at Guildhall, to open the commiffion iffued out under the feal of the exchequer, for appointing more lawful keys or wharfs in the port of London, those not being fufficient for the trade which were appointed in the reign of king Charles II. The merchants trading to the conquered islands, carried up their petition to the fecretary of state's office, in order to be laid before his majesty and council, praying that they may have a farther time to get in their effects, and fettle their affairs, than what what is allowed them by the preliminary articles, before thofe islands are restored. FRIDAY, December 10. Came on a trial in the court of Common Pleas at Guildhall before lord chief justice Pratt, wherein two eminent merchants were plaintiffs, and a lighterman defendant: the action was brought by the plaintiffs for damage of goods fuftained by the defendant's lighter being funk, to the amount of ninety pounds and upwards; when his lordship thought proper to nonfuit the plaintiffs, and to allow the defendant full cost of fuit, being no ways liable to pay damage where there is no proof of neglect. A packet was dispatched from lord Halifax's office, with the thanks of the house of commons to prince Ferdinand of Brunfwick, for his great and distinguished fervices to this country. The clerks of the admiralty-office and the war-office have been greatly employed in copying letters written by the lords commiffioners of the admiralty, and the fecretary at war, by order of the house of commons, to the feveral officers of the navy and army, thanking them, in the name of that honourable houfe, for the meritorious and eminent fervices which they have done to their king and country during the present war. The feveral officers belonging to the embodied militia have had the thanks of a branch of the legislative power given them, for their important fervices during the war. SATURDAY, December 11, A letter was read in full congregation at the fenate houfe, Cambridge, from the king of Naples to the university, in answer to one of thanks lately fent from thence, for his royal prefent to the public library, of two magnificent books of the difcoveries at Herculaneum; which, we hear, are foon to be followed by a third volume, Lately died at Holt in Norfolk, Robert Brown, who for near 34 years rode post from that place to Thetford (which is 46 measured miles) fix days in every week, and never miffed but one day in that period, till he left off about 12 days before his death. During the time he has rode, he has been in Holt (where his refidence was) every day, morning and evening, in all the faid 34 years. In this ftage he which has rode a thousand miles a month; is esteemed a remarkable performance in horsemanship. Norwich. This night about eight, Matthew Bullitoft, the Hindolveston carrier, in his return from Norwich, thro the field between Reepham and Sall, the evening being very dark, mistook the road, drove fo near a marl pit that the bank gave way, and the cart fell in, and himself, his horses, and a paffenger (belonging to this parish) all perished. The goods, to a confiderable value, are damaged. They were difcovered next morning, by a perfon looking after fome cattle. SUNDAY, December 1 2. This Hungerford. There lived in this town, a couple named Cheney, each about 70° years of age. They kept one maid, but were fo very penurious that they would' not allow her fire to fit by in the coldest weather; and not caring the fhould fit with them, tha maid commonly went to fome neighbour's in the evening, with orders to be at home by 9 o'clock. being the case last night, and she returning about the ufual hour, could not make any body hear her; and thinking her master and mistress had been quarrelling, and that they might be gone to bed out of humour, had refolved not to let her in, (which, it feems, had been the cafe before) she returned to her friend, telling her what had happened, and laid with her all night. This morning she returned home at feven, eight, and nine o'clock, and nobody anfwering her, she went a back way into the garden, fo into the houfe, where the found her mafter fitting in his chair, murdered by a blow from an axe, or bill, and her mistress wallowing in her blood upon the ground, having been mangled in the most barbarous manner imaginable, ftill breathing, but quite fenfelefs, and past all possibility of recovery. This man was formerly in trade, but has for many years lived upon the interest of his money. It was reported in the town All town that he was to have received 8ool. about a week ago; but whether he did or not, is not yet known, which is fuppofed to have occafioned this horrid act. the money that was in his or her pockets was taken away, as well as the money that was in the house, but nothing elfe, neither watch nor rings. It is fuppofed the villain coming in behind Cheney cleaved his fcull in two before he had time to rife, and the head falling backwards, fupported him in the chair. MONDAY, Dec. 13. A caufe was tried in the court of King's Bench at Guildhall, on an action brought by a woman against one Buil, a publican, for promifing her marriage, and afterwards marrying another. After a hearing of two hours, the jury withdrew for about half an hour, and brought in a verdict for the defendant; it appeared by the evidence, that the promife was made when the defendant was fo much in liquor that he did not know what he said. The firût dividend of the Havannah prize money is to be as follows: Commanders in chief 75,000l. each. It is faid that the treasure from the Havannah amounts to upwards of 2,200, ooo). The great caufe has lately been determined, that peas and beans gathered green, and carried to market, are a rectorial or great tythe, and not a vicarial or small one. This is of great confequence to the landed eftates about London, where fuch vait quantities are gathered green for the London markets. They are always looked upon as great tythes in the parishes of Fulham, Chiswick, Ealing, Ifleworth, Twickenham, Kingston, &c. was fixed at a price not exceeding 11. 