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1748. N exprefs arrived from FalJan. 7. mouth with advice, that M. de la Bourdenaye, late commander in chief of the French king's fhips in India, was feized the 4th instant, on board a Dutch ship, called the Statianfe Friendship, captain Decker, bound from St. Euftatia to Holland. The above fhip put into Falmouth the 22d paft, by contrary winds, and it being difcovered that this gentleman was on board her, application was made to captain Blad well, commander of his Majefly's fhip the Mercury, who went, with a proper number of men, to fearch the fhip for him : the commodore at first denied himself, but on examining his packets he was discovered, and, with his fecretary and another officer, was brought afhore; and, on their parole, had the liberty of the town of Falmouth.

He was the commanding officer when the French took Madrafs or Fort St. George, where he got great riches, which he put on board a Portuguese fhip at St. Paul de Leagana, where he put in to victual and water the French men of war, on his voyage from India to Martinico; at which island

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he arrived with the French fquadron of five men of war, the beginning of September laft, and quitted his command, and went to St. Euftatia to get a paffage for Holland.

The reason of this his conduct was faid to be, that having been formerly employed on fome confiderable station by the French Eaft-India company, he had embezzled a large fum, to the amount, of a million of livres; but by the influence of his brotherin-law, who was then a perfon of great confequence in the direction of the faid company, he was fo far from suffering difgrace, that he was continued in employment, and promoted from time to time, till at length he was appointed to command the fquadron that failed to take Fort St. George. However, before he could finish his expedition and return home, his friend loft his influence, and even his employment in the Eaft-India company: and fo fearing the ftorm would again break out against him, having before converted all the spoil of Fort St. George into diamonds, he took the course above-mentioned, towards the end of the month, he was brought up to London.

Jan. 11. Above 900 failors, belonging to the Bedford, Sterling-Caftle, and Chatham men of war, went to St. James's, and delivered feveral petitions to his Majesty, in behalf of themselves and their brother feamen, on account of prize money; which were gracioufly received by his Majefty; on which the failors gave three cheers, and were ordered to come again the next Monday, The guards were ordered out of the Palace-yard to make room for the feamen, at which his Majefty expreffed great fatisfaction.

Jan. 12. This night Æneas Macdonald, late the Pretender's banker, and under fentence of death, was brought from the New-goal to the Cockpit, where he was feveral hours before his grace the duke of Newcastle, duke of Dorfet, earl of Chefterfield, duke of Montague, and feveral other lords of his Majesty's most honourable privy council.

tion, for the relief, fupport, and encouragement of the foldiers employed in fuppreffing the late rebellion, when they agreed to the recommendations of their committee, to difpofe of all the remaining balance of the fubfcription, by allowing 1000l. to St. Bartholomew's hofpital, roool. to St. Thomas's hofpital, 1000l. to the hospital at Bath, and 300l. to be equally divided between the infirmaries of London, Weftminfter, and Hyde-Park-Corner.

Jan. 26. His Majefty's pardon paffed the great feal'unto John Mackenzie, commonly called lord Mac Leod, eldest fon of the late earl of Cromartie, of all treasons and mifprifion of treafons, by him committed on or before December 24, 1747.

The orders relating to the distempered cattle were directed to continue in force for the space of one calendar month longer, from February 1.

Jan. 28. Was a general meeting of the fubfcribers to the late Guildhall fubfcripVOL. III.

Feb. 3. M. Bourdenaye, the French admiral waited on his grace the duke of Newcaftle, and was in converfation with him fome time.

A petition figned by a great number of inhabitants of the city and liberty of Weftminster, was prefented to the honourable House of Commons, against the bill for naturalizing foreign Pretestants.

This night, about eleven o'clock, Thomas Burdus, efq. attended by Mr. Welsh, the high conftable, and the conftables of Holbourn divifion, and the liberty of the duchy of Lancaster, with a military aid, vifited the new gaming-house, late the Fountain tavern in the Strand, where the said justice. ordered into cuftody upwards of forty common gamefters, whom he committed to New-prifon and other gaols.

Feb. 6., The right honourable the earl of Chefterfield refigned into the King's hands the feals of office of one of his Majesty's principal fecretaries of ftate.

Feb. 2. The right honourable the earl of Traquair, who had been a confiderable time confined in the Tower, was admitted to bail.

Feb. 10. The fheriffs of London and Middlefex prefented a petition to the honourable Houfe of Commons, in relation to fome duties on coals now near expiring, which were appropriated for the use of the orphans, &c. of that city.

Feb. 15. A great number of failors waited on his Majefty to return him thanks for the order of council, for the fpeedy condemnation of the prizes taken from the Genoefe; which prizes amounted to upwards of 200,000!.

Feb. 17. Was obferved the general faft appointed by his Majefty, on account of the

war.

Feb. 18. His Majefty went to the House of Peers, and gave the royal affent to an act for granting to his Majefty a fubfidy of poundage (of 51. per cent.) on all dry goods and merchandizes, to be imported into this kingdom, and for raising a certain fum of

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Jeremiah Dyfon, efq. made under-clerk of the parliaments, to attend upon the Houfe of Commons, in the room of

Nicholas Hardinge, efq. who refigned. Dr. Thomas Gooch, lord bishop of Norwich, tranflated to the fee of Ely, vacant by the death of Dr, Butts.

Feb. 20. The honourable Mr. Bentinck, brother to count Bentinck, and one of the deputy ftates of Holland, arrived here from that country, on affairs of great impor

tance,

A proclamation was published, ftrictly forbidding all commerce, of what nature foever, with the fubjects of the French king; and to direct all officers of the revenue, and others, in the fervice of the public, to affift in the execution thereof to the utmoft of their power.

Feb. 24. This morning his Royal Highnefs the Duke of Cumberland, accompanied by feveral officers of diftin&tion, fet out from his apartments at St. James's for Harwich, in order to embark for Flanders, and take on him the command of the army.

Feb. 25. Sir John Ligonier and lord Cathcart, fet out for Harwich, in order to embark for Flanders.

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An order of council was published, directing that all the rules and regulations relating to the diftempered cattle, fhould remain in full force for the space of ten days longer, to commence from the 14th inftant, The two preceding orders were, the first for a month, and the other for fourteen days.

March 11. His Majefty received the compliments of the nobility and gentry on account of the fafe delivery of her Royal Highness the Princefs of Orange of a Prince; when their Royal Highnefles the Prince and Princess of Wales likewife paid their compliments on the fame occafion. His Majefty ordered one hundred guineas to the meffenger who brought the news.

A perpetuity paffed the great feal about this time, granted to the mafters and fellows of Gonvil and Caius college, Cambridge, and their fucceffors, to hold in mortmain for ever any lands, tenements, &c. not exceeding