198 Foreign and Domestic Intelligence. Accounts are faid to be received, which mention, that the Spanish Governor on the Mufquito Shore, had been found tampering lately with the Indians, to fpirit them up against the English: Advice of which had been fent to the Governor of Jamaica, and that in confequence thereof, a man of war of 60 guns is ordered to be stationed off that coaft. Yesterday the Captains of the Colliers who had moored their veffels in fuch a manners as to stop the navigation of the Thames, were examined before the Lord Mayor; when they were ordered to moor their fhips fo that the navigation might be left free; and the Water Bailiff received particular directions to see that his Lordship's orders be obeyed. Letter from Birmingham, dated Nov. 11. "On Wednesday evening laft the three following Jews were apprehended in this town by Sir John Fielding's men, Viz. Afher Wyld, Hyam Lazarus, and Mark Afhebury, who ftand accufed by the confeffion of an accomplice in London, of being concerned in fome late very extrarordinary burglaries, as well as in the murder committed at Mrs. Hutchins's, at Chelfea. Alfo was apprehended at Henley, Henry Lazarus, on fufpicion of being concerned in the fame crimes: A very lucky and extraordinary circumftance attended the apprehenfion of this man, which if it had not happened, the offenders might have efcaped, as he was haftening to give them intelligence of their being pursued. Payton, at Stratford, obferving Sir John's men at his houfe, where they topped for a bait, furmifed their bufinefs was to apprehend fome felons. Soon after they were gone, the last mentioned Jew came in poft, and immediately ordered fresh poft-horfes for this town: His being in fuch hafte caufed Mr. Payton to have fome fufpicion of his going to inform the perfons whom Sir John's men were after; he therefore wrote a note to them, and fent it by the boy who accompanied the Jew, to give them as foon as he overtook them, which he did at Henley, when they immediately fecured him, and, by his direction, readily apprehended the above three, who are all conveyed to London to take their trials." Mr. All the Jews now in prifon, charged with the robbery at Mrs. Hutchins's, at Chelsea, were all shaved before they were fworn to by Mrs. Hutchins: notwithstanding which, the knew them immediately. On Tuesday two failors belonging to a merchant ship juft arrived in the river, were carried before the Lord Mayor, being charged with ftealing fome jars of raisins, and other goods, to the amount of upwards of 50l. which the Captain declared he muft pay for to the merchants to whom they were configned, One of the failors, was admitted an evidence, and gave in the names of feveral more of the crew who were concerned likewife; the other was committed to " the Poultry-Compter, and the Captain bound over to profecute; the evidence was fent to Wood-ftreet-Compter, and orders were given for apprehending the rest. Yesterday the boatfwain of a merchant fhip in the river, concerned with others in cuftody, and fome not yet taken, in stealing jars of raisins from on board the above flip, was carried before the Lord Mayor, and committed to the Poultry-Comptor. When the firit exprefs came with the account of the Duke of Gloucester's illnefs, the King faid, "My fituation is now truly deplorable. My beloved brother dying, if not dead. My other brother juft committed this act of folly; and my mother irrecoverable. This is the time to fhew fortitude." There is no doubt that the King is exceedingly offended with the Duke of Cumberland's marriage. Some of the Court, in imitation of the royal wrath, talk of a bill of exclufion. A penfion of 700l. per annum, on the Irish establishment, has lately been granted to Sir J-s Wo-l—n, a near relation to his Excellency Lord Townf end's Secretary. The little Junto at Buckingham-house will begin to affemble on Monday evening the 25th inft. and will continue to fit every week during the winter. A fleet of men of war has failed within thefe three weeks from Ferrol, to augment the Spanish squadron in the Welt-Indies. Efcurial, O. 24. His Catholick Majefty has inftituted a new Order of Knighthood, in honour of the birth of the Infanta of Spain. It is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, and is named the Order of Charles the Third. Befides all the Princes of the Blood, there are to be of this order 60 Great Croffes, 200 Knights, a Chancellor, a Mafter of the Ceremonies, a Treafurer, and a Secretary, The Great Croffes will be compofed of the prin Foreign and Domeftic Intelligence. cipal perfons of the Court, and the Knights are to receive annual penfions. Bruffels, Nov. 5. The distemper among the horned cattle having made its appearance in French Flanders, this government ordered a cordon to be formed in the neighbourhood of Bruges, to prevent all communication