DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES. chains. Thefe young villains, one 19, the other 16, killed a fheep, in Upton Park, the day previous to the murder, with the very bludgeon with which they beat out the brains of the poor old man, to try if it was heavy enough for their purpose. Letter from Wimbledon, in Surrey, fix miles S. W. of London, March 12. "We had yesterday in the forenoon one of the heaviest ftorms of hail, attended with lightning and thunder, that I ever remember; it came from the S. W. and the hailftones were literally as big as horfe beans; for fome minutes the darkness was rather extraordinary. In a room, pointing almost eue weft, I had, out of thirty-fix panes of glafs, nine fhattered to pieces, five ftarred in many places, and eleven cracked different ways: the upper panes alone efcaped. The lightning, though I faw only one flash, was very vivid, and the thunder as long and nearly as loud a clap as ever I heard." DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES. Sunday, February 4, (and not before, as mentioned in our Chronicle for January) the Rev. Dr. Prevoft, of New York, and the Rev. Dr. White, of Philadelphia, were confecrated bithops in the chapel of LambethHoufe, by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, affified by the Archbishop of York, and the Bithops of Bath and Wells and of Peterborough. The fermon was preached by his Grace's chaplain, the Rev. Dr. Drake, from these words, Let all things be done detently and in order. I Cor. xiv. 40. The new bishops were addreffed by the tyle of Bishop of New York, and Bishop of Philadelphia: and having, with the rest of the company prefent, been elegantly entertained by his Grace, took their leaves, in order the next day to proceed on their voyage to America. Saturday, Feb. 24. The Counte's of Hopeton revived a fpecies of entertainment, at prefent much wanted, because much miffed; namely, a morning's mufical entertainment. Lady A. Hope performed with a moft exquifite tafte on the harpf chord. Her lady, likewife, fung two Ital an airs in a very capital ftyle, befides joining Rubinelli in a duet. Mrs. Stuart, the young Scotch vocal candidate, fung three favourite Italian airs, in which the difplayed great compafs, united to the most impreffive pathos. Her Madona Miranda put every one in mind of Mits Harrop. This lady not only is poffeffed of the bravura requifites, but will foon be one of the firf cantabile fingers of the Italian school; an acquifition at prefent very much wanted. February 28. A meteorological account of the weather, for February, 1787, at Edmonton, by J. Adams, junior. Days, wet 2, cloudy 15, fine 11.-Prevailing winds, N. 2. N. E. 1. S. E. 4. S. 9. CENT. MAG. March, 1787. 269 S. W. 10. W. 2-Greatest height of the thermometer expofed to the North in the fhade, by Fahrenhei's fcale 52. By Reaumur's fcale 9. Leaft height, by Fahrenheit's fcale 31. By Reaumur's feale 5. Greatest height of the barometer 30, 39, inches.Leaft height 28, 79 inches.-Depth of rain fallen, is 1,345 inches. Rofe-tree in leaf the rt-Honey-fuckle the 4th.-Butterfly the 8th.-Goofeberry-tree in leaf the 9th. Violet in bloffom the 11th.-Lightning at five o'clock, and thunder at eleven o'clock in the morning of the 12th.-Crocus in bloffom the 15th.-Gnats the 20th.-Thermometer 21, at fix in the morning the 23d.The fpring of the year 1779 was very fimilar to this. Thursday, March 1. Being St. David's Day, titular faint of Wales, the fame was obferved at Court with the ufual folemnity. The customary prefent of too guineas was made by his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales to the Society of Ancient Britons, who had a grand dinner at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, and fpent the evening in jocund feft vity. Upwards of 650l. were collected for the charity. This morning, about a quarter before eight o'clock, the following malefactors, convicted in January films, were brought out of Newgate on the platform before the Debtors door; when, after about an hour pent in prayer, they were launched into eternity, puifuant to their fentence, viz. Benjamin Nah, Charles Franklin, Richard Notely, Robert Richardfor, John Ball, John Fatt, John Marthal, Luke Hurt, and Sophia Pringle. This latt, being exceedingly weak, was indulged on the fcaffold with a chair during the time of devotion, which lafted, about three quarters of an hour. All the terror which her dreadful fituation had hithertò occasioned, was no longer vifible. She behaved with a degree of compofure and propriety that excited the warmett compaffion. Friday 2. The Seffions ended at the Old Bailey, when 21 convicts received judgement of death, 34 were fentenced to be tranfported, three to be kept at hard labour in the houfe of correction, two to be imprifoned in Newgate, feven to be whipped and difcharged, aud 23 difcharged by proclamationa At this Seffions, on the trial of W. Welch, a boy of 14 years, and Henry Conway, a boy of nine years of age, a fcene of fuch, unpa ralleled profligacy and wickedness was un veiled to the Court, as ftruck every perfon prefent with horror and aftonishment. The indictment was for a highway robbery, in taking