On the 31st of July, a memorial was prefented to the Rt. Hon. Ld Provoft of Edinburgh, from a number of gentlemen and merchants, fetting forth that the order of council in the Gazette, for quarantine of 40 days by all veffels from Dantzick, Regal and Ducal Pruffia, and Pomerania, while it evinced the attention of Government to prevent the dreadful confequences of peftilence; at the fame time would be productive of direful effects relative to cargoes of foreign grain; that fuch was the fituation of the city of Edinburgh and neighbourhood; that there was not a fufficient fupply of corn in the granaries to ferve three weeks; that all dependence was laid on the expected arrivals; the utility of which would be defeated if the quarantine was rigidly enforced. Thefe facts were fubmitted to his Lordship, who immediately requested the prefence and advice of his Majefty's Advocate, together with the Lords Kennel and Efkgrove, Sir John Dalrymple, Mr. Solicitor Campbell, and John Davifon, Efq; Agent for the Crown. The refult of which was that a letter, ftating all the facts already mentioned was ordered to be tranfmitted to the Rt. Hon. Lord North, Secretary of State for the home department, to be by him prefented to his Majetty in Privy Council, praying that fuch relaxation may be allowed in the difcharge of all cargoes of foreign grain, as the diftreffed fituation of the country fo loudly calls for.

The attention that was paid to this application may be gathered from the following proclamation, publifhed in the London Gazette of the 7th, ftating, that his Majefty, having taken the premifes intoconfideration, is pleafed, with the advice of his Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, that the quarantine at prefent fubfifting upon all fhips coming from Dantzick, &c. fo far as refpects fhips laden with corn or grain, be taken off; and that all ships and veffels already arrived, or that may hereafter arrive from thofe places, laden with corn or grain, be permitted to ditcharge their refpective ladings without Baracking, opening, or airing, and without performing any quarantine, fubject, nevertheless, to fuch regulations as are ufually obferved upon incb cafions, to fecure the country from the effects of any infection.

On the 19th inftant came on to be tried before the Lords of Seffion, a bill of fufpenfion and liberation, at the inftance of the noted Dr. James Graham, against the Lord Provoft and Magiftrates of Edinburgh for falfe imprisonment and exacting exorbitant bail, when their Lordships were pleafed to approve the imprifonment; but to discountenance their proceedings in exacting exorbitant bail, as they no doubt had in view the affumed character and apparent opulence of the Doctor, whereas the Doctor was in reality an inferior perfon, "and therefore their

Lordships were pleafed to reftrict the bail from 1000l. Scots to 50 marks [about 15 guineas] upon which the Doctor was liberated from prifon; but bound to take his trial for the feveral offences with which he was charged. See p. 711.

PORT NEWS.

From Aldborough, Suffolk, That dead bodies and pieces of wreck have been daily thrown on fhore for fome time, and that a great deal of damage has been done to the fhipping there, and the country round, by the thunder and lightning.

From Greenock, That the Fly, of North Carolina, from Virginia, with tobacco, has arrived there, being the firft from the United States, after a paffage of 36 days. She brings advice, that the continent is full of goods, that fell under prime coit.

Whitby, July 26.

A thip just arrived at this place brings the following account; "We parted from the Marlborough and Prifcilla on the 8th, about 100 leagues to the Weftward of the Orkneys, the weather fo very thick that fometimes we could not fee three ships length. There were ten ihips failed from Holland to Davis's Straits, of which eight got their paffage, one was loft in the Straits, the people faved. A Hambuagh fhip was loft, and all the people pe rished."

Accounts from Newcafle, Yarm, Darlington, Stokelley, and other places in the North, are full of the damages done all over the county of York by the thunder and lightning. A brig belonging to Sunderland was ftruck by lightning off Robin Hood's-bay; the was fplit quite through the middle, and funk immediately. The crew faved themfelves in their boat.

On the 27th of July a moft tremendous form of thunder and lightning alarmed the town of Plymouth. The lathes of lightning were fo quick, and the claps of thunder fo loud, that the most hardy were not without their terrors. Several were beat down of crouched, fome were frack blind for fome time, and many were flightly hurt; but, except a failor ftruck dead at the mast head of the Leocadia, we hear of none killed.

