petticoat, and fhe retired with great precipitation. This afternoon being fomewhat rainy, they fet fail again, and took several frogs. Juft now arrived the parfon's wife, and twenty ducks were brought forth before her in order to be tried, but for what crime we know not, however two of them were condemned; it was also observed, that the carried off a gofling and three fucking pigs. From the little fort at the end of the garden, Aug. the 5th. Last night two young men of this place made a detach-*ment of their breeches, in order, as it is thought, to poffels themselves of the two overtures of the faid fort; but at their approach they heard great firing from the portholes; they found them already bombarded by the rearguard of Sarah and Suky, who fearing thefe young men were come to beat up their quarters, deferted their neceffary pofts, which were immediately taken poffeffion of, notwithstanding they were much annoyed by reafon of feveral ftink-pots, that had been flung there the fame morning. From the barley-mow near the barn, Augufi the 3d. It was yesterday rumoured, that there was heard a mighty fqueaking near this place, as of an army of mice, who were thought to lie in ambuscade in the said mow : upon this the farmer affembled together a council of neighbours, wherein it was refolved, that the mow fhould be removed to prevent the farther destruction of the forage. This day the affair was put in execution; four hundred and seventy-nine mice and three large rats were killed, and a vast number wounded, by pitch forks and other inftruments of husbandry. A mouse, that was clofe purfued, took fhelter under Dolly's petticoats, but by the vigilance of George Simmons he was taken, as he was cndeavouring to force bis way through a deep morafs, and crushed to death on the spot. There was nothing material happened the next day, only Cicily Hart was obferved to make water under the faid mow, as fhe was going a-milking. From: From the great yard, Auguft the 2d• · It is very credibly reported, that there is a treaty of mar riage on foot between the old red cock, and the pyed hen, they having of late appeared very much in public together he yesterday made her a prefent of three barleycorns, fo that we look on this affair as concluded. This is the fame cock that fought a duel for her about a month ago. From the 'Squire's house. Sunday laft there was a noble entertainment in our great hall, where were present the parfon and the farmer: the parfon eat like a farmer, and the farmer like a parfon; we refer you to the curious in calculations to decide which eat moft. It is reported, that the minister christened a male child laft week, but it wants confirmation. From the juices meeting, Auguft the 7th This day a jack-daw, well known in the parish, was ordered close prifoner to a cage, for crying cuckold to a juftice of the quorum; and the fame evening certain apples, for hing in a disrespectful manner as they were roafting, were committed to Lambs wool. The fame day the faid juftices caufed a pig to be whipt to death, and eat the fame, being convicted of Squeaking on the 10th of June. From the church, Auguft the 8th. Divine fervice is continued in our parish as ufual, tho' we have feldom the company of any of the neighbouring gentry; by whofe manner of living it may be conjectured, that the advices from this place are not credited by them, or elfe regarded as matters of little confequence. From the church-yard, Aug. the 8th. The minifter, having obferved his only daughter to feem too much affected with the intercourfe of his bull and the cows of the parish, has ordered the ceremony for for the future, to be performed not in his own court, but in the church-yard; where, at the firft folemnity of that kind, the grave-ftones of John Fry, Peter How, and Mary d'Urfey were spurned down. This has already occafioned great debates in the veftry, the latter being the deceased wife of the finging-clerk of this place. Cafualities this week.. Several cafualties have happened this week, and the bill of mortality is very much increased. There have died of the falling fickness two stumbling horfes, as allo one of their riders. Smothered (in onions) (even rabbits. Stifled (in a foldier's breeches) two geefe. Of a fore throat, feveral fheep and calves at the butchers. Starved to death, one baftard child nurfed at the parish charge. Stillborn, in eggs of turkeys, geefe, ducks, and hens, thirty-fix. Drowned, nine puppies. Of wind in the bowels, five bottles of fmall beer. I have not yet seen the exact lift of the parish clerk; fo that for a more particular account, we refer you to our next. We have nothing material as to the flocks, only that Dick Adams was fet in them laft Sunday for fwearing. A true [3.6 Atrue and faithfull NARRATIVE of what paf fed in LONDON, during the general confternation of all ranks and degrees of mankind, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurf day, and Friday laft. Ο N Tuefday the 13th of October, Mr. Whifton held his lecture near the Royal Exchange, to an audience of fourteen worthy citizens, his fubfcribers and con-ftant hearers. Befides thefe there were five chance auditors for that night only, who had paid their fhillings apiece. I think myfelf obliged to be very particular in this relation, leaft my veracity fhould be fufpected; which makes me appeal to the men who were prefent ; of which number I myself was one. Their names are, Henry Watson, haberdasher. William Jones, corn-chandler. - Thomas Floyer, filversmith. John Wells, brewer. Samuel Greg, foap-boiler. William Cooley, fishmonger. James Harper, hofier. William Bennet, 1 David Somers, Mr. Whifton began by acquainting us, that (contrary to his advertisement) he thought himself in duty and con fcience fcience obliged to change the fubject-matter of his intended difcourfe. Here he paufed, and feemed for a short fpace, as it were, loft in devotion and mental prayer; after which, with great earnestness and vehemence he spake as follows: "Friends and fellow-citizens, all fpeculative feience is "C at an end the period of all things is at hand; on "Friday next this world fhall be no more. Put not your "confidence in me, brethren; for to-morrow morning, "five minutes after five, the truth will be evident; in "that inftant the comet fhall appear, of which I have ❝heretofore warned you. As ye have heard, believe. "Go hence, and prepare your wives, your families, and "friends, for the un verfal change. At this folemn and dreadful prediction, the whole fociety appeared in the utmost aftonifhment: but it would: be unjust not to remember, that Mr. Whifton himself was in fo calm a temper as to return a fhilling a piece to the youths, who had been difappointed of their lecture, which I thought, from a man of his integrity, a convincing proof: of his own faith in the prediction. As we thought it a duty, in charity to warn all men ; in two or three hours the news had spread through the city. At first indeed our report met with but little credit, it being by our greatest dealers in stocks thought only a court-artifice to fink them, that fome choice favou rites might purchase at a lower rate; for the South-fea that very evening fell five per cent. the India eleven; and all the other funds in proportion. But at the court. end of the town our atteftations were entirely difbelieved, or turned into ridicule; yet nevertheless the news spread every where, and was the tubject-matter of all converfa. tion. That very night (as I was credibly informed), Mr Whi fton was fent for to a great lady, who was very curiousin the learned fciences, and addicted to all the fpeculative doubts of the moft able philofophers; but he was not now to be found: and fince at other times he has been known not to decline that honour, I make no doubt he concealed himself to attend the great bufinels of Lis foul :: but whether it was the Lady's faith, or inquifitiveness, that occafioned her to fend, is a point I fhall not prefume |