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fpeak of the Privilege of Parliament in reference not to one House in particular, but to both Houles. What then is the prefent cafe? Mr Wilkes, a Member of the Houfe of Commons, is committed for being theAuthor and Publisher of an infamous and feditious Libel. Is a Libel ipfo facto in itself an actual breach of the peace? Dalton, in his Jufice of the Peace, fol. 289. defines a Libel as a thing tending to the Breach of the Peace. In Sir Baptif Hicks's cafe, Hob. 224. it is called a provocation to a Breach of the Peace. In B Lev. 139. the King against Summers, it was held to be an offence conutable before Juftices, because it tended to a breach of the peace. In Hawk. Pl. Cr. 193. chap. 73. fect. it is called a thing directly tending to a breach of the public peace. Now, that which tends only to the breach of the peace, is not an actual breach of it, is too plain a propofition to admit of argument. But if it was admitted that a Lib:1 was a breach of the peace, ftill Privilege cannot be excluded, unless it requires furety of the peace; and there has been no precedent but that D of the feven Bifhops cited to fhew that fureties of the peace are requireable from a Libeller; and as to the opinion of the three Judges in that cafe, it only ferves to fhew the miferable ftate of justice in thofe days. Allybone, one of the three, was a rigid and profeffed Papist; Wright and Holloway, I am much afraid, were placed there for doing jobbs; and Powell, the only honest man upon the bench, gave no opinion at all. Perhaps it implies an abfurdity to demand fureties of the peace from a Libeller; however, what was done in the cafe of the feven Bi- F fhops, I am bold to deny was law.

Upon the whole, tho' it fhould be admitted, that fureties of the peace are requireable from Mr Wilkes, still his Privilege of Parliament will not be taken away till fureties have been demanded and refufed. Let him be discharged. Eafter Term, 3 Geo. III. 1763. C. P. the King againit John Wilkes, Efq; [Digrft of the Laws concerning Libels, fol. 49-54.]

Extract from the Regifler of Keym, near

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Leicester.

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5 Thomas, baptifed Nov. 1, in 1637
6 John,
do. Dec. 15, in 1639
7 Sufannah, do. July 25,
in 1641
8 Elizabeth, do. Oct. 20, in 1644
He could not ferve the Cure of Keym
before he was 22, confequently he had
ferved it at the birth of his

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Mr Sampfen was buried Auguft 4th, 1655; he was then at least 114, and had been Minister of Keym 92 years. The register is of his own writing till near the time of his death. It was examined by the Rev. Mr Juxon, on Feb. 28, 1743.

A circumflantial Account of Mr FOOTE'S new Piece, intitled, The COMMIS

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Mrs LOVEIT, an old Dowager, who employs Mrs Mechlin to get her a husband; by Shuter.

Tly thore in itfelf, though crouded

HE ftory of this piece is extreme

with a number of characters.

Fungus, a man of mean extraction and low education, being appointed a Commiffary during the late war inGermany, contrives to amafs an immense

fortune; and coming over at the conclufion of the peace, fets up, tho' in the decline of life, for a fine gentleman. With this view, he takes elegant apartments at Mrs Mechlin's, to whofe character he is an entire franger, and engages Fencing-masters, Riding-mafters, Mufick-matters, dan

R Thomas Sampson being minifter in the year 1563, he had by his H cing, and even mafters in Oratory, to wite Tomifon eight children, viz. Joyce, baptifed Feb. 12. in 1630 2 Ann do. May 6, in 1632 Feb. 6, in 1633 Oct. 11, in 1635

3 Fdward, do. 4 Francis, do.

ments.

teach him the 'neceflary accomplishMrs Mechlin had too much knowledge of the world not to fee in a moment the foibles of her lodger, and

and too great a regard for her interest
not to turn them to her own account.
Actuated by this principle, the gained.
the Commiffary's confidence, and find-
ing him paffionately defirous of mar-
rying a woman of quality, the dressed,
up Dolly, as the daughter of a Scotch
Earl, and introduced her to poor Za- A
ebary, as a lady, whofe narrowness of
fortune reduced her to the neceffity of
accepting fome inferior person that
was bleft with a great eftate. 'Twas
in vain that honelt Ifaac, the brother,
argued against this connection, and
pointed out the numberless infults B
which he must receive from her Right
Hon. relations; the Commiffary, ra-
vifhed with the fuppofed rank of Lady
Sachariffa, Dolly's new name, swallow-
ed every improbability which Mrs
Mechlin thought proper to tell; and at
Jaft threatened, that if Ifaac faid ano-
ther fyllable against the match, he
would go farther ftill, and marry a,
Dutchess.

