The Massachusetts spy (Boston [Mass.]), 1770-09-13 00:00:00

The Massachusetts Spy.
VOL. I.] From TUESDAY, September 11, to THURSDAY, September 13, 1770. [N o . 18.
W E D N È S D A Y, September 12.
HAGUE, [Holland] June 8.
THEY write from Ratisbon, that the Protestants at the general Diet of the Empire, sitting in that city, are divided into two parties, one of which, composed of the states that profess the Lutheran religion, continue to apply in all their affairs to the ancient directory of the Electoral house of Saxony; and the other party, consisting of the Reformed States, will, for the future, apply to the house of Brandenburg. The occasion of this division is not known; but it is probable that the reformed party may think the King of Prussia, as Elector of Brandenburg, more likely, as well as more able, to remedy their grievances, and give weight to their affairs, than the Elector of Saxony, who is well known to be of the Catholic religion.
LONDON, June 26. By the return made by the officers of the police, there appears to have been 118 persons killed in the crowd, at the fireworks at Paris, upon the marriage of the Dauphin.
Letters from Scotland say, that the distemper which lately raged among the horned cattle in that part of the kingdom has totally ceased.
June 28. We hear the Dutch have negotiated a large loan with the empress of Russia, in consequence of which, considerable sums have been sold out of our funds; this is the only probable reason that the price of stocks is so low; and we still can assure the public there is not the least foundation for any report of an approaching war.
Tuesday a courier set out with advices for the British ambassador at the court of Madrid, who is to require a categorical answer for what cause that court are fitting out squadrons at their different sea ports.
Orders have been issued to make a strict inspection into the strength of the castles and fortifications on the Kent, Sussex, and other sea coasts, and a report to be made with all expedition.
We are informed for fact, that the officers and principal inhabitants of Brentford, and several towns through which the corpse of the late distinguished patriotic Lord-Mayor is to pass, have resolved to have the bells tolled as the procession passes, as the last tribute they can pay for the many services rendered to this country by that great and good man, who has not left his superior.
A Report is now revived, that the purchase of a very considerable Brewery, with the stock and utensils, is now under the consideration of a certain patriotic Society for the benefit of a popular gentleman, who, it is said, is willing to engage in the same.
We are assured the accounts that were received last week from the Town of Boston in America, are of so
very alarming a nature, that measures of one kind or other either vigorous or lenitive, must be pursued in a few Days.
June 29. Yesterday an express was sent off from the Earl of Hillsborough's office for General Gage at New-York.
This day at noon was finally closed at Guildhall, the poll for the election of a Lord-Mayor for this city, when Alderman Trecothick was declared duly elected.
July 2. The reports concerning the appointment of a Lord Chancellor are premature; and we are assured, that high office will not be filled during the recess of Parliament.
It is said, that a noble Lord lately arrived from Italy, who is charged with defrauding the public, will soon be compelled to give bail for his appearance when called upon.
Upon Saturday the new Lord-Mayor (Mr. Alderman Trecothick) attended by several of the Aldermen, and the Sheriffs Townsend and Sawbridge, with the city officers carrying the regalia, went in state to Westminster-hall, and was sworn in before the Barons of the Exchequer, after which his Lordship paid his compliments to the several other courts of law, who were sitting.
A gentleman in St. James's-street received a letter lately from a friend of his at Port Egmont, in Falkland Island, dated March 1, 1770, which makes not the least mention of the Spaniards having been there with an armed force to demand restitution of that island.
The paragraph in the papers, mentioning the arrival in the river, of the Lion, Parnassus and Speedwell, from Boston, with their cargoes, as shipped from England, is void of foundation, and a gross imposition on the public.
Letters from Corsica mention, that several bodies of insurgents are yet in arms in that Island, and commit great excesses. The Curate of Guado, who is at the head of 200 men, and another native at the head of 150, have seized some carriages laden with forage, and burnt several houses belonging to those who are in the French interest.
An exact list of the whole French and Spanish marine has lately been procured at a considerable expence, and which, it is said, has been the cause of an augmentation of our naval force.
By the last packet from Lisbon, it is said that the hostile intentions of that court against the subjects of Great-Britain were but too evident, notwithstanding the pretended shew of friendship.
July 5. Yesterday a grand council was holden at the Cockpit, at which most of the great officers of state assisted; the matters under debate are said to be the long:

contested cause between the Mohawk Indians and the colony of Connecticut ; and the recent quarrel between the inhabitants of Boston and the military quartered on them.
Yesterday the Right Hon. the Lord-Mayor attended the levee at St. James's to pay his respects to his Majesty, by whom he was most graciously received : It is customary for all Lord-Mayors to appear at court on the first levee and court days after their entrance into office.
