Star.
London, England, 1816-06-08 00:00:00

--v

L,IW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF Kil4o'A BENCH, JUNE T.
ANNE LANCED V. nUNTER.
This was an action to recever damages for the
-breach of et promise of marriage.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL, for the plaintiff, said,
that the present was one of the most interesting cases
that tied eve. come before a Jury. The plaintiff was
a young Lady of great beauty, and of accomplish-
ments numb exceeding many of the best educated of
her sex : she had been brought up under "the care of
her father, mathematical master at the Greenwich
Estebtiellnieht, and of an anxious and affectionate,
mother, who, aided by the ablest masters, had at
home devoted their attention to her. The defendant
vas a widower of large fortune, whose father, from'
she worth of his heart and the wealth of his purse,
had received among his friends the .appellation of.
Sice/itee HUnter t at his death he bequeathed to the
deltneaut a fortune of not less than fifteen thousand
Pounds per annum, upon which he maintained two
splendiel, establishments, at Kew and in Cavendish-
. square. In the _year 1810, in consequence of the
recommendation of Dr. Maskelyn, who from intimate
friendship with the family, wits well acquainted with
-the admirable .qualifications of Miss Lancey, the
plaintiff: she was introduced into the family of the
defendant to superintend the education of his four
daughters, the defendant's wife being then living, bat
in a very bad state of health. In this situation she
, attracted the affection and admiration of the whole
family ; and she continued to reside in it uutil close
attention to her duties-and to- Mrs. Hunter endan-
gered her own life, and she was obliged for three
months to visit a watering place, placing herself as a
parlour boarder in the school of Mrs. Otdfield, of
Margate. After her strength was in some degree re-
stole d, she returned to the family of the defendant ;
but she soon found herself again incapable.of the fa-
tigues belonging to the situation ; she resigned it in
consequence, and went home to her lather's house at
Greenwich. In a few months Mrs. Hunter died,
leaving behind her fonr daughters and a KW. After
Vie first poignancy of grief had subsided, Miss Hunter
inviti'd the plaintiff to pay a visit to the family for a
forfnigh: ; and on this occasion it was that the de-
feir.:enr, who had ever been alive to the merits of,
Miss Leacey. became aware of her value to supply
the place tit the wife he had lost. He therefore made
ber an offer of marriage, and appointed a day when
he would dine en fano& with Mr. Lancey, her father,
and endeavour to procure his consent. The plaintiff
bad hai full opportunity of knowing the character
and disposition of the defendant ; and, after some
hesitation on the greased of the disparity of •circum-
stances, elie consent of 'the parent was obtained, and
it was arranged that the ceremony should be perfor-
med is 5001.1 as the usual term for motit..,ng bad
elapsed. In this interval Miss Lancey, earnest
entreat; ..-E• the defendant, consented t ...:company
his family on an expee,:tion to France, from whence
they returned in a few weeks,: and for some time af-
terwards Cie defendant was a constant visit.sr at the
honse•of Mr. L:lnecy, who received him as the des-
tined husband of his daughter. A most effectioaete,
correseoridence was kept up between the plaintia and
defendant tot some months ; when suedenly, and
witlenic one ceme of offence assigned, without one
Weer :Won upon Miss Lancey or her family, the de-
fendant dropped his interceriree, entirely broke oft
. his connexion with the amiable family of Mr. Lancey,
and refused to fulfil the solemn engagement into
which he hid entered, and the prospect of which he
ever professed was the chief source at his happiness.
• . Explaeatious were sought, but Done were given ;
WU the fair hopes of a beautiful and an irreproach-
able young Lady were thus completely destroyed.—
The Attoinef General challenged the Counsel for
the defendAni to breathe a syllable against the unisle-
Visited reputation of the plaintiff, who was couspellei,
a t hads of a Jry, to seek for the only recom.
pentshee shen could obtain for this cruel and unprovoked
injury.
