1.--Lord Chief Justice Abbott and Lord Chief Baron Alexander, Judges of
Assize, were received at Harford Bridge, Norwich, by the High Sheriff of
Norfolk (Col. Harvey). "Being a member of the Corporation, the Mayor and
his brethren determined to accompany him with the city Sheriffs, and a
procession was formed in the following order:--Two blue coats on
horseback; justices and aldermen of Norwich in their carriages; city
Sheriffs' officers on horseback; the Under Sheriff's ditto; the Sheriffs
in a carriage and four; two blue coats, with the castles, on horseback;
two mace bearers, ditto; the Under-Chamberlain with small mace, ditto;
the Mayor in his carriage with the Town Clerk and sword bearer; the High
Sheriff's trumpeters on horseback; his marshalmen, ditto; 24 javelin men,
ditto, in dark blue liveries with orange cockades; the Under-Sheriff of
Norfolk; the High Sheriff in his elegant carriage drawn by six fine brown
horses, the coachman, postillions, and footmen in livery, with his
chaplain, the Rev. Edward Bellman; servants on horseback; Sir Robert John
Harvey and Mr. George Harvey, the High Sheriff's sons, in a chariot. It
is said that a similar procession has not taken place here for the last
100 years."
2.--At the Norfolk Assizes, held at Norwich before Lord Chief Justice
Abbott, the action Fellowes _v._ Steward, clerk, was tried, with the
object of deciding whether the plaintiff had set out his tithe in a
manner warranted by law. The plaintiff's men cut the tithe wheat on
seven acres of land, each man taking a strip or rig of land, and after
cutting each strip returned and put his sheaves into shocks of ten each.
The plaintiff's bailiff set out the tithe by taking every tenth sheaf
from the shock and placing it a yard or two from the rest. He then put a
bough on every sheaf so laid apart, and replaced it in the shock whence
he had taken it. The next day the sheaves, except those marked as tithe,
were carted. Mr. Alderman Steward, of Norwich, who was acting as agent
for his son, the rector of Saxlingham, stated that the corn should be
tithed in sheaves before it was shocked. Mr. Fellowes endeavoured to
prove that the corn had been set out according to the custom of the
place. The Judge censured the plaintiff for adopting the method of
separating the tithe corn from the other corn and mixing it with the
shock again, as it opened the door to the practice of all kinds of fraud.
The plaintiff was non-suited.
5.--At the Norwich Assizes, before Lord Chief Justice Abbott, the _qui
tam_ action Woodewis _v._ J. S. Patteson came on for trial. It was
brought to recover a penalty of 100 pounds under 3rd George IV., chap.
77, by which persons trading in excisable liquors were precluded from
taking part, as magistrates, in licensing proceedings. It was alleged
that Mr. Patteson interfered, on the application of the plaintiff, to
have a house licensed for the sale of home-brewed beer and London porter
in Fishgate Street, Norwich, nearly opposite one belonging to himself.
The answer was that this was an attempt to fix a stigma on the character
of Mr. Patteson. The Judge said the jury could find a verdict for the
plaintiff without impeaching the character of the defendant. The jury
returned the following verdict: "We give the plaintiff 100 pounds
damages; at the same time we entertain a very high opinion of the high
honour and good faith of Alderman Patteson and the other gentlemen of the
Corporation."
6.--Died at Ryde, Isle of Wight, Mr. John Lens, "his Majesty's ancient
Sergeant at Law," aged 69. He was a native of Norwich, and was educated
at the Free Grammar School.
--Mr. Graham made a balloon ascent from Richmond Hill Gardens, Norwich,
at 6.5 and descended at Beighton at 6.30 p.m. He made a second ascent on
August 30th and descended at Earlham. He was advertised to ascend on
September 6th in company with the High Sheriff, but the balloon was
inadequate in lifting power. A second attempt was made on the 7th. Mr.
Graham had to resign his place to Mrs. Graham, who successfully made the
ascent with Col. Harvey, and descended in safety at Bradeston, near
Brundall.
13.--The governors of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital received from his
Majesty the King a copy of Arnold's edition of Handel's works in 49
volumes "for the use of those engaged at the Musical Festival connected
with the charity."
22.--At a rent audit dinner held at Woodbastwick the tenants presented to
Mr. John Cator a silver vase, of the value of 120 pounds, as "a token of
regard and respect for his liberal abatement of rent during four years of
unprecedented depreciation of agricultural produce, by which means they
were able to continue in the occupation of their farms during the wreck
and ruin of thousands, and now times are altered for the better, hope to
be enabled to pay their rents and meet their landlord as before with
money in their pockets, cheerful countenances, and grateful hearts."
30.--Election of freemen's Sheriff at Norwich. The candidates were--Mr.
James Brooks, jun., 865 votes; Mr. Alderman Springfield, 501; Mr. William
Scott ("nominated with the view of dividing Mr. Brooks's interest"), 0.