The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1777-01-13 00:00:00, page 2

Sept. ic. The HE ("g Circumflexes bp
fetoed lately at a Village in the County of Car-1
marthen: A very amiable young Woman was
courted at one and the fame Time by a Father
and his Son. Lewis, jun. was handforne and
sprightly ; but Lewis, fen. had the Money Bag.
The f rmtr relinquished his Mistress, and gave
her up to his Father, who fixed on the Day of
Marriage; but this creating great Commotion
in the Family of Lewis, who bad two Daugh
ters, and the Neighbourhood exclaiming against
the Impropriety of the Match, Lewis did not
make his Appearance at Church on the Day
fixed on for the Marriage. The Bride came
back, and 'young Lewis her former Lover then
renewed his Addrerfes, and fixed on the follow
ing Morning for Marriage; accordingly the Bride
went a second Time to Church, but no Bride
groom attended ; for the Father, as he was not
to marry the Giri himfelf, refolded the Son
Should ^ot, and threatened to disinherit him if
he did. The Bride came away again from
Church, full of Indignation and Confufion;
and the'Parfon of the Parish, a very worthy
young Man, then made Love to her, and mar
ried her in about a Fortnight.
Extras of & Letter from JVarfaw, Aug. 24.
" Th^ General Confederacy of Poland and
Lithuania was formed Yesterday in the follow
ing Manner :
r " The Bishop cf Cujavia shewed the Neces
sity of forming such a Confederacy at the Meet h
ing of the Permanent Council, and proposed it.
This Proposal was supported by all the other
Counfellors, and approved as by the King,
who instantly signed the Act of Confederacy,
and was followed by the Senators, the Ministers,
the Members of the Equestrian Order, and the
Counfellors of the Permanent Council. After
this thr Senators, Ministers, and Nuncios, were
called into the Hall of the Council, who, in
Number about too, were at the Palace of the
Biihop of Plock ; when they entered, the King
role up, and addressed a Discourse to them to
the following Effed: ‘ That Experience had
often ffiewn how advantageous it was for this
Country that the Polish Citizens should confede
rate with their King; that, independent of
himfelf the Republick had. at the last Diet,
attached a Council to the King's Person, which
was not only to fee the Laws properly executed,
but to insure the public Tranquillity, by which
ah Confederacies were held bameable and illicit, .
except tha, which should be recognized as a
political Remedy, absolutely neceihry by the
Will of the Government, and instituted by the
Council for the important Affairs of the Re
publick.' “ It was from these Motives that
the King encouraged all the Assembly to sign
the Ad of Confederacy, and to ele& the Gene
ral Mokronowlki to be Marlhal of the Crown,
and rhe Great Secretary of Lithuania Oginfki
to be Marshal of Lithuania, All the Assembly
unmimoufly approved the Choice of our
Monarch."
Lord William Gordon, Brother to the Duke
of-G >rdon, is appointed Lord Vice-Admiral of
Second, in the Room of the Earl of March,
promoted to be President of the Police, in the
Place. .of the late Lord Cathcart.
Since Saturday last nineteen Ships from
Pe&b^g, and about 26 from Norway, arrived
in the River; another large Fleet is hourly ex
\, pe&ed:ffcGm the Baltic.
Extras,f a Letter from Elsinore, Aug. 31.
" Sr cc^y Lift arrived here upwards of 70
Sail of Ships, front the Baltic, which have failed
again, and<h^ Day about 60 fail more were in
Sight. Nani of toern have fuffered by the late
Gale of Wind whici we had here except one
Ship which was totally loft, together with her
Cargo but the Grew were with Difficulty saved."
Extras of a Letter from Lifan, dated Aug. 30.
" The Count de Schulenbourg, Qyenhaufen,
herctofcrerin thf&yvjce of the Landgrave of
Helle Caffel. who.chafed him to be confined in
the Cattle of Spangcaberg, from whence he
founds Means to escape, is arrived at Lisbon,
last from England, and is to serve in the Rank
of a lieutenant-Colonel in the Regiment of
Count de la/Jppe, Field Marshal of Portugal,
whose Nephew he is."
Sept. 17. A fubferipHon is set on foot at Bath,
for opening Silfbury &B, the largest Tumulusl
or artificial mound of earth in this island. It
belongs to, and is part of, that monument of
antiquity, the Temple cf Abury, and Bands
by the Bath road between the Devises and Marl
borough. Though fuppoied to be of between
three and four thousand years duration, there is
no account es its having, ever yet been searched
into,
Sept..2l. The Lords of the Admiralty have
put his M^jeßy's Ship Thames, now at Ports
mouth, into commission, the command of which
is given to Tyrringham Howe, Esq; the is in
tended for the North-America station.
