The Sun.
London, England, 1820-12-23 00:00:00

SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS, :MEETINGS, &c.

Crertitors of John McCaul and Sons, merNanti, Glastrow,
meet in the Office of Francis Garden, merchant there, 3d Ja-
nuary, at I.
Creditors of John Forlong, • merchant, Glasgow, meet
in the Office of David Strong,', accountant there, 2d January,
at 12. _ _ _

Creditors of Murray and Bonnard, booksellers, Glasgow,
will receive a dividend at the Office of James Imray, merchant
there, 301 h January.
Creditors of John Knox and Sons. cotton-vain merchants,
Glasgow. will receive a dividend at the Office of L. Cuthbert-
sOn,- accountant there,l2th. January.
Creditors of Lang and Cochrane; haberdashers, „Glasgow,
will receive a dividend at the Office of Jas. Aitken, merchant
these, 311th January.
Walter I;ochanan' fiesher, Glasgow—Thomas Tyrie, vinl7
net-, Paisley—Davidßicbie, metchant, Arklioath and Peter
M'Gregur, timber-fnerchant, Stifling, have applied for dis-
charges.
•

Some smart frosty 'nights were experienced last
week in the northern comities, attended with
partial falls of sleet and snow..

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

ANCIENT CUSTOMS OF WESTMINSTER.
Bow-STREar.-7-sYesterday Mr. James Munro, a respectable
musician,, applied to Sir ROBERT BAKER, the sitting Magis-
trate, for his instructions under circumstances of avert' eu'
rious and novel kind.
Mr. Munro said, the Magistrate was of course aware of the
custom of bands of Musicians, who were called " Waits," go',
ing about the metropolis during the joyful season of Christ'
mas ; but it was not perhaps generally known, that in West'
minster the " Waits' were regularly sworn before the "Court
of Burgesses," at the Guildhall, and acted under the author it
of a warrant, signed by the clerk, and sealed with the arms of
the City and Liberty; in addition to which, they were hotrod
to provide themselves with a silver badge, also bearing the,
arias of Westminster. The number of persons thus licensee
was limited, and each had his particular round or district 'sr
signed to hint by general agreement. For this privilege the!
paid considerable fees, aud each Wait hired several musicians,
forming a band of his own, with which he serenaded the
tants of his district every second night during ei certain term/
viz. from the 29th of November until the close of the Christ'
mss holidays, at le o'clock each night. He (Mr. Moriroj
was one of those so licensed and sworn, and during " the
season" he hired musicians of talent, at the rateof about tie
guineas a week per luau, and his chance of remuneration de-
pends entirely upon the liberality of those inhabitants W
whom he was in the habit .of paying his nocturnal visits. IS
had of late years, however, become a custom for other mu-
sicians, who were not sworn waits, to go about at night, awl
at the close of the season to levy contributions upon the
habitants in the assumed character of " licensed waits." The
trick was for these persons to go upon their serenading ec,;".
cupation on the nights when they knew that the " regulari
staid at home, in order to avoid coming in contact with thew'
The present application was to learn from the Magistra
whether any and what reeasures could be adopted to put 3
stop to it ?
Mr. Munro produced his warrant; which was written upo°
parchment, and sealed with the official Seal of Westminster'
lie also produced his badge.
Sir R. BAKER said, he had no idea that there were licensed
waits, nor had lie ever read in his life of such a body in rof
of the ancient books.
Mr. Munro said, the custom had existed since the time that
Westminster was a mere village.
Sir R. WEER observed, that the custom of serenading as
this time of the year was undoubtedly one of a s cry ancient
date, and he had no fault to find with it it conducted
good order ; -but he did not know that the privilege ut sere"
nailing was confined to particular individuals.
Mr. Munro said, the worthy Magistrate would now perceive.
that it was so, mad it was extreniety bard that the privilege
should be invaded. He wished to know whether the ja;
truders, " if caught in the fact," could nut be taken up an°`
punished ?
Sir R. BAKER said, that upon considering the matter, he
was of opinion, that any persons found playing in the streets
after midnight, without some license, or authority, might hi'
apprehended and lodged in confinemeut under the Vagrat4
Act.
Mr. Munro asked if Sir Robert would give him the.assist'
ance of some of his officers.
Sir R. BAK IR said, there was no necessity for that. as an"'
watchman would be justified in taking them into cuss oily upuit
a proper charge being given.
Nr. Munro said, that these intruders, he understood, some-
times provided themselves with. badges its imitation of those
of the waits, in order to obtain-money.
Sir ROBERT-BAKER told the applicant that any person de-
tected in doing this, would subject himself ton prosecution.
for obtaining money tinder false pretences.
Mr. Munro expressed himself much obliged by the polite
attention which had been paid to his application, and left the
office.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.-THE RESCUE PLOT.—The re-e%-
amination of three of the prisoners who wounded Mars4tti the
gaoler, took place yesterday, before Messrs. CONANT and
FARRANT.—TIie depositions of witnesses well acquainted with
facts having been taken, Jones, a principal in the rescue
party, was brought up singly, and afterwards Stanley and
Watts.—The prisoners were remanded fur another week, but
the witnesses were bound over to prosecute.
UNIoN HALL—Yesterday no less titan sixty women of the
town, and a number of reputed thieves, were brought before
the Magistrates of this (Mice, on a privy search warrants
charged as rogues and vagabonds. Acts of the most depraveii
Character were proved against them, and as the Magistrates,
front what has recently occurred in the metropolis, are hall
determined to treat such persons with the utmost rigour of
• the,law, they were ali committed to prison.