Mrs Mechlin having thus fool'd up the
unfortunate Commiffary to the top of
bis bent, the confults with Harpy her
lawyer, and gets a large fettlement for D
Lady Sachariffa; but just as the nup-
tials are going to be celebrated, Jenny
runs to Ifaac Fungus's, and thro' fome
pique at her mistress, difcovers the
whole artifice. In confequence of this
information, the honeft Tallow.chan-
dler inftantly pofts to his brother, and
acquaints him with what he has heard; E
the Commiffary at firft would pay no
attention to his account; but Doctor
Catgut, who had a child by Dolly, hap.
pening to be prefent, recognizes his
old acquaintance; and Mrs Mechlin,
having fecured the fettlement, does
not think it worth her while to deny F
the matter any longer. The Commit-
fary upon this reproaches her with her
difhonefty; but the foon retorts, and
afks him how he has acquired his pro-
digious fortune? Dwells upon the
numberlefs frauds and oppreffions he
must have committed to raise fo im-
menfe a fum; and concludes with ap-
pealing to the audience, if the, who
only affifts the pleafures of thofe who
are able to pay for her fervice, and at
moft injures but individuals, is not a
comparitively innocent character to
him who plunders a whole people?

Such is the main story of this piece; but there is a little epifode, or under. plot, which is happily work'd up by Mr Foote,Mrs Loveit, a widow of fixty, from Decoonfure fquare, whole hufband has been dead three whole

weeks and three days, comes to folicit Mrs Mechlin's affiftance for a young husband: the obliging Commode very readily affents, and defires her to call next day. In the mean time Harpy, the Attorney, carries a young Oxonian to Mrs Mechlin's, who wants to improve his circumftances by marrying Tome old liquorifh Dowager, with a large fortune. Mrs Mechlin thinking this a very proper Match for the matron of Devonshire fquare, brings them together; when, O dire mifchance! the antiquated Lady finds the Enamorato to be her own fon, whom the had driven to that difagreeable extremity by her cruelty and avarice.--The Commiffary, finding the near relation of thefe parties, at the winding up of his own story, makes it a fource of fresh exclamation against Mrs Merblin, and cries, "O monstrous! What, bring a fon to commit incenfe with his own mother!"

This piece is to be confidered rather as a collection of glowing scenes, boldly put together by a fpirited hand, than the elaborate work of a master inflexibly mindful of nature and propriety. However, what Mr Foote wants in conduct, he has fo amply atoned for in humour, that it is utterly impoffible for the most fanctified fon of the Tabernacle to be prefent, without unbending the austere folemnity of his phyz, and joining in the univerfal grin that poffeffes the more ungodly part of the fpectators.

There are two pictures profeffedly copied from a couple of honeft gentlemen of very whimsical eftimation in this metropolis; namely, Doctor Catgut, who informs the audience he has lately turned poet; and Mr Gruel, the Orator, who teaches the true pronunciation of the English language.The Doctor tells us he has a lift of chimes from Z down to great A,which being fet to tolerable airs and a dacapo, he can at any time run a couple of months; and, the Orator informs us, it is not with our mouths we speak, but with our tongue, our teeth, and our throat; in proportion, fays he, as we contract or diftend these organs in proportion we become thrill or loud; and hence it is we find the dif H ference, for example, between a whit tle and a bawl.

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Abfiract of an A for the Prefervation of
Fisu, in Rivers, Ponds, Stews, &c.
HE act commenced the it day
of June, and enacts, That any

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perfon entering a park or paddock, or any enclosure belonging to a dwel ling-houfe through which a stream runs, or in which there fhall be any pond or other piece of water, and shall by any means take or kill the fish, without confent of the owner, fhall be tranfported for seven years.

