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with

Lincoln's - inn- fields,
thanks of the common council,
when we hear the learned Judge
declined accepting the freedom,
which was voted him in a gold
box.

29th.

the we had moft tremendous and repeated claps of thunder, accompanied with vivid flashes of lightning; and about fix in the evening a ball of fire ftruck the outfide of the chimney of Mr. Meredith, cutler, of St. Clement's, in the fuburbs of this city, where having forced through the wall, it entered into the upper room, shivered the partition of the fair-cafe, broke the maid's box, and did other damages; from thence defcending to the one-pair-of-ftairs, in a room where Mrs. Meredith fat at work, it totally deftroyed the chimney piece; and the glafs over it was reduced to powder, and fcattered about the room like fand; feveral glazed prints were likewife broke and dispersed about the room; a mahogany cheft of drawers was penetrated as if it had been fired at with small fhot; it alfo forced the cafement of the window confiderably outward. From hence paffing down to the kitchen, upon the ground floor, where the maid fervant was preparing for tea, fhe was ftruck to the ground, and received several fcratches upon the fide of her face; whilft a little girl in the fame room providentially received no hurt; though a wooden frame round the fire - place was torn away, the china broke, the fpits, candlesticks, flat-irons, &c. fcattered about, and a copper coffeepot, a fkimmer, a bell-metal mortar, and divers other things, were partially melted. From hence, the door of this room, as well as that of the fhop, being open, it paffed into the ftreet without meeting with any other obftructions; and its further progrefs could not be ascertained.

On Saturday a caufe was tried in the Court of Common Pleas in London, before Lord Loughborough, and a fpecial jury of merchants, in which Samuel Lloyd, an eminent tea - dealer, was plaintiff, and Thomas Cooper, a furveyor-general of the excife, defendant. The action was for fcandalous and defamatory words fpoken by the defendant of the plantiff, by means of which the plaintiff was injured in his character and credit, and many perfons who had been in the habit of dealing with him, refused to do so any longer. The cafe on the part of the plaintiff was moft clearly established, and the learned judge, in his charge to the jury, was very pointedly fevere on the defendant, whofe offence, he faid, was much aggravated by his fituation as a revenue officer, having in that capacity a greater opportunity of prejudicing the reputations of thofe tradefmen with whofe affairs his office made him more particularly acquainted. His lordship further added, that independent of the damages to be given by the jury to the plaintiff, the commiffioners of excife ought to be informed of the defendant's conduct, with a view of paffing their cenfure upon it likewife.

The jury, without hesitation, gave a verdict for the plaintiff, with 500l. damages, and cofts of fuit.

Oxford, June 1. This afternoon

Certain

Certain advice is received froin Macao, a fettlement of the Portuguese in the river Canton, of the arrival of the Refolution and Difcovery in great diftrefs, and in want of provifions. Upon the death of capt. Cook, capt. Clerke fucceeded to the command of the two thips, and lieut. Gore to be captain of the Discovery; but on the death of capt. Clerke, licut. King fucceeded to his place.

Rev. Mr. J. H. Wafer, former minifter of the church of Zurich in Switzerland, was beheaded for having ordered fome treasonable pieces to be inferted in the political correfpondence of M. Scholffer of Gottingen, and for having withheld a document of the 15th century, belonging to the public archives, after being demanded by the town fecretary. DIED, At Tynmouth, Cumberland, D. Bennet, aged 107.

At Green Street, Berks, Mr. Jofiah Morril, a lieutenant in queen Ann's wars, aged 10, within two days.

At Morton, Mr. John Mullet, aged 103.

Thomas Hutchinfon, Efq; formerly governor of Massachusett's Bay.

JU. LY.

By virtue of a commif3d. fion from his majefty, the royal affent was given to the following bills, &c.

The bill for vefting in the EaftIndia Company their territorital acquifitions in India. The bill to prevent the carrying copper in fheets, coaftways, &c. The poft

The

horfe act amendment bill. ftarch duty bill. The finkingfund bill. The bill to extend and encourage the Greenland fishery. The bill for granting to his majefty one million on a vote of credit. The bill relative to the drawback on the duty on coffee. The bill for appointing commiffoners to infpect the public accounts. The bill for granting a reward to perfons difcovering the longitude. And feveral inclosure and private bills.