On Tuesday a great number of the Common-council waited upon the Lord-Mayor at the Mansion-house, to request that a common-council be assembled to take into consideration, whether any, and what mark of gratitude and respect ought to be paid to the memory of the late worthy Chief Magistrate, when his Lordship was pleased to appoint this day at twelve o'clock.
Letters from the confines of Turkey positively assert, that the Ottoman armies now ready to take the field, consist of 300,000 men, mostly Europeans, without including the Natolians ; these letters add, that the Tartar army is already 100,000 strong, and is continually receiving reinforcements.
Certain advice is received, that the French King, since the beginning of last month, has raised twenty millions of livres, at eight per cent.
There is certainly some great event to be expected soon to happen on the Continent, in consequence of the conduct of the Court of Vienna. But whether it be to act in conjunction against any other power with that of Prussia, or Russia, is not absolutely known ; since she has lately entered into secret treaties with both, and is now augmenting and compleating her army.
Orders have been sent to Birmingham, within these few days, for 1000 muskets, with cartouch boxes and other accoutrements, for the service of the King of Prussia.
It was on Wednesday reported, that an insurrection of vast numbers happened on the Continent, who were all provided with arms, and were determined to dispute it, inch by inch, with their oppressors.
We are assured that a Great Personage has inspected all the papers which have been received relating to the late unhappy transactions of Boston in New-England, and that he has been pleased to make memorandums on the most remarkable passages they contain.
The Rev. Mr Horne's constitution is become so weak, that for some time past he has been obliged to refrain from animal food ; and he is ordered to swallow nothing more than blood-warm.
It is said that a Great Personage has been robbed of a Bank-note of 120l. a diamond ring, and a pebble of great value.----This plainly proves that there are rogues about the Court.
July 8. It is now reported, that though the French are very sensible of their increase of strength by the acquisition of Corsica, the wealth of their religious houses, and the loans negotiating and negotiated in Holland, as well as their superiority over the English, who are divided into factions at home, weakened by the dissatisfaction of their Colonies, and loaded with an enormous national debt, yet while there is a spot of land in Corsica which
they are assured is not their own, into which an enemy may be admitted, they are resolved to dissemble their intentions, and put off the meditated blow for a time.
A correspondent observes, that notwithstanding the known poverty of a certain notorious Lord, he has absolutely refused the viceroyship of a neighbouring kingdom, because he loves to sleep in a whole skin, which he is much afraid the inhabitants of that injured country will not suffer him to do.
It is said, that a messenger was this morning despatched from a favourite child to his poor mother in Germany, "intreating her assistance towards the payment of certain damages and costs of suit."
In several parts of the country, a certain great Personage was taken, by his disguise, in a black wig, for a horse-stealer, and a highway-man, but no where that we hear of for a conjurer.
The Duke of C-----d, in his excursions to Towcester in Northamptonshire, Coventry, Marcourt-Hill, Whitchurch in Shropshire, Chester, &c. in order to meet Lady Grosvenor assumed at different times the names Squire Morgan, Squire Jones, the Farmer, &c. He sometimes appeared as a young Squire disordered in his senses, and used to be called at the Inns, &c. the Fool, particularly at Whitchurch, where a noise being heard in passing from one room to the other, it was disregarded by the people in the house, who said it was only THE FOOL.
We hear from Liverpool, that Mr. Michael Wood's of that place, F. R. S. has discovered the Longitude.
We hear that orders will soon be issued, for all the colony agents to attend Lord Hillsborough at the plantation office on special affairs.
Letters from Venice inform, that the miserable Greeks are flying on all sides from the fury of the enraged Ottomans, and what renders their condition truly deplorable, the Grand Signior has declared, he will consider as enemies to the Porte, such States as may afford any of them shelter in their dominions.
It appeared upon a late trial that a noble Lord has had eleven mistresses in keeping since his Lordship's marriage with his present wife.
July 10. So certain the generality of people seem to be of an approaching war, that it is said some gentlemen are building ships at private yards, which are to be fitted out for privateers, in case of a rupture.
The council summoned to meet to-morrow, is said to be about American affairs.
It is currently talked among the nobility, that overtures are now making between Lord and Lady Grosvenor ; and, if judgment may be informed from appearances, an entire reconciliation will certainly take place in a short time.
Mr. Alderman Beckford left fifteen natural children in England ; and it is said, several more are now living in great affluence in the West-Indies.
Preparations will soon be made, it is said, for the reception and accommodation of one of his Majesty's sisters, who, we are informed, is expected to come to England with the Princess Dowager of Wales when she returns.

Several Petitions from the Dealers in Halfpence, particularly Distillers and Brewers, have been drawn up, and signed by many respectable bodies to Lord North, praying a new Copper Coinage, as the evil of circulating such vast quantities of base coin is become an intolerable grievances; and we hear a Coinage will immediately take place.