The first witness was Mr. Lancey, the father of
the plaint ff. The witness had lived in Greenwich
40 years, and was Master of the Mathematical Ace.
• dewy. He had three sons, two of whom were iu
the Edgineers. The plaintiff, his eldest daughter,
• now in her (28th year, had been brought up entirely
in his own family, educated by her mother and him-
self, and other masters. He fist became acquainted
With the defendant, who had a house in Cavendish-
square, and a seat at Kew, keeping up two large
establishments, in 1810. Early in that year lie re-
ceived a note. requesting the witness to call with his
daughter in Cevelidislasquare, that the latter might
be eiteeged to instruct the children of Mr. and Mrs.
Hunter/ who was then living. The defendant had
four danVhters and two sons; and the plaintiff was
eagaged on the 9.el of February, 1810, to be received
as one of the family, at the salary of 100 guinees
year. 811 c superintended the education o the young
ladies in Eugii,;!:, French, eeriting, drawig, and
music. Mrs. Hunter • died in August, 181+, previ.
ous to :eh:eh the health of tee plaintiff had been in-
jured by her close attention to her duties; and in con-
sequence of the advice of Mr. Cline, in the spring
of' 1813 she went as a parlour.boarder to the school
-of Mrs. Cldfield, at Mergate. After continuing
there for about three months, she returned to the fa-
mily of the defendant, the witness believed on June 4.
She continued there till June, Isl 4, and then resigned
the situation, finding die • fatigue .too great for her
health. After the plaintiff left the defendant, the
witness took his daughters to France, where they yee
emitted for three months; his principal object was to
recruit the I.eattli of the eldest, injured by attendatiCe
upon Mrs. Hunter, who had long been ill. In No-,
vember, 1814, the plaintiff was invited by Miss
Hunter, to pass a tortnight at her .father's ; and on
her return. home Miss Lancey brought a message
whicl! led, the witness to expect a visit from the de-
fendset, who came on the 11th of December. At
thal trite one of the defendant's daughters was on a
visit at the house of the witness. Ile arrived in his
carriage and keur horses, and took the opportuni dinnerty,
urhile..the ladies were rne up to dress before ,
to converse with -the witness. He told the witness
be concluded his daughter had informed him of his
intenti,n to marry her; that the 6bject of his visit
.was ask consent, to which the witness replied by
enforcing the difference in their stations, although the
• iritness had £lO,OOO in the funds, a eituation of £3OO
a-year, bestdes some freehold property, - The defen-

• ~
dint said;. that money was nor his. wish ; he knew
Miss Lancey well, having seen her in all her moods
and dispositions, and admired her education and ac-
complishments; that his intention was not to destroy
the union of the witness's family, and that a bed.
would always be at his service. The witness an-
swered, that he was, tot so well able to judge of the
propriety of the match his daughter; but he felt no
objection to it; and the plaintiff soon afterwards enter-
ing the room, the dtfendant took her and the witness
by the ha,-.4 and expressed his joy that he shOuld be
able to n ee himself happy by marrying her as soon
as he could put; off his mourning for his first wife.
The plaintiff signified her assent by an inclination of
the head. The defendant then begged, as a favour,
that the witness would allow his eldest daughter to
accompany the children to France forte month, and
after some entreaties consent was given :• the party to
the Continent consisted of twelve, among whom were
,some female relatives of the defendant, besides all
his children. They were absent about eix weeks, the
defendant leaving the plaintiff at the house of her
father on their return.
On-cross-examination by Mr. SCAntETT, Mr. Lan-1
cey said, that the daughter of the defendant, on a I
visit at his house when the proposal was made, was
about seven or eight years old : two of his other
daughters were women grown. The witness under-
stood that the defendant was the eldest son of his
father; he had two brothers, and a sister, now Mrs.
