The jury, in a short time, gave a verdict for the plaintiff, 2,5001. damages, and 6d. costs.

COUNSEL for the plaintiff: Mr. Serjeant Moore, Messrs. Ball, Dunn, Bush, and Penefather. Agent, Mr. Cosgrave.

COUNSEL for the defendant: The Solicitor-General, Messrs. Ponsonby, Curran, Barrington, and Boardman. Agent, Mr. Fullerton.

TRIAL AT ENNIS ASSISES.

REVEREND CHARLES MASSY V. THE MARQUIS OF HEADFORT, FOR CRIM. CON. WITH THE PLAINTIFF'S WIFE.

THIS very interesting trial came on at Ennis, Clare county, on Friday, 27th July, 1804, before the Honourable Baron Smith and a special jury."

Mr. Bennett, as junior counsel, opened the declaration, and stated, that it had been laid for the sum of 40,000l. being the compensation sought for the damage alleged to have been sustained by the plaintiff, in consequence of the defendant's seducing and taking away the plaintiff's wife.

Mr. Hoare. This is the first action of the kind a jury of this county has ever been empannelled to try—and, as it is the first, so, I hope in Heaven, it may be the last. Many idle reports have been circulated, and the subject of this trial has engaged much of public attention; but it is your duty, as I am sure it is your wish, to discharge your minds from every idie rumour, to stand indifferent between the parties, and relying upon the evidence, and collecting information from

*The singularity of this trial; the eminence of the counsel engaged on both sides; the character of the plaintiff; the age and rank of the defendant; and the youth and beauty (and folly) of the lady-all conjoined to excite vast curiosity. Accordingly, great numbers crowded from every part of the country into the small town of Ennis-ten guineas were given for a bed, and any money to get a place in the court-A short-hand writer came all the way from London to take notes of the trial.

the witnesses on their oaths, who will be produced to you, to found your verdict upon facts well attested, and of which you only are the constitutional judges.

The plaintiff, the Rev. Charles Massy, is the second son of a gentleman of high distinction in this county, who has been more than once called to the representation of it by a free and honourable election; and not only so descended, but is a person of liberal education-a member of one of the learned professions in the prime of life-a man not only of inoffensive manners, and of innocent life, but a man whose virtues correspond with his situation in society, and adorn the profession he has adopted. In 1796, Mr. Massy became attached to Miss Rossle win. Mr. Massy, being a second son, and not independent of the bounty of his father, possessed then a living but of 3007. a year. Sir Hugh Massy, his father, disapproved a match," which had not fortune to support the claim of beauty," and had, therefore, proposed one with a young lady of a neighbouring county, which he conceived, in point of fortune and of connection, far more eligible, and, on that occasion, had offered to settle on his son, the plaintiff, 1,100 pounds a year, in landed property, together with the young lady's fortune; but, declining the hand of an amiable and accomplished lady, refusing an ample and independent establishment, with the additional enjoyment of parental bounty and approbation, and foregoing all these advantages, Mr. Massy proved the sincerity and purity of his attachment, by a generous sacrifice of fortune to affection, and married Miss Rosslewin in March, 1796. The happiness of the young couple, during eight succeeding years, not only seemed to be, but really was, unmixed and unabating-he loving with constant and manly ardour, she with chaste and equal affection-and, during that interval, Heaven had blessed their union with a boy, the bond and cement of their present happiness, the pledge and promise of future multiplied felicities. Then Mr. and Mrs. Massy exhibited such an example of domestic contentment and satisfaction to their neighbours,

their relatives and their friends, as to convince them that the sacrifices he made were not too great-that her grateful and affectionate returns to a conduct so nobly liberal, and disinterestedly affectionate, were not too little-guilt and trea chery had not yet made their way into the abode of peace and innocence-all was quiet, tranquil, and happy-till, to the misfortune of this county and couple, the Marquis of Headfort made his appearance at Limerick.

Mr. Massy happened to have had, some years since, a living in the county of Meath, where Lady Bective, the mother of the Marquis of Headfort, was a principal parishioner, and from whom, during his residence in the parish, Mr. Massy received much polite and hospitable attention; from this circumstance of his acquaintance with her, Mr. Massy/ waited on her son, on his arrival at Limerick, invited him to his house, and strained his narrow means to give the son of Lady Bective every proof of his sense of her former attentions and politeness; but, while indulging the hospitable spirit of our county, little did Mr. Massy think he was introducing into his house the man who could conceive the blackest and basest designs against his peace and honourthat this stranger, so hospitably received, and so affectionately cherished, was to pour poison into his peace, and make him a wretch; for no reasonable man could suppose that Lord Headfort, at his time, ever could disturb the peace of any family-his age-(for he is above fifty)-his figure-his face, made such a supposition not only improbable, but almost ridiculous; yet, so it happened, that this "hoary veteran,” in whom, like Ætna, the snow above did not quench the flames below, looked at Mrs. Massy, and marked her for ruin. And nothing more beautiful could he behold, and nothing upon whom it was more unlikely that such a venerable personage as his lordship could have made an improper impression.

Lord Headfort spent four days at Summerhill, on his first visit, and was introduced by Mr. Massy to gentlemen of the first rank and consideration in the county-the Bishop of Lime.

rick, brother-in-law of Mr. Massy, and every other gentleman and nobleman in the neighbourhood. I need not, in this most hospitable part of Ireland, mention to you the consequence. Lord Headfort was received, entertained and cherished by the friends and relatives of Mr. Massy. Whilst Mr. Massy was endeavouring, by every polite and hospitable attention in his power, to render his temporary stay in this county not unpleasant to him, some anonymous letters first created in the breast of the plaintiff, not suspicion, but conveyed an intimation "that the Marquis of Headfort was too attentive to Mrs. Massy." Too confident in the virtue of his wife-too generous to credit information so conveyed-and, yet, too prudent wholly to overlook or disregard it, Mr. Massy prohibited his wife's visits to Limerick, and this was followed up, by intimating to Lord Headfort, that his lordship's visits would be dispensed with at Summerhill, his (Mr. Massy's) place of residence. Lord Headfort's visits were discontinued his lordship promised not to repeat them.

And yet, though Mr. Massy took these precautions, he still had the utmost confidence in the virtue of his wife, and not without apparent reason, for she still preserved the ap pearance of the most affectionate attachment to him, and acquiesced, without a murmur, in what his prudence prescribed. Her correct manners, her strict attention to her religious duties, might have imposed upon a keener penetration than her husband's; she regularly attended divine service, took the sacrament, and has been heard to reprove her brother and brother-in-law for want of attention to these duties; and in conversation, turning on the indiscretions of other women, was often heard to declare, "that if affection for her husband, so well merited, or for her child, were not sufficient checks to keep her steady to her virtue, her sense of religious obligations would alone have that effect." The unaffected liveliness and simplicity of her manners, the decency of her deportment, her endearing attentions to him and