very hardly dealt with. But are there not crimes of a truly ferious nature likewife laid to his charge? For a little before I joined you, I heard, if I mistook not, a perfon accufing him of impurity and blafphemy. O yes, replied he, bursting into a loud laugh, with thefe likewife has he been charged, and I alluded to them in the course of my narration: but being an utter ftranger to our affairs, to be fure you did not understand me. You will laugh as loud as I when you fhall know what these mighty charges amount to. The poor gentleman going one day along the ftreet, and feeling an inclination to make water, turned himself, at a convenient place for that purpose, against the wall. This, you know, is a very common practice; and fuppofing fome indelicacy in it, yet in a perfon of Mr. Periwinckle's infirmity, for I told you before that he is troubled with an incontinency of urine, the very nicest person, provided it is done with decency, might excuse it. Whilft he was in the middle of this bufinefs, a couple of fturdy fellows, hired by the fhew-man to dog him for that or any other bad purpofe, laid hold of both his arms, pinioned them down close, and by main force turned him about, unbuttoned as he was, expofing his nakedness for a confiderable time to the whole ftreet; and notwithstanding Mr. Periwinckle struggled hard all the while to get loofe, and even croffed his thighs to conceal that which custom hath decreed shameful to exhibit in public, yet the fcoundrels had the impudence to spread abroad all over town, that they found him freely, and of his own accord, making that most shameful exhibition; pronouncing it infamous for any woman whatever to be feen for the future in his company.

This, fir, is the mighty matter which his enemies have to accufe him of in regard to impurity. And as for blafphemy their charge against him upon that fcore is not lefs. ridiculous; it being no more than this, that when the shewman's two bullies broke into his houfe, as I told you before, and feized his papers, they found among the reft a few filly verfes in ridicule of that old game, which poffibly you have often played at in the christmas holidays, that of repeating this odd jumble of words "Three blue beans in a blue bladder, rattle, bladder, rattle," without the least hesitation, or variation, three times in one breath and on the whimfical penalty of kiffing fome or other perfon's backfide through a gridiron. Which game because it was invented by a great Romish faint- * * * * * * * * * * * The fhew-man whofe relations are known to have forfeited three eftates for their bigotted attachment to the Romish religion, was very defirous of getting the verfes compofed in

*

mockery

mockery of it interpreted into blafphemy, and indeed there were many of our parfons, who in expectation of preferment from the favourite, both of whom are very confiderable patrons, gave proots of a moft zealous difpofition to pronounce it fuch. And now, fir, except that he is poor, which I dare fay he is moft heartily forry for, and that he has a certain fquint in his eyes, for which it be a crime he hath long time fince fufficiently attoned, having been pilloried for it in effigy you have heard every thing which malice has to alledge againfu the gentleman who is the object of your enquiry. Unhappy gentleman! replied I; But pray what fort of people are you in this town, to fuffer a fellow-citizen to be ufed thus? why, fir, what would you kave us to do? do! O to be fure lay yourselves flat upon the ground for the Scotch fhewman, to pifs on you-you are inclined to be merry, fir,why then, to be ferious, what you should do is this, you fhould

your

roll him neck and heels in the kennel.-But, fir, the law! the law !ay that indeed is a thing to be confidered; but fuppofing that a few of you fhould be fent to Bridewell, and get heartily flogged for fuch a thing, would it not be much better than that all of you fhould be thus infulted and trampled on? for depend upon it, if you fuffer one of members to be thus treated with impunity, your whole body by and by will in like manner fuffer. Here interpofed a third perfon, I really think the gentleman is in the right on it, for by making examples of fuch fcoundrels, we should take a revenge, which would do honour to our corporation, not only throughout the kingdom, but with all pofterity, and terrify others from attempting in the like manner upon us for the future;

*

This

yes they may talk it, faid a perfon who had not spoken before, but, depend upon it, it will there end. For our people now, brave as they were formerly, have not the least spark of fpirit left in them. What with the flackness of trade, and what with the high price of provisions, they are in a manner half-ftarved; and an Englishman can do nothing noble, unless his infide is well lined with beef and pudding. at least is a reproach, which the people of all other nations affix to our countrymen, and from this principle I suppose it hath been that our Scotch t- ever fince he came into power, hath ufed all poffible means to render beef and pudding invifible amongft us; for if I can keep, might he think within himself, these sturdy beggars upon the thin diet of French-men, I fhall render them after a while as abject

flaves as the moft flavish Frenchmen of them all. Here he held down his head for a short time, as I observed did all his companions, in forrowful filence, and then added in a faint voice, for my own part, of ever seeing this town again in a free and flourishing condition from any noble attempt of the people, I abfolutely defpair.---And do you, fir, faid I brifkly, then 1 am most heartily glad that I am not one of the people of your town. I am a native of a far, very far, diftant parish; and for that, left your abominable tyrants fhould take it in their heads to shut their gates upon me, will I with all poffible expedition depart; and thus faying gathered up the reins of my bridle into my hand, made a low bow to the company, fet fpurs to my horse, and rode off.

THE POLITICAL BAROMETER.

May 31. Died, the earl of Stamford. He is fucceeded by his eldest fon lord Grey, by which his lordship vacates his seat in parliament, as member for Staffordshire; and John Wrottefly, efq; member for Newcastle-under-line, is candidate for the county: and Dr. Hay is candidate for Newcastle.

