in circulation, of an ace ..
der.t which happened to his lordship, all of them
exa7gerated, and aware of the great interest the pals.
lic feel in his Lordship's welfare, we have west
pleasure in being able to state the case, as it really is,
upon' unquestionable authority. His Lordship dined
out on Wednesday with Sir WILLIAM SCOTT, but
did not feel himself as well as usual. Yesterday he
was engaged to dine with Sir Astnatw Hate-
uoso, and as he was going up stairs to dress for
the day, he fell upon the steps. He was irmne-
diatelles%isted to rise, and conveyed to hisikham-
ber, where he soon recovered without bleeding,
or any other medical assistance. His Lorshhir,
not finding himself so well as usual, bad in t'ie
morning taken some medicine, which lowered him
a good deal, and this, with the excessive heat of the
day, overcame him, and produced a menn.ntary re-
laxation. This was the full extent of his Lordship's
sudden indisrnitirm, from which we are hippy to
say he was perfeitly recovered this morning.

Previous to the Common Hall, yesterday. Joists
Btszosn, Esq. Citizen and Vintner, the next in
rotation, on the list of Gentlemen in nomination for
Sheriff, paid his fine of 6001. Ind 40 marks, into
the Chamber.
The LORD MAYOR, Aldermen, and City Offs-
cers, proeveded to the Hall, and the several Gentle-
men's names were read over—then the Loso May.
oa and Aldermen adjourned to the Council Clam-
ber, to wait the SHCRIPFS' report ; but, previous
to the elen ion taking pLiee,
Mr. SAMUEL THORPEi a Member of the Court of
Common Council. came forward, and addressed the
Livery, informing them, that a SAUCE/. Dawase-
Gtv. F.sq. citizen and joiner, the r.ext Gentleman in
rotation, was a very infirm old man, and not fit to
fill the very important office of Sheriff"

the
And, upon several Gentlemen being put up.
the Livery elected WILL4•I4 Dostv r, VAq. Citi-
zen and Stationer. to be, together with Grovot
Scuotcv, Esq. Sheriffs of the City of London,
and Sheriff of the County of Middlesex, for the
year ensuing.

It is supposed that the greater part of the enemy's
hostile flotilla, which was at Ostend, has contrived
to make its way, by an internal navigAtioa, to Ca-
lais, Com whence it may more securely steal to the
grand &poi at floulogne t but such vessels must be
of the most diminutive description, as then is so
canal in that diredion that could admit craft of any
considrrable :ize.

The firing at Boulogne still continues to be re-
peat. at intervals every day. The precise cause of
these ‘annonadings is not yet distinaly known ; but
it is supposed the enemy's small crail continue to
crawl along their eosins, protected by their batte-
ries, and that our cruisers attack them. The firing
was very brisk on Wednesday, but the weather was
so hazy, nothing could be distinaly seen.

LAW INTFLLTGENCE.

TAtACE•COUR JU&, II

WOOD AND WIFE e. BIADWILL•
This was an itaion of slander, rather of a singu-
-1
lar nature. 'l'h- liai ies were opposite neighbours in
Ship-yard, Fleet-street ; and the Defendant, who
was a tailor, having threatened to heat a hale pert
servant girl of the Plaintiff's, fur peeping in at his
window on the night before, the Plaintiff's wife inter-
fsfred ; in consequence of which, an Altercation took
place, hign words ensued, opprobrious epithets
were exchanged, and the Defendant accused her of
having been married upwards of seven years, with-
out having a child ; that she employed a journey.
man to her husband, who succeeded in his endea-
vours, but, by her desire, destroyed the fruit of his
labours. It was stated. that from the time of this
occurrence, the Plaintiff had treated his wife with
great harshness and severity ; and that it was neces-
sary to bring this aelion, for the piarpcee of restor-
ing harmony and confidence between man and wife.
The damages were laid at 51.
The first Witness for the Plaintiffs was a female.

calling herself Rebecca Andrews, who, upon her
cross-ex imination, said, thai. she had been married
for about three months to one Phixby, who went to
sea, mid. never expeitisag to see him more, she re-
sumed her maiden name of Andrews. The evi-
dence given Icy this, and the other Witnesses on both
sides, being contradidory ; and the whole matter ap-
pearing to be an abusive altercation, the Jury found
a Verdia for the Defendant.

HOML CIKCUI r.-ESSEX.

cHommstoan. irtv 19.

Lest night the Judges arrived in this town, And
immediately ripened their Commission. I his nom-
' alter hearing Divine &twice, they proceeded to
Mess.

CIVIL siDE.
Berg Mr. 11.11111 iOT H 14.
WORE/ VOGTnO. 1413.31111,1G5.

