( \ Z6i ) THE O R, British Gazetteer Being the freshest advices Foreign and Domestick. SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1721. SIR, March 8: h, 1720. IReceiv'd the following from from Dublin, which you may assure yourself is of Dean Swifts Writing, and will divert your Readers. An Invitation to the Marshalsea, or Defiance to the Sheriffs, &:. S 1 R, SINCE my last Letter to you I was obliged to re. move to a Printer's House, where for some time I got a comfortable Subsistance, by alarming the Town with variety of Plagues, and Bloody Murders. The Ninety Nine Plagues of an Exchequer Law Suit, the Plagues of a Circuit Whore, the Midnight Meditations of an Old Bawd, the La. mentations of a Nonjuring Parson, the last Dying Words of a Popish Priest, and the Warnings of an Old Muggletonian- Woman, have in their turns Contributed somewhat to Appease an hungry Stomach. I have Writ both for and against the South- Sea Di- rectors, and last Christmas in a little Pamphlet defended Mince Pyes and Plum- Broth, to the utter Confusion of all Enemys, and to the entire Satisfaction of all Lovers of the Church and good Things. In the midst of my pious Endeavours to reconcile Dissenters to the Church, and good Orthodox Eating, an Unmannerly Score at a Publick House, that had oftentimes stared me out of Countenance, has lately risen against me, your poor Friend has been carried in Captivity, into a strange Land. I was soon made free of the Corporation, whereof I have the Honour to be a Member, at the Expence of an old Silver hilted Sword : finding the Climate warmer than that of the Garret, J was removed from, I was persuaded to part with my Coat, which soon afrer made Its Way to a neighbouring Ale- House, where it lay for some time in Mortgage : Yesterday Morning being very Cold I parted with the Equity of Redemption for a Mug of warm Purl, my Beaver some time after took a trip to the fame Place, and the Landlord taking a Fancy to it, he sent me in return a Cargo of excellent October ; my Wig s00n after follow'd its old Neigh- bour some malicious People gave out that for these Six Years past it had not a crooked Hair in it, but the truth was, that at parting the Foretop lost its buckle, the curl drop'd, and it gave all the Signs of discontent, which an old Servant shows, which parting from a kind Master. To supply its room, one of my Stockings was pre. ferr'd to the Dignity of a Night. cap, and the other was hung out of the Prison Window in the form of an empty pouch, as a signal of Distress ; but being unfortunately blown away one stormy Night, I was oblig'd to re- move its fellow from the honourable Station it was in, Price Three Half Pcnce. and now it does duty at the end of a long Pack thread before the Prison Window. I have abridged my dress of all Superfluities, and in- tend to make a further Abridgment for the future en- tertainment of my Stomach, but like a Quaker reform- ing the Chutch, I'm afraid after the new reformation I intend, I shall have as little Cloaths as the other would Religion. Since my coming hither, I must own that I have ac- quired that content and easiness of Mind, which nei- ther Philosophy, Pleasure, nor Money could give. As I am easy in my self, so I have nothing can create envy or uneasiness in my Neighbour. Every Man is happy in my Company, because he can see nothing to to alarm him with a new want or desire, if he's without a Watch, there is no fear that I should put him out of Countenance by showing mine. If the locks of his Wig are become Perpendicular, my bare head can't affront him. If the Rags of a whole Alley are united to make him a Waistcoat he is not uneasy under his load of Patchwork, when he fees the great decay that mine is labouring under The old Spirit of Christanity has in this happy Re- gion got the better of all narrow and selfish Views; ww enjoy all things in Common, there is no covetuouS Temper that seeks a Property in any thing, my Bedfel- low's Tobacco Box is free to the whole Society, and my old Callicoe Night gown I willingly part with to any Member of our Corporation, that has a mind to make a Figure, when his Friends come to see him There is no contention in this Peaceful Region about Places, Power or Superiority, we are in a State of Na- ture all equal, Ambition, Avarice, and Lust, the old Disturbers of the Peace of Mankind, never intrude