on his head, he called a witnefs, who faid he was cook of the fhip when the accident happened, but he could give but a flender account of himself; and to prove his attempting the life of his wife, he called fome witneffes of better credit. He alfo called a cloud of witneffes to his character; and the Recorder, after fumming up the evidence, very candidly ad. verted to what the prisoner had said of his infanity in his defence, obferving at the fame time that they were to judge of the ftate of the prisoner's mind at the time the fact was committed by what they had heard from the evidence. After a fhort confultation, the jury brought him in Guilty, but recommended him to mercy. And a point of law being stated by his counfel, the Recorder deferred paffing fentence till he had taken the opinion of the judges.

Sophia Pringle, as has been already faid, was indicted for forging a letter of attorney, in the name of William Winterburn, with intent to defraud the Bank. Mr Sylvefter opened the indictment, and called Mr Marmaduke Langdale; who depofed, that on the 12th of Dec. laft the prifoner came to him, as she said, by the recommendation of Mr Good, a friend of his, and wanted a power of attorney to fell 100l. for her father, who was an old man, and a friend of Mr Good's; that he had hurt his foot, and was gone to Clapham; and that he wanted her to fell out fo much stock for him. He afked her father's name; fhe faid her father's name was William Winterburn: what ftock had he, and in what fund? She could not tell, but would inquire of her father, and inform him next day. She accordingly came, named the precife fum, and the fund, 3 per cents reduced. He then went with her to the proper office, heard her give the defcription, and obtain the power of attorney, which she said she would carry to her father at Clapham to get executed. She did fo; and next day, every entry being regularly made, Mr Langdale fold the ftock, and fhe received the money without the leaft fufpicion.

On the 20th of Dec. the prifoner came again, and said, fhe wanted to fell out 1501. more: her drefs was quite different: the first time fhe was dreffed decently neat, but now quite elegant. Court. Like a lady? Yes, in every refpect, with a muff, &c. Inftructions were given for another power; but curiofity being excited, inquiry was made. Mr Winterburn was

perfonally applied to, who was an utter ftranger to the whole tranfaction. On the 22d the prifoner came with the second letter of attorney fully exécuted. The witness asked her if her name was Elifabeth Winterburn? She said, Yes. If the had feen her father execute the inftrument? Yes. This was in the accountants office. Mr Winterburn was then called in. On the fight of whom the fainted, and continued in fits for fome time. Mr Winterburn, seeing her fo fine, did not at first recollect her; but afterwards the came perfectly to his remembrance, being the daughter of a Mr Pringle, tailor, with whom he had lodged for fome time. When the came to herfelf, fhe was taken into cuftody, and next day examined; but the particulars Mr Langdale did not hear.

William Lewis, a clerk in the Bank, was next called. On feeing him the inftantly fell down, and continued in convulfions some time, and the Court waited her recovery. He produced the Ledger in which was the name of William Winterburn, as proprietor of 400l. The firft transfer was made the 15th of December for rool. to William Adie, by warrant of attorney from William Winterburn, to Elifabeth Winterburn; he could not fwear pofitively to the prifoner. But Mr Langdale being called again, proved the prifoner was the perfon who transferred the ftock. The fact of uttering the letter of attorney, knowing it to be forged, being thus fubftantially proved, the forgery was next to be examined into, as it was thought next to impoffible for fo young a perfon to go through with fuch a bufinefs without accomplices. How the contrived to procure Winterburn's name in his own hand-writing did not appear upon the trial; but as he had lodged at her father's fome time before, the found means to procure it. She then applied to one Miers, a fhoemaker of her acquaintance, and afked him if he could write. He faid he could not, but Eyers the chairman could. Eyers was called; but he could not write well enough, but believed his partner Devonish could. Devonish was found, and fhewn the name of William Winterburn written on a bit of paper, and asked by the prifoner if he could write as well as that? He said he would try, and did fo, and the writing pleased the prifoner, who foon after brought him a paper folded up, and bid him write the name on that paper. He faw no print on

the

the paper on which he wrote the name; nor on the paper on which he gave him two other names to write; thefe fhe defired him to write in a smaller hand, which he did; and he saw no more of her for near a fortnight, when she came again, and pretended fhe had loft the other pa per, and defired him to write the fame as before. She was very merry, and faid it was only a jeft, (making as if fome witchcraft was to be played with the names). She brought him a paper folded as before, and he wrote the names, without the leaft fufpicion; for which the gave him a fhilling, which he took unwillingly, not wanting any thing.