All perfons affifting, or receiving the fish when killed or taken, to fuffer the fame.

An offender difcovering his accomplices is intitled to pardon.

them at Rowley's Bite, the New River, and Rio Hondo, the places from whence they had been driven.

I have the pleafure to affure their Lordfhips, that I have ftrictly obeyed their orders, in feeing his Majefty's commands punctually executed; and likewise to affure them, that the inhabitants of the bay A are perfectly fatisfied.

Perfons taking or killing fish in any river, or other water that is not within B a park, paddock, or enclosure belonging to a dwelling-house, but in any other enclosed ground that is private property, fhall forfeit five pounds, and may be apprehended by a Juftice's warrant, on oath, the penalty to be paid on conviction, or the offender committed to prifon for fix months.

Perfons ftealing or killing Rabbits in a warren, or affifting fo to do, to be tranfported, whipped, fined, or imprifoned, at the difcretion of the court.

An exception is made in this Act to the killing of Rabbits on the sea and river banks in the county of Lincoln.

Extract of a Letter from York, June 23.

LL ranks of people here are run

Aning mad, account of the

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Don Philip Remirez de Eftenos, late governor of Jucatan, who was the caufe of the disturbances in the bay, is dead. The prefent governor feems greatly concerned at the conduct of his predeceffor; and expreffes the higheft regard and esteem for his Britannick Majefty's fubjects; and affures us he will endeavour, in every inftance, to manifeft by his future conduct, the truth of his affertion, by living in the ftrictest harmony with them.

I have ordered the ships with the troops that came down with me, back to Jamaica, and am myself going to Pensacola, to execute their Lordship's orders. Iam, &c. W. BURNABY.

Tranßation of a Letter from the Governor of
Jucatan, to Sir William Burnaby, in the
Bay of Honduras.

SIR,

DI Received, by the hands of Lieutenant

new Act to prevent fishing, even in a river with an angle-rod. Three perfons were taken up the other day, and fined; and feveral other perfons fince E have been informed againft; but a gentleman, who was brought up to the law, and is a magiftrate for this county, is of opinion the Act is not printed right: The Act, however, oscafions great confusion in this place.

Copy of a Letter from Vice-Admiral Sir William Burnaby, Commander in Chief of bis Majefty's Squadron ftationed at Jamaica, to Philip Stephens, Secretary of the Admiralty, dated Active, off the River Balize, in the Bay of Honduras, the 26th of March, 1765.

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SIR,

TAVING this day received the Governor of Jucatan's answer to my difpatches, inclosing the duplicate of the order from the court of Spain, I herewith fend his answer and a tranflation thereof, and defire you will communicate the fame to their Lordships, acquainting them like. wife, that the logwood cutters, in the Bay of Honduras, have had poffefsion given them in orm, by the Commandant at Bac calar, agreeable to an order. he received from the governor of Jucatan, to reinstate

James Cook, the esteemed favour of your excellency's letter dated the 16th of January, and with it the duplicate of the royal order of the King my master; in which he difapproves the measures taken by my predeceffor Don Philip Remirezs de Eftenos, in difturbing the logwood cutters in their occupation in Rio Hondo, and that they should be re-established in those places where they cut before. Your Excellency affuring me, that the intention of his Britannick Majefty is to preserve perfect harmony and friendship with the Court of his Catholick Majefty and his fubjects; andon this intelligence, and in obedience to his royal order, I have wrote to the Commandant of F Baccalar, that, without the leaft demurr, he put the fubjects of his Britannick Majef ty in poffeffion of logwood cutting in Rio Hondo, where he is to permit them the free ufe of that trade without incommoding them, treating them with the utmost politeness, as they are fubjects of a nation at friendship with us. And for my part, E have the honour to affure your Excellency, that under no pretext whatsoever there fhall be the least extortion offered to the fubjects of his Britannick Majesty employed in cutting logwood; being affured his Majefty would be greatly concerned at any change that might interrupt the good harmony that fubfifts between the two

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crowns.