from Mary Davis, an infant of feven years of age, a bundle of linen, at the end of Coventry-court, St. Giles's. To fcreen her own inlamy, an old bawd appeared against the lives of thefe two unfortunate boys; bug the the fagacity and penetration of the Recorder, who tried the cause, after confiderable labour and addrefs, at length extracted the truth, and the bawd was committed to Newgate for the falsehoods fhe had before fworn to in the face of the Court. It appeared to have been the practice of this infamous woman, to feduce children from their parents, or to pick them up from the streets, and, by a regular courfe of instruction, to train them up in every fpecies of villainy and debauchery, first destroying, as a preparatory ftep, all fenfe of fhame and decency, by putting a great many of each fex naked and in one bed together, and encouraging fcenes too painful to relate. A profecution is commenced by the parish against the feveral houfes in this infernal rendezvous; and if the magiftrates had done their duty, by fearching this neft of thieves, &c. under the authority of the vagrant act, many of the unhappy victims of this woman's arts might poffibly have been paffed to their respective fettlements, and become, hereafter, ufeful members of fociety. Saturday, 3. At the Oxford and Cambridge Coffeehoufe, in Newman-freet, near the Middlefex-hofpital, a gentleman of fortune, who lodged at that houfe, became enamonred with the daughter of a fhoe-maker in the neighbourhood, who not being inclined to return his paffion, he adopted the fatal refolution of infufing fome poifon in a glafs of jelly, which having taken, he remained a few hours in very great agonies, and then expired. The coroner's inqueft fat on the body, and brought in their verdict Lunacy. Thursday 8. At a meeting of the Medical Society of London, held at their houfe in Crane court, Fleet-ftreet, this day (being the anniverfary of the birth day of the late Dr. John Fothergill), the gold medal, value Ten Guineas, called the FOTHERGILLIAN Medal (given annually to the author of the best Effay on a fubject propofed by the Society), was adjudged to Dr. William Falconer, of Bath, author of the beft differtation on the following Prize-Question, viz. "What difeafes may be mitigated or cured by exciting particular paffions or affections of the mind?" The Prize- Queft on propofed for the gold medal for the enfuing year, 1788, is as follows: "How is the human body, in health, and in a difeafed ftate, affected by different kinds of air?" And for the year 1789, "What circumstances accelerate, retard, or prevent, the progrefs of infection ?"The Society have alfo refolved to give a filver medal for the best communication on any medical fubject, not written by a fellow of the Society. Friday 9. This day was held a General Court of the Governors of Chrift's Hofpital, when Claude Ch. Crefpigny, Efq; and Thomas Bainbridge, Etq; took their charge as Governors, and gave a benefaction of 100l. each to the charity. Sir Benjamin Hammet nominated Charles Alex. Crickitt, Efq; as did alfo Ifaac Walker, Efq; Mr. John Freeman, as proper perfons to be governors. A letter was read to the Court, from the executors of James Whitchurch, late of Twickenham, in Middlefex, Efq; that they had, in purfuance of his will, purchafed 10,000l. three per cent. bank annuities, the intereft of it to be applied annually by the trustees of Mr. Hetherington's charity for the blind; the first payment of which will take place in December next, at the fame time that Mr. Hetherington's is diftributed.-It was agreed to take in 150 children at Eafter. His Royal Highnefs the Duke of Cumberland, the Lord Chancellor, the Speaker of the House of Commons, and both Houses of Parliament, waited on his Majefty, with their joint-addrefs on the Commercial Treaty, which was as follow: The bumble Address of the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Comment, in Parliament assembled. Die Martis, 6° Martii, 1787. "Moft Gracious Sovereign, "WE, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parlia ment affembled, having taking into our most ferious confideration the provifions contained in the Treaty of Navigation and Commerce concluded between your Majesty and the Moft Chriftian King, beg leave to approach your Majesty, with our fincere and grateful acknowledgements for this additional proof of your Majelly's conftant attention to the welfare and happinefs of your fubjects. "We thall proceed with all proper expe dition in taking fuch fteps as may be necef. fary for giving effect to a fyftem fo well calculated to promote a beneficial intercourfe between Great Britain and France, and to give additional permanence to the blethings of peace. It is our firm perfuafion, that we cannot more effectually confult the general interefis of our country, and the glory of your Majefty's reign, than by concurring in a meafure which tend to the extenfion of trade, and the encouragement of induftry and ma nufacture, the general fources of national wealth, and the fureft foundation of the profperity and happiness of your Majesty's dominions." His Majefty's moft Gracious Anfwer. "I return you my thanks for this loyal and