He was crofs examined, but nothing appeared to criminate him in the bufinefs; and the evidence being clofed, fhe was called upon for her defence. With great difficulty the articulated the words, " I leave it to counfel." On the jury bring ing in their verdict, Guilty, Death, the was taken from the bar in convulfions.

The unfortunate young woman lived some time with Mrs Meadows, an American lady, from whose service she was difmiffed for ftaying out late on nights; the then went to lodge with one Louis a hair dreffer, and had left his house about three weeks when the committed the forgery; and being in debt to the amount of 161. the came to pay the fame in entire new cloaths, and fo much altered in appearance as fcarce to be known. She was troubled with fits when at the hair-dreffer's, and had a man to attend her, of whom the was very fond.

After the bufinefs of the feffions was finished, Sam. Burt, convicted of forgery [vol.48. p. 352.], was put to the bar, and informed, that his Majefty, in his Royal clemency, had been graciously pleased to extend his mercy to him, upon condition that he should be tranfported during his natural life. The prifoner bowed refpect fully to the court, and immediately addreffed the Recorder with his "moft humble and unfeigned thanks for the kindness and humanity of the Recorder, the Sheriffs, and the other gentlemen who had interested themselves in his favour, and had fo effectually reprefented his unhappy cafe to the throne, that his Majefty, whofe humanity could only be equalled by his love of virtue, had extended his mercy; but however flattering the profpect of preferving life might be to a man in a different fituation; yet that he, now that he was funk and degraded VOL. XLIX.

in fociety, was totally infenfible of bleffing. Life was no longer an object with him, as it was utterly impoffible that he could be joined in union with the perfon that was dearer to him than life itself. Under fuch circumftances, although he was truly fenfible of his Majefty's goodnefs and clemency, yet he muft pofitively decline the terms offered to him; preferring death to the prolongation of a life which could not be otherwise than truly miferable." The whole court was aftonifhed at this addrefs; and after confultation, Mr Recorder remanded the prifoner back to the gaol, to be brought up again the first day of next feffion.

The following account of the late change in the establishment of the Prince of Wales, is taken from the London papers of Jan. 20.

When the Prince fet apart a moiety of his revenues to the discharge of his incumbrances, Coutts's was the bankinghouse first named for the receipt of the money. The Prince withed the house to be Hammerfley's, because he had beha ved with more than ordinary liberality and fkill in the affairs of two or three noblemen. As this merit was not unknown, and being known, was wished to be rewarded, the Prince named Mr Hammerfley.-Col. Hotham offered fome very justifiable reasons for preferring Mr Coutts. Some little argument having paffed on both fides, the Prince repeated his wifh; at which the Colonel again demurred. The appointment of Mr Hammersley was then given in the form of a precife order; and it was as precifely refufed. On this the interview ended. But the Prince, who is most remarkable for difpaffionate temper and candid feel ings, inftantly dispatched a letter to Col. Hotham, defired him, as a friend, to confider what was paft, and to make fuch a

fubmiffion as the cafe required, with which a Prince might be fatisfied, but without which a separation must enfue. This condefcenfion unluckily failed. Col. Hotham, with more fpirit, perhaps, than was requifite, begged leave to decline the fubmiffion. The next step, therefore, was a letter in form from the Prince, thanking Col. Hotham for paft fervices, and declining to give him any further trouble; but faying, that his emoluments of office should continue unreduced. To this Col. Hotham's an fwer was fuch as might be expected from magnificence acting upon gratitude; but

G

the

the offer was declined till the whole tranf action should have the cognisance and confent of his Majefty. The King, in anfwer to Col. Hotham, wrote in the warmeft terms, approving of the whole affair, as of pure and perfect honour on both fides: That, however, after what had paffed, the Prince could not properly retain him in his employment; nor could the Colonel, not employed, properly retain the emoluments: That his fervices, though thus loft from one of fice, he wished to retain in another; and that, therefore, he hoped the Colonel would accept a fimilar fituation, with the fame appointment--Treasurer to the Duke of York, with a falary of 1000l. a.year.

