The whole proceedings at large, in a cause on an action brought by the Rt. Hon. Richard Lord Grosvenor against His Royal Highness Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland; for criminal conversation with Lady Grosvenor. Tried before the Right Hon. William Lord Mansfield, in the Court of King's Bench, on the 5th of July, 1770. Containing the evidence verbatim as delivered by the witnesses; with all the speeches and arguments of the counsel and of the court. Faithfully taken in shorthand by a Barrister / [Henry Frederick].

  • Henry Frederick, Prince, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn, 1745-1790.
Date:
M DCC LXX
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The whole proceedings at large, in a cause on an action brought by the Rt. Hon. Richard Lord Grosvenor against His Royal Highness Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland; for criminal conversation with Lady Grosvenor. Tried before the Right Hon. William Lord Mansfield, in the Court of King's Bench, on the 5th of July, 1770. Containing the evidence verbatim as delivered by the witnesses; with all the speeches and arguments of the counsel and of the court. Faithfully taken in shorthand by a Barrister / [Henry Frederick]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    fufpicions confirmed, my Lord Grofvenor was apprized that his Royal Highnefs had left town, and then notice was given to an old i'ervant of Lord Grofvenor’s family, (his Reward I think) to be attentive to what paft upon that journey at that period, and he accordingly fent to another perfon who was an officer in the militia in Cheffiire, that was his brother •, and from the time file came into the inn at St. Alban’s on her return home, he employed himfeif to enquire what perfons came into the houfe ; the account given him by the people of the houfe was, that there was no company in the houfe except two perfons; one was a young man whom they believed to be out of his mind, and the other a perfon attending him j that they had been there fometime, and were to be there that night: the man obferved he fhould not have been fo near Lady Grofvenor’s room •, he faid it was improper to have a madman fo near her room, it would difturb the children likewife ; but all this account confirmed Mr. Stephens’s fufpicions that they were the Duke of Cumberland and his attendants. After dinner he took the precaution to bore a hole in the door of Lady Grofvenor’s bed-chamber, from which he could obferve what paffed in the room •, the fituation was not very fa¬ vorable, but it gave them ao opportunity of feeing a part of the bed and room; my Lady Grofvenor retired to her bed-chamber pretty early ; the room in which fhe 'lay led into another room •, flie locked the door of that room, and put the key in her pocket, after having difmiffed the maid of the inn that came to warm her bed, and locked the door after her •, you will obferve both the doors were locked by Lady Grofvenpr within fide •, after Stephens came up he liftened attentively at the door, and he was pretty confident he heard two voices. Lady Grofvenor’s and another •, then he went away, and came fometime after and liftened again, and his ideas were con¬ firmed ; but not trufting his own ideas, he went to his brother, who was at another place, and fetched him; they both liftened together, and they were convinced there was a perfon with Lady Grofvenor in her bed-chamber, and according to the beft in¬ ference they could make out they were within the curtains of the bed ; upon that Mr. Stephens, whom I ought to have told you, obferved the motions of thofe two per¬ fons, and found they had ordered a poft-chaife to be ready at two o’clock in the morning, Mr. Stephens thought there was no time to delay, and with his brother and the other fervants he burft open the door •, it burft from its hinges and returned upon the locks that was clofe within fide *, it was done inftantly ; both parties were in the utmoftconfternation •, Lady Grofvenor attempted to go into the other room, the Duke, unable tofpeak, ftood confounded and frightened •, Lady Grofvenor was buttoning up her travelling drefs ufed upon the journey, which, upon the firft difcovery, was open and her neck bare, and unbuttoned ; fhe was buttoning up with lurprize and confter- nation, and upon that occafion his Royal Highnefs was buttoning up his drefs. The Lady fell down in running away ; Stephens ran to her to affift her in getting up, and his Royal Highnefs was going to the door likewife ; Stephens ordered them not to lec that gentleman go out ; he went back, and then Mr. Stephens faid there was no harm intended to his perfon, and turned round to the people and afkecl them this queftion. Do you know who this perfon is ? The lervants anfwered it was his Royal Highnefs the Duke of Cumberland. He would not tell who he was, but he faid if Stephens would go with him into the next room he would, tell him; they went into another room, and before the time he had reached that room the whole houfe was alarmed ; the maids and other people came in upon the appearance of new faces, and when they were all got into the other room where the Duke went, he faid, Take notice, gentlemen, I am not in Lady Grofvenor’s bed-chamber : the anfwer to him was—he certainly was there when they came to him; and they faid they would take their oath of it; they examined the bed, and as they found the fituation of the bed, there was no doubt that two pelffons had lain upon it, and it was exceedingly difordered ; the chambermaid was applied to, ffie faid fhe had made it very orderly, and never left it in that condition, and fhe will give you an account of the fituation in which it was afterwards found. Stephens told his Royal Highnefs he was forry for what had hap¬ pened, but it was what he was obliged to do, but it was his duty to his mafter which obliged him to aft as he had done in the affair, and affured his Royal Highnefs he would not meet with any obftruftion, and he might go where he pleaied, and accordingly lie went away for London. Gentlemen, I have now conducted this affair to thelaft decifive fcene of it •, I have gone through the relation upon the general circumftances, fo far as is neceftary to guide your attention to the courfe of the evi¬ dence that will be given *, you will obferve upon it four material circumftances, all operating equally ftrong to conviftion in this caufe. Firft, the private meeting be¬ tween his Royal Highnefs and Lady Grofvenor at his own houfe, Kenfington-gardens, C and