From Harwich, Aug. 1. A foreign fhip laden with deals was brought into this har bour by four of our fishing fmacks; they found her driving in the North Sea without any perfon on board, full of water, and her rudder beat off. It is fuppofed her crew had quitted her.

ADVICES from the COUNTRY.

Amongst other effects of the late ftorms in July (fee p. 621) the steeple of Ashbourn church, in Derbyshire, was demolished; as was that of St. Mary's at Lei efter, which had met with a fimilar accident in 1762

At Hinckley, the houfe mentioned inp. 531, was that used as the Roman Catholic chy pel

chapel. The windows of the new Methodift tabernacle were alfo greatly thattered by another form in July; and the tenor bell of the church received a large crack in the crown of it, not to be accounted for in any way unlefs by lightning, though no trace remains of the electric fluid's entrance or paffing off. Conductors have fince been placed at many of the principal houses on a, plan fuggefted by Mr. Robinfon, which feems to have been lately approved by the London electricians, namely, by fixing a thick perpendicular wire at each end of the houfe, and connecting them by a third along the ridge of the house. Among the extraordinay effects of the lightning at this town, its influence on vegetation is not the leaft furprifing. A fice pear-tree (at the outfide of a houfe) was totally fcorched, from top to bottom, for the width of about half a foot, and for fome days apparently dead; but hath fince put forth new thoots and young fpring leaves, with affonithing luxuriance, in thofe parts which were fcorched, and in thofe only.

At Olney, in Buckinghamshire, on Sunday the 20th of July the form of thunder and lightning was the moft awful ever remembered by the oldest inhabitant. A blaze of lightning came down the chimney, and ftruck Mr. Hind fpeg hlefs for fome time. It made its way through several parts of the houfe, and damaged the cicling.

The fame day the thunder was very dreadful at Norwich, and the lightning vivid and inceffant; but no damage done in the city.

July 26. In the hamlet of Pockthorpe, a ball of fire fell on a dwelling houfe, and paffed through it without doing any material injury, but the chimney of another houfe was beat down. At Needham, near Harleftn, a barn was burnt down; a man and boy had but a few minutes before taken thelter in it, who fortunately received no other hurt than one of them having his eyebrows finged. A large oak tree was split at Sarfton, and another at St. Fairb's. A heifer at Rufball was ftruck dead. At Fakenbam, a man-fervant going to the door to look at the tempeit, was fuddenly heat backwards, and remained infenfible for fome mi

At Whitchurch, in Hampshire, a body of electric fire entered the porch of the Whitehart-ion, on the 21ft inft. by which the landlord and his wife, a maid-fervant, and a paffenger, were all ftruck down, but foon recovered, the paffenger only excepted, whofe legs and thighs remained benumbed for many hours afterwards. It shivered the kitchen chimney-piece to atoms, penetrated a wall near it two feet deep, and otherwise damaged the houfe confiderably.

At Winchester the fame form alarmed that city, but did no material damage.

At Liverpool, and its neighbourhood, a very heavy form of thunder and lightning happened on the 19th inft. by which a hattock of corn was fet on fire at one village, and a rick of hay at another. A cow was killed in the neighbourhood of Walton, and a woman ftruck dead in a cottage in Wallbrooke-Moor; a man and child that food by were unhurt.

There is no year upon record when the lightning was fo fatal in this ifland as the prefent; our limits will not admit of half the damage done by it.

At York Affizes a caufe was tried on the ftatute of ufury. The witness upon whose fingle teftimony the action was fupported was a young tradefman, who underwent a long and fevere crofs-exemination, when it appeared, that the defendant, in difcounting bills, had exacted near 16 per cent. The Jury brought in a verdict with treble cofts on the fum difcounted, viz. 36ool, which the Judge wifled them to re-confider, as it might be the ruin of the defendant's family. To this they agreed, and mitigated the fentence to 3901.

From Launceston, that a flight shock of an earthquake was felt there on the 9th mát.

At Lincoln Affizes fix perfons were capitally convicted, viz. two for coining, three for theep fealing, and one for itealing a

mare.

At Bedford Afizes four convicts received fentence of death, viz. a fervant girl for wilfully fetting fire to fome corn-tacks, by which they were burnt down; two for theep feeling; and one for horse-stealing.