Extraß of a Letter from -Guildford, Sept. 14.
" Last week a most excellent Coup de main
was executed here by Monsieur Maßcar, a pro
fefforof fireworks, who had for some evenings
exhibited foecimens of his infernal abilities, in
divers rockets, horizonal Wheels,.flying pigeons,
&c. in a field adj mining to the town, inclofed all
round with a high wall.
" As Friday was to be the last night, Mon
sieur," with all the Pelittf and addreis imagina
ble, applied to every family in town, begging
them to take tickets " for the moftauguft, su
perb, and grand exhibition of fireworks ever
seen in this kingdom ;" alluring them, he did
mot mean to get a penny by it, but did it purely
to blaze his own reputation, and to teftify his
gratitude 6r the many honours he had received
from the inhabitants of Guildford. He proposed
to display a most surprising specimen of his art,
,by 'hewing them forts and cattles in the air,
firing cannon, wi<h ships under fail attacking
„,m~h^g an exaft representation of Sir Peter
!Parker's a&ion with the Americans at Charies
j Town. After a series of manoeuvres between
the ships and castles, he told them, that they
should all blow up together—When the air
would be filled with sockets and flying fiery
dragons.
“ These wonderful promises drew a vast con
course of people to the place ; and when all
his tickets were come in, proclamation was
Imade at the door, “ That Monsieur, out of his
great regard to the poorer fort, would admit
them at Two-pence each ;" which soon intro
duced the whole Canaille into the field ; when
Monsieur recollecting something material left at
at his lodging, stepped home to fetch it—Sav
ing firlt ordered„his Tyre to let off two rockets
during his abfe.ee ; —then locking the whole
company into the field, he set off—with the
key in his poeket.
" The two rockets being let off, and Mon
sieur net returning, the company began to
grow clamorous ; when the deputy attempted
to^fire other pieces, but to his great surprise not
one would fire, and on examination proved to be
only paper cases, without a grain of competition
j within fide.—lt is impossible to describe the
indignation of the deluded multitude, who had
now bee* locked in near an hour; and it was
some time before they could get out, which was
at last effected by breaking open the Door, when
they were informed that Monsieur had been
, met three miles from the town on a dog-trot
for London."
Extras of a letter from Glasgow, Sept. 13.
" Yesterday a vcffel arrived here from Vir
ginia with twenty-two passengers, who, before
they were allowed to depart, were put under
three different oat'G. 1. That they ihould not
carry above 501. specie out of the colony, z.
I That they should never return to the colony
hoftilel, intended. 3. That they should not
difeover the date of the colony.
“ Three deys after they had failed, they fell
in with the Boreas m.aofwar, and was boarded,
with an intention of making the vessel a prize ;
but after learning their real situation, they were
allowed to proceed."
A Letter from Lord Percy to a private Gen
tleman, dated Camp at Newtown, Lmg-Ifland,
Sept. 4, after complimenting the Guards, for
their gallant Behaviour, firs, " It was the Ge
neral's Orders that the Troops should receive
the Rebels firft Fire, and then ru(h on them
before they hsd recovered their Arms, with their
Bayonets, which threw them into the utmost
Difordcr and Confufion, they being unacquain
ted with such a Manoeuvre. A great many of
the Horses belonging to Preston's Regiment,
that were left in Boston at the Evacuation, were
found on Long Island."
They write from Dublin, that Yesterday
fennight the new-raised Green Regiment, com
manded by Col. Dalrymple, embarked in fede
ral Boats appointed for that purpose, at the Bar
Irack Watering Slip, opprfi:e Steevens's Hospi
tal, and failed down the River as far as the last
I Ferry,where they were put on Board three light
ers Rationed there to receive them, which im
mediately set off andleft them on board the
Transports lying in that Harboar, and bound
for Jamac'a.
jYefterday James II rris,jun. Esq; his Majesty's
late Ambaflador at the Court ofßerlih, but now
appointed Ambaffdor to the Court of liters
burgh, took Leaveofhig Majesty, he being in
a few Days to set cut an his Ambaffy to the last
mentioned Court.
1 Extras of a Letter from Captain Dennison, of the
Expedition franfpott, dated Halifax, Septem
ber 2, 1776.