Nixon. He believed the defendant was under 50
years old. While in France, heslet his house in Ca-
vendish.square, furnished. The witness had never
.had any cemmunicaiion with the brothers at the de-
fendant on the subject of the marriage: several
letters had passed between the plaintiff and defen-
dant, and those letters stated that the reason the de-
fendant broke off the match seas because it was dis-
approved by his relations. The witness did not know
bat from the co:aespondence that the defendant's
children ever objected to the marriage : half an 'hour
after the offer was made, it was mentioned to the ,
daughters, and they seemed in the highest degree
gratified. He admitted that there had been differences
between the plaintiff and the daughters of the de-
fendant while abroad ; but after the return of the
party the defendant was in the habit of making the
house of the witness his home. Those visits were
continued until the 6th of July, 1815, when they
were entirely broken off.
Mr. Smith deposed, that he lived at Greenwich,
where he was a Magistrate; he had known Mr.
Lancey's family 30 years, and the plaintiff from her
infancy ; the witness's daughter was educated with
the plaintiff, and her conduct was always most
exemplary.
Mr. SCARLETT interrupted the witness by observ-
ing, that he did not attempt for a moment to im-
peach the character of the young lady.
The ATTORNEV•GENERAL consequently declined
adducing other witnesses to the same effect.
Mr. Lancey was then called back to prove the refusal
of the defendant to perform his contract of marriage.
He called upon the 'defendant, and asked him to ea.
plain the nature of a letter his daughter had received.
The defendant referred to a former letter, and asked
if the witness thought his daughter could be happy
with him ? The witness replied, that her last letter
would speak for hers and some ether conversation
having taken place, the defendant said, that after
what had passed, he must decline to fulfil his en-
gagement.
Cross-examined.—He said the defendant did not,
in the convert/Lion, state that he was convinced that'
the marriage would make both himself and the plain-,
tiff miserable. The main subject upon which they
spoke was a. letter from the defendant ; he never ap.
pealed to the witness's judgment as a father, whe-
ther his daughter under the circumstances could be
happy in the connexion ? The witness read sich parts.
of-the letter as he wished to put questions upon ; that
letter stated some reasons for declining the connexion,
but the witness did no recollect whether it mentioned
anothsr, penned by the defendant's deceased brother
William upon his death-bed, strongly disapproving
of the connexion bis belief was, that no such subject
was noticed. Thrletter the witness took with him was
dated the 13th of July ; and after retreshing his me.',
mory, he said that it mighthave ccntained a copy of
the defendant's brother's letter. The witness- made
memorandums of what passed on that occasion, with
a view to communicate it to his Solicitor. In letters
a month or six weeks prior to this conversation, the
defendant had mentioned that one of the witness's
sisters had been in the menial situation of lady's maid
in a family.
Re-examined.—He added, that his sister had been
an attendant upon a lady of high quality, but there
was no ground for suggesting that she had in any
way disgraced her family—the fact was never con.
cealed, and the defendant had dined with her at the
house of the witness. Another cbjection to the
.mars
liege was, that the witness's name appeared on the'
red-book as T. L. Lancey, without any trimmings.
To a question from Lord ELLENBOROUGLip Mr.
Lancey added, that during the whole transaction the
defendant had never thrown the slightest impetation
upon the plaintiff, but to the last had spoken of her
in the highest terms of respect and admiration.
The ATTORNEY•GENKRAL then put in two letters
from the defendant, directed to Miss Lancey, King-
street, Greenwich : they were read by Mr. Law, and
the first was in these terms :

" February'22, 1815.