At Nottingham Ailizes four were capitally convicted, viz. one for ftealing a mare, two for houfe-breaking, and one for a highway robbery.

At Leicefter Affizes two criminals received fentence of death for a highway robbery.

At Exeter Aflizes a young gentleman was found guilty of counterfeiting franks, and received fentence of transportation for the fame.

At Worcester Affizes feven were condemned to die, viz. one for murder; three for theepHealing; one, a woman, for thop-.ifting t one for horfe-ftealing; and one for housebreaking.

From Bedford, That on the 14th inft. a fmall hay-flack taking fire about the middle

of

of the day, fet the whole town of Potton in flames, which burnt for near four and twenty hours before it was extinguished. The damage is faid to amount to 50,000l. very little of which was infured. There were two engines, but fo much out of repair as to be of little ufe. Later accounts leffen the damages. From Birmingham, That the mills at Tamworth, all but the corn-mill, took fire, and were burnt to the ground, but by what accident is not known.

More houses have lately been broken open and robbed in Birmingham and its neighbourhood than has ever been known; and rewards have been iffved for apprehend. ing the villains, but without effect.

The remaining eftates belonging to the York-building Company were lately fold by auction in the Parliament House at Edinburg; confifting of

102,537

At afiizes held at Southampton, one Charles Larford was found guilty of murder, on the 9th infant, and was ordered for execution on Monday the 11th, but the Judge being fold that the executioner was employed in his duty at Winchefter affizes, the exeution was refpited for a few days. In the mean time fome circumstances came out in the man's favour, that gave rife to an application to the Judge for a further refpite, which was granted, and it is fuppofed the man will be pardoned.

At Salisbury affizes ten criminals received fentence of death; one for robbing the Bristol mail; a woman for the murder of her baftard child; three for highway robberies; two for burglary; two for horfe-ftealing, and one for houfe-breaking.

At the affizes for the county of Berks a very critical caufe came on to be tried on the Nifi Prius fide. It was an ejectment brought by John Gregory against Philip Mayne, for the recovery of an eftate held by Mayne, under the will of the teftator Francis Gregory, uncle to the claimant, which eftate Gregory claimed under a prior

volunteer fettlement of the deceased. The execution of the deed of fettlement appeared to be done with all the formalities of the law by a very respectable attorney, who however, could not fwear to the indentity of the deceased, having never feen him to his knowledge before, the point then was, Whether the deed was the act of the uncle or of another who might have perfonated him, which the defendant ftrongly infifted was the cafe; but the plaintiff produced a variety of circumftances, fome of which aftonished as well as convinced the judge and jury of the identity of the perfon, and turned the cause clearly in his nephew's favour, who had a verdict accordingly.

From Stockbridge that fome men digging near Haughton, river found a large piece of lead with fome emblematical figures and an infcription, by which it is fuppofed to have been buried near 1000-years.

From the island of Jersey, that the barracks there were lately blown up, and 21 men, one child, and a woman big with child, were buried under the ruins. Ten of the men were foon dug out alive. It was fortunate that it happened in the day time when most of the men were abroad, or a much greater number must have perished. No one knows by what means this accident happened.

From Bristol, that on the 20th inft, a most impetuous rain fell there, acccompanied with the most tremendous claps of thunder that ever was remembered by the oldeft man living. A ball of fire fell upon an empty house, which fhattered the roofing, and fe veral other houfes were damaged, but no lives loft.

From Salisbury, that a violent form of thunder and lightning, attended with a delage of rain, happened there on the 214 inftant. The rain fell rather in a fheet of water than in drops, but extended but a very little way from the city.

At the affizes at Bury a caufe came on to be tried on the Nifi Prius fide, which drew the country together to hear the particulars. A Mifs R-n, of Beccles, was plaintiff, and a Mrs. R-n, defendant. The action was brought for defamation, and the damages laid at roool. as the plaintif pleaded that her marriage with Mr. L-e, a young cler gyman, had been prevented by the defama tory words fpoken by the defendant. The words proved in Court were, "that the [the plaintiff ] was a wh-re, and, if neceffary, the defendant could prove it." Mr. L-e, who boarded with the defendant, was the chief evidence for the profecution, owned his promife of marriage, which he would have fulfilled if the defendant would have owned herfelf in the wrong and recanted. A gentleman appeared to the credit of the plaintiff. And on the part of the defendant, a young furgeon, who deposed that at a time when he was intimate with the

He

Withers,

witnefs, Le, the converfation had often turned upon his intimacy with Mifs R-n; and that he had always declared to him he never meant to marry her. The jury, after being out fome time, brought in a verdict for the plaintiff, with 50l. damages.

