Nov. 9. The right honourable William Brigden, was sworn into office as Lord Mayor of London, with the usual formalities.

Nov. 12. The Blue Anchor public-house, near the King's yard, Deptford, fell down, whereby two of the lodgers were killed, and several persons wounded.

Nov. 15. His Majesty went to the House of Peers, and opened the sessions of Parliament with a most gracious speech, wherein he congratulated them on the return of tranquillity, and assuring them that the powers lately engaged in hostilities against us were desirous of cultivating a friendly disposition towards us, and recommended the improvement of the valuable acquisitions made during the war, and the cultivation of the arts of peace; so as to extend effectually the commerce, and augment the happiness of the kingdom.

Upon which both Houses of Parliament presented dutiful and loyal addresses.

Nov. 16. The corporation of the city of London, presented a petition to the House of Commons, praying a repeal of so much of the cyder act as subjects the makers of cyder and perry to the excise laws.

A duel was fought between Samuel Martin, esq. member for Camelford, and late secretary to the treasury, and the celebrated John Wilkes, when the latter was severely wounded.

Nov. 19. Died, Thomas Howard, earl of Effingham, deputy earl marshal of England.

Nov. 24. At fort Augusta in Jamaica, a powder magazine was blown up by lightning, by which accident, captain Talbot, ljeutenant Dunbar with his lady, lieutenant Dunn, and ensign Keating, perished, besides 30 others, exclusive of eleven negroes. Two thousand eight hundred and fifty barrels of gunpowder exploded, and the concussion was felt for ten miles round.

Nov. 26. A motion was made in the court of Common-pleas, to set aside the yerdict given against the King's messengers, (in Wilkes's affair) on the ground of excessive damages, but the court on argument, refused the motion, and confirmed the verdict.

Nov. 27. Prince Massareno, ambassador from the court of Spain, arrived in Lon

don.

Dec. 1. The Hanover packet from Lisbon, with 17,0001. in specie on board, was lost in the North Channel, off Padstow, and the captain, crew, and passengers, amounting to 60 persons, perished.

A violent storm of wind and rain gene

ral over Great Britain and Ireland, did immense damage to the buildings and shipping.

The powder mills at Waltham Abbey were blown up.

Dec. 3. The North Briton, No. 45, was ordered to be burnt this day at the Royal Exchange, by the common hangman; but a great mob assembled, who insulted the sheriff, Mr. Harley, in the grossest manner, and interrupted the officers appointed to execute the orders of the two Houses of Parliament. Mr. Harley was wounded by a billet thrown into his coach; by the zeal of the officers the pamphlet was partially committed to the flames, but the mob rushed in, and rescued a part, which they bore off in triumph, and displayed it at Templebar, where they made a bonfire, and burnt a large jack boot, and afterwards dispersed. A warrant was issued to apprehend the rioters.

Dec. 6. John Wilkes, esq. obtained a verdict in the court of Common-pleas, against Robert Wood, esq. under secretary of state, for seizing his papers; the jury, after a hearing of fifteen hours, gave Mr. Wilkes, 10007. damages.

Dec. 7. His excellency Count de Sei lern, ambassador extraordinary from the Emperor and Empress Queen, delivered his credentials at an audience.

Dec. 9. An order of council was issued, prohibiting any of his Majesty's subjects from furnishing aid, or giving countenance or succour, to the inhabitants of Corsica, in rebellion against the republic of Genoa.

Dec. 10. Mr. Leach, one of the printers of the North Briton, No. 45, obtained a verdict and 4007. damages against three of the King's messengers.

Dec. 19. The King went to the House of Peers, and gave his assent to the following bills.

A bill for granting an aid to his Majesty of 4s. in the pound, by way of landtax; and a bill for continuing the duties on malt.

And to several private and local bills. Two spermaceti whales were caught on the Essex coast, each measuring 65 feet in length.

Dec. 21. The Cartoons of Raphael were brought from Hampton-court to the Queen's house in St. James's park.

