of the place, by indecently prattling with each other. The place was moft largely attended. Their Majefties, with all the royal family, except the prince of Wales, were prefent, and moft of the rank and fathion of the country. The duke of Cumberland fat in the fame place with the directors. fome indeed violated the decorum the bills fo difcounted. The evidence on the part of the plaintiff was J. M. Millea, who is at prefent, it appeared, a prifoner in the King's Bench, but who fome time fince had tranfacted bufiuefs to a large amount at the bank of the defendants. In the month of May, 1786, he applied for the purpofe of difcounting three feveral bills to the amount of 5000l. being the acceptance of Mr. Cazalet, a merchant in the city, at four, five, and fix months date. They complied with his request; but instead of the cath which he was entitled to receive, as having paid the full difcount, they paid him with their own acceptances at fixty days fight; and this it was contended was an overcharge, to the amount of these two months intereft on the fum difcounted. We understand there was a demand from the public of five hundred more tickets, which was rejećted, in order that the company might enjoy the moft perfect accommodation. JUNE. ift. A trial of a fingular nature In reply, it was proved on the part of the defendants, that the evidence, on being asked how he would be paid, had made choice of thefe acceptances in preferences to cath; and that he himself had antedated the checks, to make it appear as if they had been tranfmitted from Dublin; and it was urged, that thefe acceptances were equivalent, to cash, as if they had been prefented at any time, even within the fixty days, he would immediately have been paid the full amount, Exceptions were also taken to the credibility of Millea as a party interested in the caufe, it being fully proved that the plaintiff now cohabited with him in prison, and that previous to his confinement they had been generally received as man and wife. From thefe confiderations the jury, with the fullest approbation of the court, inftantly found a verdict for the defendants. At "Your moft obedient humble fervant, '(L. S.) WALTER STIRLING. To George Peters, Efq. Ac cepted, 'Bank of England.' Geo. Peters. 'Indorfed-John Moffatt, now furgeon of the Scipio guardthip at Sheerness.' Upon the evidence, the guilt of the prifoner was clearly established; but upon inspection of the bill, it was found to be drawn upon paper with only a two-penny ftamp; whereas by 23 Geo. III. c. 49, upon all paper on which any bill of exchange fhall be drawn for less than 5ol. there fhall be paid a ftampduty of fixpence. It was therefore objected, that as this was not a legal bill of exchange, it not being properly ftamped, it could not become the fubject of an indictment for forgery. But upon the authority of the cafe of the king verfus Hawkefwood, the objection was over-ruled. How ever, in looking over the acts of parliament relating to bills of exchange, it was found to be enacted by 17 Geo. III. c. 30. That all negotiable bills of exchange above 20s. and under 51. fhall specify the names and places of abode of the perfons to whom, or to whofe order, the fame fhall be made payable; and that every indorsement thercon fhall fpecify the name and place of abode of the payer; and that both the figning and indorsement of fuch bill fhall be attefted by one fubfcribing witness.-A doubt was therefore conceived by Mr. Recorder, whether this indictment could be fupported, as for forging a bill of exchange, which upon the face of it, by the express directions of the slatute, was void. He therefore recorded the verdict guilty, but refpited the judgment until the opinion of the judges was had upon this point. And at the laft fethion, Mr. Juftice Afhhurft delivered the opinion of the judges, that the indictment could not be maintained. 