At Croydon aflizes for the county of Surrey, the trial of a man and woman for throwing a failor out of a window in Mint-ftreet, by which his fkull was fractured (fee p. 747.) when the fact being proved they were both found guilty.-The woman appeared to be a moft abandoned proftitute, and after the judge had pronounced fentence, the man turned to her, and faid, "Now you fee what you have brought me to!" At the above aflize nine other criminals were capitally convicted, viz. (two young midshipmen) for a foot-pad robbery, as were four others for like offences, one for horfe-tealing, one for Healing plate, and one for the highway.

At the affizes at Newcastle came on the trial of Dr. Scott, indicted on the Black Act, for fhooting at a man who was hired to dodge him and his company wherever they went a fporting. It appeared upon the trial, that the Doctor Aluthed a woodcock and fhot at it, that the man was at the diftance of 87 yards; that he was unhurt, and untouched, and that the whole was a moft malicious profecution, and the Judge ordered the Doctor a copy of his indictment. See p. 537

At Exeter affizes 23 criminals were capitally convicted; of whom two were for murder; 13 for highway robberies; 7 for fheep-ftealing; and one for houfe-breaking.

From Halifax, that Thomas Spencer and Mark Sallowfall, two of the ring-leaders of the late riots, (fee p. 531) were executed on Beacon-hill near that town, on a gallows erected for that purpose. Spencer was about 56 years of age, had been in the army, and was a penfioner on Chelfea college. Sallowftall was a tout young man, only 19 years of age, and lately difbanded from the army.

in objection to the decifion upon his cafe? He prefented a paper nearly to the following effect, which, on account of the extreme foreness of his throat, was read by Mr. Reynolds, the Clerk of the Arraigns: "I dare not challenge the juftice of my vordict: I am, however, confcious of my innocence; and I hope that my life will be preferved by the royal clemency of my fovereigo, on whofe bounty it has long subfifted." Mr. Harrifon then ftated the nature of the offence, obferving, that the guilt of the prifoner being declared by a Jury of his countrymen, it was no longer to be difputed. He next adverted to the circumftances of the cafe, and the fituation of the criminal, remarking, that the forgery had been carried on with that ingenuity and art which were moft dangerous, as tending to elude the probability of detection. The pri foner, he said, had obtained credit with his fellow-citizens, and unjustly made use of it for the purposes of deceit. While the extent of his abilities, as an artift, was on the one hand a fubject of admiration; on the other, by the ill use he had applied them to, it became a matter of regret. To support credit, and continue the circulation of paper, fuch offences must be neceffarily punished with death. He recommended to the pri foner the cultivation of a truly penitential difpofition, as the beft and only means of obtaining favour at the bar of Heaven; and then pronounced the ufual fentence, which was received by Mr. Ryland with great fortitude and compofure. Mr. Ryland being removed, the other convicts (twelve in number) were brought to the bar, and asked the ufual questions. Three of them fell on their knees, and folicited mercy; one or two afferted their innocence; and the reft tacitly acquiefced in the justice of their feveral fentences.

The convicts were, Thomas Burges, for a footpad robbery: John Edwards, for forging a failor's will and power, with intent to cheat him of his prize-money; William Smith, alias Leveridge, Edward Elfon, William Strong, Jacob Ringrove Atkinson, and George Gahagen, for highway-robberies; James Brown, alias Oatley, for houfe-breaking; William Harper, for horfe-stealing; James Rivers, alias Davis, for a robbery in a dwelling-houfe; and John Lloyd, for a like offence.

The fight of fo many unhappy men, who, by their crimes, had forfeited their lives to the laws of juftice aud of their country, accompanied by the ferious admonitions addreffed to them, was truly awful.

