The following address to the king's most excellent majesty was sent from Sion-college.

We, your majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the London elergy, incorporated by the title of the President and Fellows of Sioncollege within the city of London, beg leave to approach your sacred majesty, and at the present moment, in all humility, to lay before you the sentiments of veneration, duty, and affection, by which your clergy of the city of London have ever been animated towards your royal person and august family.

We feel, sire, that we should be utterly unworthy of that uniform and pious protection, which, through the course of a long and auspicious reign, your majesty has, under Dvine Providence, extended to the church established in this united kingdom, if we did not, in the present posture of affairs, express our deep and indelible gratitude to your majesty, for a recent instance of your royal wisdom and constancy, in the preservation of those sanctions which experience has proved to be necessary for the protection of our constitution in church and state. These sanctions were the legacy of our reverend ancestors, who lived in times most distinguished by the progress of true philosophy and the sagacity of legislative wisdom.

Sire, we are fully aware of all the dangers and confusions which must arise from depriving the established church of that mild and tolerant ascendancy, which equally prevents the ruinous conflicts of contending sects and the overbearing supremacy of a foreign spiritual jurisdiction, inconsistent either with

liberty, or toleration, or genuine allegiance to a protestant prince.

In your majesty's firm refusal to sanction projects utterly subversive of all that the wisdom of our forefathers devised, and destructive of the strongest barriers of that constitution which your august family were called by Divine Providence to the throne of these kingdoms to defend, we recognise, with veneration and gratitude, an eminent regard for the true principles of Christian toleration and the high duties incumbent on a monarch of the Protestant succession, and a most conscientious adherence to the sanctity of your coronation oath, which places the Protestant religion established by law in this kingdom under your majesty's peculiar and incessant protection.

That your majesty may long here on earth enjoy the allegiance, affection, and gratitude of all your faithful subjects, and the approving testimony of your conscience, and that you may late inherit the unfading crown which is reserved in heaven for the protectors and defenders of the sincere and uncorrupted faith of Christ, is the fervent and constant prayer of, sire, your ever dutiful, grateful, and affectionate subjects,

The President and Fellows of Sion College. Given at Sion-college, under our common seal, April 18, 1807.

MAY.

2. An inquisition was taken before G. Hodgson, esq. coroner, on the body of Ann Nicholson, who met her death by falling out of a win

dow

dow at the late disastrous fire, in the house of Mrs. St. Leger, the actress, in Norton-street, on Friday morning. It appeared by the statement of Mr. Anderson, a carpenter, in Upper Norton-street, that on hearing the alarm of fire, he saw the second floor in flames; and in the third floor of an attic he saw two females at the window, vociferating shricks of distress. He went to the window of the third floor of an adjoining unfinished house, which was parallel with that of the house on fire, and the space between them was about four or five feet. The deceased, who did char-work in Mrs. St. Leger's house, and was the wife of a sailor, was the nearest to Mr. A. who stretched out his hand, as she was hanging out at the window, which she laid hold of, and slung herself under the window of the new house. The deceased was in a swoon, and wit. Dess held her with both his hands for five minutes, without being able to move her, and she at length fell in an erect state; her feet touched the moulding of the first floor, which precipitated her upon her head, and dashed out her brains.The other woman, who was the servant-maid, and whom the flames had nearly reached, craved the assistance of Mr. Anderson, who with difficulty had saved himself from falling in holding the deceased. He gave her no hopes of success; but she entreated him to make the attempt, and observed, that she had no other chance of saving her life, and she could only lose it once. Mr. A. took hold of her hand, and she slung herself under the window as her companion had done. She was considerably lighter than the deceased, and, being very active,

while Mr. A. held one hand, she caught the window-frame of the second floor with the other, and remained suspended until her deliverer went into another room, and saved her life by dragging her in at the window.

5. On account of a misunderstanding between sir Francis Burdett and Mr. Paul!, a meeting took place at nine o'clock this morning, at Wimbledon Common. The ori gin of the dispute was as follows:Mr. Paull had advertised a meeting of his friends to dinner on Friday last, at the Crown and Anchor in the Strand, sir Francis Burdett in the chair. The meeting was accordingly collected; the rty sat down to dinner; but no sir Francis appeared. Instead of the attendance of the worthy baronet, his brother, Mr. Jones Burdett, came forward, and read the following letters:

To the electors of Westminster, assembled at the Crown and Anchor tavern.