On Tuesday, Jan. 23. the Attorney General moved the court of King's bench againft Lord George Gordon, for a libel against the French ambaffador, &c. Lord George appeared, and stated to the judges, that he had received a fummons from the folicitor of the treasury to appear perfonally in court to anfwer to an information to be exhibited against him on the King's behalf, for certain crimes and mifdemeanors. His Lordship faid, that he had come himself, becaufe he was defired perfonally to appear, and did not intend to be at any expence, or to employ any folicitor or counsel; his reafon for which was, that one learned gentleman, who had formerly afferted his innocence, Sir Lloyd Kenyon, was raifed (he was glad to fee it) to a very high ft tuation; and of the affiftance of the other (Mr Erskine) he was deprived, he having been retained againft him fome time ago. His Lordship retired, and the rule was granted. He appeared in court next day, and made fome objections to the fummons, because it called him fimply George Gordon, without any defignation.

SCOTLAND..

Kelfo, Jan. 12. Laft Chriftmas-day, and frequently fince, there was prefented at table in Nenthorn-houle, large afparagus, peas, kidney-beans, and cauliflower, equally good as in fummer, all produced without the help of a hot-houfe, flue, or any thing of the like nature. The gardener there lately produced a grown fallad from the feed, in a close room, in the Space of twenty-two minutes and a half, before a numerous company, by the power of electricity; and he likewife pro

poses in the enfuing feason to produce a bushel of barley from a single barley corn.

On Sunday, Jan. 7. arrived at Edinburgh, William Allan, mafter of the Whalefisher, of Hull, who gives the fol lowing account of his disastrous voyage. On the 3d of June laft he was befet in the ice in the lat. of 79, 20. land then bearing S. E. by E. about 25 leagues, and continued in that fituation till the roth of September, when the fhip funk, nothing faved, excepting her boats and provifions. The fhip's crew were then divided betwixt three fhips in company, one belonging to Gottenburgh, one to Amfterdam, and the other to Aldtown Nigh; on board of which veffels there were also the crew of the fhip Sally, of London, Capt. Weatherhead, which had been loft the rft of September. On Oct. 25. feeing no prospect of getting the velfels clear, Capt. Allan, with 33 men from two of the veffels, took themselves to two boats, with what provifions came to their fhare, being about 50 pieces of beef to each boat, and 128 lb. of bifcuit. After ufing every effort to get clear of the ice, they were, on the 4th of November, obliged to return to the fhips, one of the boats keels having been torn out. On their return to the veffel in this miferable situation, they were refufed admittance, and kept expofed to the feverity of the climate 24 hours. On the 5th, they were received into the veffels, having nothing then to live on but whale's blubber, for which the Captain offered bills on London or Hull, ere they could obtain it, and fix fpoonfuls of barley, half the allowance of the ship's crew. In this dismal fituation they remained till Nov. 25. when a hard gale came on from E. N. E. and on the 26th a great swell broke the ice in pieces, when they fet fail, and bore to S. S. W. On the 27th, broke our rudder-head, and then only in fight of clear water, the thip belonging to Amfterdam bearing weft three miles, and the other fhip belonging to Aldtown Nigh E. S. E. fix miles; we had a fignal of diftrefs flying at our fore-top-maft-head, expecting our fhip to be nipped in pieces by the higha fea and heavy ice; but on the 28th, in the morning, at two o'clock, we were fortunately releafed, having got the thip out to fea; but notwithstanding we were ftill in great diftrefs, the fhip being fo leaky, and our rudder broke, and out of 61 men, only 18 (all English) capable

