THE AYLESFORD PEERAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 193, 22 August 1885, Page 5

THE AYLESFORD PEERAGE.

A Famous Caao Rcvivod,

TUB long-ponding contc3t for the right of succession of the Earldom of Aylesford came on before tlio Comtuittca of Privileges of tho lloufo of Lords on July the Ist and 2nd, and ended in tho recognition of tho claim tho of Hon. Chas. Wightwick Finch brother of tho lato Earl of Aylesford! From tho London "Standard,''-which publishes full reports of this caso, wo gather that Edith, Countoss of Aylesofrd, claimed tho poerago on behalf of her son, Guy Bor trnnd, but this was oppo?od by tho Hon. C. W. Finch, on the ground that the Countess's son was illegitimate and thorefore not ontitled to succeed to tho peorage. Tho facts wore sot out in Mr Finch's petition. The lato earl married on January S, IST I, as his first and only -wife, Edith Williams. Ko hud issue two children, both daughters, but while ho was absent in India, towards tho onrl of the year 1875, his wifo formed an adulterous co noction with tho Marquis ot Blandford (now Duke of Marlborough), and left nor homo and lived with him. On hearing of hw wife's aduhory in March, 1870, tho Earl of Ayiesford returned from India, and after" lib return nover lived or cohabited or had any intercourse with his wife. A deed of separation between tho earl and his wifo was executed in May, 1877. In December, 1577, tho oarl filed a potition in the Divorce Court, praying for a dissolution of his marriage (by reason of his wife's adultery with tho Marquis of Blandford). Pleas were filed on behalf of tho Queen's Proctor, and upon the petition coming on for trial, un»l being heard in support of the ploas, tho jury on July 4, IS7S, found that Edith, Countess of Aylesford, had committed adultery with tho Marquis of Blandford, and that the Earl •f Aylesford and the Marquis ol Blandford had been acting in collusion for the purposo of obtaining a divorce, and that tho Earl of Aylesford had committed adultery. Tho Court theroupDn dismissed tho petition. The adulterous intercourse fcotwoen Edith, Countess of Aylesfocd, and tho Man>i< of Blanford, wai" afterwards resumed and continued from timo to time, and amongst other times botweon Decombor, ISSO, and Apri', 1831. In November, 18S1, the Countess of Aylosford and the Marquis of Blandford resided together in Paris us man and wifo, under the name of Mr and Mrs Sponcor, and tho Countess thero, on September 4, ISSI, gave birth to a male child, who, shortly after his birth, was registered in Paris under tho name of Guy Beitrand, and as tho child of unnamed parents. It was alleged that the Earl was not tho father of this child. Tho Earl died on January 13, ISSo, at Big Springs, in tho county of Howard, in the Stato of Texas, in the United States of America. Tho petitioner, Mr Finch, now submitted that upon these facts ho succeeded to tho honours and dignities of the Eurl of Aylesford and Baron Guernsey. In tho course of the trial the following lettors from Edith, Countess ot Aylesford, to the Dowagor Countess of Ayle-ford (the mother of tho lato Earl) wero read : - "Friday Night—Dear Lady Aylesford, —By tho timo this letter roaches you I shali have left my hou^o for ever. Guern-sey-(at this time tho Earl boro the courtesy title of Lord 'Juornsov) -knows of this, which will account for his telegram to you. I do not attempt to say a word in selfdefence ; but you can imagine I must havo suflbred much before I could tnko such a step. How much it would be impossiblo to toll you ; but it is tho only representation I can mako to Guernsey, and he will now have the opportunity of getting rid of ono whom ho has long ceased to care for. You do not know, and you can never know, how hard I havo tried to win his love, and without success ; andlcannot live uncared for. Idonota.*k you to think hardly of mo. I know you could not do it ; but, for God's s-ako, be kind to the children, and do not toich them to hate their wretched mother Let thorn think Inm dend ;it will bo best. I hoard from Minna the other day, but never answered hsr letter. She will now know why you hiTe always been most kind to mo, and it is tho last word I shall ever fay to you. Do not be offended if I thank you for all your kindness, and ttll you how very wretched it make!- mo to think flint I should havo brought such sorrow and disgrace upon you all ; and, oh ! Lidy Aylesford, if it is possible, try and forgive me as you hnpo for forgiveness. I know that Guernsey does no* Ciro for mo, therefore I do not think ho will fosl my lo?f, and perhaps may bo glad to be free; but whit i t costs mo to leave my children I cannot tell you, and 1 cannot bear to think. That tlioy will bo well cared for I know, as you will be a mother to them ; but, my God, I shall never .°eo thoni again —it is like being dead and yet alive. I could not givo orders about tho children, therefore know nothing, co please to give tho necossary orders yourself. I havo left the diamonds with Ja'mos, and as regards tho things belonging to me, I havo written to him to sond thorn, and they will bo for warded to me. I wrote to Madgo to como to me to-day, and I have told her all I havo told you. Sho has just returned to town, and I fimloftalonocomplotly broken-hearted. I bring this letter to town myself. I would havo seen you, but feel that perhaps you would rather not soc mo. God bless you, dear Lady Aylosfor<>, and for the last timo farewell, and try not to think too hardly of EIIITH."