into our Company, for what Support could Ambition find in a Garret, which is the Neplus Ultria of our Preferment, or what could Avarice see that it could long for in a place, where Money has no sooner the impudence to in- trude, but it is instantly transmitted to the next Ale. House, or how could pamper'd Lust that is used to high diet, bear to live where small Beer and a hard Crust are often the very height of our Entertainment. How gracious is that Law that takes from us those Goods and Possessions that created so many uneasy thoughts, and sends us to this place of Content, where we know no care, here we live in perfect: Innocence, and are Strangers to those vices which make such havock in the World we never find our Numbers lessen'd by Surfeits or Excess, and when we rise in a Morning, ne- ver hear that any of our Society has drowned himself in the Liffy, or flung himself from a Garret Window - Our Passions never carry us to the Park or Stephen's Green. Mother Bungy can't number us among her Cullies, nor the Watch complain of our rude Behaviour. ' Tis surprising to think what alterations in the Manners of Men these happy Seats, this blissful Region produces, Villany can no more live here than a Toad in Ireland. Take an Attorney eminent for Fraud and Deceit, the Superior of his Order; • let his Merits place him on our Establishment, and in a quarter of a Years time, he'd forget all his wicked Practice, and will soon after become as honest and openhearted as er'e a Member Ij G among C 1862 ) nbtle Contempt of the among us. Here we learn a .. . World, we are unconcerned about its affairs ; its Vani- ties and its Honours never break our Rests. Let any un- thinking Trades- men Laugh at our Misfortunes, while the Wretch soon after perhaps is ready to break his Heart, on a disappointment of being chosen Church- Warden, or is well beaten by his Wife, for returning home, without being elected Mayor of some lousy cor poration, by which her Ladyship is disappointed of the Title of Mrs. Mayoress Let a Country Squire upbraid us with our confinement, whilst the Booby is mad to be made a Justice of peace, or pines for some little drabble tail'd Minx, whose Tail has been turn'd up by her Father's Butler. Let that tawdry Beau, Sir Essence, cry faugh at the Very mention of our Condition, while the Wretch is forc'd to sweeten himself with Perfumes lest he should be removed From Society as a Nusance. Let a hungry Poet write wretched Verse on the Plagues of a Prison, while the poor Poetaster lives in perpetual Apprehensions of it, without being so happy as to have an end put to his Fears by Imprisonment. Let the Alderman that prides himself in a Gold Chain, in which my Lady Lovetoy's Lapdog rivals him, call us Goal Brids, when the Wretch is a Slave all his Life to a Termagant, and is oblig'd to bear the Tyranny of a City Wife. Let the high fed Chaplain pride himself in a Freedom from Imprisonment, when all the Wretches Ambition is to be confin'd for Life, to one of his Lords cast off Misses, and a small Vicarage, where Scolding Laws suits, and Wrangles are the Portion of his Life. Let a dapper Collegian declaim on the MiserieS of Confinement, when the poor Declaimer runs the Risque of losing the prospect of licking a Fellow- Commoner's Plate, if he's seen out of his Den, at Ten at Night. Let the Lawyer glory in his Notions of Liberty and Freedom, whilst the humble Orator, like a poor School- boy, is every Minute afraid of being Snub'd, and that too by a Man whose Understanding perhaps he despises. To conclude, let every wise Man make as much haste as he can to enter into this Paradise, where he'll bid a luie to the Impertinence of Duns, the Insolence of Power, the Plagues of Lawsuits, the Torments of Matrimony, the Disappointments in Basiness, or Preferment, and the Prattle of Parsons, and where nothing but Ease, Indo- lence, and Content well be the Portion of his happy Life. - GREAT BRITAIN. The Continuation of the Tryal of Thomas Strafford. Lord That this was at the time when a Regiment waited at Dublin to be transported to Carlisle ; and that the Deponent advis'd he should be try'd in a Court of Law, and not at that Court: And that the Lord Conway offer'd some Reasons against the Fellow's being executed for that Fact. To this Evidence the Lord Strafford answer'd, that there were twenty Officers present at