morning turned to the N.W. accompanied with thunder, lightning, and such terrible noises, both at sea and land, as seemed to proceed from an earthquake. March 22. The royal assent was, on account of the Prince's death, given by commission to the following bills: To an act for punishing mutiny and desertion, and for the better payment of the army and their quarters. For enabling his Majesty to raise the several sums of money therein mentioned by Exchequer bills, to be charged on the sinking fund; and for empowering the commissioners of the treasury to pay off the old and new unsubscribed South Sea annuities out of the supply granted to his Majesty, for the service of the year 1751; and for enabling the bank of England to hold general courts, and courts of directors, in the manner therein directed; and for giving certain persons liberty to subscribe Bank and South Sea annuities, omitted to be subscribed, pursuant to two acts of the last session of Parliament. To indemnify persons who have omitted to qualify themselves for offices and employments within the time limited by law, and for allowing farther time for that purpose. For granting an aid to his Majesty of 3s. in the pound, by a land tax to be raised in Great Britain for the service of the year 1751. And to several road and private bills. After which the Lords adjourned to the 27th, and the Commons to the 25th, on account of the death of his royal highness the prince of Wales. The House of Commons presented an address of condolence, on the death of the prince of Wales, to his Majesty, and received a most gracious answer. Lord Chamberlain's office, March 23. Orders for the court's going into mourning on Sunday the 31st instant, for his late royal highness the prince of Wales. March 24. By order of the Lord Chamberlain, notice was fixed in the halls of St. James's and Leicester house, that the time fixed for deep mourning would end on Sunday, June 30; that on Sunday, July 7, will commence the second mourning, and end on Sunday, Oct. 6. March 26. A revenue of 50,000l. a year for life, was settled by Parliament on the marriage of her royal highness the princess of Wales, in case she survived the Prince, to be paid quarterly, without deduction, four-fifths out of the post office, and the other fifth out of the hereditary duties of excise. March. 31. Was a very great court at St. James's, it being the first time his Majesty appeared in public since the death of the Prince of Wales. Prince George and prince Edward, and the other young princes waited on the King, who in the evening visited the prince of Wales at Leicester house. The right honourable Robert Walpole, earl of Orford, knight of the Bath, auditor of the Exchequer, ranger of Richmond park, and master of the King's harriers and buck-hounds, died, aged fifty-one, of an abscess in the back. April 1. The court of the prince of Orange went into deep mourning for three months, on the death of the prince of Wales. April 3. The corpse of captain Coram was interred with great solemnity in the vault under the chapel of the Foundlinghospital; the charter of the hospital was carried before the body on a velvet cushion, the children walking before it; the pall supported by eight persons of distinction; a great number of governors followed the body in deep mourning, and were met by the choirs of Westminster and St. Paul's, who performed a solemn service composed by Dr. Boyce. The House of Commons adjourned to the 16th." April. 4. The House of Peers adjourned to the 17th. The treasurer of her Royal Highness was paid 12,5001. being one quarter of her Highness's settlement. April 5. An order of permission from the Lord Chamberlain's office came to the managers of the theatres, (who had been prohibited from playing, on account of the late Prince of Wales's death) to act on the Sth. Six months pay (part of fifteen months in arrear) were ordered to the sea officers, to put them in mourning. April 6. This day died Frederick king of Sweden, and landgrave of Hesse Cassel, born 1676. April 13. At half an hour after one in the morning, the bowels of his late Royal Highness, were brought from Leicester house in a coach and six to the Prince's chamber, Westminster, in an urn covered with crimson velvet, and were from thence carried by four yeomen to Henry the VII. chapel, attended by the dukes of Chandos and Queensberry, the earl of Middlesex, the lords North and Guildford, Sir John Rushout, bart., George Doddington, Henry Drax, and John Evelyn, esqrs. and there interred, in the vault in which the royal corpse was, exactly at nine o'clock the same night, deposited. Justice Lediard, with some constables, and a party of the guards, went to the long room in James's-street, Westminster, where was a masquerade that evening, in order to suppress gaming, for which such assemblies were calculated; seventeen were committed to the Gate-house, among them the proprietors of the gaming tables, who had been taken before and now forfeited their recognizances. At the South Sea house it was determined, that fifteen directors, with a governor, and deputy governor were sufficient to manage the South Sea company's affairs, and that in all future elections of directors only fifteen should be chosen : this reduction of thirty directors to fifteen, was a saving of 2,250l. per annum, the salary being 1501. each. April 20. His Majesty was pleased to order letters patent to pass under the great seal of Great Britain, for creating his royal highness George William Frederick, (the prince of Great Britain, electoral prince of Brunswick