The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-15 00:00:00

three in the afternoon, at Newcastle, in order to receive from her
what she has collected of your money. It is not convenient for me
to come to Stapeley at the time you mention, but will do myself
the pleasure of seem)! you on Thu.:day next, if the weibrr per-
mits. I saw Mr. W inncraley on Friday last, who seems to be an
agreeable kind of a man. He goat about to the poor mks houses
to inquire if they have a pro re-book or Bible in their house ; it
not, he will furnish them at a reasonabler price than they can by
them at the stationers ; and hoping to see you in a short time, will
oblige and give pleasure " To yours,
" Dec. 4. 11:25. " J. W."
This, Gentleman, was only on the 4th of December. An appoint-
ment was made for them to meet on the Bth. '1 hey did meet. They
met under the roof of Mr. and Mrs. Wakeman—their friends. The
defendant stayed all night ; on going away the next morning, he
continued to profess the strongest attachment; and the last words
he used, were praying Mrs. Teske to invite Mr. and Mrs. Wake-
man to come to their house after they should he married. This was
on Friday th !lth of December. Six days afterwards, without any
preparation. without any com:nunication, this person, who calls
himself a gentleman, writes a letter which I will presently read to
you. He parted with Mrs. I'eak and her relations on the morning
! of Friday, and on the Wednesday following she received this letter
in his hand-writing.
Dear Madam—l have had Information front different people,
' that you were not likely to bring me any children, and being in a
precarious state of /WM, is the reason why I can nut give you my
hand. I wish you well, and shall always respect you You will
have the goodness to send my makings by the Newcastle coach,
and let me know what I am in your debt for ricebtnact chiefs, and
you will oblige, dear madam, yours, most respectfully,
" J. W"

" P.S. I hive inclosed a I/. note, which, if it does not pay what
is due to you, you will inform ma by the bearer. All correspon-
dence must crane bett.cen us." . • .

Now, Gentlemen, can you think there is anything so debasing.
as for a man, professing to be a gentleman, to write such a letter.
In my opinion there could be nothing so base, sordid, or de-
testable. You may conceive the feelings of Mrs. Peake nn re.
ettiving such a letter. You may imagine how she was overwhelmed
with shame and confusion. It was with reluctance she showed
such a letter to her friends ; however, she did disclose the insult
that had been offered to her, and a most respectable gentle.
man, whom I shall call before you, waited upon Mr %Verig.
wood, to ask some explanation for his most extraordinary
conduct. What, Gentlemen, do you think was his defence then ?
Ile did not dare to reiterate the contents of his litters, but the
excuse he made W. that his surgeon had told him he was
unfit to marry. and from that cause alone he had broken off the
match. Why, Gentlemen, what do you think of such a man ?
What apology is to be made for him ? I cotes. I am wholly
at a loss to conceive what defenec is to be set up. Will the
defendant dare to deny his engagement with this lady ? I will
prove it over and over again, both by letter and by word ? Well,
then, what is to be said in way of palliation ? Poverty. he cannot
plead. I am told a surgeon has been subpoenaed. is now in Stafford,
aye, is in Court, whs can prove this man's bodily situation. Are we
to go through such a disgusting detail. I know my Learned Friend
Mr. Jervis 's good taste and good sense better than to suppose he will
permit anything of that kind. Gentlemen, you see my client was
promised a settlement of :tool. per year. An atlequate sum, to pro-
duce an equivalent to that, is the least she can have. You will
look at all the circumstances of the case. I know my Learned
fiend will call no witnesses, lest he should give me the oppor-
tunity of addressing you again. You will judge whether this per-
son has not disgraced the race to which he belongs—whether he
has not disgraced the order in society of which he is a member—
and if you think he has. you will give such damages as may be a
lesson to him, and to other persons who are inclined to a similarly
dishonourable part.
Mr. Thomas Kemp called. and examined by Mr. RUSSELL.—
know Mr. J. W edgewood, the defendant. These letters are
his hand-writing.
[Here the first three letters read by Mr. Campbell, in the course
of his speech, wareput in and read.)
Witness, in continuation.— I have known the defendant between
twenty-three and twenty-four years 3 don't know in what style he
lives. I never received the hospitalities of his house. He is an old
bachelor, and I suppose him to be between sixty and seventy. I
believe he is a wealthy man.
Mr. Sutton examined by Mr. RtieSELL.-1 know Mrs. Peake,
the plaint-ff; I am very intimate with her ; eke wife and I hare
been Intimate with her for many years ; 1 knew her when she was
a girl, and I suppose her age now to be about six or seven and
thirty. I besot Leek, but I happened to be at Chester in October
last. I was at Mrs. Peake's house, and I saw the defendant there.
I dined with him there. The party consisted of Mr. Wedgwood,
myself, Mr. and Mrs. Copeland, and Mrs. Peake. file. Wedg-
wood requested me to purchase some wine for him on that
amnion. Ile said it was for the occasion of Mrs. Peake'a marriage.
The day after he gave me the order I had an interview with him
at Mr.. Peake's house. The business then was about my being
one of the trustees for Mrs. Peake'a marriage-settlement. He
reposed that I should be one of the trustees, and Mrs. Peake
wished it particularly. It was agreed upon by both of them to be a
trustee, and I consented to be so. On that occasion the defendant
said he particularly wished me to be one of the trustees; and he
also said he wished Mr. Copeland, the gentleman who dined at the
table with us, to prepare the marriage settlement. Mr. Cope-
land was an attorney. He also wished Mr. Copeland and me
to meet him afterwards at Newcastle, for the purpose of re.
eeiving his directions as to the amount of the jointure to be settled
on Mrs. Peake. He acid he wished her to be made indepeudent of
his relations.