I rejoice at your Excellency's fafe arrival at the Balize, and, at the receipt of this, hope your Excellency may be in perfect health,

Extract of a Letter from Major Hector Munro,

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Commanding in Chief his Majefty's and the Eaft India Company's Troops in Bengal, to the Earl of Sandwich, dated at the Camp at Buxar, the 26th of October 1764, received the 15th Infant.

Have the pleasure to acquaint your Lord. A Imip, that his Majefty's troops and the

India company's, which I have the honour to command, have gained a compleat victory over the King and Vizier of Hindofton, the 23d of this month. Their army confifted of 50,000 men at leaft. Inclofed I have the honour to fend your Lordship a return of ours: They had 6000 men killed on the field of battle; and we took 130 pieces of cannon from them, befides feveral ftores of different kinds. On the 22d I encamped fo near the enemy's encampment, as to be just out of the range of their hot. The morning of the

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tion, at day-light, I went out with fome of the principal officers to reconnoitre their fituation, intending to attack them the following day; but finding their whole army under arms, returned to camp, ordered in our advanced posts and grand guards, the drums to beat to arms, and in lefs than twenty minutes after the line of battle was formed, having made my difpofition for it the day before. They began to cannonade us at nine o'clock in the morning, and half an hour after, the action became general: We had a morafs in our front, which prevented our D moving forward for fome time; by which means the number of cannon they had, and which were well levelled, and equally well difpofed of, galled us very much. I was forced to order a battalion of Seapoys, with one gun, from the right of the first line, to move forward to Gilence one of their batteries which played upon our flank; and obliged to fupport it by another battalion from the fecond line, which had the desired effect. I then ordered both the lines to face to the right, and keep marching, in order to clear the left wing of the morals; and when done, face to our former front, the right wing wheeling up to the left, to clear a tope, or fmall wood, that was upon our right; then the first line moved forward, keeping a very brifk canonade. I fent orders to Major Pem- F ble who commanded the fecond line, to face

to the right about, and follow the firft; but that officer faw the propriety of that movement fo foon, that he began to put it in execution before he received my order. Immediately after, both lines pushed. forward with fo much ardour and refolution, at which time the fmall arms began, that the enemy foon after began to give way; and five miButes before twelve, their whole army was put to flight. Give me leave, my Lord, to istreat your Lordship may be pleased to acquaint his Majefty with the gallant and brave Behaviour of the troops in general: And I beg leave particularly to recommend Capt. Charles Garden, of the 89th regiment, my Aid de Camp, for his brave and fpirited behaviour, Your Lordship will excufe me, if, at the fame time, I with Major Pemble might be recommended to the Chairman and Court of Direc

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greet you well. It is with the highest fatisfaction, that we embrace every opportunity of renewing to you thofe teftimoines of our paternal affection, which your duty and loyalty to us and our government, and your fteady attention to the great concerns of religion and virtue, deferve at our hands. It is from the experience we have had of your prudence, candour, and moderation, thofe conftant at

tendants of a truly Chriftian fpirit, that we gladly fupport the General affemblies of the church of Scotland, and this present meeting in particular, with our Royal Countenance and Authority,

We need not recommend the avoiding of all contention and unedifying debates, to those who have no other object in their view than the fuppreffing licentiousness, immorality, and vice, and who are actuated by no other zeal, than that which tends to the advancement of true religion, and confequently to the general peace and happiness of fociety.

No religion can be fincere, which does not require a confcientious difcharge of the duties it prefcribes: No Government can be fteady which is not founded upon maxims of public liberty under the influence and reftriction of wholefome laws. The purity of the Chriftian Faith is diftinguished by the fift the happiness of the British conftitution is derived from the fecond: It is by infusing into the minds of the people committed to your care, thefe civil and religious principles, fo effential to their happiness, both here and hereafter, that you will be effectually intitled to our favour.

We have again granted our right_trufty and right well beloved cousin, John Earl of Glasgow, to reprefent our royal petfon in this affembly; you, who have already experienced his affection for you, will be fenfible of our attention to you in this choice. We need not affure you, that the Prefbyterian church of Scotland, as by law established, will always meet with our fupport, in the full enjoyment of their rights and privileges; and with fuch conviction on your part, we have no doubt but that this meeting will be concluded with the fame unanimity, harmony, and brotherly affection, which have diftinguished any former Affembly, and we bid you heartily farewell

Given at our Court at St James's the 20th of April 1765, in the 5th year of our reign.