Lunenburgh, duke of Edinburgh, marquis of the isle of Ely, earl of Eltham, viscount of Launceston, baron of Snowdon, and knight of the most noble order of the Garter) prince of Wales, and earl of Chester. April 22. At Tring in Hertfordshire, a publican giving out that he was bewitched by one Osborne and his wife, harmless people above seventy, had it cried at several market towns, that they were to be tried by ducking this day, which occasioned a vast concourse. The parish officers having removed the old couple from the workhouse into the church for security, the mob missing them broke the workhouse windows, pulled down the pales, and demolished part of the house; and seizing the governor, threatened to drown him and fire the town, having straw in their hands for that purpose. The poor wretches were at length, for public safety, delivered up, stripped of their cloathing by the mob, their thumbs tied to their toes, then dragged two miles, and thrown into a muddy stream; after much ducking and ill usage, the old woman was thrown quite naked on the bank, almost choaked with mud, and expired in a few minutes, being kicked and beat with sticks, even after she was dead; and the man died soon after. To add to this barbarity they put the dead woman in bed with her husband, and tied them together. The coroner's inquest brought in their verdict wilful murder. April 26. His Majesty sent a mes VOL. II. sage to both Houses of Parliament, re commending that, when the Imperial crown of these realms should descend to any of the issue of his son, the late prince of Wales, being under the age of eighteen years, the princess dowager of Wales, their mother, should be guardian of the person of such successor, and regent of these kingdoms, until they should attain such age; with such powers, and limitations, as should appear necessary and expedient for these important purposes. The Lords and Commons, addressed his Majesty, thanking him for his communication, and promising to take the recommendation contained in the message into their consideration. April 27. The honourable Mr. Murray was brought before the judges of the King's Bench, Wright, Foster, and Denni. son, and a motion made for his being admitted to bail, but it was over-ruled, and he was remanded to Newgate. A committee of the honourable House of Commons was appointed to inspect the overseer's accounts, and all other charities throughout the kingdom, to see that they were properly applied. April 30, A perpetuity passed the great seal to the earl of Northampton, for a market to be held every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, in the vinegar ground, St. John-street, London, for selling all raw and undressed skins of lambs and sheep killed within the bills of mortality. May 4. A general court of the society of the Free British fishery was held at Mercers hall, when his royal highness prince George was unanimously chosen governor, and a resolution was taken of opening the subscription books of the society forthwith, to lie open till June 15. May 6. Much snow fell in and about Newcastle on Tyne, preceded by thunder and lightning. May 16. His Majesty removed from St. James's to Kensington for the summer. May 19. On Thursday last a vessel hired by Charles Town, South Carolina, sailed for New York, with the honourable William Bull, jun. esq. accompanied by several head men of the Indians. They were to meet six northern nations at Albany some time in June, where commissioners from all the British colonies on the continent were appointed to be at the same time, in order to settle a general and lasting peace. May 20. At Pontefract, Yorkshire, by a violent shower of rain, many cellars were almost filled with water; a collection of waters at the meeting of two sloping streets in the market place, overflowed, and taking their course down a narrow lane, bore down some strong garden walls, and did incredible damage; the cut from the river that turns the mill, being filled with the flood from the hills descending into the mill dam, drove down part of the mill, and carried one of the mill stones the distance of fifteen yards; the rain which lasted about four hours, was preceded by a terrible storm of hail, which was of a very extraordinary size, and attended with loud claps of thunder and lightning. I May 22. His Majesty went to the House of Peers, and gave the royal assent to A bill for providing for the administra tion of the government in case it should descend to any of the children of his late royal highness the prince of Wales under the age of eighteen, and appointing a guardianship for the care of their persons. A bill for regulating of trials by juries. A bill for reducing the interest on the capital stock of the South Sea company, and providing against frauds in the officers and servants of that company. A bill for the relief of the annuitants of the mercers company. A bill to indemnify justices of the peace and constables in the due execution of their office, and preventing vexatious and litigious law suits. A bill for correcting the style, and regulating the calender now in use. A bill for the preservation of the game in Scotland. And to several private and local bills. May 24. Being the birth day of his royal highness George prince of Wales, was observed with great marks of loyalty and affection. May 31. A memorial was lately presented to his grace the duke of Bedford, one of his Majesty's principal secretaries of state, by his excellency the French ambassador, complaining of an attack made by an English man of war on the new factory