Hull, a premium of three guineas was adjudged to Ann Witty, of Driffield, he having ferved the longest in one place, viz. 40 years; alfo a premium of two guineas to William Carr, of Tickton, he being the next eldest 'fervant, having ferved in one place 36 years. Cordova, in the Tucuman, June 1,

1779.

In the village of Altagratia there lives a negro woman, who according to the most authentic in formation and teftimonies taken judicially, must be about 175 years old; fhe is extremely thin, very much wrinkled, and bent double, but she can fee at a few paces diftance, and spins ; but what is moft extraordinary, though the cannot ftand for any space of time, fhe ftill carries on the business of a midwife with dexterity. She has five children by her husband, one Michael, a negro, and the thinks her grand-children have grandchildren of their own. Old people feem to be no rarity in that country, as there are feveral negroes upwards of an hundred years old, and one woman of 120, who retains her memory perfectly, and declares that the old woman in queftion was arrived at woman's eftate when the first had the ufe of her reason.

In the course of this month, the price of corn fell almost one half from what it was only four years ago. The following is an accurate ftate of the prices in 1775, and in the prefent winter of 1779 and 1780.

In the west of England the wool is all upon hand. In Lincolnshire, and throughout the north, it has. been fo for fome time. This article, that was formerly called the ftaple-commodity of England, will now fetch no price.

DIED, Dec. 26, of a lingering illness, in the 75th year of his age, Thomas Hope, Efq; well known in the trading world, as one of the firft characters that this or perhaps any other age ever produced. He was originally defcended from the elder branch of the family of Hope in Scotland; and, endowed with great natural abilities, he with unremitting application raifed the credit and affluence of the houfe at Amfterdam, which continues to bear his name, to fuch a height, as perhaps no other house of trade in any country ever arrived. Nor were his thoughts in bufinefs confined to that object only, having for many years prefided as reprefentative of the Prince of Orange, firft in the West India, and afterwards in the Dutch East India Companies; where, particularly in the latter, he established fuch wife laws and regulations in their trade, as muft make his memory refpected and adored as long as thofe companies fhall exist. And it will be remembered by the latest pofterity, that a merchant could at once prefcribe laws to fovereigns in the Eaft, and, by his moneyed powers, greatly fway the fcale of empire in Europe. He was just in all his dealings; and friendly, where he had once placed his confidence, to a degree that by many might be thought to exceed the bounds of prudence in trade.

At Wapping, Mr. Thomas Dilworth, well known for his many ufeful publications.

[N] 3

At

aged 110.

zd.

The inhabitants of Weft minder, to the number of 4000, met in Westminster-hall, pursuant to public advertisement, to agree on a petition to parliament, to controul the fhameful wane of public money, &c.

The Hon. Charles Fox being called to the chir, Mr. Sawbridge reprefented the neceffity there was for the prefenting a petition fimilar to that of York. He then read the petition, which was next read by the chairman, and carried unanimously.

A motion was then made, that a committee fhould be appointed to correspond with the other committees through the kingdom; and the Duke of Portland, the Earls Egremont and Temple, the Lords John and George Cavendish, the Hon. Thomas Townshend, Meffrs. Sawbridge and Wilkes, and about ninety other noblemen and gentlemen, were appointed of the committee.

After which, Mr. Fox was propofed as a candidate to reprefent the city of Weftminster at the next general election, and was received with the loudest acclamations.

Laft Sunday, between four and five o'clock in the after- 9th.

noon, one Garret of Sutton, near Retworth, in Suffex, fhot his wife dead on the fpot as the was fitting before the fire. The more effec tually to execute his diabolical intention, he loaded the piece with two balls, and in the prefence of his wife; who, remarking the fingularity of his loading, and afking him what he was going to fhoot with bullets? received for anfwer, fmall birds. But the foon found herfelf the devoted object ; the fatal piece was levelled, and ere he could remonftrate, the balls had pafied through her body, and killed her on the spot.

10th.

A court of commoncouncil was held at Guildhail, when, after a deal of altercation, the vacancies in the feveral committees were filled up agreeable to the lift of the previous meeting.