the Sentence a. gainst the Lord Montnorris, wherein himself was no Judge ; and he obtain'd from his Majesty that no perso- nal Hurt befel him, but a few Days Imprisonment. That he trusted this was no Crime, or such a one as his Majesty would Pardon, as he had done others. That by his Commission ( which was read) he had Power to exercise Martial Law, Si Opus fuerit. That he never communicated the Matter to any Man till he produc'd the Letter ; and that then he left the Matter wholly to the Council. That the Lord Mont- norris suffer'd but two Days Imprisonment ; and this Proceeding was only to discipline him, and to teach him to govern his Speech with more Modesty. That he thought he might justify the Sentence against Denewitt, being for the felonious stealing of a Quarter of Beef, and running from his Colours in Breach of the ninth and sixth Articles of War: That he had been burnt in the Hand before ; and that running from his Colours was Death by Statute. Law. The Managers reply'd, That though this Fact was his Intention to subvert the and that as he hop d for the not Treason, yet it prov'd Law, which was Treason King's Mercy, so the Common; trusted in his justice • That it appear'd he procur'd the Sentence, ( as was charg'd) though he did not vote it: That by Opus est, it must be intended when there is bellum flagrant ; and that none of his Witnesses had - hewn that it was ever exe- cured but upon Rebeis and Traytors, and such as would no: be brought in. That the Statute which makes De- sertion Felony is against him; for that intended the Party should be try'd by the Civil Magistrate, and then he would have his Clergy. Then the Earl of Ely was sworn, ( which the Lord Strafford objected was irregular ) He depos'd, That forty Years since he was Judge. Martial ; and that the Exercise of Martial- Law waS two fold; the one Summary, and the other Plenary . The first was committed to the Provost Martial, who sought after Rebels and Kernes in the Woods, who when he apprehended them, hang'd them upon the next Tree : The other was never exercis'd but in time of War in the Field, and upon such only as were subject to Martial. Law. That it Would be a great Damage to his Majesty to try People by Martial. Law in time of Peace, when there was no Necessity for it ; because the Offen- der forfeits neither Lands nor Goods : And he did not remember any Man worth 1= 0 1. a Year executed by Martial Law in thirty Years. Here the Instructions given to the Lord Falkland were read, viz. Such as may be brought to a Tryal at Law, are not to be executed by the Martial, except in time of War and Rebellion. One of the Managers said, my Lord Strafford did not so much desire the Blood of the Lord Montnorris, as ths Power of Blood, and to' have the Peers under his Girdle : That the Blood of their Lordships Ancestors had been spent in the Irish Wars; but this way their own Blood might be spent in time of Peace . Then the House adjourn'd. Monday, March 29, 1641. This Article charges him with putting the Lord Montnorris out of Possession of his Freehold upon a Paper Petition. First, a Decree was read, dated the 28th of July 1637, whereby, for the Reasons there set forth, the Lord- Depu- ty, with the Assistance of the Chief Justice of the Com. mon- Pleas, ordered, that Henry Rolston should be put into Possession of certain Lands. Then the Loid Montnorris depos'd, That being a Pri- soner for not suing out his Pardon on the Sentence of the Council of War, he was put out of Possession of the said Lands, by a Warrant from the Lord Strafford, August 29, 1637. Mr. Anslow also depos'd, That the Lord Montnorris was put out of Possession by a Warrant from the Lord Strafford. My Lord Strafford said in his Defence, That if the Decree appear'd to be just ( as it was most just) he hop'd it would go very far in this Case : But they desir'd his Commission might be read ( as it was) which gives him Authority to proceed Secundum C tusuctudines tero e , & c. From whence he infer'd, that having so great Power, the receiving a Petition, and giving Relief to a poor Body, was no great Fault, it being at most but the ex- ceeding of a Jurisdiction, and by no Construction could be made Treason: And further, that this was no exceed- ing of a Jurisdiction, but a Power that had always been exercis'd by the Deputies. And he offer'd a Deposition of the Lord