By his Majey's Command

SANDWICH

Some Account of the Life of the celebrated Jean Baptift Puquelin. (Concluded from p. 206.)

OUIS the XIVth, who had na

of his fortune; his house was always open to the best company, and he had the happy art of uniting pleasure and philofophy: He had a country-houfe at Auteuil, where both concurred to

Lturally a good talte, and a right relieve him from the fatigues of his

way of thinking, though without any
of the advantages of education, fre-
quently brought crowded audiences of
the best company to Moliere's pieces,
by his approbation of them. But it
would have done the public more ho-
nour if they had fhewed themfelves to
ftand lefs in need of the decifions of B
their mafter to diftinguish merit.

Among Moliere's enemies there were
fome who perfecuted him with unre.
lenting malice; thefe were chiefly the
bad authors of his time, with their pa-
trons and partizans. As Superftition
and Stupidity are always friends, thefe
wretches found it very eafy to raile an C
outery against him among the devo
tees; they infinuated that he was the
author of fcandalous books, and
when he rendered Vice ridiculous,
they said he attacked the characters of
great men. Under this perfecution,
however defpicable the characters of
those that carried it on, he would cer-
tainly have funk, if the fame prince
who encouraged and fupported Racine
and Defpreaux, had not also protected
Moliere.

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His penfion, indeed, amounted to no more than 1000 livres, (about 754. E pounds fterling) and his company had no more than 7000. But the fortune which he acquired by the fuccefs of his pieces left him nothing to with, for his income was not less than 30,000 livres (2250, fterling) per Annum. which, at the time when he lived, was full as much as twice the money is now. F

He had a perfonal intereft with the king, not inconfiderable, for he got the fon of his phyfician made a canon. The name of this phyfician was Mauvillain. The reader, perhaps, may wonder what could be done between

Moliere and a phyfician, confidering that the faculty was the perpetual object of his ridicule; but upon this occafion Moliere has anfwered for himfelf. Being one day at dinner with the king, You have a doctor, I "think," fays his majefty: "Yes, "Sir," fatd Moliere; "And how do

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you manage it between you?" faid H the king: "Why, fays Moliere, we "talk nonfenfe to one another; then "he orders me medicines, I never take them, and fo I get well." Moliere made a wife and a noble use (Gent, Mag. JUNE 1765.)

profeffion, which were much greater than is generally imagined. The Marthal de Vivonne, well known for his wit, and his friendship for DeSpreaux, went often to this retreat of Moliere's, where he lived with him as Lelius did with Terence. The celebrated Gonde alfo preffed him to come often to fee him, and faid, that he always learnt fomething that he did not know before, from his conversation.

Moliere did not, however, exhauft his revenue upon himself and his acquaintance; he bestowed a confiderable part of it in liberalities, which extended much farther than what is commonly called Charity. He frequently encouraged young authors, who thewed marks of genius by confiderable prefents; and France is probably obliged to Moliere for Racine, when he came first from college, and whom he engaged to write for the stage was only 19 years old. He employed him to write the tragedy of Theagenes and Cariclea, and although when it was done he did not think it fit for the ftage, he made the author a present of the plan of the Brothers at Enmity. (Frea hundred Lewidores, and gave him res Enemies.)

It is greatly to be regretted, as a difgrace to literature, that Moliere and Racine afterwards ceafed to be friends ; the mutual affection and efteem of two perfons fo eminent for their gefactor of the other, ought not to have nius, one of whom had been the bene

ended but with life.

Moliere brought up, both as patron and preceptor, another man, who, for the superiority of his parts, and the fingular gifte which he had received from Nature, deferves to be known to

potterity. This was Baron the player, who was without a rival both in tragedy and comedy.

One day Baron, who always confidered Moliere as his father, came to him, and told him that there was a poor player below, fo poor as not to be fit to be introduced to him, who came to follicit for a trifling fum that would enable him to join the company to which he belonged. Moliere, upon enquiry, found that this poor playe was one Mondorge, who had for his comrade, and ad

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