The bufinefs for which this court was called was next proceeded on, viz. To take into confideration the expenditure of public monies, and other grievances. Upon which, a motion was made and feconded, that a petition be prefented to the honourable the Houfe of Commons from that court; which, after fome debates, was put, and carried unanimoufly.

A committee of eight aldermen and fixteen commoners was appointed to draw up the petition, which was agreed upon. This committee was defired to fpond with the committees of the feveral counties.

corre

Yefter

Yesterday morning, purIrth. fuant to an order of the King's Bench, on Saturday last, Meff. Stratton, Brooke, Floyer, and Mackay, were brought up to the bar of that court, to receive fentence, having been found guilty of removing Lord Pigot from the prefidency of Madras, and imprifoning him for nine months, which was faid to be the cause of his death.

Mr. Juftice Afhurst being the judge appointed to pafs fentence, before he pronounced it went through the heads of the evidence, both for the profecution and the defence.

He made feveral remarks as he went through it, in which he obferved, that if Fort St. George had belonged to the crown, the depriving Lord Pigot of the prefidency would have been high treafon; but, as it was under the EaftIndia company, it was only a mifdemeanor. He took notice that the defendants had imprisoned Lord Pigot for difmiffing feveral members from the council, yet they themselves had done the like in three inftances; but he could fay, that, while they held the reins of government, every thing fucceeded, both in trade, and in the army; and that the prefidency of Bengal, to whom the whole of the bufinefs was referred, gave an opinion in their favour. He then proceeded to the fentence, as follows: "Meff. Stratton, Brooke, Floyer, Mackay,

cafes, but are guilty alike, you are fentenced, each of you, to pay a fine to his majefty of 1000l., and to be imprisoned until that fum is paid." The fines being immediately paid in the court, they were of courfe difcharged.

A caufe was tried before

Judge Nares at Guildhall, 15th. between Mr. Robert Tayler and the owners of one of the Colchester ftages. The action was brought for the recovery of damages for the injury which Mr. Tayler fuffered from the coachman's driving against his horfe near Stratford, by which the horfe was thrown down, and Mr. Tayler's legs run over by the hind wheel of the coach. The learned judge in fumming up the evidence informed the jury, that the law was clear in making the owners of ftage coaches accountable for the mifconduct of their coachmen, and told them to find a verdict for the plaintiff, if it appeared from the evidence that the coach was not on the left fide of the road, for that if fo, the accident had happened in confequence of that misconduct. The jury retired for about ten minutes, and brought in a verdict for the plaintiff, with 150l. damages.

17th.

His majefty has been pleafed to grant a free pardon to Richard Mealing, convict. ed in September feffion of feloniously receiving goods, the property of James Pentecrofs, knowing the fame to be stolen.

His majesty alfo hath been pleafed to grant a free pardon to John Field, convicted the fame fellion of coining fhillings and fixpences. On Monday was tried 23d. the court of King's Bench, before the Earl of Manf[N] 4 field,

in

field, at Westminster-hall, an indictment found by the grand jury of Wellminster, against a middlefex juftice, for commitment of a freeman of London, and a mem'ber of the fellowship of ticket-porters, to the Savoy, under the authority of the imprefs act, thereby declaring him to be an idle and diforderly perfon, whereas in truth and in fact the profecutor was an induftrious fober man, of extraordinary good reputation. The profecution was conducted by the direction of the court of aldermen, to protect the rights of the fellowfhip, they being all freemen, and governed by an alderman. The indictment was laid alfo againft two conftables, for the original affault, prior to the examination before the juftice; but the noble lord who prefided on the bench gave a direct intimation to the jury, that they in point of law were juftifiable; and they were without hesitation acquitted. The point refted folely as to the criminality of the juftice, and whether he was any ways liable to be called upon for the injury done to the profecutor, who had been handcuffed, and led like a thief through the streets; and befides, had fuffered in the Savoy a miferable confinement, and even debarred the vifits of his friends; fo that by mere accident a writ of Habeas Corpus was obtained by the city to discharge him out of a loathfome room. The counfel for the justice relied upon the act of parliament as a fufficient anfwer to the charge, faying, that the juftice exercifed his discretion, and was not to be confined within any particular line of conduct: if it could be proved he had wantonly abused