Primate of Armagh's ( who was sick) to prove it, but the Commons oppos'd the reading of it, having had no Notice of the Examination, and so could not cross examine him ; whereupon the reading of it was wav'd till next Day, to give the Commons an Opportu- nity of cross examining him. he further offer'd to show, that the Presidents of the Provincial Courts, who deriv'd their Authority from the Deputies, determin'd Matters on Paper Petitions; and infer'd, That if the Deputy could communicate such a Power, it was strange he should not have it himself and he said, this shew'd, that these Matters were no Innovations in Law, being practis'd before his Time. He added, that it would be found necessary to con. tinue this Method of Proceeding in Ireland for the Re- lief of the poorer sort of People, who could not under, go the Circuit of Legal Proceedings, nor were acquaint, ed with them, and must be brought to it by Degrees and that the Plaintiff In this Case sued In Forma Paupe- ris that he had been complain'd of for not relieving the poorer sort of People as former Deputies had done ; which having been represented to his Majesty, reciting the Instructions of i6 « , and impowering him to relieve the pOorer sort, is former Deputies had done, notwith- standing those Instructions, but not to meddle with Free, hold, unless in Cases of Equity: [ Which Letter he pro- Then the Decree itself was read, and my Lord Straf- ford observ'd, that the Order was made for the Relief of a poor Man, whom the Lord Montnorris had vic- lently dispossess'd of Lands, to the Value of 100 1. per Ann not having paid above 30 in Money for them: And that he call'd to his Assistance two learned Judges when the Cause was heard. • , Then he call'd Mr. Slingsby to shew, that the Lord Montnorris was not imprison'd, by reason of his not suing out his Pardon; but for Contempt in refusing to answer an Information brought by Mr Attorney- Gene. ral in the Castle Chamber. And both Mr. Slingsby and Sir Adam Loftus depos'd to that effect. .... My Lord Strafford proceeded, and said, He had his Majesty's Warrant for what he did ; that he had observ'd the Rules that guide other Courts of Equity ; and though the same thing might be illegal here, it was ac. cording to the Laws and Customs of Ireland, by which he ought to be judg'd in this Case. And he could not understand how the Enlargement of a Jurisdiction ( if it had been so} could be strain'd up to High Treason. That this was only in the Nature of a Court of Requests, and did not intrench on the Jurisdiction of the Courts of Law . The Managers reply'd, that the Order mention d to be made by my Lord Falkland concerning a Possession, was expressly for Plantation Lands, in which their Pow. or was admitted. but that no Proof had been made that a Deputy alone ever determin'd the Possession of other Lands before. That his Majesty's Letter was obtain'd on his own Information ; neither was there any thing in it that warranted his doing more than his predecessors had done. And then they instanc'd in a Case of the Lo> d Baltinglas's, where he had taken upon him to determine the Possession of Freehold Lands. To be continu'd. They write from Madrid, that Colonel Stanhope has had some Conferences with our Ministers relating to the Satisfaction demanded by the English Nation, for their Ships stop'd and confiscated in Spain, on account of Admiral Byng's Engagement on the Coasts of Sicily. Josiah Dillon, Esq; is made General Receiver in the Room of Sir Harcourt Masters. Last Week died of the Small Pox Capt. Richard Reynolds of the Third Regiment of Guards, Son of the present Dean, and Grandson of the late Ld. Bishop of Peterborough. Upon the King's first coming to the Crown, he enter'd himself a Voluntier in the ifth Year ' f his Age, and in that Capacity serv'd him in every Quarter of the World, and every Kingdom of Europe : He was much esteem'd for his singular good Nature and Gallantry, and died lamented by all that knew him. The Hon. Charles Murray, Brother to the Ld. Dunmore, succeeds him in his Post. Thursday Sennight the Daughter of his Grace the Duke of Kingston was Christen'd by the Bishop of Salisbury, by the Name of Georgians ; his Majesty standing Godfather in Person, the Countess Dowager of Portland, and the Lady Torrington, Godmothers. Friday Sennight, about one in the Morning, the Ship Providence. a