Tyler, the noted fwindler, mentioned in our laft to have been convicted at the Old Bailey, was executed on the 24th. The judges, in his cafe, had occasion to settle a very material objećt to the mercantile part of the world: viz. That any perfon putting a fictitious name on the back of a bill, was guilty of forgery.

William Jobbins and Edward Lowe, at the fame feffrons, were convicted of wilfully occafioning the dreadful fire in Alderfgate freet, which began at the houfe of Mr. Gilding. Flindall, an accomplice, turned evidence; and they were hanged on the fpot, the 20th.

Francis Fonton, a clerk belonging to the Bank, convicted at a former feffions of forgery, was executed on the 24th, with four other culprits.

DREADFUL ACCIDENT.

At half paft ten o'clock in the morning of the 30th of October the laboratory of one of the powder inagazines of Namur took fire in the part defined for making cartridges. It blew up, and destroyed a confiderable part of the • quarter in which it was fituated. Four hundred perfons, and a great number of children, were the victims of this difafter, which does not appear the effect of chance; as, twice before, matches had been found, evidently difpofed with a defign to occafion an explosion.

FRANTIC LOVE.

The following fhocking circumstance occurred at Nancy during the late commotion at that place: When the Swifs regiment was cut to pieces, and the ferment a little ceafed, a young woman, who had been married about three weeks to a ferjeant in that regiment, rushed out of her dwelling, upon hearing he was killed, and went in fearch of the body; from that time, during the space of three days, he was

miffing. At length, after diligent fearch, fhe was found fecreted in the garret of an empty houte, furiously mad, with the bare fkull of the dece fed in her apron; and, horrid to relate! had recently devoured the whole of the flesh thereof, the hair of which he had tied round her fingers, wrifts, and neck. She died in a fhort time after. PHILANTHROPY.

John Thornton, efq. who died lately at Bath, began the world with one thouf nd pounds, and left it with fix hundred thousand pounds His gains as a merchant were immenfe; he was the greatest merchant in Europe, except Mr. Hope, of Amfterdam; and generally one half of his profits, it is thought, was dedicated to the poor. Mr. Thornton was one of the principal promoters of the propagation of the Gofpel in foreign parts, and expended annually upwards of two thousand pounds in the distribution of religious books.

CURIOUS DIVORCE.

A man at Ninfield Stocks in Suffex, lately fold his wife to another man of the fame place for the valuable confideration of half a pint of gin; but the buyer being in liquor, and the feller withing to take no unfair advantage of him, confented to take her to bed and board till the next morning; when the purchafer attended to receive her, and to whom he was delivered in due form, with a halter about her neck, in the prefence of two witneffes. She appeared mightily delighted with the ceremony, which being over, the hopeful pair departed, filled with joy and expectation from the happy union.

DEATH.

The beginning of this month died Mr. Edwin, the celebrated comedian. The 7th he was interred in the church. yard of St. Paul's, Covent-garden. The corpfe was attended to the grave by feveral refpectable and many of the moft efteemed comedians of the two Theatres.

EXTRACTS

FROM SIR JOHN FENN's "ORIGINAL LETTERS," WRITTEN DURING THE REIGNS OF HENRY VI. EDWARD IV. AND RICHARD III.

T

HESE letters were most of them written by, or to, particular perfons of the family of Paston, in Norfolk, who lived during the reigns mentioned above, were carefully preferved in that family for feveral defcents, and were finally in the poffeffion of the earl of Yarmouth. They then became the property of that great antiquary Peter le Neve, efq. norroy. From him they devolved to Mr. Martin, by his marriage with Mrs. le Neve, and were a part of his collections purchased by Mr. Worth: from whom, in 1774, they came into the poffeffion of the editor, fir John Fenn.

We have perufed the whole of this extenfive collection with great attention; fome of the anecdotes, as might be expected in a private epiftolary correfpondence, are trivial, and fome of them are already well known. In our selections, however, we have endeavoured to obviate both thefe objections; but, if we have not been wholly fuccefsful, the reader will nevertheless become acquainted with the epiftolary and familiar ftile of an age of which no fpecimens of this kind were before known to exist.

Tuesday 18th of April. Thursday 20th of April. VOL. II.

HENRY VI.-LETTER XV.

To my right worshipful mafter, John Pafton, be this delivered in hafte. RIGHT Worshipful husband, I recommend me to you, praying you to weet, &c. (here follows fome account of money received, &c.)

*

my

As for tidings, the queen came into this town on Tuesday laft paft after noon, and abode here till it was Thurfday three (o'clock) afternoon; and fhe fent after coufin Elizabeth Clere by Sharinborn to come to her; and the durft not difobey her commandment, and came to her; and when he came in the queen's prefence, the queen made right much of her, and defired her to have an husband, the which ye fhall know of hereafter; but as for that he is never nearer than he was before; the queen was right well pleased with her anfwer, and reported of her in the best wife, and faith, by her truth, fhe faw no gentlewoman fince fhe came into Norfolk, that fhe liked better than the doth her.