" Being commifliored by Lord Howe, after
1 our Arrival at Sandy Hook, with the Fleet under
his Command, to return to Hali ax with Inllruc-
Itions for Governor, Arbuthnot and with Direc
-Itions for ail those Vcflcls that should arrive at
;Halifax, to proceed immediately to the Norih-
I ward, I failed on the Voyage without Interrup-
Ition until we arrived in Lai. 44. when two small
American Privateers bore down upon us, leaving
I a large Brig a-llern of them, which we aftcr-
Iwards found was a Prize they had taken the Day
Ibefore, being a Transport from Corke, called
Ithe James, Captain C'Rei'ey, Jaden with pro-
Ivifions for the British Troops. As we mounted
ieight Guns, I ordered the Vessel to be laid to,
I and every Thing prepared for the Engagement,
Iwhich continued for about one Glass, when the
fmallcft Privateer Bruck to ns, and the other
Peered off with her Prize. The Vessel we took
carried five Guts, and was called the Adventu
rer, Cnpr, Bronson; the other was called the
Defiance, cf eight Guns, Capt. Morris, of the
fame Port. We have brought our Prize fafe in
to tl is P rt, where she has been condemned and
fold, the Men sharing near 121. each."
OS. 10. The 24,000 Ruffians, engaged by
Treaty with the Empress, are to aft in New-
England, and there is no Doubt, they will
make good their Quarters.
The Ruffians, it wts observed in the last War,
are some of the most hardy as well as desperate
Soldiers in the World. But, it must be added,
that they are not the most hum ne. It is ta be
hoped, that our People in America, by an
Alteration of their Cendud, will render the
Operations of these terrible Troops unne
cessary. When they entered Prussia during
the late War, their Ravages were terrible be
yond Defcripticn. They ruined the Country
in their March, and destroyed every Thing en
tirely before them. Nor is it in the Power of
their Commanders to prevent it. When Peter
the Great, late Czar of Russia, led his victorious
Troops into a City they had taken, he was
obliged to kill several of his Soldiers with his
own Hand, and to interpose with his Person, in
order to prevent the dreadful Sacrifice they were
beginning to make of the miserable Inhabitants.
Houses were plundered, Women ravished,
Children butchered, and the whole Country
w?s depopulated by these dreadful Foes. And
their late Wars with the Turks and other Bar
barians, it is mid, has increased their natural
Ferocity.* God fend that our Colonies, by a
wife and timely Submission, may keep these
rugged Gentry at Home!
04. 16. It is a well-known Fa&,that the Em
peror of Morocco, when the Fracas happened
between our Court and the Court es Spain, in
1771, offered to lend us as Auxiliaries, no less
than 80,000 Men, upon the Condition only of
setting them afhere upon the Coast of Spain.
And we hear, that he has proposed the Loan of
30 or 40,000 Moors, upon the Terms solely of
landing them in America, provided it be not to
the Northward of New-York.
Nothing can equal the Barbarity of these
Moors ; and it is supposed, that their Object
in this Proposal is to seize upon a great Number
of People as Slaves, of which they are much
in need.
The Algerines and Barbary States, only wait
the Word from Great-Britain to make Prize of
all American Vessels that shall attempt to pass
into the Mediterranean.
Reading, Sept. 7. Sunday Morning last the
following Affair happened at Blewbury in this
County ; A Day Labourer having for some Time
past lived on disagreeable Terms with his Father
and Mother-in-Law, took the Resolution ofdef
troying himfelf; It seems, after he had received
his Week's Wages on Saturday Night, he de
clared he had rather he shot than gz home ; how
ever, he slept at home that Night, and on the
succeeding Morairg sent f.r two Pennyworth
of Powder and Shot, with the Whole ofwhich
he charged a Fowling-Piece, and going into a
Field adjoining his Home Ihot himfelf through
the Heart, and expired immediately. He hts
left a Widow and two Children.
Brifiol, Sept. 7. At our Fair this Week there
was as great a Demand for the Articles in the
Cloatbing Trade as has been known for many
Years patt, efpccially theft of a coarser Sort, of
which there was not a fufficient Supply brought
to Town.
Oubliu, Sept. 14. The following extraordi
nary f^a may be depended on : A few days
fined, as two Gentlemen, who live on Millto^n-
Rsad, were returning home, they were acceded
by "a genteel man, gravely dressed, rcfrohging a
Clergymen, who begged they would Bep with
him irtn an adjacent publick-houfe, as he had
femething of moment to communicate : This
bein, complied with, he asked one of the G 'n
tlemen whether he was ever pcflt ffed of a gold
watch, aid being answered in the affirmative,
he then enquired whether he could recoiled the
miker and oumter ; the Gentleman rep'jed,
that a space of upwards of twenty-two years
had intervened fine? he was ribbed of his
watch and some caih by five men, and could
not' possibly know it again ; but the other fay
ing he remembered its conftrudion, the flranger
produced the watch, which preved to be the
fame the Gentleman had been robbed of, and
also 2; Guineas, the sum taken from him.