Holland's Trader, Capt. Tho Wilkins, took Fire at St Catherine's; upon which she was cut loose, and the Tide drove her to Tower- Wharf, where she lodg'd, and was burnt. The Rt. Hon the Earl of Craven is shortly to be married to Mrs Findley, a rich Heiress. A Bill is order'd to be brought in for Naturalizing the Countess of Denbigh, Wife of the Earl of Denbigh, Whom his Lordship married Abroad. T < 1 y from Marseilles, that from he 59' h of the last Month to the 1st Instant, not one Person has died of the Contagion ; but since that time a Man and his wife, who came from the Country, having bills of f 18 63,) Health. Were presently seiz'd with the Distemper, and both died in Hours: It is concluded, however, they were infected before they came to this City. On the 3d Instant 11 Persons relapsed, and eight new- ly infected, were this Day sent to the Hospital of the Mall, and three of them are dead On the 1st Instant, a Servant- Maid of 17 Years of Ape was hang'd, for killing her Matter as he lay ill of the Plague ; a Fare which many sick Persons have undergone by their inhu. mane Attendants during this Pestilential Season. For these 10 Days past the Plague seem'd almost extinguish- ed ; but now again two or three die generally in a day. Yesterday's Letters from Terascone say, that place is infected. At this present Juncture we are depriv'd of all sorts of Help, being without Hopes of receiving any from any Part; and unless it pleases the Divine Pro- vidence to lend us some, we mutt inevitably perish by Hunger, Communication being prohibited with two Places which used to furnish us with Provisions: Meat is now worth thirteen Pence the Pound ; Bread Three, pence, an Egg Three pence, and Medicines are at an excessive Price; so that abundance of Persons who have escaped the Plague, are likely to die by Famine. The last Advices from Francfort mention some faint Attempts made in the Palatinate towards a beginning for Redress of Grievances since the time of the Elector's Accession to his Regency, or from the Treaty of Baden ; particularly, it is said, that the Church of Wisloch is restored to the Protestants: But notwithstanding these tardy Doings, it seems the Protestants are firmly resolved to persist to the utmost in their Remonstrances for a Re- dress, agreeably to the sense and Spirit of the Treaty of Westphalia ; neither could they, if they would, propose other Mediums for an Accomodation without extreme- ly injuring the sacred Right and religious Immunities purchased by their Ancestors at the dearest Rate. Monday arrived several Pacquets from Dublin; from , whence they write, That the Government there have received Advice of some Traiterous Practices carrying on in the County of Waterford, and other Parts of that Kingdom, by enlisting Men for the Service of the Preten- der, under Prerence of engaging them in Foreign Service, great Numbers of which pretended Recruit, have ap- pear'd in Arms, to the Terror of the Inhabitants, and that the like Practices are still carrying on by several Persons. That to put a Stop to the said Traiterous Practices, a Proclamation, dated the 14th of February, has been issued by the Lords Justices of Ireland, strictly charging all Officers, Civil and Military, to seize all Persons who shall enlist any Men for such Service, or shall be so enlisted, with the Reward to the Discoverer of ; o I. for every such Person who shall be convicted of enlisting Men, and ; 1. for every Person enlisted ; and peremptorily forbidding the enlisting Men for any Fo- reign Prince or State whatever, Last Sunday the Ld Bishop of St. David's, at the Request of the Bishop of London, who is indisposed, ordain'd Deacons and Priests at the Cathedral of St. Paul's. The same Day the Lord Bishop of Lincoln or. dained between 30 and 41 Deacons and Priests at St. Peter's Church in Cornhill. The Ld. Bishop of Ely being very ill, there w « s no Ordination at his Lordship's Chappel, as usual at this Season. The Earl of Albemarle arrived last Week from Holland The Rt. Honourable John Ld Carteret has received the Sesls as one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, in the room of Mr. Craggs, deceas'd. Last Saturday died the Lady Treby, Widow of the Lord Chief Justice Treby. Last Week died the Lady louisa Berkeley, Daughter of the Earl of Berkeley, of the Small Pox. Monday the Corps of the