Blake, the bailey of Swaffham, was here with the king's brother, and he came to me, wening that ye had been at home; and faid, that the king's brother defired him that he fhould pray you in his name to come to him, for he would right fain that ye had come to him, if ye had been at home; and he told me, that he wift well that he should fend for +Daughter of Robert Clere, efq. of

Ormesby.

3 I

you,

when

To my right trufty, and entirely well be

loved friend, John Pafton, efq.

RIGHT trufty, and entirely well beloved friend, I greet you well, and will ye weet, that Daniel hath required me to write unto you, praying you that ye will keep the day upon Thurfday feven days next coming; which fhall be for the best as I trust, notwithstanding I fuppofe learned men will not be eafy for to get, because of this bufy time of harvest.

* Thomas lord Scales, was a valiant and active foldier in the French wars, and was fenefchal of Normandy.

In 1460, he fecured the Tower of London for the king, but that being delivered up to the Yorkists after the battle of Northampton, in July, in that year; he fearing for his own perfonal fafety, endeavoured to escape by water, but being feen by the earl of Warwick's men, was taken and flain by them, being then about fixty-two years old.

His daughter and heir was married to Anthony Wodvile, brother to Elizabeth, queen of Edward IV. who in her right was fummoned to parliament as lord Scales.

This letter, though without any name, was written by fir John Pafton, to his bro ther John Pafton, and the mention of oil for fallads, fhews us that at this time vegetables

EDWARD IV.-LETTER XX.

To mafter John Pafton, or to my mistress his mother, be this letter delivered in hafte. BROTHER, I commend me to you (then follows an order for making out an account, and receiving fome renti &c.)

By Juddy I fent you a letter by Corby within four days before this; and therewith two pots of oil for +fallads, which oil was good as might be when I delivered it, and fhall be good at the receiving, if it be not mifhandled, nor miscarried.

Item, as for tidings the earl of Northumberland is home into the North, and my lord of §Gloucester fhall after as to-morrow, men fay. Alfo this day Robert of Ratclyff wedded the lady Dymock at my place in Fleet-street, and my lady and yours, Dame Elizabeth Bourchier, is wedded to the lord Howard's fon and heir. Alfo fir Thomas Walgrave is dead, of the fickness that for the table were ftill cultivated here; for the common opinion has been, that most of our fruits and garden productions were fo entirely neglected during these civil wars, as to have been almost totally destroyed.

John Neville, was created earl of Northumberland, in 1463, but refigned this title in 1469, to the family of Percy, the ancient poffeffors of it.

§ Richard Plantagenet, afterwards king Richard III.

|| Thomas Howard, son of John lord Howard, was created earl of Surrey, by Richard III. and duke of Norfolk, by Henry VIII. He married Elizabeth, daugh ter and heir of fir Frederic Tilney, kt. and widow of Humphrey Bourchier, lord Ber ners; fhe died about 1507. Their fon Thomas, afterwards duke of Norfolk, was born about 1470.

reigneth,

teigneth, on Tuesday, (now (query no) cheer for you.) Alfo my lord *archbishop was brought to the Tower on Saturday at night; and on Monday, at midnight, he was conveyed to a fhip, and fo into the fea, and as yet I cannot underftand whither he is fent, nor what is fallen (become) of him; men fay, that he hath of fended; but, as John Forter faith, fome men fay nay; but all his meny (family) are difparbled (difperfed), every man his way; and fome that are great clerks, and famous doctors of his, go now again to Cambridge

to school.

As for any other tidings I hear the countess of Oxford is ftill in St. Martin's, I hear no word of

none;

her.

The queen had child a daughter but late at Windfor, thereof I trow had word. And as for me, I am ye in like cafe, as I was; and as for my lord §chamberlain he is not yet come to town, when he cometh then shall I weet what to do. Sir John of Parr is your friend and mine, and I gave him a fair arming fword within this three days. I heard fomewhat by him of a back friend of yours; and ye fhall know more hereafter. Written the last day of April. 30th of April, 1466,

6 E. IV.

I fuppofe this means George Neville, archbishop of York, and brother to Richard Neville, earl of Warwick, who at this time was greatly difcontented with the proceedings of the king, and perhaps had drawn his brother the archbishop into the commiffion of fome act disagreeable to Edward.

Margaret, wife of John de Vere, carl of Oxford, was daughter of Richard Neville, carl of Salisbury, and sister of Richard, earl of Warwick.

This lady fuffered much, both from poverty and distress, during the imprisonment and exile of her husband.

Elizabeth, afterwards queen confort of Henry VII. by this marriage the white and red rofes were united; fhe was born in February 1465.