of

of duty. We continued making all faft and fafe till next morning; we made the weft coaft of Iceland, bearing S. E. diftant 12 leagues, in lat. 66. 20. long. 34. W. We fo continued, till on the roth of December we got tackles to our rudder below; and on the 13th of the fame month made the but of the Lewis. On the 14th, Capt. Allan, fix Englishmen, and one Swede, went on fhore for provifions, being in the greateft diftrefs for want of them; and, on landing, the boat was ftaved. In the morning of the 15th, the ship was driven off to fea, and could not fetch the place where Capt. Allan had landed with the boat, but was compelled to anchor that night off Tolftohead; and, on the 17th, about two in the morning, the fhip was unfortu nately wrecked in the Broad Bay, near Stornoway. The crew loft every thing. Three Swedes were drowned, and one died. The chief part of her cargo was whalebone and blubber, which, with her materials, were mostly saved. Extract of a letter from the Collector of the Customs at Kirkwall, to the Hon. Board of Customs at Edinburgh, dated, Kirkwall, Dec. 30. 1786.

06

Upon the 22d current, the fhip Geheimer, Rath von Gabler, of Altena, from Greenland, was run afhore, in a thick fhower, upon the rocks near the old church of Stromneis, where the ap pears to have received confiderable damage; but providentially got off, and is now upon the ground in the harbour of Stromnefs.

The thip has only 40 casks of blubber, with her fishing materials on board, molt of which must be landed before her bottom can be got at to be infpected, when they fhall be taken into joint keeping. This fhip has brought home part of the crews of the Sally of London, and the Whalefither of Hull, both loft in the ice. And this fhip, with two others, foreign thips, (one of which, we hear, is loft near Stornoway) did not get clear of the ice till the 3d current. The people have been in the utmost diftrefs for want of provifions, and lived long upon the whale blubber, having eat 20 cafks of it. The Captain and nineteen of the Danes have died; and when they came in here, five of these were lying dead upon the deck, and one has died fince they came here, The greateft property in the fhip belongs to the King of Denmark."

Saturday, Jan. 6. betwixt ten and eleven forenoon, a fhock of an earthquake was felt in the parishes of Campfic and Strathblane, about ten miles north of Glafgow. At Woodhead in Campfie, a burn, on which there is a mill, became dry in feveral places, for a fhort space. At Lettrick Green, in the parish of Strathblane, a gentleman who was in the fields, and who had refided many years in Jamaica, heard a rushing noife precede the fhock, which he thought came in a direction from the fouth-eaft. He likewise observed the hedges to be agitated, as if a fudden gutt of wind had affected them, though it was then fill. At Nethertown, in the fame parish, the fhock was more fenfibly felt; and the people were fo alarmed as to run out to the fields, their houfes fhook fo. Many other people felt the fhock; and in dif ferent houses, doors that had been locked were thrown open; china difhes and bottles jingled, by ftriking against one another. The horfes in a plough that was at work ftood still with fear. fhock was likewife felt in the parishes of New Kilpatrick, Killearn, and Fintray,

The

Thursday night, Jan. 11. The New Affembly Rooms, New Town, Edinburgh, were opened with a very brilliant ball given by the noblemen and gentlemen of the Caledonian Hunt. The company, which confifted of about three hundred and forty, included all the people of fashion in town. The dreffes of the Ladies were in the higheft ftyle of taste and elegance. The gowns were chiefly of different coloured fattins, covered with crape, and ornamented with flowers; the prevailing cap was the turban, decorated with feathers, and fome few with pearls and diamonds. Several ladies wore pink-coloured Spanish bats, which had a very pretty appearance. The drefs of the gentlemen was neat and elegant, but no way remarkable.

Owing to the fupper-room not being finished, and the tables being laid in the great room, the company danced in the tea-room, which being too fmall for their accommodation, there was dancing alfo in the card rooms, and this circumstance no doubt prevented that regularity and propriety which otherwife would have ta ken place. There were no minuets danced. Lord Elibank and Lady Haddo (who was elegantly dreffed fuitable to the uniform of the Hunt) began the ball.

G 2

The