Book #73436
Item #73436 The Proceedings in the Arches-Court of Canterbury in a Cause Between. Trial, Weld v. Weld.
The Proceedings in the Arches-Court of Canterbury in a Cause Between..

The Proceedings in the Arches-Court of Canterbury in a Cause Between..

"By Reason of Some Natural Imperfection"? [Trial]. Weld v. Weld. The Proceedings in the Arches-Court of Canterbury in a Cause Between the Hon. Mrs. Catherine Weld, Daughter to the Lord Aston; And Edward Weld, Esq; Her Husband. Containing, I. Her Libel Exhibited Against Him for Impotency. II. Her Answer and Replication. III. Certificates of Ambrose Dickens, Esq; His Majesty's Serjeant Surgeon, Mr. Williams, and Several Other Eminent Surgeons, Who Examined Mr. Weld; And also of three Midwives who Examined Mrs. Weld. IV. Copies of the Depositions of Several Noble Persons, Relating to This Cause. V. The Sentence Pronounced. To Which is Prefixed a Preface. London: Printed for H. Owen, 1757. 48 pp. Octavo (7-1/2' x 4-3/4"). Stab-stitched pamphlet in recent stiff marbled-paper wrappers, calf lettering piece to spine. Moderate toning to interior, faint vertical crease to text block, some wear to outer corners of text block, light foxing to a few leaves, light soiling to title page and p. 48. $750. * Third (stated) edition. The Welds married in 1727, but when there was no issue after three years, Catherine sued Edward for divorce in ecclesiastical court on the grounds that he was "unable to perform the Conjugal Rites, by Reason of some natural Imperfection which he well knew in himself." Edward fought to clear his name, claiming that after a simple surgical procedure he had, in fact, consummated the marriage twice. The case gained a great deal of public attention, largely because the detail of Catherine's claim and the amount of medical evidence presented were unusual even for an impotency trial. Ultimately, the divorce was denied and the couple reached a private resolution to live apart. Edward remarried after Catherine's death and fathered a daughter and four sons. It is unclear why our copy is designated the third edition. It appears to be based on an account issued by E. Raynor, which went through five editions and two Dublin reprints, all in 1732. OCLC and the ESTC locate 3 copies in North America (Cornell, Rice, Harvard Law School). English Short-Title Catalogue (ESTC) N11985.

Price: $750.00

Book number 73436

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