Cross-examined by Mr. C. PHILLTPS--The defendant is be.
tween sixty and seventy years of age. He was not under the hands
of a surgeon at the time I saw him.
Mr. Charles Copeland, examined by Mr. Caoss-1 have known
the plaintiff between 13 and 14 yeses. lam her attorney upon this
occasion. In the month of October last I was at Chester with my
wife; I was upon a visit to Mrs. Peake, who lives at Chester.,
Upon the death of her aunt she retired to Chester. At the time
when 1 was upon a visit at Mrs. Psalm's, it was in the month of
October last, and the defendant was there. Ile paid the most
marked attention to Sirs. Peske. The sub,ieet of his marriage with
her was the topic of conversation at one time during the day. and
then he professed a great deal of attachment towards her. He slept
in the house that night, but I did not.
The other three letters read by Mr. CAMPBELL in the course of
his speech, were here put in and read.
Mr. Copeland's examination resumed..—Early in January, 1825,
after the receipt of the last letter that has been read, I called upon
Mr. Wedgwood ; I told him I was directed by Mrs. Peake to ask
an explanation for such • letter. I had the letter with me, and
produced it. The defendant acknowledged he had acted extremely
wrong in writing such a letter. lie said he had been very ill ever
since he wrote it ; and he wu in • very low state at that time. He
said, " I am still very much attached to Mrs. Peaks, butt am ad-
vised by my medical man that I am not in a it state to marry."
Crosa.examined by Mr. Jgavis—l live at Leek, in Stafford-
shire. I know Mr. Chadwick, a surgeon at Leek, who paid ad.
dresses to Mrs. Peske. I think he was younger than she was, and
I believe he courted her up to about May, 111:5. I know the de-
fendant recently paid 1090/. that he owed to a client of niine.
Mr. Wakeman called, and examined by Mr. Cs a, PiltiLL—l live
on my own property at Stapeley. I know Mrs. Peake, the plaintiff.
She is my cousin. Her father is living, and is a gentletnan of pro.
perry residing in Cnmarvon. In December last Mrs. Peake was
on a visit at my house. Sir. Wedgwood came there and treated bee
widi great attention. He spoke of her as his intended wife.

Mr. ilaywood—l know Mr. Wedgwood the defendant. I con-
sider Imn to be a man of very large property.
Cross-examined by Mr. Jk:RVIII—I believe hr his sold offs good
deal of bis property within the last twelvemonths, to the amount
of some thousands.