Account of the Proceedings of the American Colonifis, fince the paffing the Rofton Port Bill. (Continued from p. 55.) TH Bofton, Nov. 10. HIS day his Excellency, General Gage, iffued the following proclamation: "Whereas a number of perfons unlawfully affembled at Cambridge, in the month of October laft, calling themfelves a Provincial Congrefs, did, in the moft open and daring terms affume to themfelves the power and authority of go-. vernment, independent of, and repugnant to, his Majesty's government, legally and conftitutionally established within this province, and tending utterly to fubvert the fame; and did, amongst other unlawful proceedings, take upon them felves to refolve and direct a new and unconftitutional regulation of the militia, in high derogation of his Majefty's royal prerogative; and alfo to elect and appoint Henry Gardner, of Stow, to be receivergeneral, in the room of Harrifon Gray, Efq; then and still legally holding and executing that office; and alfo to order and direct the monies granted to his Majefty, to be paid into the hands of the faid Henry Gardner, and not to the said Harrison Gray, Efq; and further earneftly to recommend to the inhabitants of the province, to oblige and compel the fe veral conftables and collectors to comply with and execute the faid directions, contrary to their oaths, and against the plain and exprefs rules and directions of the law: all which proceedings have a moft dangerous tendency to enfnare his Majeffy's fubjects, the inhabitants of this province, and draw them into perjuries, riots, fedition, treafon, and rebellion. For the prevention of which evils, and the calamitous confequences thereof; "I have thought it my duty to iffue this proclamation, hereby earneftly exhorting, and in his Majefty's name ftrictly prohibiting all his liege fubjects within this province, from complying, in any degree, with the faid requifitions, recommendations, directions, or refolves of the aforefaid unlawful affembly, as they regard his Majefty's higheft difpleafute, and would avoid the pains and penalties of the law. And I do hereby charge and command all juftices of the peace, fheriffs, conftables, collectors, and other officers, in their feveral departments, to be vigilant and faithful in the execution and difcharge of their duty in their refpective offices, agreeable to the well February, 1775. known established laws of the land; and, to the utmost of their power, by all lawful ways and means, to discountenance, difcoura e and prevent a com pliance with fuch dangerous refolves of the abovementioned, or any other unlawful affembly whatever. Given at Bofton this 10th of Nov. 1774. THO. GAGE." At a meeting of the inhabitants, Nov. 7, the committee appointed for that putpofe, made the following report: "Whereas fundry regiments of his Majefty's troops are, contrary to law, and to the great annoyance and detriment of his Majefty's good fubjects of this province, now ftationed in the town of Boston, in a time of profound peace, for the avowed purposes of carrying into execution fundry acts of the Britif parliament, tending to enflave the people, and to fubvert the conftitution of the province, which it is our duty to protest againft, on all occafions; yet, neverthelefs, we, the inhabitants of the town of Bofton, legally affembled, taking into ferious confideration the diftreffed circumftances of this metropolis, and being anxious itill to use our best endeavours to preserve that decency and order for which the town has ever been remarkable, relying on the juftice of our caufe, and confiding in the united endeavours of the Colonies, the wisdom of the Continental Congrefs, the juftice and clemency of our Sovereign, and the fmiles of Divine Providence, that our grievances will fhortly be redreffed, and our unalienable and precious rights, liberties, and privileges, be restored and fecured to us upon a juft and permanent bafis. Therefore, we recommend, That, as his Excellency the Gover nor has affured the town that he will do all in his power to fecure the peace and good order of the town; "That the town on their part will exert their beft endeavours to effect the fame defirable purpose, and to this end would augment the town watch; and it is recommended to the Select Men of the town that they encrease the watch to the number of 12 men in each watch house, for the fecurity and fafety of the inhabitants, and that they be directed to patrole the streets of the town for the whole night the enfuing season. "And it is earnestly defired that his Majefty's juftices of the peace, and other peace officers, would exert their authority for the obfervance of the laws, and pre preservation of peace and order, and that when they hear of any diflurbance, they would not wait for a complaint, but call on the inhabitants, who will at all times be ready in affifting to difperfe fuch perfons, or in bringing offenders to juftice, of what rank or order foever. "As in our present fituation it is in cumbent upon us particularly to attend to the peace and good order of the town, it is therefore earnestly recommended to the inhabitants to do all in their power to prevent or fupprefs any quarrels or disturbances. And it is feriously recommended to all mafters of families, that they refrain their children and fervants from