Lloyd, who had made a practice of robe bing houfes, as mentioned p. 625, was after a long trial found guilty. In his defence he endeavoured to throw the blame on the maid who was the caufe of his commitment, but that only aggravated his crime, and tended to his conviction,

Mon

Monday 4.

Came on before the Right Hon. Lord Loughborough and Judge Athurst, Lords Commiffioners of the Great Seal, the petition of Thomas Wooldridge, Efq. on behalf of himself and Henly Kelly, Efq. his brother-in-law and partner.

The petition prayed, that a commiffion of bankruptcy that had been fued out against them by Meff. Cooper, Gerrat, and Taddy, teamen, might be fuperfeded, and that they might have liberty to proceed by law againft the faid perfons for fuch an oppreffive and cruel proceedure; which prayer the Court was pleafed to comply with. Mr. Wooldridge has now a fuit depending with the Corporation of London for removing him from the office of Alderman.

Monday 11.

Four of the feamen who, by à court martial, were fentenced to die for a mutiny on board the Raifonable (fee p. 626.) were ordered for execution at Sheernefs; one on board the Scipio, one on board the Dictator, one on board the Carnatic, and one on board the Thetis: this laft was reprieved just as he was ready to be hoifted up. The other three fuffered.

Another of those unhappy men, who was to have been executed on board the Irrefiftible at Chatham, was reprieved the very inftant he thought of dying.

Tuesday 12.

Being the birth-day of his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales, the fame was celebrated with great feftivity by numerous bodies of private friends; but the public celebration was deferred till the 21st of April next.

Sir William Hamilton, lately arrived from his embaffy to the court of Naples, and from vifiting the ruins and devaftations made in Calabria by the late Earthquake, was at court, and had a long conference with his Majefty. An interefting account of the above ruins may be foon expected from the mafterly pen of this ingenious naturalift.

The deputy recorder made his report of the convicts who received fentence of death at the affizes for June laft, when Thomas Davis, George Adams, alias Peat, Richard Pratt, John Fentum, James Grant, William Smith, John Bitten, and John Merella, were ordered for execution. Fourteen were refpited.

Wednesday 14.

A lady was fummoned before the court of requels for the board of a favourite cat 14 months, at the rate of a halfpenny a day. The cat was produced in court, when the lady fwearing the cat was not hers, the plaintiff was nonfuited.

order to take his trial for his late injurious publications in this city.-Nothing can be a ftronger fatire on the police of this country for fuffering this man's pernicious exhibitions to have their full effect than this commitment. See p. 707.

A meffenger arrived with an account of the fafe arrival of Prince William Heury at Hanover. Saturday 16.

His Majefty's order of Council for fhips coming from Dantzick to perform quarantine was fufpended.

About 90 convicts were fhipped on board the Swift tranfport, bound, as it is faid, to Nova Scotia-If Nova Scotia is to be made the receptacle for convicts, the Loyalifts there will be placed in fine company!

About 60 convicts from the county goals were hippeed off for Africa-A much more proper place for them.

This being the birth-day of his R. H. Pr. Frederick, Bp. of Ofnaburgh, who now enters the 21st year of his age, their Majefties received the compliments of the nobi lity on the occafion at Windfor.

Monday 18.

Between nine and ten at night a ball of fire of confiderable magnitude was feen to pafs over London, and apparently to fall near Sydenham hills. But, by accounts of its progrefs, its direction was various and had no fettled courfe; nor is it certain where it took its rife, nor where it burft. We have accounts of its having been feen at Edinburgh, and all along the road from thence till it paffed the British Channel; but, what is most aftonishing, it was feen at Bath, as appears by the following extract of an authentic letter from a person of honour there to his friend at Bromley, in Kent, dated

Bath, Aug. 19.

A CURIOUS phænomenon, or meteor, appeared in the atmosphere about nine laft night. Its direction was from Eaft to Weft, and its movement very rapid. It gave a light equal to that of half a dozen rockets, which it refembled in appearance. In paffing through fome clouds the noife was like that of hot iron put into water. Its explofion was very loud; and it feemed, when fcattered, to defcend like a fhower of fire.

In the year 1738 this Magazine has made a faithful record of a fimilar phænomenon feen first in Devonthire, and then proceeding across the country, to a vast extent. As it is fo long ago that many of our readers may not be in poffeffion of the record, it may be

matter