ON

GAME LAWS.

N Thursday the 9th instant a Writ of Inquiry was executed at the Castle of York, on the game laws, before S. W. Nicoll, Esq. assessor for the High-Sheriff of Yorkshire, in a cause between John Smith of Ampleforth, plaintiff; and John Thackray, gamekeeper to Sir Martin Stapylton, of Myton, Bart. defendant. The action was brought for recovering damages from the defendant, acting by his master's express orders, for shooting a greyhound dog, the property of Mr. Smith; who, on the 19th of November last, being qualified both by estate and certificate, was, on an invitation from a friend also qualified-taking a day's diversion in the manor of Helperby, which adjoins the manor of Myton. The defendant seeing the plaintiff and his party, told them he had his master's express directions to shoot all their dogs, if they got into the manor of Myton; being cautioned not to do so, the plaintiff and his party pursued their range in the manor of Helperby; and on a shout being given by some person, the plaintiff's dog passed into the manor of Myton, and the defendant, waiting there for that purpose, shot

him.

The plaintiff laid his damąges at £20; and on a full hearing of the merits, a jury of respectable freeholders expressed their abhorrence of such an arbitrary, illegal, and wanton act, by giving the plaintiff a verdict for the whole sum claimed; which it is hoped may be a means of preventing similar stretches of imagined power, arising

from property, against the protecting laws of this kingdom.

LORD Reay and Mr. Baillie.In the Court of King's Bench, on Friday the 24th inst. Mr. Wigley moved to exhibit articles of the peace against Lord Reay, at the instance of Mr. Baillie. The affidavit upon which the motion was grounded, stated, that Mr. Baillie, in the year 1793, entered into partnership with a Mr. M'Kay, with whom Lord Reay was connected; and the consequence was, that disputes arose, in which his Lordship acted with great heat. He stated also particularly, that some time back, at the opera, his Lordship had insulted Mr. Baillie, and thrust his cane against him; and on several other occasions he had insulted Mr. Baillie. A few days back, both parties being at Mrs. Dupré's masquerade, in Hanover-square, his Lordship annoyed Mr. Baillie while he was at cards, and at last proceeded to the length of attempting to pull his nose. Mr. Baillie en deavoured to strike him in return, but the company parted them. After this fracas, Mr. Baillie was informed that his Lordship waited for him last Sunday in Hyde Park, with the design of further insulting him; and he added that in fact he was there, and Lord Reay was restrained from violence only by the interference of friends. On these grounds he prayed that his Lordship should be bound to find sureties for keeping the peace.

On a subsequent day his Lordship appeared in Court and gave security to keep the peace.

IT

Ir was generally understood at Mrs. Dupré's masquerade, that the nose pulling was nothing more than a comic scene en caractère-but the

principal actors talk of it seriously: the friends of Mr. B. contend that his unfortunate nose was not fairly between Lord R's fingers, and therefore was not profaned! His Lordship's partizan's argue e contra that it was pulled ipso facto, and therefore entitles him to a drawback when his own broken head comes to be estimated ad valorem, a mode likely to be adopted, on these gentlemen -who were in business together— winding up their mercantile accounts, after so whimsical a dissolution of their partnership!

MR. Mellish and Lord Darlington have a match for 5000 guineas, to be run the next Lewes Races, between Sancho and Pavilion, half forfeit. Lord Darlington offered 1200 guineas to be off, but Mr. Mellish wanted 1800. Sancho was afterwards beat easy by Bobtail, which has occasioned such a reverse of opinion, that now Mr. Mellish has tendered 1000 guineas to be off, which Lord Darlington has refused. -Mr Mellish has publickly declared, that when his present engagements are fulfilled, he will never enter another horse to run at Newmarket, under a forfeiture of 5000 guineas.

HORSE stealing is reduced into a complete system in this country:After being stolen and sold at fairs, the animals are re-stolen, conveyed to the sea coast, and exported by smugglers to the German markets, where they generally fetch good prices. A very short time ago, Mr. Bings, of Norfolk, while at 11amburgh, beheld his own hunter sold for ninety guineas, in the public market, by a notorious horse stealer; he applied to the magistrates,

but without effect, and had the additional mortification of being insulted by the thief.

