Читать книгу Norfolk Annals (Vol. 1&2) - Charles Mackie - Страница 34

5.*—“Mr. Stephen Martin, an old gentleman who lately died at Brentwood, bequeathed to the minister and churchwardens of St. Giles’, Norwich, the sum of £1,000 Stock in the three per cent. Consols, to be laid out for the use and benefit of the poor of that parish, of which he was a native. He was born in 1717, and when an infant was taken to Jamaica, where he amassed a fortune.”

7.—At an assembly of the Corporation of Norwich an address of congratulation was ordered to be presented to his Majesty “on the providential discovery of the late traitorous conspiracy against his Royal person and Government, entered into by Col. Despard and six other persons, who were executed on the top of the new Surrey prison, in Horsemonger Lane, on February 21st.” The address was presented to the King by the Mayor (Sir Roger Kerrison), accompanied by Mr. Robert Fellowes, M.P., and Alderman John Harvey. Similar addresses were voted by the Corporations of Yarmouth, Thetford, and Lynn; and by the High Sheriff and Grand Jury of Norfolk at the Assizes at Thetford. The latter address was presented by Sir J. H. Astley, M.P., and Mr. T. W. Coke, M.P., on March 30th.

11.—Died, aged 73, Mr. Thomas Twiddy, “who had been many years trumpet herald to the Norwich Company of Comedians.”

14.—Died, Mrs. Parfrey, aged 80, wife of Mr. R. Parfrey, of Holme Hale, near Swaffham. “The public will best recollect her, as a doctress, by her former name of Fyson, and for the many cures she made in dropsy and other complaints.”

15.—At a meeting held at St. Andrew’s Hall the late members of the Norwich Loyal Military Association, in consequence of the aspect of public affairs, offered their services to the Government.

19.*—“Two pairs of eagles were lately shot near Yarmouth. One pair measured and weighed as follows:—Female, length, 3 feet 4 inches; extent of wings, 8 feet; weight, 9¾ lbs. Male, length, 2 feet 9 inches; extent of wings, 7 feet 1 inch; weight, 9¼ lbs. Seventeen wild swans have also been shot by one man in the week.”

21.—The Militia Regiments in the county this day assembled at Yarmouth, East Dereham, and Swaffham.

22.—At the Norfolk Assizes, held at Thetford, before Mr. Justice Grose and a special jury, the case, Astley v. Harwood, was tried. This was an action for defamation. It was alleged that the defendant, at a ball held on July 6th, 1802, the day after the Norwich election, mounted a table, and, addressing the company, called the plaintiff a liar, a coward, an assassin, a scoundrel, and a murderer, “for he had murdered his father.” The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff, and assessed the damages at £2,000. On June 11th the Court of King’s Bench granted a new trial, on the ground that the impression the words made on the hearers was matter for aggravation or mitigation of damages. The new trial took place at Norwich Assizes in August, 1803, when a special jury confirmed the former verdict, and awarded Sir Jacob Astley £2,000 damages. On December 3rd, it was announced that the case had been removed to the Court of Exchequer on writ of error. In June, 1804, the judges in the Exchequer Chamber unanimously confirmed the former verdict, and gave judgment, with costs, against Col. Harwood. Finally, on July 19th, 1804, the case was taken to the House of Lords, when the Lord Chancellor delivered his opinion in favour of Sir Jacob Astley, which was confirmed by the Lords, who ordered Col. Harwood to pay Sir Jacob £100 costs, occasioned by the writ of error.

The portrait of Capt. John Harvey, of the Norwich Light Horse Volunteers, painted by Opie at the request of the corps, was this month placed in St. Andrew’s Hall.