CH RON TC E-E. 
now the residerce of her majesty ; 
‘and came, by marriage with Eliza- 
beth, eldest da aughter ef \sif ‘Ed 
ward Villiers, and sister to’ Ed- 
ward earl of Jersey, to’ the earl 
of Orkney, who Brenily improved 
it; and whose “eldest dauvhter 
“married William Obfien,. earl ‘of 
Enchiquin, who. now possess2s it. 
Its lofty situation on the side of a 
hill, gave it every advantage of a 
DP beautiful and extensive prospect, 
It was the favourite summer resi- 
dence of his present majesty’s fa- 
ther. The cause of this fire is va- 
riously accounted for. It is gene- 
. fally believed that one of the cham. 
ber. maids turning down the bed in 
the evening, left a candle burning 
in the middle apartments, which 
set fire to the eurtaing! bid -this 
is mere surmise. ‘The flames broke 
out at nine o’clock at night, and 
_ were *so‘sudden and. so rapid, that 
all assistance to save the furniture 
and the house was vain. Lord and 
lady Inchiguin were on a_ visit 
there at the time, and at tea, or 
rather after tea, in the summer- 
house. So sudden and so violent 
was the fire, ‘that nothing was 
saved, not even the plate: and 
what is considered as an irrepa- 
able loss, the whole of the beauti- 
fal tapestry, representing the va- 
Tious battles won by the famous 
duke of Marlborough, fella viGtim 
_n this occasion, so as not to leave 
a trace behind of that extensive 
_ Specimen of art. Weare sorry to add, 
that not so much of wearing ap. 
parel was saved as to furnish a 
" change of any article ta the family 
for the next day. The conflagra- 
- tion was seen many miles round. 
Ws “8 Yesterday Maria Theresa 
3% Phinoe was capitaily indicted, 
n the Old Bailey, for putting in 
21 
fear, and violently and fe'cniously 
taking away from John Courtoy a 
premissory note, value 2000l. 
This very extraordinaey ease ap- 
peared tobe as follows: Mr. Cour. 
toy being-at Mrs. Phipoe’s house in 
Hans Town, Brompton, theatter, 
with the assistance of her ‘servauit, 
Mary-Browne (who was’ the prin- 
cipal evidence against her) fastened 
Mr. Courtoy to the back of a chair, 
and extorted from him a note for 
20001. by threatening and attempt- 
ing to cut his throat. After he 
had signed and given the note, she 
again attempted to kil! him m the 
same manner, having first ¢ffered 
him his choice to die by arsenic, 
the pistol, or the knife; and he 
escaped with great difficulty, three 
or four of ‘his’ fingers being cut in 
the struggle. 
The indi@tment was founded on 
the stattite of 2d George Il. which 
enats, that if any person shall steal, 
or obtitt by force or violence, any 
exchequer order, promissory note, 
é&c. such an offence shall be deemed 
felony without benefit of clergy. 
Mr. Courtoy was then'called, and 
the note being produced, he was 
asked, whether i it was the same he 
gave to the ‘prisoner? to which he 
answered in the affirmative. 
Mr. Fielding, as counsel for the 
prisoner, objected to the admissibi- 
lity ot the evidence of Mr. Courtoy. 
He contended, that he stood in the 
light of an interested witness, inas- 
much as his evidence went to in. — 
validate the note, ‘which upon the 
face of it apperred to be the lega 
property of the prisoner. 
After the counsel for the prose. 
cution were heard on the other 
side, the court were of opinion, 
that Mr. Courtoy ought not to be 
examined, 
C 3 
Mary 