18th. Arrived with his fuit, in perfect health,at Portsmouth, from Gibraltar, Sir George Auguftus Elliott. On his coming on fore he was faluted with the guns of the feveral batteries, and honoured with every teftimony of public gratitude. At night there was a general illumination, and every demonstration of joy. He was accommodated at the house of the commiflioner, and arrived in town the 20th. Oxford, June 18. One of the greateft efforts in walking that has been known was this day performed by a fawyer of this place in Port Meadow; he walked fifty miles in nine hours and an half. At eight in the morning he started, walked till one, when he dined, and at half after five won his wager. He was allowed ten hours to do it in, but went over his ground with ease in nine hours and an half, and was fo little fatigued with his expedition, that that he refufed a carriage, and walked into town two miles from the field, amidst the acclamations of numbers who occafionally accompanied him in the courfe of the day. 26th. Andrew Robinfon Bowes, Efq; Edward Lucas, Francis Peacock, Mark Provoft, and Henry Bourn, were, pursuant to order, brought into the court of King's Bench to receive judgment for a confpiracy, of which they were convicted in April laft, againft Lady Strathmore. The reading of the feveral affidavits took up almoft four hours. After the counsel on both fides had concluded, Judge Afhurft pronounced the fentence of the court as follows, viz. "That Andrew Robinson Bowes, Efq; do pay a fine of 300l. to his majefty; that he be imprifoned in his majefty's prifon of the King's Bench for three years, and at the expiration of the faid term, he find fecurity for 14 years, himself in 10,000l. and two fureties of 5000l. each." "That Edward Lucas (the conftable) do pay a fine of 50l. and be imprisoned in his majefty's gaol of Newgate for the term of three years." "That Francis Peacock do pay a fine of 100l. and be imprifoned in the King's Bench prifon for two years." "That Mark Provost be imprifoned in the gaol of Newgate for one year. No fine." "That Henry Bourn do pay a fice of 50l. and be imprifoned in the gaol of Newgate for fix months.' Lucas, Peacock, and Provoft, were already under bail, by order of the court of King's Bench, themselves in 500l. together with two fureties in the fum of 250l. each, for keeping the peace towards Lady Strathmore for fourteen years. Extract of a letter from Utrecht, June 28, Nine o'clock in the evening. "We have this inftant received accounts that this day at noon the Princefs of Orange, with two of the princes, her tons, together with the well-known Chevalier Bentinck, were arrested by a detachment of burghers of Gouda,between Schoonhoven and Oudewater. Early intel-ligence had been received that a great perfonage would pafs that way, and the detachment of burghers above named was placed on purpose to intercept her paffage. The garrifon of Woerden is drawn out on purpofe to bring the above perfonages into that place." We are informed from refpectable authority, that the French ininistry laft week difpatched two private memorials; one to the British, another to the court of Berlin, to the following purpose: "That in the prefent commotions in Holland, it is their fixed and decided determination not to intermeddle, except feparately or conjunctively called upon as mediators;-but if any power in Europe fhall take up arms either for or against the republic, they no longer hold themfelves pledged to this determination; but thall confider themselves at liberty to act, as the exigencies of affairs may require." M. de Calonne being ftripped by the king of France of his ribband, has difpofed of his whole estate, his [0] beautiful beautiful feat of Halonville, in Lorraine, and all his other fixed property, and has retired from France for ever. fpot, amongst whom I have to regret the lofs of one of my brothers and fifter. Many more, however, are dangerously wounded; and eight or ten paft all hopes of recovery. In on the occafion. When it is confidered that the heavy timbers in the roof, the flate, the walls, and all fell in, it is next to a miracle that one escaped." DIED. Mr. Abel, the celebrated composer, after three days ill-fhort, our little town is all in forrow nefs. This great character expired on the 20th inftant without pain, and with him a genius that was an honour to the fcience he profeffed. His various compofitions are the progeny of knowledge, tafte, and feeling, and will be held in admiration as long as mufic has any influence over the paflions of mankind. Nor was he only diftinguifhed as a compofer; as a performer he realized thofe beautiful conceptions which his works abundantly involve. The Viola di Gamba is not an inftrument in general ufe, and will perhaps die with him; but his performance rendered it exquifitely charming. JULY. Extract of a letter from Bury, in Lancafhire, July 5. "I am forry to acquaint you with a moft dreadful accident which has happened in this town. The theatre here being crowded, and the people in the gallery very riotous, on a fudden the whole gave way, and the walls, roof, and every part fell in, by which myself, wife, two brothers, and a fifter, with upwards of three hundred perfons, were buried in the ruins.