The National Register.
London, England, 1817-09-15 00:00:00

LORD BISHOP OP CHESTER.

As we arc always anxious to devote some portion of
our columns to the amendment of the heart, as well as
the head, we think we cannot do our youthful Readers
a more essential piece of service than by presenting
them with the following Address. We have seldom
read a discourse so well suited to the octstsion. The nu.
ture of that solemn obligation which we lay upon mt..
selves by the act of Confirmation is clearly explaine,l,
and the Religious anti Moral duties of youth in their
future career in life are pointed out in language at once
plain and forcible. In our next number we shall pro.
lxtbly present our Readers with some portions of the very
excellent Charge delivered by the same Learned Divine
at the late Chester Visitation. In the mean time we
recommend to them, both old and young, the fhllowing
Address, as well deserving their serious attention.

" My YOUNG Flews os.J-The ceremony of Confirmation
being now over, I am anxious to address a few worth to you,
before you depart. And Ido so with this view. The ad-
monition of u friend—of one who can have no wish or object
hut your happiness present and eternal,—the advice •f your
Bishop, may,at this peculiar season, make a mute than ordi-
nary impression on your hearts, may afterwards, as I hope
and pray, occur to your recollection, amid those scenes and
temptations, to which all, and more particularly the young,
are sure some time or other, to be exposed.
0 It is unnecessary for me, I. well know,to expatiate to you,
on the nature, the end, and uses of the ceremony you have
just gone through. These things have been, lam sure, al-
ready, and at large explained to you, by the officiating Mi.
nisters. I need therefore only remind you, that you have
now taken upon yourselves the vow, which, at your baptism,
your Godfathers and Godmothers made fur you—that you
have promised by the blessiog of God, to continue his for
ever.

•• Now this engagement from you, has been wisely delayed
by our Church, till you were arrived at years of discretion :
until that period of your age, when you might understand the
nature of the obligation under winch you place yourselves.--
Another cause for deferring it until this time,is, that entering
now upon the more dangerous season of your lives, you may
he induced to pause—to reflect—and to make virt good
resolutions for the future. In order then to render Confir-
mation, as far as in me lieth, not a mere formal ceremony, but
a solemn and an useful rite, I will in as few words, and as
clearly as I possibly can, point out to you, what it is which
you have undertaken to be, and what most probably will be
the present, but, assuredly, what will be the future COMP-
queneev, of your breaking or keeping, the vow and promise
you have now made.

" You have then, in the face or God and of tit' t7^ll^rega-
tion declared, that you will, with thw assist.:nee if • to•
Spirit,cudeavuor to continue to be Christians, out.. your live.
cud. It behoves you therefore to consider and understand
what is meant by the words—to be a Christian. To be a
Christian, then, is first, to have faith in Jesus Christ—to be.
lieve that be is the Soo of God, that he came down from
Hea-
ven for Its miserable sinners, to reconcile man to the Father
through his blood shed en the CiONS. It is also to believe, that
he roseagain from the dead, in order to assure us, that we shall
all, ou the last day, rise front our graves, and that the dead,
both small and great, will stand betbre the throne of God, to
be judged out of the book of Life, according to their works.
If sun have thi• faith, and it be a lively- faith, you may' by
I)i% Grate, continue to be, what you have this dav under.
taken to be, true Christians—the children of God, aud inked-
tio s of everlasting Glory.
" lint remember, that to have a lively faith in Jesus Chris;
you most also obey his commandments : that is, you must no
our duty to God, your neightiour, and yourselves. Nut% in
order thus to do your duty, you must take pains to know it :
and to know it, you must go where it may be learnt. You
must therefore regularly anti devoutly attend your Church.
'l'h-re I trust you will hear the word of God, both laid down
and enforeed. If you constantly attend the place where his
honour dwelleth, yon are in the tight road at least, wheilaer
you proceed, or nut, to your journeys end : but Wyatt hence-
forth rtaitivly neglect the house of God, there is little hope
that you will elsewhere learn your duty; and if you do not
know, how can you practice it ?

