government of fecurities, a further fum of money, not exceeding a fum to he limited, out of the general cafh in the bank of England belonging to the fuitors of the faid court, and to apply the intereft towards anfwering the charges of the office of accomptant general of the faid court.

The bill to enable the juftices of the peace in the general quarter feffions of their respective counties and divifions to repair the fhire halls, or other buildings, wherein the affizes or grand feflions are ufually held.

The bill for more effectually pav ing, cleaning, lighting, and watching the streets, &c. in the town of Gainfbborough, in the county of Lincoln, and for laying a duty on all coals brought to the faid town to be fold.

The bill for making a navigable cut or canal from Oxford to Coventry.

The bill for paving, cleanfing, lighting, &c. the streets in the parifles of St. Botolph, Aldgate, EastSmithfield, St. Catherine, &c.

The bill for paving, cleanfing, and lighting the ftreets, and regulating the watch and beadles, in the parish of St. Bartholomew the great, in the city of London.

And to fuch road and common bills as are ready.

His majefly honoured farmer Kennet, of Peterfham in Surry, with a vifit, in order to fee his new in vented ploughs, and other improvements in husbandry, with which his majefty was pleafed to exprefs his entire fatisfaction.

This day the long-expected 25th. meeting of the fupporters of the bill of rights was held, when the report on the Coventry addrefs was to be received; on which oc

cafion fir Francis Blake Delaval took the chair, and refolved, "That the advifers, authors, and publishers of the Coventry addrefs are too contemptible to merit the farther notice of this fociety."

A court of aldermen was held at Guildhall, to receive the opinion of council relative to the eligibility of Mr. Wilkes to an aldermanship of London, when it appeared, that the attorney-general, the folicitor-general, and the Hon. Mr. Yorke, Mr. ferjeant Glynn, and Mr. ferjeant Leigh, were of opinion, that he was eligible; but the opinion of fir Fletcher Norton, the city recorder, and the common ferjeant was, that he was not eligible. Where then is the certainty of the law! No opinion was given concerning the negative voice of the court of aldermen. Upon which the question was put, whether notice fhould be fent to Mr. Wilkes of his being declared duly elected, which pafled in the negative.

The caufe which came on before the court of king's bench in Weftminfter hall, on Thurfday laft, was relative to an action brought by the late Mr. Millar, bookfeiler, in the Strand, against Mr. Taylor, bookfeller, at Berwick, for printing Thomfon's Seafons, to which book Mr. Millar claimed the perpetual and exclufive right. Mr. Taylor alledged, that after twenty-eight years, allowed by the ftatute of the 8th of Queen Anne, the copy then became common property. Three of the judges gave their opinion for the plaintiff, and one for the defendant; and it is faid the matter will be carried to the houfe of lords, in order to obtain a final de

cree.

Lent

Lent Circuit.

At Maidstone affizes, thirteen were capitally convicted; ten of whom were reprieved. At these affizes, George Stoney, charged with abufing a young lady at Sheernefs, after a trial of eight hours was acquitted.

At Kingston affizes, feven were capitally convicted, one of whom was for murder.

The trial of the farmers lads for the murder of the shopkeeper at Cobham, came on at Kingston, when one of them was convicted, and the other cleared.

At Reading affizes, five were capitally convicted; but two of them were reprieved.

At Aylfbury affizes, one was capitally convicted; but reprieved.

At Oxford affizes, two were capitally convicted; one of whom was reprieved.

At Winchefter aflizes, two were capitally convicted.

At Salisbury affizes, four were capitally convicted; three of whom were reprieved.

At the affizes at Dorchefter, Thomas Earl Drax, Efq; recovered 100l. damages aganist a custom-houfe officer, for breaking into his houfe, on pretence of fearching for uncuftomed goods.

At Gloucester affizes, eight were capitally convicted.

At Taunton affizes, nine were capitally convicted; feven of whom were reprieved.

At Devon affizes, four were capitally convicted.

At the affizes for the county of Cornwall, none were capitally convicted. At the nifi prius bar was tried an action, brought byCummins, efq. against a mayor of a

borough in the faid county, for bribing eighteen voters at the laft election. Judge Willes, in fumming up the evidence to the jury, fhewed how much he abhorred the crime of bribery, and faid it was got to fuch a pitch, that it threatened the utter ruin of the nation. He declared to the jury, that, was it in his power, he would give the perfon who brought the action the full penalty incurred, being 30col. But the jury brought in only 1000l. damages. The judge has gained much honour and praife in the county, by his behaviour on this occafion.