The Gentlemen then asked him how he came
by these articles, as they were confident he
only afted in an official capacity ; he desired to
beexcufed giving a dired answer; but added,
'rhet three of the men who robbed him were
now in opulent circumßances, and the other
two hid died since. Happy are they, fad he,
who, having the misfortune in their younger
days to despoil their neighbour unjußly of his
property, make ample reditution in their riper
years ; this shews their principles are not en
tirely vitiated, and their repentance fircere ; but
thrice happy they who have no need of this
repentance.
BON MOT. /
SIR GODFREY KNELLER and Dr. Rat
cliffe were Neighbours; the former having
a better Garden than the latter, he desired Koel
ler's Permission to break a Door-way through
the Party Wall, that he might recreate himfelf
cccafianally by walking therein; But the Doc
tor's Servants and other Peop'e so abused his In
dulgence, that it became very troublesome to
the Repose cf the ingenious Painter ; he accor
dingly sent the rough Doaor Notice, that he
mu't shut the Door up, Ratcliffe, piqued, told
the Messenger, his Mailer might do any Thing
with the Door, “so hedid not paint it. Koel
ler returned an immediate Anfiver, in assuring
the Doctor he could " take any Thing from
him but his Phyfick."
C°„ °f a Letter from Friends in England to the
Friends in America, called Quakers,
Dear Friends,
“ TT layeth with considerable Weight upon
I our Minds to make a solemn Addreis to
you, upon the Conduct cf many among you in
these Times of Confufion and Uproar, who,
departing from those Principles of Simplicity
and Meekness which have hitherto set usapart
from the World, have given great Cause of
Reproach to our Prefeflion, and grieved the
Hearts of the Siecer*. Suffer, therefore, the
Word of Exhortation, which we offer you in
all Meekness ; and we trust that the Light,
wh ; ch enlighteneth those that fit in Darkness,
will guide and preserve you in all Truih, that
you may be unblameable and unreproveable in
the midst of a wicked and peiverfe Generation,
and that you may shine as Lights in the World.
“ Dear Friends, we have heard with great
Sorrow of Spirit, that many among you, and
especially these of the younger Sort, have Spot
ted their holy Profeffion by taking up Arms
against the King, which the Lord hath set over
both you and us; whereas it becometh us, and
if we are led by the Spirit as in the Days that
are past, we certainly shall aim, to be.quiet, and
to follow our own Business in all Godiinefs and
Honesty. We believe the Lord in Judgement
will cause those among you, who have taken
the Sword, and, who trust in an Arm of
Flelh, to perish by the Sword ; and as they have
fallen in Bondage to 3 carQ Spirit, to r.c
the Fruit of their own Dolg..
“ And, dear Friends, iuftcr us aifo to fay,
that we are deeply grieved at the onrigbteous
Cause, which some among you have cfpcufcd, ns
well as at the unrighteous Means, with which
they have fought to fopport it. We thick it
the Duty of friends at no lime to intermeddle
in carnal Warfares ; and much less to engage
in those Warfares to pu'l down that Authority
and Government, which the divine Will hath
established over us. If, as the Apoille hitfi
fed, it be good and acceptable in the Sight of God
our Saviour to pray for Kings and all that are
in Authority ; it mull be displeasing to Ged.
who is the God of Order and Peace, to resist
the lawful Ordinances of our King and of those
that are in Authority under him; and they that
refft, faith the Apostle, fall receive to tbtmfelvu
Damnation. Surely then, dear Friends, it must
be Bill nvre difpkafing to promote the Bed
ding of Blood among his People, aid for so
fad a Reason as the getting rid of his Autho
rity, which it never was in your Power, to give
him, and which therefore you cat have no
Right, even if you had the Power, to take
away. These things grieve the Hearts of all
good Men, who walk ig the Light of the
Spirit of Truth, and have tasted of that spiritual
Freedom, which confitteth in Righteousness,
Peace and f°, its the Holy Ghefl And we
could not be silent on this melancholy Subjeft,
left we a!H should be thought to countenance
these unrighteous Doings, which our Hearts
abhor. We are fallen into the la# Days, of
which it is said periloue Times shall come: And
the Signs of those Times are among us ; for
Men are Lovers of their own Selves, covetous,
Boafars, proud, Blafpbemers, falfe Accusers,
fierce. Traitors, beady, high winded, and
having a Form of Godiinefs, but denying the
Power thereof.
