INDECENT EXPOSURE, EXETER, 1825

From The Exeter Flying Post, 21st April 1825 :   

"GUILDHALL - On Thurday last, before the Right Worshipful the Mayor and Mr.Alderman Lee, a well dressed man was brought up by Beedle, a constable on the Quay, charged by a most respectable professional gentleman with an unmanly and indecent exposure of his person, near the Cornish Arms public-house, at the bottom of Quay-lane;  the gentleman stated that he was not induced to prefer this charge from any particular squeamishness of his own, but from feeling for the situation of females passing that way, a repectably dressed woman having called out shame on the disgusting and unmanly fellow just as he passed;  the offender conducted himself with great levity, gave his name as John Dinnicombe, horse-dealer, of Axminster, said he could afford to get drunk before dinner, and earn a handsome sum after, did not deny the charge  and could plead nothing in extenuation but intoxication, the truth of which was very evident, but instead of extenuating was considered by the worthy Magistrates an aggravation of the offence, and he was accordingly fined 5s. for the offence with which he was charged, and 5s. for being drunk;  he immediately drew out his pocket-book which appeared both weighty and valuable, and having drawn from it a £5 bank note threw it on the table demanding the change, remarking at the same time that it was dear work, and he would ride rwenty miles for the future, sooner than stop for any necessary occasion in the city of Exeter:  the Magistrates passed a well deservd enconium on the gentleman who had been the means of bringing the offender forward."

I like the contrasts between a 'well dressed man', a 'respectably-dressed woman' and 'a most respectable professional gentleman' / a 'fellow' and a 'gentleman'.   

As in many of these court cases the defendant did not feel it necessary to show much respect for the magistrates. I like to think this assuredness is very English and that such could not, without horrendous consequence, have happened in other nations.  It also seems to me that these days we gentlemen and fellows can rely less on our freeborn liberties than once we could.

'Unmanly' seems an odd adjective to apply to indecent exposure of the person!  It's somewhat like describing suicide-bombers as 'cowardly'.