276 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



was a sort of action which required 

 as much strictness in proof as a trial 

 Tor felony; and that the imprudent 

 conduct of the rider laid him open 

 to a severe cross-examination ; but 

 tiie jury, believing his testimony, 

 had come to a right conclusion.— 

 Thesubsequentfindingoflhepocket- 

 book was a decisive confirmation of 

 his story ; and though he did not 

 mean to attach suspicion to the de- 

 fendant or his wife, yet he might 

 have dishonest people about him ; 

 and he could not believe the pocket- 

 book was between the mattresses 

 on the morning of the search. He 

 rather believed from the noise the 

 circumstance badoccasioned in the 

 countrj-, the party who took the 

 pocket-book was apprehensive it 

 could not be got rid of without de- 

 tection, and had therefore placed it 

 between the mattresses previous to 

 the sale. Upon the whole, he saw 

 no grounds for disturbing the ver- 

 dict, or for granting a stet 'pro- 

 cessus. 



The other judges concurred in 

 opinion, and the rule for a new 

 trial was discharged. 



12. Sheriff's Court.— Crim. Con. 

 — Wellesley, Esq. v. Lord Paget. — 

 In this case, the plaintiff having 

 brought his action for damages 

 against the noble lord, the defen- 

 dant suffered judgment by default, 

 thereby acknowledging the adulter- 

 ous intercourse ; and this day a jury 

 was impanelled before Mr. Bur- 

 chell, the sheriff, to assess the da- 

 mages. 



Mr. Garrow, with great elo- 

 quence and feeling, depicted the 

 previous state of happiness enjoyed 

 by the plaintiff and his wife, and 

 recounted the numerous offspring, 

 the fruit of their connubial inter- 

 course. He then drew an afflicting 



picture of the mental distress into 

 v/hich the incontinence of his lady 

 had plunged him. Nor was he less 

 eloquent in describing the miscon- 

 duct of the defendant, who, he 

 said, had courage enough to con- 

 quer every other enemy but his own 

 passions. This speech was follow- 

 ed by evidence of the facts, and 

 a speech in mitigation of damages, 

 by Mr. Dallas, when the jury found 

 a verdict for the plaintiff — Damages 

 twenty thousand pounds ! 



The elopement of lady Char- 

 lotte Wellesley with lord Paget, 

 which gave occasion to the above 

 action, took place in the afternoon 

 of Monday the 6th of March. 

 Mr. Henry Wellesley, who is secre- 

 tary of the treasury, had spoken, it 

 seems, more pointedly than ever to 

 lady Charlotte, on the very mark- 

 ed and constant attentions of lord 

 Paget, which (though from the long 

 and confidential friendship which 

 had subsisted between the families 

 he did not apprehend to be disho- 

 nourable), might affect her reputa- 

 tion in the world. Lady Charlotte 

 was indignant at the idea of re- 

 proach, and hurried out with her 

 servant to take the air in the Green 

 Park. She desired him to remain 

 at the gate, as she should walk for 

 a short time, and it appears that 

 her ladyship took a hackney coach, 

 and sent a note to lord P. at Ux- 

 bridge house. They met, and in 

 this state of irritated feelings and 

 probably on the consciousness of 

 guilt, they set off together.— As she 

 did not return to dinner, inquiries 

 were made. The servant had con- 

 tinued at the gate of the Green 

 Park till a late hour ; and on his 

 return home, being questioned, he 

 gave the above account. The me- 

 lancholy truth was confirmed by a 



letter, 