his power, they allowed the cafe varied materially. Lord Mansfield faid, that the juftice had refufed to hear evidences, whom he was not empowered to exclude: the juftice was not to refuse the examination of witneffes offered: it was his duty to hear and judge accordingly, and not to be biaffed by improper motives; but as to that confideration, it was for the jury to determine. The juftice was found guilty, and is to receive fentence next term. The trial lasted till four o'clock.

The feffions at the Old 26th. Bailey, which began on the preceding Wednesday, ended, when feven convicts received fentence of death: William Herbert, for returning from tranfportation; Chrisftopher Burrows and John Burden, for robbing Sarah Gifford in the Green-park, St. James's; Robert Andres and Richard Palmer, for robbing the houfe of Sir Richard Lumm; Chriftopher Plumley, for robbing the houfe of John Abbot; and John Pears, convicted in September feffions of hiring a horfe and felling the fame. This cafe had been referred to the twelve judges, who were of opinion the offence was capital.

28th.

A man was carried before the lord mayor for defrauding a woman of fome bank ftock. It appeared on the examination that he pretended to be a broker, and prevailed on the woman to give him half a guinea, and to fign a paper empowering him to tranfact fome bufinefs for her at the bank, her husband being abroad. The woman not being able to read, put her mark, and when he went to the bank to receive her next dividend, the

found

1

found that all her ftock was fold and transferred to another perfon. The impofition being committed in the outparts, he was fent there for further examination.

During the night the 29th. atmosphere exhibited the moft extraordinary appearance that has been obferved for many years. The light refembled that of a great fire, and the whole element feemed to be in one continued flame. At intervals flashes of fparkling fire fhot from the horizon to the zenith, and feemingly extinguished in a point. The fame appear ance extended to France and Germany, and probably over all Europe.

Befides the petition agreed to at the county meeting held at York, as mentioned under Dec. 30, fimilar meetings and petitions have been held and agreed to in the counties of Middlefex, Hampshire, Cheshire, Hertford, Huntingdon, Surrey, Suffex, Dorfet, Cumberland, Effex, Bedford, Gloucefter, Somerfet, and Wilts; as alfo by the corporations of Nottingham and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

DIED, At Combe, Jofeph Ekins, a labouring man, aged 103, who never knew a week's illness; and for the last 40 years fubfifted entirely on bread, milk, and vegetables.

Francis Walkern, a carpenter, aged 104, who till within a few days of his death was never troubled with ficknefs, or any diftem per whatever.

the proprietors of oyfter beds in the county of Effex; the oystermeters claimed a specific fum for work which they had an exclufive right of performing by custom and immemorial ufage. On the part of the defendants it was contended, that the right infifted on was abolished by the acts of the 10th and 11th of William and Mary, which made Billingfgate a free market, and fettled the fees. The jury, which was special, after hearing the arguments on both fides. gave a verdict for the plaintiffs, which eftablished their rights.

5th.

The Stamford waggon took fire at five o'clock in the morning, three miles beyond Hertford, by the careleffnefs of the driver, who left the lantern in the basket with a candle, which burnt to the focket, and nothing escaped but a barrel of porter, and the bottom and one wheel of the waggon. The paffengers and waggoner were much fcorched in attempting to throw off the loading, which, on account of the approaching fair, was of confiderable value, and the damage is estimated at above 1000l.

6th.

This morning at a court of common-council held at Guildhall, a motion was made by Mr. Deputy Leaky, That the thanks of this court be voted to Sir George Bridges Rodney, for his late very gallant action against the Spaniards; and alfo that the freedom of this city be prefented to him in a gold box of 100l. value, which were both agreed to. Two young women were taken out of the New River 14th. locked arm in arm with their legs tied together, and both drowned. It has fince appeared they were tambour-workers, had contracted