At Monmouth affizes, one was capitally convicted. At these affizes, one Abel Proffer was convicted for

barbarous treatment to a poor Jew, whom he fet before a large fire, with his hands tied behind him, to roaft, and then ftuffed hot bacon down his throat.

At Hereford affizes, four were capitally convicted; but were all reprieved.

At Worcester afizes, none were capitally convicted.

At Shrewsbury affizes, four were capitally convicted.

At Warwick affizes, four were capitally convicted; but were all reprieved.

At Bedford affizes, two were capitally convicted; but were both reprieved.

At Hertford aflizes, came on before Sir Sydney Stafford Smyth, the trial of W. S. a pretended clergyman, for attempting to commit a rape upon a child under ten years of age. He appeared at the bar with a band on. After he was found guilty, the judge informed the jury and the court, that he had the cleareft proof in his hand, that the pri

foner

foner was not à clergyman, but an impoftor; a circumstance which he had withheld before the trial, left it might tend to prejudice them in their verdict; but that now, he thought it an act of juice due to the prifoner, and that profeffion on which he had attempted to throw an odium, to fhew that he was an impoftor, and which he did fhew in the elearnt manner. Mr. S. frequently addreffed the judge, the jury, and the court, in very bad La, tin, and much worfe English, and fpeaks very broad the Northern dialet. He is to be imprifoned fix months, to ftand on the pillory twice in this town, and find fecurity for, his good behaviour for one year. AtChelmsford a fizes, eight were capitally convicted.

At Bury afizes, four were capi-, tally convicted, one of whom was reprieved.

At Cambridge aflizes, one was capitally convicted.

At Thetford afizes, three were capitally convicted; but were all reprieved.

Huntingdon was a maiden affize. At Nottingham affizes, one was capitally convicted for murder.

At Leicefter affizes, a remarkable caufe was tried by a fpecial jury, touching the right of inheritance to an eftate at Botsford, in the vale of Belvoir, which, by the deceafe of an aunt, was bequeathed by will to one Thomas Sanfome, and his heirs; but if the above Thomas Sanfome died before the age of twenty-one, and without iffue, in that cafe to a fifter, named in the will, and her heirs. About twenty-five years ago, the above Thomas Sanfome, on the very day he came of age (as appears by the verdict) was killed by a fall from a loaded waggon. The mat

ter in difpute was, whether he was killed on Thursday or Friday; if on the former day, the children of his fier claimed under the will of the teftator(who had held the eftate for fome time under a decree in Chancery; (if he died on the Friday, his heir at law claimed. Upwards of twenty creditable witneffes fore pofitively to his being killed on" Thurfday, and more than that number fwore as pofitively to his being killed on Friday. The jury, after a fair hearing, gave a verdict in favour of the plaintiff, and heir at law.

At Lincoln affizes, one was capitally convicted for murder.

At York affizes, eight were capitally convicted, feven of whom were reprieved. At thefe affizes, a caufe' came on, wherein William Fletcher was plaintiff against an attorney in that county, for drawing improper articles of clerkship, under 'which the plaintiff could not be admitted to practice; when a verdict was given for the plaintiff with 400l. damages. At the fame affizes, Valentine Bailey, a fmuggler, was found guilty of the murder of a cultomhoufe officer, and after receiving fentence knocked down the woman' who was the principal witnefs againft him.

At Lancaster aflizes, three were capitally convicted, one of whom was reprieved.

At Chefter affizes, three of the gang of houfe-breakers that infestǝd that neighboured received fentence of death.

n the meafures neceffary to be purfued under the prefent circumftances of public affairs. His lordthip received them very politely, and requefted a short time to confider of an answer.

The hounds of Samuel Lewin, efq. at thewater-houfe,near Chelmfford, started a bitch fex at Highwoods, near Writtle; they ran her very hard for upwards of an hour, when, on croffing the yard of a farmer, he perceived fomething in her mouth, and fet a large maftiff at her, which fo intimidated her, that the dropt a young cub, which had been carried in that manner during the whole chace, The fox afterwards evaled her purfuers.

The fociety of arts voted a gold medal to Richard Lovel Edgeworth, Efq. of Hare-Hatch, for the many ingenious mechanical contrivances which he at different times has communicated to the fociety.

A portable furnace of a very curious conftruction, which will enable the operator to perform all the utwat experiments in chemitry with great Facility, has lately been invented by Dr. Lewis, and prefented to the fociety of arts for public ufe.

