The Trial of Richard Patch for the Wilful Murder of Isaac Blight..

1806. London: M. Gurney, Bookseller, Holborn-Hill, 1806.. London: M. Gurney, Bookseller, Holborn-Hill, 1806. With an Interesting Manuscript Note [Trial]. Patch, Richard, Defendant [c.1770-1806]. Gurney, Joseph [1744-1815], Reporter. Gurney, W[illiam] B[rodie] [1777-1855], Reporter. The Trial of Richard Patch for the Wilful Murder of Isaac Blight, At Rotherhithe, On the 23d of September, 1805. At the Session House, Newington, Surrey, On Saturday the Fifth of April, 1806. Taken in Short-Hand. London: Sold by M. Gurney, Bookseller, Holborn-Hill, 1806. 197, [3] pp. Folding frontispiece ("Plan of the Premises of the Late Mr. Blight"). Publisher advertisement to verso of final leaf. Octavo (8" x 5"; 20.25 x 12.5 cm). Recent cloth, gilt title and publication date to spine, marbled edges, endpapers renewed. A few faint finger smudges, spine ends lightly bumped. Moderate toning and light foxing to interior, a few creases, and short tears and a corner fold to frontispiece, later manuscript leaf in a neat hand affixed to its verso. A very good copy. $250. * Second and final edition, of two issues. Patch, the eldest son of a smuggler, had been forced to mortgage his Exeter farm and subsequently fled to London in order to dodge his creditors. While there, he met Blight, a ship-breaker, who proposed that he become a partner in the business. Patch agreed, but lacked the money to pay for his share and killed Blight instead. In passing sentence, the judge told Patch: "you began this practice in fraud, continued it in ingratitude, and completed it by shedding the blood of your friend and benefactor." The long manuscript note on the affixed leaf discusses whether "the proposed change [allowing the Defence of Prisoners by Counsel] is not needed" with reference to this case. Its author rejects this proposal. The note concludes with a reference to the Second Report of the Royal Commission on the Criminal Law (1836). The first Gurney edition was published in 1805 and reissued in 1806. British Museum Catalogue (Compact Edition) 11:313. (Inventory #: 82961)