which the subjects of his most Christian majesty had established since the great peace at Albreda, on the river Gambia; and demanding ample satisfaction for this insult on the first fort, which his nation had ever built on the coast of Guinea. The season was very cold, and wet, for most part of this month, the corn in the ground being much damaged in many places by the rain, and above 600,000 acres were computed to remain unsowed; cattle also, especially the woolly kind, suffered greatly by the inclemency of the weather; one farmer, particularly, in Sussex, lost 400 lambs by cold dews. The great rains made land carriage so dear, that the poor and working people were greatly distressed by the high price of coals, which, in the wet season, at Derby rose from 4d. to 8d. per hundred ; at Rugby, Warwickshire, from 8d. to 14d.; at Northampton from 10d. to ls. 6d. and in proportion at other inland places. In consequence of the infection among the horned cattle raging in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Westmoreland, the justices of the peace of the neighbouring county of Cumberland at their quarter sessions ordered the roads to be strictly guarded for preventing the introduction of cattle, hides, carcasses, or tallow from any adjacent English county. The distemper broke out also in the counties of Wilts and Oxford. In Cheshire they lost 30,000 cows since October last. By a bill pending in Parliament, the number of horses drawing in carriage waggons, &c. was limited under a very heavy toll, which amounted almost to a prohibition, to four; and the commissioners of turnpikes within thirty miles of London, where the toll amounts to 1501. per annum, were compelled to erect a engine for weighing every waggon that passed, and were to levy 20s. for every one hundred weight, any carriage that travelled for hire should weigh above six hundred weight to be levied without abatement. crane or June 3. An order of Admiralty was issued for shipping off from Woolwich, on board the Garland sloop, and a transport, a large quantity of warlike stores for Nova Scotia. June 5. A fire happened at Amesbury, Wilts, which consumed thirty-two houses. Damage computed at 10,0001. June 6, The honourable East India company came to a resolution to take into their service fourteen ships for the present year, and contracted for cloth of the British woollen manufacture to the amount of 150,0007. June S. This day his Majesty was pleased to order the Garter of his late royal highness the prince of Wales, to be presented to prince Edward. The vacant Garters of the dukes of Richmond and Montague, were to be presented to the duke of Somerset and earl of Lincoln. June 12. At a trial of cannon on Putney common, a piece of six pounds bore, under 400lbs. weight, of a metal made at the new foundry at Chelsea, fired 300 shot running, with a pound and a quarter of powder each charge, in little more than three hours, re maining good in all respects; also a mortar of the same metal fired four bombs in a minute and three seconds, whereas those hitherto in use did not exceed four bombs in a quarter of an hour. June 13. The House of Commons resolved that notice be given that the annuities payable at the Exchequer, after the rate of Sl. 10s. per cent. per annum, and which, by an act of the 7th year of his present Majesty were charged on the additional duties on stampt vellum, parchment. and paper, was to be redeemed and paid off October 10, 1751, agreeable to the power of redemption in the said act. The court of directors of the East India company gave public notice, that on Dec. 31, 1751, they would pay and discharge all principal money and interest that should be then due on such East India bonds, as carried an interest of three per cent. per annum, from March 31, 1750, and were not brought in and marked as consenting to the terms and resolutions of the general court of the company, of April 25, 1750. After which December 31, 1751, all interest on the said bonds should cease. June 15. Was tried at Woolwich, before Sir John Ligonier and the rest of the board of ordnance, one of his Majesty's six pounder brass cannon, out of which were fired 300 shot in three hours twentytwo minutes, after which the gun was searched, and found to be as good as before the trial. M. de Villiers drove away the English Ohio company from the bank of that river. June 24. William Latton, esq. plenipotentiary and consul general to the emperor of Morocco, attended at the treasury, with the British captives lately redeemed from slavery in Barbary, when each captive received his Majesty's bounty of 51. per man. His Majesty went to the House of Peers, put an end to the present session of Parlianent, and gave the royal assent to the following bills : An act for the more effectually restraining the retailing spirituous liquors. An act for granting 600,000l. out of the sinking fund, for the service of the year 1751. An act for rendering justices of the peace more safe in the execution of their office; and for indemnifying constables acting in obedience to their warrants. An act for encouraging the making potashes in the British plantations. An act for continuing several laws, relating to premiums upon the importation of masts, yards, tar, pitch, and turpentine ; to British made sail-cloth, and duties on foreign sail-cloth; and to the allowance upon the exportation of British made gunpowder. An act for the abbreviation of Michaelmas term. An act for the more effectual preventing of robberies upon any navigable rivers, ports of entry, wharfs and quays