lodged in prison if she did not immediately quit the town.

Leaving the house, the unhappy creature fainted in the street, and was soon surrounded by a number of females, who insulted her with every term of reproach.

When she recovered her senses she went to a public house, where she intended to have lodged; but the landlady threatening to send for the beadle, she was obliged to quit the house.

In the interim Mr. Smythee came to his own house, and, after being compelled to listen to the reproaches of his wife on the infidelity of his conduct, he went out, and desired a person to call on the young woman, and appoint her to meet him at a place without the town.

The unfortunate girl met him accordingly. What passed between them it is impossible to know; but on the following day she was found with her throat cut, and a bloody knife lying by her. Smythee ab. sconding, it was generally supposed that he had been the murderer; and, on his return to Poole about a month afterwards, he was taken into custody, and lodged in the county gaol.

In his defence, at his trial, he urged that the reason of his absence from his family was a quarrel with his wife, in consequence of the unhappy discovery that had been made by the deceased: but, as he could bring no proof of his being absent from the spot when the murder was committed, no doubt remained of his guilt: he was therefore capitally convicted, and sentenced to die.

After conviction he was visited by several clergymen, who exerted themselves to impress him with a due sense of his awful situation. He freely acknowledged the great guilt he had incurred in the seduction of the unhappy girl; but stea dily denied being guilty of the mar

der to the last moment of his life. As the period for its termination advanced he became still more resigned, acknowledged the many errors of his life, and confessed himself worthy to undergo the rigour of the law.

He walked to the place of execution amidst an immense sur. rounding multitude, and, having ascended the cart, addressed the populace, advising them to refrain from yielding to the first impulses of temptation, as they would wish to be preserved from the violation of the Divine laws. After the usual devotions, he drew his cap over his face, and saying, 'To thee, O Lord, I resign my soul,' he was launched into eternity at Dorchester, on the 12th of April, 1741.

Thus ended the life of a man who might have lived happy in himself, and an useful member of society; but his submission to an ungenerous passion rendered him obnoxious to the violated laws of God and his country, and finally brought him to condign and exemplary punishment.

It does not clearly appear, from the narrative before us, whether Mr. Smythee was or was not guilty of the murder for which he suffered; but the presumptions are very strong against him. Be this as it may, there is nothing uncharitable in saying that the man who has been deliberately guilty of the wilful seduction of a harmless woman cannot be punished too severely, even by an exertion of the utmost rigour of the law.

Character is dearer to a woman than life; and it is a pity we have not a statute to punish the seducer as a murderer. In the mean time, however, he is acutely afflicted by the tormenting pangs of his guilty conscience, which must severely reprobate hi conduct, and raise a hell in his own mind.

SIR JOHN DINELY GOODERE SUCceeded his father, Sir Edward, in the possession of an estate of three thousand pounds a year, situated near Evesham, in Worcestershire.

His brother Samuel, the subject of this narrative, was bred to the sea, and advanced to the rank of captain of a man of war.

Sir John married the daughter of a merchant, and received twenty thousand pounds as a marriage portion; but mutual unhappiness was the consequence of this connexion : the husband was brutal in his manners, and the wife, perhaps, not strictly observant of the sacred vow she had taken; for she was too often visited by Sir Robert Jasen; and, after frequent recriminations between the married pair, Sir John

YOL. I,

brought an action in the Court of Common Pleas for criminal conversation, and five hundred pounds damages were awarded by the jury.

Sir John's next step was to indict his lady for a conspiracy; and, a conviction following, she was fined, and imprisoned one year in the King's Bench. He likewise petitioned for a divorce; but the matter being heard in the House of Lords, his petition was thrown out.

Sir John having no children, Captain Samuel Goodere formed very sanguine expectations of possessing the estate; but, finding that the brother had docked the entail in favour of his sister's children, the captain sought the most diabolical means of revenge for the supposed injury.

28

lodged in prison if she did not immediately quit the town.

Leaving the house, the unhappy creature fainted in the street, and was soon surrounded by a number of females, who insulted her with every term of reproach.

When she recovered her senses she went to a public house, where she intended to have lodged; but the landlady threatening to send for the beadle, she was obliged to quit the house.

In the interim Mr. Smythee came to his own house, and, after being compelled to listen to the reproaches of his wife on the infidelity of his conduct, he went out, and desired a person to call on the young woman, and appoint her to meet him at a place without the town.

The unfortunate girl met him accordingly. What passed between them it is impossible to know; but on the following day she was found with her throat cut, and a bloody knife lying by her. Smythee ab. sconding, it was generally supposed that he had been the murderer; and, on his return to Poole about a month afterwards, he was taken into custody, and lodged in the county gaol.

In his defence, at his trial, he urged that the reason of his absence from his family was a quarrel with his wife, in consequence of the unhappy discovery that had been made by the deceased: but, as he could bring no proof of his being absent from the spot when the murder was committed, no doubt remained of his guilt: he was therefore capitally convicted, and sentenced to die.

After conviction he was visited by several clergymen, who exerted themselves to impress him with a due sense of his awful situation. He freely acknowledged the great guilt he had incurred in the seduc ́tion of the unhappy girl; but steadily denied being guilty of the mur

der to the last moment of his life. As the period for its termination advanced he became still more resigned, acknowledged the many errors of his life, and confessed himself worthy to undergo the rigour of the law.

