The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-04-15 00:00:00

. .
he determined to withdraw from London. Sir Henry's
letters to Lady Roseberry about this time expressed
the greatest uneasiness at thit determination, con.
jured her, if possible, to avert it, and expressed his
determination to follow them in disguise. Tfiev re-
paired to the Earl's seat in Norfolk, and after-
wards to another seat in- Scotland ; and it was
here, in October, 1814, that those acts took place
which formed the foundation of the present proceed•
ing. Lady Roseberry adopted a practice hitherto
very unusual with her, that of taking lonely walks
rejecting the company of the Dowager Countess.—
The latter was rather alarmed at this, and though
not suspecting that any criminality had as yet passed,
she determined to watch her motions. Sirllettry,under
the assumed named of Col. De Grey, had repaired to
Scotland, and taken up Ns abode at an inn in the
neighbourhood of Lord Roseberry's, where he suf-
fered his beard atid whiskers to grow, and otherwise
disguised his appearance. His Lordship's family at
this time consisted of himself, the Countess, the
Dowager Countess, and his brother, the Hon. Mr.
Primrose, besides occasional visitors. They usually
dined at *ix o'clock. The ladies retired about seven,
and were joined by the gentlemen about nine. Lady
Roseberry usually made some excuse for leaving her
mother-in.law, and retired to a suite of rooms on the
I ground tioor of one of thew ings of the building. They
: consisted of a library, anti-room, a bed-room, called
the red bed•room, dressing-room, and some others, all
of them communicating with each other, and with the
windows looking out upon a terrace; just below which
there Was a leaden cistern, by means of which it was
not difficult to ascend the terrace, and enter these
rooms by any of the windows. The Dowager Coun-
tess, in the course of her watching, had observed a
linen descend from the window and walk off by this
way. This she communicated to the Hon. Mr. Prim-
' rose ; and one afternoon, about ten minutes after
Lady Roseberry had retired as usual, he repaired,
with some of the, servants, to the doors of the bed-
room, which he found fastened. They endeavoured
to force one of them open, when it was opened by
Lady Roseberry : Sir Henry was then discovered by
the side of the bed, dressed in a large blue jacket
and trowsers, and a red waistcoat, covered with a
profusion of pearl buttons, and armed with a brace
of pistols. His beard and whiskers were much
grown, and his appearance altogether so much al.
tered, that Mr. Primrose did not at first recognise
him. The handkerchief which lady Roseberry had
worn round her neck at dinner was off, and her
gown unpinned, though not so as to expose her bo-
som indecently. The bed was indented in the centre,
as if pressed by an extraordinary weight, or by per-
sons
leaning against it; and the carpet, which had
been nailed down, was stretched and forced up near
the bed, and was much dirted, as if pushed with
muddy feet. Lady Roseherry seemed to express con-
trition, and endeavoured to prevent any contest be.
tweet' Mr. Primrose and Sir Henry, who, after some
conversation, was prevailed upon to retire through the
window by which he entered. Lord Roseherry did not
see his Lady afterwards. lle delivered her writing.
desk into Mr. Primrose's possession, who took from
it the letters exhibited in the Coml. Lady Roseberry
remained in the house that night, but the next morn-
ing took her departure. She had been recommended
to return to her father; but being joined by Sir 11.
Mildmay, they were traced to London, having, slept
together at nn inn on the road. They then took up
their residence at Sir Henry's house, in Lower
Brook-street, but have subsequently repaired to-
gether to the Continent. An action was brought by
Lord Roseberry. against Sir 11. Mildmay, who suf-
fered judgment by default, and a verdict with 15,0001.
damages was returned against him, on the execution
of the writ of enquiry.
Upon this evidence Lord Roseberry's Counsel sub-
mitted that the necessary facts were fully substan-
tiated to entitle his Lordship to the remedy he
prayed.
The Counsel for Lady Roseberry admitted that it
was impossible for them to offer any observations to
resist the effect of this evidence, which they therefore ,
left to
-the impartial consideration of the Court.
sl

Sir War. SCOTT recapituNted the circumstances of
the case. The letters were without date, but, from
same passages in them, k was easy to assign dates
to them. They appeared to have been written about
Ma rch• and April, 1814, and alluded to a former
correspondence, so that the origin of the connection
did not appear. At whatever time it may have
commenced, it was, however, sufficiently manifest
that at this time the connection subsisted in a high
degree of criminal intimacy, and it was impossible
not to assent to the observation that had been made,
that letters of this nature could not have passed from
any man to a lady holding the rank in society of
Lady Itoseberry, unless she had permitted to him
the last familiarity. The language of them was such
as plainly evinced that he had acquired the most com-
plete dominion over her affections and person, and
had everted it to the -rtititated gratificition of his
guilty passion. Lord R. was truly miserable on first
observing the alienation of his Lady's affections, and
' had taken the course which every man of sense and
' honour would have taken under his circumstances.
He gently remonstrated with her, and forbad Sir
Hear the house but finding t his ineffectual, he with.
dre is family from London. Sir Henry, however,
foil , and those circumstances took place which
bad I to the present proceeding. He then alluded
to the transactions in Scotland, and observed that
though the witnesses who detailed them did not go
on to express their belief of adultery, yet thnt such
coold be the only legal inference to Ile drawn from
I the facts they stated, and it was an inference which
the Court was bound to draw. The subsequent
adultery was more definite; the servants
and
the inn
proved seeing them in the bed together, others
subsequently found them living together without re-
serve:Until their departure for the Continent. Upon
the view; therefore, which the Court had taken of
the evidence, it was unnecessary to add any observe-
tlon, as none could add to the forcible impression
which it must make on every considerate mind. It
was certainly but a poor compensation to the injured
husband to grant him all that was'Within the power
of the Court to grant, in acceeding to the prayer
which he preferred by the present proceeding, that
he be divorced from all further cohabitation with this
Lady; to that remedy, owever, as far as it went,
he 'was fully entitled. The sentence of divorce was
signed accordingly.