DREADFUL ACCIDENT.-I.llrs. ANN ROUSE,
widow lady of fortune, of No. 19, Upper Berke-
ley-street, while looking over a box full of pa -
pers, the lighted candle fell down and set fire to
them, which communicated to her clothes, and
in a moment she was enveloped in flames; her
screams soon alarmed her servant, who ran to her
assistance, but the whole of her clothes were
completely burnt off her back, and her persoh
was dreadfully scorched, especially the' shoul-
ders. Dr. LEMAN and another medical Gentle-
man attended, but their interference was of no
avail, as she was quite dead. She was eighty
years of age. An inquest was held on the body
—Verdict, Accidental Death.

CHRISTMAS Ox.—One of the largest and finest Oxen ever
seen in this city, was siaughtered by Mr.Williani Quick, jun•
this morning. it was b feet ~3 inches high ; length from
rump to horn, 9 feet 2 inches ; girth, 8 test 4 inches ; and
weighed when living 2,3801 b. ; weight of rough tallow 1841bs.
This noble animal was of the North Devon breed, and was
bred and fed on hay and grass only, hi' :John Linden, of Wes-
ton Zoyland, Somerset.—A Heifer, also of the North Devon
breed; was killed by the said Mr. Quick, this day, which for
shape, fatness, and quality, was perhaps neser surpassed.--
(Eseter Flying Post,Dec.M)

COURSE OF EXCHANGE, DEC, 22.
Amsterdam
Ditto, at Sight l2 5

Rotterdam
Antwerp
Hamburg!!
Altona

12 9 .
12 9
S 7 16 sf trit
37 24 yap.

Paris, 3 Day's sight
Ditto

.
25 75 0 Us-
-26 5 2.

I3ourileaux,•ditto

ef; 5 O.Us.

Frankfurt o'n the Ik-g.ain
Madrid

Cadiz 33s Etlecrire
Bilboa 3* .Elfictise
Barcelona

Seville.
Gibraltar

• • •6, • ••• 351
6 :.404

Leghorn - ..... ......• 46.4 ' •
Genoa 43i-Venice, Ital. Lir. 27 60
Malta 45 -Naples ...... .... :18j
Palermo - llsd. per Os.
Lisbon
Oporto
•
Rio Janeiro
Dublin ii Cori- . 3 per•Ceot.