•' Yon must, in the next place, show your reverence and
fear of your Maker—of that Being, who hears every word
you say, who sees every secret thing that you do, who knows
your very inmost thoughts—by never taking his name in
Sant —by never using it in profane cursing and sweat ing.-
1 would also most soleutuly advise on, to take the first 011-
portimity, now that you are confirmed, of proceeding to the
table of the Lord ; that you may there receive the spiritual
aid and cumin t, which are promised unto all them, who duly
partake ot• the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ.
" Worship them if you are wise, your Creator on his Sab.
baths. You will thus find the seventh day to be oat Duly a day
of lest, but a day of satisfaction. The practice Will by use
grow more easy, and more delightlid : it will procure you alas
the respect ut man, the approval of y our own conscieuce, and
what should be the main end and object of our lives, it will
afford you just grounds for hoping, that you ❑re rucommend.
ing yourselves, to the favour and protection of your Father
and y our God.
The discharge of this first and st important duly,
will be a likely means of inducing you, in the SCCOIIII place, to
do your duty to your Neighbour, that is, to be kind-h-loted,
and charita oh. as ral as yon eau ; to be conscientious and Du-
llest in all your dealings with every one. In short, to do unto
others, as, you would have reason to wish and expect, that
others should du unto you.
" The third and last duty which I pointed out to yon, is
your duty to youtselves. You must thesiMre, in the lir •t
place, ue sober. lAuakeouras is a hcutooa
the patent of many utters: and will 11111 Si assured, if in-
dulged in, ruin your u,i.dace, your ii:salth, and y our C1141:14:-
ter.
" Yon must also be. chaste. The commonness of the breach
of this e :indolent, is the great my mg sin of the Nation
but y nt must one day 14. r every violation of it, -rave
Scripture has declared, that those who transgress to 1111 S
110101, (it/li w,lt judge.
" YoU must moreover, if you wish to be good

ravr. is.

discharge faithfully all the relative domestic offices of life.
wlo.ther they be, as Master or Servant—as Husband or Wife
—at Child or Parent. These arc some of the principal duties,
which you have on this day undertaken to perform. Hy Con-
firmation, yonspledge.yourselves to believe in Christ, and to
serve kin.
-" It only then now remains for me, to point out the sure
consequences. which will accrue, front your observance or
breach of the obligations, which you have now in your own
o Tmtits undertaken ; and these consequences arc no less inn
portant, than the salvation or the loss of your immortal Souls
—no less than Heaven or Hell. -If' you continue to be Chris-
tians, you will enjoy a peace of mind of whirls nothing upon
earth can deprive you. You will also, in all human proba-
bility, enjoy your share of those worldly comforts which a
kimi providence has abundantly strewed in your way : and,
what is above and beyond all human considerations, you will
rise from your graves to everlasting glory and happiness, in
the presence of Angels and of God. But, if you ce-we to be
the children of God, you will feel the stings of conscience and
remorse doting a sad journey through life: you will forfeit
the approbation and favour of man and the torments which
await the wicked, and impenitent, for es er and ever, it is
dreadful to contemplate, neither will I attempt to describe
them.

" You sec then, from this brief statement, and the time
will not allow me to be mole particular, that every thing wor-
thy your pursuit, is on the side of virtue. Avoid then the
first temptation to sin. Draw nigh to God and be will draw
nigh to you. Thus will you obtain a victuiy, over the world
the flesh and the devil.

" In conclusion, let me enjoin you, occasionally thro' life,
to recollect this day, .and then—to ask yourselves, whether
you have reason to think, that you continue to Le Christians;
that is, whether you have faith in Christ, anti whether you do
your duty to God, your neighbour, and yourselves. If the
answer of your consciences be satisfactory, then happy are
ye—proceed—go on—unto perfection. if not. repent—re-
pent and you may be saved.
" Forget not, then I beseech you, when you quit this sa-
cred place, the advice of Him, who seeks your happiness
both here and hereafter: and-let us all join together in a fer-
vent prayer to the throne of Grace, that the blessing of God
Almighty, the Father, the Suit, and the Holy Ghost, may be
upon you, and remain with you, for ever.

EXECUTION

OF Tnr ASTICROFTS AND HOLDER, FOR THE PIeRDER OF

MARGARET MARSDEN AND HANNAH PARTINGTON.