A shoe-black, the other day, who plies near the Royal Exchange, refusing a bad halfpenny from a customer, and not being able to give good copper in exchange for a shilling, after scratching his head for some time, and considering the present dilemma, exclaimed with great earnestness: "Well, well, Sir, I find I must take your money; but, damn it, I thought Mr. Wilkes might have settled that matter before now."
It is said that the Great Personage, who had lately a verdict given against him, intends soon setting out for Nice.
Monday Dennys de Berdt, Esq; Agent for Massachusetts-Bay, received a packet containing some very important advices from his American constituents.
July 7. Yesterday came on at the court of King's bench, the great cause between Lord Grosvenor and his Royal Highness the Duke of C-----. The damages were laid at 100,000l. At ten o'clock the Jury gave in their verdict for the Plaintiff with 10,000l. damages.
July 11. Friday next the Earl of Chatham is expected at Earl Temple's house in Pall-mall, whence his Lordship, as we are informed, is to go to St. James's to wait on his Majesty by desire.
Lord Bute is in Italy; and by letters received from him on Friday last, declares his intention of not returning to England till next May. He has two or three learned men with him, who dine constantly at his table.
Lord Shelburne and the Right Hon. George Grenville, it is rumoured by those who pretend to be in the secret, will soon make a conspicuous figure in administration.
Mr. Foote will shortly print the Devil upon Two Sticks, and the Lame Lover; the latter of which he dedicates to his royal highness the Duke of Cumberland.
They write from Venice, that the last letters from Constantinople made mention of the Janissaries having rose in a tumultuous manner, and demanded the heads of some great men on account of the present unsuccessful war with the Russians.
It is said positive orders have lately been transmitted to the commanders of the several men of war on the North-American station, to be extremely vigilant in their duty against smugglers, and to seize all such goods and merchandize, which by the laws of trade ought to be exported directly from Great-Britain to the colonies.
ST. JAMES'S, July 6. His Majesty in Council was this day pleased to order, that the Parliament which stands prorogued to Thursday the nineteenth of this instant July, should be further prorogued to Tuesday the twenty-fifth day of September next.
HANOVER, [Germany] June 19. The Princess Dowager of Wales, accompanied by the Duke of Gloucester, arrived yesterday evening at Brunswick. Their
Royal Highnesses are expected here on Friday next, the 22d, and the regency are preparing to entertain them.
CONSTANTINOPLE, [capital of the Turkish Empire] May 27. The plague reigns in Egypt, and particular in Alexandria, where it makes terrible ravages. It has also shewn itself in this capital, and in the suburbs.
ANCONA, [Italy] June 19. Letters of good credit from the Morea advise, that Prince Orlow, on the 30th of May, dispatched a body of 2000 regular troops, for Corinth, to secure the passage of the Isthmus against the Turks; that the 4th instant, the corps being arrived at Museniga, met there Soldie Pacha, with an army of 30,000 Albanians; that at eleven in the morning an action ensued between them, which lasted till three in the afternoon, when the Turks left 8000 killed on the field on battle, 1600 were made prisoners, and took 24 standards, a staff of command, 20 kettle drums, five pieces of cannon and a great quantity of provisions; and that Soldie Pacha, with the remains of his army, had retired towards Lepanto; that the Russians had about 400 killed, and 500 slightly wounded, among whom were six officers; and that a few days after, Prince Orlow, at the head of 1500 Russians and Greeks, marched towards Drobolezza, with a design to lay siege to the Capital of the Peninsula.
As the Russians have carried their arms into the Mediterranean, and have made the Morea the seat of war, the following short account of that country, will no doubt prove agreeable to our Readers.
DESCRIPTION of the MOREA.
THE peninsula of the Morea, (the ancient Peloponnesus,) now invaded by the Russians, has on the south east, the isthmus of Corinth, which joins it to the main land of Greece: and, in its narrowest place, is not above four or five miles over from one sea to the other. On the fourth it has the Gulph of Lepanto, (famous in History for the victory gained there, Oct. 2, 1571, by the Venetian fleet, commanded by Don John of Austria, over the Turks; 30,000 Turks being killed, and 20,000 Christian slaves set at liberty;) on the north-west the Gulph of Patrias; the Ionian Sea on the south-west; the Sea of Candia on the south; the Ægean Sea on the east; and the Gulph of Engia on the south-east. It lies between 36 and 38 degrees of north latitude. Its present name is derived from Morus, a mulberry-tree, in Greek, Morea , because those trees grow naturally there in great plenty.
After many Revolutions, it became subject to the Emperor Manuel Comnenus, about the year 1150; who, at his death, divided it among his seven sons. These Princes were called Despotes. Demetrius and Thomas, the brothers of Constantine Palæologus, were the last of these Despotes; for, in their time the Turkish Sultan, Mahomet II. took the Morea, and expelled the Venetians that were there. The Turks kept it till 1687, when the Venetians retook it, under General Morosini, (whereby he obtained the title of Peloponnedan,) and it was entirely resigned to them by the Treat of Carlowitz: But, in 1715, the Turks again made themselves masters

of the whole Morea, and have kept possession of it ever since.
