The Trial of the Bishop of Bangor and Others Before Mr Justice Heath.

1796. London: T. Hepinstall, J. Parsons & C. Wood, 1796. London: T. Hepinstall, J. Parsons & C. Wood, 1796. "Assault, Rout, and Riot" [Trial]. Warren, John [1730-1800], Defendant. The Trial of the Bishop of Bangor and Others, Before Mr. Justice Heath, At the Assises at Shrewsbury, On Tuesday, July 16, 1796. For an Assault, Rout, And Riot: With the Pleadings at Large of Counsellors Adam and Erskine; Also the Charge to the Jury by Mr. Justice Heath. London: Sold by T. Hepinstall, J. Parsons, And C. Wood, [1796]. 47, [1] pp. Octavo (8-1/4" x 4-1/4"). Stab-stitched pamphlet bound in later quarter cloth over plain boards, gilt fillets and title to spine. Light toning to boards, small scuff to front board, light fading to edges of rear board, small later ink annotations to front free endpaper and rear pastedown. Light toning to interior, light foxing and soiling in a few places, contemporary notes in ink to half-title and title page with underlining and marks to a few other pages, ownership signature (of Peter Bailey Williams) dated 1794 to verso of final leaf. $1,250. * First edition. Warren, the bishop of Bangor in northwest Wales, had appointed his nephew as registrar of the diocese. Since the nephew was underage, Samuel Grindley was appointed deputy registrar, but when the nephew attempted to replace him, he refused to leave his office. A fight broke out between Grindley and Warren with others joining the bishop's side. At one point, Grindley threatened Warren with a pistol, and the fight did not conclude until the bishop's wife intervened and dragged him away. Erskine was engaged for the defense and secured an acquittal despite the judge's summing-up in favor of conviction. The notes to the half-title and title page remark somewhat disparagingly on the case, describing Grindley as "a man of no principle." Williams [1763-1836] was a Welsh Anglican rector in Caernarfonshire. OCLC locates 11 copies of this title, 4 in North America (Library of Congress, Newberry Library, Huntington Library, Redwood Library and Athenaeum). English Short-Title Catalogue T191335.