The amount of linen cloth stamped for sale in Scotland, from the 1st Nov. 1762, to the 1st Nov. 1763, is 12,399,656 yards, which exceeded the preceding year by 1,096,419 yards, making an increase in value of 77,4731. 15s. 8d.

Great riots in Edinburgh on occasion of

Jan. 22. Admiral George Brydges Rodney, esq. created a baronet.

Jan. 25. His Majesty went to the House of Peers, and gave the royal assent to A bill for naturalizing the prince of Brunswick.

A bill for punishing mutiny and desertion, &c.

And to several private bills. The bank of England obtained a renewal of their charter, for 21 years, from 1765, on paying 110,000l., and lending government 1,000,0007. on the credit of Exchequer bills at three per cent.

Feb. 3. A violent storm of snow, hail, and rain, accompanied with thunder and lightning, happened at Clare, in Suffolk; a ball of fire struck the church, beat down part of the tower, and the dial of the clock.

Feb. 12. The tide in the river Severn, came up half an hour before its usual time, to the great astonishment of the people, but their surprise was augmented on perceiving a second tide coming up half an hour afterwards. A similar strange occurrence happened at Bristol.

SHERIFFS APPOINTED FOR THE PRESENT

YEAR.

Berkshire, John Walter, esq.
Bedfordshire, William Pym, esq.
Buckinghamshire, William Lloyd, esq.
Cumberland, Henry Ellison, esq.
Cheshire, John Crewe, esq.

Camb. & Hunt. Edward Martin, jun. esq.
Cornwall, H. Mountsteven, esq.
Devonshire, W. Spicer, esq.
Dorsetshire, John Pinney, esq.
Derbyshire, Leo. Fosbrooke, esq.
Essex, John Wilks, esq.
Gloucestershire, Giles Nash, esq.
Hants, Sir Thomas Worsley, bart.
Hertfordshire, David Williams, esq.
Herefordshire, Edward Greenly, esq.
Kent, Henry Goodwin, esq.
Leicestershire, John Weston, esq.
Lincolnshire, Marmaduke Tomlyn, esq.
Monmouthshire, William Lloyd, esq.
Northumberland, Charles Read, esq.
Northamptonshire, Sir B. Williams, bart.
Norfolk, John Davis, esq.
Nottinghamshire, Charles Mellish, esq.
Oxfordshire, Abel Dotting, esq.
Rutlandshire, Edward Hunt, esq.
Shropshire, Edward Rogers, esq.
Somersetshire, William Helyar, esq.
Staffordshire, William Armett, esq.
Suffolk, Sir J. Blois, bart.

Surrey, James Morris, esq.
Sussex, John Pay, esq.
Warwickshire, John Knightly, esq.
Worcestershire, Rowland Berkley, esq.
Wiltshire, Walter Long, esq.
Yorkshire, Sir William Foulis, bart.

WALES.

Anglesea, William Lewis, esq. Brecknockshire, Thomas Bowen, esq. Caermarthenshire, Woodford Rice, esq. Cardiganshire, Thomas Jones, esq. Caernarvonshire, John Griffith, esq. Denbighshire, William Dymock, esq. Flintshire, Richard Parry Price, esq. Glamorganshire, Ab. Williams, esq. Merionethshire, William Lloyd, esq. Montgomeryshire, A. Blainey, esq. Pembrokeshire, William Ford, esq. Radnorshire, James Broome, esq.

Feb. 14. The school-house of Mrs. Robertson in St. John's-court, Cow-lane, Smithfield, fell down about ten o'clock at night, by which accident, Mrs. Robertson, two other women, and a child, were killed.

Feb. 21. John Wilkes, esq. was tried at the court of King's-bench, before lord chief justice Mansfield, for reprinting and publishing No. 45 of the North Briton; when, after a trial of eight hours, the jury consulted nearly two hours, and brought in a verdict of guilty.

He was also tried and found guilty of publishing an obscene pamphlet,, called, "An Essay on Women."