Patras, now besieged, or taken, by the Russians, is situated on a hill, about a mile from the sea, at the foot of a high mountain, with a valley between, ten miles from the mouth of the Gulph of Lepanto, towards the south. It derives its name from one Patreus, who enlarged the city, it having been built by Eumelus, who learned from Triptolemus the art of building. It is still the See of an Archbishop, who has a thousand churches within his province. The Turks have here six mosques; and the Jews four synagogues. The whole number of inhabitants is supposed to be four or five thousand.
The Castles, called the Dardanelles, which defend the Strait that leads from the Archipelago to Constantinople, were built by Mahomet IV. in 1659. The waters that pass through this canal out of the Propontis, are as rapid as if they flowed beneath a bridge, and when the north wind blows no ship can enter, but when it is south, there is scarce any current at all; so that the passage may be forced without much danger, the castles being four miles asunder. The Turkish artillery, however monstrous it looks, will not much annoy the ships, if they have a good wind and go in file. The port holes of the cannon belonging to these castles, look like coach house doors; but the cannon, which Tournefort says are the largest he ever saw, not being set on carriages, cannot fire above once: and who would dare to load them in the presence of ships of war, that would pour in such broad-sides upon them as would soon demolish the walls of the castles, which are not terraced, and bury beneath their ruins both guns and gunners? Half a dozen bombs would do the business.
THURSDAY, September 13.
NEW-YORK, September 3.
ON Tuesday the 28th ult. we had a very heavy rain attended with thunder and lightning, which struck the Philadelphia stage boat, then lying at anchor back of Nutten-Island, and shattered her mast very much; several persons on board were stunned in such a manner, that it was some time before they recovered.
About a fortnight since, was found in the woods between Long-Pond and Charlottenburgh, in New-Jersey, a man lying on his back, with his head cut off and laid on one of his arms. He had no other clothes on than a shirt and trowsers, was about 5 feet 7 or 8 inches high, and to appearance must have been murdered some months before.
September 6. We hear from Southold on Long-Island, that about the 14th or 15th of August last, a young woman (the wife of Mr. Gershom Aldriage) having been
for some time melancholy and disordered in her mind, put an end to her own life, which she effected in the following manner; she told a little girl who tended her child, to take it out of doors and play with it; as soon as the girl went out, she observed the woman go into a bed room, shut the door, and soon after heard the snap of the cock of a gun. After this she saw the woman come out, take a powder horn, go again into the bed room, fasten the door, and presently after heard the report of the gun in the bed room, where the woman had shot herself in the breast and was dead. It is remarkable that about twenty years ago, the father of the husband of this woman, was with two others drowned by the sinking of a boat loaded with grain.
Extract of a Letter from New-Jersey, dated August 29.
"The inhabitants of Burlington country, have shewn a spirit of freedom,---they have signed articles not to purchase goods of any who shall import, until it shall become a general affair; and have appointed a committee in several towns, to keep a look out if any traders should misbehave.
NEWPORT, September 3. We are assured that every article of goods imported contrary to agreement, in the schooner Rebecca, Capt. Gilbert, has been stored.
Next Monday the Honourable General Assembly of this Colony meet at East-Greenwich.
B O S T O N.
By Captain Derby, who arrived at Salem last Sunday from London, we hear, that the manufacturers in England were fully employed; that our Non-importation Agreement was disregarded; and, that there was no talk of war when he left London.
Captain Daverson for this port, was to sail two days after Capt. Derby.
Capt. Miller of this town, Capt. Clark and Capt. Shores of Portsmouth, came passengers with Capt. Derby from London.
One Lee, who some time ago defrauded Capt. Freeman of this town, of a sum of money, is taken up and committed to goal in New-Haven.
It is reported that Scott from London, is now in the offing.
This Day was published, Price 8d. Lawful Money.
A PRESERVATIVE against the Doctrine of FATE. Occasioned by reading Mr. JONATHAN EDWARDS against FREE WILL, in a Book entitled 'A careful and strict Enquiry, &c.' Proposed to the Consideration of young Students in Divinity.
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BOSTON: Printed by Z. FOWLE and I. THOMAS, at the New Printing-Office in Union-Street, (near the Market) where this Paper is regularly published every TUESDAY, THURSDAY and SATURDAY, at Five Shillings, Lawful Money, per Annum; and where Subscriptions, Articles of Intelligence, and Advertisements, &c. for this Paper, are taken in; and PRINTING, in general, done in a neat Manner, on very reasonable Terms.