ON Saturday April 13, at the Office in Whitechapel, a man named Gilbert was committed for trial, for a ludicrous kind of felony. He had bargained in Rosemary-lane for a pair of breeches of a very large size, and in trying them on, he contrived to conceal three waistcoats within them. He was in the 67th year

situation under government.

of his age, and lately held a

THE following match was made at York a few days since: Sir H. T. Vane's br c Master Betty, by Sir Peter, agst Lord Foley's b c Hippoto run the Beacon Course at Newcampus, by Coriander, Sst 7lb each, market, on Easter Monday, 1806, for 1000 guineas each, half forfeit.

ONE hundred and ten valuable horses, many of them stallions of the first breed and celebrity, selected in various parts of this country; some English cows, a few dogs, and a number of game cocks and hens, were sent out to Russia, in the fleet which sailed last from Hull.

In one of the ships of the fleet that sailed last week from Falmouth, for the West Indies, went passengers a lady and her seven lap-dogs, for the passage of each of which she paid thirty pounds, on the express condition that they were to dine at the cabin-table, and lap their wine afterwards! Yet these happy dogs do not engross the whole of their good lady's affection: she has also, in Jamaica, forty cats and a husband! ! !

A STURGEON of immense sizę was caught on Tuesday, May 17, in the river Severn, near Highgrove, a few miles from Gloucester. It measured nine feet in length, and weighed lcwt. 3qrs.

POETRY.

WHEN

A Burlesque.

HEN Music, stiff-rump'd witch,
was young,

The Passions, frisky dogs, for fun,
To hear her sing to country boors,
Would darken oft her dirty doors;
Dancing, swearing, drinking, cursing-
The devil surely had their nursing.
But once, 'tis said, when all were fir'd,
And ev'ry soul with drink inspir'd,
From wooden pegs, that stuck around,
Each snatch'd an instrument of sound;
And as they oft had heard her squalling
Their ear-drums crack, so hoarse her

bawling,

Each Passion now, who was not too-sick,
Would prove he had a soul for music.
First, stagg'ring Fear jumpt in the mid-
dle,

Arm'd with an old Cremona fiddle,
But soon recoil'd-for you must know,

He seiz'd the stick direct,
And stepping back to give it more effect,
He trod on Music's toe.
Quick to revenge the lady's corn,

Pale Anger rush'd-in dreadful ire, His eyeballs red, his nose on fireHe seiz'd from off its peg, the brazen horn; "Scoundrel, thy time is come," he said, And lifting, high, his arm in air, To teach poor Fear, in future, care, He broke the clumsy rascal's head. 'Twas wan Despair first saw him sinking,

And would have lent a helping hand, But, while they squabbled, she'd been drinking,

And got so drunk, she could'nt stand. When Hope arose, the frumpish gipsy, And seeing ev'ry soul was tipsy,

VOL. XXVI, No. 152.

Her voice awoke the tim'rous Fear, Who saw there was no Passion near, So caught her round the neck, and kiss'd

"Get up you jade-prepare to wag to market,

For whether you have drank your fill,

Or whether you are really ill, 'Tis very clear you're cursed sick, And spoilt completely Music's Turkey carpet."

When Cheerfulnes, a playful hussy,,
Suspecting strongly Melancholy,

To've been guilty of the folly-
Of getting muzzy,
And hearing such a horrid din,
Advanc'd, but soon was seen retiring,
Lucky, indeed, she 'scap'd expiring,
So strong alas! the smell of Holland gin.
Last of this precious drunken crew,

Brisk Joy arose, and briefly said,
Let those who've nothing else to do,
Adjo urn to bed;

But ere we go, from songs before us,
Let's one select that all can sing,
He then being rather mellow,
Began to bellow,

God save the king,

While ev'ry bawling Passion join'd in chorus.

O Music, manly, nervous maid,
I sing, how with a broomstick's aid,
You made your noisy inmates cease,
With only that and elbow grease;
How, as they finish'd their last stanza,
You ope'd your eyes, like Sancho Panza,
Like him, in Stentor's voice, exclaim'd,
While at their heads your broomstick
aim'd,

What's all this cursed noise about,
You knaves, you rascal-dogs, get out,
Retreat ye thieves, out, out, ye bobtail

crew,

Or ev'ry scoundrel's head is black and

blue:

How could I make so curs'd a blunder, What will the neighbours say, I wonder,