Was tried before the Right Honourable Earl 4th. Mansfield and a special jury, a caufe wherein Mr. Schreiber, a merchant, was plaintiff, and Mrs. Frazer, widow of the late Gen. Frazer, who died at Saratoga, defendant. The action was brought for damages on a breach of promife of marriage.-Mr. Dunning opened for the plaintiff, and brought witneffes to prove the promifes. The first and principal was the plaintiff's fon; who depofed, that the lady had acknowledged to him her having confented to marry his father. A man fervant depofed, that his mistress had engaged him to go abroad with her to Germany, in cafe of the marriage taking place. Mr. Chriftie was brought to prove that the plaintiff bought a house in Portland-fquare or Portlandplace, at the price of 4100l. and on account of the marriage not taking place, had fold it again for 3600l.-A horse-dealer proved he had bought four horfes, at thirty-five guineas each, and fold them again all four at feventyfour guineas. A coach - maker proved he had bought two carriages for 2001. A taylor proved

of the promised marriage.

making a fuit of livery, on account the evidence, obferved, that the promise of marriage was proved; that certainly each party engaged to marry has a right to retract at any time previous to the ceremony, and even before the priest, if they apprehended unhappiness to be the event, but it was under this circumftance, that the party retracting, if able, fhould make good the damages fuftained by the other, through the treaty :-the plaintiff had proved fome damages-it was for the jury to affefs the quantum.

Mr. Solicitor General pleaded, that his client had no objection to the perfon, character, or fortune of the plantifi, who is certainly a very refpectable wealthy mer chant, and in every refpe& a very advantageous match for her; that in the courfe of the treaty, The began to think Mr. Schreiber's temper and her's, perhaps none of the best, might not agree; in that cafe the match would render both parties extremely unhappy, for which reafon fhe thought beft to retract, though evidently to her own lofs and difadvantage, his fortune being far fuperior to her's. Her late husband had also in a dream cautioned her againft this new engagement. He further obferved, that no attempt had been made to prove his client a woman of fortune; therefore it was much below the plaintiff to want to take from her fmall pittance, and add to his own great abundance. Here he was ftopped by Mr Dunning, who adduced proof that the lady's fortune here, in the Eaft Indies, and America, amounted to 24,000l. or upwards.

Mr. Solicitor-General replied, that the fortune in England might be afcertained, but that abroad could not; but with regard to fortune, his client had fuffered moft by breaking off the match, for fhe was to have her own fortune at her own difpofal, 3001. a year pin-money, 10,0col. fettled upon her, and the houfe at Forty-Hill, Enfield, or at her option 5ocol. inftead of it, in all 15,000l. in cafe of her furvival.

Lord Mansfield, in fumming up

The jury, after a confultation of a few minutes, gave a verdict of 600l. damages, with cofts.

8th.

A court of common council was held at Guildhall, when a motion was made by Mr. Parith, and feconded by Mr. Powell, that an humble addrefs be prefented to his majesty, exprefling the grateful thanks of this court for his majefty's care and attention to the citizens of London, in granting them fuch aid as became neceílary to fubdue the late dangerous riots, they being too formidable for the controul of the civil authority; which occafioned very long and great debates. The principal speakers were, the aldermen Townsend, Wilkes, Newnham, and Wooldridge; Mr. deputy Leeky, Mr. Dornford, Mr. Hurford, Mr. Merry, Mr. Thorpe, Mr. Sharpe, and deputy Judd. The previous queftion was put, whether the above queftion fhould be put, which was carried in the negative; but it appeared upon a divifion, that four aldermen and 61 commoners were for putting the queftion, and four aldermen and 56

commonera

commoners against it; therefore St. Margaret's - Hill, fifty were

the question to address was put, and carried in the affirmative.

A few days ago the long depending caufe of Mifs Butterfield was fiually determined in Doctor's Commons, when the will made by the late William Scawen, Efq; while he was at Mr. Sanxay's, was established, and all former wills in her favour were fet afide. This decifion was founded in these principles that when the deceafed made the will in queftion, he was in his perfect fenfes, and had time enough to deliberate on the merits of Mifs Butterfield before his death, or even before he annexed the codicil, by which he cancelled all his former wills; and that the laft will was properly figned and attefted. The judge, before he pronounced this decree, ftated the evidence with great perfpicuity and candour, and beftowed many encomiums on the character and conduct of Miss Butterfield, but obferved, that it was not his bufinefs to fay what Mr. Scawen ought to have done, but what he actually did, and what the law requires when a will is executed in proper from.