Precisely at a quarter past 12 on Monday last, the door
leading from the castle to the scaffold opened : and IVilliam,
Holden, a strong built, middle-sized, and grey-headed man,
was led forth, with his hands pinioned both at Ale wrist and
his elbows : before the cap was placed on his head, he turned
round to the inuneuse multitude of spectators, and, with a
firm and loud voice, said, " I am innocent of the crime for
which I am to sutler, as the child unborn. May God take
away all my sins as lam innocent of this murder." The cap
was then drawn over his face, and the rope tied about his
neck. David Ashcroft was stationed next him. He spoke
to this egret, with frequent repetitious cf the same observa-
tions—" I an, glad to see so many persons uow !oohing on, as
1 testify to them that we are all ignorantof this crime. I do pro-
test to yon all before God, that we areal! innocent. Every one
that 11041 sees me is as guilty as lam. I would not say so if
we hail any connection with the concern ; but I declare be- •
fore God that we are perfectly innocent, for which tbless
God. My prayer to God is that all our persecutors may be
forgiven. May God Wreathe town of Manchester.. know
that waxy there thirsted for our blood, but they have sorer
hearts than we have. We forgive theinvand may God give
his Holy spit it to the town of Alatichester. I pray earnestly
that we may be the last innocent persons to suffer from this
Castle. May God find tail the true murderers, and may you
see them suffer in this place, and hear •their confession of
their guilt. I ant now, trust, going to glory,and I would
not for the world, die with a lie in my mouth. We are all in.
nocent." Holden exclaimed, " I eau answer only for soy.
self—l am innocent." James Ashcroft theyounger, who hail
in the mean time lawn brough out, and on whom the cap and
rope had been put, cried out," We at•e all innocent.") " And
now may the grace of God be with von all now and for ever,
Amen." The cap was now post on his face, and the rope
round his neck. lie was a good-looking man. James Ash-
croft the elder, a tall, thin, grey-headed mass, came out at
last, he came in front of his son, and kissed hint with great
earnestness, then took his station sty his side. He did not
say any .thit.g. They were all pinioned at the wrists and
elbows. They joined the .Clergyman afterwards in re-
peating the Lord's Prayer quite.load. David Ashcroft con-
tinued praying—" Lord take away my sins, and save my soul,
for the merits of Jesus Christ." Holden repeated the same
expression. All four then began to sing; David Ashcroft re-
peating line after line as they sung :

I'll praise any Maker while I've breath ;
And when my voice is lost in death,
My days of praise shall ne'er be past,
'Whildite and thought ami-
ne drop fell, their voices instantly ceased, and they swn
sound in the same direction. David Ashcroft's mouth being
uncovered. his tongue was seen-swollen and thrust halloos 01
the tipper side of his mouth. Old Ash( roll uevcr moved a
hod). The young loan quivered in the convulsion,: of death
about a ' atter they had been thrown MI. There was
scarcely- a tearless eye among the crowd.

ATTIMT TO ROB A Wantiox.—Thursday morning last, as Mr.
John Boyson, master of the Lutterworth stage waggon Was Trocceed-
•ll; towards London, at abotma quarter past one o'clock, shortly
•sfter pressing St. Alban'► turnpike, he discovered a man dressed in
light clothes on the wagmin ; he immediately desired a boy to give
liin, the blunderbuss, which hail caused the thief instantaneously to
dismount; but at the same moment three other villains in dark
clothes, sprung from the hedge, knocked the boy down, and assailed
Boyson with sticks, Beating hill, in a must dreadful manner. The
boy, on recoverirc his legs, ran off to the house of a Mr. Slaughter,
close by, and calks! ap the tinnily, who hastened to the Filet. anti
there found Boyson lyingon the ground, with two seven seuts on his
head at least three inches long, and having Also lest a area tquantity of
blood The gang had deemed it advisable to make.ott' without et.
fecting their object. Mr. lioyson was taken back to the Red Lion,
St. Arban''4, and the ostler • otthe Inn sent on with the waggon to
London. -it seams that the thieves hail come fully prepared to cony
. a may their expected. booty, the tracts of two carts liming been alio-
coverd in an adjoiiiing barley-tield where they had lain concealed.
TWO carts, with four men, ausweriug the description, were the same
snorting seen by several rsons at the White Lion, between the
Bak4facatt Stag ant utglypte.—Boyson is a particularly strong
barfly man. or the.terribleleating he received must have killed him;
-meaty happy W beat that theicarc.snat bores of his mover/.