"Gentlemen-I am exceedingly distressed by the disagreeable nccessity imposed on me to contradict thus publicly the implied import of the two advertisements, by which you are called together this day. They were both inserted without any communication with me; and never should have been inserted, if any means had been afforded me of preventing it. As soon as I knew of the first advertisement, placing me in the chair, I wrote the following letter to Mr. Paull :" (The letter to Mr. Paul was here read by Mr. Burdett :)

"Dear Paull;

speak the truth, some displeasure. I must say, that to have my name published for meetings (like "Such a day is to be seen the great Katterfelto!") without my previous consent, or any application to me, is a circumstance I should really, from any one else, regard as an insult. You were acquainted with my sentiments and determination not to do any thing even for my own election; and I should have thought, must have been consequently aware of the impossibility of my coming forward in any body's else. 1 yielded to your desire that I should nominate you, although I should much rather avoid even that; but as I highly approve your conduct, I do not object to that one act, as a public testimouy of such approbation, in case you think it (which I do not) of any importance-but to that single point I must confine myself, or be exposed to be reproached, and justly, with inconsistency and folly. I shall pay the greatest attention to Cobbett's promised letter; but my own mind is quite made up; the Country cannot be served by my taking a part, and thereby aiding the delusion. Your's notwithstanding, very sincerely,

"Francis Burdett." "The advertisement of this day, is still more offensive to me; as it might, if not thus contradicted by me, lead many persons to suspect that I had a dissembled wish to he elected into parliament, notwithstanding my public declarations to the contrary. I beg you, gentle. men, to accept this explanation from me, as an act of fairness towards you, whilst it is one of strict duty towards myself. With every wish for the happiness and prosperity of the electors of West

minster, I beg leave to subscribe myself,

"Your much obliged and faithful humble servant.

"May 1, 1807. "F. Burdett." In consequence of these letters, Mr. Paull published an advertise. .ment in the morning papers of yes. terday," affirming that sir Fran cis Burdett had consented to be present at the dinner, at the Crown and Anchor;"-very properly con. ceiving this statement necessary to his own justification. This was not all as appears by the sequel; for, conceiving his character very injuri ously reflected upon, Mr. Paull dis. patched a challenge late on Friday night to sir Francis Burdett; which being immediately accepted, the parties met, early yesterday mor ning, at Combe Wood, near Wim. bledon Common--They discharged two pistols each; the second shot fired by Mr. Paul, wounded sir Francis in the thigh; the second pistol fired by sir Francis, wounded Mr. Paull in the leg-Sir Francis returned home from Wimbledonin the same carriage with Mr. Paull. Account of the duel between sir

F. Burdett and Mr. Paull, drawn up, and signed, by sir Francis's second.

On Saturday morning, May 5, about half past five o'clock, sir Francis Burdett's servant came to me with a note from sir Francis, desiring me to come to him instantly to Wimbledon, with a pair of pistols, as he had been called upon, but did not say hy whom. I could procure none, after trying in vain at two officers of the guards; and at Manton's, none that were thought fit for that purpose. It occurring to me that going thus from place to place for pistols might at last be the

occasion

occasion of bringing on more notice than I wished, I determined to proceed without them, thinking that those who had called on him must have a pair at least, and that, if it was necessary, they might serve both parties. I arrived at sir F. Burdett's house, at Wimbledon, about eight o'clock, having been obliged to wait more than two hours for a chaise. He was gone on to the King's Arms, Kingston, having left a note for me to follow him there in his carriage. On entering Kingston, I saw Mr. Paull in a coach, accompanied by another person, and a servant on the coach seat. He called out to me on passing his carriage, and said something that I did not very distinctly hear; but I think he advised me not to proceed into the town, as the affair would be blown. I asked him where the inn was, and went on.

As soon as I had entered the room where Burdett was sitting, a person appeared who had followed me; on his entrance I asked Burdett who he was? he said it was Mr. Paull's second: I then said," whom have I the honour to address ?"