" Dearest Lady Aylesford,—l must write to you for tho la"»t time to thank you—Oh ! I thank you .°o, so much for your goodness to me. I have not deserved it frcm you, and I havo not been a good d.iughter-in-law to you, and you have behaved to me like an angel upon earth. My own mother could not havo been moro generous and kind than you havo been, and, as long as this poor wretched child livos, she never, never will forget tho lovo you havo shown me, notwithstanding all eho has done. I know how porry you aro for mo, an.i how littlo i deserve it; and, my God, if it had been possiblo for me to give him up I would havo done it if it had only been for the angelic way you have behnvod to mo. But, darling Lady Aylefford, I cannot tell you how awfully I love him—it is the only excuse I am able to givo you. Say good-byo to tho Colonel for me. I think he liked me, and will bo ?o ry for me. I could not *oe bun myself ; "ood byes uro so oroadful when it is parting for over Dearoet Minna, a^k hor to forgive mo for the di-greea I have brought on hor : eho knows now why I could not answer her letters. 1 am eoino- to Wales to-morrow, as Blandford 0 cannot break his word, and it would only make- matters worso Lord Randolph Churchill is very sensible, and knows bettor than I do what should bo done. I send you the dres-ingcase, and en-clo.-c tho koy ; tho hand: looking glass, James has it, and it was broken and I gave it to him to havo it mended. I should like darlina Hilda to hive tho dres.-ing-ca.'o, pica?o. I have asked Guernsoy in my letter to have Hilda's picture done some day. I think ho will not deny me that; you will not I know, if ho should refuse. I shall not send ray loiters to James until my return. Mv letter to Guornsoy I will send you before I leave-; .1 do not fool ablo to wnto it tonight, and now I must wish you my ast rroorf-byo, and to my dying day shall I ble^s you £ r your great goodness and generosity to mo. Vow I reproach myself for not havin" been a better dauphtcr-in-law to you, I cannot tell you. May God koop and bless you will always bo tho fervent prayer of her who has no longer any right to call you her mother-in-law, and if eomo day Guernsoy fhould marry again, may she. whom ho chooses prove a bettor daughter-in-law than lhavebeci.. Good-bye! Good-byotoyouall. ~"!ntforfar-cresccnt Exmouth, Wednes-

-Dear Lady Aylc:ford,-I must write wl ,vk you if vnu can in any way use your nlh'cnoewith Guernsey to stop h.m fam lighting the Queen's Proctor. He will not TOiu the ciso, and it will be so dreadful to have tbo whole thing mado soipublic as a defended suit will entail. Ido not know for certain who it was who instructed t.io Ocens Proctor, but have heard from sevoral people that it is Mn TAltt'e brothor-in-l-w But. the Qnoen'3 Proctor has a *tronir case a-winst him, the first bring collusion, wbicii alon.. ice uugh to stop him potting his uivo>-fic, but I l.ea. ll.at he is determined nevcrtholets to %ht him. 1 cannot say how sorry I am that ho should do so ;it will to so dreadful having a case

of tliateort in tho papers, I never dreamt for ono moment that if the Queen's Proctor intervened he would fight tho case. If he had any chance of gaining, it would bo perhaps worth his trouble; but frem what lorn told, ho cannot. Can no one do anything to stop him ? lam so sorry, too, dear Lady AyUsford, for your sake, as it will te most disagreeable for you and for me ; it will be dreadful, , for it must drivo mo from England, 1 could not remain, of course, with a case of that Rort going on. You will say, perhaps, that it is my own fault, and so it is, of course ; bat it does not make it less hard for all that, and I would havo done anything to have prevented a defended suit if I ever had dreamt that there w«uld have beon ono, for, as I told you, I should novor havo defended it. I hopo my children are well, and that Alexandra is lesa frettish than she was. Oh, dear Lady Aylcsford, I am so, so sorry for all this trouble I havo caused you, for if nothing will stop Guornsoy it will indeod be dreadful. Perhaps if you went to him and Minna aUo, and imploro him for all your to'.ves to -withdraw, it might stop him- Thero is no time to be lost, ns tho Queen's Proctor has delivered his plea°, so that itmay come on any day.— Yours affectionately, Kditii."

Thoro wore some other let tors, in ono of which the Countess complained that she was not permitted to poo hor children, na sho wad not divorced. The Countess added: —" Of course it would bo very disagreeablo for mo to havo rocouree to law ; but if you still rofuso to send them to gee me I havo no alternatifo but to do so - I remain yours truly,—E. Avr,ESFOI3U." In a further letter tho Countess asked to sco Lady Aylesford, adding—" Lord Blandford and I havo parted, or I should not dare to ask you this fiivour." There was also another letter to Lady Aylesford, in which the Countoss wroto —"Does Guernsey care for his children, and does ho otton soo them ? Because, although wo are parted, I should liko to feel that lie istondof them, and does not hato them because they aro mine."

Several letters from the Marquis of lilandford wero also read, and a quantity of ovidenco givon as tot ho relations existing between tlio Marquia and tlio Countess of Aylesbury,

Judgment was given unanimously in avour of Mr Finch.

■SV. Jamm' 6'< i :<■//<?,referring to this action, said—" The Aylesfoid peerage case, determined yostorday, has mot with tho samo rapid troatmont us tho recent Lovatpoorago enso, Tho ciicnm°tances of tho former inquiry are of a painful description ; and when it camo to tho turn o! L'.idy Aylosford's representatives to adduce their evidence on behalf of hor son's legil imacy, they admitted that thoy wore not in a position to resist tho care that had been made out for tho petitioner, Mr Charles Finch. Under thoso circumstances, Mr Finch «as hold entitled to the honours and dignities of tho Earl of Aylesford and Baron Guorneoy; and certainly it is dillicult to understand why tho claim on behalf of Lady Aylesford's son was ever made. In fact, it was a most disgraceful attempt at doing an additional

wrong to a family already wronged by. tho acts of ono party in the case. And what did his Ciraco tho Duke of Marlborough think of Lady Aylesford's proceedings? \Yi\-s it with or without his knowledge that tho claim of his illegitimato sou to tho Aylesford title and estatOß was asserted? Ho know tho child tj bo his own, at any riito."