§ William, lord Haftyngs.

Anne, daughter of Richard, duke of York, and fifter of king Edward IV. mar

LETTER XXX.

To John Pafton, efq. being at Norwich,

be this letter delivered.

I recommend me to you, letting you weet, &c. (Here follows an account of bills, and receipts, &c. of no confequence.)

Item, as for mistrefs Katherine times recomDudley, I have many mended you to her, and fhe is nothing difpleafed with it; fhe rekkythe (careth) not how many gentlemen love her, fhe is full of love; I have betyn (enforced) the matter for you, your unknowledge (without your knowledge) as I told her; fhe anfwered me, that he would (have) no one this two years, and I believe her; for I think, the hath the life that he can hold her content with,

I trow the will be a fore labouring woman this two years for the meed of her foul.

And mistress Gryfeacrefs is fure to Selenger (St. Leger), with my lady of || Exeter, a foul lofs.

Item, I pray you speak with *Harcourt of the abbey, for a little clock, which I fent him by James Gresham to mend, and that ye would get it of him, and (if) it be ready, and fend it me; and as for money for his labour, he hath another clock of mine, which fir Thomas Lyndes, God have his foul! gave ried Henry Holland, duke of Exeter, and in 1462 had poffeffion of his forfeited eftates, and remained with her brother, Edward IV. She afterwards married fir Thomas St. Leger, and died in 1475.

*This fhews that our curious mechanical arts were practised in the religious houses, and performed there by the monks, &c. for money.

This letter was written in February or March 1469, 1470, or 1471, for in these years civil diffenfions were on foot. The caution, refpecting tidings, and the uncertainty of what may befall, fhews that this letter was written during fome convulfion of the state.

By the earl of Warwick's being fuppofed to go with the king into Lincolnshire, it ap pears as if this letter was written during the restoration of Henry VI. and that their going there was to oppofe Edward's return.

3 I 2

me;

me; he may keep that till I pay him; this clock is my lord archbifhop's, but let not him weet of it, and that it (be) catily carried hither by your advice.

Álfo as for oranges I fhall fend you a ferteyn by the next carrier, and as for tidings the bearer hereof fhall inform you, ye muft give credence to him.

As for my good fpeed, I hope well, I am offered yet to have miftrefs Ann Hault', and I fhall have help enough as fome say.

(Here follows an account of fome difputes between fir William Yelverton, and fir John Pafton, his uncle Wil liam, &c. of no confequence.)

Item, it is fo that I am in purpose to come home within a month hereafter, or about Midlent, or before Eafter, under your correction, if fo be, that ye deem that my mother would help me to my cofts, ten marks (67. 135. 4d.) or thereabouts, I pray you feel her difpofition and fend me word.

Item, I cannot tell you what will fall of the world, for the king verily is difpofed to go into Lincolnshire, and men wot not what will fall thereof, nor thereafter, they ween my lord of Norfolk fhall bring ten thousand men.

Item, there is come a new little Turk, which is a well visaged fellow, of the age of forty years; and he is lower than Manuel by an handful, and lower than my little Tom by the shoulders, and more little above his pap; and he hath, as he said to the king himself, three or four children, (fons), each one of them as high and as likely as the king himself; and he is legged right enough, and it is reported that his pintel is as long as his leg.

Item, I pray you fhew, or read to my mother, fuch things, as ye think are for her to know, after your dif, cretion; and to let her underiland

of the article of the treaty between fir William Yelverton and me.

Item, my lord of Warwick, as it is fuppofed, fhall go with the king into Lincolnshire, fome men say that his going fhall do good, and some fay, that it doth harm.

I pray you ever have an eye to Caifter, to know the rule there, and fend me word, and whether my wife lord and my lady be yet as fotted upon it (as fond of it) as they were; and whether my faid lord reforteth thither as often as he did or not; and of the disposition of the coun try.

JOHN PASTON, knight. [To be continued.]

ANECDOTES. [Tranfmitted by J. R. of Liverpool.]

I.

THE RECOMPENCE OF INTEGRITY, [Related by Cunningham.]

A Common English foldier, at the fiege of Lifle, had the good fortune to take prifoner major-general Croiffy Colbert, brother to the marquis de Torcy. The prisoner, greatly delighted with the humanity and good behaviour of the fon of Mars, offered him two hundred Louis d'ors and a captain's post for life, if he would restore him his liberty: but the foldier, with a magnanimous fpirit, which would not have difhonoured his fuperiors, refifted the temptation; alledging the difgrace that would attend fuch conduct; and afking his prifoner, at the fame time, how, when exalted to the rank of a captain, hẹ fhould be able to face his general, under whom he had fought fo many years? In fhort, he freely protested that he would rather continue a common foldier with honour, than be raised to any other state or condition of life, by means of an action

totally