dutiful addrefs. "The declaration of your fentiments, formed after the moft ferious confideration of the Treaty of Navigation and Commerce between Me and the Moft Chriftian King, affords me the trueft fatisfaction: and I receive with pleafore the affurances of your intention to proceed with all proper expedition, in taking fuch steps as may be necessary for giving it effect." Wedy DOMESTIC Wednefauy 14. OCCURRENCES: A General Court of Proprietors of the East India Company was held at their houfe in Leadenhall-ftreet, at one o'clock, for the purpose of taking into confideration Mr. Pitt's propofal of confolidating the duties, fo far as refpected the Company's intereft; and, after having heard a letter from Mr. Pitt read, with a propofed claufe, to be inferted in the new bill depending in parliament, came, without any debate, to an unanimous refolution of thanks to Mr. Pitt, for his care and attention to the intereft of the Eaft India Company in the prefent inftance. Thursday 15. A fingular affair came before the fitting magiftrates in Bow-ftreet: Mr. Browne, a tea-dealer in Piccadilly, received a challenge from Capt. Cafey, by Lieut. Row, to meet him next morning in Kenfington-gardens, with a friend and a brace of piftols, which challenge Mr. Browne declined. Mr. Row then challenged Mr. Browne to fight him; which he alfo declined, and applied to Sir Sampion Wright for a warrant to apprehend them both; in confequence of which, Capt. Cafey was apprehended, and, after a long examination before Mr. Bond and Mr. Read, was committed for want of fufficient bail. But he has fince been admitted to bail, himfelf in sool. and two fureties in 150l. each. It appeared, upon the examination, that Mr. Cafey had been commander of a privateer in the last war, and that Mr. Browne was his agent. Tuesday 20. This morning the King was attacked with a fit of the rheumatic gout, as he was going out to hunt; which, by proper means, was alleviated till Saturday the 24th, when it became fo violent, that his Majefly was pleafed to countermand the preparations for hunting, till the violence of the attack fhould abate. Wednesday 21. The tranfports, nine in number, with their convoy, for Botany-Bay, fet fail from Spithead. Sunday 25. A fire broke out in the fables of the Bell Inn at Hertford, which deftroyed them, with four horfes; and the houfe was with difficulty faved. Monday 26. The drawing of the lottery was finished at Guildhall; which, it is hoped by all good men, will never more be revived on fo unequal a plan. To encourage unthinking people, by authority, to game at 3 to 2 against themfelves, to fay the best of it, is a reproach to the juftice of the Nation. Tuesday 27. The Lady Mayorefs's route on Tuesday night was one of the most elegant entertainments of the kind. The company was uncommonly numerous; and many perfons of 271 the first fashion were prefent, particularly the foreign nobility in town, and ambaffadors. It is with pleasure that we can compliment the prefent worthy chief magiftrate [Mr. Sainfbury] on a visible amendment in his health. The Lady Mayorefs's politeness and affability added a grace to her diftinguifhed fituation, and gave great fatisfaction to the noble foreigners prefent, who had an opportunity of witnefling the tafte, liberality, and munificence difplayed on this occafion The ladies were elegantly dreffed, and were indeed a lovely groupe. Some of the younger ladies kept footing it till a late hour in the morning. The care and attention of the conflables and fervants without doors ought not to be forgotten. We do not remember an occafion of the kind, where the access to and from the carriages were rendered so safe and eafy. The mob was kept at a proper diftance, and the light-fingered gentry entirely disappointed. Wednesday 30. Mr. Beaufoy, in the House of Commons, moved to go into a Committee, to confider the Teft and Corporation Acts, of 13 and 25 Charles II. He prefaced his motion by a fketch of the hiftory of the times in which this act was brought forward, and the danger the church of England then flood in. The principles of the Duke of York, heir apparent to the throne, on the demife of his brother, Charles II. were well-known to be inimical to the established church; and ic was the duty of Parliament to guard their rights; for this purpose they paffed this act, and, with reluctance, the Crown gave its affent. He commented on the fubfequent ftate' of affairs in this country, and brought them down to the prefent time; and, by a welldrawn picture of the past and prefent, deduced forcible arguments in favour of his motion. He flated concifely the hardships and inconveniencies attending the operation of the Test Act, 25 Charles II. by which every person who is admitted into any office, civil or military, or who receives any pay by patent or place in England, or in the navy, or who has any fervice in the King's houfeheld, fhall, within three months after his admiffion into fuch office, receive the facrament of the Lord's Supper, according to the ufage of the church of England, in fome public church, and on the Sabbath-day, after divine fervice. And in the court where he takes the oath, he must deliver a certificate, under the hands of the minifter, of the truth thereof, attefted by two witneffes. And all must be performed, under a penalty of 5ool. to any perfon who thall fue for the fame, and to be rendered incapable of office, to be difabled to fue in any action, or to be guardian, executor, or administrator, or capable of any legacy or deed of fuit, or to bear any office, or vote at any election for members of Parliament, if acting contrary to this ftatute. 