time. He was asked if he refted his defence on thofe obfervations, or if he chose to call any witneffes. His answer was, For what end? till fomething is proved against me I intend no defence in the world. I am ready to live and die according to juftice.

When the judge, in pronouncing fentence against him, faid, "You cannot be furprized that the law has thought fit to punish fuch a crime with death; you can as little be furprized if, after you have been convicted upon the clearest evidence of this offence, I can give you no hope of pardon;" he faid, I do not look for any, my lord. And when in conclufion, his lordfhip added, "I have only now to pronounce the painful fentence of the law," the prifoner faid "joyful."

He was carried from Winchef. ter gaol on the 10th of March, to Portsmouth dock-gate, where, before he was turned off, he faid, I acknowledge the juftnefs of my fentence, and hope for forgivenefs, as I forgive all the world; I with fuccefs to his majefty, King George, and his family, and all his loyal fubjects; and I hope for forgiveness for all the tranfactions I have been guilty of.

He recommended ftrict vigilance at the dock-yards of Chatham, Woolwich, Deptford, Portsmouth, and Plymouth; because, he said, it was in the power of any determined refolute man to do a great deal of mifchief.

After hanging the ufual time upon a gallows 60 feet high, he was cut down, and immediately hung in chains.

Before he was taken from Winchefter, he made a voluntary con

feffion, by which it appears, that his real name was James Aitken; that he was born at Edinburgh, September, 28, 1752; that his father was a blacksmith, and he believes his mother is now living; that he ferved an apprenticeship to a painter; that curiofity led him to Virginia at the age of 21; that he left America in March 1775; in October he inlifted in the 32d regiment at regiment at Gravefend, under the name of James Bofwell, but foon deferted; in November he inlifted at Chard, in Somersetshire, in the 13th regiment, and foon after deferted. He never was in the 45th regiment, neither did he go to America in any regiment, as fworn against him by Baldwin; nor did he tell any one, that one Brooks, a prifoner in Newgate, would be hanged, or that he ever knew a man by the name of Brooks. That he never faid he had recommendations to any merchant in London, or that he burnt bills to the amount of 300l. He burnt his indentures, he faid, when he enlifted for a foldier, to conceal his real name.

At Birmingham and Warrington he followed the trade of a painter; as he did likewife at Titchfield, in Hants, where he conceived the firft idea of fetting fire to the dock-yards. That he went to France, and applied to Mr. Silas Deane, who told him, when the work was done, he fhould be rewarded. That, on his return to England, and after fetting fire to the rope-yard at Portsmouth, he went to London, and waited on Dr. Bencraft, to whom he had a verbal recommendation from Mr. Deane; but that the doctor gave him no countenance. That he af

terwards

terwards wrote to him, and the day following met him at the Salopian coffee-house, and told him he would do all the prejudice he could to this kingdom; but the doctor not approving of his conduct, he took his leave, hoping that the doctor would not inform against him; to which the doctor faid, be did not like to inform against any man.

That, from London he went to High Wickham, where he broke open a house: from thence to Oxford and Abingdon, at which laft place he attempted to break into fome filver-fmiths fhops, but without effect. At Fairford he broke into a houfe, and took a watch and fome money. At Plymouth, he twice attempted to fet fire to the dock-yard, and twice reached the top of the wall for that purpose; but the watchmen being within hearing, he defifted. He then went to Briftol, and in his way attempted to break into a houfe at Taunton. At Bristol he attempted to fet fire to the fhipping in the harbour, and afterwards fet fire to a warehouse in Quay lane. He then left the town, and broke open Mr. Lowe's house at Calne. That he committed or attempted to commit feveral other robberies; particularly one at Norwich, where he ftole two filver ta ble-fpoons, and a pair of filver buckles. He alfo committed a robbery on the highway between Portsmouth and Petersfield. By all which atrocious villainies, conceived and committed without any inftigator or accomplice, other than the promife from Mr. Deane, he appears to have been a most abandoned mifcreant, capable of the moft enormous crimes; and of

fuffering without remorse the most rigorous punishments.

Summary of the new A&t for granting his Majesty a Duty upon all Servants retained or employed in the feveral Capacities therein men◄ tioned.

A

FTER a fhort preamble, the ftatute enacts: That, from and after the fifth day of July, 1777, there fhall be raised unto his majesty, his heirs and fucceffors, after the rate of twenty-one fhillings per annum for every male fervant, within the kingdom of Great Britain, who shall then have been, or fhall afterwards be, retained or employed in the following capacities; (that is to fay) of maitre d'hotel, houfe fteward, mafter of the horse, groom of the chamber, valet de chambre, butler, under-butler, clerk of the kitchen, confectioner, cook, house. porter, footman, running-footman, coachman, groom, poftillion, ftable-boy, and the refpective helpers in the tables of fuch coachman, groom, or poftillion, or in the capacity of gardener (not being a day-labourer) park-keeper, game-keeper, huntfman, whipperin, whether fuch male fervants fhall have been, or fhall be, retained in one or more of the faid capacities, or in any other business jointly with one or more of the faid capacities of a fervant; that every fuch mafter or mistress fhall be charged fifteen fhillings for every fuch fervant fo retained or employed within the time which fhall elapfe between the fifth day of July, 1777, and the 25th of March, 1778; and every fuch mafter or x

mistress

miftrefs fhall be charged the fum of 21 fhillings for every fuch fervant which fhall be fo retained within every fubfequent year, ending on the 25th day of March; and the feveral fums herein before mentioned fhall be paid in every year, within fix months fubfequent to the 25th day of March."