going abroad after nine o'clock in the evening, unless on neceffary bufinefs. And it is further recommended to the Select Men of the town, to enjoin upon all retailers and taverners of the town, that they ftrictly conform to the laws of the province relating to diforderly perfons. Lakes, and the 16th at Pensacola. There are alfo fix or eight hundred marines at Boston. Williamfburgh, Nov. 10. On the oth of October laft a battle was fought on the Ohio, of which the following are the particulars :-"On Monday morning, about half an hour before fun-rife, two of Captain Ruffell's company discovered a large party of Indians about a mile from the camp, one of which men was fhot down by the Indians, the other made his escape, and brought in the intelligence; in two or three minutes after, two of Captain Shelvey's men came in, and confirmed the account. "Colonel Andrew Lewis being informed thereof, immediately ordered out Colonel Charles Lewis to take the command of 150 of the Augufta troops, and with him went Capt. Dickenson, Capt. Harrison, Capt. Wilfon, Captain John Lewis, of Augufta, and Capt, Lockridge, which made the first divifion; Col. FlemW. COOPER, Town-clerk." ing was also ordered to take the comGeneral Gage, in a letter to Peyton mand of 150 more of the Botetourt, BedRandolph, Efq; Governor of Virginia,,ford, and Fincastle troops, which made concludes with the following humane de- the fecond divifion. claration: "I have endeavoured to be. a mediator, and I ardently with that the common enemies to both countries may fee, to their disappointment, that thefe difputes between the Mother-country and her Colonies have terminated like the quarrels of lovers, and encreafed the affection which they ought to bear to each other." An eftimate of the number of fouls in: the following provinces, made in Congrefs, September, 1774: In Maffachufets, 400,000. New Hampshire, 150,000. Rhode Island, 59,678. Connecticut, 192,000. New York, 250,000. New Jerfey, 130,000. Pennfylvania, including the Lower Countries, 350,000. Maryland, 320,000. Virginia, 650,000. North Carolina, 300,000. South Carolina, 225,000.-→→→ Total, 3,026,678. A lift of the regiments, &c. now at Bofton, or under orders for that place, viz. the 4th, 5th, roth, 23d, 38th 43d, 47th, 52d, 59th, and 64th regiments; three companies of the 18th, and two of the 65th regiment, and four companies of artillery. The 6th and 14th regiments are on their way from the Wett Indies, and the 35th, 42d, 45th, and 63d, are under orders from hence. Befides thefe, the 7th and 26th are in Canada, the 8th on detachment on the "Colonel Charles Lewis's divifion marched to the right, fome diftance from the Ohio, and Col. Fleming, with his divifion, on the bank of the Ohio, to the left. "Col. Charles Lewis's divifion had not marched quite half a mile from the camp, when, about fun-rife, a vigorous attack was made on the front of his divifion, by the united tribes of Shawanefe, Delawares, Mingoes, Tawas, and of feveral other nations, in number not less than 8oo. In this heavy attack, Col. Charles Lewis, and feveral of his men fell, and the Augufta divifion was obliged to give way to the heavy fire of the enemy. The enemy inftantly engaged the front of Col. Fleming's division, and in a thort time the Colonel received two balls through his left arm, and one through his breaft; and, after animating the officers and foldiers, retired to the camp. "His lofs in the field was fenfibly felt, but the Auguftine troops being shortly after reinforced from the camp hy Col. Field, with his company, together with Capt. M'Dowell, &c. the enemy, no longer able to maintain their ground, was forced to give way. In their precipitate retreat, Colonel Field was killed, During this time, which was till after twelve o'clock, the action continued ex tremely tremely hot. The clofe underwood, many steep banks, and logs, greatly favoured the retreat of the Indians; and the braveft of their men made the beft ufe of them, whilft others were throwing their dead into the Ohio, and carrying off their wounded. "Soon after twelve the action abated, but continued, except at fort intervals, fharp enough till fun-fet, when they found a fafe retreat. "They had not the fatisfaction of carrying off any of our men's fcalps, fave one or two ftragglers, whom they killed before the engagement. Many of their dead they scalped, rather than we should have them; but our troops fcalped upwards of twenty of their men, that were first killed. It is beyond doubt their lofs in number far exceeds ours, which is confiderable." The following is a return of the killed and wounded in the above battle: Killed: Colonels, Charles Lewis, John Field;-Captains, John Murray, R. M Clenechan, Samuel Wilfon, James Ward;-Lieutenant, Hugh Allen; En-, figns, Cantiff, Bracken, forty-four privates. Total killed 53. Wounded: Colonel William Fleming; Captains, John Dickinson, Thomas Blufford, John Skidman; Lieutenants, Goldman, Robinson, Larb, Vance; feventynine privates. Total wounded 87. Total killed and wounded 140. The account further fays, that Col. Fleming and feveral others are fince dead of their wounds. Fable the New Tragedy called, Matilda. Written by Dr. Franklin. Siward, Morcar, Edwin, Bertha, Matilda, Mr. Reddish. SCENE lies in NORTHUMBERLAND. ACT I ATILDA, the Heroine of