He walked to the place of execution amidst an immense sur. rounding multitude, and, having ascended the cart, addressed the populace, advising them to refrain from yielding to the first impulses of temptation, as they would wish to be preserved from the violation of the Divine laws. After the usual devotions, he drew his cap over his face, and saying, 'To thee, O Lord, I resign my soul,' he was launched into eternity at Dorchester, on the 12th of April, 1741.

Thus ended the life of a man who might have lived happy in himself, and an useful member of society; but his submission to an ungenerous passion rendered him obnoxious to the violated laws of God and his country, and finally brought him to condign and exemplary punishment.

It does not clearly appear, from the narrative before us, whether Mr. Smythee was or was not guilty of the murder for which he suffered; but the presumptions are very strong against him. Be this as it may, there is nothing uncharitable in saying that the man who has been deliberately guilty of the wilful seduction of a harmless woman cannot be punished too severely, even by an exertion of the utmost rigour of the law.

Character is dearer to a woman than life; and it is a pity we have not a statute to punish the seducer as a murderer. In the mean time, however, he is acutely afflicted by the tormenting pangs of his guilty conscience, which must severely reprobate hi conduct, and raise a hell in his own mind.

SIR JOHN DINELY GOODERE Succeeded his father, Sir Edward, in the possession of an estate of three thousand pounds a year, situated near Evesham, in Worcestershire.

His brother Samuel, the subject of this narrative, was bred to the sea, and advanced to the rank of captain of a man of war.

Sir John married the daughter of a merchant, and received twenty thousand pounds as a marriage por-, tion; but mutual unhappiness was the consequence of this connexion: the husband was brutal in his manners, and the wife, perhaps, not strictly observant of the sacred vow she had taken; for she was too often visited by Sir Robert Jasen; and, after frequent recriminations between the married pair, Sir John

YOL. I.

brought an action in the Court of Common Pleas for criminal conversation, and five hundred pounds damages were awarded by the jury.

Sir John's next step was to indict his lady for a conspiracy; and, a conviction following, she was fined, and imprisoned one year in the King's Bench. He likewise petitioned for a divorce; but the matter being heard in the House of Lords, his petition was thrown out.

Sir John having no children, Captain Samuel Goodere formed very sanguine expectations of possessing the estate; but, finding that the brother had docked the entail in favour of his sister's children, the captain sought the most diabolical means of revenge for the supposed injury.

28

While the captain's vessel lay in the port of Bristol, Sir John went to that city on business; and, being engaged to dine with an attorney, named Smith, the captain prevailed on the latter to permit him to make one of their company, under pretence of being reconciled to his brother: Mr.Smith consented, and, using his good offices to accommodate the difference, a sincere reconciliation appeared to have taken place.

This visit was made on the 10th of January, 1741, and the captain, having previously concerted his measures, brought some sailors on shore with him, and left them at a public house, in waiting to seize the baronet in the evening.

Accordingly, when the company broke up, Captain Goodere attended his brother through the streets, and, when they came opposite the public house, the seamen ran out, seized Sir John, and conveyed him to a boat that had been appointed to wait for his reception. Some persons who were witnesses to this outrage would have rescued the unfortunate gentleman; but the captain telling them that he was a deserter, and the darkness of the evening preventing them from judging the contrary by his appearance, this violation of the law was permitted to pass unobstructed.

As soon as the devoted victim was in the boat, he said to his brother, "I know you have an intention to murder me; and, if you are ready to do it, let me beg that it may be done here, without giving yourself the trouble to take me on board :' to which the captain said, 'No, brother, I am going to pevent your rotting on land; but, however, I would have you make your peace with God this night.'

Sir John, being put on board, applied to the seamen for help: but the captain put a stop to any efforts

they might have made to assist him by saying he was a lunatic, and brought on board to prevent his committing an act of suicide.

White and Mahony now conveyed him to the purser's cabin, which the captain guarded with a drawn sword, while the other vil. lains attempted to strangle him with a handkerchief which they found in his pocket, the wretched victim crying out Murder!' and beseeching them not to kill him, offering all he possessed as a compensation for his life.

As they could not strangle him with the handkerchief, the captain gave them a cord, with which Mahony dispatched him, while White held his hands, and trod on his stomach. The captain now retired to his cabin; and, the murder being committed, the perpetrators of it went to him, and told him the job was done;' on which he gave them money, and bade them seek their safety in flight.

The attorney with whom the brothers had dined having heard of the commission of a murder, and knowing of the former animosity of the captain to his brother, immediately conjectured who it was that had fallen a sacrifice; on which he went to the mayor of Bristol, who issued his warrant to the water-bailiff, and he, going on board, found that the lieutenant and cooper had prudently confined the captain to his cabin.

The offender, being brought on shore, was committed to Newgate; and Mahony and White, being taken in a few hours afterwards, were lodged in the same prison.

At the sessions held at Bristol on the 26th of March, 1741, these offenders were brought to trial; and, being convicted on the fullest evidence, received sentence of death.

After conviction, Mahony be.