"My name is Cooper."" Do you know him, Burdett ?" I have no doubt Mr. Paull has appointed a proper person to meet me." "Sir, sir, sir," was Mr. Cooper's answer. 1 then said, as Burdett desired, that we should immediately follow them if they proceeded to Combe Wood, which seemed to be a proper place for the meeting. After Burdett had given me some letters and memorandums for different friends, and explained to me the subject of Mr. Paull's demand, we proceeded to the place appointed; where ordering the carriages to stop for us, we went into the wood for a considerable distance. I fixed on a proper

spot. During our walk, Mr. Paull, frequently addressed me on the sub. ject of the quarrel. He said, hé was sure I had not heard it rightly stated, and wished me much to hear him. I always replied that I had heard the whole from my principal, and that I placed implicit confidence in what he said, for if I could not have done that, I should not have accompanied him there; and that from all I heard and read concerning the matter, it was my decided opinion that Burdett was the person most entitled to consider himself as ill-used; but that, at all events, an apology from him was out of all question, and that I would rather see him shot than advise him to do so disgrace. ful an act.

As Mr. Paull did not seem to have at all placed his opinions or cause in the hands of his second, I found it in vain to talk to him on the subject of accommodation. Af. ter we had stopped, I asked for the pistols, which were produced by Mr. Cooper, who declared that he had not expected things would have taken this turn. I asked him if he expected that I should advise, or Burdett would consent, to disgrace himself. I then told him that we had been unable to obtain pistols, and expected he would consent, as well as Mr. Paull, that we should use one of theirs to this they both agreed. He, Mr. Cooper, told me he did not know how to load them; I shewed him how, and directed him to load Burdett's while I loaded Mr. Paull's. I then asked him what distance he proposed for them to stand at; he said he knew nothing about the matter, and left it to me. I measured out twelve paces, and placed the principals at the extremities of the space; I then directed him to give sir Francis a pistol, and I presented

:

I presented another to Mr. Paull; at the same time assuring him, as I had Mr. Cooper, that sir Francis came there without the slightest animosity against Mr. Paull, but that he would fire at him as a mode of self-defence. I said besides to Mr. Paull, that I hoped he was thoroughly convinced that the injury he had received was of a nature not to be satisfied, with any thing short of attempting the life of my friend, and risking his own; he replied he must do so, unless he had an apology. I then asked them if they would agree to fire by a signal I would make by dropping my handkerchief; they each did agree to it. I placed myself about four yards on one side the centre of the space between them, while Mr. Cooper, on giving the pistol to sir Francis, retreated very precipitately behind a tree at some distance. On the signal being made, they fired together, but without effect. I then took Mr. Paull's pistol from him, and said, I hope, sir, you are now satisfied; he said no; he must have an apology or proceed. I said, to talk of an apology was ab. surd, and quite out of all question, We then reloaded the pistols, and gave them as before. I again addressed Mr. Paull as I had at first; he answered with warmth, he must have an apology or proceed, and called God to witness that he was the most injured man on earth. Mr. Cooper was then to make the sig'nal; but he stood so far out of the way that sir Francis could not see him, although he had already called to him during his retreat, and begged him not to go so far off, and to come forwards, or words to that effect. At last I saw sir Francis could not see Mr. Cooper nor his

signal, and upon his making it, I called out "fire" to sir Francis, as soon as I saw Mr. Paull raise his pistol: they did so together, I believe upou my uttering the word.

I should observe, that while they were waiting for the signal, I observed that sir Francis held his arm raised, and his pistol pointed towards Mr. Paull. Knowing this was not with the view of taking any unfair advantage, but the effect of accident, I said, "Burdett, don't take aim; I am sure you are not doing so, drop your arm, as you see Mr. Paull has his pistol pointed downwards." Mr. Paull then ask. ed me why I advised sir Francis not to take aim? I said, anybody might see that I could only mean for him not to take aim, or prepare to do so, before the signal, and from a desire to see that they were upon equal terms. The consequences of the second shots have been already described. After speaking to each of them, I set off for the carriages. Both were put into Mr. Paul's. I went on to sir Francis Burdett's house, to lady Burdett and his brother, and also to procure a surgeon in Wimbledon.

During the transaction, not one word passed between me and sir Francis, except what I said about taking aim. Mr. Cooper has constantly refused to sign any official account, to say where he lives, or what is his situation, which also was repeatedly requested of him by me, nor do I at this moment know any thing further concerning him.

JOHN BELLENDEN KER.

6. The election for the representation of the city of London, which threatened as severe a contest as had ever been known, found a termination as awful as it was unexpected.