The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-02-25 00:00:00

•
Witness said Its hari been a Merry Andres is his
juvenile days, and that Signora Beliuda svgs.& very
fair performer, „
- John Price, cork-cutter, proved be saw the
Plaintiff uud Beluida perform at Cambridge with
the Defend.. et. The Plaiutiff played the bugle-
horn, and assisted his wife, who was an excellent
rope-dancer.
Edward Spragge, printer, proved the printing of
the Wile, and the altering of them, by taking the
name of Belittle out, by the direction of the De-
fendant.
Win. Kendrick deposed, that he went, on Mon-
" day, the -fist of December, with the Plaintiff and
'IL wife, to the theatre, to perform, where they
'lG&e told, by the door-keeper, he conk' not let
Min in, but would ask the Defendant: - He came
tea, and said, the Defendant ordered them not to
he let in, and they might go to hell and perform.
In the latter end of December Witness had a con-
versation with the Defendant, wheu be told bun
the agreement with the Plaintiff was not worth any
thing, as no other person but himself had signed it.
Here the Learned Serjeant elated the Plaintiff 's
Case.
. Mr. Scrjeaut Beier, for the Defendant, said, there
was no doubt but the Defendant had engaged the
Plaintiff, and the intrepid heroine, Signora Be-
linda ; neither were her ithilites, as a rope-dancer,
ever doubted ; but the Defeodant never employed
her as a boxer, and he would prove, that she was so
great an adept in the art, that it Ives impossible.to
keep her from it ; and, great a Conjurer as his
client was, lie could not keep her bands off of him.
He was sorry he had not the abilities of his Learned
Brother, for if he had, he would also keep the
Court in laughter ; but, unfortunately, as that was
not the case, he would state plain facts. The
Plaintiff mud hie wife, after the performance, came
into the room where the Defoudaut was settling
the account, of the Theatre. lie insisted that they
should go out ' • on which Belinda said, ""I will not
for you. you d—m.--d German humbug, pay me,
.aud I will never perform again with you. "_.She
also struck him twice with an umbrella, and on the
Tuesday following came and received her salary.
and told him she did not enosider herself as be-
Cnging any longer to the Theatre ; on which his
lient said he should take her at her word ; and
yet she new demands to be paid for doing nothing
for bun, although she has since gone over to the
garperer of the Conjurers. Whet slid not his Learn-
rod Brother produce his imperial Majesty to prove
that she performed (or 'him for nothing Bnt he
would prove that she acknowledged having an en-
gagement elsewhere.
Willians Denham deposed, that on the night of
the tfith of November, he was in the room with the
Defendant and Miss Wood, his partner, settling
the accounts of trre Theatre, when the Plaintiff
and Signora Belinda came in ; Defendant re-
que•ted of her to go out ; she said she would not ;
the Defendant said, " Don't you know I am your
master and manager, and you must go out I." and
got up as if to torce her out ; when she replied.
" You my niastere'you 41—.4 011 German kannbws,"
and struck him twice with an umbrella, saying
" I am the best performer you have, and you dare
not part with tee ; if vou will pay me my seary I
will never perform with you again ; ' the Defendant
answered " Come on Monday, I will pay you, and
discharge you."
(.iota-ernisined by Scrjeant SIMPHSILD.
It was not at the word waiter she took ire, for
, she had taken fire before. She was about four feet
, three ine;les high.
j John Binglcy and John Bradshaw corroborated
. the evidence of the last Witness.

Lucinda Saunders, wire-dancer, said she recol-
lected Belinda- muting to the Defendant on the
Monday following, and receiving her salon• ; she
told Defendant "she did not consider him as either
her Master or 'Manager ;" saw her some time after,
when she said she was performing every night at
the Lyceum in the Strand, but had no engage-
ment.
James M'Keen proved, that the Plaintiff ap-
plied at Astley's for an engagement for Belinda.
,Edmund James p.-tive4 lkliuda applied for an
eng!3ement at theltoyalty Theatre.
llite:Serjeant StiLrUldliD replied with his usual
ability:
The Jury, without a momeneshesitation, return-
ed a verdict for the Defendant.