the The brothers, being of different parties, are reprefented as ftrangers to each other's paffion for the fame object. In this fituation Matilda expreffes her fears of their meeting, defcribes the different tempers of her two lovers, and her hourly apprehenfions of a fatal discovery which muft take place, when they come together. Bertha, who is fent away with letters to Siward, the intimate friend of Morcar, and fecond in command, enters to Matilda, and endeavours to perfuade her to give her hand to Morcar. Matilda, unwilling to acknowledge her paffion for another, and particularly Edwin, objects to Morcar's vehemence of temper, his refufal to fet her free, and, above all, his rebellion against William. This ferves as a bafis for the conduct of Siward, who refolves to perfuade his friend to quit all thoughts of Matilda, or to give up his refentment, and join the Conqueror; the converfation is interrupted by the fudden arrival of Morcar; Matilda retires, and the friends are left together. In the following fcene a flight quarrel enfues between Morcar and Siward, wherein the Author has judicioufly difplayed and contrafted his characters. An Officer enters, to acquaint them that a party of William's are advancing to attack them. They are immediately reconciled, and go out to prepare for the battle. ACT II. Between the first and fecond act a battle is supposed to have been fought, and Edwin, whofe forces were routed by Morcar, taken prifoner; he laments his condition in a fhort foliloquy, and mentions the lofs of Matilda, whom he had not seen for three years, nor does he know what is become of her: Siward, to whom his perfon is a stranger, enters, gives him hopes of pardon and protection from Morcar, and delires him to retrieve Siward, his fervant. Morcar enters to Siward, who perfuades him to quit the cause he is engaged in, and make peace with William, as the only means of gaining Matilda. To this, though unwillingly, Morcar confents; he afks after time to fee him. prifoner in the camp of Morcar, who is deeply enamoured with her, comes on, as from the tent, accompanied with Bertha, a faithful friend and companion, to whom the intrufts the fecret of her paffion for Edwin, Morcar's younger brother, who had efpoufed the caufe of Will am the Conqueror, in oppofition to Morcar, who had taken up arms against him. ward goes out,and fends Edwin into Morcar; Edwin difcovers himself, and they are reconciled. The ftory begins here to grow more and more interesting; the lovers are now, without each others knowledge, brought very clofe, and the Author has artfully contrived to give them a meeting, by making Morcar propofe to his brother carrying to Matilda, whom 02 he he does not name, the joyful tidings of his converfion to the caufe of William, and to make an offer of his hand, which he doubts not but the will gladly accept; on the news of this change, Edwin, tho' very unwillingly, accepts his brother's commiffion, Morcar engaging to plead his caufe, and promising to follow him. ACT II. Matilda enters with Bertha; the relates to her an alarming dream which he had the preceding night, which he cannot interpret, but which is found in the courfe of the Fable to be prophefied of the catastrophe. An Officer enters, who acquaints her that a perfon from William's camp defires to fee and speak to her. She orders him to be admitted. The furprize of both parties, at this unexpected meeting, render the unfuing scene extremely interefting Her fituation in the camp of Morcar, and her seeming confent to marry him, naturally alarm the jealousy of Edwin, which produces a fhort quarrel between the lovers, ending, as fuch quarrels do generally, in a perfect reconciliation;-Morcar enters to the reward of his converfion, the hard heart of Ma ida. This brings on an explanation; Matilda acknowledges fhe is in love with another, and Edwin boldly confeffes himself to be the object of her affection. This is the great crifis or hinge on which the whole Fable turns: Morcar is astonished and enraged at the fuppofed connivance of the lovers. He orders Matilda to her feat, and calls the guards to feize on Edwin; but, Siward enters, and acquainting him that his foldiers, on hearing of his defertion to William, had mutinied, he goes out to quell the infurrection, and leaves Edwin in the cuftody of his friend, with ftrict orders to confine him. Siward, who is defcribed as the moft generous of men, ftrikes off his chains, receives his parole of honour that he will be found when called upon, and gives him leave to remain in his tent till Morcar can be reconciled to him. They go off toge ther. ACT IV. Edwin being permitted by Siward to fee Matilda, they enter together; he endeavours to perfuade her to go off, and leave him behind; fhe refufes, unless he will accompany her; which, as he had bound himself by word to Siward, he cannot comply with; as they are confulting the means of their future fafety, they are interrupted by Morcar, who, by one of his Officers, had received intelligence of their meeting; he is, to the last degree, irritated at this fecond interview; and, in the warmth of his refentment, remands Edwin to prifon, and orders Matilda, who reproaches him with all the fcorns and bittern.fs of an injured woman. Morcar is, at length, worked up to the height of paffion