June 3. Two gentlemen took an exact measurement of the ground in St. George's-fields, when they found it upwards of five-hundred yards from the place where the officer and the three foldiers left their ranks to the spot in the cowhouse, in Blackman-ftreet, where the unfortunate young Allen was fhot.

5. Died George Cooke, Efq; joint-paymafter, prothonotary of the court of common pleas, and one of the knights of the fhire for the county of Middlesex. Mr. ferjeant Glynn, is candidate for the county. Lord chief juftice Wilmot, has appointed Wm. Manwaring, Efq; prothonotary; and the right hon. Richard Rigby, was on the 10th appointed Sole paymafter, the falary of which is usually estimated at 7000l. per annum. right honourable Mr. Thomas Townfhend,who was the other joint paymafter, in confequence of this appointment is now entirely out of place.

The

9. This morning at eight, Mr. Wilkes was brought from the prison of the King's-bench to the court. The judges

came about nine. It had been mentioned the last term, that a new argument was defired, and that new ground might be taken for the reverfal of the outlawry. At the opening of

the

the court, Mr. Wilkes made a fhort fpeech, that he was per fectly fatisfied with the ftate of the argument, as it was left by Mr. Serjeant Glynn, that he did not mean to quit the firm and folid ground on which it refted, and was perfuaded, from the juftice of the court, that his outlawry must be reverfed. The attorney-general then in fupport of the outlawry entered upon a very long argument, to which no one of Mr. Wilkes's council replied. The judges afterwards delivered their opinions very fully, and were unanimous that the outlawry was illegal, and must be reverfed. Their lordfhips differed as to fome reasons, but all concurred in the reverfal, and the irregularity of the proceedings.

The attorney-general then demanded judgment on the two verdicts. Mr. Wilkes defired to avail himself of several points in arreft of judgment. He faid, that when he had the honour of appearing before that court on the 29th of April, he had ftated the cafe of the alteration of the records at lord Mansfield's own houfe; that his lordship had replied; but that however his lordfhip had delivered only his own opinion; and the opinion of one judge, however diftinguished for great ability, was not the judgment of the court, which he defired, and fubmitted to; and begged that his counfel might argue that, and fome other points of importance. Several things were afterwards mentioned by the attorney-general, and by Mr. Wilkes's Counfel. At last the court fixed the next Tuefday to debate, whether both verdicts ought not to be fet afide on the objections as to the records having been altered, and that the informations were not filed by the proper officer, but by the folicitor-general.

The right honourable the lord Mansfield made a very long and elaborate fpeech on the fubject of Mr. Wilkes's outlawry, and in juftification of his own conduct, which had been the caufe of much popular abufe being thrown out againft his lordship.

In the afternoon Mr. Wilkes's counfel and folicitor attended him at the King's-bench prifon, and fettled the farther proceedings against lord Halifax, which were suspended by the outlawry.

11. At a meeting of the, to confider of the best method of applying for an expulfion, the matter was faid to stand thus: For the expulfion, d—of Graftonlord Gower, lord Weymath, Sir G t Et, lord Nek; against the expulfion, lord Cn, lord Sne, lord G, Sir E-Hike, "G-I Con A-y G-1 was for the expulfion. The S-r G-1 declined being any ways concerned, as an officer of

A

the

he crown, at the peril of his office, or any other confe

quence.

14. This morning at eight, Mr. Wilkes was again brought up to the court of King's-bench. The court fat about nine Mr. ferjeant Glynn, the recorder of London, Mr. Mansfield, and Mr. Davenport, argued very largely on the two points, the filing of the information by the folicitor, not the attorney-general, and the alteration of the records at lord Mansfield's houfe the evening before the trials, without the knowledge of Mr. Wilkes. The one was in arreft of judgment, the other was for a new trial. The attorney-general, fir Fletcher Norton, and Mr. Thurlow, made long speeches in reply, which were anfwered by Mr. ferjeant Glynn. Then the court proceeded to deliver their opinions, and overruled both the objections. Mr. ferjeant Glynn, next took notice, that as a writ of error was intended to be brought before à higher court of juftice, before the house of lords, he defired that the cafe of the alteration of the records under fuch peculiar circumftances might be stated on the back of the record, to be tranfmitted to the lords, otherwise that important point could not come before the house. was abfolutely refused by the court.

This

Lord Mansfield then made his report of the two trials. The attorney-general, fir Fletcher Norton, and Mr. Thurlow, fpoke in aggravation of both offences, and Mr. ferjeant Glynn anfwered their arguments. After this, Mr. Wilkes defired that judgment might be paffed upon him. The court declared, that they could not then pafs judgment, but would confider it among themselves; and upon Mr. Wilkes's again preffing for a very early day, promifed that there should be no delay.

Mr. Wilkes again offered bail, which was refused by the court. They continued fitting till near fix.

The following regiments are quartered in the environs of this city, and within thirty miles thereof. The Scots Greys, lord Albemarle's, the Inniskillin, and Burgoyne's, dragoons. Q. Does not this circumftance make our country appear more like the military government of a Pruffian monarchy, than the commercial, free, and independant kingdom of England, whofe fovereign has a throne in the hearts of his fubjects, and ftands in need of no foldiers to make him refpected?

18. This morning about eight Mr. Wilkes was brought up to the court of King's-bench. Lord Mansfield, and the other three judges took their feats before nine. Mr. juftice Yates harangued on the two offences; but took no noVOL. III.

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tice