272 DOMESTIC, OCCURRENCES. aftule. To foften thefe rigorous penalties, the legislature, in its humanity, paffes an annual bill, which exonerates perfons who incur them. Should we therefore, in these enlightened times, when Non-conformity conveys no terrors to the Churchman, load a fet of as honeft, as upright, and as able men as there are in the kingdom, with reftrictions that muft deprive the ftate, the army, the navy, the magißracy, and all corporations in the nation, from the affiftance of a great number of their fellow-citizens? and compel this houfe to grant them relief from the fangs of informers? As to its great political tendency, and whether it militates against the Act of Union, is not now weighed in that fcale of importance as formerly. We have diffenters from the church of England in both houses of Parliament; in several offices of the state; and what corporation is there in England where fectarians are not to be found? In Holland (a republic), in Scotland, and in Ireland, nations truly enlightened, no fuch diftinction exifts. If a man was a Chriftian, the ftate did not deprive itself of his fervices. Even France, the elder daughter of the church of Rome, made ufe of the fervices of able men, of all deferiptions of the Chriftian faith, Then why should this nation, in the glorious æra of liberty of confcience, freedom of speech, and a well-guarded conftitution, continue the fhackles that were framed, in times when mens' minds were not fo liberal, and when our frame of government was affaited by fecret as well as open enemies. Thefe arguments the Hon. Mover enforced with much energy of speech, clear, found, and perfpicuous reafoning, frewed often with flowers of rhetoric, that proved him an accomplished orator. He then moved, "That this Houte will immediately refolve itfelf into a Committee of the whole Houfe, to confider fo much of two acts, the one made in the 13th, and the other in the 25th years of King Charles the Second, as require perfons, before they are admitted into any office or place in corporations, or having accepted any office, civil or military, or any place of truit under the Crown, to receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, according to the rules of the Church of England."-Sir Henry Houghton, in a plain and fenfible speech, feconded the motion.-Lord North, though in a very infirm ftate of health, gave his unqualified opinion, that a repeal of the act in queftion would be attended-with the mot dangerous confequences. It would be making an inroad upon the conftitution, the extent of which it was impoffible for the wifdom of the Houfe to calculate. It would break down the barriers eftablished by our ancestors, for wife and valuable purposes. The conftitution of England ought not to be srifled with by every pietender to reforma tion; it was dangerous in the extreme.Lord Beauchamp argued at great length in favour of the motion, and highly compli mented the Diffenters, as attached to the free conftitution of this country.-Mr. W. Smith and Sir James Jobaftone fupported it. Mr. Pitt argued principally on the policy of the Teft Aét; it was, he faid, a fence to the conftitution, and ought not to be removed. Mr. Fox poured forth a wonderful torrent of eloquence in fupport of the mo tion, and entered largely into the hiftory of the times when the act paffed.-Mr. Pitt made a fhort reply.-Sur IV. Dolben, in á fpeech which put the members in great good humour with the question, opposed it; and placed it in various points of view, by which he kept the Houfe for fome time in a roar of laughter.-After a word or two from Mr. Ifaac Harukins Brotune, &c. the question was loudly called for; and Mr. Beaufoy, claiming the privilege of an indulgence always fhewn to the mover of a queftion, was heard in reply. After whith, the question being loudly called for, the Heufe divided, For the motion 98; against it 176; majority 78. Thursday 29. At a Court of Common Council this day at Guildhall, the principal befinefs was, the Report of the Provifion Committee, and the following Refolutions were agreed to: 1. That it appears, from an accoont of the number of cattle and fheep brought into Smithfield-market in the laf 56 years, that, from 1732 to 1778, the fame had annually increated to a very confiderable degree; and that there has been a greater increase from 1778 to 1783; but that the decreafe that has happened during the years 1784 and 1495 arifes from the prefent pernicious fyf tee of foreftalling in the vicinity of this metropolis. [This refolution was agreed to in a former court.J-2. That the practice of forettalling at Knightsbridge, Illington, Kensington, Mile-End, and other places, tends to enhance the price of provifions in Smithfield - market. 