Star.
London, England, 1801-05-29 00:00:00

LJIU INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, MAY 28.
CRIM. CON.

THE HON.W.F.MITNDHAM V. THE EARL OF WYCOMBE.
Mr. TRIPP opened the pleadings, by which the
Plaintiff complained that the Defendant made an
;Vault on the Wife of the Plaintiff, and had
urinal converfation with her, to the Plaintiff's da-
mage of io,oool.—Plea, Not Guilty; upon which
atm was joined.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, in his addrefs to the
jury, Rated, that the Plaintiff in this cafe was the
Hon. William Frederick Wyndham, third fon of
the late, and brother to the prefent Earl of Egre-
mont. He would abflain from any obfervations
tending to aggravate the nature of the offence,
and the more fo, as the ilibjed had been fo much
and fo recently exhaufted. It was neceffary, how-
ever, that the Jury knild know the reafon why
the Plaintiff came now, in the year aor, to Peek
edrefs for an injury fultainedfo far back as the
)ear 1796. He mull therefore inform them, that
he had been all that time, and was, up to the pre-
fent period, the Englifh Miniller at the Court of
klorence, and could not, confiftently with his duty,
come over to fuperintend, perfonally, a profecu-
con in which his peace and interett were to much
concerned. Mrs. Wyndham (then Mifs Harper)
had in her marriage a fortune of 36,0001. in the
three per cents. which, by articles, was fettled on
herfelf, and had all been paid into her own hands I
ince the difcovery of her adulterous intercourfe.
In the year 1795 the Earl of Wycombe, fon to '
the Marquis of Lanfdowne, vifited Florence, and
was received by the Bran Minifter with all the
refped and hofpitality to which his rank entitled
him. It was a part of his-duty to pay attention
of that kind to Engli(h travellers of condition;
but with Lord Wycombe he was on terms of the
greateft intimacy, making excurfions with him to
Rome, Pita, and other places. At that time he
had lived with his Lady ten years, ever fince 1784,
in the utmoft harmony and fondnefs. They had
eight children in all, three of whom were then
living. From thefc circumftances the Plaintiff
entertained no fafpicion of his friend, Lord Wy.
eombe,.who was intimate at his houfe, and of
condi had aced*, to the Lady, who obtained, un-
der the pretence of illehealth, permiffion from her
liulband to go with her children for tome time to
Switzerland Lord Wycombe let off about the
tune period, profelledly for'Spain ; but when Mrs.
Wyndham got to Bologna, to the furprife of all
the fervanu, that Nobleman made his appearance,
and took up his quarters in the fame hotel. The
Jery would bear defcribed the convenient arrange-
ment of the apartments at that place'; from which
they went to Turin, and afterwards to Laufanne,
in which lift place their flay was pretty long. Of
thefe attentions on the part of the Defendant, the
hulband at the time was ignorant, " deektes ille
thou flirt ulteriur;" but when ne was informed of it,
a feparation enfued, and it was not till the year
sfloo that be was enabled to come to England.
If the Learned Gentleman on the other fide could
Mew any connivance of Mr. Wyndham that would
even lead to an adulterous intercourfe, lie could
exiled no damages; but if, on the contrary, it
ihould appear to the Jury, that the injory was
committed in breach of confidence, and that the
Lady Wag thus prevailed upon to throw herfelf
into the aritil of an adulterous lover, no cafe could
call more arid loudly for exemplary damages
than that of corrupting the affeCtions of a wife,after
ten years of conjugal harmony and happinefs.
Evidence was then called to prove the marriage,
which Was performed bylpecial licence, at St. Pan-
cras, on the sift or July 1784.
Lord Romney find; he kne* Mr. and Mrs.
Wyndham intimately before they went to Flo-
rence. They fometimes fpent months with their
children at his houfe. On his crofs examination
his Lordfliip laid; Mrs. Wyndham was a Lady of
confiderable fenlibility t their love then Teemed
mutual, and they were apparently as happy as
any couple. His Lordfhip had not Peen or corre-
Iponded with them fence they went abroad.
Lord Carnarvon depofed that he was married to
a filter of Mr. Wyndham, and had an opportunity
of witneffing the affeelion that fubfifted between
him and his wife. He never raw two perfons
more fond of each other; nor did he obferve any
tingle ;finance to induce him to doubt it till they
went abroad, flute which time he had not Peen
either of them.
Mr. Pierrepoint Mid, that living near Mr. Wynd-
ham at,Pignor Park, before he went to Florence, he
had daily opportunities of witneffing the harmony
which fubfifted between him and hIS wife, who ap-
peared extremely proud as well as fond of her
band.
John Young lived as butler and Reward to Mr.
Wyndham for fix or feven years. When he fet out
for Florence the witnefs followed him by Tea in
Feb. 1794, and remained there till the a4th of
Auguft following. His Matter and Miftrefs, who
went overland, had arrived before him. In his
whole life he neverLd
la more happier couple than
Mr. andMrs.Wyn appeared uniformly to be.
Mr. G. Hammond depofed, that for five years
and a half he held the office of Under Secretary of
State, and knew that Mr. Wyndham bas been Pub-
lic Minifter at Turin fince the 3d of February,
794. It was neeeffary that he Mould generally
:elide at Florence or at Leghorn, and could not,
during the troubles of that country, conveniently
come to England upon his private concerns. He,
however, obtained leave of abfenee for that par-
pole, in November illoo' and had fince returned.
Dominic° Sombolino lived as fervant with Mr.
Wyndham, at Florence, and is now employed as
occafional meffenger to carry difpatches between
that country and Turin. He remembered Mra.
Wyndham fetting off from Florence to Bologna on
the 23d November 1795, whither he followed her
with the children on the fubfequent day. He found
Lord Wycombe there, fitting at dinner with Mrs.
Wyndham, and lodging at the fame inn. He had
then no time to obferve if there were any familiari-
ties between them, as he had the care of the chil-
dren, and his wife had jufl been brought to bed.
In fintr days after hc accompanied Mrs. Wyndham
and the children to Tulin, where he took apart-