The freedom of the city of London was voted by the court of common council, to lord chief justice Pratt, for his honest decision on the subject of general warrants; the vote was accompanied with a request that his lordship would sit for his picture, to be placed in the Guildhall of the city. The example of the city of London, was followed by several other corporate cities and towns in England.

Feb. 29. A large tract of land, about sixteen acres, at Ashton, in Gloucestershire, slipped from Bredon Hill, and entirely covered several pasture grounds at the bottom of the hill, the ground removed preserved its surface nearly entire it is thought that the moving ground was near twenty feet deep.

Baron de Gross, ambassador from Russia, had his first private audience of his Majesty, and delivered his credentials.

March 6. Died, aged 73, Philip York,

earl of Hardwick, successively lord chief justice of the King's-bench, and lord high Chancellor, which last office he resigned in 1756.

March 21. His Majesty went to the House of Peers, and gave the royal assent to the following bills:

A bill to continue an act for allowing the free importation of tallow, &c. from Ireland.

A bill for better regulating his Majesty's marine forces when on shore.

A bill to amend an act for laying an additional duty on cyder and perry.

And to several private bills.

March 27. The earl of Morton was elected president of the Royal Society, in the room of the late earl of Macclesfield.

From a report of the state of the Magdalen charity, it appears that from its opening in 1758, to the 22d instant, 583 females were admitted, who were disposed of as follows:

In consequence of the death of Sir Jacob Gerard Downing, on 6th of February last, without issue male, an estate of 60001. a year devolved to the University of Cambridge, for building and endowing a college, to be called Downing college.

April 5. His Majesty went to the House of Peers, and gave the royal assent to A bill for granting a certain sum out of the sinking fund.

A bill for granting certain duties on goods in the British colonies, and encouraging trade to the sugar colonies.

A bill for lessening the duty on the importation, and raising it on the exportation of beaver skins.

A bill for regulating pilots, &c.

A bill for encouraging the manufacture of British sail-cloth,

A bill for discharging recognizances estreated in the Exchequer.

A bill for regulating buildings, and preventing fires.

And to several road and enclosure bills. The sum of 12001, was collected at the anniversary meeting of the Magdalen charity.

April 9. The journeymen Spitalfields weavers, amounting to several thousands, presented a petition to his Majesty, at the Queen's house, representing the miserable condition of themselves and families, in consequence of the clandestine importation of French silks; a deputation being introduced to the King, he was pleased to receive the petition, and promised to lay the matter before the Parliament.

April 14. A great fire broke out at Mr. Nash's house, in St. James's-square, which entirely destroyed it, and greatly injured two others; six persons perished in the flames.

April 18. His Majesty went to the House of Peers, and gave the royal assent to the following bills :

A bill for vesting the fort of Senegal in the African company.

A bill for regulating in what cases letters should be sent postage free.

A bill for allowing further time for the enrollment of wills and deeds made by Papists, and for relief of Protestant purchasers.

A bill for paving, lighting, and cleansing the squares, streets, &c. in Westminster. A bill for preventing frauds committed by bankrupts.

A bill for preventing inconveniencies arising in cases of merchants, and such other persons as are within the statutes of bankrupts, being entitled to privilege of parliament, and becoming insolvent,

A bill to encourage the cambric manufactures of England.

A bill for continuing several acts of Parliament for encouragement of the whale fishery.

And to several other bills of a local and private nature.

After which his Majesty made a speech, and the Parliament was prorogued to Thursday the 29th of June.

April 23. His serene highness the duke of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, and the earl of Halifax, were invested with the order of the Garter, and lord Clive with the order of the Bath.

May 4. Mr. Arthur Beardmore obtained a verdict in the court of Common-pleas of 10007. damages, against the King's messengers, for entering his house and imprisoning his person, by virtue of a secretary of state's warrant; the lord chief justice declared such seizure and imprisonment illegal. An attempt was made to set aside this verdict, on the ground of exces sive damages, but the motion was rejected by the judges, and the verdict established.

May 11. A riot happened at Ranelagh