And, dear Friends, since these things are so ;
with what Earnestness of Spirit should Friends
strive to recover those that are fallen, that they
may not be turned aside unto more Ungodli
ness Tlf they will not be reclaimed; it would
be better that such unholy and unruly Men be
Separated from among you, that they may not
be considered as belongs to q, and so give
Cause of Reproach to the Truth.
We are concerned in our Hearts for the awful
Calamities that furreund you; and we hope
that you are led with becoming Earseftnefs to
search in Spirit for Motives of Submission to
the divine Will, and in Patience to possess your
Souls. We shall rejoice with you in the Reßo
ration of public Order, which ambitious and
ungodly Men, seeking their own, have ever
thrown ; and we trust that God, by whom Kings
reign and Princes decree Justice, will efabliJb
again the Throne of our King in Righteoufnejs,
and ordain Counfellors far you as at the beginning.
Dear Friends, no other Way of Communi
cation being permitted at this present Time,
we thought good to fend our Token of Remem
brance in this public Manner, and commend
you to the divine Blessing.
NEW-YORK, January 13.
On Wedn^duy lalt, the Sth fnttant, tne Bimol,
Vice Admiral Lord Shuldham, failed fur Eng
land ; and, as the Wind was fair, got out to Sea
immediately.
Several Skirmishes between the King's Troops,
and the Rebels have lately happened in the Jer
fies. But the molt distinguished Rencounter oc
curred on the 3 I Instant, near Princetown. The
17th Regiment, confiding o+ lei's than geo Men
fell in with the Rebel. Army of between 5 and
6000, whom they attacked with all the Ardor and
Intrepidity of Britons. They received the Fire
of the Rebels from behind a Fence, over which
they immediately leaped upon their Enemies, who
prefentl) turned to the right about with fuchPreci
pitation as to leave their very Cannon behind them.
The Soldiers instantly turned their Cannon, and
fired at leatt 20 Rounds upon thein Rear ; and had
they been affitted with another Regiment or two,
the Rebels would have found it rather difficult to
make good their Retreat. This hat been one of
the most splendid A&ions of the whole Campaign,
and has given a convincing Proof that BritifhVa
lour has not declined from its antient Glory. Of
Cul.'Mawhood, their gallant Commander, and of
his Coudua in the Ass ir, too many Encomiums
crnnot be said. The Loss was about Twenty
killed and Eighty wounded of the Troops. Of
the Rebels above 400 were killed and wounded.
Among their Slain were eleven Officers. Mr.
Mercer, (one of the wounded Rebel-Officers, since
dead) when he was taken up by cur People,
afkea how many the Numbers were who had thus
attacked him, and upon being told, he cried out
with Astonishment ; " My God ; Is it possible ?
" I have often heard of British Courage ; but
" never could have imagined to find such an In
" stance as this !"
Another Account fays,That the 17th Regiment
just before they charged the Rebels, deliberately
pnllt d off 'heir Knaptacks, and gave three Cheers,
then broke through the Rebels, faced about, at
tacked, and broke through them a second Time.
Cul. Mawhood then said, it would be prudent, as
they were so few, to retire ; upon which the Men
one and all cried out, " No, No; Let us attack
them again :"' And it was with great Difficulty
their Colonel could induce them to retreat ; which
at length they performed in the utmost Order.
To the Honor of this brave Regiment, both as
Soldiers and as Men, not one of them has ever
attempted to plunder, or encouraged it in others.
In the several Skirmishes, the Rebels have lolt
above 700 Men.
By the nearest Calculation that can be formed,
the Rebels, in the Course of the last Year, did
not lole by Sickness and Battle less than 25,000
Men, An immense Draught in a Country, where
the Price of Labor is so great, and the Hands
so few.
Many Prizes have been sent into the Harbor
in the Course of the laftWeek ; and the Ships are
playing Havock with the Rebel Privateers. Some
of the Frigates with Copper bottoms outfail every
thing they fee ; and the fwifteft Privateers of the
Rebels find it impossible to get away from them.
Capt. Hammond, of the Roebuck, has taken
the Lexington Privateer, one of the fwifteft
Veffejs the Rebels had fitted out, and converted
her into a Tender for his Majesty's Service.