late Duke of Rutland was carried out of Town, to be interr'd. Lady Cathe- rine Maners, his eldest Daughter. is recovering from the Small Pox; but Lady Rachel, his 2d Daughter, is dead of that Distemper. About the same time died of the same Distemper. Carmino Michel, Esq; a young Gentleman of a good Family. The Corps of the late Duke of Buckingham after lying in State some Days, is to be interr'd in Westminster- Abbey with great Solemnity. . Last Week Sir John Blunt was admitted to Bail; his Sureties were Mr. Ward of Hackney, and Mr. Ma- son a Builder in Spittel Fields. Monday Sir Francis Littleton, Bart, was unanimously elected Knight of the Shire for the County ot Worcester; a Gentleman of known Affection to the Establish'd Go- vernment ; a zealous Lover of his Country, and well belov'd in it. Friday Sennight, the Assizes for the County of Bucks ended at Ailesbury, where 3 Persons received Sentence of one Man for the Highway, and a Man and a Woman for Burglary. The last Speeches and dying Words of John Mac. Ma- hon, John Allen, and James Allen, who were hang'd at Dublin near St. Stephen's. Green, for robbing : and and Bartholomew Hunt and Thomas Crook, who were shot at Oxman- Town Green, February 2Sth, 1721. for Desertion. JOHN Mac- Mahon, aged 24 Years, and born in the County of Longford, said he listed himself about four Years ago in the Lord Tyrawly's Regiment, but being disbanded, he, as having been bred to no Trade, listed himself into a Gang of Thieves, and had been concern'd in all the Robberies committed in Dublin for three Months past, and died a Roman Catholick. John Allen, aged about 20 Years, and a Shoemaker by Trade, but was not long at it before he ran away ; said, becoming acquainted with Harlots, he took to picking of Pockets, and greater Crimes, as breaking open Mr. Ballentine's Shop, and stealing thence two Pieces of Silk, which he own'd and died for, in the Pale of the Romish Communion. James Allen, aged about 19, born in Dublin, and con- demn'd for picking Elizabeth Kerr's Pocket of nine Shillings, put Apprentice to a Cooper, from whom he ran away after two Years Service ; and contrary to his Parents Advice, took to these ill Courses which brought him to this untimely End, which he finish'd too by dy- ing a Papist Bartholomew Hunt, aged 30 Years, born at Tender, rage in the North of Ireland, near Lurgan, and con- demn'd for Desertion, said, that he had deserted twice out of Brigadier Morrison's Regiments, and that his first Escape was not warning sufficient for him, but still ex- pected the Mercy he then found he had fallen short of; so he humbly submitted to his Death, dying a Protes- tant. Thomas Crook, aged 34 Years, born at Edelstow, and near Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, and condemn'd also for Desertion from Colonel Chudley's Regiment, and Brigadier Morrison's Regiment, and listed himself in Colonel Peacock's Regiment; out of which ( he said) he was brought to answer for his aforesaid Crimes, and be. ing justly found guilty, died a Protestant of the Church of England, as by Law establish'd, and desir'd the pray- ers of all good Christians, Last Monday came on at Guildhall, before the Lord Chief Justice Pratt, the Tryal of Mr, Hall ( late one of his Majesty's Mace bearers, and a Commissioner of the peace upon an Information from the Crown- Office, pursuant to a Complaint of the House of Lords, after the Examination of the Defendant in Feb. 1720, before a Committee of their House, of which his Grace the Abp of York was Chairman. The Council for the Crown were Mr. Attorney and Mr. Solicitor General, and Mr. Serjeant Pengelly ; and for the Defendant, Mr. Serjeant Whitaker and Mr. Serjeant Darnel. The Charge laid in the Information was for Writing and Publishing an Impious Libel, Intituled, A sober Reply to Mr. Higgs's Merry Argument for Tritheistical Doctrine of the Trinity. The chief Evidence, besides Mr. Warner the Publisher, and Mr. Wilkins the Printer, was Mr. Merrish, who attended as Clerk at the Examination of the Defendant as above, by the Committee of Lords, and who produced the Book in Court, which he deposed the Defendant did at that time own to be his, some Errors of the press and small variations excepted Mr. Warner the Publisher deposed that the defendant, while under Custody of the Black Rod, declared the same thing in effect to him ; and that the Defendant said he wrote it in the Country, and sent a Copy of it to Mr. Wilkins f 1 8 6 4 0 in Little Britain, either to Print or Burn it. But Mr. Wilkins depofed that the Copy sent to him had a quite different Title, viz. A Search after Orthodoxy, & c. with a Motto from Tertullian ; none of which was in the Title of the Book in question, and that there were many material Varations in the Body of the Book, from the Copy fent to him ; And being asked if he knew what was become of the said Copy, he declared that it had been missing at least nine Months, that he had made great search after it, and that he never gave it to any body with a Desire to conceal it. After a Tryal of about two Hours the Jury went out and brought in their Ver- dict, that the Defendant was Guilty of publishing the said Libel. The Case of the Annuitants or Redeemables. TiS but too notoriously known how the late Di- rectors play'd behind the glorious Curtains of specious Pretences, to conspire the utter Ruin and De- struction of their Country ; but to come to plain Mat. ter of Fact ( for their Villany is detected enough alrea- dy) we must take notice, That tho' many of the Annui- tants may be rich, yet many Thousands of them are of the meanest sort of Trades, who live by their Labour ; and great Numbers of them are also Servants, and all of them have but very small Annuities : And should they have Half their Annuities, or any Part thereof, taken from them, it is feared would make Thousands of them turn disaffected to the Government, who were rea- dy to venture their Lives for the Support of it. And Widows and Orphans, whose Condition usually moves Pity and Compassion, will be great SufFerers ( if not re- lieved) to have one Half, or any Part of their little An- nuities taken from them These Wrongs and Oppressions have been done by the late Directors, when the said Company could have no legal Title to the said Annui- ties without an Assignment or Transfer for the Pro. perty of the Annuities ( as the Lawyers say) cannot be altered or passed away from one to another, without an actual Assignment or Transfer It was never known, that any King, States, or Legislature, in any Kingdom or Nation, made a title good to any Company of Men, to any Estate, Goods, or Things they had got or obtain, ed by Fraud or unfair Dealings; therefore it is act to be imagined, that so ill a Precedent will be ever made in England, as to establish Iniquity by a Law ; for it is too well known, that the Directors giving out and declaring the great Advantages the Proprietors would gain by Sub- scribing their Annuities, was a notorious Deceit on the Subscribers, and so deserves rather Punishment than Fa- vour: And as to a General Court, should they make any Orders to the Wrong and Oppression of the Annui- tants, they can't be binding on them without their Con- sent; for the Acts of the Company can only bind the Members of the Company ; the Proprietors of Annui. ties, as Annuitants, are no Members of the Com- pany ; so without their Consent they cannot be bound ; and many Thousands of the Annuitants were never of Ability to purchase South Sea Stock to become Mem- bers of the Company. But it is hoped the Directors for the future, Persons of such Honour and Integrity, as not to give any Trouble to the Annuitants, they being de- ceived by the fair but deceitful Declaration and Assu- rances of the late Directors, and thereupon subscribing their Annuities ; but rather with Honour and Prudence will prevent all Troubles that may arise by Law Suits or otherwise, and contribute what is in their Power to the Peace and Quiet of a Distressed and Melancholly Na- tion, and restore to the Annuitants their Annuities, or give them reasonable Satisfaction for them ; which none can be against, but such as would rob Peter to pay Paul : And the Directors for the future will, by so doing, be looked upon as Well Wishers to the present Government, by preventing many Thousands of the poor Annuitants to turn disaffected to the Govern, ment, by lessening their little Annuities, who have been ready to venture their Lives for the Support of it, as aforesaid. There is Advice from Langefond on the Coast of Jut- land, that several Ships among them, one English, two Dutch, and two Hamburghers, perished among the Shoals of Ice the i4th Instant, but all the Men were saved. On »