3. That the prefent pernicious practice of jobbing and regrating in Smithfield-market tends to enhance the price of butchers' meat; and that, if the ftatute of Edward the Sixth, which infli&s a penalty of double the value of the cattle, theep, &c. fo bought, was duly enforced, it would, in a great measure, remedy this evil. 4. Ihat, upon comparing the prices of meat at the feveral corporation towns with thofe at London, it appears to us, That many undue practices, by foreftalling, jobbing, re grating, &c. mog have taken place, by realon the difference of price would more than pay the expence and rifque of fending provi fions to Smithfield-market.-5. That the practices of the falesmen, jobbers, carcafebutchers, and o'hers, who buy cattle of all kids, and fell the fame again, in and near the markets of this city, tend to enhance the DOMESTIC OCCURRENCE S. the price to the confumer, and is one of the caufes of the present dearnefs of provifions. 6. That it is highly expedient to take fuch fpeedy and effectual measures as fhall put a stop to thèse practices.—7. That it will be expedient for the Corporation to eftablish an Office in Smithfield, for entering and regiftering all cattle, theep, &c. which shall be brought to the faid market for fale, and that a regular account fhall be kept of all cattle, &c. fold on each market-day -8. That the Corporation do appoint a Committee to act for the infpection, regulation, and Controul, of the markets. In compliment to the Lord-Mayor, who, though much better, is not fefficiently recovered to bear exceffive fatigue,.the confideration of the remaining refolutions was poilponed till next court. Friday 30. Letters by the loft mail give an alarming account of the fituation of North Holland, where the two parties of Patriots and Stadtholderians had come to blows, and were attacking each other with the utmoft fury and devastation. The military has received orders to march, to put an end to the diftur bances. At Haerlem the conteft has been carried to fuch a height, that feveral houfes had been pulled cown. At Hoorn, the popular tumult is increas ing, and it is thought cannot be appealed without bloodthed. Other letters (ay, that the affairs of the Stadtholder are in a fair way of being fettled; that he is about to leave Nimeguen, and to take up his refidence, with his family, in his palace at Loo. Letters from Italy give a melancholy account of the miferable fituation of the inhabitants of Rimini, fifuate on the Galph of Venice, who have lived in tents in the fields during the feverity of the winter, the earth being in conftant motion, fo that the ruin of the city was every day apprehended. The great church of St. Francis, that fumptuous monument of the houfe of Malateftas, has been entirely thrown down; and the famous arch of Auguftus, which feemed of frength enough to defy the effects of time for ages yet to come, is fplit in the middle. The Prince of Cochinchina is lately arrived in France from the Eaft Indies, as it is given out, to folicit fuccours to enable the King, his father, to recover his kingdom, from whence, it is pretended, he had been driven by the arms of an ufurper. Report fays, that a misunderstanding, with refpect to fome material articles in the Commercial Treaty with France, has taken place, and that the New Minifter, the Comte de Montmorin, puts different fenfes to the words of the Treaty to what was intended by the Comte de Vergennes, his predeceffor, and the British Minifter; and that, till this matter is cleared up, the final fettlement of the GENT. MAC. March, 1787. Treaty will be deferred. 273 The effigy of the late King of Pruffia is exhibited in Paris in the cloaths, he wore when alive: it confifts of three fuits of uniform; one a dreffed fuit, which had been worn but three times in 18 years; and two others are in fo indifferent a ftate, that it requires the most authentic atteftations of their being genuine, which the man who fhews them has taken care to obtain, for the public to credit their being really the wardrobe of the Great Frederick.-A fimilar exhibition is patfed away in London! State of the Navy, including all the Ships in At home, as guardships, twelve ships of the line. Cruizers on the English and Irish stations, nine frigates and thirty floops. At the feveral ports, fitting for ftations, three fhips of 50 guns, one of 44 guns, eleven frigates, and twelve floops. On the Mediterranean flation, with Commodore Colby, one fhip of 50 guns, three frigates, and one floop. On the coaft of Africa, one floop of 18 guns. In America, four frigates and eight floops. At Jamaica, one fhip of 50 guns, one of 44 guns, two frigates, and three floops. In the Leeward Islands, three frigates and four floops. In the Eaft Indies, two floops of 16 guns. Going to Botany-Bay, one frigate and one loop. Total of ships in commiffion: twelve ships of the line, five of co guns, two of 44 guns, thirty frigates, and fixty-two floops. State of the Ordinary. In ordinary, at Plymouth, Portsmouth, Chatham, Woolwich, and Deptford, one hundred and twenty-seven thips of the line, thirteen of 50 guns, one hundred and nine frigates, and fifty-feven floops. Snips building. |