The Sun.
London, England, 1822-07-26 00:00:00

COURT OF CHANCERY.

Major-General KNIGHT KNIGHT, an 'lnfant.—A Bill to
perpetaate Testimony in proof of .the illegitimacy of the
. Defendant:'

TO THE EDITOit OF THE SUN.

Six—The proceedings in this Cause, which have been so dis-
tressing to me and my family, being now closed, and having put
all the testimony, at present within my reach, in proof of the il-
legitimacy of the Defendant, upon record in this Court, I shall
esteem it a favour if you will insert in your Journal the follow-
ing brief statement of facts.

I am, Sir, your obedient humble Servant,
It..KNIGHT..

Grosvenor-square, 25th July, 1822.

Mr. Knight married ii 17W1 Frances Dormer, one of the
sisters of the present Lord Dormer, and had issue one son,
since deceased, and two daughters now living. In 1804 Mr.
and Mrs. Knight, after having lived happily together for up-
wards of 12 years, separated in conseiittence_of her misconduc
with ,General Fuller, and they have lived separate and apart
ever since.

A deed of separation,wai executed between them and her
trustee, whereby Mr. Knight agreed ,to' her NM per
annum; and to return to her the Whole of her fortune. This
deed contained a stipulation, the effect of which was to reduce
that COOL to 4001. in case_ she should after war4s keep up any
intercourse with General Fuller.

Mr.. Knight soon after acquired information which removed
all doubt from his mind that a criminal; connexion had taken
place between them, and that the intercourse was continued in
violation of the deed. Mr. Knight reduced her allowance ac-
cordingly. Mrs. Knight's trustee then commenced an action
ao:ainst Mr. Knight for the larger sum, when he proved, by his
witnesses on the trial, the previous adultery, acrd subsequent in-
tercourse with. General Fuller, and obtained a verdict, that
confirmed the reduction ailich he had made. The Chief Jus-
tice observed, in summing up the evidence, that Mr. Knight
had proved his case in a very strong way indeed, and that
if the witnesses had sworn falsely, there was no reason
to prevent General Fuller (who was said to be in Court)
from standing up to say that he never had committed adul-
terY with Mrs. Knight.' But notwithstanding this sugges-
ti4n from the Learned Judge, the General sat in Court during
lhe whole trial, without saying one word in contradiction to the
evidence which not only destroyed the character of Mrs.
Knight, but deprived her at the same time of one half of her
maintenance. And the conduct of the Gallant General appear-
ed the more extraordinary, inasmuch as he had, previous to the
trial, in a printed declaration, in the form of an oath, signed
with his name, called °op to witness that he never had had
any criminal intercourse with this unfortunate woman.
Mrs. Knight, in thebeginning of the year 1813, became acquaint-
ed with Henry Lord Middleton, and was constantly in' his com-
pany during the first months of that year, and although Mr.
Knight failed, in an action against the Noble Lord, to p!ove'thelast
act of criminality, yet the grossestJtets.of familiarity were given
in evidence against his Lordship. And Mrs. Knight becoming
pregnant, left her residence near Warwick, end withdrew to a
lodging in London where; having assumed the name of Jordan,
ithe was_delivered. of the child in question, on the 7th October,
1813, and was attended during her confinement by one Ann
'Walton, the wife of a stonemason, and tenant to Lord Middle-
ton, at Wolloton. The woman who acted as nursery-maid to
the child has sworn that, whilst she was in such service, an
elderly gentleman, who was represented to her as the child's
uncle; came frequently to visit him—and that he was in the
house where the child resided, during the christening, which
took place on the 21st May, 1814.
• Another witness alsO, who has been examined in this cause,
has sworn that she was present at the christening, but went into
the adjoining room before the child was named, where she
found Lord Middleton, who told her it was a bad business,
but that they must make the best of it, and that the child was
to be named Henry. And when the ceremony was over, the
child was brought in and introduced to his Lordship. The
child was afterwards registered in Marylebone church, in the
name of Knight, and the clerk of the parish has sworn that he
recognized Lord Middleton at the church, in the act of taking
an extract of the entry from the hook of births and baptisms.

And possibly the Nobl6 Lord, who appears to have taken so
active a part in these transactions, would kindly assist the plain-
tiffs in their endeavours to discover the author of a letter con-
taining the following words :
" Do not be in a hurry about the Christening, but when it
does take place, give hire the name of Henry—:at all events he
must have the name of Knight. Iwould not put the object
out of the way of any chance hereafter for his advantage,—
Young T., son to the old rascal, in 4 be of use to prove his
birth at some future period."

And perhaps the Noble Lord might also be able to state the
name of the Solicitor, who is understood to he the medium of
remittances for the support of the child, as well as the name of
the person from whom these remittances are derived ; also the
name:of the person who performed the office of godfather. The
plaintiffs are naturally anxious to have the benefit of the testi_
mow of these persons, in the further proceedings which they
arc advised to institute against the author andcontriver of this
atrocious plot -to defraud. :Mr. Knight's family of their law.
ful inheritance,. by setting up the defendant as heir to his settled
estates. • •

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

110L'SE or COMMONS.
Jovis, 25° die Jrrlii, 1 59.2.
H icHGATECHAPEL B LL-4'etitions_of Inhabitants of High:

gate and Finchley, against; referred to the, Committee on
the Bill Counsel ordered.
ORPHANS' FUND BILL Read a third time,
(IRELAND) BILL 5 and passed.
MESSAGE FROM THE LORDS—That they have agreed UN
Court of Exchequer Sittings Bill, Exchequer Bills Public
Works Bill, Salt Duties Repeal 1311I,4Temporary Advances
(friend) Bill, and London Bridge aterworks Bill, with-
out amendment.

ORDERS OF THE DAY for THIS DAY.
1. Stamp Duties Reduction (Ireland) Bill—Committee.
2. Smuggling Prevention Bill—Further consideration of Be'

port.
3. Mlles Leasing (Ireland) Bill—Third Reading.
4. Superannuation Act Amendment Bill—Report.
5. Appropriation Bill—Committee.
G. Barrilla Duties Bill—Second Reading.
7• Exchequer Bills Bill—Second Reading.
8. Brimstone Drawback Bill—Report.
9. Alilitia Pay Bill—Committee.
It/. Militia Pay (Ireland) Bill—Committee.
11. Isle of-Mann Postage Bill—Third Reading.
12. Barrack Estates Bill-L-Third Reading.
13. Commercial Credit (Ireland) Bill—Third Reading.
14. Canada Trade Bill—Third Reading.
15. East India Sugar Bill—Report.
it;. Colonial Commission • of Inquiry,—Address—Adjourat4
Debate.
17. Greenland PisherieS Bill—Third Reading.
13. Spirits Exportation (Scotland) Bill,—Report.
19. Stamp Duties Bill—Committee.
20. Deeds Registry (Ireland) Bill—Committee.