THE NATIONAL ar.G:

POLICE.

MANSION HOUSE.

Three men named Pastnore, viz. two brothers and a coma'',
were charged on suspicion of having broken open the ware-
house of Mr. Polton, in gross-lane, Eastcheap, and stealing
large quantities of spices. Mr. Pullout said, his warehouse
was secured with three large locks; notwithstanding, it was
forcibly entered and plundered. No trace could 1w obtained
of the burglars; but about ten o'clock on flue sante morning
the three prisoners CAMP to his house, and expressed a wish to
purchase a quantity of the very description of spices of which
they had just been robbed. This circumstance gave rise to
suspicion, and an individual in the neighbourhood thought
he had seen the Pasmores lurking about the premises. The*
were given in custody; and at the very moment they had
with them a quantity of spices, which they said they had
bought, and the officers found the latter account correct.—
he two brothers, in defence, said, they were inhabitants of
'Exeter, and their cousin resided in !lath ; they were al,
plumbers, and hail arrived in London about three weeks
since, and lodged with a relation, a private in the nerds, at
Knightsbridge, and all employed themselves in preparing and
vending certain liquids. The Lord Mayor thought this airily
rxtraordivary-; and as the suspicious entertained were not
confined to the present case, he would remand them, to give
them an opportunity of producing testimonials of character.
A Po ET.—Friday, Thomas Vidler, jun. a clerk in the house of
Sir Peter Pole, in Bartholoniew-lane, appeared upon an information
cluirging hint with having published and dispersed a printed paper,
to which the name and place of abode of the printer was not affixed,
contrary to the statue. The 49th of the King, chap. 79, enacts, that
for such offence, the person convicted shall for every copy of a paper
printed, under such circumstances, forfeit and pay the sum of 201.
The present information was laid by several gentlemen in the
house of tin. Peter Pole, and the object of the complaint was the pu-
nishment of the defendant for libellous matter contained in the
printed paper alluded to. •
Mr. Vuller, when the information has read, declared that he
was ignorant of the necessity of a comp.iaece with the regulations
just mentioned, and lie submitted that ignorance as an excuse for
the error.

Mr. Price, Solicitor for the complainants, said, the defendant had
been in the habit of writing pleas of poetry, the tendency, at least the
object, of which was to injure the gentlemen of the establishment to
which the defendant belonged. There was a circumstance connect-
ed with the business, which pmved that the plea of ignorance should
be very jealously attended te. The defendant had procured a prin-
ter's boy to strike off the otten•ive .lines in the absence of his master.
Here the versa were produced. The following extract will serve
to exhibit a sufficient proof of the poetical talents of the author. It
was entitled—
" THE WONDERFUL METAMORPHOSIS."
.6 On Richmond's fair summit, where nature displays
An ample dominion ; and early the rays
Of Phoebus is seen to bring on the dawn.
Aud gild with rich lustre the opening morn ;
On that beautiful spot, long planted, there grows
Trees, rearing their heads in majestical tows ;
Invested in green, they afford a retreat,
When fierce burning Sol oppresses with heat."
The remaining part of the ballad, which is written throughout in
the same style of 4/gance, contains a scurrilous attack upon a young
gentleman, also a clerk in the limn.
Mr. Hobler, who read the versa, observed, that they were a com-
plete metamorphosis of the English language.
The defendant was ordered to pay a fine of 51. and 20$. costs.