with the places infected. This order was fo rigorously obferved, that the country farmers, who were to attend the Bruges market with corn, abfented themfelves for two market days; fo that the inhabitants were a week without any corn to be bought; upon which they, imagining the commanding officer to be the fole canfe of this fcarcity, went in a tumultuous manner to his quarters, demanding him to be delivered up to them; which being refufed, they forced into the house, which they almoft destroyed. By this time a guard of foldiers came, and by that means faved him from the fury of the populace. Since this affair, General Murray has marched to Bruges with two battalions and fix pieces of cannon; and we hear that every thing is quiet there at present. Saturday, Nov. 16. It is now current at the Weft end of the town, that the marriages of the D. of G. and the D. of C. will be both declared to Parliament at the opening of the feffions, in order to obtain proper provifions for their iffue. The D. of C. is to have an establishment in the Electorate of Hanover. The grand caufe between his Grace the Duke of Portland and Sir James Lowther, relative to Inglewood foreft, &c. is expected to come on in the Court of Exchequer on Wednesday next, the 20th inftant. It will be tried by a Jury compofed of gentlemen, natives of Cumberland. On Thursday arrived in town 73 witneffes from Cumberland, to be examined in the great caufe between the Duke of Portland and Sir James Lowther. This morning Lord North went to Lord Spencer to ask his Lordship's interelt at Northampton, for a Court Tool of Lord North's nomination. Lord Spencer granted his request.-Lord Spencer has a favour to ask. It is well known, fays a correfpondent, that the Spanish guarda coftas and frigates frequently anchor under the ftern of our men of war in our own own ports.. Within a few days paft feveral fhips have arrived from abroad, and have 199 brought 11,380 quarters of wheat, but very little of it has as yet been carried to market, which has prevented the price being lowered. This week informations were lodged against a confiderable grazier in Surry, on the act of forestalling. We hear that a certain active Magiftrate has declared, that the discovery lately made by him of the most unheard of villainies, planned by a gang of Jews, which confifts of near 200 in number, fhall be prevented from being put in execution as much as poffible, but that their intended fchemes for the perpetration of them fhall not, for the peace of mankind. be made public during his life-time, left people, from their horrid apprehenfions of danger from those mifcreants, fhould not be able to fleep in peace in their beds. Thursday, Nov. 21. Laft Saturday came on before Dr. Bettelworth at Doctors-Commons, a caufe brought by a merchant of this city, against his wife, to obtain a divorce for fome irregularities he had been guilty of. The matter had a full hearing, after which the Judge pronounced for the divorce. On Tuesday night an account arrived in town from Harwich, of two Jews being topt there, and fent to prison, on a violent fufpicion of being concerned in the murder and robbery at Mrs. Hutchins's, at Chelfea, fome time ago. They were endeavouring to embark for Holland; and on fearching them, befides a confiderable fum of money, they had feveral watches, and feveral large filver spoons, fome marked J. H. and other things of value, which they would not give an account how they came by, but only faid they travelled about the country to fell fuch things. They were afked for their licence, but had none. Yesterday the report was made to his Majefty of the capital convicts now under fentence of death in Newgate, when the three following were ordered for execution on Wednesday next, viz. Michael Murry and John Freel, for robbing Guiatano Menini on the highway, in Mount-ftreet, of his watch, a ring, and 2s. They were likewife capitally convicted for ftealing money in the houfe of John Farquharfon, a publican in St. Giles's: And John Donaldfon, for forging a draft of 81. on Mr. Ruffel in the Borough. Saturday, Nov. 23. The perfon in cuftody for the robbery of the Isle of wight bag is, we are credibly informed, a furgeon and 200 Foreign and Domestic Intelligence. and manmidwife, of fome eminence in his Yesterday a fire broke out in the One of the Jews, who is turned evidence, was fo confcientious, that when it was propofed on Saturday to commit the robbery at Wormley, he would not fet off from London till the Sabbath was over. Some time fince, a Scotch merchants in London, on changing his clothes used frequently to leave fmall change in his waistcoat pocket, which he often miffed; fufpecting a Seotch maid fervant in the houfe, he left a marked fhilling in his pocket, which on examination he found was taken away. The maid's box was fearched, and the marked hilling found