" I am perfectly wretched aid miserable when away from my
beloved Anne : If I were not occupied in settling my affairs at
Kew, and preparing to remove to Cavendish-squ;.re, I do not
know what might become of me : I have no comfort in any so-
ciety but in that of my dearest beloved Anne. I think of you
both day and night, &e. I yesterday purchased an almanack, to
see on what day the 25th of August fell ; it is Fri.lay, the only
unlacky one in the week. If my dearest love would consent to
the next day, Saturday, the 26th, or Monday, the XBth, she
should be mine on one of those days. GOD knows, that it is
long enough to wait before I can enjoy your society without the
intrusion of a third person. Besides, I wish to be in time for the
vintage in France, which we shall otherwise lose; therefore do,
nty Dear Girl, consent to be mine then, &c. Depend upon it,
whenever you are inclinedeo visit your father, you shall go, and
I will accompany you. You little know how dearly and faith-
fully 1 love you, &c. Last Sunday I received the sacrament with
a resolution to be truly virtuous both in word and deed, and to
make you an affectionate lover and husband. For my sake :take
care of your health ; go to bed early, and walk out whenever you
can. You little know bow entirely you occupy my thoughts ;1
whatever book I take up, 1 am obliged to lay it down every five
or six lines to revert-to my tavourfte reveries. When I walk
in
the street, I am so absent, that every now and then I catch my-
, self running up against people [come near. To-night we are going
to the Phillartnottics; but on Tuesday or Wedataday I shall put
'1 mauls° Us farm** 4.0;N W pay a visit to a cortalta"

V only to touch bet soft hand, and tai. still softer win, and to
look on that eyebrow I admire—lf only to heat that voice which
delights me—if only to feel the breath df her I love beyond ex-
pression, while my fingers are playing with her Bp,: Oh i my
lovely one, you are too good to me-1 feel that I shall he the hap-
piest of men, and I shall study to make you happy, tax. Dearest
of women, pray out of compassion write me an answer to this
letter. " Your most affectionate, 4.R. ii."
The next letter was dated " Albemarle-street,
March 13, 1815," and it commenced by stating that
the writer had just been at the wedding of his sister,
Mrs. Nixon ; and as his " beloved creature" was
in a few months to go through the same ceremony, the
defendant gives an account of it. Mrs. Nixon was,
greatly agitated, but luckily recovered strength
enough to stretch out her finger to receive the ring,
which she declared she never would take off, even to
pass the bride-cake through it. The defendant re-
commmended to Miss Lancey the observance of the
same superstition, and added, that after the clergy-
man and clerk were paid, the whole party returned
to Cavendish-square, where they regaled themselves
upon a stupendous bride cake. In this letter he en-
tered into the most, minute particulars, giving criti-
cisms upon the dresses of the ladies, and a detail of
that of his eldest daughter Eliza, which was of white '
satin, shoes of the same material, and a pearl neck-
lace and most superb veil, which were greatly ad-
mired. After referring to some other trifles, the de-
fendant thus continued :
" Haw flattered I am by your choice ! You are inexpressibly
dear to me, and I do not know how to live wilsout you. I
should of all things like the children to be present at our mar-
rl:.3e, for the reasons you assign. and I am sure they would nil
refuse. Your father Inuit give you away. Why should my lore;
want courage to put qui-trolls to me / lie sure I will not slicer
your letter, and never will abuse your c(tifidence on any occasion.
I shall endeavour toscome to Greenwich soon, but at preterit I
have a great deaL to attend to: Gun knows, my hands and bead
are full of basiness ; but I am determined to stick to it, that I
may have the more tinie to devote to you. I come here that
I may write to you without being overlooked by the child/. mi. I
must now return to dress for dinner, as we le; e going to the Phil-
harmonics, Ste. Let no one see this letter but yourself, but you
can give the account of the wedding to your mother. Believe me
most affectionately and truly yours, " R.,11."