A block of folid silver, (weight 311b.) and another of pure gold, (weight 181b.) were hipped at Newcastle about the middle of last month, both of which are faid to be produced from materials found in the county, and manufactured at a refinery, in the neighbourhood of that town.

The religious fociety, who fucceeded the Jefuits in the College of Caen in Normandy, having neglected to have their kitchen utenfils tinned, twenty-five of these monks have been poisoned by the verdigreafe, and about fifty others are dangerously ill.

The gentlemen who waited, on the lord mayor, to request 28th. a meeting of the livery, received for answer, "That he did not think himself juftified, in calling together fo large a body as the livery of London, at the request of a few of them."

A caufe was tried at Guildhall, wherein Mr. Redfbaw, linen-draper, was plaintiff, and fome officers belonging to the customs defendants. The action was brought for the defendants entering the plaintiff's houfe, under the pretence of fearching for contraband goods, when a verdict was given for the plaintiff, with 2001. damages, and colts of fuit.

The Duncannon packet, Capt: Edwards, from the Weft-Indies and Carolina, is arrived at Falmouth, who, in his paffage, took up John Fofter-Williamas, late mafter of the John, a brig, who failed from Bofton on the zoth of January laft, bound for Surinam. Captain FofterWiliams, in his account, fays, that on the 29th of the fame month at noon, being in lat. 34° 40′ N. long. 60° oo" W. from London, a large fea running at twelve at night, the brig fprung a-leak, and the water came in fo fat, that they could not keep her before the wind; and after fuftaining incredible herd:hips till the 7th of February, they that day faw a floop, to whom they made finals of diftrefs, and afterwards bore down upon her: but though the crew looked at them, they theer- ! ed off without giving them any affiftance. The captain concludes his account in the following words: "Seven or eight days after, being moderate weather, and the lumber out from between decks, we got two barrels of train oil, the beef being falt we could not eat any,the oil we drank

very

very haftily off; that night it blowed very hard, and a large fea running, two of my people were washed overboard, and one died with hunger and cold, another out of his fenfes, fo that we grew fo weak and low, that we loft both the day of the month and the week; and we had nothing to live on but falt water and oar weed, my people dying one after another; the latt that died was the mate, on the last of February ;and on the first of March I was taken out by the above packet, long. 56 00."

The following has been tranfmitted to the knights of the fhire for the county of York, by the high fheriff and grand jury. "To Sir George Savile, bart. and

Edwin Lafcellees, efq. The prefent prevailing mode of addreting the throne, and of inftructing reprefentatives for their conduct in parliament, points out to us (the sheriff and grand jury at the prefent afiizes for the county of York) a more moderate middle way to inform you, how much we think not only this country, but the whole kingdom, fortunate in having reprefentatives of fuch exemplary integrity as you have ever proved yourselves to be.

Your great merit, Sir George Savile, in planning and moving for, and your fleadinefs, Mr. Laicelles, in fupporting the act of parliament lately pailed, "To amend and render more effectual an act for the general quiet of the fubjects against all pretences of concealment whatfoever," do the greateft honour to our choice, and to your own refpective conduct on that occafion, and demand our thanks and applaufe.

Your approved abilities to dilinguifh, and your well-known attachint to the true principles of the

3

conftitution of this kingdom, make it needlefs for us either to particularize the evils of the times, or to point out remedies against them. In your hands we think our great concerns in parliament fecurely lodged; and doubt not but, as far as you are able, you will be ever attentive,, ne quid detrimenti ref. publica capiat."

Letter from Sir George Savile and Mr. Lafcelles, to the fheriff and grand jury of Yorkshire, in an

iwer.

"Gentlemen,

When we first prefumed to make a tender of our fervices to the county of York, we ventured to affure our conftituents of the purity of our intentions, and that, as far as our judgments would keep pace with our good-will, we would bope not to give them caufe, in any effential matter, to be diffatisfied with our conduct. The public and repeated teftimonies we have received of their approbation, and that now in a point of the first confequence, at the fame time that they call for our warmeftacknowledgments, and gra- 1 tify our first and greatest ambition, embolden us likewife to affume more confidence, even in our opinions; because we have found them coincide with the judgment of thofe whom we have the honour to represent. Thofe opinions have not, in any effential or fundamental points, been. either changed or weakened; and affure yourfelves, gentlemen, that the confidence you place in us will prove the ftrongest incitement to perfevere in the difcharge of our duty, with unabating attention; diligently, not officioufly; with zeal, but without faction; and to guard, in the true fpirit of the moft dutiful, moft perfect, and moft effectual loyalty, againft evil measures and evil

councils