and defpair, which is encreased by the arrival of Siward, who acquaints him that William is jutt upon them with an irresistible forcé. This drives him to the desperate refolution of deftroying his brother; and. after contracting a folemn promise from Siward that he will do any thing he requires, he conjures him to destroy Edwin privately in the Tower; adding, that, if he refufes to perform the offer, he will employ another hand to execute it. This alarms Siward, who, after repeated endeavours to diffuade him from his cruel purpose, gives him an ambiguous anfwer, that makes Morcar believe he would certainly dispatch him. Siward tells him, that, when he hears the Curfew bell found, he may conclude that Edwin is dead. They part, and the act finishes. ACT V. Morcar enters with all the horrors of the intended murder itrongly impreffed on his mind. An Officer informs him it is generally believed that the mutiny among his troops had been fecretly stirred up by the prifoner in the Tower, who advifes him, therefore, as foon as poffible, to make away with him. This confirms Morcar in the refolution of deftroying his brother; but, the frings of confcience reproaching him, he feels the deepeft remorfe, and refolves, if poffible, ftill to fave Edwin, when a meffenger acquaints him, that a dead body had been drawn forth from the Tower by order of Siward. The bell then tolls, and confirms him in the opinion that his brother is dead. His agitation of mind on this occasion was warmly and pathetically described. Siward enters to him; Morcar reproaches him for fo readily executing his commands. Siward retorts, and Morcar endeavours to deftroy himself, but is prevented by Siward, who wrenches the dagger from him, and promises to bring him a cordial draught that will put an end to all his forrows. Morcar imagines it to be a cup of poifon, and tells him, that he will wait patiently till he returns with it. Siward goes out, and Matilda enters to petition for Edwin's life. Morcar, by ambiguous fpeeches. for for fome time foothes and flatters her; but, at length, acknowledges to her, that he had given his commands to Siward to destroy Edwin, which he had too faithfully performed. Matilda, fhocked at the news of Edwin's death, attempts to kill herself, but is ftopped by Morcar, who expreffes, in the ftrongeft terms, his abhorrence of the deed he had confented to, and tells her he would gladly give Edwin now to her arms, if he could be restored. As he is ftruggling and endeavouring to get the dagger from her, Siward enters with Edwin, telling Morcar this was the cordial draught he had referved for him. Mutual joy and happiness fucceed on this unexpected event. Morcar joins the hands of Edwin and Matilda; expresses his refolution of retreating for the remainder of his life to spend his days in forrow and fincere repentance of his rafhness, and the piece concludes. The idea of the foregoing Fable is vifibly borrowed from Voltaire's Duke of Foix; but, greatly to the honour of the English Poet, Dr. Franklin has confiderably improved upon the French original. The character of the generous and benevolent Siward is finely oppofed to that of the haughty relentless Morcar. The incidents are not only interefting, but numerous; though juf fice obliges us to acknowledge, that the nature of the plot rendered the first two acts lefs busy than declamatory-From the middle of the fourth, however, to the end of the fifth, we remember few performances more interefting-Morcar's working Siward up to a refolution of feeming to undertake the murder of Edwin is extremely fine; and the applaufe which attended the whole of the last act, juftifies our afferting, that it is one of the best Tragedies which the modern Theatre has furnished-With respect to the representation, Mifs Younge, notwithstanding fome little extravagance in particular paffages, defervedly obtained an uncommon fhare of applaufe.Among the men, Mr. Palmer was evidently the general favourite, which convinces us, that the good Poets, more than names, are the grand requifites in forming the reputation of an actor. Drefs of the Month, as Established at St. James's and in Taviflock-Street. SIR, Have had the patience to perufe your propofitions, to which I might have returned an answear in the fame difdaine; but, (to be fhort) I fhall give the fouldiers quarters for life, and leave to go to their feveral habitations with their wearing cloaths, they engaginge themselves to live quietly there, and to take upp arms noe more against the parliament of England. And the officers quarters for their lives, but to render themfelves prifoners. And as for the inhabitants, I fhall engage my-felfe that no violence fhall be offered to their goods, and that I fhall protect the town from plunder. I expect your pofitive anfweare inftantly; and if you will upon thefe tearmes furrender and quit in one houre, fhall fend forth to mee ffour officers of the quality of field officers, and two aldermen for the performance thereof, I fhall thereupon forbear all acts of hoftility. October 11, 1649. Your fervant, O. CROMWELL. An Hifiorical Account of the Origin and with the discovery of the circulation of the blood, or rather with the time when it became publicly known. The difcovery thereof is generally attributed to Dr. Harvey, our country man, |