The plaintiff's case was here closed, and
Mr. SCARLIITT addressed the Jury on behalf of the
defendant. He contradicted the exaggerated state-
ment of the Attorney-General, relative to the circum-
stances of the defendant ; and very ingeniously ar-
gued that the breaking of of the projected marriage
to be considered rather as a fortunate circumstance
for the plaintiff. However doating the defendant
had been, the young lady could not have been deeply
enamoured with him, considering the disparity of
years ; it was therefore reduced to a mere question
of pounds, shillings, and pence, with which the heart
bad nothing to do, and the compensation could only
'be proportioned to the injury. Had the union been
completed, the plaintiff would have found herself in
the odious situation of a stepmother, the envied rival
of the children of her husband, and an object of ha-
tred and suspicion with the rest of his family.
Lord ELLENBOROUGHt in his charge, observed, that
although the plaintiff might not feel any great warmth
of attachment to the defendant, she had a right to a
compensation for the disappointment of her sober cx.
pectations of comfort and opulence. The defendant
ought to have weighed the circumstances before he
made a promise, the breach of Which, and the pro-
ceeding unavoidably consequent upon it, could mot
but be a disparagement to a young lady, however
bright ltcr accomplishments, or unhieurisliesi her re
putation.
' The Jury, after a very short consultation, gave a
verdict for the plaintiff—Damages 81500. Costs 40s.

At the Old Bailey, yesterday, Mary Whitburn, aged
ft, was found guilty of stealing a quantity of jewel-
lery, the property of Richard Holford; as was Anne
Wilms, for receiving the same. The other trials were
unimportant.
Yesterday William Goodwin, a private in the ma-
rines; was re-examined at Queen.square Office, and
fully committed, charged with robbing J. Broughton,
of the Foot Guards,-of a Waterloo medal, while in,
a booth, at rothill-fields Fair.
DAIN, the guard or the Holyhead Mail, in passing
Shelton on the morning of his Majesty's Birth-day,
discharged his blunderbuss in honour of the day,l
winch unfortunately burst, and lacerated his hand,
in so shocking a manner, that lie was obliged to tin-'
dergo amputation above the wrist.
Between eleven and twelve o'clock, on Wednesday'
night, an alarming fire broke out on the premises for-
merly occupied by Sir JOHN Easszn, as a sugar-bake-
house, and now by Mr. ANDREWS/ as drug mills, in
Gloucester-duet, White-cross--street, St. Luke's,
which in a short time became a heap of ruins. Six
small houses, separated from the above mills only by
a very narrow court, were nearly destroyed. Fortu-
nately no lives were lost.
CHEEMSPOED, JUNE G.—We are cdncerned to state,
that a riot commenced at Halstead, in Essex, in the
evening of the 28th ultimo, by the mob liberating
four prisoners, who were about being lodged in Hal-
stead House of Correction, for destroying some ma-
chinery at Sible Hedingham. One of the constables
who was conducting them to prison, having taken
shelter in the house of a tradesman, it was furiously
attacked, and the windows of the shop, &c. broken,
and otherwise damaged. The mob then continued
their outrages during the remainder of the evening,
by an almost indiscriminate attack upon the windows
of the principal inhabitants. The next evening they
collected in greater numbers, many parties having
been observed to join them from the • neighbouring
villages, armed with bludgeons, &c. In order to
prevent a recurrence of the daring and wanton ex-
cesses of the preceding evening, the Halstead cavalry
were under arms, who, after the Riot Act had been
'read, made several charges on the mob, but without
effect, as the insurgents retreated into the church.
yard, which rendered their efforts to disperse them
fruitless; and having been violently assailed by stones,
'&c. they fbund it necessary to retreat; upon which
the same scene of breaking windows ensued, to the
great annoyance of the inhabitants. Early the next
day a party of the 20th Dragoons arrived from Col-
chester. The respectable tradesmen and inhabitants,
to the amount of sixty or seventy, came forward,
and offered themselves in aid of the civil power, by
being sworn in as additional constables, and in the
evening divided themselves into companies, in order
to guard the avenues of the town, and prevent any
suspicious persons from entering it; by which judi-
cious measute .no assemblage took place—all was
_quiet and tranquil, and from that time there has not
breo.tho slightest appeorapco of maul; of