The Yelverton marriage case : Thelwall v. Yelverton : comprising an authentic and unabridged account of the most extraordinary trial of modern times, with all its revelations, incidents and details : specially reported.

Avonmore, William Charles Yelverton, Viscount, 1824-1883.

Date:: 1861

Credit: The Yelverton marriage case : Thelwall v. Yelverton : comprising an authentic and unabridged account of the most extraordinary trial of modern times, with all its revelations, incidents and details : specially reported. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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$Then for the p\u-nose of her becoming your permanent misti-ess ? In law,, yes. [This answer, “■iveii with great coolness and deliberation, elicited some murmur's of disapprobation.] '^111 you tell me the meaning of that ? I will tell you, liow I explain it, Sir. When we were together the impossibility of my marrying her was often talked of, and was well understood between us. , • • i. The impossibility of your marrying her ? Tes, my marrying her now at this time ; and, there- fore she sugo-ested in the first instance that something should be done to save her conscience, which should°leaTe me free ; and I refer to one of her letters showing that, and I undertook, on my part, to protect her and love her. That is what 1 call her “ conscience saving ceremony” (sensation). Then it was an-anged before she left Scotland that there should be some sueh ceremony f Yes, as well as I recollect it was arranged that it should be done: abroad. It was arranged before she left Edinburg'h that there was to be some ceremony Yes, Sir; but we had an-anged that it should be done abroad—that it was to be of a very informal nature, and bv a minister of her church, and was by no means to be as solemn a thing as. was subsequently done (sensation). And there is no doubt it was all arranged before she left Edinburgh Yea. Then, when you came with her to Ireland, was it not for the purpose of carrying out, that^ ceremony ? I did not come with her to Ireland, Sir. “Well, Sir, you were with her in Ireland.^ I met her here, Sir. I don’t want to fence:. She came to Waterford to meet me. It was our final arrangement that she was to come, to Waterford, and that I would meet her there. Was it not that ceremony she had settled to take place, in Ireland ? Ho; we were to go abroad at first. I repeat, was not that the ceremony you had settled to take place in Ireland ?—It was not; as I hare explained, we were to go abroad as soon as I was able to go,, and it was to take place there. And this was to be a marriage where she, was to be bound, and you free.?—No, Sir; neither of us was to be bound. And this is what you call making her your mistress in law ?—That was our arrangement. Did you tell her you would make her your mistress in law P—The proposition of such, a thing came from herself. Did you tell her- she was to be your “mistress in law” by the ceremony, whatever it was? Yes; adopting your words; but I don’t acknowledge to having used these words. But it is certain there was to be a ceremony of some charaeter ?, Yes. And before a clergyman of her own religion? That is true. That is, a Catholic priest ? Yes; a foreign one. W'as the foreign priest determined on to make the marriage ceremonymore secret? Well, yes; partly for that reason; that it should not ooze out to any of omr friends that we bad done such a thing. That there had been a religious ceremony between you ? Yes. A religious ceremony ? It was to have been a blessing, as I understood it. Or a curse, which ? (After some hesitation). It proved a curse, Sir. What ? When we did more, even, it proved a curse. Which do you think you proved, a blessing or a curse to her ? A curse. I believe so. I wish to explain. Sir. You are fond of explanations this morning; however, go on. This arrangement W'as Miss Longworth’s own suggestion. I acceded to it, and the minister to perform the ceremony was not to be of my own religion. She perfectly well knew that. Are you done ? That is all. In tne course of the many conversations you had in Edinburgh with Miss Longworth, was religion often spoken of ? Not very often. Was it at all ? It was, Sfr. Several times ? It may have been, I will explain. If you think it necessary do so. Beligiop was spoken of principally witli regard to Miss M'Fai'lane,. wlio was then a Protestant; KO’.iiS to the convent, and spealdug to her, I said, “ They will convert you if you go mere. Miss Longworth laughed and said, “ Oil no, they won’t.” I recollect that conversation, Docause afterwards I was asked to get a prayer-book for Miss M'Eiu'hine, when shc.had turned convert. A as religion spoken of between you and. her in Ediubm-gh? I liave no recollection of any particular conversation except that. I think it is very likely some such conversations did occur. troveral tunes ? Yes. You say you ivent to mass at Edinburgh ? Yes, Sir ; that was in the aiitunm of 1857. Do you mean after you camo back from Irehiml ? I do. Were you there in the spiing of that year ? I was not. Do you swear that ? I do. At all ? At all. You say you attended Protestant places of worship ?, recollection. Pretty regularly, to tho beat, of my 185^?'^^Ycs l”wiH*^or twicc^'^^*’*^^ regularly?” Will you swear you attended it all, once even,$