d me. the famaly as
I lives with be a going thro' Bath into Devonshire
and we stops two days at the Inn and there I heard
of the bad trick as those bad shopkeepers has
sarved my mistress and I took the libarty of going
to your house to enquire how you both do and the
housekeeper said she sent a pasel to you every
week and if I had anything to say she could send a
letter. I hope Honored Sir you will forgive my
taking such a libarty to write but I wish anybody
could tell me how to do you and mistress any good.
I would travel night and day to serve you both. I
be at all times with my humble duty to mistress
and you Honored Sir your dutifull sarvant

BEN DUNFORD.
James Leigh Perrot Esq.

The trial took place at Taunton on Saturday, March 29. The old Castle
Hall--where Judge Jeffreys once sat on his 'Bloody Assizes'--said to be
capable of containing 2000 persons, was filled at an early hour. So
urgent was the curiosity, even of the Bar, that the 'Nisi Prius' Court,
which stood at the opposite end of the hall, was not opened for business
that morning--all the counsel on the circuit surrounding the table of
the Crown Bar; while the rest of the hall was thronged with anxious
spectators, many hundreds of whom could not possibly have heard a word
that was said, and were almost crushed to death and suffocated with
heat. Between seven and eight o'clock, Mrs. Leigh Perrot, who had been
conveyed from Ilchester, appeared in the dock, attended by Mr. Leigh
Perrot and three ladies, and the proceedings commenced.

After the evidence for the prosecution was closed, the prisoner was
invited by the judge to make her defence.

She attempted to address the Court; but, after speaking a few sentences,
became so much agitated that her voice failed her; whereupon Mr. Jekyll,
one of her counsel, was requested to repeat to the Court what she wished
to address to them. She then dictated as follows:--

MY LORD AND GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY,--

I am informed by my counsel, that they cannot be
permitted to offer any observations to you on my
case.[104] The circumstances of it do not render
it necessary to detain you long. I shall therefore
take this opportunity of troubling you with a few
wor