-I believe I was the first who got out. The fpectacle now was very fhocking, the cries of the wounded pierced the ear. Happily, out of fo great a number, only five perfons were killed on the The ftates of Holland, in full affembly at the Hague, published an edict the 30th ult. ftrictly forbidding all perfons whatever from quitting the province, or going into other states with their effects, under pretence of flying for fafety; the ftates being themselves of fufficient ability to protect their fubjects: adding thereto, that in time of public difafter it was the duty of every good citizen to continue at home, and ufe his endeavours in the defence of his country. John Elliot was tried upon 20th an indictment on the black act, with wilfully and malicioufly difcharging two piftols, loaded with powder and divers balls, at the perfon of Mifs Mary Boydell. The fecond count charged him with firing one piftol, loaded with powder and one or more bullets, at the said Mifs Boydell. The evidence produced for the profecution was as follows: Mr. George Nicol, bookfeller to his majefty, fwore, that in walking up Prince's-ftreet in company with Mifs Boydell, he heard the loud explofion of a piftol close to his ear. It was fo near, and the concuffion of the air fo ftrong, that it ftruck his ear like a blow. He turned round, and feeing the prifoner quite clofe to him with a piftol in his hand, been fired, notwithstanding the circumftance of the lock being on half cock. In all the points of the prifoner's declarations of his intentions Mr. Nicol then fwore that almost one half of the lady's cloak was burnt, and that there were two marks on her gown, juft below the thoulders, which feemed to correfpond with the marks of the piftols as they were tied together. A furgeon fwore that Mifs Boydell had two contufions juft below the fhoulder blade, which correfpond with the marks on the gown, and which evidently proceeded from blows received from fome hard fubftance. Being afked, if piftols loaded with bullets difcharged fo near the body could have made fuch marks? He faid, he did not know; but it was certain, that a piftol put quite clofe home to any refifting body, and difcharged fo as not to have the affiftance of the air, loft much of its force. which afterwards however turned out to be two piftols ftrongly tied together, he feized him by the throat, and faid, "Are you the villain that fired?" The man faid of his behaviour at the juftice'she was, and a footman coming up at of the two loaded piftols in his the fame moment, either wrenched pocket, &c. they agreed with Mr. the pistols out of his hand, or took Nicol. them up as he dropt them: that then, having feen the lady taken into a fhop, he went with the prifoner to Juftice Hyde's. In going there he expreffed great joy at what he had done; and in particular faid, that now he thould die in peace, as he had fent the lady before him; that two more piftols were found in his pocket, apparently loaded to the muzzle, and thofe Mr. Nicol delivered into the hands of Juftice Hyde, and had not feen them fince. That during the examination, a lady came into the office, and faid, fhe was happy to find that Mifs Boydell was not dangeroufly wounded; upon which the prifoner, clafhing his hands together, feemingly in an agony of difappointment, exclaimed, "Is the not dead?"—and from this time, and during the continuance of the examination, he burft into a torrent of abuse against the lady, the Alderman, and his family. These facts were clearly and circumftantially corroborated by the evidence of the livery fervant and of Mr. Griffith, a thoemaker in Princes-ftreet, who faw him fire the piftol, and who affifted in fecuring him. The fervant fwore that Elliot dropt the pistols, and he took them up. He found the one upon half cock, and the pan thut down, and fome grains of powder in the panthe other had all the appearance of having been inftantly fired, and he thought indeed that they had both The cloak, handkerchief, and gown, were produced, to thew the effects of the explofion and fhot. Juftice Hyde was fworn. and he gave an account of the pistols. He faid, that about a quarter of an hour after Mr. Nicol had withdrawn, a perfon who called himself Thomas Brown, and whom he obferved in converfation with the prifoner, came to his office, faid he came from Mr. Nicol, and defired to have the pistols, which he accordingly delivered to him. He could not find this Brown, nor did he know him. He wore that the piftols were loaded to the muzzle, and that the paper wadding [0] 2 being |