adjacent. An act for ascertaining the admeasurement of wheat meal; and for making allowances to the East India company, for their charges in managing, &c. their reduced annuities. An act to regulate and restrain paper bills of credit in his Majesty's colonies in America. An act for the preservation of turnpike roads. An act for making the more effectual an act passed last session, for the apprehending of persons in any county upon warrants granted by justices of any other county, An act for the more effectual securing the duty upon tobacco. An act for repealing the duties upon foreign linen yarn, and for granting other duties in lieu thereof. An act to enable his Majesty to make leases and copies of offices, lands, and hereditaments, parcel of his duchy of Cornwall annexed to the same. An act to continue several laws to prevent the spreading of the distemper amongst the cattle. An act to continue several laws therein mentioned, for preventing rapine in the northern parts, for punishing persons going armed and disguised, to prevent the cutting of banks of rivers, or hop binds, setting on fire mines, pits, &c. unlawfully hunting red or fallow deer, for liberty to carry sugars from the colonies to foreign parts; for preventing frauds by bankrupts ; for encouraging the importation of naval stores from the American colonies, &c. After signing the aforementioned bills, his Majesty prorogued the Parliament to August 13. Supplies granted for the year 1751, 4,969,5351. 10s. WAYS AND MEANS FOR 1751. £ s. d. 750,000 0 0 1,500,000 0 2,100,000 1,026,476 4 6 00 Borrowed from the sinking fund By an additional duty on spirituous liquors, as by the act, value not known 225,023 11 6 The Lord Mayor and aldermen of London waited on the King to congratulate him on the birth of a Princess. They were received most graciously, and all had the honour to kiss his Majesty's hand. July 25. At a board of Admiralty, where all the lords were present, it was resolved 600,000 0 0 to put in commission two men of war of seventy, two of sixty, and two of fifty guns. Orders were given for fitting out six transports for Nova Scotia, with warlike stores, and all sorts of implements for husbandry. Total £6,201,499 16 0 The session of Parliament expiring, the honourable Mr. Murray was released from his confinement in Newgate, About the latter end of the reign of Charles II. the poor's rates amounted to 665,3627. at this period they amounted to more than three millions yearly; entirely owing to the habitual luxury and idleness of the poor. The French navy at this time consisted of three men of war of eighty-four guns, twenty-two of seventy-four, thirteen of sixty-four, and thirty-five of fifty-six and under. M. Brossard, a country surgeon in France, lately discovered, that a species of the fungous substance found upon doddered oaks, called agaric, was so powerful a styptic as to stop the blood, even in amputations, without making any ligature. July 10. Mr. Sergeant Belfield, recorder of Exeter,. after obtaining the royal assent, presented the prince of Wales with the patent of the office of high steward of the city of Exeter, in the room of his deceased father, and with his freedom of the said city in a gold box of curious workmanship, which his Royal Highness accepted in a gracious and most obliging manner. July 11. The princess dowager of Wales was delivered of a princess, baptized by the name of Caroline Matilda, the prince of Wales, the princess Caroline, represented by viscountess Irwin, and lady Augusta being sponsors. The admiralty gave orders for a general survey of the navy in all the yards and ports of England, and lord Anson, and admirals Boscawen and Rowley, were to inspect the same. Anthony Weldon, esq. was made storekeeper of Chatham yard. By the fall of two houses in Brewer'scourt, Shoe-lane, two men and five women were killed, and others much bruised. The Spaniards built a fort on the island of Rattan, which we quitted by the peace, with a view to intercept all ships coming into the bay of Honduras to cut logwood. Orders were issued from the lord chamberlain's office for the change of the mourning for the late prince of Wales on Sunday, August 4, the men to continue in black, and wear coloured swords and buckles; the ladies to wear black silk, or velvet, coloured ribbons, fans, and tippets. St. Luke's hospital for lunatics was opened for the reception of patients. Mr.Labelie, the Swiss architect of Westminster-bridge, in his new description of it, tells us, that the quantity of stone materials in that noble structure, is nearly double the quantity of the same materials in St. Paul's cathedral. Mr. Keppel, commander of the British squadron in the Mediterranean, settled all the differences between this court and the Dey of Algiers, by waving the restitution of the money and effects taken from on board the prince Frederic packet-boat, on condition, that his Majesty's packet-boats should never be obliged to carry Algerine passports, but on producing their commissions should be at full liberty to pursue their voyage; and that the British merchants should enjoy the privilege of trading in all the ports and places belonging to the kingdom of Algiers, with fair and legal passports; with which they were allowed a proper time to furnish themselves. The Parliament which stood prorogued to this day, was further prorogued to October 15. Aug. 12. A fire broke out in a serge warehouse on Cotton's wharf, adjoining to the bridge-house, and consumed the dwelling-house of the master carpenter of London-bridge, three large warehouses, |