His majefty's free pardon 15th. hath been granted to James Purse, a convict of May feffion, under fentence of death; he was discharged by the perfous who broke open and demolished New. gate, but furrounded himself again into the cuftody of Mr. Akerman.

There were eighty five perfons tried for riots at the Old Bailey, of whom thirty-five were capitally convicted, seven convicted of fingle felony, and forty-three acquitted. At the commitlion at

tried for riots, of whom twenty. four were capitally convided, and twenty fix acquitted. So that on the whole one hundred and thirtyfive have been tried, and fifty. nine of them convicted.

18th.

A court of aldermen was held at Guildhall, when aldermen were prefent. The court refolved, that as the executions have paffed with perfect peace and quiet, and there being no ap. pearance of any riots within this city, no further allowance be made to the troops by this city after Saturday next. One very forcible reason offered to prove the neceffity of a compliance with this motion, was, that the average expence of maintaining the foldiers, and providing a table for the officers, is 100l. a day; and that the bills already drawn on the chamber, exceed 4000l.

At a meeting of the corporation of York at the Guildhall of that city, a motion was made to address his majesty on the taking of Charles - Town, and the Tup. preflion of the late riots, which was carried, and an address drawn up; but on hearing the fame read, it was, on a divifion, difapproved, 28 to 19.

Some few weeks ago, the poftboy bringing the mail from Ste. venage to Welwyn in Hertfordfhire, was robbed by a man on foot, who at firft was thought to be a farmer in that neighbourhood, whofe cafe was fomewhat fingular. Soon after the robbery was committed, not being converfant in bank notes, he had joined the half of one note of 101. to the half of another of zol, and had paid the fame to a tradefman

in Hertford. This being brought to the bank for payment, caufed a fufpicion, and, on enquiry, the fact was easily traced to the farmer, who, being under no fear of danger, was taken out of his bed without refiftance, and carried to Hertford gaol for trial.

At Oxford affizes, a 26th. cause was tried between the city and university; the queftion was, Whether a tradefman, living in the city, but matriculated by the univerfity, was liable to ferve the office of conftable ? which was determined in the affirmative; but the univerfity, it is faid, intend to carry the final decifion into Westminster-Hall.

It was decided by Lord 30th. Chief Baron Skynner, at Bedford, that evidence which declares the affertions of a perfon fince dead, cannot be admitted in point of law, notwithstanding that perfon did not die till a year and a half after the tranfaction, and the action at law would not have been brought, had that witness been alive.

DIED, At Leeds, Yorkshire, Mr. Wheatley, clothier, aged 106.

At Ditchley, Suffex, Mr. Ifaac Sherman, aged 97.

In the county of Louth, Ireland, Mr. Gernon, aged 125.

In South Wales, Mr. D. Warfam, aged 109.

At Frampton, Hants, Mr. Rob. Pring, aged 103.

Thomas Ellis, fhoemaker, aged

104.

At Burton, Hants, John Bennet, efq. near 100 years old. He was page to queen Anne, at the beginning of her reign.

Samuel Mufgrave, M.D. F.R.S. and formerly of Corpus Chrifti

College, Oxon, well known to the public by his examination before the Houfe of Commons, relative to the peace of 1762; and to the learned, by his notes and collections on Euripides, which the university purchafed, it is faid, for zcol. and have inferted in the fplendid edition of that poet, in four vols. 4°, 1778. He also published many medical tracts.

AUGUST.

Abraham Darnford and

William Newton were ex- 5th. amined before the fitting alderman at Guildhall, being charged by William Warts, clerk to Meffrs. Smith, Wright and Gray, bankers, with robbing and attempting to murder him. It appeared on their examination, that one of the men had lodged an accepted bill at the banking-house, to be received when due, and the money to be remitted into the country, according to direction. As this pretended bill was directed to an empty houfe, and had feveral days to run, the villains in the mean time applied to the perfons who had the letting of the house, to take it, had taken it, and got the key, under pretence of getting the house cleaned. The landlord being made acquainted with the hafte his new tenants were in to take poffeffion, and not very well liking their defcription, defired the iniftrefs of the public house, on the oppofite fide of the way, to have an eye to their proceedings. Accordingly, on the day when the bill became due, the obferved two men enter the house, and open the parlour windows, and prefently after, a third man

came

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