Mr. Gs avow told the Jury that this aaion was
Wrought to recover damages from the Defendant for
a most unprovoked a•iil outrageous assault. The
Plaintiff was ColleCtor of the Customs at the Purt of
Harwidi ; and the Defendant a man of property.
who, Laving some business to cranial at the Custom-
house, teltisimself offended at the manner in which
it was done. though he should chew by his wit-
nesses that every thing was done that could
e lone to accommodate him. However. when

was accomplished. 1w addressed the Plaintiff as
'law=:—" Pray, Sir, have you any thing more
stytome ?" Mr. Wiu-ds.vorth replied, "he had
not." " Then, Sir (said hei, I have somethi•ig to
sat• to you." and Mm:dearly gave him a ♦ioler.t
heat'. g, whi I:, the I .eatneJ Counsel said, .se wou:d
miser the Jury should hear from the witnestes than
hum himself.

He accordingly called four witnesses, who proved
_le assault nearly as stated. It appeared that die
Defendant had been a seaman, and applied respat-
ing the registering of a ship, of which he seas then
owner. A little altercation had taken place, and by
cross-examination of the witnesses, it was clear
iat the Plaint,ff had, Previous to the assault, told
• Defendant, that he had heard he was a coward.

el advised him to beware of being horse•wh:pped.
a they said that Mr. Wordsworth was quite cool,
led no a ays in a passion ; and that when he adini.
tstered the oath to the Defendant, he very coolly
treed him out of his ci.sk office, and made him
and at the usual place.
A Surgeon was called, who proved that the
Plaintiff had a black eye, and a scratch upon t:.e
DOW.

Mr. Serjeant I' A kn, 144- the Defendant, ob-
served, that he had asked the Surgeon nc, qi:estions,
lair, if be had, Isoih he and the Jury would have
Ifeeit involved in siren mysterious te:ms of an, that
instead of a hl.ick eye and a scratched nose, they
might have supposed that the Defendant had barely
escaped a mortal wound. The bason of snip and
wate4 and the bit of brown paper dipped in vinegar,
which, it was perhaps necessaiy to apply to the nose,
would have b:en medicinally described as a sepo-
/141C.041t imipiirt, and the other as an wit/lA/41rd
entiphlqiitie liniment; besides the :dia.:. cooling
'raughts, which the apothecary finds it ale ays neces-
sary to administer when called, that he may not ap-
pear to be quite useless. To escape all this learned
description of the method of scientifically treating a
black eye, he had forborne to ask. He admitted
that the Defendant must have a verdift against him ;
and he thought, when the provocation wa:. consider-
ed, the Jury would give mere nominal damages.
appeared that the Defendant had been called a
coward, and indifedly at least threatened with a
horse-whipping. AU this was very coolly done ;
so much the worse—an insult coolly given was the
more insufferable ; but this cant insolence might
perhaps be Caigoes Howe civility. He begged the
Jury to recoiled, that the Defendant was a British
sailor; and that Mr. Custom House Colledor bad
called him a liar and a coward. "It is impossible,"
said the Learned Setjeant, "that a sailor with a
drop of British blood in his bongs could stand this.
He must return it either with a blow or a kick. It
I.ke Galvanum, winch will set a dead horse kick-
ing—so coward, involuntarily, w:thiatt any aft of
the brain, will raise a sailor's arm.' Ile trusted,
therefore, the Jot! would give only nominal da-
mages. Verdi& fur the Plaintill—damages 40s.

CRUIA, N SWF.
the 7 LORD Catty BARON.
trit;nwAr RoSBERY.
Moe. Ber,,arher was indidted for a highway rob-
bery, in assaulting and potting in fear W. Withers,
and taking from him a dollar, a half crown, and four
shillings. W. Withers, who was a decent-looking
plain countryman, said he was walking in the lane
from Layton to Laytonstone, about halt past five,
the 27th of May last e he saw the Prisoner behind
Ins, and, not liking bins; be ran away, and the Pri-
aer set off running too; b::t as the Witness was
sonn not of wind, and the Pries ner ran fastest, he
stopped, and asked the Prisoner what he wanted
replied, that be wanted some money, and he
must h.ve some. The itness then took out a dol.
Lir, a half crown, and four shillings, which he gave
him. The Prisoner ha-ked at them, and asked the
lifitness what the dollar was? He informed him it

was a ntw bank dollar, and explained it to him.
They then had some conversation about it. The
Witness asked the Pri,oner, if he would not give him
a shilling back, to buy a pot of ale ? 'llse Prisoner
said, to be sure he soul i, and held out his hand,
telling him to take one. He did so, and thi•y had
some more conversation. The Learned Judge asked
the Witness, if he did not part with his money under
the impression of fear? He said no. To be sure he
was afraid, when he ran away ; hut when his v:ind
was gone, and he stopped, he got his courage up
pretty well. The Prisoner did not threaten him,
and they had a little talk together, so that at last he
was not at all afraid. " Why, I think," said his
Lordship, 66 you seem to have got very good
friends ;" to which the Witness, with great natver,
replied, " Why, my Lord, I think so too. I assure
you we were quite good ft kit& before I gave him
the money." This answer produced a general laugh.
The Learned Judge immediately told the Jury, that
they must acquit the Prisoner. To constitute a rob-
bery, the goods or money must be taken by force,
or extorted through fear here it was clear there was
no force, and the prosecutor had sail he did not
part with his money under the impression of fear.
The Prisoner wa accordhigly nevi/tied.

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