rainbow. Mrs. Osborne, in her defence, said, that the girl
had behaved ill in several instances, and had once attempted
to set fire to her dress. The statement of the complainatit,
she added, was an exaggerated one. 'the worthy Magis-
trate commented upon the severe treatment the complainant
had experienced, of which, he observed, her person bore
sufficient proofs without further testimony. No conduct, hi
observed, however bad, on the part of the girl, could
jnstify the violent outrageous assaults which appealed to have
been inflicted upon her. " There was one consideration,'
continued the worthy Alderman, " which should have operat-
ed most materially on the mind of Mrs. Osborne, and served
at au inducement to that lady to treat the gill with more than
usual kindness, and that was—she was friendiess." He then
informed Mrs. Osborne, that unless she chose to make the
complisivant suet* compensation as the nature of the case de.
mended, it would be his duty to compel her to find bail to
answer the charge at the Sessions. The parties retired, and
the defendant agreed to pay the complainant 51. The Ma.
gistrate observed, he thought this was the most beneficial
ofsettling it for the complainant. He then asked, if
there was any person who wont i take the complainant under
their care? He was informed, that a lady of the name of
Calder, residing in Staple-buildings, had taken her under
her protection. One of the officers said, he had inquired as
to the character of this lady, and found it to be most respect-
able.—The Magistrate expressed his satisfaction that she
had found a protectress, and the defendant was then dis-
charged.

HATTON-GARDEN.
Wednesday, Mr. Pulwood, of Hampstead, was charged by
Mr. Charlton, of the same place, with committing a gross
assault upon his person, by horse-whipping him on the King's
highway, without any provocation. 'file complainant stated,
that as he was returning home from Barnet, in company
with another gentleman, both being on horseback, they fell
in with the defendant, who was also on horse back. They
rode together for souse time, when the defendant challenged
complainant to run his: horse against his.—Complainant at
once refused. on which defendant snapped the switch out of
complainant's hand, and began to beat his horse. Complain.
ant now remonstrated with the defendant, on which, without
further provocation, he begaisfloggingcomplainant on the back
and shoulders with the switch. The defendant now offered
the complainant to stand six pounds of rump steaks and six
bottles of wine, and bury all Animosity ; but complainant said
he would drop further proceeding on the defendant paying
101 to some CharitaWe Institution. 'Ale deleni!ant refused
this mode of settlement, and gave bail to answer the com-
plaint at the Sessions.

WORSHIP•STEET.
J. I mit..vas charged with attempting to rob a house on
Barone-terrace, Hackney-road. The prisoner and a compa..
nion, both dressed in a fashionable style, seeing that a house
was to lei, applied at the next door for the krv, with whieh
they were furnished ; but Mr. Norton, who had supplied
them with it,hearing a sieinge noise, looked through the
wash-house, and saw them forcing a lead pipe from the wall.
He went to the door, when one of them rushed by him and
escaped; the other violently drove against Mr. N. and run
across a field ; but was pursued and brought to the Office, and •
was remanded.
LAMBETH STREET.

ROSEEBY OF THE ROYAL. MlNT.—Tuesday Thomas Strin-
ger, and Sarah, his wife, underwent a long examination,
charged with being concerned in robbing the Royal Mint of a
great quantity of silver. Mr. Mushet, the principal melter at
the Mint, and several other gentlemen belonging to that con-
cern, were present ; besides several Magistrates and oilier
gentleman. About the middle of Mot week, Sarah Stringer
called at the shop of Mr. Harris, watchmaker, 10,-Nightin-
gale-lane, East Smithfield, where she offerH:
quantity of melted silver for sale. Mr. Harris, from having
read an account in the public papers of an extensive robbery
committed on the Royal Mint, suspected it was part of the
silver so stolen, and desired her to leave a sample of it. As
soon as.she was gone, Mr. Harris repaired to the Mint, and
made his suspicions known to Mr. Musket ; and as soon as
Mr. Musket saw the silver, he identified it to he stolen front
the Mint. When Sarah Stringer came in the evening, Grif-
fith, the officer, took her with him to the Mint, to ascertain
if Mr. Mushet had any knowledge of her. On their way to
the Mint, she saw her husband, Thomas Stringer, at a dis-
tance, and exclaimed—" 0! here is my husband !" on which
the officer took him also in custody, and conveyed them both
before Mr. Mushet, who identified the husband as being eta-
ployed as a labouring melter in the Mint.
After the examination ofa number of witnesses on the pati
of the Crown, Stringer and her husband were fully committed .
for trial.