125. per lamp. A bill for raising 2000l. towards paying the orphans of this city, was read a third time, and paffed. A writ of error was, by advice of the most eminent council, directed to be bronght into the houfe of lords, in relation to the cause concerning the Diffenters refusing to ferve the office of sheriff of this city. WEDNESDAY, Dec. 15. At a meeting of the fociety of arts, a gold medal was adjudged to John Freeman, Efq; of Chute-lodge, for fowing the largest quantity of Spanish chefnuts, he having fowed above one hundred thoufand. This night, Haynes, who kept a diforderly house in Fleet-lane, his wife, and another woman, were re-examined before Sir Charles Afgill, at Guildhall, for robbing an officer in Haynes's houfe laft Monday night, about twelve o'clock, of thee banknotes, viz. one of 100l. and the other two of 50l. each, and his purse with two ducats, eight guineas, and fome other pieces of money; and after a long examination, Haynes and his wife were committed to Newgate, and the other woman was difcharged. Haynes denied knowing any thing of the matter on Tuesday, when before Sir Charles; but that night he was difcovered, in the Poultry-Compter, endeavouring to fwallow the notes; upon which a perfon fqueezed him by the throat, where they fuck, which caufed the difcovery, and nipping him hard, be brought up the 100l. note, and one of gol. The other was found in his hand. THURSDAY, Dec. 16. The right hon. James Smith Stanley, commonly called ford Strange, was, by his majesty's command, fworn of his majesty's most honourable Privy-council; and took his place at the board accordingly. At Waddington in Lincolnshire, a young woman, who was to have been married on the Tuesday morning, took it into her head to drown herfelf, which the attemp ted to do by jumping into a well the morning before; but there not being water enough to drown her, the remained some time, and was taken out by fome people who heard a noife; he was put to bed immediately, and by other proper affiftince was fo well recovered as to be married on the Friday morning after. A few Mag. A few days ago, William Buck, driver to the waggon of Mr. Warren, mealman, of Bath, alighting from the waggon, at Atford in Wiltshire, his foot flipped, and falling down, the wheels went over his breaft, and killed him on the spot. FRIDAY, Dec. 17. Orders are given for a proper lift to be prepared of all the land and feamen in his majesty's fervice in their different ranks, that were killed during the war, in order to fettle proper penfions on their widows during their lives. This morning fome gentlemen being out a fox-hunting, about 16 or 18 miles from London, the fox, after leading them a fine chace, took towards town, and came in at Oxford-road, along which it ran a great way, and got into Hanover-fquare, where it was pursued by men and dogs feveral times round, and at last was taken up alive, being quite spent and tired. SATURDAY, Dec. 18. the old notion of drawing blood from a Canterbury. The whole country, from Deal to Dover, has been very much alarmed at a report, which univerfally prevailed, that the fon of one John Ladd, of the parish of East-Langdon, a boy between 13 and 14 years old, was bewitched: the imposture, as it plainly appeared, was carried on both by the father and mother of the faid boy; they reported, that needles and pins (fome hundreds) worked out of the boy's body; but, unluckily, they affirmed that the heads came foremoft; and they accufed the wife of one John Pritchers, of West Langdon, a very decent woman, fomewhat in years, with bewitching the faid boy. This, as ufual, was eafily fwallowed by the credulous vulgar, and drew great multitudes of people to Eaft-Langdon, by whom money was collected for the unhappy boy, and every body's mouth was opened against the fuppofed witch, whom they threatened with deftruction, agreeably thereunto, on Sunday the 28th of Nov. laft, a number of people furrounded the dwelling of the faid John Pritchers, and several of them entered forcibly therein, drew his wife out by violence, and compelled her to go to Ladd's house, about a mile from her own, into the room where the boy then lay, he having kept his bed for fome time before; where, by the affiftance of one Richard Beard, the boy and his mother too, to carry on the farce, agrecable to made on Mrs. Pritchers, but could not, or at leaft would not, affign any reason for their fo doing, chufing rather to make her fufficient amends for the violence they had been guilty of; and they accordingly made her ample fatisfaction. Lately died, near Ferrybridge, Yorkfhire, one Mr. Raycroft, who by his wil has left Weftly Manor Hall, in that county, for the refidence of twelve decayed tradesmen of London, with a stipend of And a few days fince, 201. per annum. the governors of the Charter-houfe, under whofe direction it is left, appointed that number of proper perfons, whofe income commenced from the time of appointment. MONDAY, Dec. 20. A fifter of Mr. Clarke the brewer (who was convicted, and now in Newgate, for buying cafks, knowing them to be stolen, and againft whom there is a commission of bankruptcy) was this night committed to Newgate by the commiffioners, for refufing to answer certain interrogatories propounded to her by them, touching his effects. TUESDAY, Dec. 21. Westminster. This day his majefty went to the House of Peers, and gave the royal affent to, An act for granting an aid to his ma jefty by a land-tax, to be raised in Great Britain, for the fervice of the year 1763. An act for continuing and granting to his majefty, certain duties upon malt, mum, cyder, and perry, for the fervice of the year 1763. An act for repairing the road from Dunftable, in the county of Bedford, to Shafford-house, in the county of Hertford. An act for repairing the road, thro' Wel- A Gear A General Bill of all the Chriftnings and Burials, from December 15, 1761, to December Males chriftened Females In all Under two years of age 14, 1762. Between two and five Ten and twenty Twenty and thirty Thirty and forty Forty and fifty Abortive and Stilborn Aged Ague Apoplexy and Suddenly Asthma and Phthifick. Bedridden 2287 Sixty and seventy Bleeding 6 Meafles 122 Births, Marriages, Deaths, &c. will be inferted in our newt. 200 202 of the entertainment of his 547 Anatomical elucidation of a text in Anecdote of an English ambaidor, December, 1762. Bacon (lord chancellor) life of 24 Better ton, Mr. Thomas, life of 617 Bridgwater, duke of, genealogy of 129 Bristol, bifhop of, his remark in his 312 156 Candour in controverfy recom- Romans 153 Cromwell (Oliver) anecdote of D. 199 377 355 581 79 Deaths, 56, 168, 223, 280, 336, 4 R Decla- |