therein; upen being quef tioned whether the had not committed the theft on the Sunday, the answered, "Whot? de yau thenk I would commit fick a creme on the Lord's day ? Early this morning, about one hundred and fifty prifoners under fentence of transportation, were taken from Newgate, and conducted on board a lighter at Black-friars to be carried down the river, and shipped on board the veffel that is to take them to America. There were amongst thefe unhappy wretches, two carts loaded with fick, whofe ftench in particular affected many perfons, and may probably produce a malignant diforder. We can fafely affure our readers, that the Chamberlain of London is the perfon who, a good while fince, paid 2001. to Meffrs. Huffey and Roberts, in addi-, tion to the government's pitiful 501. reward, for bringing to juftice that def perate gang of nine ruffians, who committed fo daring a robbery and fhocking a murder at Mrs. Hutchins's in June laft.-A few instances of fuch generous minds would do honour to any nation. On Monday laft as Mr. Newton, higier, at Harrow on the Hill, was coming to town with a loaded cart, he was met near Paddington by an empty waggon belonging to the Earl of Effex, drawn by fix horses, returning to Cafhiobury, his Lordship's feat in Hertfordshire, which beat down Mr. Newton, when the wheels went over him, and killed him on the spot. Yesterday died here James Græme, Eq; one of the Judges of the Commiffary Court of Edinburgh. ing the Judges of the feveral Courts met Thursday, Nov. 28. Yesterday mornminfter-hall, in order to hear the points in the Exchequer Chamber at Westof the unfortunate Mr. Powell, and in of law argued by the Council in the cafe victed of forging Sir Andrew Chadthe cafe of Martin and Burch, contheir fate.-Through fome defect in wicke's will, and to determine finally on ferving the notices, the Council and Attornies of the feveral parties did not all fitting in form for fome time, were obattend; the Judges, therefore, after next, when it will come on at the Judges liged to defer the hearing till Saturday chambers in Serjeants-inn, at five in the afternoon. party a few days ago, were to dine togeSome gentlemen being on a huntingwhen, among other things provided for ther at Hemftead, in Hertfordshire, dinner, a dog was dreffed, and impofed on fome of the company for a young fawn; feveral of the company eat very heartily of it, but after dinner it was difcovered by one who had a hint of mediately cut the perfon across the face it; on which one of the company imwho was the owner of the dog, and the in Westminster-hall. affair is likely to produce fome law-fuits Yesterday Michel Murry John Freel, were executed at Tyburn. town, has prefented a petition to the ceived by Tuesday's poft. election for a member in the room of Dr. Friday, Nov. 29. On Monday night The Oxford Oxford Magazine; For DECEMBER, 1771. For the OXFORD MAGAZIN E. THE POLICE. HE following letter being on a NUMBER XIII. complying with the writer's request, Tvery interefting fubject, and the who has frongly folicited, that grievance of fuch a nature, that it may be redreffed by the joint concurrence of the inhabitants of every parish, I thall make no apology to the public for SIR, have the preference to all other letters from my correfpondents received in the course of this month. To the AUTHOR of the POLICE. SENEX that a rational Proteftant people should, A improvement, when almost every contrary to the practice ancient we live in an age of univerfal civilized nation is thaking off its idle prejudices, and its ridiculous cuftoms, I hope it will not be thought an improper time to open the eyes of the inhabitants of the great and populous city of London, and of the legislature, if they should remain ftill blind, with refpect to a pernicious cuftom, which length of time feems to have confecrated, without a fingle argument, or the leaft appearance of reafon, either -for its eftablishment, or continuance. The customs of nations, generally fpeaking, have owed their origin to obfervations drawn from the records of others of greater antiquity; or they have arisen from the climate, fituation, and genius of the people who gave them birth. But in the cafe before us, nothing of this fort can be pleaded in behalf of the retention of an abufe which fhould have been removed when the reformation took place. Amidst all the rubbish of the Romish church, it is ftrange that this has withitood the revolutions of church and state; and VOL. VII. times, make choice of the places fet apart for the public worship of the living God, to bury the putrid remains of their deceased fellow-creatures. I have carefully fearched the records of antiquity, and I cannot find one inftance of this indecent, filthy cuftom, in the times of Paganism and Judaifm. We muft, therefore, feek for its origin in modern ages, the precife ara of