The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-06-29 00:00:00

L4r INTPLEIGENCE.

COURT OF [E.G s OENCI4I•4Imt

CRI g curt

autos?.. ea. watcorr.skas nese aisasse.
This case had attraSed a cor.siskrabie so are of
curiosity, and the Cann was crowdedat an ear' e ',our.
The Attorney-Cleiseral and Mr Garrow were
Counsel for the Plaintiff; Mr. Parke, Mr. Jams,
and Mr. Marryat. for the Defendant.
The ATTORICRY-OZNIMAL, is opening the ease,
observed, that the *aim instituted against the De..
fendant was of a nature that required the most seri.
ors attention of the Jury, which, he wis glad to find,
was composed of Gentlemen, and men in a remelt.
able line of life. The Plaintiff came into Coen to
complain of a most serious injury. aggravated by
many circumstances which added to the weight and
inflamed the poignancy of his feelings. He bad
been reduced to that situation which makes a man
at once an °birea of ridicule and conspessien. He
was what the world. in grosser lantrhaftes would call
a Cuckold—a name of reproach whicbta man could
ill bear who had not deserved it, end which muse
exci:e a most bitter acuteness of feeling, and the
keenest sense of resentment in him, who was eon.
scious that he merited the hoeoorable appellation
Id an affettionate and constant bestsand. It was
the jest pride of the English Law that it weighed
every man's injury in an steal I.ll.o6,obacamaa.
ei upon the basis of imnsutablejustice, end the ins.
partial administravon of it in all cases, it was ac-
customed to regard every sobje4 in the mice right,
to smooth the inequalities of rank, and Prop ep the
cause of the pew and the lowly; and. W a species
of divine beneficence, to appmxinaue all aim to
one uniform standard, and one coalmen scale of
estimation. •It it were said. and it is censonly
with justice, that in the holy temples of rut, faith,
.• the poor an i the rich meet her {here is 1111
distinaion in the sight of use Lord.' it Dewy be said.
with equ justice. because the malign is bearowed
from th .t .acre) source, that, in a Court oil
•LL net equal.. We here know melting of title
anj of rank, any further than to reefed it according
to its proper deserts; you, Oeutiemen, proaomoe
your verdia without any reference ea the chunkier
it Areas—you shoot your bolt at vie.; and sd king
as you obtain the objeft of your aim, which is to
punish crimes and proteit innocence, you ..re care-
less of further consequences. These regibayks are
general, and encroach, perhaps, upon you;
will instrua you, therefore, in the narrative of this.
case, with all possible simplicity sad brevity. In • •
subjeets of this sort, it is usual to appeal to the fret.
irigs of the Jury; I shall not—your justice is the
best anchorage of ray Client's hopes ; he will
trust to that; be demands no more. la the month
of November. 1799 my Client. whom stank is
Knight, was married to a Miss Franks a lady es-
ttemely young, and of a most autratine poems.
The marriage was what may smelly ba cane a
match of affection. My Client was bred to a sea.
faring life, and was in the ',twice of his King and
country. For six years they lived t the
utmost harmony; they had heir children, two of
whom are dead ; the two youngest are still
to share the disgrace and ?Mary of theft Whir, and
to lament the alienation and loss of a patent, the
artifice' of a seducer. Of the affedian winch sub.
sisted between them I will give 7, at tatted:sat
proofs, up to the time in which the vain of the
present crime was laid. They endured many b ode
ships ; amongst the rest shipwreck; hat
knits together to..e wham prosperity separates. lo • -
se: R. oostruelest by occasional int:fortune. thee stream
of on might yet have suited on in peace
contentment, hut for the praOices of the lAdeWt. •
In the year 1806, Mt. Knight took a small house is
Camden Town Tilts house he let out
in lodgings. In the month of Augur. Dr. Wal-
cott, the Delendant, was recommended to these
lodgings. and he accordingly engaged a bed-
chamber. which he ratted at eight shillings per
week. Shortly after, he rein:mil from his attic to
the first floor, and became tenant of the drawing.
room and adjoining bed-roars. I shoals' Ulf qua
you, that he bad lodgings in town !newt''', and was
accustomed, upon every open and fine day, to walk
thither, staying at home chiefly in net weather.—.
'llse Defendant. I must tell you. is a man in vicars,
old in vice, and the experience of wickedness. but
w.th tit- passions of youth, V.Lis we. should have
thought quelled in one of his age. Being Metro .
with the Plaintiff and his Family, in the upset, if
a lodger, be meditated the sedu&ioss in the r 1, .e..
ing manner He first praftised upon the lady's ea.
nity ; he told her that she bad powers witch were
lost in her present obscurity. sod which, it elep...yed
in their right din:llion. would bring fawn sad emo-
lument to herself and husband. He &awed ,er
into an opinion that she would make an exceilent
Aaron ; got ben to !Veite to him; cottenad her
enunciation ; shelved her the more graceful attitudes
of the stage; and talight her much of :bat gesucula.
tion arid manner which we see upon the boards of
the Theatre He told her that be bad taught Mts.
Seddon • that be would gladly use his encl.:secure
to matelser as good an antes', and d4l- not donee
of hie success. He added. that be could readily ob•
tain her ar, engagemero at theTheatres ; and Usa. her
salary would be c• asides able. The oil. believed
biro; the :us! and believed him likewise ; is sliort,
it was a flattering representation, and could not be
'doubted. By means like these. Gentlemen, he
obtained the frequent company of thi. lady ; and
at length accomplished those purposes which I shall
disclose to you in evidences at the same time.
which is most to his disgrace. be availed himself of
intosicatiun to put her off' her guard, and lay her
vigilance asktp
Mr. Gaa sew called witnesses, wbe proved the
marriage of John Knight and his mite, forme.
Mir Franks. by beam, on the 17th of November,
171)9. at Bloomsbury Church.
The ArTeasiat -Gilliam. called Mrs. Potter.
who knew hlrs.lLnight 4 years ago. whoosh, lodged
in her house. is Great Code-street. Cavesdish-
square; she was employed as a fancy dress-maker.
The witness knew 'lr. aid Mrs. Knight. and
stated that she thought Mrs. Knight the best of mo-
thers and wives. Foie yeah ago the husband was
&NOM on a sea voyage with Capt. Rowley. of the
Royal Navy, and the wife maintained booth denial
that tinstesenfb6wy Kaight_ psi.: the