Provided always, That this act fhall not extend to any fervant who fhall be employed, bona fide, for the purposes of hufbandry or manufactures, or of any trade or calling by which the mafter or mitrefs of fuch fervant earn livelihood or profit.

a

Provided alfo, That the duty hereby granted for every coachman, groom, poftillion, or helper, let out to hire by way of job, fhall be paid by the mafter or mistress for whofe ufe, and in whofe fervice, fuch coachman, groom, poftillion, or helper, fhall be employed refpectively; and that the duty granted for every gardener, employed by any perfon who fhall contract for the keeping of any garden or gardens, fhall be paid by the perfon for whofe ufe, and in whofe garden, fuch gardener fhall be employed.

Provided alfo, That nothing in this act contained fhall extend to exempt any perfon from the payment of the duty impofed by this act, in refpect of any fervant employed in any of the capacities aforefaid, on account that fuch fervant is or fhall be bound as an apprentice to fuch perfon or perfons; lave and except fuch apprentices as are or fhall be impofed upon any mafter or miftrefs, by virtue of the powers given to magiftrates, and parith-officers, by any act of parliament, fo as the number

of fuch apprentices fo impofed upon any mafter or mistress, does not exceed two.

Provided alfo, That this act fhall not extend to charge with the duty hereby granted the butler or butlers, manciple, cook or cooks, gardener or gardeners, porter or porters, of any college or hall within either of the Univerfities of Oxford or Cambridge; or the Univerfities of Edinburgh, Glafgow, Aberdeen, or St. Andrew's, in Scotland; or of the feveral colleges of Westminster, Eton, or Winchef. ter; or to the fervants of his majefty, or any of the royal family; or of any ambaffador or foreign. minifter refiding in the kingdom of Great Britain.

Provided always, and be it en acted, That nothing herein contained fhall extend to charge with the duty hereby granted any of the royal hofpitals of Chrift, St. Bar tholomew, Bridewell, Bethlehem, St. Thomas in the city of London and borough of Southwark; or Guy's, or the Foundling hofpital, The duties to be collected by fuch perfons, and paid into the Exchequer, under fuch penalties, &c. as are appointed for the duties on houfes and windows by two acts of 20 Geo. II,

The commiffioners of the beforementioned acts fhall alfo put this act in execution, and fhall appoint affeffors.

Affeffors to give notice in writing to mafters, &c. to produce lifts of their fervants employed within their diftri&s, &c.

The commiffioners, on application, to grant relief to perfons who have been affeffed in different places for the fame fervants.

The makers to be doubly rated

for

for those fervants they omit in their lifts.

One half of which furcharge to be allowed the affeffor or furveyor making the fame.

Surveyors or affeffors not to enter any dwelling-houfe, &c. to examine the number of fervants. Persons over rated may appeal to the commiffioners for redrefs; and, if then diffatisfied, may appeal to the court of King's-bench.

Abstract of the Act of the laft Seffion of Parliament, for reftraining the Negotiation of Bills of Exchange, Promiffory Notes, &c.

HE A& 17 Geo. III. c. 30,

Trecites, That, by an act of

the 15th of this prefent reign, all negotiable promiffory notes, &c. iffued after the 24th of June 1775, for less than 20s. were made void, and that all fuch notes iffued before that time, were then made payable on demand. It adds, "that the faid act had been attended with very falutary effects; and fuppofes, that if the provifions therein contained were extended to

a further fum (but yet without prejudice to the convenience arifing to the public from the negotiation of promiffory notes, &c. for the remittance of money in difcharge of any balance of account") the good purpofe of the faid act would be further advanced. The legiflature therefore have continued the prohibition of notes, &c. for any lefs fum than zos. and enacted, that from and after the 24th of June 1777, till the first day of January 1778, all notes for any fum between one and five pounds fhall be liable to payment on demand, whatever be the conditions contained in the faid notes, &c. It alfo enacts, that from and after the first day of January 1778, all negotia

ble promiffory notes, &c. for 206

and lefs than five pounds, fhall be made payable at 21 days after date; and each indorfement thereon fhall fpecify the name and place of abode of the perfon to whofe order. the money is to be paid; and that the figning of every fuch note, &c. or any indorfement on it, fhall be attefted by one fubfcribing witness at the leaft,"

by

To E. F. of [Place]Witness, G. H.

Witnefs, L. M.

C. D.

Short Account of the Proceedings at Madrafs, and of the Controversy refpecting Tanjour. `.

A. B.

had established the vast empire of the Mogul, it became neceffary for the carrying on so extenfive government, to fubdivide it; and large diftrics and provinces were allotted to temporary governors appointed during pleafure, to over awe the natural princes of the country, and collect from them the ftipulated tribute for the Mogul. It often happened, that these temporary governors revolted, and appropriated to their own ufe the tributes which were to have paffed through their hands. In vain were others fent to relieve them, unless fuch perfons were rich enough themselves to raise armies, or were fupplied from court with force fufficient to difplace their predeceffors. Thus it was that Ancover de Cawn (father to the prefent Mahammed Alli Cawn) was appointed Nabob of Arcot; but Chauda Sail being in poffeffion, and fupported by M. Dupleix, Governor

in battle.

Matters were in this ftate when the war between England and France broke out; the French were triumphant in the beginning, and carried every thing before them: they took Fort St. David's, and befieged the English in their laft hold, Madrafs. There Alli Cawn, who then claimed the Nabobfhip, had taken fhelter, but, dreading the worft, had fent his wife and children in an English fhip to the Dutch fettlement of Negopatnam. Lord Pigot gallantly defended the place, and raifed the fiege. This revived the Nabob's almost extinguished hopes. Reinforcements were fent from England, and General Coote took the field, joined by the Nabob with a

body of Maratta cavalry, and another from the Rajah of Tanjour. Gen. Coote was every where vićto. rious; the Nabob's intereft grew ftrong in the country; and, by an

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