introducing it amongst Chriftians, it will be difficult to afcertain; but it muft have been very early, for we find it forbid by the canons of a council, held in 563, to inter any perfon in churches. Several other councils likewife, of later date, abfolutely prohibit it. The vanity and fuperftition of deluded bigots, aided by the ve. nality of the priesthood, established at length, the fhameful pratace of making charnel houfes of the temples dedicated to the fervice of the Deity. that men might putrify in thefe confecrated mausoleums in a diftinguished manner. To prevent the mouldering body of Cc a pious 202 Honeftus, to the Author of the Police. a pious, orthodox Roman Catholic, lying near that of a Heretic, after the Proteftant fyftem of faith gained ground, was another motive. In short, pride and fuperftition carried the matter fo far, that different parts of the churches were deftined for the interment of perfons of various ranks in life; and the priests availed themselves of this weakness, by fetting prices accordingly, on every fix feet of ground within the facred walls. Hence we find, in all old churches and cathedrals, that princes, peers, bishops, abbots, and rectors, ftuffed up the chancels, and their effigies ftill fhoulder God's altar;" and it was judged no indecency to place the putrid corpfe of fome great man at the head or feet of that table, where the moft facred rites of the Chriftian religion are performed. What an horrid and brutal custom, for the living prieft to stand upon the newly interred carcafe of his fellow-mortal, to perform the functions of his holy office! What ftrange ideas to unite in the minds of men, when paying their adorations to the fupreme being, to have the remembrance of a departed friend, of his perfon, his actions, his last fick nefs, and the ftate of corruption to which death has reduced him, occur fresh to the memory! intermingle in our prayers and praifes, from the favage circumftance of kneeling over, or within a few inches of his grave! In fome churches you may know the titles, rank, and opulence of the former parishioners, by the order of the monuments, and grave-ftones, proceeding regularly from the altar to the church-porch; the humble mechanic, the common tradefman, and the poor, you will find without doors. That foolish pride, ridiculous fuperstition, and the influence of the Romih priests, fhould have kept up this trange cuftom in former times, is not in the leaft to be wondered at; nor yet, that from the fame caufes it fhould still continue in Popish countries; but that a rational, free people, while they are embellishing their capital, and removing every other nuifance which impeded the free current of the air, or in any respect affected its falubrity, fhould let church-yards, graves in churches, and vaults, continue in the very heart of it, and in all its fuburbs, is to the laft degree aftonishing. Is it because we are determined in this, as in most other bad customs, to imitate the French? At Paris this is one of the loudest complaints against the Police, in other refpects upon an excellent footing, but fuch is the force of fuperftition, and fuch the venality of the priesthood, that notwithstanding the ordinances of the parliament to fupprefs this cuftom, which have now been published upwards of three years, they still continue to heap one body upon another in the fine gothic cathedral of that city; and the pavement is fo often taken up for burials, that it is left irregular and disjointed, and the noxious vapours exhaling, in fummertime, are very offenfive, to ftrangers especially. This famous city contains a very ridiculous mixture of the most refined magnificence, and of the moft difgufting brutality. Adjoining to the Opera, and to the Royal Palace of their Kings, is the charnel-house and church-yard, called the Innocents, a large inclofure, confecrated to the plague; for here the poor, who often die of contagious distempers, thrown into fhallow graves with very little ceremony, and after great rains, the thick, unwholesome vapour rifing from this place, is perceived in the opera-houfe, and obliges the spectators to apply to their fnuff and fcented waters. are I readily acknowledge, that better precautions are taken for the health of the inhabitants in London; but I fhould be glad to fee this cuftom totally abolished, as well on the fcore of decency, as of health. When the improvement was made of new paving the ftreets, and of taking down the figns, which measure contributed to the beauty of the capital, and to the health of the inhabitants, why were not all offenfive church-yards new paved, and burials in them for the future forbid by act of parliament. I apprehend no fhop-keeper wishes to have the difagreeable fpectacle conftantly before his eyes of digging graves and interring dead bodies, nor can it be any fatis faction |