Regency Crime and Punishment: A Case of Domestic Violence

$BOW STREET. Three Months after Marriage.— William and Mary Warren, a newly married couple, came voluntarily before the Magistrate—\iary to complain of William, and William to complain of Mary—But Mary seemed to have the most reason to complain ; for. though Nature had given her a pair of very fine black eyes, William, in his waywardness, had made their lids the same colour— and that too, by very gentle operation—an operation which would lead one to believe that considered the wedding ring symbol or' the ring pugilistic. this as it may, however, weshall state their case for the newlymarried public in general. //•ilium his t\*enty-:h»r <***1 ■A.ivy her ; married about three mouths; it gether love match ; poverty has nut ed in at their door, and jet love has already flown out through, their And why has he so soon deserted them? Marjr attr.bated hi* flight to William's thirstiness and to Ha* ry's of money—which, very truly observed, is the root all evil. Mary said * William was cruel enough to stride bpcause she told him of remaining long. aJ; the public-house. William, the contrary, said Mary was such desperate badt tamper, that she was continually dumping him about from chair chair, and boxing his ears whenever he came home not that spent too much money, but because he did' not get enough : she wanted him to live upon water-gruel, in order that the;;* might become rich ; and he wanted to enjoy the goods of this world f i>st they came hand—Dum tivimus vii'awvs. Mary admitted she was uot parlicklarfy good and William admitted thai was ashamed of having struck her.-— M fur/' said he, " love her as well or better than ever I did, jind I should not have tould her if she had not tempted me it! '• pray how did she tempt you ?" said the Magistrate, "by boxing my ears," replied William, "and telling me daren't not hit her ajjain." was evident to their Worships that there were faults both clear to them that Mary had thought to And her husband all perfection—or, aft vents, that she was determined to make him so ; and it was equally clear, that, William might love his wife, he had still some love to spare for occasional jollification from home— that, in short, could at one time sin«r-— hen the heart of man i« with cue, The mist i« dispelled woman appear." And at another hen the heart of a man with The blits. is his tpoutry appear." But of the jovial penchant they thuught he might cured, if his wife would give him soft words instead boxing his ears! and after recommending him to spend hia beer-money home, instead of abroad, and censuring him severely for striking his wife, they seriously advised them to shake in kindness, and try each other for months longer. 1 hey shook hands accordingly and left the Office arm in arm, apparently very well satisfied with what had been done for them$

This account appeared in Westmorland Gazette – Saturday 17 April 1824.