Trial of Mary Blandy by William Roughead

"Trial of Mary Blandy" by William Roughead is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The book focuses on the infamous trial of Mary Blandy, a woman accused of poisoning her father, Francis Blandy, through the use of arsenic-laced love potions and other dubious means. Roughead delves into the complex narrative of accusations, societal expectations, and the darker elements of human relationships, particularly exploring the influence of Captain William Henry Cranstoun, her alleged lover, and accomplice. The opening of the work sets the stage for Mary's story, providing a detailed context of her upbringing and relationship with her father, who was a respectable attorney in Henley-upon-Thames. Following a series of ominous events, including the death of her mother and a tumultuous engagement with Cranstoun, the narrative contrasts the idyllic life Mary once lived with her tragic fall into suspicion and crime. The preface details Roughead's motivations for detailing the trial, emphasizing both the intricacies of the legal proceedings and the societal implications of Mary's actions, positioning her as a controversial figure within a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and the quest for justice. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Download for free

For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.

Other formats & older devices

About this eBook

Editor Roughead, William, 1870-1952
Title Trial of Mary Blandy
Credits E-text prepared by Beth Trapaga and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Reading Level Reading ease score: 75.7 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
Language English
LoC Class KD: Law in general, Comparative and uniform law, Jurisprudence: United Kingdom and Ireland
Subject Blandy, Mary, 1720-1752 -- Trials, litigation, etc.
Subject Trials (Murder) -- Great Britain
Subject Trials (Poisoning) -- Great Britain
Category Text
eBook-No. 12640
Release Date
Last Update Oct 28, 2024
Copyright Public domain in the USA.
Downloads 604 downloads in the last 30 days.

Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!